WTF is happening in the UK?

[Woody]

Oh! Do I mention that there is no sign that Auntie Beeb is covering this story - that nice Tory BoJo put in as DG.........................?

Don’t tell me that someone is complaining about the right wing bias of the BBC

[Boac]

No - just Bojo. I do not bother to differentiate on any 'political bias', they are just crap at news presentation (good at lots of tinkly music, though...). There is a difference between political bias and 'croneyism', don't you know?

[Pontius Navigator]

The commission’s report also includes research which is said to show that the term “ethnic minority” is more popular with people from ethnic minorities than BAME or “people of colour”.

So, working in a cafe in London I would guess and white Englishman could claim ethnic minority status.

[CharlieOneSix]

BBC News:

The UK "no longer" has a system rigged against people from ethnic minorities, a review set up by No 10 says.

In response Dr Halima Begum, chief executive of the Runnymede Trust, a race equality think tank, said:

All this is is a whitewash and a script that has been written to 10 Downing Street.

Please Sir, can she say "whitewash" - isn't that racist?

[Pontius Navigator]

Having read about the report, I tend to agree with it. There are people we don't like and we know we are not liked by others. That's life. Some dislike is instinctive. He sounds to posh, he sounds to rough, he's a fat slob, he is a teatotaller.
Then we might know them better, and still dislike them.
Or we might really get on well with them. On a cruise, at one table we met this most objectionable bloke; thought he thought we were snobs. On another table was a lorry driver; not a companion we would have chosen but he was a delightful man and best of company.

Another time our companion 'onion man' so nicknamed because he hated onions. He was an ex-Warrant officer; ah, a point of common interest. No dice. Then he said he was a Contract Manager for Serco. Ah, another common interest, my best friend worked for them and they provided my services. That was the end. We were frozen out.

I think Begum et al have to call it a whitewash as their raison d'etre is being questioned. Even Trevor Phillips was accused of being an Uncle Tom.

Basically they want racism. Lawyers need racism. Like Windrush, asylum seekers, PPI claims, personal injury claims, Mercedes Dieselgate, they need conflict.

[Boac]

Apparently, the term 'BAME'

"potentially masks the lived experiences of individual groups."

Any translations into English available?

I am little concerned since I have a vertically-challenged friend who is always known as 'short-arse'. I fear that Britain may be becoming institutionally heightist. We should have an enquiry and not 'mask the lived experiences of short-arses'.

[Pontius Navigator]

BOAC, thank you for broadening the discussion. We have Taff, Paddy, Mick, Jock, we used to call some Yarpies, then there were Kiwis, Digger, then occasionally Tex.
Also then the generic Dusty, Chalky, Sunny and Dinger.
Also as you say Shorty and Lofty and often applied in reverse.
Are these terms now deemed offensive too?

[Boac]

As I said, we need a Public Enquiry

[Pontius Navigator]

And to the above:
Rodney
Wuppert
and Plonker

[ian16th]

An all them 'Smudge's'.

[Boac]

You didn't mention 'Sceptics'?

Whoever replaces this BoJo 'advisor' (Dom, perchance..) wot has quit today will be busy.

[Pontius Navigator]

That is really a whole group as is spams. Of the names, we had Digger Booth, Kiwi Hunter. Dinger Bell, Chalky White, Jock Lamont, Taff Trayler, or our AEO Paddy Roach etc

The one I can't think of is for Canada.

[k3k3]

Moose?

[Rossian]

"Jock Lamont, Taff Trayler, or our AEO Paddy Roach et"
Were all at Topcliffe with me at the same time but on different courses. JL was at Aberdeen Uni with me too, How did I survive?

The Ancient Mariner

[Pontius Navigator]

As related earlier, Colin ran the pub in Nairn. When did he become Jock, Topcliffe?

Saw Paddy about 12 years ago and Maureen too but heard he died, aged 90, a few years back. His lungs were obviously so well smoked that cancer could not infect him.

[Rossian]

PN It may have been at Aberdeen Uni where he used to thrash me regularly at snooker and billiards in the students union.

The Ancient Mariner

[Boac]

I see Sir Alan Duncan has published extracts from his new book in the Wail - presumably because it is the only paper where its readers will be surprised at his comments?

I particularly like

"He castigates Mr Johnson for his ‘blatant self-serving ambition’ and says he knew none of the details on Brexit.

The Prime Minister had a ‘self-deluding mock-romantic passion. He is a clown … an embarrassing buffoon … an international stain on our reputation … ill-disciplined, shambolic, shameless clot… (an) egotistical showman’."

Presumably that's why Duncan supported him?

[FD2]

'Woke' pongos may need safe spaces if they hear these trigger words.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... fence.html

'Don't call each other lads': Soldiers are told to be more inclusive and avoid using words such as 'mankind' and 'sportsmanship' over fears they could cause offence

I thought April Fool's Day had been and gone.

[FD2]

Boac - Duncan is right about BoJo but somehow managed to overcome his distaste, for the sake of 'party unity'.

[Pontius Navigator]

Oh dear, I suppose, 'you hairy lot', 'show a leg', 'get yr hand off Yr....' all banned too.

Shows how progressive I was 30 years ago when I banned pinups that could be seen by anyone walking passed an office.