UK Politics Thread XII: The Lockdown

[The East Marches II]

Being on the security council doesn't give you a duty to "lobby for global human rights."

Wanting a say in the security affairs of a world you want to shut yourself out from. Can't have it both ways.

What does "human rights" have to do with security?

[Novus America]

The purpose of the UN Security Council is the maintenance of collective security, it has nothing to do with "global human rights."

But the security council does more than just that, it is one of the leading bodies of the UN, the most powerful really. And although forgotten and not enforced, actually joining the UN requires you adhere to basic human rights standards.

Actually those countries that least respect human rights, should in theory be expelled from the UN.

Also human rights and security issues are not completely separate. If a country abusing its population is causing rising extremism and refugee flows, that impacts rights.

But perhaps you could argue that the security council is too narrow, and that if the UK wants to disregard global human rights altogether then it should leave the UN altogether.

[Hirota]

We are talking about the UK leaving the security council because it might not want to poke it's nose into the alleged human rights abuses of another security council member.

Meanwhile, Guantanamo, meanwhile Russia being Russia, meanwhile French police maim their own civilians.

If human rights concerns are really the main reason we are apparently not qualified to be in the security council, then the whole security council should be trashed.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

We are talking about the UK leaving the security council because it might not want to poke it's nose into the alleged human rights abuses of another security council member.

Meanwhile, Guantanamo, meanwhile Russia being Russia, meanwhile French police maim their own civilians.

If human rights concerns are really the main reason we are apparently not qualified to be in the security council, then the whole security council should be trashed.

Yes. It should. The permanent seats need to be abolished.

[Hirota]

We are talking about the UK leaving the security council because it might not want to poke it's nose into the alleged human rights abuses of another security council member.

Meanwhile, Guantanamo, meanwhile Russia being Russia, meanwhile French police maim their own civilians.

If human rights concerns are really the main reason we are apparently not qualified to be in the security council, then the whole security council should be trashed.

Yes. It should. The permanent seats need to be abolished.

All well and good, but what you'll end up with is the same as Japan (until recently) participating in the international Whaling commission, or Saudi Arabia leading the cause for international Human Rights.

Still given this is entirely because of a silly misunderstanding about what the security council actually does, it's pretty pointless as a thought experiment.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Yes. It should. The permanent seats need to be abolished.

All well and good, but what you'll end up with is the same as Japan (until recently) participating in the international Whaling commission, or Saudi Arabia leading the cause for international Human Rights.

Still given this is entirely because of a silly misunderstanding about what the security council actually does, it's pretty pointless as a thought experiment.

Ten security council seats are already elected, of course.

The UK does comparatively well on human rights, of course. But it’s pretty common for states with questionable records to be elected to bodies that involve those records, because that way states feel connected to the process. They are engaged, and actually encouraged to do better in order to attract attention on the world stage. While still dismal, the Saudi human rights record has improved over the past years, as they want to be more connected to the international community. Again, still dismal, but there is improvement, and letting countries participate actually helps with that.

[The New California Republic]

Yes. It should. The permanent seats need to be abolished.

All well and good, but what you'll end up with is the same as Japan (until recently) participating in the international Whaling commission, or Saudi Arabia leading the cause for international Human Rights.

Still given this is entirely because of a silly misunderstanding about what the security council actually does, it's pretty pointless as a thought experiment.

When Tony Blair became a peace envoy for the Middle East was when I realised that the ground had opened up beneath my feet and there was no up or down left.

[Lamoni]

If you don't want to carry out the duties of office, don't fucking bother having the office in the first place. Try getting a job you're not interested in doing, see how long you last.

Are you literate?

*** Warning for flamebait ***
You know the rules here, Questers.

[Questarian New Yorkshire]

Are you literate?

*** Warning for flamebait ***
You know the rules here, Questers.

Try getting a job you're not interested in doing, see how long you last.

And yet personal attacks against me aren't flamebaiting?

[The New California Republic]

*** Warning for flamebait ***
You know the rules here, Questers.

Try getting a job you're not interested in doing, see how long you last.

And yet personal attacks against me aren't flamebaiting?

If you think someone is flamebaiting then report it in Moderation, instead of cluttering up the thread by griping about it here.

[Shofercia]

Being on the security council doesn't give you a duty to "lobby for global human rights."

Wanting a say in the security affairs of a world you want to shut yourself out from. Can't have it both ways.

