This shambolic practice really needs to be abolished, and all those appointed by outgoing Prime Ministers in the last 50 years removed from the upper chamber.
The House of Lords has become so bloated these days, that’s it’s an absolute farce.
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I’m torn on it. It’s proved to be a useful safety net in the past but appointments have become a circus act.
I agree. Maybe there needs to be a limit of 2-3 appointees per electral term rather than for every PM.
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Not sure there is even a scale of stupidity been invented yet, that could accommodate this numpty…! Makes one wonder what other decision making he partakes in, that impact upon all of us
Police probe after Labour minister seen using phone while driving London bus
Labour’s rail minister has referred himself to police after being caught texting behind the wheel of his double-decker bus during a charity event in central London.
Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill was reportedly seen using his mobile phone to text a friend while driving his vintage Routemaster bus during a fundraising tour on March 28.
Confirming the incident, a spokesman for Lord Hendy said: “Last month, Peter Hendy used his phone while driving. He has apologised in full for this error of judgment and has contacted the police.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they had received a report concerning the incident. A spokesperson said: “Police received a report on March 31 of a man aged in his 70s using his mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
“The incident is alleged to have taken place near Paddington Station at approximately 17:00 on March 28. As there was insufficient evidence to progress the case, the investigation was filed.
“The Met has since been provided with further information regarding the incident. The investigation has been reopened and inquiries continue.”
Lord Hendy has not been charged in connection with the incident.
The Railway Family Fundraiser, organisers of the charity tour, expressed disappointment that the incident had overshadowed what they described as a “positive and enjoyable event”.
A spokesman for the fundraiser said: “For the last three years, the fundraiser has concluded with a special tour of London on his Routemaster bus, donated and conducted by Lord Hendy.
“The fundraiser has always been grateful to Lord Hendy, both in his time as chairman of Network Rail and more recently as rail minister, for the time he volunteered to support this, and the event has always been popular among supporters, and a positive event.
“The complainant did not make a formal complaint to any of the organisers about this issue, nor did he share any evidence.
“Since then, the organisers have only had one conversation from the complainant in the form of a text message, which he sent on April 2, where he informed us that he’d reported Lord Hendy to the Metropolitan Police.”
They added that they do not “advocate or condone unsafe practices”, and reiterated their thanks to Lord Hendy for his continued support.
Lord Hendy regularly conducts charity tours aboard his own vintage Routemaster, raising more than £100,000 for various charities over the past years. His fundraising activities include guided tours around central London, which have previously been described as “an enlightening evening, touring the Square Mile”.
Lord Hendy was appointed as rail minister in July. Previously, he served as chairman of Network Rail and was a commissioner for Transport for London (TfL). He started his career as a graduate trainee at London Transport, later becoming managing director of London bus company Centre West during the 1980s. He was appointed to the House of Lords in 2022.
The incident follows a similar case involving Tom Tugendhat, then-security minister, who received a six-month driving ban in 2022 after being caught using his mobile phone behind the wheel.
Lord Hendy currently has three penalty points on his driving licence, which are due to expire this July.
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Idiot.
It is genuinely one of the biggest scourges of the road.
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A few years ago I was travelling with a business contact of mine and he was driving on the M25 in the outside lane. Suddenly he picked up his phone and started texting his mother. In the nicest possible way I asked him to stop. 
Heard recently he had got a driving ban on the totting up 
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I’ve been nearly run over by drivers who were on Instagram. Multiple times.
Like if you feel the need to browse Instagram that much, take a bus, tube, or taxi.
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By the way, I genuinely enjoyed reading your (this) post. I am definitely not trying to be condescending/argumentative in my response, merely questioning.
It is about someone’s views, Its about popularism. Why is it potentially commercially non-viable? Because the audience/market view it as not being acceptable? It doesn’t necessarily mean their views are horrible.
I agree if the person/institute take it to an extreme and there is an underlying hatred in their views, bordering on violence then that’s a duty of care to Human rights.
However, I will relate to my experience on this Forum. I have views that I consider balanced and genuine, I have no hatred or ill intent on anyone. I am a white male, of Irish decent (so immigrant), christened Catholic, with a beautiful GF of African heritage, living in the most Culturally diverse City in the UK, run by a Labour Council and yet I am called out as RW, a Tory, a racist (the last ones that on you @SBYM 
).
