Does the Mail have an anti-donkey agenda? #donkeygate
The Mail is Britain's most cynical and right-wing tabloid newspaper (beating stiff competition). Today, their Sunday edition 'exposed' that the leader of the Labour Party owned an expensive property, though they also owned themselves:
This paper has form in doing this kind of hit piece. Any left-leaning British politician not living in a cardboard box has had their face splashed across these pages with screams of 'hypocrisy!' and 'liberal elitism!' That Keir Starmer is a self-made man makes no difference and obviously Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson would never get such treatment.
Unfortunately for the Mail, they didn't do their research properly and it turns out that Starmer bought this land for his disabled mother to use a donkey sanctuary.
So on British Twitter, #donkeygate is a now thing and it has been trending:
@BabyLonia no. That was why Tony Benn struggled with some of the unions they couldn't get past his inherited title etc.
Sadly it's too often turned into a class war not an ideological one.
For the Mail they do this because they clearly fear Starmer so they have decided to make people jealous of his success like they normally do with the likes of sporting or entertainment stars who build up a wealth. That means, of course, they've sold out their heritage.
I remember reading trumpists moaning about Bernie's second home on SW. This is the same thing. Corbyn got slated because his house is worth over a million (most north london houses are and he bought it when it was muvh cheaper using his MP salary). Ed Miliband had a bitchey article (also in the Mail) about the style of his kitchen.
British newspapers are mostly owned by billionaire tax avoiders but but they regularly churn put this liberal elite narrative. Fortunately the mail did it so badly this time, its really easy to parody.
@SW-User @Burnley123 but surely people realise the labour party is financed by wealthy people 🤔
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@BabyLonia it largely isn't (unless you're meaning people like me). It's not like the Conservative party which gets a smaller number of big donations. Labour generally rely on membership and supporters and unions via political levy.
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@BabyLonia Didnt he earn his money? He wasn't born into it.
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@SW-User what Starmer? His dad was a toolmaker and his mother disabled. His money has all been earned by being one of the best barristers of his generation.
@SW-User labour does gets a large of its funding through donations still.
It gets to me that people expect a labour leader to just be a poor man of the people. Can someone not work hard and earn money?
In addition to that, do you not want someone with some education running the country, rather than someone with 1 GCSE?
And lastly, the Daily Mail and the Sun are despicable excuses for journalism
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@BabyLonia all things I completely agree with. Particularly your last point. He's highly intelligent, worked hard at his profession and was often acknowledged, qc of the year, dpp, knighted. All before he entered politics.
@SW-User he has the makings of a powerful leader, finally after many years labour party have someone who can win an election.
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@BabyLonia Well sadly being a life time supporter and on off member over the years I think not. Already you see the tabloid press trying to find the edge to ensure he doesn't get in.
The big problem is the leave areas in the Midlands and North that swung Conservative last time round. The argument was that JC was an "Islington socialist" Sir Keir Starmer QC is arguably hugely more establishment than him. The right wing press will keep pushing he's out of touch with them whilst good old bumbling Boris is a regular good old chap.
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@BabyLonia BTW nothing against him he'll probably make Boris look foolish but I suspect that will be used against him by the press in some way.
@SW-User but brexit is now a past issue. We have a few years before the next election and already people are turning against Boris.
I would not even line the litter tray with the Daily Mail
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@BabyLonia my personal experience is different. My brother (life long labour) thinks Boris is "doing well" and "glad I voted for him" and my friend who even stood as a candidate for the Lib Dems in London once says "Tories are only party you can vote now. The others will ruin the country".
On much of social media I don't mention I vote Labour now as normally it just invites such vitreol that you want the country ruined etc. I sadly have reconciled with probably never seeing anything other than a tory pm for the rest of my life.
@SW-User tbh, if you say you vote for either party you get abuse.
During the last election, when I said I was going to vote green I had friends tell me that is as good as voting for labour, or Tory or it was a wasted vote.
Only one friend could see my point and understood.
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@BabyLonia I wish we had proportional representation then everybody'd vote would matter. Like we did in the European Parliament elections... Oh...
One thing we need to remember is that the young are heavily pro labour and more so than ever. Even those from upper middle class backgrounds lean left. Even in an awful election result, we won under forties and dominated with the under thirties. Yes, that doesnt solve the short term problems but long term....
The government os polling high but this is soft. On an issue by issue basis (ppe, ventilators etc) the government is not polling well. I think people will come to blame the tories for this crisis but it will take time.
