Blame the misinformation crisis on Starmer, not social media - from the Telegraph

[TIGHTCHOKE]

An interesting viewpoint from todays Telegraph

"How would Sir Keir Starmer fare behind bars? I only ask, because were justice to be equal, the Prime Minister ought to be braced for a dawn raid, followed by a long spell at His Majesty’s pleasure.

That is what happened to scores of men, women and even children who played shameful roles in last summer’s riots. Among the earliest arrests were two boys aged just 11 and 12. Some of those who received the harshest sentences were not even at the scene of any demonstrations but were found guilty of “fuelling” protests online.

Having encouraged the courts to show no mercy to those who did stupid things in the wake of the Southport murders, Starmer now stands accused of much the same. In a supreme irony, his Government’s own terror watchdog has declared that the Prime Minister’s failure to disclose “basic facts” about child killer Axel Rudakabana led to misinformation that “stoked” the ensuing riots. For others, that has meant criminal records and jail time.

Writing in the Telegraph, Jonathan Hall KC criticised what he describes as “failure of the authorities to spell out basic and sober facts” about the Southport murderer. Among the information that was covered up was the terror element to the crime. In one of the most egregious examples of Government propagated misinformation, Starmer’s Deputy, Angela Rayner, originally dismissed any links to terrorism as “fake news.” For good political measure, she went on to accuse Nigel Farage – who was at the time raising what turned out to be more than valid questions about the case – of  “stoking conspiracy theories.”

Yet Rudukabana would go on to be charged with the production of a biological toxin (ricin) and possession of an Al Qaeda training manual. It turned out that the person spreading fake news was not the leader of Reform UK, but the Deputy Prime Minister herself. The authorities then released a wholly misleading photograph of the killer, looking like a choir boy. As we now know from his infamous police mug shot, the real Rudukabana looks little short of demonic.

At the highest levels of Government, the dishonesty over the Southport murders went on and on: from the appalling fiction that the subsequent riots were all the work of “far-Right thugs” to the impression given that the killer was from a “nice Christian family from Cardiff”. In fact, his parents are Rwandan refugees, and Al Qaeda manuals are produced by, and for, Islamic extremists.

Starmer’s wearyingly predictable justification for all the secrecy and lies surrounding the case was that a more open approach might have jeopardised Rukukabana’s trial. How convenient! Time and again, both police and politicians use this ruse – the supposed need for all manner of “investigations” and “inquiries” to run their course before anyone in any position of responsibility says anything meaningful – to avoid awkward questions to which they might need to give even more awkward answers. No wonder trust in public institutions and parliamentarians is so low!

According to Hall, so far from helping to ensure that the case against the killer did not collapse, the information black-out actually increased the risk of the killer’s defence team claiming he would not get a fair trial, as “dangerous fictions” that could have been far more prejudicial to the prosecution filled the void. “Far better”, the watchdog argues, for the authorities to have come clean.

Absolutely! While they’re at it, please can they make it a habit? For while ministers pontificate about “fake news” from “disreputable” social media sources, the Government klaxon is repeatedly used to deceive and dissemble. Only a few days ago, the Prime Minister himself was at it again, pretending that his Government champions free speech – when it demonstrably does the opposite.

Sitting in the Oval Office, the prime minister did not blink as he told Vice President JD Vance that he is “very proud” of this country’s history on this front, when he knows full well that there have been outrageous infringements on his own watch. No wonder voters searching for the truth do not know where to turn.

As dozens of individuals with none of Starmer’s mighty power and influence continue to languish in prison for their bit parts in last summer’s trouble, perhaps the Prime Minister should have his own collar felt."

[Newbie to this]

He is more Teflon than Tony

[Penelope]

34 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

An interesting viewpoint from todays Telegraph

"How would Sir Keir Starmer fare behind bars? I only ask, because were justice to be equal, the Prime Minister ought to be braced for a dawn raid, followed by a long spell at His Majesty’s pleasure.

That is what happened to scores of men, women and even children who played shameful roles in last summer’s riots. Among the earliest arrests were two boys aged just 11 and 12. Some of those who received the harshest sentences were not even at the scene of any demonstrations but were found guilty of “fuelling” protests online.

Having encouraged the courts to show no mercy to those who did stupid things in the wake of the Southport murders, Starmer now stands accused of much the same. In a supreme irony, his Government’s own terror watchdog has declared that the Prime Minister’s failure to disclose “basic facts” about child killer Axel Rudakabana led to misinformation that “stoked” the ensuing riots. For others, that has meant criminal records and jail time.

Writing in the Telegraph, Jonathan Hall KC criticised what he describes as “failure of the authorities to spell out basic and sober facts” about the Southport murderer. Among the information that was covered up was the terror element to the crime. In one of the most egregious examples of Government propagated misinformation, Starmer’s Deputy, Angela Rayner, originally dismissed any links to terrorism as “fake news.” For good political measure, she went on to accuse Nigel Farage – who was at the time raising what turned out to be more than valid questions about the case – of  “stoking conspiracy theories.”

Yet Rudukabana would go on to be charged with the production of a biological toxin (ricin) and possession of an Al Qaeda training manual. It turned out that the person spreading fake news was not the leader of Reform UK, but the Deputy Prime Minister herself. The authorities then released a wholly misleading photograph of the killer, looking like a choir boy. As we now know from his infamous police mug shot, the real Rudukabana looks little short of demonic.

At the highest levels of Government, the dishonesty over the Southport murders went on and on: from the appalling fiction that the subsequent riots were all the work of “far-Right thugs” to the impression given that the killer was from a “nice Christian family from Cardiff”. In fact, his parents are Rwandan refugees, and Al Qaeda manuals are produced by, and for, Islamic extremists.

Starmer’s wearyingly predictable justification for all the secrecy and lies surrounding the case was that a more open approach might have jeopardised Rukukabana’s trial. How convenient! Time and again, both police and politicians use this ruse – the supposed need for all manner of “investigations” and “inquiries” to run their course before anyone in any position of responsibility says anything meaningful – to avoid awkward questions to which they might need to give even more awkward answers. No wonder trust in public institutions and parliamentarians is so low!

According to Hall, so far from helping to ensure that the case against the killer did not collapse, the information black-out actually increased the risk of the killer’s defence team claiming he would not get a fair trial, as “dangerous fictions” that could have been far more prejudicial to the prosecution filled the void. “Far better”, the watchdog argues, for the authorities to have come clean.

Absolutely! While they’re at it, please can they make it a habit? For while ministers pontificate about “fake news” from “disreputable” social media sources, the Government klaxon is repeatedly used to deceive and dissemble. Only a few days ago, the Prime Minister himself was at it again, pretending that his Government champions free speech – when it demonstrably does the opposite.

Sitting in the Oval Office, the prime minister did not blink as he told Vice President JD Vance that he is “very proud” of this country’s history on this front, when he knows full well that there have been outrageous infringements on his own watch. No wonder voters searching for the truth do not know where to turn.

As dozens of individuals with none of Starmer’s mighty power and influence continue to languish in prison for their bit parts in last summer’s trouble, perhaps the Prime Minister should have his own collar felt."

It was all calculated.