Comments by "Andy Monaghan" (@229andymon) on "Richard J Murphy" channel.

  1.  @mypointofview1111  it does if they’re British. Have you seen what’s running the country now?
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  2.  @adenwellsmith6908  So what do we do? Nothing? Give up? Drink heavily? Give solutions, not problems.
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  3.  @adenwellsmith6908  Yeah, then Farage made the Tories take us out of the EU against our will. The same Tories Scotland last voted for in 1955. We’ve changed our minds. Aren’t you allowed to do that in democratic UK?
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  4.  @adenwellsmith6908  Scotland voted 62% to stay, England voted 52% to leave. Scotland left. The UK union is undemocratic, unfair, unequal and, given the ongoing blockade of Scottish democracy by the current Westminster regime (run by a party Scots last voted for in 1955) you can add involuntary to that as well. There is only one nation in the “United” Kingdom that can leave the UK union whenever it likes, for whatever reason it likes. The rest of us can’t. Hint - it’s not Scotland.
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  5. Murphy as usual talking principled, good sense. But… let’s face it, there’s zero chance of the zero principle Tories ever agreeing to this. Labour on the other hand not only could, but most definitely should Labour could clean up rotten Brit politics easily by doing 2 things; Implement Murphy’s suggestions regarding individual and corporate donations to political parties and representatives. I actually think £10k is too much, even these days £10k has the power to tempt. My sum would be £5k, that would be a bit too cheap to sell their soul for. Secondly, lobbying should be permitted, but, linked to the above restrictions, only where no tangible benefits will accrue to the party or person being lobbied. Lobbying should be permitted on the merits of the goods or services alone. Murphy is also correct to highlight public funding of political parties and people should be done on the basis of how much they need rather than how much they want.
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  6.  @Banjo2030  I think Labour (and the Tories) need to give up their craven, cynical and opportunist support for FPTP and let a real left wing party emerge.
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  7.  @kevinwilde  Labour is not a left wing party anymore, and I say that without a hint of exaggeration. They are a centrist party. Left wingers do not represent or control that party and I doubt ever will. The fact is there is no mainstream left wing party in UK.
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  8.  @sonny1987100  There are those in UK that *need* taxed to hell. It’s just a pity that Labour have ruled out doing that. Labour has only one thing going for them in my book - they’re aren’t Tories. However, I reckon people who voted for them voted for far more than just that.
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  9.  @puckinhell622  Yes, of course. Would you like a full manifesto or say, 50 or so? You know this isn’t the Oxford Union debating chamber, right?
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  10. What about the "Peoples Party" pledging to reverse the growing gap between rich and poor?
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  11. I voted SNP, but I don’t support them, I support independence. OK, I hear you about independence and the SNP, but, let me ask you, what (realistically and viably) do you think they should do to get us independence?
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  12. They may have fallen temporarily out of love with the Tories, but England is a Tory nation.
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  13. For the same reason Labour aren’t going to do lots of things they should. Coz they’re past masters at doing nothing. They excel at nothing. They are Lords of the Void.
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  14. ​ @111dddcca For payment from which they made profit. You make it sound like they're doing it for our good...
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  15.  @keithparker1346  As a Scot, and therefore now used to both FPTP and PR systems, I’ve become very negative about FPTP. It’s a truly terrible way to elect representatives. We’re a generation in now and Holyrood is still evolving, with people now starting to vote for a bigger range of parties that represent, and express, their views more closely. It’s great to think you can do so without “wasting your vote” as the supporters of unfair FPTP tell you you do if you don’t vote either Labour or Tory.
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  16.  @keithparker1346  Even given the SNP has (recently) been a big beneficiary of unfair FPTP in Scotland, they’re nonetheless against it. Labour and the Tories still cynically defend it.
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  17. All the way to a better, fairer future
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  18. Difficult to imagine a worse result for UK than another round of the hopeless, corrupt Tories, but the prospect of those swivel eyed, alt-right bampots from Reform gaining any influence doesn’t bear thinking about.
