( John Patton blogs at phototilly.eu)
Watching a Party Political broadcast by the Leave Campaign last week , I was reminded of Tom Lehrer’s quip that political satire became obsolete when Kissinger was the awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The imperative to vote ‘Leave’ in order to save the NHS was its message. This was nauseating hypocrisy at its most jaundiced; those propagating that view are the current custodians of the Health Service in England and, for that reason alone, there is serious concern for its future. Opinion polls suggest that there is significant support for the Leave Campaign , arising mainly from an irrational fear of immigration. It was gruesomely stoked this week by UKIP’s launch of Nazi style hoardings, depicting a long line of refugees fleeing whatever.
Farage believes that key services such as hospitals and GP surgeries should be franchised out to companies. A quick glance at the background of the other Brexit leaders further underlines the duplicitous nature of their entire campaign; Michael Gove thinks that the poor have themselves to blame for Food banks and, in common with UKIP, he would like to scrap the Human Rights’ Act; describing Boris as a court jester, former PM , John Major, said the NHS would be as safe in Johnson’s hands as ‘a hamster with a hungry python’; cruelty ,as George Eliot said, requires no motive outside itself. “It only requires opportunity.” This is the legacy of Iain Duncan Smith whose policies at the Department of Work and Pensions have been largely responsible for a three-fold increase in poverty levels across the UK.
This is a contest between competing values; an open, liberal , international view of the world in the 21st century and a narrow, xenophobic nationalism which frequently embraces overt racism. Billy Bragg has said that not all Leave supporters are racists but that all racists will vote ‘Leave’. ‘Taking back control’ is a semantic fudge for a return to post war Anglo-Saxon England (and this is all about England and not Britain). Brexit has no vision for the future, only a harkening back to days of old – fish and chips, respect for our elders and when women knew their place; back to the boarding house signs which refused succour to blacks and Irish; back to steak and kidney pie and pints of bitter. The DUP is the only political party to give total support to the Leave campaign; their isolationist and frequently bigoted approach to government of the Six Counties is a powerful metaphor for all that is worrying in the Leave Campaign.
We were in the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art yesterday and the visit emphasised the importance of Continental Europe in our cultural lives; while post-war Britain lingered in a philistine backwater, a new wave of expression was being embraced by artists in Europe. Picasso’s ‘La femme qui pleure’ was anxious and desperate in her mourning ; many would share that grief in the event of a Leave vote succeeding on Thursday. The Brexit Campaign and the tabloids have whipped up a toxic , anti -immigrant hysteria in a country which has long accepted multi-culturalism and social progression.
A small, Yorkshire market town last week witnessed its most violent expression.
Wholeheartedly agree with with regards stance of dupes. I read last week that the deplorable geldof was requesting $100000 to make an anti poverty speech in Australia.
John,
You’re obviously another deluded ‘shill’ for your Corporate masters at Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley – the three major ‘gangster’ banks who are funding the ‘Remain’ campaign.
These deranged liars and ‘confidence tricksters’ have only one agenda:
To increase the wealth of a handful of ‘crime-families’ in a plutocracy modelled on the ‘maniacal’ -so called – ‘founding father’ of Europe, Richard Coudenhove Kalergi.
The man who wrote;
“the white races of Europe should be destroyed and replaced with a race of Eurasian negroids who can be easily controlled by the ruling elite”
(Praktischer Idealismus, published 1924)
The same ‘Coudenhove’ Charlemagne Prize, which is awarded every year to the warmongers and gangsters who do the bidding for the Khazarian crooks that now own Europe, through incremental ‘debt restructuring’. – otherwise known as ‘Thievery’ or ‘Slavery’
Have a look at the ‘butcher’ gang of recipients from 1950.
These ‘murderers’ of millions of innocents, include war criminals such as – Churchill, Marshall, Heath, Kissinger, Kohl, Mitterrand, Blair, Clinton, Juncker, Tusk, Merkel and even their most recent recruit -the corporate ‘stooge’ himself – Jorge Mario Bergoglio
These ‘racketeers’ and ‘shysters’ use their ‘democracy’ trick as a euphemism for uprooting everyone and mixing the gene-pool so that there is no attachment to the land.
Perpetual wars driven by a ‘Corporatocracy’ run by the real ‘terrorists’ who will bring us TTIP and a European army so that we can all be subjugated to an acceptable level of ‘low wage’ serfdom.
Open your eyes and start thinking ‘holistically’ and stop listening to multi-millionaire communist apologists like Billy Bragg and his rich champagne swilling liberal mates.
I bet if his daughter brought a ‘pygmy’ man home to announce their wedding, -he’d be a tad ‘racist’.
We’re all racist mate, whether you like it or not. Its the wordcraft used by your ‘owners’ to encourage a pathological altruism in the west,- for the destruction of white christian values.
Get over it.
yer woman getting killed in england has nothing to do with stay or leave hes a balloon who will be shipped to broadmoor after the election.maybe visit brixton or bradford after dark instead of the scottish gallery and you will get a better idea of the culture that will enrich our lives.
“yer woman getting killed in england….”
You may well be the only person on these two Islands who actually hasn’t heard her name – It was Jo Cox. Married with 2 young children, and days away from celebrating her 42nd Birthday.
Or maybe you just couldn’t be arsed to show some compassion / shock etc – as millions upon millions have done, both towards herself – Husband, children – and her Family and many friends, by simply naming her.
