"we'll change the things that need changing and that's all we'll change": the paSUKification of post-brexit politics 2021

This thread is really something:

Speaking at today's anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown rally in London's Trafalgar Square, former nurse Kate Shemirani - who was struck off in June - says Covid vaccines are "Satanic", citing "the pattern 060606". The graphine oxide single-molecule sheet "is a conductor", she adds. pic.twitter.com/t40TAHjnRd

— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) July 24, 2021

Their talking points are exactly the same as in other Western countries, but at least the UK's vaccine hesitancy rate is no higher than 13%, which is remarkable:

https://morningconsult.com/global-vaccine-tracking/

I suspect Boris Johnson and the right wing of the Tory Party are secretly disappointed that the British population is so compliant and is not a bunch of freedom-loving mavericks and individualists after all. Having said that, they do think everyone else should do what they're told while they personally should be allowed to do what they like - that's Boris Johnson to a tee.

According to press reports this morning 'Britain faces ‘decades of financial risk’ as £370bn pandemic bill mounts'. The headlines seem very familiar: they looks like debt paranoia. But is that true? A short thread....

— Richard Murphy (@RichardJMurphy) July 25, 2021

good thread here on the pro-austerity bullshit "ladening future generations with debt" narrative being spun by the govt, the opposition and our compliant media (including the Observer).

Former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster says she’s joining GB News ‘to bring Northern Ireland very much into the mainstream of UK politics’

jesus wept

She's not from GB though.

Mind you, one their 'star' presenters is some idiot from New Zealand.

ramping up the mainland campaign

Arlene has such a gentle, warm, friendly tone to her voice, ideal for daytime TV

not so much of a burr more of a grrr

She should try bringing the Unionists very much into the 21st century for a start

Apparently she's come pretty cheap, all she's asked for on the rider are these

https://mcvities.co.uk/img/prod/detail/club-orange.png

Saw a deliveroo driver do just this today and it looked like he fucked up his bike.

by “determined to make it through the flood” do you possibly mean “delivering groceries for an on demand app that pays poverty wages and penalises lateness such that you have no choice but to endanger your life like this” pic.twitter.com/JlSbvz2XMV

— Peregrine falcon fan (@nrgsrhc) July 25, 2021

Cases are really coming down. -15k yesterday.

Unless there is some other explanation this looks really, really good. I need to see that reflected in hospitalisations and deaths.

But bits and pieces such as international travel aside the end of the pandemic is getting nearer for the UK? Only thing that really could fuck this up is a new variant.

The Sunday week-to-week is 'only' down 10k - it doesn't and has never made sense to compare day-to-next-day - but yeah that is great news.

> Unless there is some other explanation this looks really, really good.

schools are out so none of the previous school testing is happening.

Schools broke on Friday?

Term dates vary. You’d expect another significant reduction next week, I guess.

Friday before last in London mostly

My understanding is that effect wouldn't explain the numbers - mind you, experts aren't sure what would explain the numbers.

we've all had covid

herd immunity!!!!!!

the latest mutation - the indolent variant

xp you know what this means:

https://www.psypost.org/2021/07/large-study-finds-covid-19-is-linked-to-a-substantial-drop-in-intelligence-61577

Experts are puzzled

Isn’t the ONS infection survey still showing cases rising? kinda suggests to me that a lot more of the ppl getting it now don’t feel ill enough to get tested, plus less testing cause of school being out. Feels plausible enough they’ll go up again once the effects of the 19th start to kick in - then again we have vaccinated 70% of adults and have an ongoing national pox party for the remainder so shrug

The Labour leader added: “But I do want, in fairness to the temporary Speaker, Judith Cummins, who was there – she did the right thing, she followed the rules, because parliament doesn’t allow you to call other parliamentarians liars in the chamber. So I don’t criticise the deputy speaker for what she did. But do I support Dawn in what she said? I absolutely do.”

💪💪💪

CON +5

Which is as good as it's going to get.

Stats be melting.

And this sort of thing is exactly why it's so important that Labour wins. Whatever your view of Starmer, a Labour government will improve so many people's lives 🌹 https://t.co/n0BeUkJtXL

— Stats for Lefties (@LeftieStats) July 26, 2021

if Kieth is into workers employment rights then why is Murdoch backing his puppet in the Unite election?

Tfw it's August

Westminster voting intention:

CON: 39% (-)
LAB: 37% (+1)
LDEM: 10% (-)
GRN: 5% (-)

via @Survation , 23 Jul
Chgs. w/ 20 Julhttps://t.co/mdgKpA0AzK

— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) July 26, 2021

these polls need to include a realistic figure for people who are never voting again

24,950 new cases (compared to 39,950 last Monday) and 14 deaths today, that sounds like good news! I only get twinges of mild disappointment when Labour aren't 10-15 points behind these days.

have polls been reweighted to reflect how many people have died in the last year?

serious question

i mean it does always seem like the pollers wait until an election cycle proves them wrong before they think about whether or not the weighting approach still makes sense. not that i think labour are being done a rotten one by the pollers or anything.

it has been disproportionately killing ethnic minorities, disabled people, poor people and old people so it will hurt the tories more than Starmer Labour perhaps.

It's what I was talking about Dodds, but the soft left are, well, soft.

(4)AFAICT the last Frontbencher to make noises about increasing SSP above £95 a week was then-Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds . But soft-left Dodds got sacked, so abandoning SSP increases looks like part of Starmer's latest lurch right https://t.co/NyUL7ljGb4

— Solomon Hughes (@SolHughesWriter) July 27, 2021

at least get sacked/demoted for taking a principled stance, but it was more like Kieth decided to make her a scapegoat for how useless he is.

I dread to think what Reeves position on benefits system reform is these days. Kieth wants to make the UK "the best country to work in" which might be a nice thought, but millions in precarious employment/zero hours contracts need radical reform rather than empty platitudes made not to frighten the horses too much.

we're so fucked aren't we pic.twitter.com/rH1PqWQLt0

— aaЯjan (@aarjanistan) July 27, 2021

🚨 | NEW: The GMB Union has withdrawn funding for the Labour Party in London

— Bywire News™ (@bywirenews) July 27, 2021

wow they've actually done it

oh that just withdrawn finding from London Labour?

What is that reasoning? Does sound like a simple reinstatement of a job would result in funds being released

Over 100 dead from covid today :-(

So Keir will make Britain the best place to work - unless you work for @UKLabour He has made 90 staff redundant. But is also recruiting workers on insecure temporary contracts with worse employment conditions #FutureOfWork https://t.co/3CbUeEKuCY

— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) July 28, 2021

Suit the action to the word, the word to the action you fucking arsehole.

"Angela Rayner, are you against zero hours contracts?"

"We're against exploitation of them."

yeah those non-exploitive zero hour contracts are absolutely fine, Angela. I can do my p/t Yoga instructor gig and still have plenty time of time for wild swimming.

🤦🤦🤦

In my fucking veins

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) are being attacked for saving migrant lives

Inhumanity of people like Nigel Farage knows no bounds

Worth remembering: Enemy of the Working Class Travels by Private Jet not Migrant Dinghy

Farage travels by Private Jet btw @ZarahSultana pic.twitter.com/2eFlgzbDFQ

— Double Down News (@DoubleDownNews) July 28, 2021