Hmm, having actually read that post, I wonder whatever are they referring to... "We are on the security council bro" - sounds like a reference to the UNSC. Their job's actually to prevent wars from escalating to World War III status, rather than caring much about Human Rights. There's an organization that cares about Human Rights, called UNHCR. It's a tad different from the UNSC.

Wanting a say in the security affairs of a world you want to shut yourself out from. Can't have it both ways.

Being on the security council doesn't give you a duty to "lobby for global human rights."

It's like being in the EU parliament. What's the fucking point if you don't want to be a part of it anyways?

That's a rather dumb thing to say. The duty of the UNSC is to prevent Mr. Nukey from being launched, by preventing wars from escalating to WWIII or nuclear war status. In fact, the actual definition of UNSC's primary duty is outlined by none other than the UNSC: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/role-of-security-council

The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the United Nations Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Note the source that I'm using. It's not fake news like the one failed candidate Clinton used against President Trump. It's the actual webpage of the UNSC. And it's actually highlighted in blue, on the actual webpage. That's important. That is the UNSC's primary duty. To paraphrase a Great Republican President:

If the UNSC could stop WWIII without giving a flying fuck about Human Rights, the UNSC would do it, and if the UNSC could give full fucks about Human Rights to prevent WWIII the UNSC would do it; and if the UNSC could prevent WWIII by selectively enforcing Human Rights, the UNSC would also do that.

In simpler terms: the goal of the UNSC is to prevent Mr. Nukey, however Mr. Nukey identifies, from leaving Mr. Nukey's home, the prevent WWIII. Human Rights don't play a role there. If the UNGA was mentioned, sure, you might've had a point, but the body that was mentioned was the UNSC.

On the other hand, the EU Parliamentarians has a duty to his/her/its Constituents regarding their Human Rights. So on the one hand, you have someone who has no duty to enforce Human Rights, and on the other hand, you have someone who has a duty to enforce Human Rights. Gauth/Gormwood, do you understand how a duty to enforce Human Rights is different from the lack of said duty? If so, please stop comparing EU Parliamentarians to the people who matter much more on the UNSC. Besides, if Mr. Nukey is launched, a fuckton of Human Rights are going to be violated by Mr. Nukey when Mr. Nukey lands. And unlike the impeachment - that's a guarantee.

[The New California Republic]

BoJo has a new place to hide:

A forgotten passageway used by prime ministers and political luminaries - and closed up by Victorian labourers - has been uncovered in Parliament.

Historians working on the renovation of the House of Commons found the lost 360-year-old passageway, hidden in a secret chamber.

The doorway was created for the coronation of Charles II, in 1660, to allow guests access to a celebratory banquet in Westminster Hall, the building next to the modern day Commons chamber.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51630630

[Gormwood]

BoJo has a new place to hide:

A forgotten passageway used by prime ministers and political luminaries - and closed up by Victorian labourers - has been uncovered in Parliament.

Historians working on the renovation of the House of Commons found the lost 360-year-old passageway, hidden in a secret chamber.

The doorway was created for the coronation of Charles II, in 1660, to allow guests access to a celebratory banquet in Westminster Hall, the building next to the modern day Commons chamber.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51630630

Would be a great new seriee of children's books. Where's BoJo?

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

BoJo has a new place to hide:

A forgotten passageway used by prime ministers and political luminaries - and closed up by Victorian labourers - has been uncovered in Parliament.

Historians working on the renovation of the House of Commons found the lost 360-year-old passageway, hidden in a secret chamber.

The doorway was created for the coronation of Charles II, in 1660, to allow guests access to a celebratory banquet in Westminster Hall, the building next to the modern day Commons chamber.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51630630

Is it available for rent? I need somewhere to keep my leopards.

[Novus America]

BoJo has a new place to hide:

A forgotten passageway used by prime ministers and political luminaries - and closed up by Victorian labourers - has been uncovered in Parliament.

Historians working on the renovation of the House of Commons found the lost 360-year-old passageway, hidden in a secret chamber.

The doorway was created for the coronation of Charles II, in 1660, to allow guests access to a celebratory banquet in Westminster Hall, the building next to the modern day Commons chamber.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51630630

Westminster would really make the perfect castle/palace for a stereotypical evil villain, (well it already is full of them but they just show up during certain times a day before slinking back to their caves and coffins elsewhere).

It would also make an awesome video game set/location.

