Labour MP Emily Thornberry has resigned from her post as shadow attorney general

[arista]

http://news.sky.com/story/1377386/mp-quits-shadow-cabinet-over-rochester-tweet


[The representative for Islington South
and Finsbury, in north London,
posted a picture of a house draped
with three England flags with
a white van parked in the drive
during a by-election visit to the
Kent constituency. It was captioned
"Image from Rochester".
Political opponents and
some Twitter users accused her
of looking down on the occupants
of the house.]

http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/11/20/351111/default/v1/sun-1-720x960.jpg


[A Rich Labour MP caused fury yesterday by seeming to sneer
at a White Van Man’s England flags.
Emily Thornberry quit last night as Shadow Attorney General
after tweeting a snap of car dealer Dan Ware’s
home decked with three St George crosses.
She wrote: “Image from #Rochester” — where Ukip
were last night set to win a key by-election.
The gaffe comes as Labour officials fear a tidal wave
of voters will defect to Ukip. The 54-year-old MP for Islington South,
a close ally of Labour leader Ed Miliband, tweeted the photo
while door-knocking for votes in the Kent town. ]

from sun+online

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/6109674/Labour-shadow-minister-quits-over-revolting-tweet.html

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/21/1416529319845_Image_galleryImage_Emily_Thornberry_ nrochest.JPG

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/20/2356D5D300000578-2842783-Shadow_Attorney_General_Emily_Thornberry_outside_t he_Houses_of_P-53_1416510084856.jpg
You Utter Fool

[Crimson Dynamo]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/21/1416529319845_Image_galleryImage_Emily_Thornberry_ nrochest.JPG



Emily Thornberry said it was 'remarkable' to see a house with three flags
Islington MP took photo of house while out campaigning in Rochester
It emerged as voters went to the polls in today's crunch by-election
Labour colleagues accused Ms Thornberry of being 'derogatory'
Tory Cabinet minister Eric Pickles said families should fly flag with pride
After furore over message Ms Thornberry tweeted apology for 'offence'
House owner Dan Ware, 36, called the Shadow Attorney General a 'snob'


One of Ed Miliband’s closest allies was sensationally forced to quit last night after sneering at a modest house draped with Cross of St George flags.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Oh dear Labour...:nono:

[Crimson Dynamo]

Labour saying it was a misunderstanding...so why did she get the tin tack?

[James]

When I saw the picture first I thought the man had driven his van into the front of his house.

[MTVN]

He does very much fall into a certain stereotype tbf, quite amusing

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/20/2357987E00000578-2842783-image-3_1416523330650.jpg

[MTVN]

Big fan of the West Ham flag though

[joeysteele]

Well what on earth is any MP doing tweeting someone elses house online without their permission to do so.

She really should have known this could be explosive,she also is certainly aware of the press, waiting to grab anything to undermine her Party and leader too.

She had to go and maybe no real offence was intended but what a really stupid thing to do.
If Ed Miliband was really angry he had good reason to be.
What a silly woman.

[arista]

She is a stupid MP
as that bloke did not even vote.



And that Home is
his family home
what the feck is a Labour MP
doing posting that.

[Crimson Dynamo]

http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01296/EdMiliband_01_1296450a.jpghttp://i.ytimg.com/vi/neFLy9UtYDQ/hqdefault.jpghttp://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01121/Ed_Miliband_1121455a.JPG

[kirklancaster]

He does very much fall into a certain stereotype tbf, quite amusing

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/20/2357987E00000578-2842783-image-3_1416523330650.jpg

More than amusing - very informative.

Anyone who maintains that St George flags hanging from any house windows all year round are not now indicative of the racial or Nationalistic motives of the occupants of such households,are in a sociopolitical state of denial. I state 'all year round' - as distinct from specific occasions; St George's day, England FIFA World Cup matches etc.

The Swastika is an innocuous symbol used by many religions dating back over 10,000 years, but now - since being commandeered by Hitler and the Nazis - it has only sinister connotations, and it is no different with the Cross of St George which has been similarly appropriated by Far-Right Extremist organisations and individual racists and Nationalists.

