There are several valid comparisons with the Savile case, not least that it is suggested that the behaviour was an open secret but either tolerated or ignored. That will doubtless now be investigated as a side issue. If it is shown that victims were intimidated from reporting their abuse then that’s a serious issue for the various broadcasters to address.

For sure Brand has the right to defend himself, both now with denials and in court if and when prosecuted. He also has the right to sue for defamation if he knows the accusations to be untrue.

In the meantime we will all reach our own conclusions on the merit, or otherwise, of the claims.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I know both the first two statements.

Savile has not been given the benefit of doubt because he wasn’t convicted in a court. Brand has the opportunity to issue denials, sue for defamation and defend himself if prosecuted.

That the Nazis were given the chance to defend their actions doesn’t mean that people held no opinions on them before they were tried.

I have never owned a rental property with gas appliances and my care home was heated by oil, with a service contract in place as a legal requirement.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

A lot of people haven't actually heard Brand on politics or his approach to things and go off of his personality....which is very marmite.

But I've watched his content and I have time for Brand, not because of his politics so much....though I agree on some holistic elements of it...but because he wants a future without a pile of skulls....in other words where nobody particularly wins the culture and people get to live their lifes without overarching state control......He is a lefty libertarian. So I'll always have time for peacemakers.....people who seek a way out the maze for everybody, not just their tribe.

While I criticise libertarianism...it's not for its ideals, like most I crtiticise it because it fails down to the same reason socialism/communism/egalitarianism fails....it deals unrealistically with human nature and seeks to punish it more than reward it. It's the exact reason why capitalism succeeds, even though we may not like aspects of it.

So while libertarianism doesn't work within power structures I do respect the ideals....it's similar to egalitarianism, though the latter is far more dangerous as it attracts far more and thus is significantly more dangerous in its resultant failings.

But there's a reason these ideas attract people and it's because they strive for virtue.....Very few of us start out deliberately malign.

Fool's gold will always attract buyers.

Edited by Stirlingsays (19 Sep 2023 5.47pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Will he? Is Kevin Spacey richer than he was?

There is no evidence in the Brand case. Nor is there currently legal re-dress in process. Yet the story currently saturates the media to the extent the things that matter are in the small print on the inside pages.
You seemingly support trial by media ? Many people saying it is Karma for the telephone call he made to Andrew Sachs regarding his daughter.
The guy behaved like a total t055er in that instance, and many others. It does not deny him the right to due process, especially given the criminal nature of the allegations.

Wisbech, you pick and chose due process when it suits you. You championed the Government's right not to be judged by media reporting and wait for the Covid Inquiry findings. Yet you are willing to see a man destroyed because you don't like what he's done,...according to the media.

"The facts have changed", Rishi Sunak

Because there's no need for a trial. Innocent until proven guilty doesn't mean much does it? In fact the trial doesn't matter when he's guilty before an arrest has been made.