EU Referendum: Guido's Dodgy Data Grab?

In light of our recent posts it comes of some interest to see that blogger Guido Fawkes - a self declared anti establishment figure - is criticising the establishment, more specifically supporters of Labour leader Corbyn, for potential data mining:

The Corbyn cheer-leading organisation “Momentum” claims to be able to contact all the people who signed up to support Jeremy Corbyn during the leadership contest, but they might not have permission to do so. When people signed up as supporters of the Corbyn4Leader campaign, they were asked to give their email addresses and postcodes; the campaign said they were collecting this information to “enable us to carry out casework on behalf of constituents; issues and campaigns we are involved with locally; maintaining our own accounts and records; supporting and managing our employees and agents.”

According to the Information Commissioner’s Office “individuals should generally be able to choose whether or not their personal data is disclosed to another organisation” and if an organisation does intend to disclose information to another organisation, “fairness requires that you tell the individuals concerned unless they are likely to expect such disclosures.”

If Momentum is a stand alone limited company and doesn’t share any formal links with other organisations as they claim, what right did the official Corbyn campaign have to pass over the sensitive personal data of its supporters to them?

It really is astonishing that given Guido's assertions by his own admission to build a database of "sensitive personal data" on the back of referendum campaigns he has the nerve to criticise others for allegedly doing similar and to give "unofficial" advice. It's brazen hypocrisy. It is also a reflection of supposed prestige over facts, by a blogger who is clearly a member of the establishment. 

It has long been with some despondent amusement to find that a blog which purports to be anti-establishment, yet clearly has establishment approval who have financial interests at stake, has as its main author a man who has been bankrupt, is guilty of criminal behaviour and appears to be happy to abuse taxpayer's money with the icing on the cake being a blog published by an offshore company. That he is given significant leeway by the establishment is of some puzzlement. Perhaps it's a perfect reflection of them.

In addition Guido Fawkes is clearly closely linked with Matthew Elliott as we have previously seen and obviously there are questions to be answered regarding the conduct of Guido and Matthew Elliot in the AV Referendum; questions which have yet to be answered despite plenty of opportunity to do so.

With this in mind we wonder then whether MP and former Cabinet Minister Owen Paterson MP should associate himself with those who may compromise his position as a decent man.

Hattip: Toby Goodman on Twitter.

Jennifer Lawrence

Isn't it interesting that reaction on the internet of hacking celebrity phones and publishing pictures of naked women doesn't quite elicit the same response as hacking celebrity voicemails?

The Closing Of Ranks Continues

With the real possibility of a referendum on our membership of the EU on the horizon what we're now seeing is the blatant about turn of the likes of allegedly eurosceptic Tories such as most recently; Dan Hannan and Boris Johnson. Pretence of eurosceptisim has been replaced by a self-serving need to protect oneself in the possible event that our exit might actually happen (been caught looking at your payslip Dan?).

This was also demonstrated today by Tory MP Michael Fabricant who in a very ill-disguised way accuses Ukip of racism:

Mr Fabricant, a former Government whip, said there are likely to be closet racists in every party, including the Conservatives. He urged the Prime Minister to think about teaming up with Ukip to gain the Tories more than 20 extra seats.

Ironically, the so-called eurosceptics' real colours are being exposed. Anything...anything to protect our membership of the EU. And so it is also with the supposedly neutral Political Betting website run by Lib Dem Mike Smithson. Despite the self-proclaimed sub-title:

Britain's most-read political blog - and the best resource for betting on politics.

....it's anything but neutral, particularly when it comes to all matters EU. Pro-EU tendencies often infect his posts - dismissing anything EU as not much to worry about. Here's an example:

Has Britain’s membership ceased to be an issue?

Last week my post on the public not really “caring a monkey’s” about the EU caused a little bit of a stir in some places. My argument was simple - we’ve been in the EU for 37 years and Britain’s membership has ceased to be an issue for all but a very small minority on voters.

I quoted the latest MORI issues index where those naming the Europe/EU as the “most important issue facing Britain” simply did not register and did not even rate a one percent figure by the pollster.

