Labour cosset squaddies

[The Yorkshire Commonwealth]

I like it better when it's the Tories coming out with some meaningless gesture-politics... It means they're too busy to break anything that day.

Or maybe *shudder* the Tories have real policies and Labour doesn't.

The Tories' real policies are depressing and frightening.
The Tories' gesture policies are usually just embarrassing. I can take embarrassing.

[Geilinor]

So... Are there actually still people in Labour who call themselves socialists? I hope not.

Their leader, in fact. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/09/exclusive-the-moment-ed-miliband-said-hell-bring-socialism-back-to-downing-street/

[Britannic Realms]

So... Are there actually still people in Labour who call themselves socialists? I hope not.

Their leader, in fact. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/09/exclusive-the-moment-ed-miliband-said-hell-bring-socialism-back-to-downing-street/

You believe that?

[Geilinor]

Their leader, in fact. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/09/exclusive-the-moment-ed-miliband-said-hell-bring-socialism-back-to-downing-street/

You believe that?

I know he isn't socialist, but he's called himself one. The question was, "Are there still any Labour politicians who call themselves socialist?"

[Herrebrugh]

So... Are there actually still people in Labour who call themselves socialists? I hope not.

Their leader, in fact. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/09/exclusive-the-moment-ed-miliband-said-hell-bring-socialism-back-to-downing-street/

Wow... Do you think he believes that for himself, or wouldn't you know that?

I can't believe anyone who leads a "social democratic" party in the way it's being run now really has anything to do with socialism, even for himself.

[Geilinor]

Their leader, in fact. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/09/exclusive-the-moment-ed-miliband-said-hell-bring-socialism-back-to-downing-street/

Wow... Do you think he believes that for himself, or wouldn't you know that?

I can't believe anyone who leads a "social democratic" party in the way it's being run now really has anything to do with socialism, even for himself.

It's a way of "distancing" themselves from Blair.

[The Yorkshire Commonwealth]

It's illegal to assault a person. Why make a separate offence - are they not people?

This sort of thing is to be expected from Labour. Strong, powerful state, regulations upon regulations upon regulations, soldier worship, mandatory state ID cards, unjust wars going against the will of the population. If one were to call them Fascists, one wouldn't be far off.

Entirely unlike the Conservative Party of course.

[New Aerios]

It's illegal to assault a person. Why make a separate offence - are they not people?

This sort of thing is to be expected from Labour. Strong, powerful state, regulations upon regulations upon regulations, soldier worship, mandatory state ID cards, unjust wars going against the will of the population. If one were to call them Fascists, one wouldn't be far off.

Entirely unlike the Conservative Party of course.

Oh yes, the Tories are absolutely fucking horrible as well. I was only complaining about Labour because the thread is about Labour, but I have no love for the party of censorship and spying either.

[The Yorkshire Commonwealth]

Entirely unlike the Conservative Party of course.

Oh yes, the Tories are absolutely fucking horrible as well. I was only complaining about Labour because the thread is about Labour, but I have no love for the party of censorship and spying either.

I suppose the Tories have deflected accusations of 'governmental overreach' with the tactical masterstroke of refusing to reach for things a government -should- reach for... Like ensuring hard working people can eat.

[Napkiraly]

It's already illegal to assault someone, so that point is moot.

Making it illegal to discriminate against service personnel when it comes to employment, I am however on board with. Though I don't think it's much of a problem.

Either way, Labour is doing this for populist reasons rather than out of genuine care for the well being of current and former service personnel.

[Dejanic]

So... Are there actually still people in Labour who call themselves socialists? I hope not.

Yeah, there's quite a few Socialist factions within the party. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Campaign_Group For example.

But most of the Left of the party now a days is composed of Social Democrats/Trade Unionists, and the right New Labour Centrist/Interventionists.

[Costa Fierro]

Isn't this what Rememberance Day is for?

