RuamRudy

Football is not really my thing, but are you referring to this? No thanks, the rest of the world is tired of this every time your country goes abroad. Why would we want to be associated with that?

I am not sure why neither of your links will open for me - are they based on UK wide polling? It tends to distort Scottish predictions because of the added SNP factor. Here is the one I was referring to. Since Humza Useless stepped down, the SNP has steadily closed the gap on Labour. Swinney is a bit dull but much more relatable.

You should read about what Liz Truss did the economy and how she turned the UK into an international laughing stock in barely a month - I promise you will be shocked! You should read about the PPE scandal and how UK government ministers funnelled billions of pounds into the pockets of their friends and family - I promise you will be shocked! You should read the results of last week's Ipsos Mori poll which has support for independence ahead of support for the union - I promise you will be shocked! https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2024-06/ipsos-scottish-political-monitor-june-2024-tables.pdf

It seems more and more common in the news that western businesses and governments are coming under attack from Russian, North Korean or Chinese hackers but we never hear of attacks on these countries' institutions. I imagine that the west has its own cyber army poking and prodding at the defences of the enemy constantly.

Any more inept or corrupt than any of the other parties in the UK? English MPs hold all the cards in Westminster, and Scottish resources have always been channelled south to cushion the south of England so you can understand why so many see England and Westminster as being perniciously synonymous. I am confident, however, that when your country eventually grows a pair and shows that it has the ability to stand on its own two feet, without having to suck resources from its neighbours, that the relationships between England and the rest of the countries in the union will improve.

A typically slanted report by the Telegraph - it fails to mention that after 14 years in government in Scotland, the SNP is running almost neck and neck with Labour, with the likelihood that the SNP will still return the largest number of MPs to Westminster. It's all very well saying that the SNP is responsible for the various challenges that Scotland faces, but it's utterly disingenuous to make that complaint without acknowledging that the efforts of any Scottish government, be it SNP, Labour or Tory (ok, that's obviously never going to happen), will always be diminished by our continued minor place in the United Kingdom. One of the fundamental requirements to improve our country is to throw off the shackles imposed on it by being in this corrupt and unequal union.

Have you seen the self-righteous frothing at the mouth he generates on these boards and in pretend newspapers like the Express and Mail whenever he comments on politics? Clearly there is a lot of interest in his views.

Not unlike the pro-Zionist mob who try to destroy the careers and reputations of any high profile person who dares criticise the state of Israel by calling them antisemites.

Thanks - I was unaware of the play, but this is from the Wikipedia article on it: A Raisin in the Sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959.[1] The title comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred"[2]) by Langston Hughes.

Why Education Predicts Decreased Belief in Conspiracy Theories "People with high education are less likely than people with low education to believe in conspiracy theories."

What traditional culture are they intent on destroying?

I don't think they see an opportunity. The police couldn't be accused of being touchy feely in the 80s and 90s when the UK was beset with regular rioting. If anything, things seem more calm these days.

A particularly derivative response from you - no justification made in my post, rather a suggestion that government intransigence results in people feeling that violence is the only avenue open to them. Sometimes you should try to look beneath the superficial. You might be surprised what you see there.

The reality is, however, that passive protest rarely accomplishes anything other than giving a vague sense of self righteousness to the protesters while giving governments and big business freedom to behave in unethical ways. If governments refuse to listen to peaceful protesters they must expect that something volatile can be brewing in the background. Langston Hughes said it best. Harlem BY LANGSTON HUGHES What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

I don't disagree with any of that but my point is that there is no evidence of a rise of the right in the UK - Farage is picking up votes but not by a significant margin. He is merely collecting the Tory right. The majority, however, remains in the middle, hence the appeal of the saccharin Starmer and his mix of Labour and Tory lite.

Not universal - see the UK and the imminent demise of the Tory party, for example. Reform UK may be picking up disaffected Tories but there is no evidence that anyone else is falling for their message. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68079726

But (again...) this thread is not about me or the SNP. Please read the OP if you are confused.

As Barack Obama said of him, he had "the easy confidence of someone who’d never been pressed too hard by life." And that is one of the fundamental problems in the UK that has dogged us for, well, ever - it is mostly led by a succession of mediocre, moneyed individuals who are bred to believe that they are capable of, in fact destined for leadership, when they clearly are not fit for the task. But it is not all their fault, we proles still vote for them.

Troll? Maybe you need to educate yourself on what a troll is. Someone (i.e. me) pointing out that Farage is relying heavily upon a man who recently served time for drug money laundering is not trolling. Someone (i.e. you) suggesting I am a troll for doing so shows how fragile his campaign is, and how his snowflake supporters don't like fact.

An interesting article in the byline times - Farage's former chief of staff and now advisor is a convicted fraudster with connections to the royal family. Reform UK - a true party of the masses... Who is ‘Posh George’? Meet the Aristocrat and Convicted Fraudster Close to Nigel Farage

Wouldn't this forum be really boring if everyone's contributions amounted to little more than baseless posts about Brexit being great and Meghan Markle and Diane Abbott being jointly responsible for all the negative things in the UK? I know that the Tories are pushing to make freedom of thought a crime but it's not yet illegal to not follow your cult.

It feels that there's no escape for him now.

It's sad to see what will likely be one of the last ever major commemorative events for D-day where veterans participate being overshadowed by yet another Tory failure. But putting Sunak aside, the event was very moving. The words of Joe Mines, read out by Martin Freeman, were harrowing. When the camera turns to the old man himself, he looks such a remarkable character. They definitely don't make them like him anymore.

I am not sure that they are so sharp...

Hmm, no, try again, but this time with more effort.