Diane Abbott stands in for Corbyn on PMQ

[IanMcL]

I'm just curious as to what fidel does or did for a living ?

Cuba

[fidelcastro]

I’m guessing here, but I’d say he’s one of those that can’t settle anywhere.

And your guess would be wrong.

[Clarets4me]

Why? But for your information, yes I have worked for greedy unscrupulous employers.

Just curious, given some of your views on here ... not expecting you to answer, obviously ..

[fidelcastro]

Just curious, given some of your views on here ... not expecting you to answer, obviously ..

Because it's irrelevant.

[RingoMcCartney]

PMQs - the leader of the opposition, or stand in, is allowed to ask 6 questions.

Abbott tried to ask a seventh question – one beyond the allotted six – before being stopped by the Speaker, John Bercow.

[martin_p]

I suspect she thought she got six answers, so if PM’s questions over the last few years are anything to go by she’d be asking for a long, long time!

[Woodleyclaret]

Re my friends who choose to disagree with my comments re Corbyn
Tony Blair defeated a long established Tory government
He put Labour in power for only the second time in my lifetime ,Harold Wilson's government being the first. The chances of Corbyn winning a general election are zero.I vote Labour not Corbyn

[Bosscat]

PMQs - the leader of the opposition, or stand in, is allowed to ask 6 questions.

Abbott tried to ask a seventh question – one beyond the allotted six – before being stopped by the Speaker, John Bercow.

Don't forget Ms Abbott isn't the brightest when it comes to numbers

[AndrewJB]

Re my friends who choose to disagree with my comments re Corbyn
Tony Blair defeated a long established Tory government
He put Labour in power for only the second time in my lifetime ,Harold Wilson's government being the first. The chances of Corbyn winning a general election are zero.I vote Labour not Corbyn

I just wondered which policies you thought were "inane". I know a few people who very strongly dislike Corbyn (on I think a personal level), but who are happy with Labour's policies (and so I can't see them not voting for Labour).

[fidelcastro]

I just wondered which policies you thought were "inane". I know a few people who very strongly dislike Corbyn (on I think a personal level), but who are happy with Labour's policies (and so I can't see them not voting for Labour).

Apparently he's a communist, anti-semitic Czech spy.

So, stuff the policies.

[Wile E Coyote]

she may well be intelligent, but sadly in this era being media savvy is a requirement.
she appears aloof, arrogant, and far too ponderous for her own good.
the press have certainly done a hatchet job on her on numerous occasions, but if you ever saw her on THIS WEEK, the current affairs show, she was abysmal. came across as a know it all , with rarely any any ability to debate the issues. she was permitted to talk incessantly too, whereas the guests were simply shut up and disregarded by her. I don't see her as a viable politician , and her calamitous stance on private education was a big mistake, more so because of her usual position of wanting to be seen as "one of us"

[Swizzlestick]

she may well be intelligent, but sadly in this era being media savvy is a requirement.
she appears aloof, arrogant, and far too ponderous for her own good.
the press have certainly done a hatchet job on her on numerous occasions, but if you ever saw her on THIS WEEK, the current affairs show, she was abysmal. came across as a know it all , with rarely any any ability to debate the issues. she was permitted to talk incessantly too, whereas the guests were simply shut up and disregarded by her. I don't see her as a viable politician , and her calamitous stance on private education was a big mistake, more so because of her usual position of wanting to be seen as "one of us"

She’s certainly had her moments in front of camera, but I actually thought she came across pretty well on This Week. Her and Portillo worked well together. Horses for courses.

[Wile E Coyote]

they did have a good rapport, and i liked portillo on that programme. I have never been a tory, but he was good value.

[Swizzlestick]

they did have a good rapport, and i liked portillo on that programme. I have never been a tory, but he was good value.

Aye, same. Thought they both across well and Portillo, in particular, wasn’t afraid to go against typical Tory party lines.

