Whatever happens in the next few days
Well done Boris
Whether he gets as a deal
Or indeed no deal
Congratulations on the "win"
[thread]
As we approach "the last throw of the dice"
I would like to do something I haven’t done enough of
Congratulations to 37.4% of the electorate
On the 23rd June 2016 you won
Congratulations
No one can take that away from you
You
Whatever happens in the next few days
Well done Boris
Whether he gets as a deal
Or indeed no deal
Congratulations on the "win"
If a deal then with a sale of a side measure of scapegoating narrative as to why it wasn't better
If no deal then the side sale will be the scapegoating as to why
Can I firstly apologise - its obviously because I didn't believe enough or talked the country down
Not only did you win
But you "got brexit done"
https://t.co/CJwS2mJ7Yy
Together we can get Brexit done. pic.twitter.com/zuWHLJmH3B
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 12, 2019
That day of liberation
Where Britain flung off the shackles of the 4th reich
That EUSSR that has so enfeebled the U.K.
What a four and half years it has been
As Brexit Britain gets ready to reach the 31st December 2020
And sail onwards
Open global buccaneering brexit Britain
It’s eyes raised to the horizon
And these should be simple for you all to answer
Because you all knew what you were voting for
I want to beg your forgiveness
Because this will be a long thread
I will try to be short
But alas the questions and backdrop are not simple and I try to provide context to why I ask
As I may use threads within here to illustrate a point
I will try not to overuse subthreads and unweave these to make points
I did consider writing this as a blog post
But I wanted to force myself to keep my points themselves short
What did you win on 23rd June 2016?
How do we move on from 23rd June 2016?
Of the electorate in 23rd June 2016
I voted to remain
I am part of the some 34% of the electorate who voted to remain
As opposed to the 37% who voted leave
And I don't think they are stupid
I don't think they are racists
I think they made a choice
That my simple words to those family and friends over the past 4 years
Have caused them such anger
To me
That they get so angry
And unable to respond to basic points on well reality
Is sad
Sad at what they have been reduced to
There is a simple thing
Is now that Leave "won"
And I "lost"
When I hold up a mirror to the words and promises made
All I am doing is asking you to deliver on what you said this brave new world, these sunlit uplands were going to be
I want my country to get better
I want my country to improve
I want my country to well to borrow a phrase be best
I want my country to level up (although I want to know from what and whom)
(of course obviously according to an Education Secretary) we already are
I am just a person.
I want it to usher in a new era
Of blue passports
Of British fish
Of "taking back control"
Of that brexit dividend
Of that NI border being solved
Of the glorious sunlit uplands
I simply want you to deliver on that promise
That's all
I have never written to my MP (as I know where they stand for what little good they can effect)
I have never signed a petition
I have simple been holding up a mirror to well words.
If you want to hurl abuse at me
Please do so
Call me a remoaner
Call me a loser
Tell me I am in the pay of Soros
Tell me to stop talking my country down
Tell me to believe more
Thank you
Again for confirming you cannot play the ball
That’s fine
Please do so
Thank you
In doing so you again show you cannot play the ball
A reminder on the Tory 1st Battalion
https://t.co/0Sng2jwJOl
“I should regret to see the day in which the people should cease to express intelligent, honest generous criticism upon the policy of their rulers.”
Now the inspiration for this question
Came from one M. Thatcher
"The manner of winning is a matter of honour."
1. Media
2. Franchise
3. Cheating
4. Scapegoating
5. Lies
6. Expertise
7. Simplism
8. Plan
9. Respect
10. NI Border
Remember my focus is how did you win?
And as I dig into these it will touch on what you won.
These two topics are really quite difficult to separate.
My conclusion to the thread I will touch on how do we move on.
Now the media is always a tough one
As all sides of the spectrum use it as a soft toy to kick around
https://t.co/lo7wVaQHk1
https://t.co/P5M9P11NO8
“‘That’s easy,’ he replied. ‘When I go into Downing Street they do what I say; when I go to Brussels they take no notice.’
https://t.co/IBLMnTDZyd
“There is much fake news published about me, but let me make clear that I have never uttered those words. I have made it a principle all my life never to ask for anything from any prime minister.”
Of course he never has to ask
It is given proferred automatically
https://t.co/YXsNb4to5O
https://t.co/PeyRm3K8iX
https://t.co/WyNe7bYlT2
Now there are two main areas here where I would flag concern
The first is a promise by the Conservative Party
“We will complete the electoral register, by working to include more of the five million Britons who live abroad. We will introduce votes for life, scrapping the rule that bars British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years from voting”
As he can be the victim of such "unintentional" maligning
https://t.co/rH3euLoU4b
Back to that franchise promise
Why would you not honour that promise in time for the 2016 referendum?
Why?