What did you ‘provide’ instead? – A rambling incoherent babble, devoid of even a comma.
As regards Bradford, as young as 14, i used to ‘visit the area’s’ (the one’s i imagine you’re alluding to), after dark, wandering about, exploring Bradford, whilst my Sister was working shifts (i used to go and stay with her during School holidays quite regularly for about 3 years) – This also being at the height of ‘The Yorkshire Ripper’ panic. – Turns out he was white if i’m not mistaken billy.
Years later i also spent a fair bit of time in and around Brixton. Used to stay with friends down there – or travel down from Lancashire, bringing with us a full-on ‘Sound System’ to take part / DJ – and fully enjoy the multicultural Reggae Scene. (Often after dark).
Still alive, some of the happiest parts of my life – whether simply exploring Bradford as a kid, with a sense of ‘wonder’ – or partying, meeting people from all walks, colours and creeds of life in Brixton. – And plenty, plenty more besides – which i’m damn glad i did, considering some cretin of a Consultant in a Dublin Hospital, probably on 100+ Grand a year made a balls up of my medication a Decade ago – and i’ve become progressively disabled since, with a pain level that’s never less than 7/10. Just into my 50’s and totally reliant on 3 hours of home-help a week. Unable to do ANY of the things i used to do.
“….enrich our lives”. – You don’t know the meaning or concept. You’re a professional bigot.
“This is a contest between competing values; an open, liberal , international view of the world in the 21st century and a narrow, xenophobic nationalism which frequently embraces overt racism. ”
That is a disgusting statement, and would make me support leave more.
The most essential immigration to our nation is not from the EU but doctors, nurses and other much needed people from other parts of the planet.
I would rather open out borders to the whole planet than to only the whole of the EU and whoever they decide can or cannot come for whatever reasons they choose, usually the pockets of the wealthiest.
Would you support opening out borders to the whole planet John?
Is right Jessica. Those pro EU campaigners would soon change their tune if the borders were open to everyone around the world. In fact it could be argued the EU is racist for not doing such. Alas the EU is simply European imperialism dressed up nice looking clothes. It won’t be found wanting if a country outside the EU needs help say like Mali. Don’t dare suggest it was anything to do with France attempting to re involve itself in a former colony; it was strictly a ‘humanitarian’ act. Alas don’t hold your breath for the EU to help those Palestinians who desperately need someone’s help in the face of genocide. Nope the EU have a better idea: making sure some bearded woman from the terror state of Israel is giving its ‘human rights’ to sing at Eurovision. That’s more important and worthwhile than worrying about pesky Muslims who are being terrorised daily.
Some puzzling and bizarre responses to the piece. I assume that John was replying to Billy. Thank you all for taking the time to raise points.
You never answered my question john,
You claim that those against an open border controlled by the EU were guilty of narrow, xenophobic nationalism which frequently embraces overt racism, whereas those in favour of allowing the EU to control the borders held open, liberal , international views of the world in the 21st century.
So would controlling the borders to the rest of the world not also be a Europe wide form of xenophobic nationalism which frequently embraces overt racism against those from outside the EU?
john Patton
‘Puzzling and bizzare’ – as a response john, seems to me, like a ‘cop out’ on the issues that you raised and then failed to address when I challenged you on them.
Is this how your pro-corporatism, multicultural, pro-immigration argument works?
Shout ‘racism’ then run for cover?
Where have we seen that before?
i thought you supported freedom of speech,whys my posts not showing
I do, billy. But if it’s the one I’m thinking of, it was simple insult. I’ve said before, I’m not putting that kind of thing up. Answer the argument – that’s the most effective kind of insult…
Hi Jude. My hopes that yourself (and paddy-k) are keeping well, and in good health. Apologies firstly for ‘dropping off the radar’ and not having contributed to any Debates for many months. (Last November was the last time i posted, as far as i recall). Not to say i’m no longer a reader of the blogs (by your now expanded Contributors). – There’s been many a time when i’ve wanted to ‘add my ‘ha’penny’ – but either got to the Debate in hand too late, or quite simply haven’t had the energy. In both cases, it can be a case that very often, i’ve either been away, undergoing tests – and got back home, and been flat out of it and on my back, or have had day after day / night after night of indescribable pain (the various symptoms i previously mentioned to yourself and paddy, have accelerated drastically…the Fibromyalgia, collapsing spine, multi-arthritis…etc etc – and some quite negative test results in other areas recently). Then i have a running battle with my ‘mail account’. Got it down to about 50 ‘unread’ recently – before i knew it…150+!
Another apology if my post to ‘billy’ (an ex-poster with a new ‘nom-de-plume’ etc?) provoked an insulting reply – and / or, if my response to his ‘comment’ (with a small ‘c’) was in any way out of order. Perhaps he saw me as some ‘English geezer’ poking his nose in (though he’s not to know that i’m 3/4 Irish – and as for the remainder – proudly Lancastrian!)
On another note – and much more cheerful – Many, many Congratulations on the ‘hits’ and ‘shares’ your excellent (as always) Blog is receiving. Thoroughly deserved, and onwards and upwards no doubt.
le mo chroí a ghabháil agus maidir fearr ar shláinte féin Jude.
(And Congratulations to ‘pk’ on the new arrival to his Family!)