There have been times in the past when the response on EU-related matters has been very high but the long-term trend is one of decline to almost zero.
I stick with the point I made. Hardly anybody gives a monkey’s.

Strangely it didn't stop him from temporarily changing his tune when the EU directly affected him and going on a rant:

Why’s the ECJ being so breathtakingly stupid?

Should Britain say it will defy the court?

The story that’s made me most angry today has been the extraordinary decision by the European Court of Justice to stop insurance companies from allowing women to pay smaller car insurance premiums even though they are less likely to have accidents.

This is being stopped on ground of “gender equality”. Andy Cooke on the previous thread had this right:-

What a stupid ruling by the ECJ!

The different premiums aren’t based on sexism, but on demographic differences in propensities to have an accident! Will it be illegal to charge different premiums based on age? Illegal to charge different premiums based on where you live? On how experienced you are? Whether you’ve had accidents or traffic violations in the past?

So millions of teenaged girls will have to pay extra to subsidise teenaged boys. Women will have to subsidise men.

Soon, those of us in their thirties, forties and fifties will have to pay a bit more for the teenaged drivers (otherwise there will be significant age discrimination, surely?)

The ECJ are hardly improving their image - more like reinforcing the stereotype of stupid, out-of-touch politically correct idiots.

Could this be an opportunity for the coalition to have a battle with Europe?

But the march of staying in the EU ideology continues unabated, and Political Betting indulges this by means of its latest post to write an obvious smear of UKIP, despite that political neutrality is surely essential to its advice as a betting site.

This indicates that not only is a referendum coming but that TPTB have sensed it and are closing ranks. They will do anything to rig the result and protect their own. In terms of a referendum on our membership of the EU for eurosceptics the warning has always been there - in essence 'be careful what you wish for'.

I'm Saying Nothing...

From today's Daily Telegraph (my emphasis throughout):

The arrest of Labour MP Eric Joyce over an alleged assault in a House of Commons bar follows concerns over the culture of taxpayer-subsidised drinking in Parliament.

And from the Irish Times last Thursday:

BRITISH PRIME minister David Cameron has signalled support for a minimum price for alcohol that would raise off-licence prices, even though some members of his cabinet believe such a move could be illegal.

Mr Cameron, speaking during a visit to a hospital in Newcastle, said: “Every night, in town centres, hospitals and police stations across the country, people have to cope with the consequences of alcohol abuse.”

Apparently Punching Women In The Face Is Funny

In truth I've never taken much interest in the goings on of either the English Defence League or the United Against Fascists. The Anger of a Quiet Man, though, does a fine job in highlighting the unfair treatment dished out by the media and by the Police against the EDL - a position I sympathise with as a member of another stigmatised group.

And so it's via TAOAQM's blog that I spot this video of so-called anti-fascists celebrating and laughing about a woman being kicked and punched.



Whatever one's political views, those in the video are a disgrace. But I'll bet it'll be ignored by those self-righteous on the left. Scum.

Bodies

I've blogged about Labour MP Kerry McCarthy's rather hypocritical views on music before. She took umbrage at an apparent 'date rape' message in a former boy band member's song, something that he subsequently denied, and she suggested that the record should be banned.

Kerry is, however, happy to promote punk - that famous bastion of good taste. At the time when I pointed out, via twitter, the dubious Nazi origins of Joy Division's name (her favourite band) and the nature of their followers, my complaints were labelled by her as 'offensive'.

And, as her latest post proves, Kerry doesn't mind dodgy music lyrics per se; here's her views on the rather robust Sex Pistols song on abortion:

...it was rather dodgy lyrically speaking and completely juvenile in its politics, although it’s still a great song.

I know it's relatively trivial, but stuff like this winds me up - it's MPs like Kerry that will censor our music, films and video games based on their own personal preference rather than adhering to the principle of free speech. The warped views of Ms McCarthy is the reason that I can buy black rapper MC Ren's blatantly racist album in a high street store but not a Skrewdriver one.

All music is equal but...

Hardly Anybody Gives A Monkey’s?