Just as with the true reason for Christmas and Bonfire Night, the average school child in this country is probably - sadly - ignorant of the tradition of St George, and is - again sadly - more likely to associate the Cross of St George with skinheads and racist organisations.

I certainly believe that immigrants of all Nationalities perceive the flag of St George with a degree of dread and apprehension because of the above connotations.

I believe that the real reasons which motivated Thornberry to take and tweet the '3 flag picture', was that completely by chance, in that one shot is encapsulated the raw truth behind the changing political climate in this country - that the traditional grass roots Labour and Tory supporters feel betrayed by the main parties persistent failure to address the very real problem of our unfettered and insane immigration policies. Hence, the rise of UKIP.

I think that, the terrace house (council owned or otherwise) is representative of the long perceived abode of traditional Labour voters, and that the 'white van' is indicative that the occupant of the terrace house is not only a 'worker' but also to some degree, 'entrepreneurial' - probably self employed - therefore unlikely to be far left in his politics.

I find it difficult to accept the occupant, Mr Ware's, statement that "the flags had been up since the world cup" - do people leave exterior Christmas decorations festooned over their houses all year long once Christmas has passed? Do people leave 'Vote XXX' posters in their windows and still pasted to their exterior house walls once the particular 'By Election' or 'General Election' is over?

I think that the flags were draped there for the very reason Thornberry thought, but whether they were or not, the shot was highly relevant in the context in which she used it.

I know that after being admonished by her boss, Thornberry has changed her stance and tried to limit the damage her tweet has done, but Miliband is more concerned with winning the General Election at all costs to let standing up for one of his Front Bencher's who was only telling the truth, get in the way of that.

I, for one, do not believe 'snobbery' or 'contempt for working class people' (a misnomer if ever there was one - we are all working class no matter what job or salary level) were in her mind at all when she came across this subject, took a photo of it and tweeted it. If 'a picture paints a thousand words', then this one is a 'tome' on the 'status quo' of politics at grass roots level and Miliband knows this. If he doesn't then he should 'read it'.

Just for the record, I am not a Labour voter.

[kirklancaster]

http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01296/EdMiliband_01_1296450a.jpghttp://i.ytimg.com/vi/neFLy9UtYDQ/hqdefault.jpghttp://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01121/Ed_Miliband_1121455a.JPG

Oh Yeah - right. Ed the 'commoner' reads the 'Sun', which is how he came to graduate from Oxford university and the London School of Economics.

With apologies to Oscar Wilde I see it as; "The desperate un-electable in vain pursuit of the votes of the politically 'un-swayable'.

Pathetic.

[kirklancaster]

She is a stupid MP
as that bloke did not even vote.

And that Home is
his family home
what the feck is a Labour MP
doing posting that.

That bloke says he doesn't vote Arista, like he says the three flags have been draped there since the world cup.

Looking at him I believe him.

[arista]

That bloke says he doesn't vote Arista, like he says the three flags have been draped there since the world cup.

Looking at him I believe him.




Yes so this Snob Labour Thornberry
woman Sneers at the Working Man
who now will never vote Labour

[Kizzy]

Do they support West ham in Rochester?

[Shaun]

I'm not entirely sure how her tweet is sneering :unsure: but then I don't really see the point of the tweet at all so I suppose it may have been.

[JoshBB]

He does very much fall into a certain stereotype tbf, quite amusing

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/20/2357987E00000578-2842783-image-3_1416523330650.jpg

Yes, fits the stereotype of a racist tbh.

Honestly though all she said was "Image from #Rochester", she didn't even comment on it.

[Kizzy]

He looks more like your Essex 'bish bash bosh' UKIP supporter to me :laugh:

[Shaun]

what a lovely gilet

[Northern Monkey]

A truly blonde moment from her.I don't believe she was being malicious but it was a very stupid thing for a politician to do.She obviously did'nt think in the whole excitement of the occasion.It looks as if she's implying that people in Rochester are all super nationalistic far right supporters,Hence why UKIP were pretty much guaranteed to win the by election.Political suicide on her part.Not only that but it was a serious case of stereotyping on her part as the guy does'nt even vote.

[arista]

I'm not entirely sure how her tweet is sneering :unsure: but then I don't really see the point of the tweet at all so I suppose it may have been.



Because its on the night of the By Election.


