Letters to the Editor: UK media fails to highlight the gaslighting of public by Tories

There has been a policy of blatant lying by the British government but the British media generally turns a blind eye to this

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson: In the run-up to the general election of 2019 an independent survey of Facebook ads found ‘88% of Tory ads misleading compared to 7% for Labour’.

Fergus Finlay was asking how the government of the UK could still be popular — Fergus Finlay: How is Britain still backing Boris Johnson? (Irish Examiner, October 19).

There has been a policy of blatant lying by the British government; it could be described as gaslighting.

In the run-up to the general election of 2019 an independent survey of Facebook ads found ‘88% of Tory ads misleading compared to 7% for Labour’. 

The populist politics of short, snappy slogans appeals to the lesser educated: Get Brexit Done, Brexit Means Brexit, and Oven Ready Deal are easily digested.

However, recent events have shown that this ‘oven ready deal’ was not something that they were ever planning to abide by.

The gaslighting has continued but the British media generally turns a blind eye to this and ministers are rarely challenged about this, or their sheer incompetence and stupidity; not to mention the slide towards a country with a contempt for international law.

The press is owned by a handful of billionaire tax exiles and they gaslight the British public on behalf of the Conservative Party. The BBC show little interest in upsetting the government for fear of having their funding slashed by the abolition of the TV licence fee.

Johnny Rowley

Nottingham

England

Tories thrive because of lacklustre Labour

Fergus Finlay writes that the Labour party conference was a good one (October 19). It was a bit like the curate’s egg: some progressive policy decisions coupled with an ever increasing clampdown on democracy in the party which only serves to demoralise the rank and file who are the ones needed to get out on the knocker during elections.

The British public do not seem to be impressed with the effectiveness of opposition to the government under the current Labour leader. So I posit that the reason Johnson manages to survive is because people think there is no alternative.

Ian Hollingworth

Nonthaburi

Thailand

Call for closure of constituency clinics

Constituency clinics are neither vital nor necessary. They serve only to ensure a revolving door for career politicians and their sons/daughters — Duncan Smith: Constituency clinics are vital for many (Irish Examiner, October 20).

No one would miss them ... and their removal would save taxpayers a small fortune.

Adam Bolger

Belfast

Cats in opposition on the hurling sidelines

As Henry Shefflin takes his initial steps into senior inter-county management with the Galway hurlers, it’s probably reasonable to suggest that he would settle for just a percentage of his old mentor Brian Cody’s inter-county success.

Former Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin. Picture: Sam Barnes

At the same time, Brian may well covet the raw riches, underpinned by recent Galway success at minor level, that will be available to Henry and be reminiscent of his earlier days with Kilkenny.

Which or whether the ‘presence in opposition’ of these two great hurling men on the sidelines in the near future is greatly anticipated and can only further enhance the standing of our ancient game.

Michael Gannon

St Thomas’ Sq

Kilkenny

Cost-rental scheme a nirvana for renters

The news from the Department of Housing of a cost-rental scheme in Kildare must seem to renters a nirvana — I have ‘effectively’ frozen rents, claims housing minister (Irish Examiner, October 20).

The scheme is offering houses for rents of €900 and €1,250 a month with security of tenure. But the scheme will do nothing for the renters living on and below the current average wage.

To maintain a reasonable standard of living, it is recommended that no more than a third of net income should go to meet rent. Given the asking rents here, applicants would need net monthly incomes of €2,700 and €3,600 respectively.

Clearly, that excludes most and those who will benefit from this scheme are the ones who should have the least difficulty in securing a place to live.

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It is unclear who is picking up the tab for this scheme which will see those on relatively high incomes having their rent subsidised in perpetuity — and not least by the many other thousands who are forced to live in poor conditions. 

Surely all the resources of the State should be focused on the provision of accessible housing for all citizens — including taking measures to reduce the cost of housing — and not be involved in such schemes that are obviously discriminatory and will not so much as put a dent in the current crisis.

Jim O’Sullivan

Rathedmond

Sligo

Colin Powell’s 13 adapted rules for life

The recently deceased Colin Powell, distinguished US army general and former US secretary of state, had 13 adapted rules for life

• 1. It ain’t as bad as you think; it will look better in the morning.
• 2. Get mad, then get over it.
• 3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
• 4. It can be done.
• 5. Be careful what you choose, you may get it.
• 6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
• 7. You can’t make someone else’s choices; you shouldn’t let someone make yours.
• 8. Check small things.
• 9. Share credit (praise on job well done).
• 10. Remain calm; be kind.
• 11. Have a vision; be demanding.
• 12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
• 13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Colin Powell had 13 rules for life and work.

They apply to life and work and could be taken on board by those in government who can make a real difference.

Mary Sullivan

College Road

Cork

Service didn’t ‘celebrate partition’

The people of Ireland should be indebted to the successful and moving ecumenical service held at St Patricks Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh on Thursday.

As clearly set out in the invitation it was intended to be a service of reflection dealing with past hurts and failures and to promote reconciliation and hope. This is precisely what it did and was not what its many critics claimed when they alleged that it would be a “celebration of partition”.

Shame on them.

John Cushnahan

Lisnagry

Co Limerick

Don’t allow pagans poach St Brigid’s Day

For the proposed extra public holiday, I appeal to this government to take their hands off St Brigid’s Day. 

St Brigid is a patron saint in Ireland whose feast has always been observed by Catholics, and by Protestants too, perhaps. This day is embedded in our Christian culture.

A heavy media campaign is in progress to make February 1 a public holiday. Enthusiasts are regularly on RTÉ eulogising a goddess, and certain presenters are cheerleading this drive to impose the pagan on the feast day, for the new holiday.

The pagan is the deity Brigit, which some pagan perspectives present as an entity that is interchangeable with St Brigid or that the two are one, which we know is heresy. 

She is described by followers as the fire goddess of the Tuatha de Danann, deity of the Imbolc and of the mystical magical world of the underworld and more.

St Brigid’s Day cannot be replaced by or shared with a goddess of the occult We must resist demands to impose a pagan from the underworld on a feast that belongs to the largest Christian church in the world.

 This has left me feeling hurt, harassed and marginalised. It is an attack on my religion.

Mary Reynolds

Dublin 6

Time for bed, Ted

All the coming and going regarding the opening of nightclubs reminds me of Graham Norton’s line in Father Ted. “God, it must have been half ten and we getting to bed”. At a certain age, a case of ‘many the true word’.

Tom Gilsenan

Beaumont

Dublin 9