Latest news with #Leftie
IOL News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Nasty C and Blxckie strike a chord with powerful new anthem 'Leftie'
Born out of fan excitement, this high-voltage anthem was first previewed during Nasty C's renowned "Pass The Aux" sessions. Multi-award-winning rapper, songwriter and producer Nasty C has just released "Leftie," a powerful collaboration featuring Blxckie . Now, the much-anticipated track has finally dropped, delivering a raw, unfiltered contemporary piece right on time. "Leftie" is a precursor to "FREE", Nasty C's much-anticipated new album, which is set to drop on September 12. "Described as a sonic declaration of independence, 'FREE' promises to reflect Nasty C's profound journey as a man reclaiming his voice, time and truth," shared a statement. Nasty C shared: "'FREE' is basically just me feeling like I'm free from external pressures. Free to create whatever I want and be whoever I want for however long I want to be that person." He continued: "That same liberation can be felt in every bar of 'Leftie'." His opening lines: "Take it from park to drive, take off like a leftie" set the tone for a song that is both metaphor and mission. "It is about moving, transforming and ascending," shared Nasty C. Meanwhile, Blxckie slides through with charisma, luxury and lyrical flexes that match Nasty C's introspection line-for-line.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
On immigration and much else: Starmer is a weathervane, not a leader
Much of Keir Starmer's time as Labour Party leader has been devoted to combatting the damaging rhetoric and actions of the hard Left as represented by his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn. Five years ago, for example, an actual shadow cabinet member told a meeting that: 'We need to make the wider case on immigration. We welcome migrants.' A couple of years later the same politician was still at it: 'We've always welcomed people to work in this country,' he said. And in response to a question on whether foreign nationals living in the UK should be able to vote, he answered: 'I would like us to look at that.' In case anyone watching was remotely unsure of what his views on immigration were, he told another meeting of party supporters: 'The Labour Party's been a bit scared about making the positive case for immigration for quite a number of years. I think we need to turn that around. The whole of the UK is better because of immigration.' No doubt you saw the big reveal coming – the shadow cabinet member in question was, of course, Keir Starmer himself, who yesterday performed his latest 180-degree turn on the issue of immigration by promising significant cuts in the number of people arriving here – at least in terms of those arriving legally. New arrivals would also be expected to speak English and there will be a wait of ten years before immigrants can apply for full UK citizenship. This represents a victory for all those voters whose unhappiness with record (and unsustainable) levels of immigration seen in recent years motivated them to vote Reform in this month's local elections. But the (mostly) London-based progressive elite who have rended their garments in anguish at Starmer's announcement are not happy: aside from Brexit, this is a group of people who are used to getting their own way, and they're not about to take this latest defeat lying down. In Starmer's defence, he is only doing what any pragmatic politician of Left or Right would have to do in order to have a chance of remaining in office. No one seriously thinks we can continue importing nearly a million people every year without some pretty drastic economic and social consequences, not least in terms of local services and housing. When even a privileged Leftie lawyer like Starmer can work this out, and can make the sort of announcement he did yesterday without risking the resignation in high dudgeon of a single minister, he is on pretty solid ground. But where's the political strategy beyond this single issue? One of Starmer's greatest weaknesses as a politician is that he has been so willing to say whatever is necessary in order to slide up that greasy pole, whether that meant resigning in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's leadership in 2016, only to rejoin the front bench and campaign to make him Prime Minister, or promising the country that Labour would respect the outcome of the 2016 EU referendum and then telling his party that they would be given a chance to reverse that outcome in a second referendum. Then there was his leadership campaign in 2020, where he promised to endorse Corbyn's legacy by supporting ten key socialist pledges, only to ditch most of them within months. Or his flailing over the definition of a woman, starting out by claiming it was 'not right' to say that only women have a cervix and that '99.9 per cent of women don't have a penis', only to concede, after the Supreme Court decision last month, that a woman is an adult female. And now his volte face on immigration can be added to the ever-growing list of topics on which Starmer has proved himself unreliable. It may be that as a relatively inexperienced politician, he is merely undergoing, somewhat later in life than usual, those formative events that can shape an individual's world view, of having long-held views challenged and undermined by real-world events. That may be so, but your average voter doesn't give a fig for such subtleties or context. All they see is a man whose core, defining principles are unpredictable and apt to shift with the political weather. What will be the electoral benefit to Labour as a result of its new immigration policies? Starmer is hoping that former Labour supporters who opted for Reform two weeks ago will now give Labour another