Chris Patten

[lindapalmara]

This man has been on the TV this week rubbishing Brexit. Prise coming from a man who, as Governor of Hong Kong, fought for HK to have a democracy all the time he was there. I lived in Hong Kong at the time and was right behind him? However, on his return he was made a European Commissioner! Usually given as a reward or to compensate failure, is Mandleson was given a Commission job for failing as a Minister. I know these people are protecting their fat EU pensions but I think it's a bit rich!

[bednobs]

or maybe he really does think brexit is a rubbish idea, and is just airing his views as others are?

[baza]

All those ex euro types dare not bad mouth the eu as they would lose their fat pensions.

[vulcan42]

Democracy is only relevant if it doesn't affect your pension.

[youngmafbog]

Surely if you are in receipt of pyment, in whatever form, from the EU then your statement is likely to be judged as bias so the best course of action is silence>

[baza]

Try telling that to those gobby blokes.

[ichkeria]

Whatever you think of Brexit you can’t really compare the prospect of rule by Communist China with the overruling of a controversial referendum

[ladybirder]

I followed his time as Governor of Hong Kong on TV and in newspapers and cheered him all the way. That changed when he came back here. He never got anything right thereafter but he'll be OK as he's got his big fat BBC pension as well.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9630811/Chris-Patten-personifies-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-BBC-elite.html

[gulliver1]

Ladybirder, Come on now he is Conservative , What did you expect of him , must keep the snout in the trough, eh.

[bednobs]

democracy is not just agreeing with something because the majority do; democracy is about being able to have and air opposing views without fear of reprisals

[Peter Pedant]

Patten - Fat Pang wasnt he called in HK? - has a pension and so it is guaranteed by the EU secretariat, and it is his for life and NOT only when he stays a good boy. Before you vest your pension they can er take it away from you.
He is also House of Lords - £300 d-1 if you turn up

it is probably what he thinks

House of Lords you are expected to be kinda above politics - but there are party political Lords ( who clearly dont know that) - Lord Doo-dah was a medical lord - previously head of the GMC - and I wrote to him and said you are supporting precisely the things you fought against. [no elections, no representation and pay froo de nose - appointed unaccountable unelected councillors from the list of the great and good, fewer doctors more lay people who didnt know their arriss from their elbow]

and he said - that he was there in the Lords to get govt legislation thro the house .... oh so that was what his job was....

He's dead now

[Peter Pedant]

no lots of people talking about pensions and losing it

he cant
lose it I mean. esp if it is contributory
you vest it ( get it that is) and then you get it forever

if you HAVEN'T drawn it yet - then it can go zoop - see Carillion etc

Fat Pangs are all guaranteed by various govts -

[Old_Geezer]

Democracy is also about accepting the democratically arrived at decision. One is permitted to disagree, but using the media to continue to voice objections, presumably in the hope of preventing it, after the decision has been made, is simply disrespecting democracy when it doesn't go your way. A fair-weather democrat. It's just not cricket, not the way the Brits do things.

[bednobs]

i dont think it's fair to make half the country keep quiet about their views because they dont agree with the result. It's like saying you can't criticize any conservative policy because more people voted for them than any other party
I doubt even chris patten thinks that by airing his views on the telly, he'll single handedly bring down brexit and reverse the last 18 months, which is what you seem to be saying.
Cheer up everyone, he may die before he gets his pension

[Old_Geezer]

I'd hope I seem to be saying he is trying to; he and the others who do similar.

If one disagrees with the decision then argue with one's mates down the pub, or wherever. Publically trying to derail democracy just isn't on.

[cassa333]

Criticism in a democracy is usually very much needed. Even when totally unjustified one is allowed to wallow in self pity weeping and wailing and gnashing teeth in frustration.

The problem with Patten is that he championed democracy in HK but seems to think it not such a good idea when something is not to his thinking. When he has justified that discrepancy and stops receiving any further payment from the EU and gives back the big fat eu pension he's had so far then perhaps I might be inclined to listen to him.

As it is he thinks he knows better than just about everyone else who has more and better information than him.

[New Judge]

"Whatever you think of Brexit you can’t really compare the prospect of rule by Communist China with the overruling of a controversial referendum"

What was controversial about our referendum? The Prime Minister posed a question to the electorate which was aimed at healing the festering sore that had been lingering in the UK for decades and they provided him with their answer. He may not have liked it, but there was nothing controversial about it.

Some may find rule by unelected foreign civil servants about as distasteful as rule by Communist China. I've never lived under a Communist regime so cannot comment on its pros and cons. I have, however, lived under the EU's increasingly pernicious rule for 46 years and so feel well qualified to say whether or not I like it – which I did in June 2016.

Mr Patten is entitled to his opinion. I simply don't agree with it that's all.

[Zacs-Master]

‘I have, however, lived under the EU's increasingly pernicious rule for 46 years and so feel well qualified to say whether or not I like it – which I did in June 2016’

How can you not like something which, by your own admission, has no effect on your daily life? By what measure do you gauge your dislike?

[ichkeria]

Of course, I was wrong to say ‘you can’t’
Sigh. Dorsn’t make it right tho.
‘What was controversial about the referendum?’
Why nothing of course.
Silly old me...

[naomi24]

Zacs, some people are not obsessed with their own personal wants and needs - they are capable of looking at the wider picture. And with that, I am not entering into discussion. I'm going to bed. Night night. x

[youngmafbog]

What cobblers you speak, as usual, ZM.