Good news, peeps! John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight is coming back this weekend! The show has been on hiatus since last November. He only had to do one show in the wake of Donald Trump’s electoral victory, so… I’m looking forward to the new shows. To promote the new season, Oliver has done a slew of new interviews, even speaking to outlets like the New York Times and Politico. He also covers the new issue of Rolling Stone, and I’m just going to excerpt from the RS interview here, because it’s really long and detailed and John can talk and talk (bless him). You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
His “F–k 2016” segment: “We’d already planned the demolition, because it had already been a really bad year in many ways. It had been a f–king awful election campaign, humanity at its worst. And Prince died, and everything else. It was supposed to be a separate story after whatever we did at the top of the show, but it turned out to have direct connective tissue, so we did one story for 30 minutes, and then blew it up and walked away….We did the actual explosion the day after the election. I was so dead inside emotionally that I didn’t flinch – because I didn’t really care [laughs]. “Hmm, maybe a piece of something smashes into me and kills me. Would that be the worst thing?” I mean, he’d been elected less than 12 hours ago, so you’d think, “Yeah, I’d like to blow something up and see if I feel anything.” So it wasn’t bravado, it was total nihilism.
He was really upset about Brexit: “Yeah. I was furious. So I was not that surprised. At the moment when those first election returns came in, it was like muscle memory of watching the Brexit results all night thinking, “I know how this story ends. I think I know where we end up.”
Xenophobia in small-town Britain: “That’s why calling a referendum was such a myopic decision. That was an incredibly reckless, arrogant, self-serving move, to call a referendum and then not to energetically campaign to find a way to avoid what you’ve just set in motion. Not to have any sense of the depth of either xenophobia or resentment for European bureaucracy. It was a terrible idea from the get-go, as is proved by the fact that [David Cameron] is not prime minister anymore… I had my producers and researchers trying to find any argument to the contrary, to work against my prejudice of going into this thinking, “This is a terrible f–king idea.” And the researchers – who are incredibly nuanced in their thinking; very rarely does anything come back in black and white from them – returned saying, “There’s really nothing there. This is jumping off a cliff blind.” It was clear it would be a catastrophic decision for Britain and anyone in its immediate vicinity. To have that knowledge, and then to watch six hours of electoral returns come in through the night, just watching your country set fire to itself – it was pretty bad.”
On Kellyanne Conway’s “alternative facts”: “It’s just a framing device, an ear-catching phrase, but it’s nothing new. The content of what she’s wrapping a bow on is something that everyone has been bearing witness to. We’ve had 18 months of feelings over facts. The only thing that’s remotely new about it is the location that it’s coming from.
Whether news shows should interview Conway: “In general, it’s very dangerous to keep the old campaign architecture around with this presidency, to have an eight-person panel on CNN debating whether or not he said something. “Did he or did he not do this thing we watched him do?” There’s actually serious harm in that discussion. And, yeah. I really don’t see the point of talking to Kellyanne Conway because her language jujitsu is so strong. You know she can look you in the eyes and tell you the opposite of what you just saw happen, and she will be more confident in her answer than you are in your question.
He’s not a citizen, he’s here on a green card: “Again, normally, you would think, “I’m probably not going to get deported, presidents have big jobs, they’re not that petty.”…So, believe me, that is something that is wrapped around my head…It’s amazing, yeah, and, again, normally you could curtail the paranoid part of your brain with logic. And you can’t do that with the same ferocity because that logical part of your brain now tells you the chance is nonzero.”
There’s a ton of other stuff, about becoming a father and his wife’s difficult pregnancy and how he’s too British to consider early retirement and a lot more. He sounds like he doesn’t want to even talk about Emperor Baby Fists on his show, but he knows he has to, so that’s what he’s going to do, at least partially. This is one of the ways that Oliver seems to be lacking, versus someone like Jon Stewart in the heyday of The Daily Show: Jon Stewart appreciated the nuances of the daily news cycle, and as much as he served as a critics of our political system, he also served as one of the greatest media critics around. John Oliver doesn’t really do that. Again, his show is weekly, not daily, and that’s not really the format. But still, I would love to see him devote a long-form segment to media criticism in the age of Baby Fists.
Cover courtesy of Rolling Stone, additional photos by Getty.
I’m bloody furious at my MP, who after weeks of being lobbied, basically stood up and said ‘Brexit is going to be a catastrophe, I don’t believe in it, and I’m going to vote to trigger Article 50 anyway’. Setting yourself on fire is an accurate description.