Even Good Labour MP's have
said she should not Sneer.



The PM
pointed out how close she is to ED's circle
and it shows us just how the Labour Party
view Hard Working British People.

[arista]

A truly blonde moment from her.I don't believe she was being malicious but it was a very stupid thing for a politician to do.She obviously did'nt think in the whole excitement of the occasion.It looks as if she's implying that people in Rochester are all super nationalistic far right supporters,Hence why UKIP were pretty much guaranteed to win the by election.Political suicide on her part.Not only that but it was a serious case of stereotyping on her part as the guy does'nt even vote.


Thats so important


Flags were for Football
Not Politics


Dumb Labour SNOB

[the truth]

she barely said anything at all...this si the biggest over reaction in modern british politics. there is zero reason for her to resign

[kirklancaster]

she barely said anything at all...this si the biggest over reaction in modern british politics. there is zero reason for her to resign

:clap1::clap1::clap1:

[kirklancaster]

Thats so important


Flags were for Football
Not Politics

Dumb Labour SNOB

If you accept what he says Arista. However, one St George Flag hanging out is one feather - three flags hanging out is three feathers, and the appearance of the guy is a whole bundle of feathers, a beak and a pair of webbed feet.

And if it looks like a duck.......

[arista]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/21/235E72AE00000578-2842783-image-22_1416573907658.jpg
The Van driver outside the Labour Snob home

[joeysteele]

I think one perfectly good reason for her to have had to resign is the fact she chose,without any discussion with the occupier, to photograph and then tweet his home on the internet.

I would be livid if someone tweeted my home at present without my permission, no matter who they were.

She is not a new politician, she is a well experienced one and no matter what she thought of the flags or the house or the likely occupant/s, she had no right at all to tweet his home.

Ed Miliband was 100% correct to step in,totally justified to be furious at someone who should have known much better and finally to be happy she resigned from his front bench.
I really have no sympathy at all for her, in fact if someone was taking a photo of the house I live in at present, I would challenge them as to why they were doing so.

[Kizzy]

A truly blonde moment from her.I don't believe she was being malicious but it was a very stupid thing for a politician to do.She obviously did'nt think in the whole excitement of the occasion.It looks as if she's implying that people in Rochester are all super nationalistic far right supporters,Hence why UKIP were pretty much guaranteed to win the by election.Political suicide on her part.Not only that but it was a serious case of stereotyping on her part as the guy does'nt even vote.

Stereotyping is wrong :hehe:

[Northern Monkey]

Stereotyping is wrong :hehe:

Lol.I know but i'm not an MP:hehe:

[arista]

http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/11/21/351414/default/v2/dm-22nov-1-720x960.jpg

http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/11/21/351415/default/v2/indie-1-720x960.jpg

http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/11/21/351421/default/v1/guardian-1-720x960.jpg

[kirklancaster]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/21/235E72AE00000578-2842783-image-22_1416573907658.jpg
The Van driver outside the Labour Snob home

Are those 'Rosary Beads' around his neck, or the Egyptian Ankh?

[arista]

Are those 'Rosary Beads' around his neck, or the Egyptian Ankh?


Looks like

[MTVN]

Steve Richards' is a good piece on it:

Thornberry broke one of the golden rules of politics. While voters can be rude to politicians, politicians can never be rude to voters. But Thornberry is not an insulated freak in regarding an ostentatious display of St George’s flags as depressing or alarming rather than inspiring. Far-right groups parade the flag on their marches as if it belonged to them. However innocent the patriotic motives of most who display it, the flag has come to symbolise something more. We all know this but Thornberry is freakish in that, as a politician, she is not allowed to express such negativity, even in the form of a photo on Twitter.

...

Reading the polls, focus groups and the rest, leaders in the Westminster bubble are so in touch with the level of discontent that they try too hard to please, appearing to accept the premise that both Europe and immigration are the source of all the UK’s problems when they know this is not true.

For some of the angriest voters or non-voters there is no reciprocal arrangement. They do not try to please the politicians by reflecting on the dilemmas and challenges faced by flawed leaders. It spoils the fun of feeling angry and betrayed. They are the great patriotic ones. White Van Dan even wears the shirt of the England football team as he knocks on Thornberry’s door, a sign of stoic patriotism.

