The Moral Maze - Age of Consent

[KentVillan]

19 minutes ago, ROTTERDAM1982 said:

That makes it ok then?

 

I think the bar for what we positively regard as “good behaviour” should always be much, much higher than the threshold for what ought to be a newsworthy transgression.

Nobody is saying Huw is a hero for doing this. But consenting adults swapping photos, regardless of age or gender, doesn’t strike me as headline news. Unless said celebrity has compromised national security or has publicly campaigned against their own behaviour (eg it would be newsworthy for a politician advocating criminalisation of homosexuality and adultery to be caught in this situation).

Has he let himself down? Yeah, a bit. Maybe. Guess we need to find out the full story. But he’s one of the most harmless figures in British public life … his behaviour, so long as it’s legal and not abusive, isn’t really any of our business.

And as others have said, the Sun pretty much accused him of being a paedononce, which doesn’t seem to be the case at all. Hopefully this will backfire on them. 

[mjmooney]

35 grand paid to the (allegedly) druggie young man? If this turns out to be blackmail, it won't be Edwards that ends up in court. 

[KentVillan]

1 minute ago, mjmooney said:

35 grand paid to the (allegedly) druggie young man? If this turns out to be blackmail, it won't be Edwards that ends up in court. 

Do we even know if the amounts are true? Or was that just the parents embellishing? Whole thing is bizarre.

Wouldn’t be surprised if the Sun try to throw the family under the bus now.

[Davkaus]

9 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Is it because he's a man chasing men? 

If he was a 60 year old man originally accused of chasing after a 17 year old girl who then transpired to actually be a 18 year old girl, would people be on their high horse? 

It's adults communicating with adults. **** me the world is full of rich old men with young dolly birds on their arms. 

You have to consider the influence of the man.

A sitting MP has a tug to porn in the house of commons, it's old news in days, but this man exchanged photos with another adult, and he reads the news.

[bickster]

23 minutes ago, Seat68 said:

Don't fall for this kids. I have a pixelated picture of something he calls a "belly button" and 2k hole in my finances. 

You bought the extras option with the framed NFT belly button fluff

Suck it up or sniff it or whatever… see if I care  

[Davkaus]

I see that in this rapidly changing story, one of the accusations is that he broke lockdown rules in 2021.

I cannot wait until this is inevitably condemned by politicians who backed the actual Prime Minister who broke those rules despite implementing them.

[mjmooney]

2 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

You have to consider the influence of the man.

A sitting MP has a tug to porn in the house of commons, it's old news in days, but this man exchanged photos with another adult, and he reads the news.

Not just reads the news, but fronts the big occasions like the royal funerals and coronations. He's the heir apparent to Richard Baker and Richard Dimbleby (Google 'em, kids). Or rather, he was... 

[KentVillan]

3 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I see that in this rapidly changing story, one of the accusations is that he broke lockdown rules in 2021.

Not only did he break lockdown rules, but HE READ STUFF OFF AN AUTOCUE ABOUT THEM

This erodes public trust in the King or something

[Davkaus]

4 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Not just reads the news, but fronts the big occasions like the royal funerals and coronations. He's the heir apparent to Richard Baker and Richard Dimbleby (Google 'em, kids). Or rather, he was... 

Might be one for the things you don't get thread, but I have no idea why there's so much made about the respect and the idea of the importance of impartiality and professionalism among newsreaders.

They're not even journalists (though most of them are before they get there). They sit in front of the cameras and read a **** autocue. It's not some noble or important profession.

Trevor McDonald got a **** knighthood for it. Blows my mind. 

Edited July 12, 2023 by Davkaus

[sidcow]

4 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

Might be one for the things you don't get thread, but I have no idea why there's so much made about the respect and the idea of the importance of impartiality and professionalism among newsreaders.

They're not even journalists (though most of them are before they get there). They sit in front of the cameras and read a **** autocue. It's not some noble or important profession.

Trevor McDonald got a **** knighthood for it. Blows my mind. 

You leave The Mac alone! 