[nil_desperandum]

Dont need to be just hearing her on tv is enough - clueless

As I wrote previously, I think that she has been promoted above her current ability and struggles nowadays when put on the spot, but you can't argue with her history, which was set out in post 36.
As has also been pointed out on this thread she is way above most of us on this board in terms of ability, qualifications and achievements.
A liability to Labour imo, but "thick and clueless", so obviously not.

[Paul Waine]

Dianne Abbott was born to Jamaican parents in Paddington, London, in 1953. Her father was a welder and her mother was a nurse.[2] She has stated in interviews that both of her parents left school at the age of 14.[3] She attended Harrow County School for Girls (a grammar school), and then Newnham College, Cambridge, where she read history.[4] At Cambridge, she was tutored by historian Simon Schama.[5]

After university she became an administration trainee (a fast track route to senior positions in HM Civil Service)[6] at the Home Office (1976 to 1978), and then a Race Relations Officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties (1978 to 1980).

Like I said...she could put us back in our box, if she chose.

Welk done to her today. A fine achievement, which few can actually match.

This is one of the things that gives me hope about "my country." Jamaican parents would be Windrush generation. A first generation, black immigrant, from working class background getting to grammar school and then Cambridge in the early 1970s - when Alf Garnet and the like were our tv programmes and only 5 or so years after Enoch Powell's infamous speech - and then all the way to the "top of politics" shows we can all have hope.

Personally, I'm also encouraged that DA knew that her son needed "public school" education. Of course, it would be great if ever school was excellent and every family wanted their children to progress at school.

I've not seen today's PMQs - I'll catch up later this week.

[LoveCurryPies]

You can close private schools but all that will change is the wealthy darlings will go off to private schools in Switzerland and the USA.

[AlargeClaret]

You can close private schools but all that will change is the wealthy darlings will go off to private schools in Switzerland and the USA.

Do you seriously think that the vast majority of private schools are full of toffs and the children of Arab billionaires and Oligarchs ? Labour would happily wipe out what remains of the Grammar school system , set up so everyone with talent could have a chance . They’re simply entrenching hard left views which is the whole Labour is in such disarray . To think we have the weakest Tory party in living memory and Labour can’t lay a glove

[LeadBelly]

the wealthy darlings will go off to private schools in Switzerland and the USA

I can tell you, from experience, that by no means all private school children's parents are wealthy. Not poor either but many lower middle class who go without holidays, luxuries in life to get a good education for their kids - in the absence of old style grammar schools.

EDIT- wrote this prior to seeing post just above making the same point.

[bobinho]

Just reading all the comments about her being intelligent, and struggling to work it out. “She’d run rings round us lot on here” err... no she wouldn’t. She’d get lost and confused in her own argument, and I’d challenge that and she’d collapse under the scrutiny. I wouldn’t be the only one to manage it either. They’d be queueing up. Almost be a fairground attraction.

She’s clever, in the way Stephen hawking was, or in the way folk used to say Katie Price was?

Oh come on people.... everyone knows she’s mince. An academic idiot, and along with Corbyn, does more for the conservatives argument than they do themselves.

[Quickenthetempo]

I just wondered which policies you thought were "inane". I know a few people who very strongly dislike Corbyn (on I think a personal level), but who are happy with Labour's policies (and so I can't see them not voting for Labour).

Andrew I listened to Corbyn's speech and the first few policies, I thought great.

But he went on and on, over twenty and I just thought this mans bonkers if he thinks he can implement so many. An if people don't think he is capable of implementing policies you're on to a loser straight away.

Boris has outlined four and will keep repeating them so they stick in everybody's mind.

[mdd2]

She’s certainly had her moments in front of camera, but I actually thought she came across pretty well on This Week. Her and Portillo worked well together. Horses for courses.

Me too Swizzlestick. And it was clear that they had respect and affection for each other.

