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Milliband, the Mail and Newsnight


Norman Verona

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I'm not sure all people are so sensitive to the political leanings of different publications.

 

When my dad was still alive he would love to go into Waitrose or Morrisons and have a relaxing pot of tea and read whatever free papers were available.  Wouldn't matter if express, mail, telegraph etc. He of course knew where each papers loyalties lie but it wouldn't stop him seeing what they had to say whether he agreed or not.

 

Also I think many over 50's, particularly from rural communities, find it very very worrying how the country has changed, in their view for the worse, over the past 20 years.

 

Over population, debt, spin, manners, work ethic, taxes, living costs, welfare ...  I'm sure it is easy to see things through rose tinted lenses but in many ways the simple and honest life that many had has been changed.

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Also I think many over 50's, particularly from rural communities, find it very very worrying how the country has changed, in their view for the worse, over the past 20 years.

 

Over population, debt, spin, manners, work ethic, taxes, living costs, welfare ...  I'm sure it is easy to see things through rose tinted lenses but in many ways the simple and honest life that many had has been changed.

 

Got me to a T David :d :D :d

 

What I found most interesting about this, that nobody has mentioned yet. Is what a great country of opportunity we live in. David Milliband is the son of an immigrant to the UK and here he is leader of the Labour party & standing as a possible future PM. 

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This has reminded me of an article in one of the Saturday papers some months ago .Either the Mail or it's mortal enemy The Express (I've forgotten which) ran a 'thought piece' on how current events could play out. Unbelievably it involved a German instigated 3rd world war where they decided to take much stronger action in Europe to protect their bailout by taking over government. The backlash then results in the troops going in and other countries like the UK calling enough and going to war (can't remember if it was nuclear but I think it may have been!). I'm sure it worried some of the older readership. I just couldn't believe they would print such nonsense.

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What I found most interesting about this, that nobody has mentioned yet. Is what a great country of opportunity we live in. David Milliband is the son of an immigrant to the UK and here he is leader of the Labour party & standing as a possible future PM.

Now, that really would have worried the Tories Nick!

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Immigrants... can't trust 'em, can you? :d

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What I found most interesting about this, that nobody has mentioned yet. Is what a great country of opportunity we live in. David Milliband is the son of an immigrant to the UK and here he is leader of the Labour party & standing as a possible future PM. 

 

It would be more impressive had his father been a "normal" immigrant, rather than a prominent intellectual with existing political and academic connections.

 

Would it be cynical to suggest that the combination of his father's reputation and hanging out with leading politicians might not have hurt the chances of a boy from the comp wanting to get into Corpus Christi and LSE...?

 

The BBC did a relatively balanced piece during the leadership contest: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11316855

 

As with all these things there's always more than one way to spin it.  Can't blame him for choosing to focussing on immigrant's son + comp instead drawing attention to having followed the seemingly well trodden path from Oxbridge, through a special adviser's role, and into parliament.

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I think that reading the mail should be compulsory and the mirror so you get both ends of the spectrum. The mail does highlight the extremes that the changes in society have lead to.

No one should object to the population having rights, or to immigrantion where it is of benefit or overseas aid where it is well used. However, the mail points out that our rights are being twisted by the legal proffession to allow the likes of Abu Hansa to remain here. Immigration has led to lots of foregin workers sending out of the country £255 billion which is not helping our economy at all, but I accept we get tax from the legitimate ones. It has also led to some workers being entitled to family tax credits and allowance for family who still live in Poland for example again not helping our economy.

Overseas aid has been and still is being stolen by despot leaders and given to countries who have space programes.

We need to know of these type of things. Then read the mirror or the Guardian where we will get a polar opposite and between the two is probably the truth.

 

Newspapers are so influential in our lives which is why the poloticians all want Rupert Murdoch on their sides as the SUN opinion still wins elections. They hate the press, for that see the feeding frenzy over the phone hacking scandal, and next year watch the MP's and wannabee MP's sucking up to the press as they want to be elected.

