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BREAKING: Manchester is the first city outside of London to put buses back into public control since 1980s. Greater Manchester mayor @AndyBurnhamGM has just announced the landmark decision.

My mayor

Thoughts on this WWSPD?

https://twitter.com/jp_biz/status/1375079496693518337?s=21

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comment by NPEEE (U22521)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by What would Stuart Pearce do? Percy Pig aficionado (U3126)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by NPEEE (U22521)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Oscar. #TeamFury (U12980)
posted 1 minute ago
What’s the issues with these cartoons then? Why has he been suspended I don’t get it, are they bad cartoons of like beheadings?
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I was unaware he/she has been suspended unless there has been an update in past hour.

Teacher showed class pictures/art purporting to be of Mohammed, something that a lot of Muslims perceive to be offensive. The context is not clear, but I think there are many educational justifications for doing it, and I don't think we have to live by blasphemy laws frankly.

I look forward to Kloppinson posting later today justifying blasphemy in the name of minorities.
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Yeah, said that "the member of staff had been suspended pending an investigation."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-56524850
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That's so cowardly.
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I suppose it depends on context. What happened/the imagery involved. And the school's disciplinary policy.

ie did the teacher go full charlie hebdo, or was an honest mistake/oversight.

comment by NPEEE (U22521)
posted 7 minutes ago
Should caveat that it's cowardly unless there is some huge factor missed out in the reporting
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Sorry missed this!

comment by Constantinople (U11781)
posted 3 minutes ago
Thoughts on this WWSPD?

https://twitter.com/jp_biz/status/1375079496693518337?s=21
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Entirely predictable. Unfortunately.

Would love to dangle Frost and Hoey over a volcano

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He’s not hugely relevant in the Starmer era tbf

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comment by NPEEE (U22521)
posted 10 minutes ago
Lol, Richard Burgon voting against Covid Act apparently, because it's not a Zero Covid strategy.

FFS

I guess I will take whatever allies I can....
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Hahahaha

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comment by Constantinople (U11781)
posted 6 minutes ago
Would love to dangle Frost and Hoey over a volcano
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May not agree with him but he's doing pretty much what he's been tasked to do. Decent article on Frost here:

https://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/fisking-frost.html?m=1

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comment by groovyduringthewar (U1054)
posted 3 hours, 9 minutes ago
Just have a feel between the legs it's a pointer to what gender you are.
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I feel like a woman.

comment by bmcl1987 (U14177)
posted 4 hours, 3 minutes ago
comment by thebluebellsarablue (U9292)
posted 1 hour, 17 minutes ago
comment by bmcl1987 (U14177)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 57 minutes ago
comment by Just Shoot (U10408)
posted 26 seconds ago
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posted 2 minutes ago
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posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by bmcl1987 (U14177)
posted 2 hours, 43 minutes ago

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-56514501

Why does the UK government appear to be obsessed with flags?
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Obsessed is somewhat hyperbolic but I’ll give you my thoughts.

1. Growing resentment to many things British including the flag.
2. Reclaiming its use - it’s been heavily by groups with negative connotations so they’re probably trying to change what people think of when they see the flag
3. The BBC has an axe to grind on the topic as they got pulled up on flags recently
4. Yes I’m sure it’s a tactic to keep and gain further support from those who are more proud of this country than others, don’t really see a problem with that even though we’re supposed to be ashamed of our foreigner-hating, evil country blah blah
5. I struggle to think of another country where the national flag is such an issue for people. Just because a country or a system isn’t perfect doesn’t mean that it’s not right to be proud of it. Perfection doesn’t exist.
6. It’s a nice looking flag 😂
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It's the only thing that unites us. 😂

It's odd that those that have an issue with flags call those that don't flag sh*ggers. It seems the haters are the emotive ones.
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Because they’re behaving childishly, only an extremely immature person would use such a phrase to describe people that like the nations flag.


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Imagine getting so worked up over your own country's flag. 😂
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It’s very strange
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Happy to have stimulated such dialogue between you both.

To be clear, I did say “appear to be obsessed”, which was based on my interpretation as opposed to stating a fact, and so would suggest calling what I said “hyperbolic” is..... HYPERBOLIC

BOOM, GOTCHA! Winner winner chicken dinner!!!

Jesting aside, let me address the substance.

