Ed Miliband and the Daily Mail

seun · Oct 1, 2013

My feelings about the Daily Mail (it's a bullying, racist, sexist bag of shit) are probably well known here. Even so, this is worth mentioning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24343074

Basically, the Mail's used a diary entry from Ed Miliband's dad when he was 17 to call him 'the man who hated Britain' and suggest this has influenced Miliband and we're all doomed if Labour win the next election. Or something. The whole thing is low, ugly and pathetic 'journalism' that makes me wonder if the right wing press is considering the chances of Labour winning in 2015.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

It's beginning to look that way to me too. I'm waiting to see if the Sun jump to his side. If that happens, he'll definitely win the next one.

seun · Oct 1, 2013

The best part for the Mail is they win either way. If they apologise, then they were forced into it by the PC, Lefty do-gooders. If they don't, they're standing up for the oppressed Brits who feel like a minority.

Either way, of course, they're still a cunch of bunts.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

I've given up taking any notice of the Mail. I wouldn't use that crap for toilet paper. For obvious reasons.

I just wish the politicians would do the same. Taking notice of the right wing press is a major part of the reason we no longer have a working class party.

seun · Oct 1, 2013

I know it's a trolling article designed to send people to their site but it's still shows the depressing, ugly side of modern British life.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

Oh good lord yes. Totally agree with you on that one. But then you could argue that that's what newspapers are for. It's not often there's a good news story on the front page.

Torgo · Oct 1, 2013

You know, when my gran was a girl, she used to infiltrate Oswald Mosely rallies with her fellow Young Communists, and then throw off the black shirt to reveal the red.

The Daily Mail at the time would have condemned her as a woman who hated Britain, just as they now smear Ralph Miliband. Their owner Viscount Rothermere penned the infamous "Hurrah for the Blackshirts!" editorial just a little while after Dachau opened. They wrote poisonous xenophobic screeds about German Jews, like Miliband, pouring in to the country.

If you want to see a legacy of evil, you don't look at people like my gran and Ed's dad, who actually fought against fascism; you look at the continuing legacy of the yellow, contemptible Daily Mail.

RichardGarfinkle · Oct 1, 2013

This might be pretty stupid of the Mail. Miliband's rep was as bland, dull, and ineffective. Will being smeared by the Mail help Miliband with disaffected Labour voters?

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

Hmmm... dunno. It more likely depends on what he does next and how he reacts to being smeared. If he backs down from his present position, then no.

seun · Oct 1, 2013

They're discussing this on Radio 2 now. It seems the Mail is issuing a statement later.

My money is on 'we blame the Jews.'

dfwtinman · Oct 1, 2013

mirandashell said:
I've given up taking any notice of the Mail. I wouldn't use that crap for toilet paper.

No, but maybe you could start a newspaper recycling drive to send the Mail to Venezuela to help out people in need. You could specify that copies must be unread (unused). Heck, done right, the idea might go viral.

Just a thought.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

seun said:
They're discussing this on Radio 2 now. It seems the Mail is issuing a statement later.

My money is on 'we blame the Jews.'

And the Arabs. And single mothers.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

dfwtinman said:
No, but maybe you could start a newspaper recycling drive to send the Mail to Venezuela to help out people in need. You could specify that copies must be unread (unused). Heck, done right, the idea might go viral.

Just a thought.

Why would I inflict more pain on the Venezuelans?

seun · Oct 1, 2013

I wouldn't let my cats crap on a copy of the Mail.

I heard the statement. It's basically we're not going to apologise so shove it.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

Oh well... at least they're not being hypocritical about it! LOL!

Helix · Oct 1, 2013

There are some pointed responses on Twitter, most of which revolve around Viscount Rothemere's love of Blackshirts and his admiration for Hitler. Many are understated, because the paper's loathsome record speaks for itself.

