OPEN THREAD on the big day in the UK.
Comment away. No trolls or Boris supporters please.
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Open Thread on the UK elections and anything else you want to talk about
We Hunted The MammothWe Hunted The MammothOPEN THREAD on the big day in the UK.
Comment away. No trolls or Boris supporters please.
@numerobis: that is not the impression I had *at all*.
There were no ‘soft’ Brexit deals offered. The government sat on the issue right up to the last minute, and then produced deals that were unacceptable, in a clear effort to bully Parliament into going for them just to get it over with.
Corbyn’s position is nuanced because the issue is complex, and he was the only one honest enough to acknowledge that. If there’s a problem with him it’s that he isn’t enough of a showman to pander to the soundbite-spewing press. Which, just btw, has been smearing him nonstop ever since he was voted in as leader.
@OMEGALUL
It’s totally fine to vent. I think we’re all a bit fed up with world politics right now. I’m scared, you’re scared, we’re all scared.
@Amy E: while I agree the Conservative deals were all bad Corbyn seems to think there is a deal that is possible that is better than being in the EU. Which there is not.
Corbyn also voted to “honour the result of the (explicitly non-binding) referendum” while letting May define what that meant. A nuanced position on why the referendum was not a meaningful mandate would have been welcome.
UK mammoths, I’m so, so sorry – I’m absolutely gutted, so I can’t even imagine how awful you must feel.
On a smaller scale, this is like our election here in Aust back in May – it looked like Labor just couldn’t lose, but they did, and significantly. It was a real shock.
Take care of yourselves – and solidarity!
@WWTH – hope you’re ok <3
Well put. I’m in Scotland and there’s at least a chance we will at least get shot of our current Tory wanker of an MP but the overall picture is grim.
Thinking of all the UK Mammotheers.
Is there another planet we can all go to that features good climates and broadband?
Here’s hoping at some point conservatives will no longer be able to win elections by filling discarded bits of skin with entitlement, bigotry and lies and making them their leaders.
@Victorious Parasol
I hear Proxima Centauri might have habitable planets…not sure about the broadband though.
Labour took one hell of a kick to the teeth and my speculation is that Corbyn simply straddled the fence for too long. The Labour Leavers went to the Tories. Tory Remainers stayed with the Tories.
There’s also the pretty intense media campaign against him to bear in mind. Labour front bench bring it up so much that it starts to feel like an excuse but I’d be very surprised if it didn’t have a role to play in these results.
Ok, so maybe some of you remember that I mentioned that my mom has been having memory/confusion problems as of late and I was worried she might be getting alzheimer’s. Well, last Tuesday night, I get a call from the ER. She was found wandering in the halls of her condo building. She knew who she is, but not how she got there. Turns out she’s also been seeing things.
She spent a week in the hospital. She was sort of getting better, but still a bit weird and she kept thinking the hospital was an office and she was at work. They deemed her well enough to go home and she was ok for about a day. But now she’s seeing things again. There’s been no diagnosis yet. Originally, the psychiatrist had recommended that she be transferred to a mental hospital for closer observation and diagnosis, but for some reason they sent her home instead even though she’s not better.
I don’t really know what we’re going to do. She lives sort of far from me, my dad, her sister and her best friend, so it’s not really possible for someone to be home with her all the time. But apparently, that’s what the doctors are expecting? It’s just…ugh.
@wwth
That sounds awful. I hope she improves.
I’m gutted. I don’t even live in the UK but this goes so far beyond national borders.
I’m only 33 but right now I feel like it’s pointless to even try and make a life for myself, because all I’ll live for is to see the world die in cruelty and floodwaters.
What’s even the point?
@wwth
I am so sorry to hear that. It must be so difficult. I do not know what to say other than just to offer words of compassion. You must be so stressed from it and I hope you are taking care of yourself as best that you can.
I will send you all the positive energy I possibly can.
I have blessings in my life now and am in a beautiful and exciting time of growth but I would trade it all to help a wonderful person like you in need.
Please know that we are thinking of you.
I know these words aren’t much but I hope the spirit and compassion I feel reaches you with support.
@wwth
What are social services like in your area? I know they vary. In my city they are ok-ish but there are social workers that help in those situations. I know you probably know all about that already but I was just thinking.
So…trying to take all this in and think about what happened.
The press attacks were definitely horrendous, and not just from Laura Kuenssberg. The far-right press machine was in full swing. Only today, I noticed two FB pages that just said ‘Politics UK’ or similar, so apparently non-partisan on the surface, but basically just sharing loads of stuff from Turning Point.
Then there was the “FactCheck UK” scandal, which involved the Tory party masquerading as a neutral organisation on Twitter.
Apparently, also, 88% of the most shared Tory ads were misleading (nearly 6000 in total). Labour’s figure was 0%.
The Tory ads I saw were purely about attacking Labour; nothing on actual Tory policy except those three words Fridge Man has been repeating consistently.
There’s more, obviously.
I don’t know what we’re going to do now. I can think of a lot of friends and family for whom life is already way harder than it should be, and it’s just going to get worse if the Tories really have the majority predicted. People have basically voted to shoot themselves in the foot.
Maybe once Brexit is “done” there will be a rapid awakening to knock some sense into everyone. But how many people will have to suffer and die before that happens? It makes me sick.
Sorry for the longer than expected rant.
@wwth – I’m so sorry. Much love to you, and I hope you can get some support.
@wwth
What awful news, and how difficult for you being at a distance, too. Is there an official diagnosis at this stage?
Wish there was something material we could do, but at least know how much support you have here. I hope I’m not over-stepping any boundaries, but please feel free to dm me via Twitter if you need to vent or anything, or just have cat pics sent.
@WWTH, I’m sorry to hear that. Has she been checked for a UTI? Strange as it may sound, UTIs can cause confusion and even hallucinations in the elderly. That happened to my father, who began telling us elaborate and implausible stories about his day when we visited him in hospital. This went away after some antibiotics.
I think we all need some cuteness right about now:
Moggie,
Yes. She did have a UTI and clearing it up helped a little, but not that much.
Mish,
No diagnosis. We don’t even know if it’s a mental health issue or dementia.
Oh, people wanted UK independence? Leave it out. There isn’t going to be a UK.
Personally I think Scotland leaving the UK will be even worse for Scotland than Brexit will be for England. But I cannot interfere with the will of the Scots, and it’s going to happen regardless.
If everything does go to shit in what’s left of the UK, I wonder who the scapegoats will be. Will people blame the EU for failing to do deals with us, or will they blame the Brexit politicians (Johnson included)?
Well, at least Jo Swinson lost her seat. That’s a small consolation.
My sympathies to all the UK mammotheers. Canada managed to keep our Tories out of power federally, but they’re absolutely wrecking my province and will continue to do so for the next 4 years. It’s an awful, disheartening feeling. I hope that everyone can be as safe as possible, and hang on until this nightmare hopefully ends.
I am sorry for the brits, this is a nightmare:/
Meanwhile, Huckabee is campaigning for a third term for Trump:
https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1205211276005101568
I turned on the news yesterday with the idea that Boris Johnson would have his power a little bit eroded, even if it wasn’t enough. Instead of that, he got a full-blown absolute majority. Worst news possible.
The scenery is frustrating worldwide, with the USA, Brazil, Bolivia etc. Here in Spain, the far-right has got enough seats to take any law they don’t like to the Constitutional Court, and they have prevented several institutional declarations against domestic violence and for the rights of children. Also I have the impression that the left is perpetually moving “in the right direction”.
The only thing I can think to combat the impotence, rage, disillusionment etc, is that each one of us still has themselves, which is the only thing we can control.