chance. That would be an optimistic expectation. Given Reform's momentum in recent polls, such voters are more likely to be convinced that voting for that party is now proven to elicit important concessions from the governing party, so why would they now abandon that strategy? Meanwhile, all those petticoat-gripping, pearl-clutching progressives who voted Labour in 2024, once they've put down the smelling salts, might well consider switching their vote to other parties, perhaps the Liberal Democrats or even the Greens. Certainly those who remain in the Labour camp will do so with more reluctance and more complaining than before yesterday. None of this is to say that Starmer was wrong to change policy as he has done. It was inevitable and it was right, although it remains to be seen whether these reforms alone will make the impact on immigration figures that ministers hope for. But on a wider political level, Starmer has only confirmed that he is a weathervane, not a leader. It is increasingly difficult to imagine a man with such a devalued brand leading his party into the next election. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kemi Badenoch accuses police forces of ‘social engineering'
Kemi Badenoch has accused the police of 'social engineering' following The Telegraph's revelations about a force temporarily blocking job applications from white British people. The Tory leader warned such moves risk 'the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes that ethnic minorities cannot succeed unless a well-meaning Leftie is holding the door open'. It has emerged that several police forces have given preferential recruitment opportunities to ethnic minority candidates and taught officers that they possess 'white privilege'. Mrs Badenoch said she believes in 'meritocracy, not race-based quotas' and warned police forces that 'we are living in dangerous times and we need police who understand that their primary role is to prevent crime and catch criminals, not social engineering'. The Telegraph reported that West Yorkshire Police (WYP) had blocked white British candidates from registering early interest for its constable programme to encourage diversity in the force. The news has raised concerns that police forces are practising a form of positive discrimination when hiring police officers, which could be unlawful. A whistleblower at WYP told The Telegraph that different ethnicities were ranked according to their level of under-representation. The most under-represented groups in the force – black and east Asian candidates – were reportedly ranked 'gold'. South-east Asian candidates were ranked 'silver' while those who fall in the 'White Others' category, including east European and Irish candidates, were ranked 'bronze'. Mrs Badenoch told The Telegraph: 'The era of complacency about our society must end. The mindset of so many in authority – from judges to senior police officers needs a complete reset. 'We are living in dangerous times and we need police who understand that their primary role is to prevent crime and catch criminals, not social engineering. 'Labour show all the signs of being happy with this state of affairs, but Conservatives believe in meritocracy, not race-based quotas, which are bad for society and breed mistrust. 'In particular, the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes that ethnic minorities cannot succeed unless a well-meaning leftie is holding the door open for them.' West Yorkshire Police is the fourth largest force in the country. It employs 19 diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) officers, many of whom also serve as police officers. WYP is thought to spend more on DEI roles than any other police force in England. The force's recruitment page said: 'We are currently accepting applications for the two police constable entry programmes (uniform and detective) from people from our under-represented groups... If you are not from one of these groups, please keep checking this page for future recruitment opportunities.' Defending its hiring policy, WYP has argued that while 23 per cent of people in West Yorkshire are from an ethnic minority background, only nine per cent of its staff are. The force has said ethnic minority applications 'are processed through to the interview stage, but then held until recruitment is opened for everyone'. It added: 'Enabling people from under-represented groups to apply early does not give them an advantage in the application process, it simply provides us with more opportunity to attract talent from this pool of applicants.' Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has defended the force's recruitment practices and said she will not intervene. She said: 'Often, lots of organisations do encourage more applications from under-represented groups, but they also have to make sure that the actual decision-making, the recruitment process is fair and is making sure that it's about getting the best possible candidates into the sorts of jobs that they have.' Chief Constable John Robins, the head of WYP, has hit back at critics and said the law should be changed to boost the number of ethnic minorities in his force and across the country. Thames Valley Police has been teaching police officers that they possess 'white privilege' as part of its new 'equity training' programme. The concept, part of the anti-racist ideology, contends that white people have inherent advantages based on their race because British society is characterised by racial inequality and injustice. On Saturday, The Telegraph revealed that the official police watchdog would compel forces to take 'positive action' to recruit ethnic minorities to ensure that their workforce represents the diversity of their communities. For the first time, the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary will rate forces on how well they promote 'equality, diversity and inclusion' as part of its inspections of all 43 constabularies in England and Wales. The Telegraph also recently revealed that police diversity jobs have increased by almost a third in three years. The number of equality, diversity and inclusion roles in the UK's forces has increased to a total of just under 200, up from fewer than 150 three years ago. Almost £15 million has been spent on such roles since the beginning of the 2021-22 financial year. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Kemi Badenoch accuses police forces of ‘social engineering'