I hold a democratic right to an opinion as does everyone else. Yet, I get judged “cancelled” on them because they go against the general consensus of the Forum.
Maybe, I have a more lived experience of a cultural diverse Uk, Maybe not?! But all posters views should be considered and treated with respect.
I wasn’t even referring to Celebrities, I am referring to everyday life. However, as you brought up Father Ted - a great comedy - it could be said that there are a number of stereotypical jokes. I do not recall any episode that promotes GL’s views on anti-Trans.
I cannot state as fact, but given GL is Irish and attended a Catholic school his views are inline with the Bible and are anti a lot of things.
So how do you judge religious beliefs. Is it against the right to freedom of speech to suppress anti LGBTQ views. I mean, in Birmingham we have had Schools with staged protests by parents, reports of intimidation by people opposing the School’s curriculum on LGBTQ.
So in your honest opinion, who is right here? I’m not about cancelling anyone, they both have their views, so who is right? In your opinion, who are promoting horrible views? Are we to stop educating the next generation about inclusivity, due to religion or are we to continue educating children about inclusivity, going against the parents/communities religious beliefs?
As a Country and on an international basis, the world’s population is generally two faced. Yeah, let’s buy products from Countries who are anti PC rhetoric, anti LGBTQ, are guilty of modern day slavery, even better why not travel there for a Holiday but we will call out Rowling, etc.
This is the problem, people are willing to take the morale high ground when it suits them. Let’s cut emissions to provide a future for our children but then fail to educate said child about turning off Lights and Devices.
I agree and disagree, I accept that this is where society gets messy and maybe confused with the past and the present. I really don’t think there is a definitive right or wrong way of judging the past and I say this on a global scale. War never started with WW1 and Slavery never started with Colonialism.
War still exists, slavery still exists, racism still exists, sexism still exists, Islamophobia/anti-semitism/sectarianism still exists, etc, etc, etc. The sad thing is, is that although (with Technology) the lands of the World has become a lot more accessible, the World in general has not become any closer.
To clarify It is not what I am basically saying.
A question back to you, should anyone be forced not to accommodate people’s views because of the financial impact or further more public impact.
Let’s look at history…. Was supporting Martin Luther King and his call ‘for a dream’ not a financial risk to companies?
Nelson Mandela and the fight against Apartheid SA not a risk financially.
Support for the suffragette movement, not a financial risk?
You could argue that all of the above were going against public opinion at the time. Movements scrutinised as being a criminal offence.
However, now, and with hindsight they are viewed as achievements, important moments in history.
People should not be forced to feel embarrassed/guilty/shamed of their voting/political alliance. You are a Labour/Remain voter, I respect that and I will never ever say that you are ignorant/ill informed/stupid (unless in exasperation) and will also adapt the text in my responses to you.
However, in my opinion, it is all too easy for someone to shut me or someone else expressing contrary views down. For example, I responded to @SBYM (whose goofy humour I actually appreciate) with a genuine response, for him to respond with a lukewarm retort and you get the common crowd rolling round in stitches.
To make a statement and this is not aimed at you or anyone else, just in general.
In order to progress, there is a need to hear other peoples views. Whether they align with your own or not. All opinions, whether they be yours or not - need to be considered.
Surrounding yourself with people who offer no alternative perspective to your own, is unhealthy and portrays ignorance.
This is definitely not a Tory get out of jail card or a blame Labour post. but we all need to stop Failing to hold the Government you voted for to account, dismissing everything they cannot do on the previous Government, it is embarrassing.
I want Labour to succeed, I believe it is important to keep British Steel and will happily accept the negatives it may bring on my purse strings in order to achieve that. On the same note, I would also like the £’s I pay in Council Tax to result in my rubbish being collected.
@mascot I had a bit of trouble quoting and responding directly to your points. I think I have corrected it. Apologies if it is out of sync
I’m slowly coming to that conclusion as well. Sadly, as long as it goes on, his hypocrisy and cowardice will have the following effects with time going by: the super-rich will get richer, the poorest even poorer, while an enormous majority of the population will slowly lose purchasing power, towards more and more insecurity. Eventually, the far right will seize power.
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Morning,
I was just wondering what your thoughts about a trade deal were now, given recent events. This is a genuine question
Unchanged. If Vance wants a UK trade deal, he’ll want the NHS in it. In their little minds they believe they have the upper hand at the table because they can tariff stuff.
Otherwise it’s noise. I would not go crawling to them in a hurry just because of Vance making loud whispers about a potential deal.
