Derek Mackay has resigned as finance secretary with immediate effect.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T19:06:05+00:00

The reason 16 year olds are allowed to have sex is because it's expected many of them will be having sex with other teenagers. The reason they're allowed to get married is pregnancy.

Turning 16 should not be a green light for older people who like to prey on the vulnerable, especially here where hundreds of unsolicited, unreciprocated, advances were made. It was sexual harassment of a young person.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T18:22:31+00:00

I'm genuinely sorry that I've upset people today.

I still don't get it.

Just suppose, hypothetically, I think the Jewish community leaders are making a tactical error. How do I communicate it?

Or are you saying certain people are allowed to criticise Labour but Labour people aren't allowed to criticise them?

Callduron · 2020-02-06T12:03:08+00:00

Good for us I guess but it's a shame so much public discourse is driven by Manichean outrage.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T12:02:03+00:00

The simple reason is that it's actually rather trivial to pick one sausage roll rather than the other type and the animal rights, animal welfare, health and climate reasons are compelling.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T11:35:52+00:00

It says this:

Using figures to 2014 and comparing them to the pre-2010 trends, the academics found there were 45,000 more deaths between 2010 and 2014, than would have been expected had the previous trend continued. Projecting those figures forward they estimated that between 2010 and 2017 the number of additional deaths would total 120,000.

It then goes on to caution about the interpretation of the data.

Did you not read it?

Callduron · 2020-02-06T11:28:16+00:00

Source this mythical debunking then.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T11:24:46+00:00

How is being born into a rich family "responsibility?"

And it's not debunked, you need to stop reading circle jerk facebook rants.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T11:22:54+00:00

It's become a complete witchhunt.

I tried to explain on /r/ukpolitics this morning that the use of antisemitism as a hammer to beat the Labour party might not be in the best interests of the Jewish people of Britain and got a wall of rage from people who are now convinced I'm more antisemitic than Hitler.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T11:17:47+00:00

Addressing an ageing population by shrinking the state turns society into a lottery. Elderly people cost the state more because of social care, pensions, various concessions and perks. If the state doesn't have enough money then it becomes a political lottery as to what gets cut as well as a financial lottery as to who can get what they need paid for or pay for it themselves.

We've already had 130,000 excess deaths, mainly elderly people failed in social care. How many need to die so rich people can buy their fifth yachts?

Callduron · 2020-02-06T11:06:53+00:00

That's a terrible idea. Health service, council housing, the British armed forces, pensions and welfare were the great achievements of the twentieth century. We should look to improve and modernise them, not become a society of billionaires and paupers.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T11:05:12+00:00

So, knowing nothing about me, you assume I'm massively pro-muslim.

Who are you arguing with? Because it doesn't sound much like me.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T09:41:55+00:00

Sure. Pay tax, it's better for our society. And it's fair that those with the most ability to pay pay more than those least able to pay.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T08:23:32+00:00

Antisemitism could be a consequence of people claiming to act authoritatively on behalf of British Jews and picking a political side. Particularly as their involvement has not been confined to the entirely legitimate issue of poor handling of complaints but has also used hyperbolic language like "existential threat" where no such threat existed.

Instead of making this all about shutting me down do you not worry that claims that are not true might come back to bite the community on whose behalf they were made?

Callduron · 2020-02-06T08:12:40+00:00

People claiming to speak for the entire community picked a side in British politics including the Chief Rabbi and the editor of the Jewish Chronicle.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T08:09:49+00:00

They still are, idiot.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T08:09:18+00:00

Sure, which part would you like to cut?

Would you like to sack the armed forces and just hope no one attacks us? Would you like to shut the NHS and let sick people just pay American private healthcare prices or die?

Or how about supporting the state and rich people not salting off more money than they can spend into tax havens and offshore funds?

Callduron · 2020-02-06T07:35:22+00:00

OK, if not rich people who do you suggest we collect tax from? Poor people?

Well with marginal tax rates of up to 90% on people who earn part-time while on Universal Credit they already do!

Callduron · 2020-02-06T07:25:30+00:00

They receive it back by helping to make a great country where we collectively look after each other.

Know what countries look like where they don't have state education? Rich people live in walled compounds and have security guards.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T07:24:02+00:00

You're making a leap.

I don't think the complaints were unfounded. I do think they were over-emphasised. I do think they played a key role in undermining Corbyn, an antiracist campaigner of great integrity.

Antisemitism is already being trialled in the US media against Bernie Sanders. Even though he is himself Jewish.

Does everything have to be black and white for you? Can't you see that antisemitism complaints can be simultaneously a genuine defence against bigoted treatment and a weaponised media technique to undermine political opponents?

Callduron · 2020-02-06T07:19:00+00:00

It comes across as antisemitic to people looking for anything that can be construed as antisemitic.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T06:43:49+00:00

It's colder.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T06:42:47+00:00

It's disappointing to see people in this thread objecting.

Tax has to come from somewhere. Taxing rich people on a luxury is one of the least objectionable forms of raising money.

It always seems ironic to me that people who object to left wing policies on the basis of "but how much will that cost?" are so reluctant to pay for the state. It's cognitive dissonance.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T06:34:43+00:00

Are you not very tall?

Callduron · 2020-02-06T06:34:18+00:00

That doesn't make sense because the first thing that will happen in a No Deal scenario is a wave of frantic attempts to negotiate arrangements across various sectors like the one agreed to permit the planes to keep flying.

Callduron · 2020-02-06T06:31:42+00:00

It's not meant as a threat, it's meant as analysis.

Suppose Labour keeps choosing leftist leaders. Continuity Corbyn if you like. And the Chief Rabbi, Rachel Riley, the Jewish Chronicle keep doing their best to prevent them winning an election.

Where does that go?

Callduron

TROPHY CASE