UKH

One that I'd completely missed...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/12/dominic-cummings-honed-str...

and (some) people think Cummings isn't dangerous!

given the government of the day that bastard scotched more democracy for all of us, as the rest of us did not get a vote after that result - How democratic is voting like that where one region says no for everyone.

I wish him all the harm in the world visited on him

The paradox being that maybe if we had had regional assemblies then just maybe people might have felt as though there was a voice for them.

Interesting quote:

"But the problem was that once that disinformation was out there, it was impossible to extinguish it in many voters’ minds."

Reminded me of this quote from Samuel Arbesman in an article about fake new:

"Whatever fact first appears … whether true or not, is very difficult to dislodge … . It’s like trying to gather dandelion seeds once they have been blown to the wind.”

https://centerforinquiry.org/blog/why-old-news-is-often-fake-news/

I heard a bloke on the radio last night talking about something related. This bloke had worked for Tony Blair on election campaigns IIRC.

He said that about 30% of the electorate are instinctively hostile to authority and will vote against it given the chance. It's not ideological it's just the way they are. Up until not that long ago these people were ignored and election campaigns were arguments on policy. Now though these people are brought into campaigns by appealing to their prejudices. That is where populism comes from and you can see in the article that  it was precisely those people that Dominic was aiming his message at. Nihilists I suppose.

Trump has also mobilised this group with his 'drain the swamp' schtick.

An interesting article about the experiences of a Trump fan and far right insider, and the actions and motivations of her fellow travellers.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rosiegray/katie-mchugh