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Theresa May 3

(1001 Posts)
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I think that the author is proposing that the Murdoch media have been superseded by the Daily Mail in setting the agenda for 'British' and that Theresa May is a product and perpetrator of its agenda.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.

nigglynellie Sat 21-Jan-17 15:50:11

dj your last sentence made me laugh out loud for the absurd remark that it is!!!

Ana Sat 21-Jan-17 16:29:48

Which one niggly? The one suggesting dj's not blinkered or this one

But don't read it. I don't want you to read anything that agrees with you and Theresa May. which doesn't even make sense...confused

durhamjen Sat 21-Jan-17 16:37:33

And you two don't read them either. All you do is attack people.
So who cares what you think.

Ana Sat 21-Jan-17 16:39:06

We care what we think.

Ana Sat 21-Jan-17 16:41:08

And actually, all you do is attack people - unless of course they happen to agree with you!

durhamjen Sat 21-Jan-17 16:43:32

You're doing it again, Ana.

Ana Sat 21-Jan-17 16:45:27

What, replying to your (rather childish) post? Sorry, needs must sometimes.

durhamjen Sat 21-Jan-17 16:53:51

And again, Ana.

Ana Sat 21-Jan-17 16:56:54

Yes dear. Whatever you say...hmm

Mair Sat 21-Jan-17 17:49:27

durhamjen
I am proud to be left wing.

Clearly! grin
However it is less clear why. hmm

Any fool can adopt any political stance left or right, globalist or nationalist. It doesn't represent any kind of achievement.

Have you ever changed your view on anything DJ or are you, like Corbyn, stuck in the mold which formed you in your teens?

suzied Sat 21-Jan-17 17:57:26

* Mair Any fool can adopt any political stance left or right, globalist or nationalist. It doesn't represent any kind of achievement.*

Pot ? Kettle?

Mair Sat 21-Jan-17 18:06:01

Suzied
Inappropriate jibe. I am not crowing that I am "proud" of my beliefs.

CariGransnet (GNHQ) Sat 21-Jan-17 19:25:35

Just a reminder that it's best for everyone if people stick to the subject of the discussion without getting too personal about other people's views. Disagree, by all means, but do please focus on the point rather than the person

nigglynellie Sat 21-Jan-17 20:00:38

In reply to Ana. The sentence about not being as blinkered as roses! I'm just replying to a question GN.

Ana Sat 21-Jan-17 20:15:55

Thanks niggly smile

durhamjen Sun 22-Jan-17 00:02:04

Do you know about this, whitewave?

www.change.org/p/republic-of-brighton-and-hove-brighton-hove-independence-referendum-leave-uk-stay-in-eu

whitewave Sun 22-Jan-17 15:18:04

May needs to be very careful in her dealings with Trump. and just like Putin does Trump. "She presents an easy target for bully boy Trump. If past behaviour is anything to go by, Trump will take what he wants from Britain, which is primarily, the conferring of international respectability on him and his despicable ideas, and spit out the rest.

The Trump carnage will not be confined to America "

Meeting the Queen will further this aid this need for respectability. Unfortunately.

rosesarered Sun 22-Jan-17 15:22:59

what do you suggest then? Alienate the new President of the USA?

Ana Sun 22-Jan-17 15:26:13

Has Trump already started killing people then?

Mair Sun 22-Jan-17 17:52:35

Whitewaves quote: Observer editorial!

John Mulholland (born 20 November 1962) is an Irish journalist who is the editor of the British Sunday newspaper The Observer and assistant editor of The Guardian. He has worked for most of his career with the Guardian Media Group.

Hardly an unbiased source. Is that why you failed to provide the link WW?

MargaretX Sun 22-Jan-17 21:46:29

Its impossible to join this thread as it seem to be reduced to squabbling about opinions.

I saw Theresa May this morning on Anrew Marr's show and she seemed to be confident that she will be able to cope with Trump. After all he had an English mother and a German father so has the same parentage as my own children. Not actually bad mix as you have the work ethic and the common sense. I wonder if he has ever lived abroad?
I don't envy her as I wouldn't want to spend any time in his company. I think that protesting after a democatic election has taken place,is a waste of time. It seems to be the favourite past time of many facebook followers and they are happy to get out of the house and meet up with others on the street. Ok so they enjoy it but it will change nothing.

durhamjen Sun 22-Jan-17 22:53:48

If women hadn't protested, you wouldn't have the right to voice your opinion, Margaret.

absent Mon 23-Jan-17 05:09:56

Did any Grasnetters live in London at the time Ken Livingstone was planning his tramway? He sent out leaflets to everyone who lived in the areas that would be affected. By affected, I mean huge changes to traffic flow from main roads to residential streets, changes to parking restrictions, changes to bus routes, etc. He had the gumption to admit that the referendum being called was something he was legally required to do, but stated clearly that there was no legal requirement for him to abide by the vote and he had no intention of doing so if residents voted against the tramway.

As it happened, he lost the Mayoral election to Boris Johnson before he could implement the plan – which, frankly, I thought was bonkers. But whatever criticism may be levelled at Ken Livingstone – and much has been, sometimes justified and often not – he was pretty upfront with the way referendums are supposed to work in the UK. Maybe more so than the Government regarding the EU?

thatbags Mon 23-Jan-17 07:36:14

durhamjen, that statement is not true. Men fought for freedom of speech as well as women. Probably in greater numbers and for longer. I'm thinking in terms of hundreds of years.

This is not to belittle women's efforts and involvement either now or in the past, but it was never just women so I don't think one should make statements that seem to imply that it was.

If your statement was supposed to include men's efforts as well, I beg your pardon. I missed that bit.

thatbags Mon 23-Jan-17 07:39:49

The trouble with the EU referendum, absent, is that government publications stated that the people's choice (which means the majority of the votes) would be honoured. And they stated this before the referendum.

Yes, David Cameron was a fool. But he was also leader of the government that gave that undertaking.

It is because of that that people are annoyed when "how referendums work" is talked about. People were spectacularly misled about this particular referendum. It's not on.

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