Despite my previous post, and currently being on holiday albeit at Heathrow, I couldn't resist this final post before I return. Mike Smithson of the mostly marvelous Political Betting site, is a Liberal Democrat, with pro-EU tendencies that often emerge in his posts, for example November last year:

Has Britain’s membership ceased to be an issue?

Last week my post on the public not really “caring a monkey’s” about the EU caused a little bit of a stir in some places. My argument was simple - we’ve been in the EU for 37 years and Britain’s membership has ceased to be an issue for all but a very small minority on voters.

I quoted the latest MORI issues index where those naming the Europe/EU as the “most important issue facing Britain” simply did not register and did not even rate a one percent figure by the pollster.

There have been times in the past when the response on EU-related matters has been very high but the long-term trend is one of decline to almost zero.

I stick with the point I made. Hardly anybody gives a monkey’s.

It's the same point that EuroGoblin repeatedly and misleading argues for. Now today Mr Smithson has changed his tune somewhat:

Why’s the ECJ being so breathtakingly stupid?

Should Britain say it will defy the court?

The story that’s made me most angry today has been the extraordinary decision by the European Court of Justice to stop insurance companies from allowing women to pay smaller car insurance premiums even though they are less likely to have accidents.

This is being stopped on ground of “gender equality”. Andy Cooke on the previous thread had this right:-

What a stupid ruling by the ECJ!

The different premiums aren’t based on sexism, but on demographic differences in propensities to have an accident! Will it be illegal to charge different premiums based on age? Illegal to charge different premiums based on where you live? On how experienced you are? Whether you’ve had accidents or traffic violations in the past?

So millions of teenaged girls will have to pay extra to subsidise teenaged boys. Women will have to subsidise men.

Soon, those of us in their thirties, forties and fifties will have to pay a bit more for the teenaged drivers (otherwise there will be significant age discrimination, surely?)

The ECJ are hardly improving their image - more like reinforcing the stereotype of stupid, out-of-touch politically correct idiots.

Could this be an opportunity for the coalition to have a battle with Europe?

Now who gives a monkey's? First they came for...

Just The Way You Are

Kerry McCarthy (Labour MP with an eating disorder - she's a vegan) is just a gift that keeps on coming. Her latest post quite clearly articulates her shock at former Westlife member Brian McFadden's latest release. Now the lyrics, granted, do seem rather suspect:

'I like you just the way you are, drunk as shit dancing at the bar/can't wait to get you home so I can do some damage, can't wait to get you home and take advantage.'

Ms McCarthy isn't impressed:

I can’t believe that anyone has allowed this record to be made.

Well I can.. er.. because it's a free country. You can see precisely where Ms McCarthy is going with this - she is 'shocked' so the record must be banned.

It's worth remembering that her taste in music largely consists of late 70's and early 80's punk, that well known genre of politeness and good taste. In fact one of her favourite groups is Joy Division which were named after a... forced brothel in a Nazi concentration camp.

I love the hypocrisy of the left.

A-Level Girls

The annual bun fight of; 'A-Levels have got easier / oh no they haven't because students' work harder' bores me silly. It happened when I took them nearly 20 years ago and nothing's changed since. So generally I have no comment to make.

However I thought I would highlight this rather sneering article by Political Scrapbook:

In a few hours tomorrow’s front pages will be released. Scrapbook will wager a penny to a pound that, like every year following A-Level results, the attractive young girls won’t be confined to page 3. And it’s not just the red tops that are at it. As this transgression from The Guardian illustrates, the so-called quality newspapers will tantalise their middle-aged readership when it thinks teacher isn’t looking (all in the interests of quality journalism, of course).

Papers show pretty girls on the front page shocker. Blimey how disgraceful! Although it's not such a problem as having to share a hall with said pretty girls and trying not to be distracted when taking exams.

A few women of my acquaintance hate football but take a surprising interest in any of my FourFourTwo magazines which show pictures of David Beckham or Jose Mourinho (which it does very frequently, hmm I wonder why?)

I wonder if Political Scrapbook would be just as sneering then. Probably not, because that's different isn't it?