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Generally speaking, the difference between UK newspapers and USA newspapers is interesting to look at.  Most USA newspapers have no political leanings at all (there are exceptions like the NY Post, etc.) - they just repeat stuff off the news wire, and local news is very matter of fact.  Even the few national papers (USA Today) are very middle of the road.  As a result, the papers are usually accurate, neutral, dry and stunningly dull.

 

The issue here is the geographically small island and the number of nationally distributed newspapers, competing against each other and all needing an individual identity to survive.  Thus papers suiting all narrow interests have been created to fill niches.  The USA had their press barons ages ago, such as Randolph Hearst, but their power faded before CNN started.  Then the dreaded Fox News kicked off, the Daily Hate Mail of telly, which has ridiculous influence over the right-wing of America.  Whatever happens there usually happens here about 10 years later - I've been waiting for Sky News to get more right wing and rabid, or Five News for that matter.  God forbid that happens...or the Daily Hate Mail gets a news channel...

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Surely the point here is that, had Ralph Miilband been alive, they would never have accused him of hating Britain. It's a lie which cannot be substantiated. However all their readers just love this type of journalism. It sells papers.

 

I wonder what the reaction would have been had Milliband accused the owners father of being a Nazi.

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Norman Verona - Gites Man, on 04 Oct 2013 - 09:44 AM, said:

Surely the point here is that, had Ralph Miilband been alive, they would never have accused him of hating Britain. It's a lie which cannot be substantiated. However all their readers just love this type of journalism. It sells papers.

I wonder what the reaction would have been had Milliband accused the owners father of being a Nazi. quote

-------------------------------------------------------

No point.

You're just saved him the trouble.

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http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/08/article-1384726-0BE4629D00000578-593_468x510.jpg

Not one of he's fans.

But would like to know if he regrets the picture or the sentiment on the T-shirt.

 

Ill-advised, certainly.  Most politicians would have avoided being photographed like that, but it might have been at the end of a long day and after seeing hundreds of people when he was tired and his guard was down.  Still, should have known better.  The perils of being a politician, goes with the territory.  William Hague on a roller coaster with a baseball hat...Ken Clarke stuck fast in a single seat race car...Milliband (again) holding a banana like a psycho with a knife...Brown with a swastika on the wall behind him...the list goes on and on.

 

Many of you know I'm utterly apolitical - don't like or trust any of them, and I tend to vote for the one I believe will do the least harm.  Caveat aside, Cameron's attempts to be everyman and not to be a posh toff are cringeingly awful - everyone knows you're a posh toff, stop pretending otherwise, it's who you are, stop apologising; Milliband is Wallace with less charisma and fewer workable ideas, plus how can you trust someone who shafted his own brother to become leader?; and Clegg sold his soul and his principles down the river to get pseudo-power.  I predict another hung Parliament in 19 months from now...

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Many of you know I'm utterly apolitical - don't like or trust any of them, and I tend to vote for the one I believe will do the least harm.  Caveat aside, Cameron's attempts to be everyman and not to be a posh toff are cringeingly awful - everyone knows you're a posh toff, stop pretending otherwise, it's who you are, stop apologising; Milliband is Wallace with less charisma and fewer workable ideas, plus how can you trust someone who shafted his own brother to become leader?; and Clegg sold his soul and his principles down the river to get pseudo-power.  I predict another hung Parliament in 19 months from now...

 

 

Great summary of our current political leaders Scott. :d :D :d

 

The other interesting aspect of this is the Mail is not backing down. Which would suggest they have something up their sleeve ready to prove what they are saying. Unlike the mail on sunday which backed down straight away.Or are they just playing hardball.

 

By the way, it is good to see a reasoned debate without anyone on here having a "rant"

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Scott, I'm not sure Ed "shafted" his brother, he had every right to stand as leader because he was on the left of the party whereas his brother was on the right.

I think it's very possible that Labour may win the next election as Ukip splits the right wing vote. This is how Thatcher was returned 3 times with minority votes because the SDLP split the lrft wing vote.

British politics needs a new party with no history and dogma and will carry out policies that are for the Britsh public.

None of the current parties can do this as they are a) only interested in staying in office and b) following 100 year old dogmas which have no relevance to the 21st century.

Back to the subject, if the press wish to remin self regulated they should show they can act responsibly, the Mail has just shown it cannot.

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