[European Socialist Republic]

Songon, military first! Great Leader Miliband shall lead us to victory agains the capitalist pig-dogs!

[Herrebrugh]

Songon, military first! Great Leader Miliband shall lead us to victory agains the capitalist pig-dogs!

Manse?

[European Socialist Republic]

Songon, military first! Great Leader Miliband shall lead us to victory agains the capitalist pig-dogs!

Manse?

I'm not the son/daughter of a Presbyterian minister or brought up in a manse.

[Herrebrugh]

Manse?

I'm not the son/daughter of a Presbyterian minister or brought up in a manse.

Manse!

[European Socialist Republic]

I'm not the son/daughter of a Presbyterian minister or brought up in a manse.

Manse!

Ah, I was thinking of this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manse

You should've said "manseeeee!" instead of "manse".

[SaintB]

Are they appealing to the "American" demographic that nobody talks about or something? Seriously this looks like a copy/paste from a speech someone would write for a US politician on Memorial Day where they changed a few words to anglosize it for the UK.

[Herrebrugh]

Are they appealing to the "American" demographic that nobody talks about or something? Seriously this looks like a copy/paste from a speech someone would write for a US politician on Memorial Day where they changed a few words to anglosize it for the UK.

And they will bring socialism to Britain.

They appear to have made quite an interesting plan for that, somehow incorporating the state's shooting buddies..

[Maineiacs]

When did the U.S.'s Republican Party infiltrate Britain's Labour Party?

[Napkiraly]

Are they appealing to the "American" demographic that nobody talks about or something? Seriously this looks like a copy/paste from a speech someone would write for a US politician on Memorial Day where they changed a few words to anglosize it for the UK.

And they will bring socialism to Britain.

They appear to have made quite an interesting plan for that, somehow incorporating the state's shooting buddies..

Is socialism incompatible with the military now or something?

[Dejanic]

Are they appealing to the "American" demographic that nobody talks about or something? Seriously this looks like a copy/paste from a speech someone would write for a US politician on Memorial Day where they changed a few words to anglosize it for the UK.

And they will bring socialism to Britain.

They appear to have made quite an interesting plan for that, somehow incorporating the state's shooting buddies..

Not sure what you're going on about TBH, in the words of Tony Benn himself "Labour has never been a Socialist party, but it's always had Socialists in it" excluding the irrelevant fourth clause which was basically just a bone to keep the radicals at bay, Labour has never really been a Socialist party, and it's party policies have always been aimed at bringing about a mixed economy (or when Blair came about, Neo-Liburralism).

You can't betray something you never really wanted in the first place, most Labour members never "betrayed" Socialism, because they never believed in it in the first place.

[The UK in Exile]

It's already illegal to assault someone, so that point is moot.

They're aware. hence the phrasing "specific criminal offence to assault a member of the Armed Forces" as opposed to the crime of assault generally. Such an offence would then typically have separate sentencing guidelines from the General charge of assault. Much as assaulting a policy officer or a paramedic carrying out their duties might in some juristdictions.

[Dejanic]

It's already illegal to assault someone, so that point is moot.

They're aware. hence the phrasing "specific criminal offence to assault a member of the Armed Forces" as opposed to the crime of assault generally. Such an offence would then typically have separate sentencing guidelines from the General charge of assault. Much as assaulting a policy officer or a paramedic carrying out their duties might in some juristdictions.

I don't get this, I mean It makes sense that assaulting an on duty police officer holds a higher punishment, but I don't really think someone assaulting an off duty soldier should hold a higher punishment than someone assaulting any other person. This really seems like unneeded pandering to the ultra-nationalist far right, which is strange, considering that voting minority barely exists in this country outside of the rapidly depleting BNP. And anyway, such people would never vote for Labour.

[Greater-London]

Whilst this is populist pap Its obvious why their doing it. To help scupper the rise of UKIP in traditional working class areas that they've ignored for years.