To separate News from Politics

Zoejory

I agree, Urmstongran

The politics threads are like Groundhog Day. The same thing said day after day, ad infinitum

You could say that about any topics, eg the royal family, same stuff repeated. Threads about paternal grandparents getting left out, that’s a common theme.

Ok I couldn’t really care less what the sections are called. But I do have one question….if there’s a News section and somebody makes a political point about The news item having been caused in part by mistakes by a Labour council or a Tory
Policy will they be told not to comment ??

I’m another who wouldn’t bother with GN if it was all just “ooh isn’t that awful? Oh yes I agree it is awful”. “Isn’t that a lovely story? Ooh yes it is a lovely story”

What I think Urmstongran is getting at is what she tried to achieve a few months ago by posting topics in chat, for people to have a free discussion about news items without being jumped on by the ‘pc police’, for views to be unchallenged by those with a political viewpoint (I include myself).
I’m really struggling though to think of news items where this approach would work, maybe something like this:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59502337
It’s a lovely story, it’s news, but I’m not sure it would generate much meaningful discussion - and that’s the rub for me. Gransnet would be dull without the cut and thrust.

The thing is, if there is a political aspect to something in a separate 'News' forum it will invite some political comments. There's no escaping it.

If people don't like posting on political threads on 'News & Politics' they really don't have to. Same as if someone posts a News item that I have no interest in, I don't bother to post. I very often don't even bother to read it.

Separating the two won't stop political comments on News threads; it wouldn't be a safe place to post political opinions without them being challenged, I get the impression that some posters would like a cosy place like that but it won't happen.

When push comes to shove I really don't mind what Gnet do. I just think it's pointless.

What I think Urmstongran is getting at is what she tried to achieve a few months ago by posting topics in chat, for people to have a free discussion about news items without being jumped on by the ‘pc police’, for views to be unchallenged by those with a political viewpoint (I include myself).

Exactly, Casdon. They want a nice cosy place where they can all nod in agreement with each other...

Dinahmo

Dickens I would have thought it's fairly obvious which threads are political. I see no reason for anybody wading through each one.

If the topics were separated I doubt that those asking for this would keep off the politics topics. It might be good if they did because then the rest of us would not need to keep repeating the same old, same old, when statement are clearly erroneous.

I would have thought it's fairly obvious which threads are political. I see no reason for anybody wading through each one.

Well yes - quite. I agree. But some seem to want the information about the issues without the politics. I don't quite know how the discussions would evolve because clearly many items are political which, as you point out, is quite clear from the heading. It would be difficult to talk about the ongoing pandemic for example without bringing politics into it, same with the NHS, Social Care, Pensions, etc - but quite clearly there are those who believe otherwise. So let them have their thread.... a "News - No-Political Comments Allowed" thread.

I think it's not so much the fact that comments are political that bothers some, more the colour of the political opinion.

Personally I think it would be a popular decision.

The motion before this house is that we split News from Politics.

The ayes on the right, 15 votes.

The noes on the left, 24 votes.

7 Abstentions.

The noes have it, the noes have it. Unlock!

(Yes, I did actually count it ??)

On a purely practical level, who is going to moderate this, if it happens?

Suppose someone starts a News thread about the new Johnson baby, and I come along and ask about the ecological impact of people having large numbers of children, or similar, who is going to delete my post or tell me that it is inappropriate?

We already know that moderation on here relies on reported posts, and if the mods were suddenly swamped by people reporting on those who are still on topic, but whose posts are bringing politics into the news (probably 95% of them), they are going to get fed up pretty quickly.

I have read the views on both sides of the discussion and I am in favour of the ‘conscience uncoupling’!

MaizieD

If people don't like posting on political threads on 'News & Politics' they really don't have to.

I think what's quite amusing is that there are accusations of 'politicising' news that is, by its very nature, political. All the major issues that are being discussed at the moment are political.

But let them have their thread - on the clear understanding that absolutely no political comment is allowed! My tongue is resting firmly in my cheek because I know perfectly well what this is all about!

