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Who gives a t*ss?

(257 Posts)
MaizieD Fri 04-Jun-21 13:00:54

Alistair Campbell identifies a new political divide. After listing all the traditional 'divides', and finding that they don't seem to apply these days, he comes to this conclusion:

Given all that we know about the afore-mentioned incompetent, morally corrupt, shape-shifting, truth-twisting, manifesto-promise-breaking, rule-smashing, gaslighting government full of right wing rogues and anything-for-power charlatans, I have concluded with sadness that the new dividing line in British political debate is this: Giving a toss v not giving a toss.

If you don’t think it is important that the prime minister is a proven and brazen liar, you really don’t give a toss about whether our democratic systems work or not.

If you think it is OK that the same prime minister lies not only to parliament but to the Queen, and acts as judge and jury on the code designed to prevent misconduct of ministers, then you have gone into full-scale not giving a tossery about standards in public life.

If you work up sufficient rage to tweet angrily about Meghan Markle but are cool with 128,000 Covid dead, and willing to dismiss any and all suggestion that Johnson did not take the virus seriously, or was too busy sorting out his private life to focus on it, or was finishing a book to recoup the advance because he doesn’t see how anyone can survive unless on at least ten times the national average salary, then you are so far gone into the Land of Not Giving a Toss because ‘Boris is a character and Starmer’s a bit boring’ that you may as well not bother having a passport to come back.

If you are so becalmed as not to be bothered that the Indian variant which may yet threaten further freedom was ushered in by Johnson not taking control of borders, and by his doing everything possible to go on his Global Britain fantasy trip to see Modi, but happy the passport you can’t use is blue not burgundy, then I hope you enjoy its stamp-free pages.

If you are a journalist who cares about truth, but who does not pursue it with vigour when it comes to the words or deeds of the prime minister and his cabinet, I’m afraid your lethargy, and the ease with which you take proprietorial orders or a Number 10 line, moves you from giving a toss to not giving a toss. You are the Fifth Column for the Not Giving A Tossers.

Cummings may be a narcissist who, as his evidence showed, sees himself as the star of a never-ending goodies v baddies superhero movie. He may be a total hypocrite in helping to install in Number 10 someone he thought then and thinks even more now was unfit for the role. So Cummings is and always will be a villain, no matter how many times he rewrites the script. But the picture he painted of utter deathly dysfunction created by Johnson’s chaotic and immoral character rang all too true for anyone who has known him at any stage of his remarkable rise to power.

The Tory MPs who elected him knew it. They, therefore, qualify as fully-fledged Don’t Give A Tossers, provided they have the letters MP after their names.

Bearing in mind GG13's frequent assertion that the man or woman in the street is just interested in getting on with their lives I think that Campbell has a point. I know that many people echo his frustration.

Naturally others might disagree...

www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/where-is-the-rage-against-government-incompetence-8015778

P.S The Gnet swear filter must be on. It refused to post this with its original title. Removing one letter made it OK...

M0nica Tue 08-Jun-21 14:05:26

I just thought an outsider view would help. Personally I wouldn't vote for either party, and never have. One is as bad as the other.

growstuff Tue 08-Jun-21 14:11:20

trisher Do some maths! Labour needs to win at least 100 seats from the Tories, if it's going to win an election. They're not just seats like the so-called red wall, but more so-called "middle-class" seats in the Midlands, South and South East, where Corbyn-like policies have little appeal.

BTW I know people who voted Labour in 2017 while holding their noses because they were hoping that Brexit would be overturned and Labour offered the best hope because they were going on about "Brexit Light".

growstuff Tue 08-Jun-21 14:15:01

Dinahmo

Maizie interesting reading. The most shocking thing for me was the high percentage of those who support capital punishment.

The UK (England mainly) is a very conservative country (with a small "c"). That's why Johnson & Co have focussed on a culture war.

growstuff Tue 08-Jun-21 14:18:02

The Conservatives also know that the people who are most likely to vote are those over 60, who tend to be more socially conservative. Apparently, only 14% of those over 60s in England who voted, voted against the Conservatives (can't remember where I read that, so can't check it).

growstuff Tue 08-Jun-21 14:20:41

BTW I didn't need AC to tell me that there is a significant number of people who really don't give a t*ss. I've been with canvassers before elections and have been quite horrified at some of the stuff people have come out with. I dread to think what they will only say behind closed doors.

trisher Tue 08-Jun-21 15:29:19

growstuff Labour was 56 seats behind the Tories in 2017 and now they need 100, are you suggesting voters in 44 seats held their noses?
More people under 35 registered to vote as well
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/08/world/europe/british-general-election-results-analysis.html