Der Vorsitzende der Grünen, Zack Polanski, „will Pferderennen verbieten“, während sich das Land auf das Grand National vorbereitet

Why does reddit feel like McCarthy era America at the minute?

Wait, is this article and the subsequent comments from Farage and Timothy all based off one tweet from 2024? Lol.

My reflexive reaction was negative, but then I think about it – We’re in the middle of banning greyhound racing, to broad popular approval. Is horse racing really any different? Or is it just that I’ve ocassionally had a nice time putting a flutter on the horses in a way I never did with the dogs?

Side note – I’m amused how trawling through Farage’s distant history you’re digging up dozens of people testifying to his racism, but you do that with Polanski and its „I disagree with horse racing“ and the hypno-boob thing (which is frankly hilarious).

*Ahead of the world-famous meet in Merseyside this weekend, it has been revealed that Polanski has advocated for the sport to be banned altogether as recently as 2024.*

*Mr Polanski wrote on X in 2024: „Let’s go further and remove all animals involved in sport“.*

*He has also advocated for the ban of equestrian events from the Olympics.*

_______

The article is literally based on things he said in 2024 and has no more recency. This isn’t a statement made by the Greens, it’s LBC dredging up comments to sell advertising space. If you go on Google News and type Zack Polanski this is the only article that I get involving horses – your Google may vary.

I agree with him and have done for years. This is not a controversial opinion by any means. It’s funny how this is presented as some kind of outrageous niche opinion. Most people I know and work with abhor the national. Our office sweepstake died a death some time ago as so few people were inclined to participate

When 3 horses die at Cheltenham, and the voice over says its been a great year because ‚x more people have attended‘ its not a great look…

I don’t agree with everything he says but I’ve always believed this. Animals shouldn’t be used by the police or the royal guards anymore either.

My horse loving mum hates horse racing. Too many dead, too many injured (then shot dead).

If they do ban horse racing are they going to plan ahead for what happens to the horses or will we end up with a large number of abandoned racing horses like greyhounds?

I’m not a fan of horse racing.

Polanski however is pure ideology. He will take a sledgehammer to our traditions in the name of whatever warped brand of Marxism he looks to implement.

I can only imagine the sheer number of things the Greens would ban if they ever got into power. Would make the current government look like a shining beacon of individual rights and freedom. Same with any hard left government in history.

First comes power, then comes control -all in the name of creating a safe, harmonious society. Hopefully not all the famine and death stuff this time around, though with Zak’s economic policies I’m not too sure we can rule that out.

I have no strong feelings on this issue, but do those who are pro banning it as a sport realise that it will lead to a lot of horses being shot? They’re very expensive to maintain and if suddenly the bottom falls out of the market because racing as an industry no longer exists, then the value of horses will plummet.

The valuable ones can be sold to stud farms in countries where it’s still not illegal, but there are a lot of horses involved in racing in the UK, and they won’t all get homes.

won’t happen but i’d back it.

just have the jockey’s race

The quality of comments is extremely low if they do not first summarise the broad arguments of support for or against horse racing:

Pro:

* Generates substantial economic activity

* Creates a full complex industry around the sport eg breeders, trainers, vets, jockeys, equipment etc

* Cultural and historic and entertainment eg The Derby and The Boat Race are old traditions of sport in England enjoyed by many

Cons:

* Main concern is ethical justification of risk of serious injury to horses exerted at extreme capacity increasing such risk including young horses and pressure to exert too extremely for example additionally

Overall: The balance of support rests between these 2 positions. If the Horse Racing industry can alleviate the issues of ethical concern ie risk of injury, regulate breeding to not be extreme then the positives are self-evident based off progress on these serious concerns.

Final comment: Real discussion of the information is necessary of the subject in question. Modern politicians are “empty vessels” which take positions to boost support in their own preference groups then chime in sound bites to promote this. This demagoguery is not democracy nor is people behaving emotionally or tribally either. This is a good example of the death of democracy before it even was ever practiced.

A sport that wouldn’t exist if gambling was illegal. Couldn’t care less

Whether you like it or not, horse racing is still massive in the UK. Attendances at the big festivals are on the way up, not down. Whether or not you agree with the sport, this will lose votes for the Greens.

I don’t care about horse racing, and I’m aware of the mortality rate of race horses, but I think Greens need to be careful not to slip into negative “ban this, ban that” territory 

Edit: Oh it’s a random tweet from 2024. 24HR ROLLING NEWS LADS 

Think of the other industries that will be impacted!

Skinny fit suit trousers, loafers, FACINATORS!
Madri share holders will be on the breadline. It’ll be a disaster.

/s if that wasn’t clear

A lot of Polanskis views are veing portrayed as extreme, and in my mind he’s terrible at putting them forth without being extreme himself, but this one isn’t that bad.

For starters horse racing is a barbaric world from the horse’s perspective. Many die or are mortally wounded in big races, many die in training, and generally there’s no way to make the sport sustainable and ethical in terms of treatment.

Secondly, in a nation that’s divided along class lines it’s a very divisive thing where the big races are an icon of the upper classes and the small races and gambling an icon of the lower. If advertising is any indication, gambling culture is already leaning more on footy and casino games, so you’d be cutting out a bit of British culture that’s associated with things a lot of people want rid of.

Banning horse racing feels like a level-headed policy for anyone trying to attract the „ethical treatment of animals“ and the „end the class war“ crowds.

This article feels like LBC reporter Chay Quinn wrote an attack ad on Polanski:

– Selecting this topic out of all of our current national woes, based on a „recently“ not so recent tweet in 2024, sure it’s probably still has stance – but this is not huge breaking news
– The quotes selected frame it as an attack on heritage and British culture
– There is no balanced response from Polanski or the Green Party or anyone contextualising of why he might want to do it (200+ dead horses a year might have something to do with it)

This article actually tells us:
– The media establishment is actually very worried about Polanski (likely due to tax reform)
– LBC pretends to be balanced but isn’t really
– The media are so out of touch they think ‚Polanski hates horse racing‘ is a viable attack vector
– They can’t find anything else on Polanski which is truly damning, whereas Farage has so many skeletons they need to open a new graveyard

In terms of this policy, I think it’s always an issue when politicians pull out the ban hammer when remedies to major issues should be sought first and I hope that is the case. But the major and most existential issue in the UK is the continuous refusal of politicians to tax wealth.