ETA: And on the subject of their loathsome record, the latest comment has the header 'An evil legacy and why we won't apologise'. I won't link to it, but you can probably search on those words. Unfortunately, they seem to be confused over whose 'evil legacy' it is. I can only see one and it ain't that of Ralph Miliband.

RichardGarfinkle · Oct 1, 2013

Miliband's response.

It's a strong biography of his father. It looks worth the reading. I think it does a good job of making Ed Miliband sound more human than he's been painted in the past.

Here's the beginning.

It was June 1944 and the Allies were landing in Normandy. A 20-year old man, who had arrived in Britain as a refugee just four years earlier, was part of that fight. He was my father. Fighting the Nazis and fighting for his adopted country.
On Saturday, the Daily Mail chose to publish an article about him under the banner headline “The Man Who Hated Britain.”
It’s part of our job description as politicians to be criticised and attacked by newspapers, including the Daily Mail. It comes with the territory. The British people have great wisdom to sort the fair from the unfair. And I have other ways of answering back.
But my Dad is a different matter. He died in 1994. I loved him and he loved Britain. And there is no credible argument in the article or evidence from his life which can remotely justify the lurid headline and its accompanying claim that it would “disturb everyone who loves this country”.

dfwtinman · Oct 1, 2013

mirandashell said:
Why would I inflict more pain on the Venezuelans?

For the sheer political theatre of sending unread copies of the mail to a nation desolately short of toilet paper? The press would love it.

But it does sound like a bit of work. So there's that.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

I was joking......

<sigh>

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

Anyway.......

Has there been more reaction to this on social media?

Me, I would have shrugged and said something along the lines of 'Well, what else would you expect from that racist rag?' But I don't think politicians are allowed to be quite that truthful!

gothicangel · Oct 1, 2013

mirandashell said:
Anyway.......

Has there been more reaction to this on social media?

Me, I would have shrugged and said something along the lines of 'Well, what else would you expect from that racist rag?' But I don't think politicians are allowed to be quite that truthful!

I'm a Labour supporter, and I was sent an email to sign up to a petition, which I have done. So, I wonder what they are planning?

I don't know whether to laugh or cry that there are people in this country who still believe the Communists are plotting to overthrow the government. You couldn't make it up.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

I know.... it beggars belief. Miliband isn't even left-wing, never mind Communist.

crunchyblanket · Oct 1, 2013

mirandashell said:
I know.... it beggars belief. Miliband isn't even left-wing, never mind Communist.

unfortunately, the way this country is going - media-wise, anyway - anyone even marginally left-of-centre is game to be smeared as an evil leftie commie. The fact that our media largely considers 'left wing' synonymous with 'evil' is telling in itself.

It's a bad time to be left wing in Britain.

mirandashell · Oct 1, 2013

It will swing back around eventually. It always does.

It's just at my age I may not be around long enough to see it!

crunchyblanket · Oct 1, 2013

Fact is, the Tories have managed to make themselves even more unpopular during their current term. Lib Dems are a joke party that nobody will ever vote for again. UKIP are a fun protest vote but ultimately their lack of coherent policies and constant 'gaffes' (aka 'reminders that they're largely a bunch of racists cockwipes') mean they're unlikely to garner a bigger vote than the average Lib Dem turnout.

Labour are the only real alternative, and it's got the Fail shitting their swastika-logo'd pants.

Ed Miliband and the Daily Mail

seun

Horror Man

mirandashell

seun

Horror Man

mirandashell

seun

Horror Man

mirandashell

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

RichardGarfinkle

Nurture Phoenixes

mirandashell

seun

Horror Man

dfwtinman

Cubic Zirconia in the rough

mirandashell

mirandashell

seun

Horror Man

mirandashell

Helix

socially distancing

RichardGarfinkle

Nurture Phoenixes

dfwtinman

Cubic Zirconia in the rough

mirandashell

mirandashell

gothicangel

Toughen up.

mirandashell

crunchyblanket

the Juggernaut of Imperfection

mirandashell

crunchyblanket

the Juggernaut of Imperfection