On another note, I find this near deification of Stephen Fry a tad dull. He could be a little more modest sometimes and not flap his gob open every time someone sticks a microphone in front of it.
Stephen Fry hits the nail on the head! Page 2
It's also maddeningly dementedly petty of journalists.
The government randomly deciding who they can ban or kick out of the country is way more worrying.
Quote: Timbo @ May 14 2009, 1:37 PM BSTThe expenses issue matters not because of the money that has been claimed, but because of what it tells us about the integrity of those who made the claims.
But what it integrity? I'm not being facetious, what actually is it? And if somebody is pulling a fast one over expenses or the like, does this necessarily mean they're bad at their job?
I am also bloody sick of "vote for me or you'll get the BNP". Gets me batty.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 14 2009, 1:40 PM BSTOn another note, I find this near deification of Stephen Fry a tad dull. He could be a little more modest sometimes and not flap his gob open every time someone sticks a microphone in front of it.
Since he declared himself celibate microphones are the only things he gets near his gob.
I thought they all were? How else can you explain all the judges being white?
I am being fecetious.
Quote: sootyj @ May 14 2009, 1:45 PM BSTI thought they all were? How else can you explain all the judges being white?
I am being fecetious.
Piers Morgan isn't white. You don't get characters that extreme. He's actually played by David Harewood in a body suit.
Quote: chipolata @ May 14 2009, 1:40 PM BSTAgreed. And it's going to be very interesting to see what effect this has on the upcoming elections, and next years General Election.
On one forum I saw an interesting idea: encourage everyone in the country to go along and vote for a party outside of the main 3.
However, in the real world, the local elections might show a protest vote, but next year we'll have a Conservative or Labour government. 
A comment I heard about Piers Morgan hit the nail on the head for me about the man: "He thinks his face is made of treacle and everybody wants a lick."
Quote: chipolata @ May 14 2009, 1:41 PM BSTBut what it integrity? I'm not being facetious, what actually is it? And if somebody is pulling a fast one over expenses or the like, does this necessarily mean they're bad at their job?
Politicians work for us, we pay their wages and entrust them with the most unbelieveable levels of power.
All we ask in return is that they are decent, honest, human beings. They can't even manage that.
As mentioned in a previous thread about respect in this country and the anti-social behaviour of teenagers, it all trickles down from the top.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 14 2009, 1:40 PM BSTOn another note, I find this near deification of Stephen Fry a tad dull. He could be a little more modest sometimes and not flap his gob open every time someone sticks a microphone in front of it.
To be fair, he was attending the launch of a political website, so it would have been a bit peculiar of him to refuse to answer a question about the hottest political topic of the day.
Quote: Aaron @ May 14 2009, 2:17 PM BSTTo be fair, he was attending the launch of a political website, so it would have been a bit peculiar of him to refuse to answer a question about the hottest political topic of the day.
Yeah, but he was there in the first place, wasn't he! 
Quote: Bad dog @ May 14 2009, 1:49 PM BSTOn one forum I saw an interesting idea: encourage everyone in the country to go along and vote for a party outside of the main 3.
However, in the real world, the local elections might show a protest vote, but next year we'll have a Conservative or Labour government.
That's the fault of other parties to come up with sensible ideas that translate into policies which are both workable and what the populace wants of the country.
On which point, the success of the BNP isn't (for the most part) because people agree that blacks should be "shipped home" or any such nonsense, but because they have had the sense to target issues which do matter to people in their every day lives, like the state of roads, transport, littering, graffiti. It's also why the BNP will only have small (i.e. local) council success, and not form a Government at any time in the remotely near future.
Although people are thinking they might do well in Europe, so much so that near here recently there were anti-BNP campaigners in the market place.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 14 2009, 2:19 PM BSTYeah, but he was there in the first place, wasn't he!
Fair point.
As for the MPs claims, some of them are ridiculous and some are perfectly reasonable. But ultimately there's something very untrustworthy about someone who actively seeks power. We'd be better off returning to direct monarchial rule.