-
The police are not currently searching for anyone else in connection with the murder of Sir David Amess, but have searched two London addresses.
UK political parties have suspended all campaigning activities over the weekend out of respect for Sir David Amess. Security arrangements around Members of Parliament are being reviewed.
-
@sparky said in British Politics:
The Metropolitan Police have now declared the murder of Sir David Amess as a terrorist incident. This was a most vile assault on the deepest value of free, open societies.
It seems MP's have become easy targets for all that's wrong in today's society, and not just terrorists. And an interesting stat from the Daily Mail:
This is the experience of one MP:
Conservative MP Shailesh Vara tells Newsnight there is "a lot more" aggression coming from the public towards elected representatives in recent times. "The emails are a lot more hostile, the language is more aggressive," he says. Vara says he has spoken to some of those who send such messages and says they often think using aggressive language is not a problem.
You only have to watch or listen to the likes of Angela Rayner and her supporters to see that this doesn't just come from the public. It's also up to politicians and party members to dial down the rhetoric of what is essential hatred of people, as their views differ from yours.
-
@victor-meldrew said in British Politics:
as their views differ from yours
Or their lifestyle, appearance, speech....
The FFIL is a pretty placid and sensible man but his staunch support of labour has led to him sharing some awful anti-conservative shit in the past. I might use this opportunity to see if I can press the message home about using inflammatory, hate filled messages...
-
I went on Twitter tonite for the first time in months. Fuck me, there's even sicker people out there than I remembered.
-
@victor-meldrew said in British Politics:
I went on Twitter tonite for the first time in months. Fuck me, there's even sicker people out there than I remembered.
there's a strong argument that Twitter is radicalising journalists.
Tongue only partly in cheek, but it's a toxic mess, worse than most social media. I won't touch it.
-
@nzzp said in British Politics:
@victor-meldrew said in British Politics:
I went on Twitter tonite for the first time in months. Fuck me, there's even sicker people out there than I remembered.
there's a strong argument that Twitter is radicalising journalists.
I did read somewhere that the Washington Post & NY Times spiked any stories on Covid originating in a Chinese lab as it wouldn't play well on Twitter.
It seems to radicalise people, that's for sure. But how to fix it?
-
@victor-meldrew said in British Politics:
It seems to radicalise people, that's for sure. But how to fix it?
Deeper question is if we have to. I'm a classical free speech liberal - so reducing free speech opportunities doesn't sit well with me. Twitter has rapidly got a reputation - and media relying on it is dragging them down,a nd damaging their credibility as well.
Radicalisation will always happen. If it's not twitter, it'll be facebook or some other platform. I don't like most of them (well, all of them), and think they are generally net negatives for folk, but they sure are addictive.
Also, I avoided twitter for me for a long time because I know my personality would mean I get sucked into the abyss. The Fern is far better for that - fewer people, geographic focus and a deep passion for sportsball. Feels more like a big school online, with a few noisy ones, and a bunch of lurkers. Still get some great insights here (but will no doubt improve again when Covid effects drop off)
-
Can't disagree with any of that. Yonks ago it was thought people took their real-world values into cyberspace - now I have to ask if it's the other way around with the social media echo chamber driving peoples' real-world values
Free speech liberal myself but think there's something very wrong which needs to be fixed somehow.
-
Lots of debate in UK tonight about how to encourage nicer debate and people to be nicer to politicians. That is fine but it rather misses the key point.
The key issue now is to what to do about the Islamist scum in our midst and how to make it much, much harder for them to murder innocent citizens and make attacks on the UK's democratic and peaceful way of life.
-
I dread the integration of VR with social media. People will equate simulated experiences with real past ones. In the wrong hands it will be terribly persuasive.
-
@victor-meldrew said in British Politics:
Can't disagree with any of that. Yonks ago it was thought people took their real-world values into cyberspace - now I have to ask if it's the other way around with the social media echo chamber driving peoples' real-world values
Free speech liberal myself but think there's something very wrong which needs to be fixed somehow.
'Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.' - Oscar Wilde
-
@antipodean said in British Politics:
@victor-meldrew said in British Politics:
Can't disagree with any of that. Yonks ago it was thought people took their real-world values into cyberspace - now I have to ask if it's the other way around with the social media echo chamber driving peoples' real-world values
Free speech liberal myself but think there's something very wrong which needs to be fixed somehow.
'Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.' - Oscar Wilde
More issues caused by covid!
-
@antipodean said in British Politics:
'Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.' - Oscar Wilde
One heck of a quote that.
I guess human interaction and social norms wisely stop us saying what our emotional side really thinks - which is missing on social media
-
In light of Rishi's "tax and spend" budget:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2021/10/26/nhs-extra-billions/
I think if 40% gdp isn't enough, 100% won't be either...
-
Tories putting themselves in a really tight spot with this Owen Patterson lobbying scandal. I think Laura K sums it up best here.
-
Terrible timing and optics.
Paterson and his supporters seem to have a very good case - the process looks unfair and there appears to be bias in the system - but this is a crass way of dealing with it.
British Politics