[Stan Tastic]

Bercow had to ask her to sit down after she'd forgotten how many questions she'd asked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BEAJBVVb24

Earlier she'd also forgotten to ask the first question.

Embarrassing.

[nil_desperandum]

Oh come on people.... everyone knows she’s mince. An academic idiot,

So basically you're trashing every working class student who's come through the Grammar system on merit, worked diligently to EARN a place at Cambridge, and achieved a History degree in one if the worlds most prestigious gold standard academic institutions.
Ok.
I spent most of my career trying to get the highest achievers into Oxbridge, with occasional success, and yet apparently she's as thick as mince.
Who's the one who appears stupid on this thread?
None of that means I think she's an electoral asset to Labour by the way.

[LoveCurryPies]

Do you seriously think that the vast majority of private schools are full of toffs and the children of Arab billionaires and Oligarchs?

Absolutely not. However, it would not affect those from the very wealthiest families...the likes of Boris and Jacob Rees Mogg. They would educate their sprigs overseas.

[IanMcL]

Andrew I listened to Corbyn's speech and the first few policies, I thought great.

But he went on and on, over twenty and I just thought this mans bonkers if he thinks he can implement so many. An if people don't think he is capable of implementing policies you're on to a loser straight away.

Boris has outlined four and will keep repeating them so they stick in everybody's mind.

That response is what Elon Musk faces every day and yet he succeeds every time.

[IanMcL]

Absolutely not. However, it would not affect those from the very wealthiest families...the likes of Boris and Jacob Rees Mogg. They would educate their sprigs overseas.

Where they would come back with very different values.

[bobinho]

So basically you're trashing every working class student who's come through the Grammar system on merit, worked diligently to EARN a place at Cambridge, and achieved a History degree in one if the worlds most prestigious gold standard academic institutions.
Ok.
I spent most of my career trying to get the highest achievers into Oxbridge, with occasional success, and yet apparently she's as thick as mince.
Who's the one who appears stupid on this thread?
None of that means I think she's an electoral asset to Labour by the way.

No. I’m not trashing every working class student at all. I’m saying Dianne Abbott is thicker than a dockers butty. Yes, she can probably add up the cost of the three items in her basket when shopping at Poundland, but by tea time she wouldn’t have a clue what she’d bought, or why. She WOULD however, understand what the items rights are under whatever pointless EU legislation she’s into this week.

[nil_desperandum]

No. I’m not trashing every working class student at all. I’m saying Dianne Abbott is thicker than a dockers butty. Yes, she can probably add up the cost of the three items in her basket when shopping at Poundland, but by tea time she wouldn’t have a clue what she’d bought, or why. She WOULD however, understand what the items rights are under whatever pointless EU legislation she’s into this week.

You deliberately misquoted me: I said working-class Cambridge / Oxbridge graduates.
It's really v simple. A working class girl only gets into Cambridge if she is extremely talented and diligent. Abbot must have achieved the top grade in just about every subject at both "O" level and "A " level in order to secure a place at a top "Russell group" Cambridge University.
You can dislike and disagree with her as much as you like, but to try to rubbish her academic achievements makes you look ridiculous, and as I implied is disrespectful to every Cambridge graduate and the University. They don't just give these degrees away to working class people who are "thicker than a docker's butty".

[IanMcL]

Apparently he's a communist, anti-semitic Czech spy.

....however, fortunately, it's only the Johnson buffoon who made it up.

[IanMcL]

You deliberately misquoted me: I said working-class Cambridge / Oxbridge graduates.
It's really v simple. A working class girl only gets into Cambridge if she is extremely talented and diligent. Abbot must have achieved the top grade in just about every subject at both "O" level and "A " level in order to secure a place at a top "Russell group" Cambridge University.
You can dislike and disagree with her as much as you like, but to try to rubbish her academic achievements makes you look ridiculous, and as I implied is disrespectful to every Cambridge graduate and the University. They don't just give these degrees away to working class people who are "thicker than a docker's butty".