I’m bloody furious at my MP, who after weeks of being lobbied, basically stood up and said ‘Brexit is going to be a catastrophe, I don’t believe in it, and I’m going to vote to trigger Article 50 anyway’.
About 90 percent of the MPs said that, and did that same thing. I was so mad, I was spitting feathers
“Spitting feathers”–interesting. What’s the origin of that? Here in the US, there’s “spitting nails” (I say it sometimes).
Mine also, my MPs name wasn’t on those who voted against, though my former mp was. I’ll email and thank her. Both constituencies are in pro Remain areas.
I was also going to contact Owen Smith and Ken Clarke to thank both of them for standing up for their beliefs. Smith’s constituency was majority leave so he voted against his constituents in what he thought were their best interests.
@ TuxCat – Originally, “spitting feathers” meant having a dry mouth: “my mouth is so dry, I’m spitting feathers. Be a dear and make a cuppa.” (The US version might be “mouth full of cotton” or something like that?) It seems to have merged with the US phrase “spitting nails” and is now far more likely to mean “angry”.
For the spitting nails thing specifically, in the UK we say spitting tacks.
I wrote to my MP to remind him that the majority of his constituents voted Remain. He sent a long and patronising reply saying he was going to vote in favour of the bill anyway, but would make sure we got concessions to give MPs a say on the final format of the Brexit. Yeah, good job there. We’re all about to be fucked hard Brexit-style.
Pem, maybe you should respond that he won’t be getting your vote in the next election.
It’s like the govt and Parliament have gone Brexit mad, those 17 million a big chunk of them over 50 voted away the rights and opportunities of the next generation based on ignorance. And it was also viewed as a protest ?!
Becky – the age thing is too rarely mentioned in my view. And there is great ill feeling about it among the young. Even my own kids, who are still tweens.
I was about to make a donation to a local social care charity recently, as they are fundraising to buy another adapted vehicle so that they can do more community transport runs for the elderly and isolated. Sixlet Minor said he thought the old people should look after themselves since austerity hasn’t touched them and they all voted for Brexit. “They won’t look after me. Why should I look after them? We should give that money to refugees instead.”
I’ve never heard him say anything callous like that before. And we had a conversation about it, so I think it’s all okay now. But y’know. He wasn’t entirely wrong, was he?
Sixer, he isn’t wrong though is he? The vote may have caused real resentment among under 30’s and older and the cost of the aging population hasn’t hit yet.
Hmm. Not sure I’d class what Sixlet Minor said as callous – he’s obviously a thoughtful lad & I think he & his contemporaries have every right to be livid at the oldies who (mostly) voted to leave. My thoroughly unpleasant, narcissist mother & her ancient cohorts all voted out. I heard of a few grandparents who voted the way their grandchildren asked them to – sadly they seem to have been the minority.
My mother’s mind was made up when Barack said the UK should in – she still bitches on about that today: “him telling us what to do – he should mind his own business”. She’s a remalrkably unpleasant person.
Sixer –
It isn’t just Britain – that’s a very common sentiment here in the States. A LOT of Millennials are legitimately angry with the older generation, and the voting polls for the 2016 election pretty much fell right along age lines. It’s not uncommon to hear people joke about how much better the world will be after they’re gone. A lot of us born in the 80s and 90s grew up with a narrative that if you did everything the “right” way (went to college, got a job, paid your taxes, etc.), you would be set for life. Only that’s not what happened, and instead we graduated into one of the worst economies in decades with several times the amount of college debt, stagnating incomes, and poor healthcare – while still being asked to foot the bill for an elderly generation that consistently voted against our interests. The kids who came after us knew better by the time they reached adulthood, but we’re still pretty bitter about it.
We have a conversation every month where we suggest the best place to put donation money (we give a percentage of what’s left after outgoings and then save the rest). My way of educating them that life isn’t all about yourself, you know? So when I say callous, I mean it’s the first time I’ve heard one of my kids say that we SHOULDN’T give to someone/thing, rather than have an idea of someone/thing we SHOULD give to. It was um… how to put it? Unsettling to hear.
I spoke to him about universality and that I think all people should have the right to dignity in old age and yes, that even includes the old people who think things I don’t like. Hopefully, he took it on board.
Happily, his only living grandparent in the UK voted Remain!
@ Sixer
I don’t think Sixlet Minor was being callous. He is right, the elderly do have the most money in the country. Maybe it’s time our govt had the guts to ask them to do more for the ‘elderly have-nots’.
I was talking to a friend this week at work – she on what I’m paid and her husband has his own horse-riding stables (or whatever they call it) business.
Because he is over 65 they get a heating allowance from the state.
This is 2 well off people FFS! It’s utterly utterly mad.
BritAfrica – I’m all for universal entitlements but I agree. Universality has to be for everyone, not just one age group. My dad has a pension bigger than the current UK average salary plus a reasonable savings portfolio and he still gets £200 towards his winter heating bill and doesn’t have to pay for a TV licence.
@Becky, it isn’t old people’s fault if the young people didn’t bother to vote, which we know, a lot of them didn’t. If they didn’t vote because they thought Remain was a dead-cert then you may need to re-think who the ignorant people are.
It is fairly insulting to call older people ignorant just because they have a different opinion to you. Unless you have canvassed every single one of them, you have no idea how they voted or why.
Or maybe we should follow the great idea in Logan’s Run and exterminate people when they reach 30 because by then their views are irrelevant??
In the US it is called Social Security, and it’s been taken out of my paychecks since I was 16. We get yearly statements. I paid in and damn well want at least a bit back.
Grumpy, I’m a Gen X so I’m not as young as you think I am. All my parents and extended family voted Remain so I’m not throwing them under the bus.
Not sure if you’re a Brit, but the figures from the referendum showed: older, lower social class, less educated were more likely to vote Leave. Those over 50 are less likely to have a degree (and those under 35 are more likely).
I agree about the disappointing turnout among young voters. Their experience of voting in elections is that their vote doesn’t matter, which is quite different with a yes/no referendum. The exclusion of 16-18 yr olds in the vote has been criticised, and expats who are still UK citizens still drawing pensions weren’t allowed to vote either which was appalling.
Details as to the voting patterns are better explained here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_the_vote_in_favour_of_Brexit
Wait, the ‘setting on fire’ part is not over yet though.
They are voting today although… I have no idea what they are voting about given that none of the amendments to the Brexit bill even passed.
This morning May clearly spat in the face of the devolved parliaments, as in it is very useful to alienate more people inside the UK…..
This morning May clearly spat in the face of the devolved parliaments, as in it is very useful to alienate more people inside the UK…..
Yeah, people I know in Northern Ireland are aggrieved, because Brexit is going to harden the border between NI and ROI. The promises of devolution aren’t worth the paper they’re written on, tbh.
But May is going straight Donald Trump, what with her cancelling the Dubs scheme for Lone Child Refugees. We should have taken 3000 but she’s cancelling it at 350. I thought David Cameron was a bad Prime Minister, but May is worse.
Dodgy, I’ve just seen this news, its disgusting.
Just seen it too. And the PMQs revelation that old people in wealthy Tory constituencies will get extra social care cash from government while old people in poor Labour constituencies can just suffer.
Lovely. I hope Sixlet Minor isn’t paying attention today.
OMG. Well, I’m watching C4 News with a racist Harry Potter. I think I might just give up entirely.
We, too, know what it is like to watch your country set itself on fire.
Ha. Yeah. No one does freak show better than us.
Right? The election of 45 was America’s moment of looking at the Brexit results and saying “Hold my beer”.
hahahahaha! So true.
I actually wonder if Brexit was Britain looking at George Dubya’s re-election in 2004 and saying, “Hold my beer”, and the election of 45 was America saying, “I’m with stupid!”
His show gets broadcast here in Britland and I appreciate it most for its forensic approach. I enjoy his monologues greatly but the show isn’t just Oliver doing humorous monologues with a liberal slant, or even Oliver sending up the powerful. The research on that show is impeccable and my favourite bits are those where they take a forensic approach to an issue or a piece of legislation or an aspect of corrupt practice and lay it all out.
No serious British political show is that forensic and I’d be willing to bet US serious political shows aren’t much better. It says something when a satirical show is the most analytical viewing available.
Also: Brexit, as a present tense rather than the past tense of referendum night, is just going from bad to worse to disastrous.
And the morons in parliament are playing right into May’s and the EU’s hand with their incompetence. Article 50 will be invoked regardless of all the willy waving of Labour and SNP members.
Oh and someone needs to tell wee Jimmy that the high court ruled that you don’t get to have a say in things – go sort out your own house before throwing stones elsewhere you idiot. She needs to sit down and stop acting like she’s some sort of big girl politician.
@Digital Unicorn (aka Betti)
I beg your pardon? Unless you’re all for Brexit, I’m not exactly sure where you’re coming from calling the only politicians with the balls to try to stop this travesty morons?
Secondly, I think you’re a bit confused about the High Court Ruling – the ruling was that the devolved parliaments don’t get a specific say, not that SNP (or any other) MPs have any less right to vote at Westminster, for heaven’s sake.
As for your random and bizarre anti-Scottishness in general…
1) *eyeroll*
2) bring on Indyref2
^ I’m Scottish and care very deeply for my country so i can slag off the devolved parliament and SNP as much as i like. I was referring to the Brexit/Article 50 vote, the one that she was told that she can’t interfere with but went ahead and had her little vote anyway.
I voted to remain and trying to stop the result from a democratic vote just because we don’t like it really isn’t upholding the values of democracy. Yes its a travesty but a slim majority voted to leave – that is democracy and we have to respect the result. All the in fighting is only going to serve to make the exit harder than its going to be – we all need to work together and Labour needs to get its act together to form a proper opposition to the gov – they are morons as they are too busy fighting amongst themselves which allows May to walk all over parliament and do what she wants. Esp also when a senior Labour front bencher is conveniently and continually absent from votes on the issue when her dear leader is making everyone else turn up and vote.
Willy waving has done me in.
Signed, a desperate American
@DigitalUnicorn
In this respect, voting remain means anything if you are not allowed to disagree anymore.
As far as ‘respecting the result’, it’s like saying to Americans they should respect everything that Trump does.
And yes, bring indyref2 as soon as possible so my husband and I can move to a safe haven.
You have no idea (I say this benevolently) how bad it is the whole Brexit debate in England. It is at the point that if people who don’t agree with it speak in public they could be easily assaulted.
It’s no joke. Anyone who speaks against it is turned to shreds. It is not a healthy debate and it will never be, unity has gone to the gutters for a couple of generations.
@SU – When i say respecting the result I refer to what i was saying about democracy – just because we don’t like the result doesn’t mean we should ignore it or rip it up. As for Trump, the American people respected the result of the election at the time but he has proved that he is unfit for office – people thought it would be bad but not this bad.
I live in London – but still care about Scottish politics and I know all about how bad it can get with discussing Brexit in England. I wouldn’t get ur hopes up about moving to an independent Scotland for a better life – as I’ve said on here before the Scottish economy is dead in the water, the SNP has done nothing to try and revive it. Scotland also has its fair share of racism so am not sure why you think you will be safer there – they have no army etc.. to protect you and the combined police force is a disaster. I think you’d find where you are to be better.
The Leave voters have legit complaints but what makes my blood boil when trying to discuss it with them is that they keep going on about immigration and how bad it is and is to blame for everything WITHOUT ANY FACTS TO BACK THEMSELVES UP. I love a good political debate, thou i was always taught to use facts. The reason that there is no healthy debate is that people either don’t know the facts or refuse to believe them – you can’t really have a healthy discussion with someone who refuses to believe what is in front of them.
@DigitalUnicorn
You mean you think that staying in a place where I was attacked by xenophobic right wing idiots is better than moving to an indy Scotland?
I think you might agree that any place is better, any.
About a dead economy, I don’t know if you got the memo but northern England’s economy is dead too and we need to travel 60 miles to get to a hospital.
Sorry but as many people who live in the South (saying this not negatively, I also have friends there) you appear to have not a faint clue how bad it is here.
Friend of mine told me ‘find a job, you will be ok’, this after 3 years of complete unemployment, if there’s a job offer here you have to compete with 600 people for it….
And, let me add… the referendum result was won up here and because many English southerners prefer not to acknowledge that they have a problem not very different from Scotland’s.
@SU – am sorry to hear about your attack, I hope the people were caught and jailed.
My brother lives in the outskirts of Lancaster and am aware of how bad things are in the North of England – he has to work away from home/his young family as he can’t get a job locally, my SIL struggles to find any sort of perm job, they have to wait almost 2/3 wks to get a Dr appointment and he has been verbally abused just because he doesn’t have an English accent. Xenophobia is everywhere and anti-English sentiment is still strong in Scotland and will get worse if they do get independence. Sturgeons constant anti-English rhetoric is dangerous and stirring up old resentments (Thatchers Poll Tax).
When it comes to an indy Scotland we should agree to disagree. I left Scotland as I spent over a year unemployed after I left University – I have family members who still haven’t forgiven me.
@Digital Unicorn – on a completely separate note, I love Scotland. My dream home would be a cozy little cottage in the Highlands. I hope Brexit does not destabilize your economy. On my last visit (just after the succession vote), I spoke with so many people who were worried about their jobs.
So am I and so do I, which is why I’m finding your attitude pretty bizarre. And the whole “respect democracy” argument, is, respectfully, pish. Why do you think we have General Elections every few years – according to the “respect democracy” shower we’re supposed to take one decision once and live with the consequences forevermore. New facts come to light – barefaced lies come to light, for that matter – and respecting democracy involves airing them and discussing them and reconsidering our choices.
No one is undoing the Referendum or pretending it never happened – we’re trying our best to stop May and her merry band of Tories from shoving the entire country off a cliff which currently, unfortunately, involves us.
As for your other comments on Scotland – I’ll just say to any Americans reading that I hope you come to visit our lovely wee country and make your own mind’s up rather than take one person’s word for it ;-))
The anti-Sturgeon stuff is tedious. I don’t live in London. I live in Edinburgh. Where as an English person I have lived for 37 years, with some comings and goings. I have an English accent. No one has EVER said an anti-English thing to me. I can’t wait for Scottish independence. As Brexit proves, Scotland will never be a major consideration for the Westminster government, Scotland will always be outvoted by England’s greater population, and it will remain a very junior “partner”. I don’t recognise the portrait you paint either of Scotland or its government or its First Minister, who you seem incapable of mentioning without comparing her to a female comedian dressed as a schoolboy.
@Claire – I’m VERY anti SNP (am sure you noticed that) not anti Scottish. I don’t want a Tory Brexit either but the cliff May’s taking us off is the same one Sturgeon will take Scotland off.
I’m not against an independent Scotland, I just don’t feel Scotland is in a strong enough position to survive that process and prosper on the other side. Forget about auto joining the EU as Sturgeon keeps lying about – the EU have said several times that we will have to go to the back of the queue and Spain has said that they would veto any indy Scotland application. It takes years to join the EU and the economy has to be at a certain GDP level before you can be considered. I would love to see the SNats put their money where their big mouths are and make Scotland the great little country it can be. The Scottish Parliament has the power to grow the economy, help local communities, improve education and make the Scottish NHS more efficient – but the SNP have failed to do that. Instead they shriek about how its all Westminster’s fault. I would support independence if the charge was being lead by people who had a clue – pity we can’t resurect Donald Dewar!!!
Democracy is a process, that process needs to be followed and part of the process is having a strong opposition to the gov in power. What we are lacking is a strong opposition in Labour. Corbyn has always been a Euro sceptic, the UK leaving the EU is what he wants so he’s not going to stand in the way and as party leader he can make sure his party don’t either. In order for the proper democratic balance to be restored in parliament, Labour needs to grow a spine and get rid of him. They need to replace him with a strong leader, someone who can not only unite the party but put up a strong resistance to May. At the moment Corbyn is letting her get away with running the show as he’s incapable of opposing her – he’s clueless and spineless.
You’ll need to vote her out ASAP; the future laws from her cabinet will be all about the erosion of social state rights, and it will hurt!
Yeah your nasty and frankly sexist terms for our FM are a bit of a giveaway. I think we have a pretty different view of “shriek it’s all Westminster’s fault” vs “hands are actually tied because much of budget is controlled by Westminster” (and indeed I take issue with your claims that they haven’t done anything positive for Scotland in the time they’ve been in power… but a quick Google will set you straight there). Given you’re a London resident who won’t be able to vote in IndyRef2, I can live with that!
I’m actually genuinely saddened to read your portrait of Scotland, and the SNP for that matter. As Annetommy says, it’s just not one I recognise – at least not outside of Daily Mail headlines 😉
And you’re contradicting yourself a wee bit – totally agree with you with regards to Corbyn, yet Sturgeon is attempting to stand up in opposition to the government… and that’s wrong too? Could it possibly be that Sturgeon just can’t win with you?
@DU (aka B), I totally agree with you.
I have told everyone in my family, that Brexit will bankrupt United Kingdom. With the exception of Scotland and Northern Ireland because they are seeking Independence from the UK; and I will say both countries are very right to break free from UK. These people are misinformed by two buffoons (Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage) into thinking that the UK will be better off by themselves without the EU and now they are crying because jobs are lost, elderly pensions are taken away and they can’t afford to by dish washing soap (plus cost of living is high). They should really thank these jackasses because really they just want the Brexit because they are Xenophobic ASSHOLES. UK GOT WHAT THEY DESERVE. IT SERVES THEM RIGHT.
Kiki, I leave in Northern England and believe me if I say that things have already gone downhill. Plus, people can be stupid for a vote but not forever.
It’s already dawning on them they have been fooled by sketchy politicians and things will only go worse once UK leaves EU in 2019.
Sixer, speaking of satirical shows (OT), when I was young and still learning English, I used to watch Brass eye by Chris Morris on Ch 4. The show was had great writers (Linnehan, Charlie Booker among others). Now is the best time for Morris to do another show. He writes for Veep now. They don’t make shows like that anymore.
Oh, YES! Brass Eye was super duper brilliant.
The Brass Eye program about drugs was hilarious satire, still might be available online somewhere.
Do you remember the fuss over the fake paedophilia scare one? I mean, as bad taste as you can get, but it sure showed how moral panics are made.
Complete satire, which a load of people didn’t get was taking the piss out of the media. Chris Morris disappeared after that, I had no idea he was writing for Veep.
@silverunicorn, you’re welcome too 😉
I’m certainly not claiming there’s zero racism/xenophobia/general Leave sentiment up here, but I work and travel a lot all over the UK and I wouldn’t live anywhere else but here (Glasgow) – particularly not at the moment. Including London, where I work around 50% of the time and would respectfully point out is hardly a hotbed of pro-Brexit sentiment.
Anyway, back to reading celeb gossip…
Seriously, who thought it would be a good idea for a topical comedy show to go off air immediately following an election? Coz they need to fire that guy. On the plus side, while he was away I discovered how good Trevor Noah has gotten. Seriously you guys, give that show another shot.
Is it? I’ve stopped watching cause honestly his beauty and Hassan’s are SUPER distracting and he isn’t Jon Stewart Obvs but I know it takes a minute to find one’s rythm so I’ve wondered if it’s better but also Adult Swim Calms me down
I agree, I just started watching Trevor in November and have become addicted. It’s so good.
I love all the correspondents these days, they seem to have more freedom because I never liked Jordan Klepper, but he really seems to have found his niche.
I’m going to be honest here: why do people care so much about Brexit? Yes it’s a stupid decision but it affects the UK and only the UK. They shot themselves in the foot but for the rest of the EU it’s good news. We finally got rid of the country that was constantly whining and dragging its feet. If say, Bulgaria had left the EU (something that would never happen btw) would people care that much? Would there be tons and tons of articles about it? No, of course not. So why the special treatment for the UK? Because they speak English and English-speakers are more important or something? British people made a choice, choices have consequences, let them deal with it. I don’t understand why we somehow have to constantly feel sorry for the UK. Seriously, good riddance. A fellow European.
….there was considerable worry over Greece and a potential Grexit just a couple of years ago, or has that already been forgotten?
I don’t blame the EU for going “good riddance!” @the UK for this, but it’s NOT the only country that’s caused worry over the prospect of leaving.
It’s a pretty big country/economy in the EU and it was also seen as kind of a bridge between the EU and the anglophone world which includes countries such as the US but also Canada, Australia and New Zealand. London is a very important financial place for the EU. And Brexit gave hope to lots of other anti-eu groups in countries like France. Lots of reasons to care, plus additionally just another way example how in the moment nationalism, xenophobia, populism, racism etc. are on the rise.
What Lana said.
Plus all the non-anglophone countries that were part of the British Empire pay greater attention to the UK than to other European countries. Just like the old French colonies would pay more attention to what France is doing.
And finally, it depends where you’re getting your news. CB is 99% American news and celebs, and Brexit is of interest to them because the upswing in populism parallels the American experience. If you’re getting your news from American and English websites then of course Brexit is going to be covered. I doubt it’s getting as much coverage in China or Indonesia.
Because it doesnt just concern the UK. Its shown France, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary and Germany (all countries veering hastily towards the far right) that leaving the EU is possible and easy to convince a nation to do with little to no evidence its a good idea. There are also millions of EU nationals living and working here who now dont know if they can stay. So dont be ignorant, dont try and pretend this shit show is beneath you. Its coming for you too.
I don’t think more countries will leave the EU. I really don’t. The UK had always been against the EU, since 1973 exactly. That’s not the case with other countries. Even if far right parties are increasing, that doesn’t mean they’ll win. As for EU nationals living and working in the UK, they’ll be fine. They were fine before 1973 and they’ll be fine now. Oh and thanks for calling me ignorant just because I don’t fall to my knees and weep for the UK or something. Like I said, good fucking riddance.
I can entirely understand not having much sympathy for the UK, given our awful behaviour and refusal to be a team player throughout our EU membership.
But the point being made is not that you should be weeping tears over Britons (even though personally, I think solidarity towards any nation falling to far-right ideology is better, hence my support for anti-Trump Americans hereabouts), the point is that you should be concerned for citizens of the 27. And there are many reasons for concern, not least a putative anti-EU alliance between post-Brexit Britain and Trump USA, which will threaten both the economic future AND the eastern border countries of the EU.
@Myrto
“I don’t think more countries will leave the EU. I really don’t.”
Yeah, we really didn’t think we’d be leaving a few months ago. Don’t take anything for granted.
Myrto,
Even if you are right about UK not feeling part of Eu since 1973, your outlook on 3 million people (Eu citizens) living in Uk is very naive at best!
You know we already received letters from the British Home Office telling us to pack? Do you think it is fine?
Please, don’t spread useless misinformation, the house of Commons today at 5.30 pm GMT London time will decide whether to use 5 million people as hostages in negotiations.
I am sorry but I don’t consider that a joke or a matter of low significance.
I do think it’s a big deal that the UK is leaving us. If only for all the British people who will be badly affected by this. But….I also think the EU should give the UK the hardest deal possible. May wants to keep all that is nice about the EU without accepting the things you need to do in solidarity with other countries. Basically I think Britain needs to be the lesson. I don’t think we will be the next to go, though our far-right party has grown over the past few years they’ve never polled near 25% of the votes and all other parties are pro-EU (one less than the other 9, but still very much against leaving). Also, we’re a very small country almost completely depending on trade and though the pro-EU sentiment has declined, there has been an uptick in this since Brexit and the percentage of people who would vote for a ‘Nexit’ dropped to 28% (from 33%).
I also think this was the dumbest referendum ever. I was actually surprised that there was a moment that it seemed like Remain would win. Anti-EU sentiment has always been higher than pro-EU sentiment in Britain and given the way UK elections have been going the past couple of years there were no reasons to believe that this was going any other way.
Just everybody in the 27, be vigilant and don’t think what’s happened in the US and UK can’t happen to you. Chatham House poll yesterday:
POLL: Want ban on Muslim migration
Poland: 71%
France: 61%
Germany: 53%
Italy: 51%
UK: 47%
Spain: 41%
If say, Bulgaria had left the EU (something that would never happen btw) would people care that much? Would there be tons and tons of articles about it? #
Because Bulgaria didn’t have the fifth largest economy in the World? I will admit that Britain was and has been a less than ideal partner, but Brexit has stoked the populist fires. It’s emboldened the Right Wing parties in France and the Netherlands. I can’t believe that you’d take this so lightly. Brexit is pretty much the canary in the mine right now.
I agree with everything you said.
While ABSOLUTELY acknowledging that the UK has always been a bad faith, spoiled brat member of the EU, what Lena said. Many reasons for the 27 to care:
*loss of second largest economy to trading bloc
*emboldening of far-right movements across the continent
*further blow to credibility of euro (even though UK didn’t join)
*possible inimical Atlantic Bridge of Brexit UK and anti-EU Trump
*increased pressure on NATO cohesion
*loss of intelligence capacity (one thing UK has in abundance)
And the list goes on.
As Lena says the UK economy is/was the 2nd biggest in the EU block – us leaving is a big deal money wise as Germany (the 1st biggest economy in the EU block) will now have to prop the rest of the under performing economies up on their own (particularly France, Italy, Spain and Greece).
The EU has an opportunity to change and be ‘club’ that it was supposed to be. It needs to be more accountable, democratic, transparent, adaptable to change, cut the red tape and come up with a model that distributes the block’s wealth and opportunities evenly amongst all its members. The latter does not happen.
Because the UK has the 5th biggest GDP worldwide, so leaving the EU affects the other countries as well.
I feel like the US is on fire as we speak.
Someone on my FB feed re-posted a picture put up by Conservative World Weekly of a few Latinos standing in front of a building with the caption “Like if you agree only U.S. Citizens should be allowed to vote.” Last I looked it had 11,000 likes. Despite the obvious – that you cannot tell who is “American” or “U.S. Citizens” just by looking at them – the blatant otherizing and racism in the post was appalling. But it got 11,000 likes. I need for the world to stop turning so I can get off. I just don’t “get” anything anymore.
…..I thought only citizens of a country could vote in its elections, to begin with?
wtf kind of drugs are these people on, and oh yeah I see that cute little attempt at a dog-whistle implication that Latinos aren’t US citizens.
The drug is white privilege and it is a mighty drug…
‘In general, it’s very dangerous to keep the old campaign architecture around with this presidency, to have an eight-person panel on CNN debating whether or not he said something. “Did he or did he not do this thing we watched him do?”’
I completely agree with this. We all have eyes, and it’s time we stopped acting like we don’t. In the last week or so, however, I’m seeing the news media start to be better. Tremendously late, of course, but it had to happen. So I’m glad it finally has.
Tapper’s interview with Goblin Queen Conway (swoon) was a perfect example. He straight up called Trump’s statements lies, many times, and did not back down. We need more of that! Teach a seminar, Professor Tapper! Oh, my, is it getting hot in here or something? *Fans self*
Lol. Yes, we definitely need more of Tapper’s approach. He should do a tutorial to his fellow media in not backing down.
And CNN is now using the L word. When Trump lies, they say “Trump Lied.” More outlets need to do that. It’s working, as you can tell by Con-woman’s conciliatory note yesterday. She realizes that the more they cry “fake news” and lie about everything that isn’t positive towards the administration, the more people are tuning them out.
John Oliver will have to work hard to be moved from my #1 nerd crush spot. I love his wit, his humor and his willingness to just burn it down verbally. It helps to keep me from sinking under the weight of my disillusionment with humanity right now.
Also, this is a bit old, but these were hilarious Brexit tweets. 17 was my personal favorite.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/robinedds/brexit-tweets-guaranteed-to-make-brits-laugh-cry-or-both?utm_term=.efynPpqlP#.dalbD8d1D
And with that, I’ve finally been exposed to Medieval Reactions. A million THANKS!
Oliver is my #1 nerd crush too. You have to love an intelligent and witty Brit!
Brexit is like a tear in the seam of a stocking. That’s what’s worrying … this attitude that nations can’t work things out together is what Putin is counting on. An unraveled Europe will give him more power.
So he knows there is xenophobia in small town Britain, he knows there is all around resentment for European bureaucracy and yet he does not agree wih the referendum.
I am guessing he is saying that, for him, the good of EU outweigh the bad. Therefore, all that xenophobia and resentment should be shoved somewhere in the back and ignored.
No word on why people are so resentful with EU. Does he think they are crazy?
There is xenophobia everywhere, cities and small towns. The EU for all its faults has been good for its members and citizens – people dislike it as an organisation as its not democratic, unaccountable, lacks transparency (hasn’t published their accounts in years) and is perceived as being too far away from the people it alleges to serve. Its not just in the UK, but all over the EU hence the rise of the far right. People feel that their voices are NOT being heard and to a degree its not being heard by the EU as the people are not consulted. Many of the EU institutions are run by unelected officials which has created the distrust and resentment from EU citizens.
The EU needed to change and has repeatedly refused to do so, hence why Brexit happened and subsequently see’s the rise (or should i say emboldened) far right take the stage.
No. He is saying that exiting the EU is not a solution to any of the problems the UK has, including xenophobia. I agree. That’s not the same thing as saying the best thing to do is put your hands in your ears and pretend you don’t see it (which I think both UK and EU political establishments have been doing, to their current cost).
http://www.politicalcompass.org/uk_eu_referendum2016
I think this pretty much sums up the position of most referendum voters, basing it on social and economic axes. The xenophobes voted Leave on the social axis. I voted Remain as a C but if the world wasn’t so unstable, i wouldn’t have been THAT far off voting Leave as a D. The rise of the far-right put me firmly into C territory.
As usual I agree with everything you say, Sixer
Sorry but even if you don’t like the EU, I don’t understand why someone should condone or acknowledge xenophobia as something ‘right’.
Even more important, counties with zero immigration voted to leave…..
Hang in there John. We need you!
Conan is doing a show in Mexico (cannot wait!!), so maybe John would like to come do one in Canada? We have some excellent relaxation spas and retreats. 😉
John Oliver is one of the few pundits who continually went HARD on Trump. HARD. I cannot wait to see what he says when he comes back. I’ve missed him. It was a stupid decision for him to take time off right after the election, but I’m sorta thinking it might be a good thing. He has time to sharpen his claws and come out drawing blood. FINISH HIM JOHN!! I’m hoping he starts an impeachment movement! If anyone would, it’s him.
So I just read that Boris Johnson voted against the amendment to give the nhs an extra £350m a week after brexit. #NeverBelieveABus