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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 4h

Zack Polanski:

Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 5h

Well I'm not planning to vote Green, my argument is just that in general centre left parties need a more convincing message than "It's us or the Tories/Reform". Most people don't vote like a guardian tactical voting guide

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 7h

And to go back to David's post, I think it's a deep analysis that he's lacking. Which may work well for him given he's aiming for populism and is leading a third party. But I think to praise it as virtuous is to praise the dumbing down of our politics and politicians

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 7h

Absolutely. I don't think politics is about finding the correct label and building yourself around it. But I think this comment along with some of his others (saying Farage is "cosplaying as working class" demonstrates a superficiality in how he approaches subjects.

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 7h

I think having some sort of intellectual grounding for your worldview is essential for any politician though. Polanski's point of view remains clear only as long as the conversation stays within the strict bounds of clippable broadcast interviews, take him out of that he is very unconvincing...

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 8h

I don't think this will convince literally any person currently planning to vote Green to vote Labour though

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 8h

I don't actually think he is. He just gets less scrutiny as leader of the Greens than Corbyn did as LOTO. He is currently trying to lobby Laura K to appear on her programme, Corbyn could have any time he liked

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 8h

And it probably wouldn't bother me so much if it weren't for the other stuff but imo if you're going to call for the UK to leave NATO, you should at least name the correct Article you're claiming Trump wouldn't invoke (he said 3, it's ofc 5)

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 8h

Especially evident when he is asked a question about the far right. Him saying Farage is "cosplaying as working class" was bad enough, but saying that "racism comes from poverty" is insane

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Reposted by Ciaran

David Klemperer @dmk1793.bsky.social · 8h

Something I find striking about Zach Polanski is how - unlike the vast majority of those who played a key role in Corbynism - his politics are so clearly not rooted in any kind of deeper analysis or intellectual tradition. It's all just a surface-level synthesis of 2010s left-wing slogans and memes.

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 9h

It's also very difficult to square the view that the two child cap is cruel but the government should ensure less disabled people can drive. Welfare is already very hard to apply for, incredibly difficult to get, and next to impossible to keep - there's no "fat" to cut anywhere

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 9h

Attitudes like this are simply an acceptable form of conspiracism. Every study has found the rate of fraudulent claims close to 0. But these journalists don't believe the facts because they ensconce themselves in the views of think tanks, economists, basically everyone except disability claimants

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 9h

While the general idea that welfare spending isn't a cause for panic is true, the author assumes disability claims rising faster than other countries *must* be as a result of a problem with the system itself, and not say: NHS waiting lists, demographics, or even bad luck

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Ciaran @ciaranmcgurdy.bsky.social · 12h

"Austerity damaged the UK economy...which will be addressed in the upcoming budget with tax rises and spending cuts"

Chancellor Rachel Reeves admits tax rises and spending cuts considered for budget

Speaking exclusively to Sky's deputy political editor Sam Coates, Rachel Reeves says Brexit, austerity, and the Liz Truss mini-budget have all played a role in damaging Britain's economy - as she prep...

news.sky.com

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