It is genuine resentment or is it embarrassment at the Americanisation in the use of the flag as somehow a proxy of being British? I did think as a nation we were beyond that kind of reductive “flag-waving”.

Who are “they” reclaiming the flag “from”? When I think of it it’s last night of the proms, London 2012, Brexit (which despite my personal objections is obviously popular with at least 18m people). I thought that it was the St George Flag that had been taken by the people I think you’re referencing.

I’m not sure how the policy statement from the government relates to the BBC. When I linked the article I was commenting on the government policy, not the company reporting on it.

I’m not sure who is making you feel ashamed of this country (hopefully not me, despite our political differences!). I would suggest people may feel more ashamed with the UK government as opposed to the UK as a whole.

And is it really an “issue” for people? I mean I find it faintly amusing the sudden surge of flag positioning, and from what I have seen I think that is not an entirely uncommon position, but to say that people with that thought have “an issue” is not something I can agree with.

The flag is absolutely not the only thing that unites us, and I think particularly in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland it has the opposite effect. Team GB at the olympics, GBBO, the NHS, Strictly, the Lake District. These are the sort of images that are much more uniting in reality than a flag.
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Morning mate.

Flegs...glad we got over all that here and in Glasgow, the.

Would you, or Scots generally, blink an eye at Sturgeon having a Scottish flag about her?

In Dublin, we see the Irish flag in the background when leaders are on tv and nobody brings it up, apart from me now lol.

Those who post about "flagsh@ggers" seem to be the ones obsessing about the flag issue, and not aimed at you bro.

It's just a wee piece of cloth and never hurt nobody.



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I genuinely wouldn’t care about what sturgeon stood in front of. More just general bemusement at how it is something that needs a policy change. I wouldn’t go down the road of calling folk flag sheggers, which comes across as slightly mean spirited mocking of a policy.
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Fair comment.

It's a bit of cloth.

comment by ttliv87 (U11882)
posted 15 minutes ago
comment by NPEEE (U22521)
posted 14 minutes ago
Lol, Richard Burgon voting against Covid Act apparently, because it's not a Zero Covid strategy.

FFS

I guess I will take whatever allies I can....
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He has to be the dumbest MP in the country.
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Mark Francois says hello

comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 4 hours, 35 minutes ago
comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 56 seconds ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Just Shoot (U10408)
posted 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 1 minute ago
Union flag what an oxymoron.

It's just another right wing culture war front like statues, a complete irrelevance to unite the old fashioned 'Patriots' against the communist traitors and it's being gobbled up by the 'own the libs' brigade.
Rule Britannia lads Boris roolz ok.
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Translation:

Waah, waah, gurgle, gurgle, boo boo, boo boo, racists, racist, waah, waah.
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Translation: I have no response so I'll cry racism like the aggrieved lunatic I am

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Aggrieved lunatic?
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feeling resentment at having been unfairly treated.

a person who is mentally ill (not in technical use).
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Yes a pretty insulting thing to say for no reason whatsoever. You need to work on your people skills.
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Cough cough cough.

Are you in the vicinity of half inch less and I could have been a woman, highly strung but poorly hung
Shame but never mind.

https://mobile.twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1375068055332663297

Jesus Christ, someone assassinate this pr!ck

Interesting that the different options you provide are all choices (to join a religion, to work for nasa, to join a political party) other than the Roman eagle, which I suspect people haven’t been a part of for over a millennium.

I have no problem with individual people feeling particularly strong towards a Union flag, it’s as relevant as feeling strongly towards anything else. My question is why is it the purview of government? If that makes me “very autistic” in your mind then that’s grand.
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My comment wasn't about whose repsonsibility it is to dictate symbolism but rather why symbolism is important in the first place. Which is a relevant point in the context of debate about them being inanimate objects, or "pieces of cloth".

But if we are talking about government, then promoting social cohesion and reflecting the sentiment of the electorate comes under their remit. I'm not fussed about the flag but plenty of people are, and if that's what it takes for them to feel pride in their communities and to feel engaged as citizens, then I'd support it.

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Adam Payne @adampayne26
An example of how exporting food to the EU is going get even more complex when Brussels introduces new rules for third countries on April 21...

Victoria sponge cake containing cream will need a Export Health Certificate from that date, DEFRA's David Kennedy reveals

Brexit Britain