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  19.  @RobinHarris-nf4yv You prefer not to choose?
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  20.  @mynameisnobody5295  During the last UK budget I saw a really funny, but also striking, tweet. Someone posted a photo of Charles Windsor sitting on the throne in all his ermine and finery. Underneath it said… “Man sitting in a golden chair wearing a diamond hat talks about poverty”. The Brit monarchy is the pinnacle of the elitism and the class plagued nature of this highly unequal and non egalitarian country. It’s time UK dragged itself into the 20th century.
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  21.  @RobinHarris-nf4yv  Depends on the powers exercised by a President. These range from big to symbolic. Basically presidents don’t get their position through “lucky sperm”, but rather have to earn the position. Down to whether you believe in meritocracy or the continuation of an antediluvian successor to the “divine right” of kings. Most nations don’t have them and I can see no evidence they want, or need, them either….
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  22. UK will never thrive as long so England as keeps voting Tory.
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  23.  @edbop  So, you don’t need to worry about what they might think of an issue, or what their decision will be, as long as you’re happy they’re “moral”. And how do we know if they’re “moral” and how do we know how their morals will tell them to vote on often complex issues? Will your moral person vote for a national energy company or against it? Presumably you don’t care as long as they convince you of their morality. Alternatively, we vote for a party that we know represents what we believe in and we don’t worry about the morality (or not) of whoever it is wearing the rosette. I’m very unconvinced by your touching faith in “morality”.
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  24.  @shtarpark7938  OK not all, but some do. I spoke to one last week who went on about how “lucky” I was to live in my generation - until I told him I was 7 before we had an inside toilet..!
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  25.  @shtarpark7938  Did you miss where I said “OK, not all, but some”..? Personally, I don’t think this generation is any better or worse than mine, and they face challenges I didn’t. But do some have a warped sense of what my time was like? Sorry, but yes.
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  26.  @shtarpark7938  I hope you have the maturity to understand that any decisions we made were what we considered sensible and obvious - at the time. Now some of them appear wrong and stupid, but back then they made sense. In fact I’d say in general we hoped and assumed we were working to pass on a brighter future to the next generation. I find it depressing when a young person tells me, in all seriousness, they consider me lucky. I don’t envy the young. They have materially far more than i could dream of at their age, but my generation seemed happier.
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  27.  @ChrisJones-ht9zn  They’re £500 quid down pa. I’d call that affected. I know, I’m one of the not rich pensioners affected Why are they doing this but deliberately *not* increasing taxation on the ever growing number of wealthy people instead?
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  28.  @ChrisJones-ht9zn  I live in hope they change their minds on that, but Sir Kid Starver has stated they won’t increase income taxes, including for the wealthy.
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  29. Nonsense. A referendum offering a good PR system would trash FPTP, which is only supported by the 2 “shots each” parties (Labour/Tories) because it ensures the undemocratic shots each system persists.
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  30. Until today, Labour has had 30 years of Westminster power, most with a majority. Why hasn’t “the People’s Party” done so years ago, is the actual question. Labour - doing nothing at Olympic level.
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  31. So, democracy only if you can ensure the “right” results then? You realise that’s not democracy, eh?
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  32.  @leeallen463  OK, I prefer my democracy, you know… democratic, but each to his own. “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. Voltaire.
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  33. Absolutely! Places like Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Spain, Netherlands… the list goes on and on. All racked with mad extremists and political gridlock. Much better to stay with the minority of countries still using the antediluvian FPTP system. Who cares if it ensures a fair distribution of representation for support given? Is that important? Surely not.
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  34. Londoncentrism is a sin of both right and left in UK and has been for generations.
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  35. And, infuriatingly, that would be reasonably easy to fix, or at least reduce. Stop corporations and wealthy individuals funding to political parties and politicians. Let’s face it, why are they doing so? Reduce political contributions to those, from individuals, that are too small to have the power to bribe.
