Boris and Cambridge Analytica

Russia is no longer a Communist state POGS and has not been since the fall of the USSR.

Putin is a populist and nationalist whose aim is to destabilise the west by subverting democracy and promoting authoritarian right wing regimes by covert means.

His two notable successes in 2016 were Trump and brexit.

Oh yes, Corbyn is their friend (Russia) remember the Salisbury poisonings!

Maybe you are correct MaizieD but at least the present government defends our Security Services before Putin. Others appear to defend Putin come what may until there is no way to continue with doing so.

Labour will always be the Party the Russian government under a Communist state will choose. The Russian government has nothing in common with the Conservative Party.

The point is Russia is known for it's meddling/bots and irrespective of our political persuasion why is the question never asked did Russia have any influence over over 2017 General Election, that is not partisan it is a perfectly reasonable question to ask.

Russia would have every reason to want to try and get a government sympathetic toward Russia. Why not?

We already had a government sympathetic to Russia, h*POGS*; the tories. They are heavily funded by Russian oligarchs and the London property market is kept buoyant by Russian billionaires looking for a safe place to stash their gains from the breakup of the USSR.

The break up of the EU being a Russian objective their job was done in 2016 when the UK voted to leave the EU.

I have no idea about Russian meddling in other EU states but I wouldn't be surprised if they were supporting some of the rightwing populist parties. They've certainly got fingers in the pies of ours.

"Russian government used Facebook in the USA. They targeted individuals by using their personal data and fed them fake news stories.

Stoking fear and hate to turn the country against itself
Divide and conquer."
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"The issue that needs to be recognised though is not simple advertising etc, it is actual manipulation of the voter as took place in Trinidad and Tobago, the USA and the UK. amongst others so far identified.

And where it is used to stir up racial hatred and division, it is not a case of advertising it is far more sinister and a real threat to democracy"
--

"The FBI and Muller have proven that particular persuadable groups were identified by Russia, who used social media to swing the election. Russia flooded social media with false information before the election, enough to convince these persuadables to vote in a particular way."
---

Heavens above we have had copious amounts of threads/posts for years that have raised the point fake news/misinformation/ Russian bots/propaganda links etc. etc. are facts we should all be aware of. It's old news.

I have asked several times if Russia is known to have meddled in the US/French/German etc. etc. elections why have we in the UK not accepted our own UK 2017 General Election would have been an obvious target too. Russia would have every reason to want to try and get a government sympathetic toward Russia. Why not?

As for Facebook /Cambridge Analytica it was the breaking of the story and scale that was the issue. There is a film on NETFLIX called the GREAT HACK I would like to watch.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-49085306

It is a fact that ALL parties are ' harvesting ' Information. If you think the party you support is not targeting you if you are a member, on twitter/Facebook etc. you are simply shutting off from reality.

The reason the internet / social media is free is because YOU ARE THEIR SOURCE/ THEIR COMMODITY to produce political propaganda, sell products, whatever and to whom ever.

You are mistaken if you believe the Cambridge Analytica/Vote Leave mix is the only show in town. Your details are held by various politically parties, countries, businesses and they cannot be stopped.

To rage about one incident and not another is futile and lacks understanding of the Big Brother existence we ALL belong to. Yes, the genie is out of the box and out of our control but if we as individuals want to use the technology of the internet how will it ever be stopped.?

Liberal Democrat MP Leila Moran writes-

"The appointment of Dominic Cummings should send shivers down the spines of UK citizens. This is a man who has peddled lies and flouted the truth for sheer, cynical political gain. The dark arts that he proffers should have no place in Government, and no place in Downing Street.

That is why I have written to Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill calling on him to block the appointment of Dominic Cummings as an Advisor to Boris Johnson on grounds of suitability. My letter cites that Cummings has previously been found in contempt of parliament for refusing to attend a Select Committee and highlights a track record of dubious behaviour in relation to leaked documents and unsubstantiated campaign claims during the EU referendum.

If Boris Johnson is serious about uniting our country, then appointing one of the most divisive figures in politics is hardly the best start. Boris Johnson needs to act like a Prime Minister, and not be the puppeteer of someone who has so little respect for the British people."

Do you believe that Johnson should be allowed to refuse to answer, in contempt of HoC and MPs, and us - questions asked of him in the House- and get away with it?
The same question needs to be asked, agai, and again, and again, and again some more- in the House, and by all Journalists and people in the street- until he answers- as it is of vital significance -as is Cummings all over Johnson and the Cabinet at the moment.

Jane 10, whether I 'like' Boris or not, has surely nothing to do with the current situation. Both.

We are facing a possible economic disaster and lead now by an egomaniac. Why shouldn’t we protest and dissect his ability and character at every opportunity?

At least jura posted in paragraphs!

‘Flaming frabric falls on our screaming children ‘

Good grief, how dramatic can one be ?

Ooh that’s brilliant jura2! Is there one on the shadow cabinet as well? ‘I see you Seamus Milne....

We get it Jura really we do. You dont like Boris. You dont want Brexit. Are you just letting off steam or do you think that this constant posting on the same topics will in some way alter things?

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I'll always remember the day I heard a very strong Scouse accent. Dovedale, Peak District. Our girls had clambered up rocks to a cave, and a teenager was shouting from the top 'I'm stoch on a roch and I wanna get bach' - again and again.

Two young women kept shouting back she could do it. And I asked them what she was shouting 'I'm stuck on a rock and I want to get back' ... they were social workers from Liverpool who had taken a couple of girls away from a childrens' home for the week-end. An ear opener for me and my girls and friends.

Oh I could imagine Callistemon!

Took me a while to get used to it when I moved up here and learning how to say the och bit rather than ock
If you find saying och difficult you should try living in Wales SirChenjin
By the time you've tried pronouncing some of the Welsh words on the road signs and searched for the English translation, you could have gone into the car in front!

indeed ...

Loch Lomond is wonderful - but nowhere near the mystical Loch Lomand!

Yes, Sir C. - scousers do intend pronounce 'ck' as a grating 'ch with an 'r'' - very similar to Swiss German too lol.

There’s no Loch Lomond?!

jura you say ‘ there is no Loch Lomond anywhere’
Quite right, well spotted.
It was made up by Andy Stewart in The White Heather Club
In 1960. Since then it has amused many locals as they observe tourists milling around trying to find it ( as well as the bonny banks.)
Incidentally, my DH had a nasty accident in the trossachs once, it put him off horse riding for life.

Quizqueen I was going to point out to you again that it is not just 'lefties' who dislike and distrust Johnson, and many 'righties' voted to remain, but then I realised that I will never convince you of this, so I will leave you to fantasise over JRM ( is their an emoticon for a little bit of sick?) as I mix myself a Scottish G & T, a fine locally distilled one. Cambridge Analytica will never penetrate my gin fuddled mind, maybe that is the answer?

No - from Kent jura

Is the och sound pronounced by Scousers?

not a scouser then SirC? lol

Why would you think that Jura ?