Could we not separate news and politics?

There's politics and then there's party politics and the blame game.

Anyway, GN must have had a reason to combine the two headings into one - it would be nice to know the reasoning behind it.

I suppose you could say that Tim Farron has resigned is News - but also Politics so we would be back to square one.

I was in the supermarket near my mother's one day reading the front of the newspapers, deciding which I might have...

I just don't think you can direct people like that. Someone will say something which will illicit a comment wherever you put it.

I find quite a few people think they are not being political. I was in the supermarket near my mother's one day reading the front of the newspapers, deciding which I might have, when the women stood next to me pointed to the screaming headlines of one which said something about benefit scroungers. "We have plenty of those round here" she said to me. I am absolutely sure she did not think anyone would think her rude for saying that - after all her friends no doubt agree - but it left me at a bit of a loss with how to reply to this complete stranger - as far as I am aware it wouldn't be above average in that area (if that) and average is very low. . If I had told her what I really thought of her comment I think she would have thought I was being very political while I don't doubt that in her own mind she thought she was just making conversation. I think there are some on here who think their political comments are just conversation too.

GG, no way would I think of telling people what to think and brlieve , I could never reach your high level

But surely it would be remiss if the discussion then didn't go on to try and find ways to prevent it happening again. Which is politics. Not necessarily party political politics - but it is politics
Yes, of course posters should have the opportunity of discussion of what went wrong and what could be done to try to ensure such tragedies did not happen again - no-one would say that is wrong.
But perhaps on a different thread?

It's not a case at all of telling people how to think, it is a case of posters wanting to comment, express their horror and sympathy on a thread and, as so many people do not want to join in the political threads, not being put off doing so or feeling it is not the right place to do so.

whenever people say "Idont DO politics" I ask them if they DO life.Every part of life is affected by politics,from bus ses and schools ,housing ,health ,payrates and everything inbetween.There is no escape from it.IF as some of these residents say ,the shoddy refurb is to blame for the fire spreading so quickly then of course its political ...and putting off the discussion only allows those to blame for those cuts to budgets to come up with many excuses .They must be made to take the blame where it is due

As for politics, I am surprised it isn't brought up on cooking threads, perhaps it is I don't read thrm
I think that knitting has been brought up on politics threads though

It could probably be brought into cookery threads if someone has the will to do so (price of ingredients, possible scarcity of obtaining olives after Brexit etc etc).

Perhaps it is because you don't read them Annie

It does rather sound as if you are telling people how to think and believing, in the process, that you are not being political.

So - suggesting we have a Politics thread is wanting to close down political interaction

Newspapers, the media etc are not people chatting/discussing things on a forum.

For me today's news is people have died , injured , some still missing, families are homeless .

I certaintly don't consider such suffering as something to chat about

As for politics, I am surprised it isn't brought up on cooking threads, perhaps it is I don't read thrm

To everything there is a season etc for me today is a time to mourn

A news thread could discuss the tragic events and the search for missing etc. It might end up wallowing in the awful details. But surely it would be remiss if the discussion then didn't go on to try and find ways to prevent it happening again. Which is politics. Not necessarily party political politics - but it is politics.

because we can only afford one person a day to do so, it becomes news. political.

I think that you are on a hiding to nothing if you try to separate news and politics. It sounds like you are trying to tell people how to think about news.

Most news has a political aspect and those who are interested in it will discuss it. If I told you I had breakfast this morning it is a smidgeon of news which may not seem political but if I was the only person in my family who had breakfast because we can only afford one person a day to do so, it becomes news.

I might suggest the swallows are late/early this year. Interesting perhaps but more interesting if the change of habit appears to be a result of climate change.

We have newspapers and news programmes that set out to promulgate the political side of news so how do you stop that influence.

I think some people just want to close down the political interaction - which is almost certainly a political comment in itself.

I honestly don't see how significant events like the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester, or today's dreadful fire, can be discussed without reference to the actions of central, local government, our health and emergency services.
I've seen nothing but praise for the emergency or health services. The cuts to their numbers, reduction in job security pay, pensions etc can't be ignored in the discussions.
This fire will inevitably lead to investigation and recommendations. There has to be political will to ensure recommendations are followed. I don't see how it's possible to discuss this without acknowledging The fact this tower block had only one staircase, no sprinklers or fire alarms .
Maybe as has been said, chat is the place to discuss this tragedy without reference to polittics

How about....'In the News' and then another one 'Politicians & Politics'

Grenville Action Group - we have been warning about the perceived risk and asking for it to be given immediate and serious consideration. We have been ignored.

Other survivors are begging that when the flats are rebuilt that they are not built for the wealthy, as many of them believe that, that is exactly what will happen.

We did have this discussion on the Manchester thread MaizieD and I think some of us thought it would be a good idea to have separate news and politics threads; djen said there had been two separate threads at one time.

Such tragedies may involve politics but it would be good to have separate thread headings so the horrific news (or any news) can be discussed and the political implications could be aired on another thread.

'Chat' does not seem like an appropriate thread heading for tragedies such as these.

Breaking News?

anniebach that's a very good post, and I agree totally.People are too fond of jumping to conclusions and spraying blame around.

I think many of us see all the power games and machinations....who is going to resign and who pushed who etc that dominates the press as some sort of expensive soap opera that is being broadcast on a loop by the tv and press.

Where 'politics' becomes more relevant is when the decisions these people make affects our daily lives. I think we can do with less of the 'soap opera' ....such as Diane Abbott moaning about people being nasty (if you cant take the heat etc etc) and more of the policies and strategies that will affect our NHS, finances, jobs etc.

I think it is better to do as the fire brigades and police are doing, not leaping in with accusations and wait . Let us hope if there is guilt they will be justice , sadly that will not bring the dead back.

I do think bringing politics into this on the first day is so wrong, the news has to keep rolling so they will make dozens of interviews and some viewers will leap on every interview if they sniff a political point. I will not . People have died, people are missing, victims are in hospital, so much grief , let's not use it to score political points, time enough for that.

Didn't we have just this 'debate' after the Manchester bombing?

I still think that if you don't want a topic to become political it should go an somewhere like 'Chat'

Politics is about people - I guess most reported news is about people at some level.

I guess it is party politics that is bugging you though.

Politics does affect so much of life, though, it's true.

Of course this is political, the recommendations of the committee which looked at fire regulations in tower blocks has been on the table of 3 housing ministers including Gavin Barwell, who is now May's chief adviser after loosing his seat in the election. None of them has acted on it or even commented or considered it.

It could be a good idea to have separate forums. Then someone getting political on a News topic could be told to push off and start a topic on Politics.