[Durham Giant]

Re: George Galloway wins Bradford West : Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:07 am  

Mintball wrote:

Galloway is an opportunistic, unprincipled, ultra-leftist. That's all been known for years. In the BBC report online, he's also quoted as this being a massive vote against the previous governments warmongering. So he's probably also been going around doing his 'I'm almost a Muslim' routine - which, in the past, has included u-turns on equality issues for women and LGBT people.

But the scale of the vote suggests that this win is beyond that and that there is at least also an element of Labour's inability to re-connect with its historic supporters and offer any sort of meaningful alternative to the orthodoxy (in the main political parties) of neo-liberal economic policies.

Love to see what you mean by that as all the examples you have given suggest that the only issues are political opportunism.

I have sen no evidence of Galloway using anti semitism personally when i saw him interviewed he actually attacked anti semitism., Maybe some of his more unprincipled supporters have stirred things up.

AS for attacking the muslim labour candidate and accusing him of being an uncle tom and party apparatchik that is true. Labour have used Muslim "community Leaders" in bradford for years to deliver the asian voters as cannon fodder.

His big message to younger voters in particular was that the main parties have ignored their constituents and that he is anti war ( ie IraQ).

Personally i am glad that there will be one anti war MP in parliament who is prepared to stand up for his beliefs particularly when their is olikely to be an atack on Iran soon.

I reckon your ultra leftist and trot jibes are based on the idea that no one should challenge labour from the left when actually that is exactly what should be happening.

Re: George Galloway wins Bradford West : Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:09 am  

Sal Paradise wrote:

You don't describe the Bradford I live in and have lived in on and off for 50 years.

And I do not recognise the place you are talking about at all. I've heard the words plenty of times, I just don't recognise the place they're meant to describe. I said we are segregated along lines of class, outlook and any number of other things - just like everywhere else. If you're hoping to argue me away from that position that really wasn't a good start.

If you think there are no-go areas in this city you are beyond deluded. I've lived in half of them sporting a skinhead.

[Kosh]

Re: Housing Benefit Cuts for the Scroungers. : Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:38 am  

WIZEB wrote:

I'm forgetting you have a personal relationship with Gorgeous George. Perhaps you know him better than me? And yes, maybe things will have to get better. The tossers running the Labour party might have to shape up a little.

You don't need a personal relationship with someone to spot an egotistical self-serving wazzock. It's not as if he's been shy of the media or anything.

Shaking up Labour's leadership might well be a good thing, but if they adopt Galloway's tactics and position they'll be unelectable for a generation.

Housing Benefit Cuts for the Scroungers. : Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:53 am  

Kosh wrote:

Shaking up Labour's leadership might well be a good thing, but if they adopt Galloway's tactics and position they'll be unelectable for a generation.

Don't despair too much, their used to it. I blame it on all you soppy liberal democrats!

Re: George Galloway wins Bradford West : Sat Mar 31, 2012 1:35 pm  

Don't know whether to laugh or cry at this whole debacle.

At least George is fully focused on his constituency:

@georgegalloway wrote:

Welcome to the 6000 new followers. I will try to live up to your expectations. Shattered but happy after the Blackburn triumph.

Bradford West, what have you done?

Re: George Galloway wins Bradford West : Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:27 pm  

vbfg wrote:

And I do not recognise the place you are talking about at all. I've heard the words plenty of times, I just don't recognise the place they're meant to describe. I said we are segregated along lines of class, outlook and any number of other things - just like everywhere else. If you're hoping to argue me away from that position that really wasn't a good start.

If you think there are no-go areas in this city you are beyond deluded. I've lived in half of them sporting a skinhead.

I fully respect both yours and Sal's views on Bradford, seeing as both of you are locals, but speaking as an outsider who visits the area regularly (once a week) through work, I can honestly say that the only thing I see, is a city which is segregated almost into ghettos of white and Asian.

I have visited various schools and witnessed how multiculturism simply hasn't worked.....The idea behind it is surely that all races and creeds mix, yet from my own experience the total opposite has happened in Bradford....At Carlton Bolling, I was actually racially insulted by a group of Asians, something which isn't rare from conversations I've had with the staff there.

What's apparent is that the last thing your area needs is a troublemaker like Galloway exploiting the obvious tensions that exist, especially with the inflammatory language that the man likes to use....With somebody like him involved in the political mix in Bradford, there can only be trouble heading your way.

Re: George Galloway wins Bradford West : Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:37 pm  

vbfg wrote:

And I do not recognise the place you are talking about at all. I've heard the words plenty of times, I just don't recognise the place they're meant to describe. I said we are segregated along lines of class, outlook and any number of other things - just like everywhere else. If you're hoping to argue me away from that position that really wasn't a good start.

If you think there are no-go areas in this city you are beyond deluded. I've lived in half of them sporting a skinhead.

We must simply agree to differ - I don't recognise the Bradford you describe and you don't recognise the Bradford I describe - so let us try and agree some things

Would you agree:
1. 20% of the population currently provide 50% of the new births?
2. Bradford has one of the highest instances of unoccupied retail spaces in the UK?
3. Westfield have left a huge hole - literally right in the centre of the city?
4. Two of the five post codes with the highest instances of uninsured vehicles in the UK start with BD?

I cannot see this village thing you suggest is going on - i see two distinct segregated areas Pakistani/Bangladeshi and the rest. You will not see many white residents in Mannnigham/Frizinghall/Great Horton and you will not see many P/B in Baildon, Idle, Eccleshill any Asians you do see will be Indians from East Africa or the sub continent. This soup of multi cultural integration you elude to is simply a fantasy IMO.

How many other cities have Pakinstani only schools where whites are prohibited to attend - do you really live in Bradford?

[Kosh]

Re: Housing Benefit Cuts for the Scroungers. : Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:53 pm  

WIZEB wrote:

Don't despair too much, their used to it. I blame it on all you soppy liberal democrats!

Ah, right. You're one of those on the left who'd rather have a few token victories and spend time moaning from opposition than actually have a party in power. And I'm a soppy ex-LD if you don't mind. No idea who I'll vote for next time around.

Housing Benefit Cuts for the Scroungers. : Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:30 pm  

Kosh wrote:

Ah, right. You're one of those on the left who'd rather have a few token victories and spend time moaning from opposition than actually have a party in power. And I'm a soppy ex-LD if you don't mind. No idea who I'll vote for next time around.

Jesus Kosh, don't go ditching them next time round. You've done the damage and you might be the only vote Nick can rely on. Stick with it.

Re: George Galloway wins Bradford West : Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:46 pm  

Mintball wrote:

Galloway is an opportunistic, unprincipled, ultra-leftist. That's all been known for years. In the BBC report online, he's also quoted as this being a massive vote against the previous governments warmongering. So he's probably also been going around doing his 'I'm almost a Muslim' routine - which, in the past, has included u-turns on equality issues for women and LGBT people.

But the scale of the vote suggests that this win is beyond that and that there is at least also an element of Labour's inability to re-connect with its historic supporters and offer any sort of meaningful alternative to the orthodoxy (in the main political parties) of neo-liberal economic policies.

It's as I've been saying for ages - Labour stands for no one or nothing; and even worse is lead by a muppet.

Give people an alternative who speaks their language is Labour will get trounced anywhere.

We have three main parties who are failing:

Tory - the Nasty Party
Labour - the Weasely Party
LibDems - The Big Joke Party

If enough, credible independents stand on local issues at the next GE we may even see a return to democracy (although knowing the British people's prospensity for swallowing sh**e, I doubt it).