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Theresa May 3

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MaizieD Mon 31-Oct-16 11:17:50

Very interesting article about T May. Forgive me if it's been posted before.

I think that the author is proposing that the Murdoch media have been superseded by the Daily Mail in setting the agenda for 'British' and that Theresa May is a product and perpetrator of its agenda.

www.opendemocracy.net/uk/anthony-barnett/daily-mail-takes-power-0

The Daily Mail takes power
Anthony Barnett 5 October 2016

After 25 years in politics Theresa May has no obvious connections to any think tank. She shows no interest in ideas. Asked by Conservative Home in a Quick Quiz session to choose between Burke’s “Reflections on the Revolution in France” or Louise Bagshawe’s “Desire”, she replied, “I wouldn’t read either of them, sorry.” The prime minister who faces arguably the Kingdom’s deepest constitutional predicament since George III was driven from the Cabinet by the loss of the American colonies dismissed out of hand the idea that she might ever turn to the pages of Burke, even though as a student she had chaired a society named after him.

As the country faces an unprecedented concatenation of economic, strategic, diplomatic and constitutional uncertainty, the woman at the helm seems devoid of intellectual resources. The one decision she has definitely taken is to give the go ahead to Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, a boondoggle incapable of justification by any criteria of integrity. The Pharaohs built their own pyramids, Theodoric built his own mausoleum. But these were designed as monuments to generate the admiration of posterity. Surely only an idiot would make their first decision the go-ahead for a colossal radioactive tombstone to her regime.

But Theresa May should not be dismissed as an idiot. There is a striking and potentially formidable coherence to the general direction she has set for her new government, evidenced by the self-confidence of her ministers who remarkably quickly are singing from the same song-sheet. She does seem to have a clear ideology refreshingly different from her predecessors. Where has it come from?

The answer is The Daily Mail. On Sunday in her first speech to her party as its leader, she set out her view of Brexit and announced that she intends to trigger Article 50 to start the UK’s withdrawal from the EU before March. This was a moment of upmost gravity, to recognise and measure the immense divisions that have been opened up within the country, and consider the implications for the entire continent that Britain once helped liberate from fascism. Instead, her tone, brevity and apparent practicality were drawn as if directly from a Daily Mail editorial.

Intelligent comments section, too.

whitewave Mon 31-Oct-16 18:10:11

Orgreave- that won't rest. The reason Rudd is shutting it down is because we know that the trail leads back to the Tory party.

durhamjen Mon 07-Nov-16 22:38:23

Just seen this.

tompride.wordpress.com/2016/11/07/new-chair-of-parliamentary-committee-overseeing-uk-press-in-the-pay-of-rupert-murdoch/

You'd think they'd at least try to hide it, wouldn't you?

daphnedill Mon 07-Nov-16 22:50:36

Hmmpphhh! If Theresa May's not an idiot, why does she seem to be going out of her way to upset India, which is probably the UK's most important post-Brexit trading partner?

I'm sure I remember people claiming that leaving the EU would stop the discrimination against potential non-EU immigrants. Does May not realise how much Indian students, researchers, scientists and IT professionals are worth to the UK? Does she not realise that some seriously rich Indians who could be persuaded to invest in the UK?

Tegan Mon 07-Nov-16 23:10:17

Read that earlier today jen; stinks doesn't it sad....

durhamjen Mon 07-Nov-16 23:19:51

Tata is going to decide about Port Talbot this week.
Tata owns Jaguarlandrover. Do you think she knows?

durhamjen Mon 07-Nov-16 23:29:56

Yes, Tegan. All that time trying to sort out newspapers and rogue journalism, and they think they can get away with that.
They haven't brought in the Leveson part 2 yet, either. I bet Murdoch had a hand in that.
I noticed that May actually stuck up for the DM against the judges, because she wants a free press.
If she carries on like this, she'll definitely be calling an early election just to extricate herself from the mess she's made.

daphnedill Tue 08-Nov-16 13:04:08

I knew I wasn't suffering from some kind of false memory syndrome. This is what Vote Leave was promising before the referendum. It's the FT and not behind a paywall, but just in case it is, here's a copy/paste extract:

May 19, 2016

Vote Leave is hoping to secure the backing of British Asians by telling them that if Britain quits the EU, it will mean more immigration from elsewhere in the world.

The official Out campaign is drawing up leaflets aimed at Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu speakers arguing that a British exit from the EU would help to stem the flow of Eastern Europeans into the UK — allowing more incomers from Commonwealth countries to take their place.

Saqib Bhatti, a board member for Vote Leave, said English-language leaflets had been sent out to Muslim voters, while others in different languages were set to follow.

The pamphlets argue that people with EU passports can just “walk in” to Britain.

“South Asian immigrants have ancestors who fought in the world wars, they sacrificed a lot, they speak the language, they have the skills, they are well educated,” said Mr Bhatti. “But they find it hard to come in compared to other individuals from Europe who may not speak the language, understand the culture or have the skills.”

So what do the South Asians with ancestors who fought in world wars, speak the language, have the skills and are well educated think now that Theresa May has said they can't come anyway?

Tegan Wed 09-Nov-16 12:35:02

It's what [I think] Margaret Beckett has just referred to on R5. It's called 'Post Truth Politics'.

