this post was submitted on 21 May 2026
33 points (92.3% liked)

United Kingdom

6707 readers
188 users here now

General community for news/discussion in the UK.

Less serious posts should go in !casualuk@feddit.uk or !andfinally@feddit.uk
More serious politics should go in !uk_politics@feddit.uk.

Try not to spam the same link to multiple feddit.uk communities.
Pick the most appropriate, and put it there.

Posts should be related to UK-centric news, and should be either a link to a reputable source, or a text post on this community.

Opinion pieces are also allowed, provided they are not misleading/misrepresented/drivel, and have proper sources.

If you think "reputable news source" needs some definition, by all means start a meta thread.

Posts should be manually submitted, not by bot. Link titles should not be editorialised.

Disappointing comments will generally be left to fester in ratio, outright horrible comments will be removed.
Message the mods if you feel something really should be removed, or if a user seems to have a pattern of awful comments.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Jafer Taasleem said he has received no help from the government or his local MP Shabana Mahmood after his son who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla was abducted by Israel

top 12 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Semjeza@fedinsfw.app 5 points 1 day ago

Sadly unsurprising.

After Israel worked with the US to screw Britain and France over with the Suez Crisis our government has done everything it can to kowtow to both Israel and the US.

We're happier with their scraps than working for a better world.

[–] Naich@piefed.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The UK has a proud tradition of cooperating with pirates.

[–] Semjeza@fedinsfw.app 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Love pirates and history!

Tell me more!

[–] DakRalter@thelemmy.club 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Semjeza@fedinsfw.app 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Eh, I don't count privateers as pirates.

That's just a form of international economic warfare, and has homage to a nation/crown rather than full on piracy.

Maybe I'm too romantic about it all.

[–] DakRalter@thelemmy.club 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I dunno, it doesn't really matter. I see them as pirates with a mandate.

[–] Semjeza@fedinsfw.app 2 points 1 day ago

Nah, privateers kept the heriarchies of home, only attacked and stole from permitted targets, and those who captained ships came from the elite of society - such as Sir Walter.

Pirates were much more socially accepting, allowing women and people of colour in to crews, and even to positions of authority. They didn't pay homage to a nation or work for empire. They saw a chance to get rich quick by not playing by nascant capitalisms rule.

Of course many pirates did start out as low levels on privateers' ships, but unlike their landed gentry captains didn't see a point in staying loyal to a crown and we're happy to mutiny for their own benefit when the chance came along.

[–] Naich@piefed.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Semjeza@fedinsfw.app 1 points 1 day ago

But he wasn't a pirate?

At most a privateer, but has none of the pirate stuff. A more nationally aligned mercenary. The page seems pretty poor and sensationalist if I'm honest. =(

I was hoping for more free from all law, not just that of their geopolitical rivals pirates, rather than privateers who aren't much different from an informal navy.

[–] Barrington@feddit.org -1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I mean, they tell you not to go there at all.

Gov - Travel advice

[–] Babalugats@feddit.uk 2 points 1 day ago

As mentioned, they weren't there. Not even near. What Israel did was illegal, and the UK Government are ignoring it. I wonder why that could be...

[–] Nighed@feddit.uk 2 points 1 day ago

They were not 'there' though.