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Merged Astrology-loving MP seeks health answers in the stars / Give Tredinnick the ridicule

Dubious Dick

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Dubious Dick
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For those outside the U.K. David Tredinnick is a Member of Parliament, and is on the House of Commons Science and technology Committee, incredibly on both counts!

Perturbed I was to see the following piece on the BBC website today.

Sadly they have given space to the uberprat to promote his ideas as to how astrology is potentially useful

He quite rightly accepts that he will receive ridicule, as opposed of course to trying to present any more than his own anecdotal tales.

Well, here is some of that ridicule... :cl Feel free to add your own.

Apparently us skeptics are horrid bullies according to this ultimate eejit!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28464009


Of course, he still serves on the Science and Technology Committee. I wish this was a joke and that they had just coopted him so they could all have a good laff, but I am sad to say I suspect that is not the case.

Why did the reporter not ask the plonker for his evidence? I am going to ask the BBC.
 
Astrology-loving MP seeks health answers in the stars

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28464009

Wow - this is scary.

A Conservative MP has spoken of his belief in astrology and his desire to incorporate it into medicine.

David Tredinnick said he had spent 20 years studying astrology and healthcare and was convinced it could work.

The MP for Bosworth, a member of the health committee and the science and technology committee, said he was not afraid of ridicule or abuse.

"There is no logic in attacking something that has a proven track record," he told BBC News.
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Its terrifying that this guy has real influence in the UK.

- Drelda
 
His evidence appears to be that astrology has been used for thousands of years, and his own confirmation bias.

But you're right - if he's on the Science and Technology Committee, and makes his belief public this way, he should be expected to provide scientific evidence in support of it.
 
Rincewind said:
Is he a homoeopath supporter too?
Click to expand...

How clever of you to guess that. I believe the answer is yes, and he has been associated with a fair bit of campaigning for quackery.

Forgot to mention that he is also on the Health Committee.

One can only assume that, given his views are well known nutjobbery, there is substantial support for them amongst his colleagues in order for him to get the jobs he has, even if not many of them are prepared to say so openly. In case you didn't know, our Health Secretary is a homeopathetic supporter.
 
I have sent a personal e-mail to my local MP, Desmond swayne, with a link to this page as well as asking if he would please put the astrology-believing MP straight!
 
Dubious Dick said:
For those outside the U.K. David Tredinnick is a Member of Parliament, and is on the House of Commons Science and technology Committee, incredibly on both counts!

Perturbed I was to see the following piece on the BBC website today.

Sadly they have given space to the uberprat to promote his ideas as to how astrology is potentially useful

He quite rightly accepts that he will receive ridicule, as opposed of course to trying to present any more than his own anecdotal tales.

Well, here is some of that ridicule... :cl Feel free to add your own.

Apparently us skeptics are horrid bullies according to this ultimate eejit!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28464009


Of course, he still serves on the Science and Technology Committee. I wish this was a joke and that they had just coopted him so they could all have a good laff, but I am sad to say I suspect that is not the case.

Why did the reporter not ask the plonker for his evidence? I am going to ask the BBC.
Click to expand...

Next campaign ads should surely say" Tredinnick - He's a dick! " and/or: "Tredinnick - What a dick!" or a similar term - which also rhymes.
 
And this astrology thing - it is done by him running his fingers around his anus and interpreting the wrinkles???
 
I work with some of his electorate, so I shall be impressing on them just how dangerous the man is
 
Apparently he was involved in the expenses scandal by putting in a claim for purchase/s connected with astrology!
 
SusanB-M1 said:
Apparently he was involved in the expenses scandal by putting in a claim for purchase/s connected with astrology!
Click to expand...

Indeedy-doody. He was. It was apparently astrology software. Believe he tried to justify this as legitimate investigation into the subject.

He calls skeptics "bullies". I for one would sure love to knock some sense into his thick head.
 
Existing thread from 2009

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156775&highlight=tredinnick


David Tredinnick
The opposition is based on what I call the SIP formula—superstition, ignorance and prejudice. It tends to be based on superstition, with scientists reacting emotionally, which is always a great irony. They are also ignorant, because they never study the subject and just say that it is all to do with what appears in the newspapers, which it is not, and they are deeply prejudiced, and racially prejudiced too, which is troubling.
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As the late, great and much missed Patrick Moore once said, "Astrology does prove one thing scientifically: There's one born every minute"
 
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