Synonymous Wed 09-Nov-16 12:57:58

The reason we all get concerned about things is that we don't have access to 'the bigger picture'. I don't think the public are ever aware of any of the caveats or the future plans as the new circumstances we will eventually be in become apparent. No doubt we shall see as everything works through but part of being human is our impatience. smile

rosesarered Wed 09-Nov-16 13:51:02

Well said Synonymous that's what I think too, but so many want full explanations/actions the minute they hear something.

rosesarered Wed 09-Nov-16 13:51:49

It must be our techno age, so much ( often wrong) info, swilling about.

whitewave Sun 13-Nov-16 06:16:22

Her trip to India seems to be generally considered to be a damp squib.

India is now turning it's eyes to mainland Europe both for trade and educating it's young.

Luckylegs9 Sun 13-Nov-16 07:45:08

Anyone that comes here should speak or learn our language, small price to pay for coming here. I know if it was me I would. I don't think the door has been shut on India, it is early days and she and her ministers have to get the right balance, I hope we get a sensible solution to this. It is even more difficult as the remainers have to have their feelings addressed and hopefully bring us together. Just one part of the challenges ahead.

whitewave Sun 13-Nov-16 09:49:51

No the door hasn't been shut, but India is simply choosing to go where the biggest market resides -namely the EU. A rational decision.

MaizieD Mon 14-Nov-16 09:25:15

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/13/theresa-may-facing-cabinet-backlash-over-refusal-to-deal-with-ni/

Mrs May will today say that Mr Trump’s victory shows the Government must deal with the "overlooked" communities that have been transformed irrevocably by immigration without the "permission" of British voters.

She is utterly obsessed with immigration, isn't she?

MaizieD Mon 14-Nov-16 09:26:41

P.S Does she need reminding yet again that a huge number of the 'leave' votes came from areas like the NE which don't have a problem with immmigrants?

durhamjen Thu 17-Nov-16 22:32:41

Can you ask your MPs to sign this EDM to try and ensure what few assets we have left do not get sold off? Just in case May and Hammond are still thinking about it?

weownit.org.uk/act-now/keep-our-national-treasures-public

Washerwoman Fri 18-Nov-16 07:03:15

Then ask yourself why Maize D did the North East vote Leave in such large numbers? Could it be for lots of other reasons as plenty of us have said ,and I won't reitterate, because continually on these threads we have been told obsessed with immigration.
But Theresa May is recognising that porous borders in an increasingly globalised world ,with the EU having grown from 7 member states to 28 is proving to be a real problem in a huge number of communities,and many of those are down south actually.

thatbags Fri 18-Nov-16 07:42:07

Our Tory prime ministers seem to be good at damp squibs. Well, the last two anyhow. It was Cameron's damp squibbishness that lost him the referendum, I seem to recall. Then he damp squibbed off, defeated, and left the mess for others to clear up. I'm willing to give May a bit more of a chance than she's had so far.

One thing is in her favour: the predicted immediate post referendum recession hasn't happened. So I reckon the score is two-nil to Brexit at the moment. Could change, obviously, but we don't know how long the rounds are so no-one can really tell.

Dusts hands and squibs off...

MaizieD Fri 18-Nov-16 07:50:45

Strange response, Washerwoman. I said nothing about Leavers being obsessed with immigration; only that Theresa May is.

I was actually suggesting that she looks a bit further than the end of her obsession nose and proposes some policies that address some of the other reasons why people voted Leave.

daphnedill Fri 18-Nov-16 07:58:07

Shame it's not a match of any sort, thatbags. It never should have been about one 'side' winning. You'd have to have your head firmly in the sand not to realise that leaving the EU has never been a yes/no issue.

Washerwoman Fri 18-Nov-16 09:35:45

Point taken Maizie.Indeed you didn't say you were obsessed with immigration .Apologies.
But I couldn't understand why or how the North East in particular had any relevance to TM talking about immigration.Once again it's second guessing why certain areas voted the way they did.
She has to start somewhere ,and no doubt there are plenty of other policies being discussed.

MaizieD Fri 18-Nov-16 11:21:15

Perhaps this might be a bit of a start, Washerwoman,

Philip Hammond is preparing to offer modest giveaways to families that are “just about managing” in next week’s autumn statement, as the cash-strapped government struggles to make good on Theresa May’s promise to improve the lives of ordinary workers.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/nov/17/autumn-statement-hammond-to-give-modest-boost-to-just-managing-families

Though the words 'cash strapped' don't sound too promising and nor do the forecasts mentioned later in the article:

Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies recently suggested the £10.4bn surplus pencilled in for 2019-20 by the OBR was now on course to be a £14.9bn deficit, leaving a £25bn gap to fill in the government’s last year in office. The official forecasts are expected to show that the UK faces an extra deficit bill of between £50bn and £114bn over the next four years, the biggest deterioration in the public finances since 2011.

In these circumstances it is hard to see how Brexit has/will, in any way, help the 'left behind'.

daphnedill Fri 18-Nov-16 11:41:57

The suggested 'giveaways' are a sick joke. The 'just about managing' families don't have enough spare money to save, probably use their cars less than most (if they have one at all) and don't benefit as much as higher earners from a higher tax threshold. None of it will compensate for the cuts to tax credits. The solution is to build social housing to provide accommodation for affordable rents, but the government won't invest it in it (and it might upset the NIMBYs anyway).

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