[VillaChris]

1 hour ago, Genie said:

My first thought when I heard it on the radio was whether he tried to take his own life  

The Sun need to be shut down.

I think he knows his television and business (all the speaking he does at events) career is at an end so considering the status he's enjoyed for last 20 years that would test 99.9% of people's minds.

Not even a week since he was reporting from Scotland on the coronation thing they had and now from a professional point of view he's completely finished unless he fancies a gig at Talk TV or GB News if they're still going in a year's time but that would be quite a comedown.

In two minds about this but certainly don't want to see another Caroline Flack situation so wish him the best regarding his health.

[Jonesy7211]

As we're getting more of the facts coming out regarding the actual criminality, or lack thereof, of the events that transpired, could we question whether the right wing trash media has colluded with the government to cover up George Osborne's many indiscretions, along with distracting us from the tragic cost of living crisis and further inflation increases?

I just find the timing odd, and I find it very easy to believe the Tories and the Murdoch media have thrown Edwards under the bus for an alternative purpose than his indiscretions. He's a top tier presenter on the BBC, and this will be used to further undermine the institution.

Regarding Huw though, my personal opinion is that he's a complete douche for having sexualised interactions whilst married. Don't much care about the rest of it, I'm not the morality police.

[Davkaus]

Just now, Jonesy7211 said:

As we're getting more of the facts coming out regarding the actual criminality, or lack thereof, of the events that transpired, could we question whether the right wing trash media has colluded with the government to cover up George Osborne's many indiscretions, along with distracting us from the tragic cost of living crisis and further inflation increases?

Although Osborne still has some public influence, I'm not sure anyone's going out of their way to whip up a scandal like this to save his arse, he's surely not got that kind of credit in the bank? If he was still in government I'd be more open to the idea, but I don't buy it.

[KentVillan]

I don’t really get why the Murdoch press would come out all guns blazing to protect George Osborne (or even this relatively minor furore around Boris Johnson’s old WhatsApps).

Think just a simple case of they hate the BBC and saw an opportunity.

It’s not as if the Osborne and Johnson stories can’t rear their heads again now, anyway. “Killing” stories is a lot harder than people think.

[Xela]

Is this much different to the witch hunt that Schofield had as well?

[tomav84]

37 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Is it because he's a man chasing men? 

If he was a 60 year old man originally accused of chasing after a 17 year old girl who then transpired to actually be a 18 year old girl, would people be on their high horse? 

It's adults communicating with adults. **** me the world is full of rich old men with young dolly birds on their arms. 

i actually wonder if the pile on would've been worse if it was a girl. lads go looking for sex (generally) much earlier in life than women so i imagine there's rarely any question of consent when it comes to an 18 year old bloke. and 18 year old girl on the other hand could be more vulnerable, felt threatened, pressured etc. guess we'll never know, but just a thought.

[Chindie]

1 minute ago, Xela said:

Is this much different to the witch hunt that Schofield had as well?

Schofield was on decidedly more dodgy ground. Starting a relationship with someone you met when underage and then using your position to get them jobs etc - bit different to consenting adults transacting for dirty pics.

[tomav84]

5 minutes ago, Xela said:

Is this much different to the witch hunt that Schofield had as well?

yes, very very similar when you look at it and schofield was widely vilified for it. i guess by those that think something was going on when the lad was 15 despite no charges being brought or any complaints made by the lad in question

[KentVillan]

13 minutes ago, Chindie said:

Schofield was on decidedly more dodgy ground. Starting a relationship with someone you met when underage and then using your position to get them jobs etc - bit different to consenting adults transacting for dirty pics.

Yeah I agree, and lied to employers about background to it, etc.

Was still ridiculously overblown by lots of people with an axe to grind, and again had a strong undercurrent of homophobia.

But Huw Edwards really doesn’t seem to have done anything that would merit losing your job over. Marriage, maybe. I don’t think this is any of our business.

[foreveryoung]

I know it's not illegal or anything, but I really can't understand why not many on here are even condemning it. certainly if someone on here, say over the age of 50 for example, said, they did the same thing, obviously for less money or gifts, it would be a totally out of order.