[mattomac]

At some point you are going need to have a diversion route into Cornwall, that won't hold at Dawlish, you of course would never be able to electrify that line, both Tiverton and Dawlish would make it impossible.

You could set up new towns based on it, green towns perhaps who knows. Try getting it past nimbys might be harder.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yeah. People say "look at London and all the money it gets for transport". Then say they don't want more houses built near them.

[youngian]

I'd take a bet the approval rating of a hated Davos elite fatcat as shadow chancellor would still beat John McDonnell.

[Winegums]

What exactly is your point? He's talking about how wealth inequality and neoliberal economics is unsustainable and your whole schtick is "lol nobody likes u".

[Tubby Isaacs]

He's a liability. Within about 5 minutes of his PFI speech, the shadow health secretary had to say "er, actually, we'll just be looking at a few really bad ones".

He started well, with the fiscal policy group, and we've got a good fiscal rule from it. No sign of experts recently though. I expect that rule would get chucked out in about 5 minutes.

[youngian]

What exactly is your point? He's talking about how wealth inequality and neoliberal economics is unsustainable and your whole schtick is "lol nobody likes u".

Have you seen McDonnell's poll numbers? fewer people trust him to look after their money then Barclays. There's no point in being a populist if you aren't even popular.

[Winegums]

Remember when Tristram Hunt crossed a picket line to give a lecture?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Well, first of all that's a false analogy, and secondly it's a classic example of the 'look over there' argument.

You'd do a lot better just shutting up. See Thatcher's Dictum. It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

[Winegums]

There's no "look over there" because there's nothing to distract from - it's talking about John McDonnell in the John McDonnell thread. It's highlighting the difference in behaviour in Labour politicians when confronted by people taking part in trade union activity.

Put me on ignore if you don't want to read my posts. For the smartest man in the room you sure are fucking dense sometimes.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Were I, as you say, the 'smartest man in the room', might it behove you to actually think about my criticism of your post? You know, rather than just chuck out Momentu'um insults?

[bluebellnutter]

He's had enough of experts.

[Winegums]

Were I, as you say, the 'smartest man in the room', might it behove you to actually think about my criticism of your post? You know, rather than just chuck out Momentu'um insults?

Because I cannot for the life of me figure out what you're accusing John of. It's literally a nonsensical post.

The fuck is a Momentu'um? Is this Phony B.Liar levels of wit?

[crabcakes_windermere]

Remember when Tristram Hunt crossed a picket line to give a lecture?

Tristram Hunt was employed by the University in question at the time and did not join the strike as he was not a member of the union striking, though he supported their right to do so. He had an obligation to deliver a lecture for his students, who of course have to pay considerable fees for their courses, and chose to honour that. No one is obliged to join a strike, of course.

John McDonnell, while being paid to be an MP, chose to go to Scotland, not to meet with university bosses as arranged (which could perhaps have even helped bring about a resolution), and instead went and stood on a picket line as a publicity stunt.

So what was your point, exactly? That some people can support a cause while still fulfilling their role, while others will always put their right-on image ahead of working for their constituents when free?

Outside of certain political bubbles, most people view strikes as a pain in the fucking arse. Sometimes they are of course absolutely necessary, and sometimes they will be wholly or mostly backed by public support. But they're not the holy bloody grail of socialism that dinosaurs like McDonnell think they are. Hunt made a judgement call - perhaps in hindsight the wrong one, sure. But at least he thought about what obligations he had. I guarantee McDonnell didn't think for a second what to do, because he probably can't even comprehend the possibility of a strike not always being 100% justified. Or, it would seem comprehend the stupidity of a very senior shadow cabinet member coming over like a 1970s throwback being photographed with a bunch of striking students and greedy lefty lecturers (as certain parts of the press will spin it) the day before his boss delivers an incredibly important speech that could be the basis on which Labour will win the next election and/or see the beginning of the end of the May government.

By all means, lets have a left-wing government. But not one run by people whose political calendars stopped advancing when ABBA were still new to the hit parade, and not by those who can't help but walk into entirely self-inflicted heffalump traps visible from miles away by anyone who can be bothered to peer over the top of their red rose tinted glasses for a few seconds.

[Winegums]

He was a Labour MP, that carries with it certain expectations. "Not scabbing" is one of the most fundamental. I'd hope that he'd join a union as a fucking Labour MP, but at the very least if the cause was just (and we can assume it was if he supported it) he shouldn't cross the picket line. Jesus fucking Christ he didn't even say he supported the strike, just their right to strike. What is it with Blairites and really fucking hating the people they pretend to represent and the party the austensibly belong to? At least he's gone now...

He could've taught on the picket line, he could've got the students down. It was a fucking lecture on Marx, and he crossed a picket line to deliver it, and your justification is "but they paid for that lecture on the free market".

What, if not direct withdrawal of labour, is the holy grail of socialism? What do we do when workers ask for a pay raise and get nothing offered in return? What is their recourse?

[davidjay]

Could he not just have stayed at home rather than making a very public, and very futile gesture that is bound to be quoted out of context ad nauseum?