Thank you for the Politics thread.

You are so right! Nandalot I no longer live in the UK and have been so well informed by GN. The exchanges on the politics threads are so much better than the News we are all being bombarded with on the internet.

I read and occasionally comment on the politics/news threads. Yes, I find them informative. The views expressed are varied apwhich us good

Thank you for these positive comments - the politics threads discuss matters of real importance ( the current London Fire thread is the latest example). Most people who post there are incredibly well informed and care deeply about the issues under discussion. Occasionally therefore the exchanges get heated. This is to be expected and is not a reason for criticism. I admire in particular those who post interesting links to a whole range of sources. The sources are always clearly attributed and you can choose if you want to click on or not.

I agree, we comment because we care, even if we come with differing views as Iam64 points out.
The links are welcome and interesting, even if they sometimes become a bit one sided. I usually join in if I have first hand knowledge, like the present London thread as I live and work in the city.

Re 'one sided links' do you mean that the the links only give one side ? Serious question - it's just that I don't believe there are many, if any, 'balanced' articles to link to. The best thing to do is read broadly isn't it?

I find the thread very interesting - I do not read all the links! But those that I do have relevance and are informative. In the main it is clear where the poster is coming from, so, if I do not agree with the content, I am free to seek alternative links putting a different view.

I find most of the politics threads on GN now are all smoke and no fire. The same group of left wing supporters bickering over the trivia of political relationships and not discussing the topic in the OP at all.

There is a thread labelled 'Brexit negotions start tomorrow'. I went into it hoping for discussions about the various issues to be discussed, the negotiation positions the different parties might take and what we as individuals would like to see, especially as some of us approach these talks as remainers (not remoaners)

But when I opened it I discovered is just another anti-Tory tirade (it would have made no difference if it had been anti-Labour) and that the last thing it is likely to be is a sensible and reasoned discussion about the negotiations for Brexit

GN used not be like this. I can remember lots of really interesting political issues being discussed without descending to these your party/faction (whichever) is nasty and horrible and mine is faultless type debates, but, alas, no more.

I guess I mean if it's always the same person who takes the bother to supply prolific links, then these might be considered coloured by that person's views.
I am not in a position to research to the same extent say as someone who is retired and who probably has more time, so I value their input, but sometimes I feel a bit bombarded from one direction only probably because I read three or four pages at one go. I'd love to search for balanced arguments and articles, but as time doesn't allow, I perhaps lean towards facts rather than debate.

Well MOnica the whole point at the moment is that there is no plan - they are deeply divided on a matter of supreme national importance. Once we know their proposals re citizenship, customs union, single market we can discuss them can't we - at the moment the only thing to discuss is the dusgraceful fact that there is nothing to discuss.

MOnica Rose coloured spectacles maybe? Bit of an outbreak of that on GN it seems - well that and selective amnesia perhaps?

But Lillie that's not anyone's proble but yours is it? It's certainly not fair to base a criticism on that. And anyway, it's only through debate that we can sort out the facts - or discuss the alternative facts we are being presented with

Did I say it was a "problem" to me Rigby?? I simply made an observation, gsve a personal opinion, and now I am accused of criticising!! I rest my case.
I am lucky that I see no problems in the world, only challenges!

Monica, you've criticised a thread that only has 8 posts on!

Why don't you post something on from your point of view?
Post some facts on that you know about the Brexit negotiations?

If you don't know anything, this is a brilliant place to start.

ukandeu.ac.uk/

It's nice to know that some GNers like the politics threads as it can be easy to get the impression that that isn't the case.
Personally, I'm not a fan of the Conservative party at all, but I am genuinely interested in why some people do support them.
I like to read the points of view of "ordinary" people as a change from politicians and journalists.

You're surely not suggesting that any Conservative supporters actually discuss their reasons on the political threads FarNorth?

Have you actually read any?

It seems conservative voters have more sense that to talk to brick walls

I guess on one of those people who posts lots of links.

I post links to provide sources if I make a claim about statistics. I hope the sources I quote are reliable - they're usually the ONS, offical government sources or a think tank, such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation or Resolution Foundation. One is leftish and the other rightish, but both use proper researchers and reliable sources.

Sometimes I post links to "experts", which I do so that people know something or other isn't just my hare brained opinion.

I also post links to articles, which are too long to summarise and I think people might find interesting. Professional journalists are (or should be) more articulate than I am, so linking seems the quickest way of saying what I want to say.

I don't consider myself a "left wing supporter". I have never even considered myself to be a socialist. I'm left of centre, although getting more angry and left wing with age, but I certainly don't fall into any category. I feel I know more about economics and politics than I did five years ago and I enjoy discussing my views. I have been interested in social history for ages and it's fascinating to see how history, economics and politics link up. The links I post, not suprisingly, support my views, but nobody's forcing anybody to read them.

Sorry if that makes me seem school ma'am-ish. I guess that's what I am and it's quite difficult to get out of the habit of trying to be rational and wanting to inform.

I hadn't actually noticed that you post a lot of links daphnedill - certainly not as many as some do.

And your posts are, as you say, not radically left-wing!

Don't try, daphne. It's appreciated by many on here.

DJ, you underestimate me. When I wrote my post there was only one post on the thread, and it was mainly anti-Conservative politics rather than Brexit.

The fact that the current government is up a creek without a paddle, is irrelevant to the discussion. Here is our chance to say what we understand and would like to see from Brexit.

I currently am also up a creek without a paddle on this subject and when I clicked on the link I hoped to read GN member's take on what they thought ought to be happening to read and consider.

Links are extremely useful, especially those coming from sources with partisan politically views that I do not agree with and often trigger the start of my own research efforts.

MOnica Your last phrase "often trigger the start of my own research efforts" is important to me.

I have far too much time on my hands since I've been semi-retired . I can't get into daytime TV (or most TV for that matter) and am really enjoying having the time to do what I never had the time to do, which is to learn. In my case, I'm fascinated by learning about how societies work and keeping my brain active.

I belong to a number of groups and feeds such as Twitter, which gives an opportunity to link with some of the greatest thinkers of our times. I feel so privileged.

I'll never find the "meaning of life", but discussing it is what keeps me ticking over.

Sorry, Monica, you called it another anti-Tory tirade. How could it have been another anti-Tory tirade? There was only the OP on it, yet you espected a discussion.
YOU could have been the start of that discussion, but you preferred to go on this thread and complain about it. Why?
It was YOUR chance to do what you wanted. Why didn't you?

Are you not worried that the Brexit negotiations start tomorrow and nobody knows what is happening - because I am, and obviously so is Rigby, which is why the thread was started.

Do you think that this link

ukandeu.ac.uk/

is partisan? I don't. Have you actually checked who is doing the research?

ukandeu.ac.uk/experts/

Or do you just write it off because the link comes from me? In which case I feel sorry for you as you are missing out on some excellent research from some brilliant experts.