Here’s the key question about Britain in 2023: why do we put up with this rubbish?
Gavin EslerWe tolerate a sclerotic system that allows the rise of people you wouldn’t trust with your wallet – or to babysit your children
Richard Murphy is – sometimes – taken seriously and Richard Burgon is – or has been at least – in the Shadow Cabinet. Why do we put up with such nonsense?
Because you tolerate people like Gavin Esler, and actually pretend that what they say is sensible?
Esler has been sent mad by Brexit in the same way Sopel was sent mad by Trump.
These people live constantly on the edge of derngement.
Unlike of course all our friends here, who are permanently deranged.
Wibble
Boganboy nails it!
@Ottokring
Esler has been sent mad by Brexit in the same way Sopel was sent mad by Trump.
I think they were revealed by these things, not changed by them.
The revelation was: they thought they were on the side that was in power, had almost total control, and it turned out (albeit in a somewhat fleeting, illusory way) that their grip was not quite as firm as they’d thought.
That is, IMO, why everything that has happened since has happened, and at such breakneck speed.
They saw what happened with those two events, and it frightened them; they needed to undo what was done, institute greater powers of control, and do more to divide and rule populations like ours, in order to ensure their long term goals were not thwarted by mere people banding together and yelling ‘No, fuck off!’.
“We tolerate a sclerotic, antiquated democratic system allowing people you wouldn’t trust with your wallet or to babysit your children to rise through deceit and thrive through failure. We boast of “British exceptionalism”, yet tolerate weaponised nostalgia, the supposed glories of a misremembered past used as a distraction from an uncertain future.”
But that isn’t the problem. My theory on this is that the decline of poverty and war, and the rise of many technologies and other innovation mean that a lot of people don’t care that much about the government. We may not have had a lot of official privatisation, but look at the decline of post compared to email, or how many people are now members of gyms rather than using the town leisure centre. Go on a rural train and almost no-one uses them because a car is faster, cheaper, safer, more reliable and more convenient. We’ve privatised transport. Same thing is happening to health.
Why do we put up with such nonsense?
Because there are individuals who perceive personal advantage in doing so. And if you get sufficient individuals’ interests aligning it gets taken seriously. It has absolutely nothing to do with the merit of the arguments. The supporters don’t don’t even have to believe them. It’s sufficient they benefit from them.
Same’s true of Spud, of course. If his ideas were conventional, his voice would just disappear in the crowd. No opportunity for grift. I’ve always said, there’s no reason to think he believes what he preaches. The whole thing could be a gig
Of course it could also be in his benefit to believe what he preaches. Because it defines his image of himself as an unconventional genius. And thus he just ignores any evidence contrary to his beliefs.
This is hardly unusual. There’s a very hazy divide between the religious & the secular. Faith is a very strong factor. People believe all sorts of things if it’s in their interest to do so.
Unlike of course all our friends here, who are permanently deranged.
I mean, where’s the lie?
If you’re not deeply disturbed by what’s going on around you, you probably aren’t paying attention, because this situation is terminal.
She won’t be right, mate.
“If you’re not deeply disturbed by what’s going on around you, you probably aren’t paying attention, because this situation is terminal.”
I agree. The spectacle of a huge crowd demonstrating in favour of terrorists was troubling. As was the Met’s limpness in response. Multiculturalism is going to destroy our country. I have no issue whatever with a multiracial UK provided there is no tolerance for a substantial minority that is unBritish in its outlook. And murderously hostile to a smaller minority that is definitely British, in its outlook.
“why do we put up with this rubbish?” Indeed.
Two friends of mine have been buggered about with NHS appointments this week. Another friend is being mucked about by a local government Registrar. It’s nothing to do with ‘lack of resources’ it’s just shoddy, stupid, couldn’t-care-less clerking.
I suspect Esler is a worshipper of the NHS (though I’m more doubtful that he uses it and only it).
Ban the NHS for God’s sake! I want something better.
@decnine
The only way you’re going to change this is if you take to the streets. They will always bend to the strongest wind.
This is something the French understand but Brits don’t. You can be sure that those people in the streets of London at the weekend understand it.
” We boast of “British exceptionalism”, yet tolerate weaponised nostalgia, the supposed glories of a misremembered past used as a distraction from an uncertain future.””
