Forum Topic

Subservience

The Right 2016:- "Brexit, Brexit, Brexit! No foreign control of the UK. We hate it." The Right 2025:- "Musk money, Musk money, Musk money! Just give us that foreign control of the UK. We love it."

David Ainsworth ● 65d17 Comments

"Around £10m of this total comes from just four sources: Gary Lubner (£4.6m), David Sainsbury (£3.1m), Fran Perrin (£1m) and Ecotricity (£1m), the green energy firm owned by prominent eco-activist Dale Vince. This means that just two individuals gave the Labour Party more money last year than all the trade unions combined."https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/labour-conservative-party-donations-2023-spending-analysis/

Ed Robinson ● 64d

Steven. It's not what Musk tells people, it's how the money, if he could legally donate any, is used to run a campaign. And, regarding the EU, the UK (and others) did opt out of several things: the Euro and Schengen to name a couple, whereas there a other laws, like the GDPR, which the UK will follow closely otherwise it's IT companies can't  process EU citizens' data.

Michael Ixer ● 64d

Barack

Steven Rose ● 64d

Michael, if the people of Scotland and Wales wanted to secede from the United Kingdom, I would be sad but I wouldn’t try to stop them. But the fact is that there is no majority for independence in either Scotland or Wales. In contrast the people of Britain voted by a small majority to leave the EU, one of the motives being a desire to be governed by laws made in Westminster rather than Brussels. But all this is beside the point. The influence of Elon Musk is grossly exaggerated.  I think  that British people generally resent being told what to do by foreigners, even when the advice comes from well respected figures like Barak Obama, let alone from opinionated plutocrats like Musk.

Steven Rose ● 64d

I often thought we should hold an open auction :)

Ed Robinson ● 64d

Or are open to the highest bidder?

Ivonne Holliday ● 64d

The UK should stop all foreign money being used for political purposes but it won't.Why because the main parties and lot's of fringe groups such as XR/JSO/IB get money from the US not to mention also countries like Israel, Russia less now, China and anyone else that wants to buy influence."The Right 2016:- "Brexit, Brexit, Brexit! No foreign control of the UK. We hate it."I've never heard this. In fact I'm probably the only one that has called for the end of Foreign control post Brexit that I can recall on this forum - which means leaving Nato.The EU does have a parliament but most of the power is elsewhere and deals are made behind closed doors.There is a veto but look what happened to Hungry when tried to use it - the EU said they would destroy their economy.The ex-Finance minister of Greece recalled that the Greek government had rejected an deal only to find after returning to Greece that documents had been signed on their behalf.I voted remain - no one was concerned with Northern Ireland and the loyalist's being sold out as I recall and I'm definitely not a loyalist - unification has to be by the GFA.The problem with the UK is not Brexit or the EU it is the fact that the people do not take responsibility for putting it's own house in order.

Ed Robinson ● 64d

Ivonne and Jane. I guess applying Steven's logic to the UK he must support the SNP and Plaid Cymru's desire for Scottish and Welsh independence.

Michael Ixer ● 64d

I am sorry Steven, the UK had the power of veto and just one member out of 22/27 could stop ant law being enactede.The influence of Elon Musk is disgraceful. Why anybody would listen to that thing is beyond comprehension.  There again, many people in power are so swade by money, it is truly disgraceful. It is high time we reprogrammed ourselves to being the country we all grew up in and respected. Elon Musk is a truly despicable foreing influence.  Just let him have fun with Trump.

Ivonne Holliday ● 64d

My point is that the UK, being only one of 29 member states, had little say (not no say) over laws enacted in the EU.  The influence of the EU in so many aspects of British life is in no way comparable to the influence of one individual like Elon Musk who has no standing in this country and whose opinions can be ignored.

Steven Rose ● 64d

Well said, Yvonne.

Jane Carter ● 65d

I am sorry, Steven, but I believe you are incorrect.To say that British people were governed by laws made in Brussels is beyond ridiculous.  Why do you think the UK had MEPs? Ooops, perhaps they were there for the ride, including Farage?Also, decisions in the EU are taken by unanimity.  Where was the UK veto in all these unwanted laws?

Ivonne Holliday ● 65d

If you remember, Steven, there were British MEPs (included one Nige) and UK commissioners, etc participating in EU lawmaking (and I believe quite influential). No comparison to Elon Musk paying money to gerrymander UK politics. 

Michael Ixer ● 65d

I can't see any analogy between the UK's membership of the EU, which meant that the British people were governed by laws made on Brussels over which they had little say, and Elon Musk's attempt to influence British politics by tweets which people are free to ignore and an offer of money to Reform, which now won't happen.

Steven Rose ● 65d

I agree with Michael and David.  Total hypocrisy and very machiavellian.

Ivonne Holliday ● 65d

Actually,  I  thought this was one of David's more obvious posts: showing the hypocrisy of Brexiteers.

Michael Ixer ● 65d

You seem deranged this morning. Bad night? Hungover?

Sue Hammond ● 65d