"I've never seen anything like it!"

Just like to say that Emily Thornberry is my daughter's M.P. and whilst they are not of the same political persuasion by any means, my daughter and son in law think she is an excellent, committed constituency M.P. who has integrity. And Islington isn't all expensive houses - some of the estates in Islington are lived in by people on really low incomes. Presumably she, like many others, bought her home some years ago, when it certainly wasn't worth 2-3 million. It's not her fault that the housing market in London is obscene.

Eloethan possibly Myleene Klass's comments about hardly being able to buy a garage for 2 million in London was somewhat flippant, other than that I think she made perfectly salient points about the proposed mansion tax and she is perfectly entitled to her opinion. MPs should think before they tweet stupid ripostes to people who disagree with them, such as "perhaps you would like to emigrate", it's rude and unnecessary.

Emily Thornberry exemplifies one of the sneering London elite she let the mask slip and no amount of backtracking will undo the damage she has done to her party. I feel the same about ex Tory MP Matthew Parris, I was the one who started the thread about his insulting comments which I found unbelievably snotty and dismissive towards a section of society he thinks are not worth bothering with. Although I'm more shocked when these attitudes emanate from the left as they are supposed to represent the aspirations of the less well off.

Like many, it's this cliquey, out of touch London elite that have alienated so many of today's voters, I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I'm sick of them.

Jeremy Clarkson is a buffoon, I think his recent showing off in Argentina was appalling, I was in Buenos Aires last year the people there are lovely. They are touchy about the Falklands/Malvinas, most British people there know it's a subject to steer clear of. His boorish, insensitive antics opened up old wounds. The BBC should sack him he certainly didn't do Britain any favours.

Best of luck to him, hope he and Camilla will be very happy!
CSL

Prince Charles actually said he was going to go abroad to live?!

That s why I supported Terri s post !!

If petulant, self-important celebrities announce that they are going to leave Britain, they can hardly be surprised if some people are happy to cheer them on their way. I'm sure the country will somehow survive without them.

I was under the impression that it was Emily Thornberry who said that Mylene Klass should leave the UK if she didn't agree with the so-called mansion tax, Eloethan.

Meanwhile, there is apparently a petition calling for Ms Klass to be sacked as the face of Littlewoods because she 'obviously doesn't understand the plight of those who have to pay by instalments'.

I'm not a fan of hers, but does she really deserve all this stick just because she challenged a Labour policy?

Celebrities who threaten to live abroad if certain laws come into being get up my goat (as our Phoenix would say!).

Prince Charles said as much years ago if fox hunting were to be banned - he's still around

I liked you post Terri, says it all !!

TerriBull

If petulant, self-important celebrities announce that they are going to leave Britain, they can hardly be surprised if some people are happy to cheer them on their way. I'm sure the country will somehow survive without them.

Emily Thornberry may well live in a £1-2 million house in Islington but Myleene Klass commented that you can hardly buy a garage for £2million in London, so, as far as I can see, she is equally divorced from the lives of the average working person.

As for the "type of left wing person" with "sanctimonious views" who "mocks", "insults" and "shouts down" - I don't think these qualities are exclusive to those on the left. I recall that the Conservative supporter and ex MP, Matthew Parris, recently made some pretty scornful and insulting remarks about UKIP voters. Jeremy Clarkson has made several mocking and insulting comments about people outside his milieu, including suggesting ("jokingly") that striking public service workers should be shot.

I'm going to run and hide after saying this but there's a caption competition on another forum with regards to the twittered photo. My favourite is one that says 'Farage arrives back at UKIP headquarters'....

I liked your post Terri, says it all !!

I suppose they need all they can get to cheer themselves up.

No. Not been to Norway yet Granny-a. It's on the list.

jingl I wonder if you've ever visited Norway where the national flag is very much in evidence? Whenever we go to visit our friends there they literally 'put the flags out' to welcome us. All high days and holidays are celebrated in this way and it's rare to see a municipal building that doesn't have a flag flying.

I love the way the Americans fly their flag outside their homes, very patriotic, seems a shame we are not able to do the same without being jumped on .
& again

The fightback to reclaim the English flag could start this way, that town halls etc in England fly it alongside the Union flag ,and Scotland Northern Ireland and Wales could do the same with their flags [maybe they already do?]

I like this idea.

