Monthly Archives: February 2024

Could be nasty, Have a pasty

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stopped off at Philps pasty shop in Hayle, Cornwall yesterday for a pasty.

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/rishi-sunak-visits-philps-pasty-9088340

[T]he top team at Philps showed off the moment as soon as they were cleared by the super-tight security regime to do so. They posted on Facebook about hosting the diminutive Conservative leader of the UK, as would anyone.

It didn’t go down as well as they had hoped. The backlash was instant and harsh as the angry and derisory comments poured in. It became so overbearing that the company pulled the post down and even issued an apology.

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However many obvious Tory-haters were swearing off buying Philps’ products or spending money there ever again, which clearly the bright business saw as not a good look. As the pile-on mounted, it first turned off commenting. Then killed off the whole post.

Afterwards, it explained its actions – and denied any political party “affiliation” in a new post. It said: “We have decided to remove our post regarding the surprise visit from the Prime Minister today.

“It was with no intent to cause offence and was merely recognition of the Prime Minister popping by for a pasty. We apologise to anyone who feels disappointed or offended, certainly no political affiliations were intended.

“Let’s just say, pasties and politics clearly don’t mix!”

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https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/rishi-sunak-visits-philps-pasty-9088340

Continue ReadingCould be nasty, Have a pasty

‘More culture war nonsense from the government as children go hungry and the planet burns’

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/more-culture-war-nonsense-from-the-government-as-children-go-hungry-and-the-planet-burns

Police during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration blocking Vauxhall Bridge in central London, April 10, 2022

Right to protest comes under fresh attack as Tories unveil new measures and fines

THE right to protest came under fresh attack today as the Tory government unveiled new measures directed at demonstrators.

Rattled by the repeated huge solidarity marches with Palestine in recent months, ministers presented amendments to criminal justice legislation designed to make protesting harder.

Among the acts now to be criminalised are wearing masks at a demonstration, climbing on war memorials or the use of flares or fireworks.

Protesters engaging in any of these activities now risk fines of up to £1,000.

Nor will they any longer be able to use the right to protest as a defence if they cause serious disruption, a change driven by the refusal of a jury to convict anti-racists charged with hauling down the statute of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.

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Leading human rights lawyer and peer Shami Chakrabarti said: … “This is more culture war nonsense from the government while children go hungry and the planet burns.”

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Suella Braverman, who lost office trying to ban a Gaza ceasefire protest on Armistice Day, has demanded further measures.

These would include giving ministers, rather than the police, the power to ban marches they do not approve of; prohibit the use of particular slogans or phrases and proscribe groups deemed “extremist” even if they are entirely peaceful.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/more-culture-war-nonsense-from-the-government-as-children-go-hungry-and-the-planet-burns

Continue Reading‘More culture war nonsense from the government as children go hungry and the planet burns’

Workers and students stage mass walk out to demand permanent ceasefire in Gaza

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/workers-and-students-stage-mass-walk-out-demand-permanent-ceasefire-gaza

Protesters outside the University of Manchester Photo: Neil Terry Photography

WORKERS and students walked out across the country today to demand the government back a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as the death toll climbs to over 27,000.

As part of the day of strike action, called by the Stop the War Coalition and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, workers gathered for a lunchtime rally outside Parliament organised by civil servants’ union PCS. Members of NEU and the UCU also walked out across the country.

Media workers protested outside BBC headquarters over its coverage of Israel’s war crimes as the death toll for journalists tops 85.

A Media Workers for Palestine spokesperson said: “A number of the BBC’s own journalists have accused the corporation of investing greater effort in humanising Israeli victims of the war compared with Palestinians and failing to provide key historical context in its coverage.

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Students and lecturers joined the action and walked out of universities across the country including in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/workers-and-students-stage-mass-walk-out-demand-permanent-ceasefire-gaza

Continue ReadingWorkers and students stage mass walk out to demand permanent ceasefire in Gaza

Barclays’ HQ blockaded as activists declare profits ‘covered in Palestinian blood’

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/barclays-hq-blockaded-activists-declare-profits-covered-palestinian-blood

HUNDREDS of activists blocked the Barclays headquarters in Canary Wharf today, protesting against the bank’s involvement in Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza.

The protest comes amid growing pressure for a permanent ceasefire as the Palestinian death toll exceeds over 27,000.

According to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Barclays has invested over £1 billion in companies supplying weapons and military technology to Israel.

The campaigners say the bank also provides the firms with over £3bn in loans and underwriting.

Rallying in front of the bank’s headquarters, a coalition of protesters from London for a Free Palestine, the Palestinian Youth Movement, Queers for Palestine and Black Lives Matter told passers-by to close their bank accounts and “stop banking on apartheid.”

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London For a Free Palestine activist Rebecca Rumford said: “British people cannot continue banking with Barclays as it actively funds the genocide on Palestinians.

“We ask everyone with a Barclays account to close it this February 9, until the bank cuts ties with Israel.”

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/barclays-hq-blockaded-activists-declare-profits-covered-palestinian-blood

Continue ReadingBarclays’ HQ blockaded as activists declare profits ‘covered in Palestinian blood’