[Politics] What’s the best way to heal the North/South divide?

[SollysLeftFoot]

A Scunthorpe man on tv the other night said the town has died, shops are closing, firms going bust, so, he was voting for a change, and that’s why he voted Conservative.



There’s also a good chance that the steel works will shut down.

I use to live in that ****ing dive. It's full of morons, I'm so glad to be out of the north. If the steel works isn't shut down, it's going to be taken over by the Chinese. Oh how ****ing funny would that be, a town that use to blame China for steel dumping on the international market, and voted for brexit as a protest against globalisation - is possibly being taken over by the Chinese in another example of globalisation.

So fitting for a christmas election. Turkeys voting for christmas.

Unfortunately, the truth is; the South will be the one burdened with the responsibility of propping up the North. Whilst everyone else feels the pain of it, the North will gleefully say "What problems". They had their chance in the North-East Assembly devolution referendum in the mid 2000s. They said no.

Let the North die and allow the South to emancipate itself.

 

[GOM]

This. Places like Bolton. People on 17-20k own 3 bedroom houses, gardens, garages, running two cars, two holidays a year, good nights out, nice clothes, living in nice areas.

Money goes a lot further up North.

Yes money does go further up north, but not that far. I'm afraid even in Bolton you cannot own a house run 2 cars (cars are no cheaper) and have 2 holidays a year (holidays are no cheaper) on 20k a year.

 

[The Clamp]

Yes money does go further up north, but not that far. I'm afraid even in Bolton you cannot own a house run 2 cars (cars are no cheaper) and have 2 holidays a year (holidays are no cheaper) on 20k a year.

Yes. You can

 

[GOM]

Yes. You can

Oh OK you win.

Take home pay on 20K is approx 1400 per month less any mortgage, pension, childcare payments, car repayments etc. Quite liveable, but does it afford the 2 car 2 holidays lifestyle even in Bolton ?

 

[Pavilionaire]

https://www.statista.com/statistics/529939/uk-tabloid-newspaper-market-by-circulation/

I’m afraid you are a bit out of date with your received wisdom about the tabloid press. Whether you like it or not, people can make up their own minds and you need to start respecting their views. Intellectual snobbery will not change peoples minds on Labour any more than it did on the EU.

The facts that newspaper sales are declining does not diminish their potency to influence opinion. All of the major TV stations have some version of "What The Papers Say", so on a daily basis they discuss what are on the front pages - in the case of Sky on an hourly basis every night.

Anyone who listens to Radio5Live phone-in show at 9am will know they take many of their subject matter directly from the front pages of the tabloids.

Then there's 'The Daily Mash', 'Mock The Week', 'The Last Leg' plus the prominent tabloid journalists like Isabel Oakeshott, Melanie Phillips and Julia Hartley-Brewer are regulars on Question Time.

Arguably, the tabloid press is influential as it ever was.

 

[Pavilionaire]

That's the hope.

Though even if Labour can find a politician for the ages, and they can somehow put internal differences aside and coalesce around him or her, they will still get destroyed by the tabloid press.

Things have changed since the mid 90s. The proprietors know their interests are served by a government as far right as possible, so no matter how sensible, charismatic, able and inspirational a leader Labour can find they will have no choice but to fight against the full wrath of the right wing press working hand in glove with Tory central office.

And the simple fact is that the majority of people in this country believe what they say, no matter how demonstrably untrue

Political allegiances aside, the real worry is that in the 2016 EU Referendum, 2016 Trump Election and now the 2019 UK General Election have shown there have been blatant untruths peddled by all 3 of the winning campaigns.

Lying wins you elections. Voters prefer the strong, direct, persuasive liar to the weaker, more nuanced but honest politician. Give them a slogan they can get behind and you're halfway there.

 

[GOM]

Political allegiances aside, the real worry is that in the 2016 EU Referendum, 2016 Trump Election and now the 2019 UK General Election have shown there have been blatant untruths peddled by all 3 of the winning campaigns.

