May calls General Election on 8 June

[Rico1304]

Theresa May's voting record on matters of sexuality is shocking. Neither the press or Rico have mentioned that.

I'm waiting applying for and then being appointed as her spokesperson before I comment on anything you deem necessary.

[Rico1304]

Fuck off, you'd just go full Tory you cock.

We'll gladly him.

 

How's the rental property portfolio going?

[skend04]

I'm waiting applying for and then being appointed as her spokesperson before I comment on anything you deem necessary.

Just one to note then, I think a majority of TLWers would like to know; beans on a fry-up?

[Rico1304]

Just one to note then, I think a majority of TLWers would like to know; beans on a fry-up?

Neither, boiled baby brains.

[moof]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/apr/26/uk-world-press-freedom-index-reporters-without-borders

 

 

'Downward spiral': UK slips to 40th place in press freedom rankings

 

 

Journalists in the UK are less free to hold power to account than those working in South Africa, Chile or Lithuania, according to an index of press freedom around the world.

 

Laws permitting generalised surveillance, as well as a proposal for a new espionage act that could criminalise journalists and whistleblowers as spies, were cited by Reporters Without Borders as it knocked the UK down two places from last year, to 40th out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index.

 

In the past five years, the UK has slipped 12 places down the index. Rebecca Vincent, RSF’s UK bureau director, said this year’s ranking would have been worse were it not for a general decline in press freedom around the world, making journalists in Britain comparatively better off than those in countries such as Turkey and Syria.

 

RSF, which campaigns for free speech, warned of a general erosion of media freedom in English-speaking, democratic countries. The US, long considered a bastion of freedom of speech thanks to the first amendment of its constitution, also dropped two places, to 43rd. Canada fell four places, to 22nd, and New Zealand slipped eight places, to 13th.

 

 

“Donald Trump’s rise to power in the United States and the Brexit campaign in the United Kingdom were marked by high-profile media bashing, a highly toxic anti-media discourse that drove the world into a new era of post-truth, disinformation and fake news,” RSF said in a statement.

 

The organisation’s secretary general, Christophe Deloire, added: “The rate at which democracies are approaching the tipping point is alarming for all those who understand that if media freedom is not secure, then none of the other freedoms can be guaranteed.”

 

Among the concerns raised by RSF was the passage of the UK’s “menacing” Investigatory Powers Act last November, which met only token resistance within parliament, despite giving UK intelligence agencies and police the most sweeping surveillance powers in the western world.

 

RSF said the act was a possible “death sentence” for investigative journalism in Britain, owing to its lack of protections for whistleblowers, journalists and their sources, and that it set a damaging precedent for other countries to follow.

 

In February, Downing Street distanced itself from a proposal by the Law Commission for a new espionage act that would increase the maximum jail term for whistleblowers leaking sensitive information from two to 14 years, as well as widening the definition of espionage to potentially include journalistic work.

 

A No 10 source described the plan as the project of a “previous prime minister” after it was branded a “full-frontal attack” on whistleblowers.

 

However, Vincent said she feared the proposal could be revived if the Conservative party won a renewed mandate in the forthcoming general election. “This government, especially if it comes out of the election stronger and they are making moves against the Human Rights Act, those are really alarming markers that we will continue this downward spiral.”

 

Norway was ranked first in the index, followed by Sweden and Finland. The Finnish prime minister’s attempts to pressure journalists at state broadcaster YLE lost his country the top spot. At the other end of the spectrum, Eritrea’s decision to allow foreign media crews into the country meant it was replaced in last position by North Korea for the first time since 2007. In North Korea, just listening to foreign media broadcasts could lead to sanctions, RSF said.

 

Responding to the news, Jim Killock, the executive director of the Open Rights Group, said: “Extensive surveillance powers are threatening investigative journalism and freedom of expression in the UK. In just four years, the UK has fallen 10 places in the World Press Freedom Index – a deeply worrying trend that needs to be addressed.

 

“The government failed to protect journalists when it passed the Investigatory Powers Act. Now, the Law Commission has proposed to send them to prison if they so much as handle official data. This comes at a time when we must be able to hold the government to account over its vast surveillance powers … Mass surveillance chills freedom of expression and undermines democracy.”

 

 

The Home Office was unable to comment because of pre-election purdah rules.

[Boss]

What a strange world we live in where highlighting that Israel inflicts atrocities on Palestine is considered anti semitism. Facts now considered racism. The mind boggles. 

[lifetime fan]

What a strange world we live in where highlighting that Israel inflicts atrocities on Palestine is considered anti semitism. Facts now considered racism. The mind boggles. 

 

 

 

Not by anyone with half a fucking brain it's not.

[Creator Supreme]

I think Farron is a twat for kicking Ward out(has he been let back in now?), it's not anti-Semitism if it's the truth!

 

Then again, I think Farron is a twat anyway!

[Strontium]

Fuck off, you'd just go full Tory you cock.

 

Thanks for the unprovoked insult. You stay classy, now.

[Strontium]

What a strange world we live in where highlighting that Israel inflicts atrocities on Palestine is considered anti semitism.

 

It would be if that was the case.

 

However, as you well know, what Ward said, among other things, was that "The Jews" inflict atrocities on the Palestinians.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Thanks for the unprovoked insult. You stay classy, now.

 

Oh dear, broken record time again, thou can giveth but not taketh. Cock. 

[Strontium]

Oh dear, broken record time again, thou can giveth but not taketh. Cock.

 

Thanks for the unprovoked insult. You stay classy, now.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Go on, pay Dave some money you stingy bastard, you know you want to neg me. 

[Strontium]

Go on, pay Dave some money you stingy bastard, you know you want to neg me.

 

Another oblique reference to my heritage? No doubt "accidental" like the last one.

 

You stay classy, now.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Hahaha, only a fucking cry baby like you turns any old sentence into something about your heritage, you do realise that ship sailed long ago? 

[cloggypop]

Hahaha, only a fucking cry baby like you turns any old sentence into something about your heritage, you do realise that ship sailed long ago?

Horrific reference to the St Louis.

[Strontium]

Hahaha, only a fucking cry baby like you turns any old sentence into something about your heritage, you do realise that ship sailed long ago?

 

Jews being tight-fisted is an old anti-semitic canard.

 

I am sure it was a total accident, though. Just like the last few times.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Hahaha, only a fucking cry baby like you turns any old sentence into something about your heritage, you do realise that ship sailed long ago?

Old sentence? Like those handed down by Nazi kangaroo courts to people of Stronty's heritage in the 1940's? Those kind of "old sentences" eh?

 

You sicken me!

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Jews being tight-fisted is an old anti-semitic canard.

 

I am sure it was a total accident, though. Just like the last few times.

Shut up, you bad weapon.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

I reckon SD needs to post an A-Z of words/sentences which are acceptable to use. 

[Strontium]

New Panelbase poll out today also.

 

Con 49

Lab 27

LDem 10

UKIP 5

 

Also, missed this bit off the Ipsos MORI poll earlier.

 

Who would make the most capable Prime Minister?

 

May 61

Corbyn 23

[cloggypop]

Fish Finger 2

 

Tim Farron 1

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Kent Police have passed a file to the CPS re: Tory expenses in the South Thanet constituency campaign.

[Rico1304]

What does a successful prosecution mean? Fine, imprisonment?

[cloggypop]

What does a successful prosecution mean? Fine, imprisonment?

A fine for the guilty parties and a massive sense of injustice for everyone else I reckon.