UK Politics Thread

[STEED]

Politicians without doubt do not live in the real world, politics is like sport to them trying to win medals and get showered in glitter.

We stand no chance and as long as they keep those lies coming people who are not wide awake will fall for their lies. No hope what so ever...

[Jimbuna]

Nigel Farage is unveiling the Brexit Party's general election policies, promising "fundamental change" for the UK after it leaves the EU.

The party leader has said he will not publish a manifesto, but instead make a "contract with the British people".

The Brexit Party is running in 275 seats, after deciding to stand down in the 317 won by the Tories in 2017.

Its main focus is on leaving the EU, but it is also promising action on immigration and the environment.

Among policies already announced, the Brexit Party is offering a cap on permanent immigration of 50,000 a year, the abolition of the House of Lords and a large-scale tree planting programme across the UK.

Mr Farage has also indicated his party will campaign for postal voting to be limited to elderly, infirm and overseas voters, citing "many examples of intimidation and fraud".

He has pledged a £10,000 allowance for every UK company before they have to pay corporation tax, and said the party would continue to campaign for a "clean break from all EU institutions" after Brexit - with Brexit Party MPs "vital in holding Johnson to his word" in Parliament.

"We see Brexit as the beginning of a real fundamental change, not the end," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Several other political parties have launched traditional manifestos - outlining policy commitments for government - this week, but Mr Farage and his colleagues have declined to do so.

"The word manifesto - I think in a word association test, most people would say 'lie'," Mr Farage said. "I think it's now a defunct word".

"We are used to, in this modern era of career politics, parties saying things in manifestos that they think the electorate want to hear but without the slightest intention of delivering them," he added.

"I'm going for a different idea, which is a contract with the people - I think it makes more sense."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50511014

I've very little to no time for this man but at least he is not allowing his backside to write cheques his mouth cannot cash.

That is more than what the other parties are currently doing.

[Jimbuna]

The leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and the SNP will be quizzed by audience members later on a BBC Question Time special.

The live programme, hosted by Fiona Bruce in Sheffield, will be broadcast on BBC One at 19:00.

Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson and Nicola Sturgeon will have 30 minutes each to answer questions.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50511329

Looking forward to this but I won't be in when it is broadcast tonight so the Virgin TV V6 box is set to 'record'

[Jimbuna]

[Skybird]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50508360

Truth is, Brussels is preparing to offer Boris Johnson a quick FTA should he win the election - with zero tariffs on goods - but also with the utmost levels of EU regulation bells and whistles attached (the so-called level playing field provisions). This would mean the prime minister signing up to EU environmental regulations, for example, and the bloc's state aid rules.
This is in Brussels's interest, of course. To reassure EU members that the UK won't have a huge competitive advantage over them after Brexit, but if Boris Johnson agrees to an FTA with the EU under those terms, then where is the national sovereignty he promised voters after Brexit?
My European contacts tell me the prime minister has already informed them that he can't accept being tied to EU rules like that. He will certainly try to negotiate those EU demands away. But that will take time. Which is why the EU believes, under Boris Johnson, the UK may leave the bloc in January - in legal terms.
But that practically speaking, the UK will end up still paying into the EU budget for a lot longer; still remaining a member of the customs union and the single market, with continued free movement to the UK for EU citizens - while a trade deal is negotiated. This temporary state of being out of the EU, yet still in it to all intents and purposes (though with no decision-making powers any more) is called the transition period.
Right now, Boris Johnson insists he won't extend transition beyond December next year, but the EU has seen him break his political pledges before. If he wins a majority at the polls, he could quite easily break this one. Brussels thinks he'll have to.

[Jimbuna]

If Boris wins an overall majority his negotiating power will be greatly enhanced but we will have to await the outcome of the election first.

If we do eventually leave I hope there is no acrimony in future relations.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

If Boris wins an overall majority his negotiating power will be greatly enhanced but we will have to await the outcome of the election first.

If we do eventually leave I hope there is no acrimony in future relations.

Norway got not what Boris aims at getting, and Switzerland is being forced more and more under ECB and EU rules while not even being associated with the block like Norway is with its special arrangement. That should be all answer to you that you need. The EU is not set to let you go. They will always try to get you under full control again, directly or indirectely, formally or informally.