[Novus America]

New rules for Parliament.
1) All business shall be conducted during nighttime hours, after sundown and before sunrise.
2) All business shall be conducted using faux Eastern European accents, w shall be pronounced as V for example.
3) All Lords and MPs shall be required to wear black or dark purple capes, although red lining is acceptable.
4) While in session all Lords and MPs shall reside in Westminster Palace, to this end economical sleeping quarters shall be established in the basements via placement of padded and portable sleeping boxes of the type used in the funerary industry.

[Pyrghium]

New rules for Parliament.
1) All business shall be conducted during nighttime hours, after sundown and before sunrise.
2) All business shall be conducted using faux Eastern European accents, w shall be pronounced as V for example.
3) All Lords and MPs shall be required to wear black or dark purple capes, although red lining is acceptable.
4) While in session all Lords and MPs shall reside in Westminster Palace, to this end economical sleeping quarters shall be established in the basements via placement of padded and portable sleeping boxes of the type used in the funerary industry.

Will Count Dracula be holding court at Vestminster?

[Celritannia]

Well, speaking of human rights violation, a new report by Sir Michael Marmot shows just how inequality has increased under the 10 years of a Tory Government.

https://leftfootforward.org/2020/02/mar ... f-poorest/

https://www.health.org.uk/publications/ ... 0-years-on

http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/ ... mot-review

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... in-century

[New Bremerton]

BoJo has a new place to hide:

Westminster would really make the perfect castle/palace for a stereotypical evil villain, (well it already is full of them but they just show up during certain times a day before slinking back to their caves and coffins elsewhere).

It would also make an awesome video game set/location.

Assassin's Creed: Syndicate is set in 1860s London.

[Novus America]

Westminster would really make the perfect castle/palace for a stereotypical evil villain, (well it already is full of them but they just show up during certain times a day before slinking back to their caves and coffins elsewhere).

It would also make an awesome video game set/location.

Assassin's Creed: Syndicate is set in 1860s London.

Can you run around a realistic model of Westminster getting lost and causing havoc?

[The Huskar Social Union]

Assassin's Creed: Syndicate is set in 1860s London.

Can you run around a realistic model of Westminster getting lost and causing havoc?

I dont know if you can go into it but from the bit i played you can go to Westminster and run around and on top of it.

[Hirota]

Well, speaking of human rights violation, a new report by Sir Michael Marmot shows just how inequality has increased under the 10 years of a Tory Government.

https://leftfootforward.org/2020/02/mar ... f-poorest/

https://www.health.org.uk/publications/ ... 0-years-on

http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/ ... mot-review

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... in-century

It's sobering, but given there is evidence of similar inequality throughout Europe, it's an oversimplification to point at one cause.

And this oversimplification isn't something that is particularly new either.

---

Anyhoo, thoughts on Sajid's resignation speech to parliament?

I'm rather concerned we've swapped out one bunch of overbearing unelected busybodies for another bunch led by Cummings. While the campaign to leave the EU - which Cummings was deeply involved in - was in part about challenging the rule of experts in Brussels and Whitehall, Cummings’ mode of governing is just as technocratic as that which it has succeeded.

[Eastfield Lodge]

Well, speaking of human rights violation, a new report by Sir Michael Marmot shows just how inequality has increased under the 10 years of a Tory Government.

https://leftfootforward.org/2020/02/mar ... f-poorest/

https://www.health.org.uk/publications/ ... 0-years-on

http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/ ... mot-review

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... in-century

It's sobering, but given there is evidence of similar inequality throughout Europe, it's an oversimplification to point at one cause.

And this oversimplification isn't something that is particularly new either.

---

Anyhoo, thoughts on Sajid's resignation speech to parliament?

I'm rather concerned we've swapped out one bunch of overbearing unelected busybodies for another bunch led by Cummings. While the campaign to leave the EU - which Cummings was deeply involved in - was in part about challenging the rule of experts in Brussels and Whitehall, Cummings’ mode of governing is just as technocratic as that which it has succeeded.

Pfft, as if the British public care about Cummings acting like the EU.

[Novus America]

Can you run around a realistic model of Westminster getting lost and causing havoc?

I dont know if you can go into it but from the bit i played you can go to Westminster and run around and on top of it.

Much less fun though if you cannot actual run through the villain lair secret passageways and such.

[Eastfield Lodge]

I dont know if you can go into it but from the bit i played you can go to Westminster and run around and on top of it.

Much less fun though if you cannot actual run through the villain lair secret passageways and such.

Probably weren't allowed to recreate Westminster's interior.