Fintan Dunne:

In 2013, while under questioning from London Assembly members at City Hall, the then-London Mayor Boris Johnson was asked about cuts to fire services which had lost London 600 firefighter jobs and 10 fire stations. Labour member Andrew Dinsmore asked him: “How can cutting fire stations, cutting fire engines, cutting firefighters posts not be a reduction in fire coverage?” Boris replied: “Because we're improving fire cover, as I've said several times." "How?" came a call from the public gallery. "By continuing to reduce deaths from fire and continuing to reduce the incidents of fire," claimed Johnston. "That is the name of the game. It's not about....” Dinsmore interrupted: “You’ve lied to the people of London in your election.” “Oh, get stuffed,” retorted Johnston. Johnson, who is now the UK's Foreign Secretary, yesterday tweeted: “My thoughts and prayers are with everyone caught up in the horrific tower block fire...

Theresa May might well say: "if this is Victory, give me Defeat". But the reason for Jeremy Corbyn's combative declaration about imminently toppling her is that those sentiments are felt even more deeply by the Tory party itself. The unfolding events since the election result have only deepened their concern. Their growing worries are felt across all political shades. The U.K. business and political establishment simply will not eat a May-baked Brexit cake topped with DUP icing. Here's an outline of the political dynamics now playing out and the rationale behind Corbyn's strategy. Saturday's torpedoing of May's plan for a DUP-Tory grand coalition is the beginning of the end for her. It showed that she has no hand to play and demonstrated that the DUP have overplayed theirs. May's attempt to bind the DUP to the Tories in a formal coalition which envisaged junior ministerial posts going to the DUP was bereft of political nous. It was quickly sho...

Jeremy Corbyn missed becoming Prime Minister by a mere seven thousandths of one percent (0.007%) of the total votes cast in the 2017 U.K. election. That equates to just 2,227 votes which made the difference. According to the London Independent, Labour lost seven constituencies to the Conservatives by the following narrowest of margins: Southampton Itchen (majority 31); Preseli Pembrokeshire (majority 314); Hastings and Rye (majority 346); Chipping Barnet (majority 353); Thurrock (majority 345); Norwich North (majority 507); and Pudsey (majority 331). Victories in those constituencies would have yielded 321 Commons seats for an alliance of Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party (SNP), Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and one independent MP. The total votes cast in the election were 32,094,534. But Labour are not the only party entitled to lament the closeness of the result. The Conservative party was only 287 votes shy of their own sole majority. ...

Photo copyright PA by Fintan Dunne | Sunday 4th June, 2017 | 01.00BST Data in a new Ipsos Mori poll are indicating that Labour are on course for a general election win – courtesy of a record young turnout, paired with disenchantment among traditional Conservative supporters. Their survey, conducted last Monday and Tuesday put the Conservatives on a five point lead of 45-40 – but hedged its bets with an alternative analysis where all who expressed intention to vote were counted. In that case, Labour would have a 43 point score to the Tories on 40 points. That alternative scenario includes the “don’t knows” and demographic groups historically unlikely to vote, including minorities, the under 35s and the poorest older people. The pollsters have good reason to second guess their official prediction. There are three factors which will bring about a Labour victory -albeit in a minority government. The Captain Ska Factor. The Theresa Factor. The Manchester Fac...

First : The "Straight White Male" /rants Further on: Feminist Hierarchy  /replies Identity politics is utterly ineffective at anything other than dividing people It is facile to equate ‘straight, white men’ with privilege Fri, May 19, 2017, 01:10 by  Frankie Gaffney I grew up in Dublin’s inner city, an environment where poverty, violence, and addiction were normal. Given the odds I had to overcome to get where I am today, I thought I’d meet a lot of allies among those who preach equality. But instead, I was often met with open hostility, despite the fact I campaign on a variety of related issues. Why? Because I happen to be straight, white, and male. “ Straight white male ” is an identity I didn’t choose. I mean it wasn’t a decision I had any say in, what sexuality, race, or gender I a...

When the snap election came, there wasn't a chance that Jeremy Corbyn could win. Or so said media elites and the chattering classes. But that was before the cruel downsides of a Tory victory became clearer, and before the Manchester Arena attack. The British people have a stoic durability to their character. However that stoicism does not extend to them sacrificing their young children on the altar of the Elite's warmongering. At least in World War II, many could send the young and innocent away from the cities to sequester them in relative safety, while parents faced the horrors of gory combat. But not in the Blairite Britain inherited by Theresa May. There has been 48 hours of quiet, stunned national reflection. It culminated spontaneously on Thursday morning as a grieving Manchester crowd symbolically disavowed hatred to sing a chorus from the Oasis classic 'Don't Look Back in Anger'. The people of Britain are not prepared to spill the blood of their chi...

P L A Y   V I D E O OPEN LETTER FROM KIM DOTCOM TO FAMILY OF SETH RICH Family of Seth Rich c/- Aaron Rich UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Dear Aaron SETH RICH – DNC LEAKS Introduction 1 . As you know, you and I have previously corresponded after I reached out to you to offer my assistance with the GoFundMe campaign on behalf of the family of Mr Rich (family). I understand from our communications that you are representing the family in relation to the ongoing investigation into Mr Rich's death and I am writing to you in that capacity. 2 . In particular, I am writing regarding recent statements about me that have been reported globally (including in New Zealand) and attributed to the family. As set out in more detail below, some of these statements are false and defamatory. 3 . The purpose of this letter is to formally request that the family and their representatives cease from making such statements about me going forward. This request is made in the sp...

The Liberal Order Is Rigged Fix It Now or Watch It Wither By Jeff D. Colgan and Robert O. Keohane May/June 2017 Issue | Foreign Affairs P rior to 2016, debates about the global order mostly revolved around its structure and the question of whether the United States should actively lead it or should retrench, pulling back from its alliances and other commitments. But during the past year or two, it became clear that those debates had missed a key point:  today’s crucial foreign policy challenges arise less from problems between countries than from domestic politics within them. That is one lesson of the sudden and surprising return of populism to Western countries, a trend that found its most powerful expression last year in the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU, or Brexit, and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. It can be hard to pin down the meaning of “populism,” but its crucial identifying mark is the belief that  each country has an authent...