White Van Dan is a victim, but of a newspaper seeking to use him to torment elected politicians. Evidently he and other voters do feel disconnected, not surprisingly when they face the nerve-racking consequences of the financial crisis, economic insecurities, housing shortages and still fragile public services. The loathed politicians agonise and differ over what to do about these big issues, but few notice. Thornberry has gone for taking a photo. White Van Dan is a celebrity. The main party leaders feel gloomy about being loathed and yet are perceived as arrogant and indifferent. Welcome to the mad world of British politics in a dangerous state of flux.

Full article: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/hysteria-vilification-a-spurious-victim-welcome-to-the-age-of-antipolitics-9876887.html

[kirklancaster]

Steve Richards' is a good piece on it:

Yes MTVN, it more or less echoes my own views.

[Livia]

Emily Thornberry is an horrendous snob and the worst kind of champagne socialist. Good riddance, and shame on her for adding more fuel to the UKIP fire in proclaiming themselves the Party of the Working Class.

[Niall]

Not being funny but this is insanely over sensitive. I'm sure a good 70% of this country would roll their eyes if someone else draped flags around their house like that in a similar fashion. Obviously it's all to do with the pragmatics of what she wrote but still, it's chavvy and tacky..

[joeysteele]

Emily Thornberry is an horrendous snob and the worst kind of champagne socialist. Good riddance, and shame on her for adding more fuel to the UKIP fire in proclaiming themselves the Party of the Working Class.

You and I disagree on who we want to see win the next election,however I always respect your views even when they are at massive odds with mine.

I do however have to agree with just about all you said in your post above and I as a Labour supporter was absolutely furious,really angry, as to her too for this.
As I said, what on earth was she thinking, photographing someone elses home without their permission and then tweeting it across the internet.
Some well established MPs seem to have some sort of a death wish about them at the minute politically.

All they have to do is think before they speak, really give deep thought to anything before they act and do a bit more listening than talking.
Why on earth should that be so hard for them to take on board.

[Kizzy]

To be fair to her 3/4 of the commons would be considered snobs, and most of the cabinet have a considerable property and investment portfolio... Labour have been and are the party for the working class that's not to say they can't invest wisely.
That said I abhor this kind of attitude, it smacks of the 'haven't I done well' scoffers who laugh up their sleeve at anyone who they deem to be of a lower social standing. This story is shocking in that you expect it from the conservatives, but when it's a Labour MP it hurts that bit more.
Fair play to Ed instead of excusing this and brushing off the incident he got rid, I for one think it shows he has the principles of the Labour party at heart here.

[arista]

To be fair to her 3/4 of the commons would be considered snobs, and most of the cabinet have a considerable property and investment portfolio... Labour have been and are the party for the working class that's not to say they can't invest wisely.
That said I abhor this kind of attitude, it smacks of the 'haven't I done well' scoffers who laugh up their sleeve at anyone who they deem to be of a lower social standing. This story is hocking in that you expect it from the conservatives, but when it's a Labour MP it hurts that bit more.
Fair play to Ed instead of excusing this and brushing off the incident he got rid, I for one think it shows he has the principles of the Labour party at heart here.


I think Blair took that away.




UKIP now picks up many Working Class
voters.

[kirklancaster]

I think Blair took that away.

UKIP now picks up many Working Class
voters.

Exactly Arista - which is the very point I was making in my earlier post and - I believe - the real reason Thornberry took this photo -- because it encompasses all the factors which say: "Look you main party political fecks -- this is the reality of grass roots voters in Britain, This is what we're up against".

I am not excusing the woman - I don't even vote Labour - merely examining the reasons why she may have done what she did.

As for 'snobbery' or 'looking down on the working classes' - Thornberry may well be a snob, but I don't believe this came into it. It's a photo which merely, but comprehensively portrays the truth.

I don't know about other people's experiences on here, but in my experience, council estates and areas which are predominantly lower value terrace houses - once the bastions of labour voters - are now increasingly festooned with St George flags hanging from their windows, and adorned with 'Vote UKIP' or even 'Vote BNP' posters in those windows, and the main political parties almost treasonous inability to deal with our insane immigration policies is the sole reason for it.