Its the old Mafia motto, you see. "You do not leave the family." At least not alive.

[STEED]

Jim I hear Diane Abbott coming around your house wearing sexy underwear. Something to do you are having trouble with your email.




Moving on.....

With three weeks to go no one has knocked on my door and only four leaflets all from the Libs, not a word from the rest so far.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Norway got not what Boris aims at getting, and Switzerland is being forced more and more under ECB and EU rules while not even being associated with the block like Norway is with its special arrangement. That should be all answer to you that you need. The EU is not set to let you go. They will always try to get you under full control again, directly or indirectely, formally or informally.


Its the old Mafia motto, you see. "You do not leave the family." At least not alive.

Only time will tell Sky.

[Jimbuna]

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Only time will tell Sky.

What abiut experience? Back precedence? The UK will not be the first country trying to strike trade deals with the block. Nor is it the biggest such actor. Especially african and South-American countries can sing a song of that. There is a simple recipe for negotiating on same eye-level with the EU: you have to be stronger than it, and heavier in economic weight. If you are not that, you have to play the game by their conditions.


Same is true with your hopes for Trump/the US, btw. And of course China, which tries to push others into deep finciao and eocniomic depe3ndency, and then dicatets them terms and ciodntions, beyond the orgional trade negotiations's focus. They currently roll up most of Africa with this trick: giving cheap credits, pushing states deeper into debts with attractive interests until there is no escape anymore - and then starting to let the mask fall.

[Jimbuna]

I suppose that is the way of the world for most countries these days but you have to give it a go. Either that or remain in the EU which is far from being a reality even today.

[Jimbuna]

[MGR1]

As a side note, the latest news regarding a certain former MP, MSP and First Minister of Scotland:

Alex Salmond accused of sexual assaults on 10 women

An explainer, courtesy of Reddit:

In case you aren't familiar with Scottish (legal) procedure(s).

Salmond has been charged with 14 offences. These are:

• One attempted rape
• One sexual assault with intent to rape
• Ten sexual assaults
• Two indecent assaults

Scotland has four/five options for criminal trials:

• Summary proceedings in Justice of the Peace Courts — where the maximum sentence is 60 days in prison and a fine of £2,500; although these courts rarely send people to prison
• Summary proceedings in Sheriff Courts — where the maximum sentence is 12 months in prison and a fine of £10,000
• Solemn proceedings (with a jury) in the Sheriff Courts — where the maximum sentence is 5 years in prison and an unlimited fine
• Solemn proceedings in the High Court of Justiciary; this is the only court that can hear trials for treason, rape, and murder; in theory it can hear any offence, but most of it's workload is murder, rape, armed robbery, and sex crimes against children — the maximum sentence here is life in prison and an unlimited fine
• Criminal proceedings in the Court of the Lord Lyon; which only deals with criminal matters relating to Scottish Heraldry (and as a specialist court generally isn't counted as an option) — the maximum sentence here is a fine (which varies on the offence), and forfeiture of (heraldic) arms

This case is being heard with a jury in the High Court; which is necessary because of the High Court's exclusive jurisdiction over the two rape charges.

Scottish juries consist of 15 members, and eight are required to agree the verdict (unlike England the jury don't need the judge's permission to return a majority verdict). The options for the verdict are: proven, not proven, and not guilty; (although to tell the distinction between them it can be helpful to think of these as guilty, not guilty, and innocent).

There will be one trial with one jury of 15 members, and at the end of the proceedings the jury will be asked to deliberate and return a verdict on each of the 14 charges. There's no requirement for the jury to come to the same verdict on every charge.

If there is a guilty verdict on more than one charge, the judge will give a sentence on each of the charges for which there was a guilty verdict (but can reference the multiple convictions as an aggravating factor in each sentence). Sentences are usually (and near always) served concurrently, (in practice) meaning only the most severe sentence matters.

Mike.

[STEED]

Anyone voting?

As you all know I will not as I have given my reasons.

Roll on three weeks time and this garbage will be done and dusted.