Kemi Badenoch has accused the police of 'social engineering' following The Telegraph's revelations about a force temporarily blocking job applications from white British people. The Tory leader warned such moves risk 'the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes that ethnic minorities cannot succeed unless a well-meaning Leftie is holding the door open'. It has emerged that several police forces have given preferential recruitment opportunities to ethnic minority candidates and taught officers that they possess 'white privilege'. Mrs Badenoch said she believes in 'meritocracy, not race-based quotas' and warned police forces that 'we are living in dangerous times and we need police who understand that their primary role is to prevent crime and catch criminals, not social engineering'. The Telegraph reported that West Yorkshire Police (WYP) had blocked white British candidates from registering early interest for its constable programme to encourage diversity in the force. The news has raised concerns that police forces are practising a form of positive discrimination when hiring police officers, which could be unlawful. A whistleblower at WYP told The Telegraph that different ethnicities were ranked according to their level of under-representation. The most under-represented groups in the force – black and east Asian candidates – were reportedly ranked 'gold'. South-east Asian candidates were ranked 'silver' while those who fall in the 'White Others' category, including east European and Irish candidates, were ranked 'bronze'. Mrs Badenoch told The Telegraph: 'The era of complacency about our society must end. The mindset of so many in authority – from judges to senior police officers needs a complete reset. 'We are living in dangerous times and we need police who understand that their primary role is to prevent crime and catch criminals, not social engineering. 'Labour show all the signs of being happy with this state of affairs, but Conservatives believe in meritocracy, not race-based quotas, which are bad for society and breed mistrust. 'In particular, the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes that ethnic minorities cannot succeed unless a well-meaning leftie is holding the door open for them.' West Yorkshire Police is the fourth largest force in the country. It employs 19 diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) officers, many of whom also serve as police officers. WYP is thought to spend more on DEI roles than any other police force in England. The force's recruitment page said: 'We are currently accepting applications for the two police constable entry programmes (uniform and detective) from people from our under-represented groups... If you are not from one of these groups, please keep checking this page for future recruitment opportunities.' Defending its hiring policy, WYP has argued that while 23 per cent of people in West Yorkshire are from an ethnic minority background, only nine per cent of its staff are. The force has said ethnic minority applications 'are processed through to the interview stage, but then held until recruitment is opened for everyone'. It added: 'Enabling people from under-represented groups to apply early does not give them an advantage in the application process, it simply provides us with more opportunity to attract talent from this pool of applicants.' Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has defended the force's recruitment practices and said she will not intervene. She said: 'Often, lots of organisations do encourage more applications from under-represented groups, but they also have to make sure that the actual decision-making, the recruitment process is fair and is making sure that it's about getting the best possible candidates into the sorts of jobs that they have.' Chief Constable John Robins, the head of WYP, has hit back at critics and said the law should be changed to boost the number of ethnic minorities in his force and across the country. Thames Valley Police has been teaching police officers that they possess 'white privilege' as part of its new 'equity training' programme. The concept, part of the anti-racist ideology, contends that white people have inherent advantages based on their race because British society is characterised by racial inequality and injustice. On Saturday, The Telegraph revealed that the official police watchdog would compel forces to take 'positive action' to recruit ethnic minorities to ensure that their workforce represents the diversity of their communities. For the first time, the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary will rate forces on how well they promote 'equality, diversity and inclusion' as part of its inspections of all 43 constabularies in England and Wales. The Telegraph also recently revealed that police diversity jobs have increased by almost a third in three years. The number of equality, diversity and inclusion roles in the UK's forces has increased to a total of just under 200, up from fewer than 150 three years ago. Almost £15 million has been spent on such roles since the beginning of the 2021-22 financial year.