Bobinho appears to be the antithesis of the point you are making, Nil_Desperandum.

[fidelcastro]

....however, fortunately, it's only the Johnson buffoon who made it up.

With a bit of help from the gutter press!

[bobinho]

Bobinho appears to be the antithesis of the point you are making, Nil_Desperandum.

None taken...

[claretonthecoast1882]

There is one thing for certain if she was conservative and not labour some wouldn't be as defensive on her behalf

[AndrewJB]

Andrew I listened to Corbyn's speech and the first few policies, I thought great.

But he went on and on, over twenty and I just thought this mans bonkers if he thinks he can implement so many. An if people don't think he is capable of implementing policies you're on to a loser straight away.

Boris has outlined four and will keep repeating them so they stick in everybody's mind.

Horses for courses. The average age of Tory Party members is seventy-something, so Johnson probably has to keep it snappy or he'll eat into a toilet break.

[Quickenthetempo]

Horses for courses. The average age of Tory Party members is seventy-something, so Johnson probably has to keep it snappy or he'll eat into a toilet break.

Ok, So

How many policies do you expect any government to be able to put in place in a 5 year term?

[AndrewJB]

I don't know, but the last time they published a legislative agenda of what order they'd get things done, so maybe they'll do that this time. All the major parties will have policies for every area covered in their manifestos.

[evensteadiereddie]

There is one thing for certain if she was conservative and not labour some wouldn't be as defensive on her behalf

And, of course, most posters on this thread wouldn't be as offensive on her behalf...............

For what it's worth, I think any politician using PMQ to raise concerns about the treatment of women, including threats and abuse towards women MPs, abortion rights in NI, is to be commended.

But, it's Diane Abbott, she's black, successful, bright and a socialist so the ignorant fools on here have to have their little say irrespective of tthe truth. Not one poster had commented on the actual points she raised.

That's shameful.

[bobinho]

Horses for courses. The average age of Tory Party members is seventy-something, so Johnson probably has to keep it snappy or he'll eat into a toilet break.

Logged in just to like that... very funny Andrew,

[IanMcL]

There is one thing for certain if she was conservative and not labour some wouldn't be as defensive on her behalf

She would not have been attacked by the press, for starters, so would have been sat with the other black folk, at the front of the Tory conference. Not to mention her heritage, grammar school and Cambridfe being marks of her success thanks to toryism.

[bobinho]

@nil_desperandum wrote... "You deliberately misquoted me: I said working-class Cambridge / Oxbridge graduates."

No I didn't, and no you didn't.

What you said was "So basically you're trashing every working class student who's come through the Grammar system on merit, worked diligently to EARN a place at Cambridge, and achieved a History degree in one if the worlds most prestigious gold standard academic institutions."

If you are gonna quote yourself, better you read it back to yourself first.

I said I WASN'T trashing every working class student. That's because I wasn't. I was trashing ONE. Abbott. There may be others, but I didn't refer to them, so don't try to put words into my mouth, or tell me I meant something else... What I meant was Abbott is mince, and every time she opens her trap, she proves me right.

[evensteadiereddie]

So you listened to her at PMQ time, did you ? *
If you didn't and have nothing else to go on other than your and others' ignorance and prejudice then you're an embarrassment.








* Did you ****.

[martin_p]

@nil_desperandum wrote... "You deliberately misquoted me: I said working-class Cambridge / Oxbridge graduates."

No I didn't, and no you didn't.

What you said was "So basically you're trashing every working class student who's come through the Grammar system on merit, worked diligently to EARN a place at Cambridge, and achieved a History degree in one if the worlds most prestigious gold standard academic institutions."

If you are gonna quote yourself, better you read it back to yourself first.