It's a simple question
Now personally
I do not care how 16 - 18 year olds may vote
I want to focus on the principle that they be allowed to vote
https://t.co/6WAoADlr2p
Due to me posting it hastily and bloody breaking the thread
Do continue
https://t.co/aFfBrxFyaA
I recall many of the debates in the Scottish Independence Referendum
— ScottishPanda (@PandaScottish) December 6, 2020
Those with young people
Were some of the best
More from ScottishPanda
[thread]
Drug policy is a complex area
It falls across social, health and criminal justice areas
I will leave the question of what Scotland is capable of in terms of devolved powers and what is reserved at Westminster
I just want to focus on "SNP cuts"
Drug policy is a complex area
It falls across social, health and criminal justice areas
I will leave the question of what Scotland is capable of in terms of devolved powers and what is reserved at Westminster
I just want to focus on "SNP cuts"
These statistics are dreadful and heartbreaking. Every death is a tragic loss of life that could have been avoided.
— Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) December 15, 2020
Drug deaths have doubled in a decade, and there's no doubt that the SNP's cuts to drug rehab and addiction programmes have a large part to play. https://t.co/MkmCFRAvir
[THREAD]
This is good news
The securing of British jobs
Is good news
Though to secure them
It admits two things
1. They were under threat
2. Something was done to address that
This is good news
The securing of British jobs
Is good news
Though to secure them
It admits two things
1. They were under threat
2. Something was done to address that
This is a great vote of confidence in the UK and fantastic news for the brilliant @Nissan workforce in Sunderland and electric vehicle manufacturing in this country.https://t.co/W6nN1ki3Lq
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 22, 2021
[thread] A small round up disassembling this desperate bullshit from Michael Gove
It's well written btw - deliberately so
"Scottish independence would break up our family… and families are strongest when they stick together"
A reminder: Over 100,000 dead due to the incompetence of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and an entire government of sycophantic cronies
"THIS terrible pandemic has brought home to us all the importance of family. "
This is like when Stanley Johnson said that the UK only took coronavirus seriously when Boris Johnson got infected.
No - it didn't take a pandemic to remind me of the importance of family.
It's well written btw - deliberately so
Great piece by @michaelgove in @TheSun on the Union - and guaranteed to leave we are family tune stuck in your head all weekend. https://t.co/ZuMcBKqLmW
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) January 29, 2021
"Scottish independence would break up our family… and families are strongest when they stick together"
A reminder: Over 100,000 dead due to the incompetence of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and an entire government of sycophantic cronies
"THIS terrible pandemic has brought home to us all the importance of family. "
This is like when Stanley Johnson said that the UK only took coronavirus seriously when Boris Johnson got infected.
No - it didn't take a pandemic to remind me of the importance of family.
[thread] an intro from
August 13th 1949 Miss M. Roberts
"Once they saw a Conservative Government in power they and all Young Conservatives up and down the country would be able to say with Keats. “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven.”"
August 13th 1949 Miss M. Roberts
"Once they saw a Conservative Government in power they and all Young Conservatives up and down the country would be able to say with Keats. “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven.”"
COVID-19: For the first time in its history UNICEF will help feed kids in the UK https://t.co/BGIniuwUwi
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 16, 2020
More from Brexit
On this, I think it’s highly unlikely to occur in the timeframe given. For several reasons, I don’t think it’s realistic for Scotland to secede, and then join the EU, in 9 years.
For that, thanks goes to Brexit.
A thread because why not...
Two important dates: March 2016 and January 1st 2021.
Firstly, prior to the 2014 referendum, the Nationalists proposed a date of March 2016 to secede.
Secondly, today - the end completion of Brexit five-and-a-half years after Cameron’s majority in 2015.
Brexit has demonstrated many things, primarily that splitting unions is not easy. The UKs membership of the EU was 47 years and by the end it was not at the heart of the EU. The Union has existed for over 300 as a unitary state.
Dividing a unitary state, like the UK, will not be easy. Frankly, it will make Brexit look simple. Questions of debt, currency, defence, and more will need to be resolved ... something not addressed with Brexit.
Starting with debt. Scotland will end up with its proportionate share of the UKs national debt. It’s not credible to suggest otherwise. Negotiating what is proportionate won’t be easy when both sides disagree.
It’s importance will be seen shortly.
For that, thanks goes to Brexit.
A thread because why not...
On the current trajectory, I think this is likely to be the map of Europe of 2030. pic.twitter.com/65i1A8CiP8
— Ben Judah (@b_judah) January 1, 2021
Two important dates: March 2016 and January 1st 2021.
Firstly, prior to the 2014 referendum, the Nationalists proposed a date of March 2016 to secede.
Secondly, today - the end completion of Brexit five-and-a-half years after Cameron’s majority in 2015.