Lying wins you elections. Voters prefer the strong, direct, persuasive liar to the weaker, more nuanced but honest politician. Give them a slogan they can get behind and you're halfway there.

Not only that, but the losing campaigns also peddled lies. Lying wins and loses you elections.

and an honest politician....you are having a laugh.

 

[blue-shifted]

Political allegiances aside, the real worry is that in the 2016 EU Referendum, 2016 Trump Election and now the 2019 UK General Election have shown there have been blatant untruths peddled by all 3 of the winning campaigns.

Lying wins you elections. Voters prefer the strong, direct, persuasive liar to the weaker, more nuanced but honest politician. Give them a slogan they can get behind and you're halfway there.

They do. And we continue to get the politicians we deserve

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Best way to heal the North/South Divide? Give N.Ireland back to the Irish. Job done

 

[Pavilionaire]

Not only that, but the losing campaigns also peddled lies. Lying wins and loses you elections.

and an honest politician....you are having a laugh.

Tell me the factual lies peddled by Corbyn, Swinson, Lucas or Sturgeon? You can count them on the finger of one hand. Compare that with Boris (a taster);

No checks on goods in Northern Ireland, no border down the Irish Sea, not seeking an extension from Brussels (I'd rather die in a ditch), 40 new hospitals, 50,000 nurses, Labour will make corporation tax the highest in Europe - the list really does go on.

 

[GOM]

Tell me the factual lies peddled by Corbyn, Swinson, Lucas or Sturgeon? You can count them on the finger of one hand..

As you quite rightly said, you can count them.

https://fullfact.org/election-2019/labour-roundup/

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

What’s the best way to heal the North/South divide?

To be honest there is not much we can do about now, the A27 has driven a permanent wedge between North and South Lancing.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

The facts that newspaper sales are declining does not diminish their potency to influence opinion. All of the major TV stations have some version of "What The Papers Say", so on a daily basis they discuss what are on the front pages - in the case of Sky on an hourly basis every night.

Anyone who listens to Radio5Live phone-in show at 9am will know they take many of their subject matter directly from the front pages of the tabloids.

Then there's 'The Daily Mash', 'Mock The Week', 'The Last Leg' plus the prominent tabloid journalists like Isabel Oakeshott, Melanie Phillips and Julia Hartley-Brewer are regulars on Question Time.

Arguably, the tabloid press is influential as it ever was.

I have linked the facts and you have countered with opinion.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I have linked the facts and you have countered with opinion.

Are you saying it's not a fact that the broadcast media take their lead about political debate from the tabloid press? I've just listed specific shows and individuals. Christ, anyone would think you can only read the tabloids in paper format!

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Are you saying it's not a fact that the broadcast media take their lead about political debate from the tabloid press? I've just listed specific shows and individuals. Christ, anyone would think you can only read the tabloids in paper format!

You have made some pretty strong accusations about the influence of the tabloid press but you cannot quantify the effect. Rather it just seems to be a way of shifting the blame of the election result elsewhere. I actually think it would be in the Labour Party’s interest to change rather than patronize the electorate. Difficult thing to do when they have a messanaic belief in being right though.

 

[jonnyrovers]

I went to a former mining community in the NE in June. No sign of any industry now, many people are either working in low-skill, zero hours jobs or are on benefits. They have been sold the lie than their misfortune and lack of opportunity isn't down to changing industry and lack of investment but down to immigrants. They were sold Brexit as a panacea to solve their problems so they voted for it, more out of desperation and a sense of "it can't get any worse".
Fast forward three years and successive parliaments have failed to deliver with Labour constantly voting deals down, along comes Johnson and makes the whole election about "getting Brexit done".
Corbyn's "free stuff for all" didn't resonate and the same "f..k it, how much worse could it be ?" attitude kicked in again and they voted Tory.

The narrative of my hometown. As it happens Doncaster stayed red but it's an island surrounded by what you describe above.