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Count Binface

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Re: Count Binface

#291

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

pjc50 wrote: post #289
ben_w wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fairness, it is very difficult to look at the last 16 years of British governments and hold the belief "these people have well prepared the UK for the future".

Oddly, the Conservative government was overseeing the renewables boom, although they did kneecap onshore wind unnecessarily.

Sadly the current Conservative leadership have fallen quite far, prioritising cheap culture-war nonsense instead

https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/kemi-badenoch-says-tory-hopefu...

Re: Count Binface

#292

Post by rich_sasha »

squidbeak wrote: post #248

I see from the comments here many Americans especially are confused by this situation. Some background might make help. Farage seems to have broken Parliamentary Rules (laid down after the cash for questions scandal in the 1990s) by accepting large sums of money as gifts - but without declaring them, something all MPs are required to do for any gift. But worse, one of these gifts came from a convicted crypto felon. T…

You can add to this that the other parties running against Farage don't really have an upside. Reform is leading the polls somehow and he's quite likely to win - which would give him an argument to say "the voters have decided, the whole thing about the finance rules is a witch-hunt". And frankly even if he loses, he can cry foul play about how he was hounded out.

What should happen is the investigation to run its course. The whole resignation is just an attempt to divert attention from it.

Amusingly, I find it more likely Farage would lose to Count Binface than to the mainstream candidates. To win, you need merely the most votes, not more than 50%. If the "not Farage" vote gets split between Labour, Greens, Lib Dems and Conservatives, he might eke out a win. But if anyone who doesn't like Farage just needs to vote Count Binface, it might actually happen.

Re: Count Binface

#293

Post by sporkland »

While I appreciate how deservedly hated all of our politicians are, isn't it such a sad state of affairs that we can't find trustworthy folks to lead these critical institutions?

Re: Count Binface

#294

Post by oniony »

RattlesnakeJake wrote: post #267

As an American, I'm mildly jealous of the Brits' usage of "bin" for garbage cans. It's so succinct as to be appropriately dismissive, while we seemingly sanctify the idea with complex terms like "Wastebasket," "Trash/Garbage Can," or (worst of all) "Trash Receptacle." "Binface" wouldn't be nearly as funny using an American term.

We use bin to mean any largish container, so shops have clothes bins, factories have parts bins, &c.

Bin is also short for rubbish bin (the smaller ones in the home) or dustbin (the larger ones outside).

Weirdly we rarely use either of garbage or trash. Even the lorries we call refuse trucks.

Re: Count Binface

#295

Post by ndsipa_pomu »

madaxe_again wrote: post #67
dofm wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't know how I feel about the British comedy candidate outclassing half of the American elected leadership–and a good fraction of its industrial leadership–on IQ.) Your entire political system has flirted with anti-intellectualism for over a century; it used to pretend to be uneducated simpletons to appeal to the electorate (witness, e.g. the folksy “ahhm just a simple mayynn” gurning schtick of Senator John Ke…

Isn’t it the democratic ideal though? Of the people, for the people. If a representative democracy is to truly be representative then the elected representatives should be… representative? Tuberville and Mullin I wouldn’t say were thick so much as they’re pretty average.

That sounds like populism to me. Ideally, people should want to elect either experts in their domain or able to use the advice of experts. Leaders shouldn't just follow the whims of the popular media, but instead have principles that they follow and communicate to the people. However, I may be atypical in that I'm more interested in politicians strongly held views rather than their personality (unless their personality is toxic e.g. Farage).

Re: Count Binface

#296

Post by ndsipa_pomu »

anonymousiam wrote: post #279
squidbeak wrote: post #248

I see from the comments here many Americans especially are confused by this situation. Some background might make help. Farage seems to have broken Parliamentary Rules (laid down after the cash for questions scandal in the 1990s) by accepting large sums of money as gifts - but without declaring them, something all MPs are required to do for any gift. But worse, one of these gifts came from a convicted crypto felon. T…

The other parties are terrified that the immense popularity of Farage will land him the role of PM, so they're creatively interpreting their Parliamentary Rules to accuse Farage of violating them, which he has not done. It's the same sort of lawfare that Trump and Le Pen have been a victim of. Override the will of the people by finding an excuse to oust a popular politician that they see as a serious threat to their…

> Why is it not a violation of Parliamentary Rules to conspire to create a false candidate in an election?

That doesn't make much sense as who is to decide whether a candidate is "false" and what does that mean? Farage could easily be described as a false candidate as he barely does anything for Clacton and doesn't hold his MP surgery which is usually part of representing an area.

Also, who do you think is conspiring in this case? Binface has been around for a while and is pretty much a one-man band. If anything, Reform UK Ltd conspires to get their candidates elected (as do other political parties).

Re: Count Binface

#297

Post by ben_w »

pjc50 wrote: post #289
ben_w wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fairness, it is very difficult to look at the last 16 years of British governments and hold the belief "these people have well prepared the UK for the future".

Oddly, the Conservative government was overseeing the renewables boom, although they did kneecap onshore wind unnecessarily.

Mm. Double-checking their actual record, much moreso than I remember.

Re: Count Binface

#299

Post by WickyNilliams »

pjc50 wrote: post #286
gib444 wrote: post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And we know what you all are thinking: only £5m, how pathetic. I get you. Farage is still learning, on his frequent visits to the US. Give him time. We definitely are the weaker and more pathetic side of the Atlantic when it comes to corruption in our politics at the moment. We do bow to your superiority in this area.

The inability to do broadcast TV political adverts (outside of the PPB framework) really cuts down on the money involved in UK politics. But one effect of that (and purchasing power parity) is that UK MPs are really cheap to bribe.

I'm always astonished when some cash for questions type scandal gets revealed and it turns out they got given like £10k to lobby for some cause. Frighteningly small amount of cash in comparison to the potential impact.

It leads me to wonder what I could get done for myself if I was to drain some savings and send a bung to a politician. But alas, I have scruples

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