Glad to hear that Gavin Esler agrees the NHS is shit compared to other countries healthcare system then……….oh, you mean the above doesn’t apply to all those ‘the NHS is the wonder of the world’ leftist types?
France proposes to deport foreign criminals or suspects without consulting the European Court of Justice, and then pay the 3,000 euro fine if the ECJ objects.
Die Linke (the Left) in Germany has split with an anti immigration offshoot.
Olav Shultz the Chancellor has spoken of the need for “mass deportations”. (Though he still funds the water taxis bringing muslims across the Mediterranean.)
Denmark deports even long resident immigrants if their home country achieves some fragile peace.
While in Britain “jihad” could mean anything, according to the Met police.
You don’t like unrestricted immigration? Put a few hundred thousand people on the streets of Central London & some major cities. Throw some bricks & petrol bombs. Then you would see policies change smartish.
France proposes to deport foreign criminals or suspects without consulting the European Court of Justice, and then pay the 3,000 euro fine if the ECJ objects.
Saw this with the Roma, few years back. They were bused out of the country illegally according to the ECJ. France just ignored it. I can remember the Roma camp in Dept Nord. Bulldozed overnight with 12 hours warning. Maybe France paid some small fines. Got rid of the Roma.
Politicians know which side their bread’s buttered.
It would seem some parts of the Uk are prepared.
The Drama Llamas seem to have had a practice run…
https://www.nu.nl/303699/video/ontsnapte-kudde-lamas-en-alpacas-rent-over-britse-weg.html
Until I read Ottokring’s comment, I had genuinely never realised that Esler and Sopel are two different people.
I suppose an old woman is more likely to do that than the usual “This morning my 2 YO son asked why the country is shit” that we see on Twatter and elsewhere.
Should still be filed under never happened.
Multicuturalism worked so fantastically for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Hard to add much to so many of the comments here but in essence, The likes of Esler have total control of all the institutions of state, the civil service, the education system, the police, most of the senior ranks of the armed forces and have laws pushing their ultra left agenda on most private sector companies. The changes since 1997 have been pretty much universally awful and as Tim makes the point, if you think the current rabble are bad, is there anyone on the shadow benches you would trust running a whelk stall?
I think Hayek had it nailed when he wrote in the Road to serfdom ‘Why the worst get on top’ – I’m not sure even in his worst nightmares he could have imagined the contemporary UK, in many ways actually falling behind North Korea on several measures, certainly in the devolved regions.
I think, VP that Kim would know what to do with the present shower.
@bind
Strongly disagree sorry. If you look up the 20th century history of Dartington Hall you’d see that’s exactly the kind of person events held there attract. Disclaimer – have been there when such events were held though not for the events themselves. Old, wealthy, ex hippy milieu, seems very feasible they might try being a bit middle-class edgy by chucking in some minor swearing for emphasis.
As an aside, I often wondered if Dartington Hall is partly responsible for Totnes having gone utterly woo during the 20th century. Knew someone who went to the Steiner School there (still a thing, apparently, if you can afford the fees) and despite that woo overdose they went on to study cosmology at Cambridge. Laughed my socks off when some divorced bit-past-middle-aged posho on Escape to the Country who was desperate to move to Totnes (think of the cafes!) turned out to “work” as a crystal healer. Couldn’t stereotype the place better. And you just knew that despite her money (and I don’t think the crystals were the main source of it) she wouldn’t have the slightest sympathy for any Tory anywhere. Funny she was moving from a very diverse multicultural city to the much more homogeneous Totnes though.
Political parties shift to the left over the last 30 years + millions of third-world immigrants and their children = our current situation.
Multiculturalism worked so fantastically for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
We’ll presume sarcasm.
A-HE lasted from 1867-1918 & was multicultural from the off. 71 years. Brought down by being on the losing side of WW1. During its heyday it was one of the major manufacturing centres of Europe.
Multicultural UK really only dates from the late 70s at the earliest. Before that there just weren’t enough immigrants in the country to satisfy the description “multicultural”. So the UK’s about 40 years down that road.
How’s it going for you so far, jgh?
The Austro-Hungarians incorporated Krauts, Magyars and Slavs, but not many from Jamaica or Pakistan. Disgustingly white.