UK Politics Thread

The issue is with going down the "doesn't matter if it is within the rules, the public don't like it" is that you then need to answer the question, so what replaces it? You can bet that any answer to that question is likely to be liked a whole lot less.

As much as we may not like it, all parties rely on donations. Maybe you could say that there needs to be a cap on how much can be donated, but I suspect any cap that is placed would likely be higher than the amounts that Labour are being dragged over the coals for. Anything lower would see them unable to run campaigns.

You also would end up denying the vast majority from being able to enter politics, as they would end up needing to fund a lot of it themselves.

Also, do the general population actually care or have they ended up caring because it is all they are seeing for the past few weeks and the press keep telling them about it big scary letters? I don't think any of the things that have come up, when presented with all the facts, would upset many people.

Edit - and the last lot did not transparently declare these things! Johnson kept "losing" WhatsApp messages about who gave him money.

Financial donations to parties for use in campaigning are a lot easier to justify than personal donations of Taylor Swift concert tickets to named individuals, for example. It's obtuse to argue they're the same.

You can never really get away with political parties representing certain people's view. That's kind of their *point*.

This issue is a matter of personal influence on and access to individuals who have direct input on passing legislation.

Everyone is struggling to make ends meet and cutting back on luxiries.

You then see the current PM/Party (who decried the Tories for their sleaze, corruption and presented himself as the antithesis of this) getting free tickets to football games, music concerts and the like that have nothing to do with governing a country.

It's not that hard to see why the average person would be pissed off.

In their official capacity, that's fine. Sometimes Ministers need to be present at these things to demonstrate support for a sector or whatever. But what shouldn't happen is most of the MPs being in hock to a particular lobby group, and then go on to represent those views in the House/argue for policy change (see Gambling lobby). We're not as bad as the states but it ain't far off.

In other news, does anybody care if non doms leave the UK because if tax rises? Who actually gives a shit? And don't give me any trickle down nonsense

Same old crap for three decades

Good AIDS or bad AIDS?

Sayeeda Warsi finally realises she can't be a Tory any more. It has taken rather longer than it should have and for other reasons than this one but given how critical she's been of the party it's a surprise that the whip wasn't withdrawn any way.

And the issue is that it’s something that any normal person wouldn’t have access to, plus what is in it for the person that has been giving the now PM all these gifts.

It’s just stupidity. It’s not as important as how the country as run but for him not to see that it’s easy ammo for the opposition doesn’t fill me with confidence.

Same with Rory

At least Keir and the gang could see which way the wind was blowing and had the good sense to join the other party

They're just trying to get additional mileage out of the story. Ironically I think the donations story isn't as damaging as the winter fuel payment changes. Neither with the public, or within the party.

Two years for throwing soup at a painting? Fuck off.

What kind of soup?