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FORMER BRITISH PRIME Minister Tony Blair has said that resignations from Labour to form the Independent Group was a “fightback” against a populist surge.
Speaking at the Niskanen Center Conference in Washington DC yesterday, Blair gave a speech to the think-tank event under the theme ‘Beyond Left and Right: Reviving Moderation in an Era of Crisis and Extremism’.
During this speech, Blair said that “the Conservative Party membership is now morphing into something nationalistic and ideologically anti-Europe” – but also took aim at his own party, saying that “the Labour Party’s membership is in thrall to a populism of the left”.
The running sore of the past two years has been the row over anti-Semitism with Jewish Labour MPs coming under sustained attack, a truly mind-boggling circumstance for a supposedly progressive political party to find itself in.
He said that “both manifestations of populism exult in savage denunciation of those who disagree, especially within their own ranks”.
But the point is, the fight is not lost. The fightback is underway within the two main parties and outside of them, where last week several MPs defected to form a new political grouping.
Last week, nine Labour MPs including rising stars Luciana Berger, Chuka Umunna left the party; seven of them formed a new House of Commons grouping, called The Independent Group.
Two days later three Tory MPs - Heidi Allen, Sarah Wollaston and Anna Soubry – also joined the grouping.
In a Times/YouGov poll, weighted by likelihood to vote, 38% said they would vote for the Tory party, 26% said that they would vote for Labour, and The Independent Group has already gathered 14%.
Labour’s People’s Vote
Last night, the Labour party said that it was preparing to back an amendment for a second referendum on Brexit as part of efforts to avoid an no-deal scenario.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been confused on whether to back a second Brexit vote; he previously said that he would, if it’s what his party wanted.
In the same speech where Donald Tusk said there was “a special place in hell” for those that promoted Brexit without a plan on how to implement it, Tusk also made this comment:
I know that still a very great number of people in the UK, and on the continent, as well as in Ireland, wish for a reversal of this decision… At the moment, the pro-Brexit stance of the UK Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition, rules out this question.
Today, there is no political force and no effective leadership for remain. I say this without satisfaction, but you can’t argue with the facts.
Yesterday, Blair said that Brexit had plunged Britain into “the throes of an unparalleled political crisis”, and the result had led to a “bitter divide” around national identity.
Blair said that the June 2016 referendum “provided the opportunity to protest”, adding that “populists who had long campaigned for their cause of leaving Europe combined their cause with those grievances”.
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You’d actually miss Steve Jobs floating around the place, there’s a lot of charisma gone from the company. The man made a bug look like a feature.
I really like Craig Federighi, he’s a very different vibe to Jobs but his sections have been the highlight of the past few keynotes.
Yup, just what we need. More vacuous crap to excite the cult.
Ahh Jake, was wondering when you’d get here. Excited to see what Samsung will be releasing in 6 months?
It looks this article was initially posted a week or two ago but we now know for certain that the iPad Pro is being announced tonight. 12.9 inch display and much faster processor. And I agree David, Federighi has developed into a really smooth presenter.
@David, we already know what Samsung will announce, another android device giving people the ability to tailor their user experience to their wants in a great value piece of tech, often with groundbreaking invention.
I’ll say it now, the Samsung tab I received as a gift over a year and a half ago (costing my gf 220 quid) remains the most impressive tech device I have ever had for such a small price tag. I use it for 2 hours most evenings, charging it every 4/5 days. The screen is excellent, the processor fast. I’ve bounced it on tiles, carpet and wooden floors and though the back shows a thousand scratches the experience is unchanged.
There’s a difference between build quality and the feel of build quality. I feel Apple hits the latter.
an sd card slot, increased battery life, ah here get a grip on yourself!!!
Did anyone tell iPhone Joan about this
She’s sending some undercover gardai…
Technology wankfest.
There’ll be an announcement that the thing they announced as the GREATEST iTHING IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE a few months ago is now an outdated peice of rubbish that everyone will laught at you over. But you can avoid that laughter by paying even more money for the new GREATEST iTHING IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. Pay someone to start queueing now!!
iDrones… so predictable
Rose gold is auspicious to the Chinese hence the watch colour.. Pure marketing ploy..
Belfast it is :)
Or parcel motel :)
A massive circle jerk
Did you not get your invitation?
what’s the point !!
Animated backgrounds and motion sensor remote. Give us micro sd slots in phones and a browser for Apple TV
SD slot will never happen when they can get a monthly fee for iCloud.
Sigh.
When you think about it, both those things would be more of a hindrance than a help.
No matter what platform you use, cloud storage is the way forward, and using your TV to browse the Internet, is that really a good way to work?
Just a hyped up outdated product announcements which are based on proprietary outdated technology and too expensive. good marketing job though.
Yeah, big swingin’ Mickey !
Please, please let it be a iPod wheel in-place of a keyboard
You people are crazy if you don’t think that would be greatest invention of the 21st Century
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BnLbv6QYcA
My phone is better than your phone woooo me! I am winning! Im going to make you feel inadequate about your phone because my phone has some particular features I use that you dont need. Whats that you have? An iPhone? Seriously? You know Samsungs are better right? OH MY GAWWWWW
Since when is a pic with windows 10 an apple product ?
Shut up and take my money.
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