He is a snake (with eye liner).
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I’m not sure what argument you are trying to make here? There are lots of reasons why an artist in any field might find themselves without an audience. No one is obliged to keep economically engaging with an author, or musician or comedian etc. It might simply be that what you think they are producing is shit, or maybe the audience has moved on to other stuff. Or maybe you find out that their opinions are pretty horrible?
There are loads of great artists who find themselves losing their audience and by extension industry support, who haven’t said anything offensive about a minority group. No-one is crying for those guys - the ones who missed the zeitgeist by a fraction or got their timing wrong, or were ahead of the curve, or just were unlucky.
But in any career where you need an audience, or customers, you don’t automatically have a right to them.
What you are experiencing here is a microcosm of society.
Firstly you haven’t been cancelled. You are still a member and you are still posting.
Secondly, nobody knows you. We’re all reacting to each other on the basis of what we type, and often (like on all Social Media) we present an idealised, and sometimes extreme version of ourselves anyway. That’s literally all we have to go on. It can be really frustrating when people make judgment on your character that you feel is unfair, but we all get that. I’ve been called all kinds of ridiculous things on here that I don’t think represent me at all. For example, I’m not actually a communist.
Thirdly, your democratic right to an opinion is not a democratic right that your opinion can’t be challenged. And I’d suggest if you are putting your opinion in a space like this, you are actively inviting that challenge.
The incident that appears to have started Linehan’s obsession with Trans rights is the IT Crowd episode with the trans women in it, the fact that she used to be a man is played for laughs, and it hasn’t aged well.
Linehan reacted badly (on Twitter, where else) to suggestions that the episode is transphobic, and it all seems to have escalated from there.
It’s important to note that Linehan has not been cancelled for his views. It’s more because of his erratic behaviour around them. He has stalked and harassed transwomen online, outing them and inciting others to harass, he has used false online identities to gain access to trans support groups charities and bullied and threatened people he worked with around the issue (he tried to force cast members of the Father Ted musical to sign statements confirming they agree and support his views of trans rights). The police have been involved in many of these issues, and his marriage has ended as a result.
Whatever debate there is at the junction of trans rights and feminism, Graham Linehan is absolutely nowhere near it.
I think you are proving my point. None of those campaigns had the broad support of the corporate sphere, until they realised that public mood had shifted. At which point they pivoted.
There is a point where public opinion tips, and that’s when the corporations and institutions tend to swing in response. I guarantee you this. Disney do not give a fuck about anyone’s rights. They care about money and making as much of it as possible. That’s all this is.
With caveats.
I believe people like Trump and Farage, should not have been tolerated. They have been platformed and exposed, and we are now at the point where truly vile opinions and behaviours that would have been given very short shrift a decade ago, are now treated as mainstream.
I think it isn’t as simple as this. We have to express our frustrations with how Labour are governing, while also being sympathetic to the situation they have inherited.
There is stuff that Labour have done that I flat out disagree with (their approach to digital rights, and everything else they are throwing on the fire in the name of ‘growth’) and stuff that I disagree with, but see the fucking mess they are trying to sort out (like raising taxes, benefits).
Interestingly, being instinctively internationalist in outlook and feeling more European that British, I profoundly disagree with how Starmer has handled Trump’s tariffs. However, his actions on this seem largely popular amongst the public. So what do I know?
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It wasn’t so much that it aged badly, it’s that it wasn’t particularly well written in the first place. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Comedians are allowed leeway for jokes to fall flat.
It was his behaviour afterwards that caused him trouble. It wasn’t even the transphobia that caused the problems but his behaviour in publishing private pictures of women he found on dating sites that he didn’t regard as being feminine enough. Really just boorish misogyny but enough to cause him problems with the law.
I used to follow him on Twitter and I genuinely think he had a breakdown of some sort. It’s a great pity as I still regard him as one of the greatest comedy writers of our generation.
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The world is a different place to what it was a decade ago.
People like Trump and Farage are a result of that change, not the cause.
Fwiw I don’t consider myself to be left or right but I always find it strange when people who clearly come across as left state certain people “should not have been tolerated”.
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Shouldn’t she just try fucking off instead ?
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The cheek of her.
Where was all this speech that was so unfairly suppressed when she couldn’t even say a thing after she lost her seat?
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What will she call the network? Romaine? Arugula?, Iceberg?
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