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  36. Are you sure? For me a constitution ensures, on some issues, the minority beats the majority. In some cases it’s a recipe for atrophy.
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  37. In a Holyrood election, yes. In a UK one, they’re an alternative to independence supporting MPs.
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  38. Catalonia?
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  39.  @ScottishRoss27  Why? I’m sure the Catalonian nationalists would disagree since they consider themselves a nation too.
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  40.  @ScottishRoss27  The UK unionist argument is that Scotland is technically not a nation (true), but a part of another (UK). Besides, if such a precondition for independence was a prerequisite, wouldn’t that have prevented many examples of previous successful independence movements? Quebec has never been a nation, would you disagree they have the right to independence if they choose? I disagree with you generally around this. For me every independence movement’s case must be taken on its own merits.
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  41.  @ScottishRoss27  They’re unionists because they consider their country to be the United Kingdom, which they disagree Scotland should leave. I used the term “technically” for a reason. Because while in the eyes of the world, and the UK govt, Scotland is perceived as a “nation”, technically that definition has no foundation in practical reality or legal status. There is no technical Scottish “nationality”, Scotland has no sovereign power, has no rights or representation on international bodies and *on paper* Scotland is simply a part of the UK. As far as the EU is concerned for example, they refuse to formally comment on Scottish independence as they regard UK as the only party with which they can officially talk. Scotland, I’m afraid to say, is a nation in name only. But… while indyref1 was generally a loss for the Indy movement, it did have 2 positive outcomes, it lifted support for Indy to impressive, consistent and viable levels and through it, the UK govt conceded Scotland had a right to secede. This differentiates us from the Catalonia situation, where Madrid refuses to concede Catalonia has that right. Of course, there would be nothing stopping UK from walking back their stance, but I doubt that would happen. As for “appealing to Westminster’s better nature” regarding their UN “obligations” - good luck with that. I’m sure they’re already well aware of those - while blocking Indyref2.
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  42.  @ScottishRoss27  I’m surprised UK makes it to 20th! Incidentally, UK spends more on its military than France, Germany or Japan. We spend too much on military, not too little..! Less guns, more butter. Use any funds saved to increase the shameful UK state pension instead.
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  43. @thefastandthedead1769 isn't it the same question?
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  44. @therealrobertbirchall  Yes, but their aspiration is exactly the same Scotland's.
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  45.  @therealrobertbirchall  its not “nonsense”, it’s realpolitik. If we are as sovereign as you claim, how come we can’t even classify movies…? Scotland has zero sovereignty. What little “powers” we have via devolution are “outsourced” by Westminster, which has the de jure power (de facto would be another story…) to withdraw them as they choose. I’d love to agree with you, but our only official status, nationally and internationally, is subject of the UK. The EU won’t even speak to us about anything that Westminster doesn’t agree with, including of course independence. We do have the option of UDI, which Westminster may force us into, but only if we can carry the Scots with us. Is that “sovereignty”? I don’t believe so.
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  46.  @therealrobertbirchall  “let (the English) leave”. No one’s stopping them. However, just like we can’t stop them leaving if they want, nor can we make them go. I’m afraid wishes don’t count.
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  47.  @gio-oz8gf  But England does. Now that Scotland rejects both Brit establishment parties, we never get what we vote for. Scottish Tories are in a small minority and get what they want often. SNP voters vote for the most popular party and never get what they want.
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  48. As a Scot I don’t want to “feel represented” I want the power to change Scotland even if England disagrees. Will your system facilitate this? If not I’m not interested in meaningless fig leaves.
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  49.  @barerfont  In the case of Scotland’s position in the UK, local (Scottish) representation is nothing but a fig leaf. But I thank you for allowing us the right to choose whether to stay in the UK union or not. Out of interest, if England were to find itself in the position Scotland is in, who would it ask for permission to leave?
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  50.  @barerfont  Not a problem. Thanks for the clarification. But - I’d be interested in your answer to my question.
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