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[tsubaki]

I was. But Thatcher died of natural causes - a different set of circumstances to being violently attacked in one's place of work.

People still celebrated it though; indeed people celebrated the Brighton bombing. It’s very morally questionable but to say it’s only happened since Rayner said what she did is well wide of the mark.

 

[Paris]

No, you've missed my point.

I'm simply saying that people like @Paris have been emboldened by Rayner to make the type of comments they have today in response to the murder of a Tory MP. My comments were not about the person who allegedly committed the murder, nor their possible motivations.

 

[LostLegend]

Nasty business all around, really.

I won't pretend he was anything other than a pretty awful human being, but you can't justify the killing of a politician in a democratic country (as much as we can stretch that term at times) not to mention the impact on the man’s family.

Now the media is saying it’s a suspected act of ‘Islamic terror’
Speaking to a Muslim colleague of mine in work this morning, they know that this ultimately means another stick to beat them with, further ammo for the rising nationalism we’ve seen in this country over the past few years, and of course the fear of reprisals.

Just have to hope that this guy was a crazy line wolf and not part of some wider network.

 

[mill]

A complimentary k'off wouldn't go amiss though.

An MP, an integral part of our democracy, has been murdered. A murder in any form is heinous and should be condemned for what it is.

If it's because of his position, regardless of his political allegiance*, it must be condemned. Anyone advocating or supporting his murder is a bellend!

It's an attack on our political system!

*With some very few exceptions

This.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

Neither of the people you quoted were talking about the suspect's alleged actions. Both were expressly referring to the comments made on this forum, in exceptionally poor taste, by some posters attempting to justify the murder of the victim because they disagreed with his politics.

If you think this is new phenomenon not sure where you have been living. Only worse because you are most likely sat in safe place somewhere and suddenly confronted with thought processes that are ugly. They have always been there just the internet puts it right into yours eyes and ears. People need to filter more and learn not to engage, as others are only to happy to share their chippy shoulder. Must say it's pretty uncomfortable seeing this poor man's voting record brought up at such a time does not matter which spectrum of politics people are in Westminster. Now was not the time to be partisan no matter alliegnce all it does is wink to the suspect mindset.

 

[Willie Thorne]

Amess was the politician taken for a ride on the Brass Eye episode on drugs. Belting series.

 

[Leylo]

Eh?

Sorry got the wrong end of the stick lol

 

[evilwebby]

Honestly, it’s hard to imagine if any good can come out of such a tragic situation, but if it somehow reminds us that we are all living, breathing humans with dreams and ideals of our own - no matter what your politics or walk of life that you come from, and helps reign in the gladiatorial form of modern political debate in this country - then for me that will be a silver lining.

And I would absolutely say the same if it had been an MP from any party. They are all there because at some level they believe public service.

 

[Charlie Sweet]

I think the issue here is separating a person's politics from the man underneath (in this instance).

Am I upset that a rabid right wing Tory that did little or nothing but sponge on a high public wage for almost 40 years has died? Absolutely not.

Am I sickened that a father of five was violently murdered in his workplace whilst purportedly helping his local community - 100%. And a reaction has to be greater security protection for all politicians and the maximum sentence possible for the attacker in this incident (and almost a new crime on the books for attacks on public figures).

It's okay in my book to hold both views at the same time.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

Honestly, it’s hard to imagine if any good can come out of such a tragic situation, but if it somehow reminds us that we are all living, breathing humans with dreams and ideals of our own - no matter what your politics or walk of life that you come from, and helps reign in the gladiatorial form of modern political debate in this country - then for me that will be a silver lining.

And I would absolutely say the same if it had been an MP from any party. They are all there because at some level they believe public service.

Have been reading Laurence Fox and his ilk are responding "gnashing teeth" and Farage yet to expel his thoughts onto the weak willed, no doubt echoed here very soon.

I think the issue here is separating a person's politics from the man underneath (in this instance).

Am I upset that a rabid right wing Tory that did little or nothing but sponge on a high public wage for almost 40 years has died? Absolutely not.

Am I sickened that a father of five was violently murdered in his workplace whilst purportedly helping his local community - 100%. And a reaction has to be greater security protection for all politicians and the maximum sentence possible for the attacker in this incident (and almost a new crime on the books for attacks on public figures).

It's okay in my book to hold both views at the same time.

Unfortunately this was always going to happen as security is tightened up in high profile areas due to similar incidents, these terrorist people will look to softer targets. IRA and ring of steel round London is a good example how terrorism was unintentionally pushed onto softer targets. Any lessons learnt...

 

[evilwebby]

I think what would be sad is if the weekly surgery for MPs is suddenly ramped up in security. I understand if personally some would want that, but if it engenders that sort of blanket approach then the terrorists have won.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

I think what would be sad is if the weekly surgery for MPs is suddenly ramped up in security. I understand if personally some would want that, but if it engenders that sort of blanket approach then the terrorists have won.

Yeah my former MP used to have a mobile van that used to go all over the area as it’s very rural. A very easy MP to get a meeting with.
Not only would it be sad but it would be incredibly bad for democracy and political accountability if the public were no longer able to speak to their MPs with such ease.

 

[evilwebby]

I think the issue here is separating a person's politics from the man underneath (in this instance).

Am I upset that a rabid right wing Tory that did little or nothing but sponge on a high public wage for almost 40 years has died? Absolutely not.

Am I sickened that a father of five was violently murdered in his workplace whilst purportedly helping his local community - 100%. And a reaction has to be greater security protection for all politicians and the maximum sentence possible for the attacker in this incident (and almost a new crime on the books for attacks on public figures).

It's okay in my book to hold both views at the same time.

Was he any less deserving of his wage than any other MP? If you are separating the politics from the man then you should primarily consider if he served his constituents well. I don’t really know the answer to that as it’s somewhat subjective, but just being a rabid right wing Tory doesn’t mean he wasn’t a good public servant.

 

[TommyDavo]

Was he any less deserving of his wage than any other MP? If you are separating the politics from the man then you should primarily consider if he served his constituents well. I don’t really know the answer to that as it’s somewhat subjective, but just being a rabid right wing Tory doesn’t mean he wasn’t a good public servant.

My guess is that if he has been in office for 40 years, then many people believed in him, agreed with his views and were very content with what he did in his workplace.

 

[tsubaki]

My guess is that if he has been in office for 40 years, then many people believed in him, agreed with his views and were very content with what he did in his workplace.

Sadly the quality of an MP (in terms of their service to all their constituents, the amount of work they put in and what sort of human being they are) is a long way behind what party they represent in terms of that. There are some absolute horrors who have had long careers in the Commons as well as thoroughly decent MPs lost because of what their party did / was perceived to have done.

It shouldn't be like that, but it is.