Same Old, Same Old.
This time last year, there was a smattering of posts put up about average global ocean and land surface temperatures. They didn’t make for comfortable reading.
International
The NRA declares war on reality
The National Rifle Association in America has released a video which essentially advocates for violence against liberal resistance to conservatism.
Manus Island operator seeking to buy and manage Housing Corporation Homes
The Government is seeking to sell 2,500 Christchurch Housing Corporation homes. The shortlist of potential purchasers includes an Australian company recently successfully sued for human rights breaches of refugees on Manus Island.
Corbyn speech at Glastonbury
Jeremy Corbyn’s full speech to Glastonbury 2017. “Another world is possible…”
Should The Left Do Authoritarian Populism Like The Right Does?
What if the left had an authoritarian populist in power and got some stuff done?
Skepta remix – Tory Magic Money Tree
A little bit of UK political parody grime…
Homeless Housing.
Did Jeremy Corbyn just cut through a whole pile of smash?
Signals
The politics of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Jonathan Pie – Socialism strikes back
One week after the UK election, how did we miss this one?…
When immigration means exploitation
Those arguing for unrestricted immigration are – wittingly or unwittingly – fueling higher levels of exploitation in NZ.
New Zealand folds and apologises to Israel
New Zealand has completely backed down from its original position of opposing the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian land and apologised to Israel for damaging the relationship.
Immigration and economic growth
English’s scaremongering about Labour’s immigration policy does nothing but highlight the fundamental weakness of our economy. Just how anemic are we after 9 long years?
Sun and Breitbart falling
The numbers aren’t looking good for The Sun or Breitbart. It would be great to see these hate mongers slip further into irrelevance.
Panama Papers fallout – trusts leaving NZ
Herald: “More than 1800 foreign trusts have told Inland Revenue they don’t want to register under new rules that require them to reveal financial information and their ultimate owners.”
Labour oppose visa scams – Nats would rather have the quick bucks
Labour is right to stress the many advantages that immigration brings to NZ, and right to address the major way in which it is being abused – student visa scams. Bill English has made National’s position clear, they would rather have the quick bucks.
Labour’s immigration policy
On first impressions Labour has done a good job of trying to balance the needs: to acknowledge the positive role of immigration in NZ, slow down immigration while infrastructure catches up, and target immigration effectively.
Brownlee lying to the UN over Operation Burnham
The UN called for an investigation into Operation Burnham. Very inconvenient for the Nats who would rather sweep any dead civilians under the carpet and forget them. So naturally Gerry Brownlee responds with a lie.
Owen Jones’ and the Guardian’s Corbyn mea culpa
Owen Jones of the Guardian has posted a mea culpa about his pessimism that Jeremy Corbyn would succeed as Labour leader. But meanwhile blairites are claiming that Corbyn missed an open goal while at the same time calling for unity.
Northern Ireland
In the wake of the UK election hung parliament, issues are emerging with the Conservatives/DUP coalition and its effect the Northern Ireland peace process, that bring into question the Tories’ ability to govern.
Getting Corbyn
“An extremely large portion of the British people, particularly the young, are utterly disenchanted by the sclerotic and self-perpetuating political class that governs them”
Hosking hasn’t aged well
“His policies are from another age, and so extreme that when push comes to shove, when people actually have to decide who runs their country, short of the small collective of Marxists who have never quite joined the real world, Brits know full well there is only one choice.”
Jonathan Pie on the UK Election
Jonathan Pie celebrates the UK election result.
Lessons for NZ Labour?
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour just reshaped the political landscape of the UK.
Lessons for NZ?
Labour excels in the UK
Labour’s performance in the United Kingdom is phenomenal compared to expectations from even three weeks ago. What are the lessons for New Zealand Labour?
UN calls for investigation into Operation Burnham
Well well. What will you do now Bill?
UK General Election discussion post
General discussion thread for the UK election.
We’ll see.
There’s the heel of a boot, and then there’s the lifting of it.
Dirty Politics 2017 style
Latest polls and some anecdotal evidence from the doorstep are showing a move back to the Tories in Britain. If so it may in part be due to last-minute dark and dirty personally targeted Facebook advertising to voters in marginal seats. They cost so will need to be watched later on here.
Corbyn has already won so this is a good election for UK Labour to lose
If the campaign was a month longer I have no doubt that Labour would win outright. As it is they will I think they will probably lose, and this will be a good thing for UK Labour long term.
Pre-UK election discussion
“It’s election week, I f*cking love it…” – Jonathan Pie.
Kiwis send a message to Tillerson
As Patrick Gower puts it, “English tries to hide from the reality of Trump’s America”. Fortunately ordinary Kiwis were not so supine.
Is Donald Trump helping Jeremy Corbyn get elected?
Donald Trump’s closeness to Theresa May and his boorish behaviour over London’s recent attack may be helping Jeremy Corbyn’s attempt to win this week’s general election.
The Intercept has published leaked NSA report on Russian hacking of US election
From The Intercept: “Russian military intelligence executed a cyberattack on at least one U.S. voting software supplier and sent spear-phishing emails to more than 100 local election officials just days before last November’s presidential election, according to a highly classified intelligence report obtained by The Intercept.”
The 50th anniversary of the Six Day War
This week marks the anniversary of the Middle East six day war. How have things developed and what can be done to achieve lasting peace?
Hager Hit & Run and NZ’s Asian wars
Nicky Hager will talk about his book Hit and Run, and the issues it raises about New Zealand’s values and role in the world at 5:30pm on Wednesday 7th June at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington. The book is about important events and the incoherence of New Zealand fighting it’s longest ever war in Central Asia. This talk is particularly timely in view of this week’s visit of the American Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson.
UK election goes down to the wire
In the United Kingdom the polls continue to narrow and Jeremy Corbyn continues to perform outstandingly well. Is the upset of all upsets possible?