I said I WASN'T trashing every working class student. That's because I wasn't. I was trashing ONE. Abbott. There may be others, but I didn't refer to them, so don't try to put words into my mouth, or tell me I meant something else... What I meant was Abbott is mince, and every time she opens her trap, she proves me right.

You’re doing a pretty good job of proving that about yourself with your posts on this thread.

[nil_desperandum]

@nil_desperandum wrote... "You deliberately misquoted me: I said working-class Cambridge / Oxbridge graduates."

No I didn't, and no you didn't.

What you said was "So basically you're trashing every working class student who's come through the Grammar system on merit, worked diligently to EARN a place at Cambridge, and achieved a History degree in one if the worlds most prestigious gold standard academic institutions."

If you are gonna quote yourself, better you read it back to yourself first.

I said I WASN'T trashing every working class student. That's because I wasn't. I was trashing ONE. Abbott. There may be others, but I didn't refer to them, so don't try to put words into my mouth, or tell me I meant something else... What I meant was Abbott is mince, and every time she opens her trap, she proves me right.

You need to read more carefully what I wrote.
As everyone else can see I was referring to students who went / go through the education system and attained / attain a degree at Cambridge, - not all working class students which is what you said in your reply.
You've totally (and deliberately) missed my point.
By devaluing the hard work, diligence, intelligence and academic achievement of one student, (Abbott) you're devaluing the entire system and all who pass through it. Do you imagine for one minute that the Grammar School Abbott attended, the exams board, the Cambridge entrance panel, and their exams accreditation board exceptionally singled her out and gave her an Oxbridge place, and a degree, even though she was "thick as mince" (or any other derogatory term that's been applied to her on this thread)?
By your inference Cambridge University awards degrees to students who are as "thick as mince". I might be on my own, but I find that deeply disrespectful to Cambridge University and all the outstanding young people who pass through it.
For reference:
The University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research university in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by King Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's fourth-oldest surviving university. As of 2019, Cambridge is the top-ranked university in the United Kingdom according to all major league tables. Cambridge is ranked the world's second best university by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings,and ranked 3rd worldwide by Academic Ranking of World Universities
It's reputation and status was equally high when Abbott successfully applied to go there and graduated.
Not a fan of the woman, but will continue defend the reputation of Cambridge and its graduates.

[Rileybobs]

Bobinho is definitely brighter than Diane Abbott. That’s why he’s posting on a football messageboard whilst she’s debating in Parliament.

[morpheus2]

Artist depicts Diane Abbot as a chimpanzee and it is so popular to the public that it sells for near £10m - yet this is not decried as racist?? Even The Guardian lauds over it!
Surprisingly Owen Jones has not made a public statement yet (presuming he has recovered from his right wing assault)

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesig ... RHA3RaWMPw

[Rileybobs]

Artist depicts Diane Abbot as a chimpanzee and it is so popular to the public that it sells for near £10m - yet this is not decried as racist?? Even The Guardian lauds over it!
Surprisingly Owen Jones has not made a public statement yet (presuming he has recovered from his right wing assault)

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesig ... RHA3RaWMPw

Can you post the picture of Diane Abbott being depicted as a chimpanzee please?

[Lancasterclaret]

Posted in wrong thread!

Sorry!

[Lancasterclaret]

Artist depicts Diane Abbot as a chimpanzee and it is so popular to the public that it sells for near £10m - yet this is not decried as racist?? Even The Guardian lauds over it!
Surprisingly Owen Jones has not made a public statement yet (presuming he has recovered from his right wing assault)

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesig ... RHA3RaWMPw

Oh dear

I think someone needs a safe space

And certainly an intervention

[Heathclaret]

Artist depicts Diane Abbot as a chimpanzee and it is so popular to the public that it sells for near £10m - yet this is not decried as racist?? Even The Guardian lauds over it!
Surprisingly Owen Jones has not made a public statement yet (presuming he has recovered from his right wing assault)

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesig ... RHA3RaWMPw

This post cannot be meant seriously. Surely?