POGS, I like the points you have made. Unfortunately BNP type far right groups have on occasions hi-jacked the English flag for their own purposes. Having said that, at times the English are pilloried for any sort of patriotism they display when flying the English flag and this certainly doesn't seem to apply to the Welsh or Scots. However basing the English is considered fair game, particularly from the far left, who really don't like anyone arguing with their point of view, except when it becomes apparent they have made a massive blunder.

Emily Thornberry is not alone, several MPs from Labour have made some appalling remarks recently, albeit tongue in cheek, I don't think it was clever to tell Myleene Klass she might like to emigrate simply because she opposes their proposed mansion tax. Similarly left leaning American journalist Bonnie Greer told British Griff Rhys Jones to "piss off" when he voiced his objections and Sol Campbell has similarly been hectored for his opinions on the same matter.

On Question Time last night Yasmin Allibah Brown voiced her concerns about UKIP, possibly as a first generation immigrant she would feel threatened by some of their rhetoric. I would empathise with those feelings if she herself had not once said "I wish you white middle class men would go away and let us walk in" possibly this quote isn't verbatim, but something along those lines and again for all her passion of wanting to have a fairer and more equal society she chooses to send her own children to private schools.

My problem is with this type of so called left wing person is that they simply don't allow any individual to express an opinion that differs from their own sanctimonious view of how things should be. They mock, they insult, they shout people down and finally they tell them, perhaps they would like to leave the country.

I am not a UKIP voter and don't intend to be, my paternal grandfather was an immigrant, my maternal grandparents both had an immigrant parent. My first husband was from overseas, I do not consider myself to be a Little Englander. I, like many others am just sick of this awful political elite, across the spectrum who cannot disguise their disdain and contempt for the increasingly disobedient electorate.

Unlike say, the US [where flag flying is commonplace in a lot of areas] and I think Sweden too, most countries don't go in for it particularly unless there is a important football match or something similar.That's in people's gardens and on houses BTW, but there is often a flag on municipal buildings.The fightback to reclaim the English flag could start this way, that town halls etc in England fly it alongside the Union flag ,and Scotland Northern Ireland and Wales could do the same with their flags [maybe they already do?]

There are 3 union flags flying within a mile of our house. We live in a very ordinary suburb in north Manchester. I know one of the families flying the union flag has a son in the military and suspect that's the case with the other two homes.
The only time we have flags of St George on homes locally is during significant sporting events. Oh yes, and when the EDL came to try and cause riots here between the white british and pakistani communities. Luckily, no such riots occurred and local people from both communities came out to suggest the EDL go home. The closest it came to a riot, was when the bussed in anti fascist group charged the (bussed in) EDL and the police had to get involved.
I feel it's so sad that flying the English flag is usually associated with racism, dangerous nationalism etc.
I'm still so cross with this silly ex Minister - photographing someone's home, and publishing the photographs without permission is bad enough, but to do so in such a sneering, patronising, and bigoted manner, good job she's gone!

POGS, it is unfortunate that the English flag was used as the symbol for the BNP. I don't understand the need to fly flags on houses when there is no National celebration taking place . I don't have a need to fly the Welsh flag because I love my country , I just do

alex57currie SNAP! I too am a Scot living South of the Border and my heart sinks when I see family members on facebook etc. wearing this banner that says 45, along with the Saltire. For those unaware of the siginficance of this, it represent the percentage of Scottish voters who voted for independence. Another example of a proud symbol being hijacked by a vociferous and sadly sometimes nasty minority.

It seems wrong that the man"s van registration has been posted for all to see, IMO !

Gill57 I am a scot living south of the border, and haven't got a patriotic bone in my body. But when I see the Saltire these days I associate with a sad time in our history. Recent history meaning the scottish independance vote. On another thread re. twitter my husband received death threats for his stand against such. It has divided some in our extended families, causing what seems unrepairable rifts. Just aligning with your sad association with the red and white of St. Georges'.

You don't see national flags in people's houses on the continent. I haven't anyway. Odd that.

I think it's ok for football, but don't like it from a nationalist stance.

It's true - and very sad. I almost feel we ought to start again with a new design. One that just means that we love our country. And make it illegal for any covert political users and abusers to treat it as their symbol. I loved the Jubilee year, it was actually safe to put up a flag without feeling potentially offensive.