My favourite media outlet, Private Eye, regularly demonstrates that swimming against the tide is often the right thing to do. The thing about free speech is, it is very easy to defend when people are saying intelligent things you agree with. Not so easy when they are saying stupid things you disagree with, but every bit as important. He had every right to say what he did, asinine though it was, in your opinion (and mine)
Best advice: don’t form opinions based on what ITV presenters say, especially if they are sitting on a sofa.
Paul T
4 years ago
“After we came back from the hospital I rang the cab firm to ask them never to send that driver to us again”
I’m pretty sure that in common with many people who work for the BBC it was the thought that someone had dared to dis the EU that really upset you rather than his more batty notions. Was he subsequently sacked, the driver, because of your hurt ‘feelins’, lack of debating skills and liberal intolerance? Do you care?
Cheryl Jones
4 years ago
Blimey, I’m an atheist but it looks we have a lot in common. I was a reluctant Remainer but for similar reasons as in the article I found myself being pushed more towards Brexit and the right because it seemed to me that the left has become an insane cult and suddenly I could see it clearly. A Damascus conversion? A Red-pill? Or just recognising when values no longer align.
Dougie Undersub
4 years ago
Strangely no mention, Justin, of the increased amount of electoral fraud that postal voting brings.
andy young
4 years ago
Death The Leveller immediately reminded me of that other poem which destroys any notion of hubris: “I met a traveller from an antique land …” you know the rest
There is doubt about Socrates’ views on democracy; some contend they reflect Plato’s views rather than those of his teacher. Popper was certainly of that opinion (he really didn’t like Plato!)
Paul T
4 years ago
Justin Webb of the partial BBC offers his latest piece of anti-Trump, pro-left/liberal propaganda on behalf of his friends in the Democratic Party.
Andrew Baldwin
4 years ago
Great blog from Mary. While the COVID-19 crisis seems to have increased the din for a universal basic income, it also seems to have made people forget about a job guarantee as a social policy. To some extent, the reason is obvious. The COVID-19 epidemic will expand the numbers of the unemployed so greatly there will be no possibility for the state to offer gainful employment to all of them on a short-term basis. Nevertheless, there is a distinct possibility that some of these jobs, in retail, restaurants and so forth, may never come back, the epidemic hastening a trend to online shopping and take-away meals. As the economy returns to normal a job guarantee program could ensure that there is not a permanently higher unemployment rate, and a lot of those guaranteed jobs would be in nurseries, tutoring, senior care and so forth, the kind of jobs Mary has identified. The people holding these jobs would not necessarily be state employees, but they would be working for state-approved employers and likely with a state subsidy. A universal basic income program risks warehousing people. A job guarantee program starts with the assumption that all people have something to contribute to our society and if the so-called free market will not find a job for them, the state will do so.
Ralph Windsor
4 years ago
This piece by BBC Today’s JW could have been lifted straight from the Guardian. Far too predictable to be worth airing on UnHerd
Martyn Hole
3 years ago
Gor blimey squire ! Love the d**k van d**e mockney accent.
Anton Nadal
3 years ago
So, let me see if I understand this. The author (apparently a church man) gave Boris Johnson a vote out of a personal vendetta, conflict, confussion, inner turmoil (whatever one wants to call it) provoked by his disappointment with the Labour Party. What to say, perhaps Protestants should follow the example of Catholics and have some sort of confession, so as to get things off their chest in a less damaging, uncontrolled way!
Bob Wiggin
3 years ago
If the author wants to retain his left-wing credentials and not carry on being Tory scum there’s always the Workers Party GB.
My favourite media outlet, Private Eye, regularly demonstrates that swimming against the tide is often the right thing to do.
The thing about free speech is, it is very easy to defend when people are saying intelligent things you agree with. Not so easy when they are saying stupid things you disagree with, but every bit as important. He had every right to say what he did, asinine though it was, in your opinion (and mine)
Best advice: don’t form opinions based on what ITV presenters say, especially if they are sitting on a sofa.
“After we came back from the hospital I rang the cab firm to ask them never to send that driver to us again”
I’m pretty sure that in common with many people who work for the BBC it was the thought that someone had dared to dis the EU that really upset you rather than his more batty notions. Was he subsequently sacked, the driver, because of your hurt ‘feelins’, lack of debating skills and liberal intolerance? Do you care?
Blimey, I’m an atheist but it looks we have a lot in common. I was a reluctant Remainer but for similar reasons as in the article I found myself being pushed more towards Brexit and the right because it seemed to me that the left has become an insane cult and suddenly I could see it clearly. A Damascus conversion? A Red-pill? Or just recognising when values no longer align.
Strangely no mention, Justin, of the increased amount of electoral fraud that postal voting brings.
Death The Leveller immediately reminded me of that other poem which destroys any notion of hubris:
“I met a traveller from an antique land …” you know the rest
There is doubt about Socrates’ views on democracy; some contend they reflect Plato’s views rather than those of his teacher. Popper was certainly of that opinion (he really didn’t like Plato!)
Justin Webb of the partial BBC offers his latest piece of anti-Trump, pro-left/liberal propaganda on behalf of his friends in the Democratic Party.
Great blog from Mary. While the COVID-19 crisis seems to have increased the din for a universal basic income, it also seems to have made people forget about a job guarantee as a social policy. To some extent, the reason is obvious. The COVID-19 epidemic will expand the numbers of the unemployed so greatly there will be no possibility for the state to offer gainful employment to all of them on a short-term basis. Nevertheless, there is a distinct possibility that some of these jobs, in retail, restaurants and so forth, may never come back, the epidemic hastening a trend to online shopping and take-away meals. As the economy returns to normal a job guarantee program could ensure that there is not a permanently higher unemployment rate, and a lot of those guaranteed jobs would be in nurseries, tutoring, senior care and so forth, the kind of jobs Mary has identified. The people holding these jobs would not necessarily be state employees, but they would be working for state-approved employers and likely with a state subsidy. A universal basic income program risks warehousing people. A job guarantee program starts with the assumption that all people have something to contribute to our society and if the so-called free market will not find a job for them, the state will do so.
This piece by BBC Today’s JW could have been lifted straight from the Guardian. Far too predictable to be worth airing on UnHerd
Gor blimey squire ! Love the d**k van d**e mockney accent.
So, let me see if I understand this. The author (apparently a church man) gave Boris Johnson a vote out of a personal vendetta, conflict, confussion, inner turmoil (whatever one wants to call it) provoked by his disappointment with the Labour Party. What to say, perhaps Protestants should follow the example of Catholics and have some sort of confession, so as to get things off their chest in a less damaging, uncontrolled way!
If the author wants to retain his left-wing credentials and not carry on being Tory scum there’s always the Workers Party GB.