This is the reality of the changing face of British politics and it does not need Thornberry's controversial photo to confirm it - even if it does.

[Kizzy]

Well it looks like it's been put back, UKIP pick up the ignorant and the arrogant.

[kirklancaster]

Not being funny but this is insanely over sensitive. I'm sure a good 70% of this country would roll their eyes if someone else draped flags around their house like that in a similar fashion. Obviously it's all to do with the pragmatics of what she wrote but still, it's chavvy and tacky..

Yes Niall - you are 100% correct. Insanely 'over-sensitive' is what this is. But as for 'chavvy and tacky' - like UKIP and the Flags of St George - 'chavvy and tacky' is exactly where society is continuously descending to.

[Kizzy]

Not every council estate in the UK is a replica of shameless chatsworth you know....

[joeysteele]

To be fair to her 3/4 of the commons would be considered snobs, and most of the cabinet have a considerable property and investment portfolio... Labour have been and are the party for the working class that's not to say they can't invest wisely.
That said I abhor this kind of attitude, it smacks of the 'haven't I done well' scoffers who laugh up their sleeve at anyone who they deem to be of a lower social standing. This story is shocking in that you expect it from the conservatives, but when it's a Labour MP it hurts that bit more.
Fair play to Ed instead of excusing this and brushing off the incident he got rid, I for one think it shows he has the principles of the Labour party at heart here.

Fair play to him indeed,as you say no excusing, no saying he will stand by her,no time wasting.
I commend him for that leadership quality of dealing with this issue so rapidly.

Every speech he has made has been reaching out to the harder driven working classes and those who are the most vulnerable of workers and the unemployed.
I was really impressed with his no apologies and no nonsense approach once this problem arose with Emily Thornberry.

No wonder he was furious, I was too at her, and I am glad he dealt with it the way he did.
A far cry for the present PM,who allows things to rumble on, swearing total support for the MP then having to let them go much later.

[kirklancaster]

Not every council estate in the UK is a replica of shameless chatsworth you know....

I realise that Kizzy, but a lot of them are. And don't get me wrong, I have seen the same flags and posters supporting UKIP and the BNP in some windows of detached houses in the £300,00 upwards value bracket, though not as prevalent.

I believe though - that if the two main parties do not seriously address the issue of immigration with real purpose, then such sights will not only become more prevalent but also the realities behind this prevalence, will increasingly manifest themselves at the ballot box.

Immigration policies dictated by 'Political Correctness' are creating the very phenomena which the brainless architects of such policies are trying so 'civilly' to avoid - Racism. What's more, it is increasingly, indigenous British people - of all classes - who have never been 'racist' who are becoming racist because of such policies.

[Niall]

Yes Niall - you are 100% correct. Insanely 'over-sensitive' is what this is. But as for 'chavvy and tacky' - like UKIP and the Flags of St George - 'chavvy and tacky' is exactly where society is continuously descending to.

It's a shame really that people are so easily stirred by the largely right wing media spinning this into some awful fiasco. I wish the people that are stirred by this and/or vote UKIP both understand that they're just playing into the hands of arch-capitalist plutocrats, and that supporting them will not make Britain great as they so badly desire.

This country so often votes stupidly, and it frustrates the hell out of me. Say what you will about me labelling the majority of this country stupid but a vote for the Tories or UKIP is nothing else in my books.

[arista]

http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/5/30/312671/default/v1/brown-duffy-1-762x428.jpg
New Labours view on migrants
calling a English lady a Biggot

[Crimson Dynamo]

It's a shame really that people are so easily stirred by the largely right wing media spinning this into some awful fiasco. I wish the people that are stirred by this and/or vote UKIP both understand that they're just playing into the hands of arch-capitalist plutocrats, and that supporting them will not make Britain great as they so badly desire.

This country so often votes stupidly, and it frustrates the hell out of me. Say what you will about me labelling the majority of this country stupid but a vote for the Tories or UKIP is nothing else in my books.

who would you advocate voting for?

labour?

:umm2:

[Niall]

who would you advocate voting for?

labour?

:umm2:

Christ no. :umm2:

Personally I'd say the Greens. They have the most sensible set of policies of any of the parties. :idc: