Corbyn & Cabinet in the Media

[editor]

Eh? Are you saying re-nationalisation is an example of less state control or that taking the rail back into public ownership is one of the genuine attempts at solutions to tackle the problems of global capitalism outlined by Cantsin?

British Rail was one of the most efficient, cost-effective rail networks in the world. It's not any more. That's why it should be renationalised. No profits should be taken out of the network in the form of dividends.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

You might as well ask what his plan is to make us all nicer people. May need to set your sights lower in this debate.

It's not my sights that need to be set lower. Have you read the thread?

forget the press, there's much bigger issues at play over the next 5 yrs : global structural economic shifts , impending enviromental + automation related employment crises etc.

There's a good chance a nominally leftwing LP will be able to take electoral advantage of all this by appearing to offer genuine attempts at solutions - the fucking 'press' will fall in line if so, just as they did with Blair, they're nothing.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

No. But nor is 'greater state control' what he's proposing.

Greater state control is all Corbyn is proposing. On everything. He's a social democrat in case you hadn't noticed.

 

[killer b]

have you read his proposal on rail nationalisation yet?

 

[Smokeandsteam]

have you read his proposal on rail nationalisation yet?

No.

 

[cantsin]

What 'genuine attempts at solutions' will Jeremy and co offer? Greater state control?

the 'by appearing to offer ' bit was a central part that of that sentence.

 

[killer b]

No.

jolly good.

 

[Mr Moose]

Greater state control is all Corbyn is proposing. On everything. He's a social democrat in case you hadn't noticed.

As he should be. He does (apparently) wish to be the Prime Minister of the state. If he wasn't a democrat he'd be being deceitful, which is what he is generally accused of from the right.

Anything he can offer is through Parliament and he needs to do so coherently. Anything else you want sits elsewhere.

 

[agricola]

British Rail was one of the most efficient, cost-effective rail networks in the world. It's not any more. That's why it should be renationalised. No profits should be taken out of the network in the form of dividends.

The current structure desperately needs to change, but I am not sure old-style renationalisation is the answer - no Government since 1992 could have been trusted with it. What is needed is some new format, perhaps a three-way split between a government share, the workforce and a British wealth fund of the Norwegian kind (that you could also put the proceeds from what fracking takes place into, rather than HM Treasury who wasted the North Sea Oil money).

 

[redcogs]

i assume most people would accept that the problems wrought by international capitalism are not going to be easily tackled by Corbo's next government.

But it's reasonable to assume that Corbo could stop attacking the disabled poor (for example), and could take various industries into common ownership to everyone's benefit. He could do worse than begin with the newspaper press followed by transportation IMO.

But i can't see full communism making it through the current shadow cabinet.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Taking newspapers into state ownership????

 

[redcogs]

why not? With a worker control model of course.

 

[nino_savatte]

Taking newspapers into state ownership????

Steady on! That's not on the cards. Corbyn wants to break the monopolies that control the press, which in case you hadn't noticed, is carved up between Murdoch, Rothermere and to a lesser extent, Desmond.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Also, the internet exists. So stupid idea anyway.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

why not? With a worker control model of course.

All for worker-ownership. That's not quite the same as common ownership, though.

 

[Mr Moose]

why not? With a worker control model of course.

Who will get to write unflattering articles about the 'worker control model'?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Steady on! That's not on the cards. Corbyn wants to break the monopolies that control the press, which in case you hadn't noticed, is carved up between Murdoch, Rothermere and to a lesser extent, Desmond.

Ok, sure, that wasn't quite what was said, though. That's all very sensible and anti-monopoly legislation already exists. What doesn't exist is the will to enforce it.

 

[redcogs]

Hands up who wishes to see the rabid UK press continue to cut and slash at human decency forever and a day? If you do not, please outline your alternative plans that do not involve confronting the individual/private media ownership model that pollutes the body politic so profoundly.

 

[nino_savatte]

Ok, sure, that wasn't quite what was said, though. That's all very sensible and anti-monopoly legislation already exists. What doesn't exist is the will to enforce it.

But that was what Corbyn was suggesting. I haven't heard him claim the newspapers should be under state control, which is what you were suggesting.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Hands up who wishes to see the rabid UK press continue to cut and slash at human decency forever and a day? If you do not, please outline your alternative plans that do not involve confronting the individual/private media ownership model that pollutes the body politic so profoundly.

Just legislate for a plurality of ownership and opinion. Break the monopolies. I mean what would a state controlled media be in the age of the internet, other than a laughing stock?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

But that was what Corbyn was suggesting. I haven't heard him claim the newspapers should be under state control, which is what you were suggesting.

I was responding to the post above mine.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I mean what would a state controlled media be in the age of the internet, other than a laughing stock?

The BBC?

 

[ViolentPanda]

Nights of the blunt knives. Nandy offered and turned down defence. Nine ministers offered statements in support of Dugher. It's painful to hear about. He isn't going to able to find enough loyalists for a cabinet and genuine moderate left wingers are up in arms.

What's a "genuine moderate left winger", in your view?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

What's a "genuine moderate left winger", in your view?

Corbyn.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Lol.

You might have LOLed, but I laughed so hard I almost sharted.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

The BBC?

I said other than a laughing stock.

 

[redcogs]

Just legislate for a plurality of ownership and opinion. Break the monopolies. I mean what would a state controlled media be in the age of the internet, other than a laughing stock?

A bit like the beeb? which although many are correctly critical of, does at least display some token sensitivity on appropriate issues (ie racism, sexism etc).

 

[ViolentPanda]

Yes, the party is falling apart under the leader that said he could unite it.

The Parliamentary Labour Party may be "falling apart", or at least that's how the media are representing it, but constituency Labour Parties are very far from "falling apart". They've got larger and more involved memberships than at any time in the last 18 years.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Jess Phillips is another one that does this. Actually, this gives me an idea for a 'Straight Talkers Watch' thread. I reckon it's a trend we will be seeing more of in the next few years.

It's quite amusing how many politicians - of all parties - confuse "straight talking" with talking absolute rude shite.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

A bit like the beeb? which although many are correctly critical of, does at least display some token sensitivity on appropriate issues (ie racism, sexism etc).

The BBC are just as biased against Corbyn as the other outlets. They just do it in a more subtle way. Anyway, the important point here is that a 100% state controlled media would be shit. It would be corrupt, it would be propagandising, and it would be irrelevant given we live in the 21st Century. It's a fucking stupid idea.