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I think that the author is proposing that the Murdoch media have been superseded by the Daily Mail in setting the agenda for 'British' and that Theresa May is a product and perpetrator of its agenda.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

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 22:56:09

Those flippin' Australians as well, we imported their coal. Surface mined, not deep mines, according to a friend who sourced it from there and Poland.
Not just for his own hearth of course.

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 22:53:44

I am sure it mutates djen, I agree with your DGS, he could get it back again.

trisher Sun 29-Jan-17 22:41:03

Ah well another thing we can blame the Poles for. They come over here use our health service, take our jobs, fill our schools, set up their own shops and now we find out they were involved in the mines closing. Never mind, when article 50 is triggered we can send them all home, might mean there won't be any builders or plumbers but hey-ho we'll just let our houses fall down. Maybe coal should have its country of origin stamped on each piece.

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 22:30:27

Jalima, the last time I saw my grandson, when he went home on Wednesday, he decided not to hug me, definitely not give me a kiss, because he didn't want what I had!
I didn't want to give it back to him, either, so that was okay.

Mair Sun 29-Jan-17 21:17:41

Polish coal imports to Britain increased tto break miners

ukrainesolidaritycampaign.org/2015/04/12/how-stalinism-helped-defeat-the-great-miners-strike-in-1984-85/

The Financial Times claimed:

“UK imports of Polish house coal have been running at almost double their usual rate since the beginning of the year. If the strike had not taken place about 130,000 tonnes of Polish house coal would have been imported this year. But traders say that so tar 100,000 tomes have been landed, and the final total for the year to likely to be 200.000 tonnes. Cawoods, part of the Redland Group, based at Cheltenham, confirmed yesterday that it had placed an order for 30,000 tonnes of domestic coal. It had purchased individual cargoes of Polish coal previously but this is its first long term contract.” (17th May 1984)

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 19:12:29

I can't understand it either MargaretX, certainly I don't think my German friend has had any hassle, but she has been over here for 50 or so years.
And hope your GDD enjoys her course; I am sure she will be fine.

djen I think we both had it before Christmas and hope it is not another one doing the rounds
It's a bit difficult to keep away from viruses, and although I avoided the DGC last week their other granny caught it.

Mair Sun 29-Jan-17 19:10:06

Arthur Scargill Polish coal imports

bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/lbc/index.php/segment/0000500310017

Mair Sun 29-Jan-17 19:06:19

Joelsnan said
Daphnedill
Having come from a former mining region it was common knowledge that coal came from Poland during the demise of UK coalfields. I do not know where it comes from now. My point was that this coal expedited the closure of the mines quicker than they would have closed had the Thatcher government had to wait to convert the power stations to alternative fuels.i would imagine Polish fuel would not have attracted EU import levies.

Well said Joelsnan
AND there was the deal with the French which could not have happened outside the EU

Margaret Thatcher planned to destroy the coal industry:

^The plans were approved by a group of inner-circle ministers in September 1985 ‑ five months after the strike ended. They sealed the fate of the British coal industry and were rigorously followed by successive Conservative governments. Under the plans, ministers agreed to keep a permanent stockpile of at least six months' supply of coal, increase coal imports, build more oil-burn, nuclear and gas-fired power stations and encourage development of more opencast mines.

They also agreed to a deal with the French to supply power stations with electricity by doubling the size of the cable connecting the two countries, and to switch coal deliveries to power stations from rail to road to prevent the unions from disrupting deliveries.

Source
www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/aug/29/margaret-thatcher-undermine-miners-union

Anniebach Sun 29-Jan-17 18:37:23

So Jen, who do you think could replace May ?

MargaretX Sun 29-Jan-17 17:56:38

There is a difference between being a German tourist watching the trooping of the colour and me living in a Northern (Brexit) town. Not in a hotel but there in the street with my car standing outside. I know from my sister that she is the only remainer she knows in her u3a.
Thanks anyway......

I sometimes fly over and can do that but somehow I don't want to go. I'm hoping my sister comes to see me. My GDD is going to an English course in Brighton this summer most Germans can't understand the political fall out anyway.

As to Mrs May I thought how pleased she must have been to get home to her nice Phillip(is that what he's called?) after those two Nation leaders. I dont want to mention names you never know whose reading GN.

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 16:50:31

Can't be doing with it again. My box of aromatherapy oils is taking a battering, but I've just noticed that the Olbas Oil is dated 2007, so I haven't had that many viruses.
Keep away from viruses, Jalima.

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 16:45:40

It has done the rounds but several people seem to have something similar again.

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 16:39:42

Yes, the horrible virus. Got it from my grandson and his dad has it now. No idea where grandson got it as he doesn't mix with that many people.

This is interesting about May.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/28/tory-rebellion-article-50-bill-mps-demand-white-paper-vote-start/

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 16:25:44

I may log off now
Ta Ra

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 16:24:54

I am wearing a jumper today djen, it is chilly and pouring with rain out there.

I just thought it was an odd question confused and funny grin
Not the horrible virus?

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 16:02:33

Sorry, Jalima, just a question. Keep your shirt on.

I've actually been ill all week, been in bed most of the time since Wednesday, which is why I haven't been on a lot lately.
Just for your information, you understand.

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 15:57:49

Jalima, how long ago did Margaret say that?
Saturday at 18.48

durhamjen Am I supposed to stay on here all night and day and answer promptly? I didn't realise. And anyway, it wasn't addressed to you, it was a post reassuring MargaretX

Sorry, I do have a real life to live as well, out last night having fun, family visiting today, preparing food, playing with Lego, making drinks etc etc.

Sometimes you are not on here for quite a long while then catch up I noticed.
I will try to give notice next time I need to get on with RL.

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 15:49:00

So predictable, Annie.

Jalima, how long ago did Margaret say that?

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 15:45:09

333,000+ signatures on that petition already.

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 15:43:33

The information was from the 'Visit Britain' website btw

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 15:42:55

MargaretX
Don't worry, there were nearly 2 million (1,830,000) visitors from the EU15 countries to UK in November 2016
Visits from EU15 markets were 19% higher than November 2015 at 1.83 million. Visits during the last 3 months were up 5% compared to the same period last year. For 2016 so far, there have been 19.06 million visits from the EU15 region to the UK, a growth rate of 3% and setting a new record for this period. Visits during the last 12 months were up 3%, at 20.51 million and a new record.

Thousands of the visitors must have been from Germany and may well have driven over.

I don't think anyone is going to worry about you coming over here
smile

If things are that bad between us should we forget about booking a Rhine cruise?
DH is keen, I am not sure.

Anniebach Sun 29-Jan-17 15:37:49

In fairness, how can anyone critcise May for not thinking on her feet and support Corbyn for her job and I am not a May supporter

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 15:30:37

Mind you, he probably thought it okay as she had just congratulated him on his stunning victory. I suppose it did stun the world, the same as Brexit did.
Yes, a very clever play on words there!

Jalima Sun 29-Jan-17 15:28:38

weak and needy Weak and needy for sleep I should think.
I usually get a bit like that when I am jet-lagged, in fact it can make me feel really disoriented, tired and dizzy.
Whistle stop tours are all very well, I usually take a good few days to get over it.

Anyway, this is quite a bombshell surely and she will need time to think, meet with the Cabinet and formulate an official response.

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 15:28:24

She's just told Boris and Amber Rudd to ring their counterparts in Washington to explain the UK position.
Response should be interesting.

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