That should have been conscious!

JenniferEccles

That should have been conscious!

It kind of worked though!

What we really need is more chat threads. The New Thread button isn't working for me, so I'll make some suggestions here that people can pick up on if they like.

* Is lying ever justified?

* Should public sector workers be made to resign if it becomes clear that they have broken the law?

* One of my friends didn't tell the Benefits Agency that her mother gave her a birthday present of £500 to repaint her damp kitchen. Another one got her flat decorated out of public money at a cost of £88,000 and didn't declare it until forced to. Should I report one or both of them?

Remember - no politics allowed!

I’d give it a trial and if it doesn’t work, well that’s that. It would be good to be able avoid the obvious politics for those who don’t like that sort of stuff. Admittedly there are a lot of grey areas but on the other hand there are a lot of clear cut ones, too.

nanna8

I’d give it a trial and if it doesn’t work, well that’s that. It would be good to be able avoid the obvious politics for those who don’t like that sort of stuff. Admittedly there are a lot of grey areas but on the other hand there are a lot of clear cut ones, too.

It would be good to be able avoid the obvious politics for those who don’t like that sort of stuff.

Can you talk about news on, for example, the NHS, Social Care, Pensions, Mental Health Care, Carers, Disability - without the political component though? Government dictates policy on all of these issues.

Sure, you can discuss how these things affect you personally, and you can swap information on various organisations or charities the might help - but then that's a different thread, more a forum for people sharing their problems and swapping advice... it's not really about the news per se, is it?

Of course, there is news from the Fashion and Entertainment world, and one could always discuss that without getting anywhere near "obvious politics". And Sport, too.

It’s like trying to post a “Good News about Brexit- no Criticisms allowed “ thread( I seem to remember that one sinking like a stone). You can’t stop people voicing their opinions whatever the title of the section it happens to be in.

Casdon

What I think Urmstongran is getting at is what she tried to achieve a few months ago by posting topics in chat, for people to have a free discussion about news items without being jumped on by the ‘pc police’, for views to be unchallenged by those with a political viewpoint (I include myself).
I’m really struggling though to think of news items where this approach would work, maybe something like this:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59502337
It’s a lovely story, it’s news, but I’m not sure it would generate much meaningful discussion - and that’s the rub for me. Gransnet would be dull without the cut and thrust.

Almost any topic which involves discussion is "political" in the sense that people need to have different viewpoints to discuss discussion in the first place. That's not the same a "party politics".

Local newspapers, in particular, are full of "good news" stories about people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or finding a lost pet, etc., but what can people say about them? If that's what people want, so be it, but it's not something I would be contributing to. I don't look at "Chat" very often, but I've noticed that there are sometimes those kind of threads.

Does any one remember that before the EU referendum there was a great deal of heated discussion. and the strongest arguments were consistently pro Remain, to the extent that one of the Leave supporters pleaded for there to be a seperate forum for Leavers "to make it fair"?

There will always be people who want to keep their fingers in their ears and protect themselves from opinions different to their own.

How about Geronimo the alpaca who was culled earlier in the year because of TB. The long awaited test results have appeared and are inconclusive. Is that news and not politics?

25Avalon

How about Geronimo the alpaca who was culled earlier in the year because of TB. The long awaited test results have appeared and are inconclusive. Is that news and not politics?

News.

We had about 5 threads about Geronimo in the existing N&P threads and nobody, as far as I remember, brought any kind of politics into them.

That's a lovely story about the turtle, Casdon, somehow I'd missed it previously.

The reason the alpaca was culled was because of political policy.

So Alegrias they can be separate even under the same heading. In which case I’m not sure why it has to be split.

I agree 25Avalon. No point in splitting them at all.

I wouldn't mind a pure politics thread, where people could discuss theoretical issues, such as "What is democracy?" or "What should the role of government in the modern state be?"

Sadly, OPs such as those disappear quite quickly or the big questions don't get addressed. I'm just not interested in small talk, so leave those threads to those who like them.