Los Angeles Times
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Review: In ‘Riff Raff' a misfit family reunion goes violently off the rails
'Riff Raff' is a solid crime comedy with unusual wiring. There's no heist, no bag of money or suitcase of drugs. Instead, the director, Dito Montiel, puts the focus on three clashing families finagling to ensure their loved ones survive a very violent New Year's Eve. Ex-hit man Vincent (Ed Harris) has fathered two of of the clans. After screwing up and abandoning his starter family of bawdy Ruth (Jennifer Coolidge) and their loser son Rocco (Lewis Pullman), he about-faced and became a decent man to his prim younger wife, Sandy (Gabrielle Union), and their sheltered teenager D.J. (Miles J. Harvey). The sinners and the saints have stayed more-or-less estranged until Ruth, Rocco and Rocco's pregnant girlfriend, Marina (Emanuela Postacchini), burst into the vacation cabin fleeing Vincent's former partner, Leftie (Bill Murray), who's coming to kill everyone on behalf of his own kid, Jonathan (Michael Angelo Covino). Leftie's also bringing a sidekick named Lenny, a dialed-down, very funny Pete Davidson. Blood is priceless. But the family tree that tethers Ruth and Rocco to Sandy and D.J. apparently comes with a noose. Clearly, this was one hell of a script to convince the reclusive Murray to pick up his phone. The screenwriter John Pollono emerged out of L.A.'s 99-seat theater scene and knows how to braid comedy, tension and thematics. He's divided his characters along an axis of naïveté. Rocco and D.J. share a dad but otherwise appear to have been raised on separate planets. This is a movie where someone's frontal lobes get splatted on a window and drip-drip-plop down in chunks. Yet gradually and convincingly, 'Riff Raff' demonstrates not just brains but heart. The first half of the film is almost all getting-to-know-you conversations between these estranged relatives, the best of which involves an extended flashback to how Rocco wooed Marina. We learn that this disheveled gangster has bona fide empathy. In fact, every character proves capable of sincere emotions. Montiel's insistence on humanity, even in this kind of gonzo genre flick, develops into his thesis statement. Postacchini in particular makes her girlfriend side character earn a place in the plot. She's so radiant that when Marina dims her wattage in a vain attempt to stay off the radar, we really feel the light in her go out. With Leftie and Lonnie en route to the cabin, the score pulses with what sounds like a ticking time bomb, plus something like an eerie musical saw for some extra shivers. Still, the scenes themselves play out floppier than you'd expect. Murray is good, delivering threats in an East Coast rasp and maximizing the dispassion in his eyes. He and Davidson have a wonderfully shaggy dynamic, muttering jokes under their breath. (Davidson even gets a giggle with the line 'Nice ziti.') Leftie and Lonnie's road-trip subplot mostly takes place hundreds of miles away from the rest of the action with the dubious duo forever promising not to kill innocent people — and then offing them anyway. The best sequence in the whole film is their encounter with two posh suburbanites who simply can't imagine they're in danger, bounding right up to them like the Galapagos Islands' blue-footed boobies. Part of the problem is another chunk of the cast tries to move through this heightened world like normal people. Union and Harvey seem to be under the impression that they're audience conduits instead of coddled suckers. Harvey, a rising actor with real potential, has one of the hardest characters. His D.J., a Dartmouth freshman who's never dealt with anything worse than being friend-zoned by his crush, has to make the kind of hard pivot that doesn't fit the overall tone. It could work if he was more of a caricature, which might be why Harvey keeps his voice a half-octave too high. I'd have liked to see every bit of him cranked up — from sweaters to smile. The one scene where Montiel uses him like a cartoon, with D.J. butting in over some very serious murder talk while whining about the BBQ grill, is pitch-perfect. This kind of gory caper teeters on formulaic. We had a million of them in the '90s. Montiel takes a while to tip his hand that he's after something more emotionally complex than the first act foretells. There's genuine pain in the film's core idea of daddy redos and sibling resentment. Victor was a louse in his first marriage and father of the year in his second. The script seems to believe that his conversion is legitimate, that people can evolve, even though we never believe that he and Union's Sandy have been happily married for 18 years. As proof, the script inserts a sex scene. It doesn't work. The story hinges on us buying into a version of Victor that's hard to imagine — the cheating louse who had yet to earn the nice home, the debonair cap, the gorgeous younger wife and doting son who don't know how little about him they actually know. When Rocco, played by Pullman as a sweaty disaster, gets told that he's just like his pops, we can't quite see it. Rocco argues that he's teaching himself to be Victor's opposite. Poised to be a dad himself, he's roiling with lava-like anger at his childhood neglect. We're so used to rooting for flawed antiheroes, especially ones played with the craggy gravitas of Ed Harris, that it's almost disorienting when Montiel reveals that he has less respect for Victor than we might have guessed. Like a pool shark, Montiel reveals his intentions only toward the end. The gamble doesn't pay off as well as it could, but at least 'Riff Raff' gets smarter as it goes on. Coolidge's early scenes as a drunken potty-mouth play like punishment. Her Ruth is a ghastly creation, a lonely singleton who roams the rooms of her ex's house like a raccoon, rifling through Sandy's makeup and pawing at Victor's crotch like she's desperate to steal back the life she still wants. Coolidge gets off some great, filthy quips as the camera lingers on her cleavage. But the character is repellent even to her family, who refuses to warm to her even when she tries to win their sympathy with an awkward monologue about how her own father trained her to settle for slop. Montiel smartly takes Ruth's noxiousness from comic to pitiful, noting her sad awareness that she's the odd woman out. Eventually, Leftie will ask the clan which one of them he can kill first. By then, I was almost on her side. Or at least I'd added her back onto the family Christmas card list.
