To separate News from Politics

OK look at it this way, so when posters want to enter the politics threads say about France and they start joking say about frogs' legs or something, then they get all the put downs and accusations that they are being frivolous or even stupid and derailing the thread. It becomes a bit of a slanging match and I can sort of understand that. Surely the political people get fed up with all the chatty type interjections? If not, then carte blanche on the politics threads should be applied to coin a French term. It works both ways.

I ve always like the idea of them being separate because not all news is political …
We have asked before and it’s been denied so I m not thinking it will happen this time either
I usually put none political news in Chat simply because it isn’t political and there isn’t a general news forum
If I want to mention a famous person dying or giving birth or a tree falling on a car or high seas pounding a seaside town they are news primarily and I don’t consider them political

How can you 'ignore the political subjects' ? Where on earth do you begin- where is the 'border'?

Exactly Kali

They go together - Political does not mean 'Party political'

mind you- most things are 'political' - health and NHS, education, the environment, roads and transport, energy, immigration, and on, and on.

The personal is political, think it relates to feminism

Dinahmo

Not necessary. Most items of interest in the news are political.
Other items are topics like Carrie's baby (or someone elses') and it's easy enough to ignore them if you chose to. Or else ignore the political subjects.

But posters don't, do they

They post and ask why anyone would be interested in a subject etc etc.
Perhaps they're just bored.
???

The news and politics section has far more topics than any of the other sections. I've just counted up the topics from 1st December and there is only 1 (out of 29) that has nothing to do with politics, although there are a few political comments, and that is the birth of Carrie's new baby. Everything else has a political element. So I would add that it's a silly idea and that those who aren't interested in politics could find what they need elsewhere. There's enough sections on here to keep most of the happy.

Almost any news topic can be made political - air disaster - could be poor safety legislation, death of actor- could be political if said person made political statements or was in anyway controversial, killing of dolphins - why don't governments ban this and prosecute offenders or sanctions against offending countries etc.

Isn’t everything political? Theres an expression to that effect.

I think this is an attempt to shut down dissent, most news events are political. This would just be an excuse to tell people off for being on the "wrong" thread if they dared to give an opinion that differed from the majority.
For an example, a Republican posting on a thread about the Queen would be told to get off the thread. (Mind you, that already happens)
I know that some posters enjoy threads where everyone just agrees with each other, but others, myself included, would probably not bother posting anything at all if they were the only threads on here.

Not necessary. Most items of interest in the news are political.
Other items are topics like Carrie's baby (or someone elses') and it's easy enough to ignore them if you chose to. Or else ignore the political subjects.

No - its a potty suggestion - what happens when something is in News - such as sewage being poured into the sea illegally and killing fish and someone comments that this is down to privatisation of water companies by successive Tory governments? Would it get moved to a different section? Or would those who hate to see any criticism of the sainted Johnson complain to GNHQ and have that comment deleted?

Pointless.

I don't think it's necessary.

Yes please.

sorry Meghan's or Carrie's, not Harry's
Though I assume Archie is his!

Jillyjosie

Perhaps we need a definition of political?

Good point.

So an air disaster isn't political, the death of a famous actor isn't political. The birth of a new baby isn't really political whether it be Meghan's or Harry's, killing whales and dolphins the same, cats to be microchipped etc. (although a few observations regarding the law may creep in). I guess we could at least start by trying to compartmentalise, and though anyone can add a comment from the other category, it would be diluted in the main flow.

I agree with those who say that there are too many blurred lines to make this a sensible move.

I don't really care, though - I tend to use the Active Topics tab rather than go direct to particular forums. Most of the time I have no idea which one I'm in.

Jillyjosie

Perhaps we need a definition of political?

I would say "Should Boris resign?" is political but that "The new Johnson baby has arrived" is not even though it is about a politician.

Cheese and wine parties to be decided.

Can't see the need for it myself - much of Chat has news/politics/food, whatever.

If someone starts a thread in Diet & Exercise it can easily develop into 'political' as a poster can reasonably say that poor people don't have access to good quality food, or cheap gyms.

Why split hairs?

Most threads follow the general gist.

Perhaps we need a definition of political?

It's a good idea, we've been asking for it for many years.

Much of the news is not political.

Surely almost everything is political.
If people feel a need to have these categories separate, tho, I can't see why not.

In theory a good idea, but I am not sure where one begins and another one ends to be honest. Most 'news' is political in basis even if the subject is not politicians, for example; the dreadful case of Arthur cannot, to my mind, be separated from the serious funding cuts by years of Tory government which contributed to the lack of intervention by social services. However, I am very happy to give it a try.