Brexit has demonstrated many things, primarily that splitting unions is not easy. The UKs membership of the EU was 47 years and by the end it was not at the heart of the EU. The Union has existed for over 300 as a unitary state.
Dividing a unitary state, like the UK, will not be easy. Frankly, it will make Brexit look simple. Questions of debt, currency, defence, and more will need to be resolved ... something not addressed with Brexit.
Starting with debt. Scotland will end up with its proportionate share of the UKs national debt. It’s not credible to suggest otherwise. Negotiating what is proportionate won’t be easy when both sides disagree.
It’s importance will be seen shortly.
Another head-banging day for the £112bn UK creative sector that is starting to ingest how difficult #Brexit is going to make their lives - and how little the government is really willing to do to fix the lack of a 'mobility' chapter in the EU-UK trade deal. Quick update.../1
First Equity @EquityUK put out a letter to @BorisJohnson warning that #brexit was a "towering hurdle" (you'd want Brian Blessed reading that part) to UK actors plying their trade in EU - a double whammy with #COVID19 /2
https://t.co/mXjTAISqZk
@BorisJohnson One third of Equity members say they've seen job ads asking for EU passport holders: "Before, we were able to travel to Europe visa-free. Now we have to pay hundreds of pounds, fill in form after form, and spend weeks waiting for approval" /3
@BorisJohnson Worth recalling that all this goes back to the UK desire NOT to have a 'mobility' provision within the TCA - all part of 'ending Free Movement' and the professional services folk - including musicians, actors, fashion models etc -are all victim of
@BorisJohnson What's the government going to do about all this? Good question, which brings us to todays @CommonsDCMS hearing in which the Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage @cj_dinenage frankly pin-balled around the issues /5
First Equity @EquityUK put out a letter to @BorisJohnson warning that #brexit was a "towering hurdle" (you'd want Brian Blessed reading that part) to UK actors plying their trade in EU - a double whammy with #COVID19 /2
https://t.co/mXjTAISqZk
@BorisJohnson One third of Equity members say they've seen job ads asking for EU passport holders: "Before, we were able to travel to Europe visa-free. Now we have to pay hundreds of pounds, fill in form after form, and spend weeks waiting for approval" /3
@BorisJohnson Worth recalling that all this goes back to the UK desire NOT to have a 'mobility' provision within the TCA - all part of 'ending Free Movement' and the professional services folk - including musicians, actors, fashion models etc -are all victim of
@BorisJohnson What's the government going to do about all this? Good question, which brings us to todays @CommonsDCMS hearing in which the Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage @cj_dinenage frankly pin-balled around the issues /5
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I just finished Eric Adler's The Battle of the Classics, and wanted to say something about Joel Christiansen's review linked below. I am not sure what motivates the review (I speculate a bit below), but it gives a very misleading impression of the book. 1/x
The meat of the criticism is that the history Adler gives is insufficiently critical. Adler describes a few figures who had a great influence on how the modern US university was formed. It's certainly critical: it focuses on the social Darwinism of these figures. 2/x
Other insinuations and suggestions in the review seem wildly off the mark, distorted, or inappropriate-- for example, that the book is clickbaity (it is scholarly) or conservative (hardly) or connected to the events at the Capitol (give me a break). 3/x
The core question: in what sense is classics inherently racist? Classics is old. On Adler's account, it begins in ancient Rome and is revived in the Renaissance. Slavery (Christiansen's primary concern) is also very old. Let's say classics is an education for slaveowners. 4/x
It's worth remembering that literacy itself is elite throughout most of this history. Literacy is, then, also the education of slaveowners. We can honor oral and musical traditions without denying that literacy is, generally, good. 5/x
As someone\u2019s who\u2019s read the book, this review strikes me as tremendously unfair. It mostly faults Adler for not writing the book the reviewer wishes he had! https://t.co/pqpt5Ziivj
— Teresa M. Bejan (@tmbejan) January 12, 2021
The meat of the criticism is that the history Adler gives is insufficiently critical. Adler describes a few figures who had a great influence on how the modern US university was formed. It's certainly critical: it focuses on the social Darwinism of these figures. 2/x
Other insinuations and suggestions in the review seem wildly off the mark, distorted, or inappropriate-- for example, that the book is clickbaity (it is scholarly) or conservative (hardly) or connected to the events at the Capitol (give me a break). 3/x
The core question: in what sense is classics inherently racist? Classics is old. On Adler's account, it begins in ancient Rome and is revived in the Renaissance. Slavery (Christiansen's primary concern) is also very old. Let's say classics is an education for slaveowners. 4/x
It's worth remembering that literacy itself is elite throughout most of this history. Literacy is, then, also the education of slaveowners. We can honor oral and musical traditions without denying that literacy is, generally, good. 5/x
