EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

Carole Cadwalladr's Ted talk on facebook's role in Brexit is amazing, apologies if repost

https://www.ted.com/talks/carole_cadwalladr_facebook_s_role_in_brexit_and_the_threat_to_democracy/up-next?language=en

This excerpt from a discussion with Chomsky is worth a watch. It's actually about Trump, but the same ideas apply to Brexit.

https://www.democracynow.org/2019/4/18/chomsky_by_focusing_on_russia_democrats

Basically, he argues that Trump builds a coalition of support comprised of the rich and powerful, and a collection of groups with strongly-held beliefs (white nationalists, anti-abortionists, religious zealots, etc.). The rich and powerful might not agree with Trump's more outrageous statements, but they tolerate them because he rewards them with lower tax bills, deregulation, etc. He doesn't actually do anything for all the other fanatical groups, and in fact they end up indirectly being worse off, but he makes them feel as though they have someone fighting their cause.

That seems just like Brexit. The majority of the arguments used to stir up anti-EU sentiment were demonstrably false, but doing that helped Farage, Johnson, Rees-Mogg, et al, to win over those groups. They knew that. And they're doing it again all over again with their betrayal narrative.

Her henchman to the left of the picture looks a bit worried... :)

wow. that's quite the vote winner you've got there, boys.

Clearly a subliminal restatement of their California hardcore credentials.

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Get in the van!....and fuck off back to wherever you came from, is much more of a Tory Party and UKIP tag line though :)

The whole thing is giving me a Nervous Breakdown

Everyone should call them the ChUnKis.

TV ChangeUK Party (tonight!)

This is savage;

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/nigel-farage-brexit-party-clacton-ann-widdecombe-european-elections-theresa-may-latest-a8884601.html?amp&__twitter_impression=true

Brilliant last line

But still we give him air time. And post articles about him. A brilliant last line indeed. Shame on us.

now that Brexit has been voted down by the Brexiteers for not being enough like the imaginary Brexit they made up.

Ha! Not untrue.

Shame on us

Yeah, fuck white ppl. Can't die quick enough.

EU elections.

I'm apathetic. I have apathy. Very apathetious.

This is what they wanted. For the population to be ground down by May's robotic persistence to reject reality. So I will vote. But inside my Brexit gland has been wrung out harder than Peter Stringfellow's holiday loincloth

Vote who? Or what?

I don't normally enjoy this kind of thing, but that felt great. (I hope it's true.)

Has this been resolved yet?

stahp.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-shadowy-past-of-farage-s-motley-crew-5rmdzv638?shareToken=d2c719dbc620903fc63c9dc3916b0b7e&fbclid=IwAR3lo67e2nzk9jhcXvhM9riq-2MQHVc1kXuS5pZ37Dl6jKn_isxHhgjffoY

A bit more on the surprise marxist professor that joined the Brexit party...one with a past linked to people that were against the NI peace process (the GFA)

Anne Widdecombe missed all that? Or perhaps their dislike of the EU is great enough to unite them, until they have to do some actual positive "be for something" work.

Someone I went to uni with was involved with Spiked Online and Institute of Ideas (where she is the Director) so I've seen her crop up a lot. They're funded by some big pharmaceutical companies (probably due to being very pro-GM crops) and others of that ilk.

They basically appear to be professional contrarians (one of the most famous stories about her is that she supported Gary Glitter's right to download child pornography).

I heard her (Claire) on the radio the other day. I hadn't come across her before. I looked up her bio, and it made her sound quite reasonable. But, having heard what she had to say, she just seemed offensively outspoken. Not a pleasant person.

EU elections results represent proportionally so vote for who you least dislike please ... to at-least counter the UKIP votes.

Vote green!

surprise marxist professor that joined the Brexit party

Really? I thought the far left were quite known for being anti EU.
For example, the Morning Star
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/labour-should-have-no-illusions-eu

And this...
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/fury-as-corbyn-euro-elections-leaflet-suggests-labour-backs-brexit_uk_5cc1e94be4b031dc07ef6b3a