Westminstenders: It couldn't get any worse... Until today

[RedToothBrush]

We are trapped in the tailspin of the end of the UK. Firmly headed downward and getting more and more frenzied and desperate.

Even the most sensible of types like David Allen Green have finally noticed that Brexit isn't about leaving the EU it's about the frenzied and wilful destruction of our state instutions and structure. The collapse of the civil service, of our justice system, our democratic institutions and social order. All in the name of rule Britannia, a warped sense of taking back control to preserve an ideal that never existed and an idea of sovereignity that simply was a fantasy.

We move ever closer to Johnson becoming Prime Minister and a life under President Trump.

Joy.

Ode to Joy really isn't that bad.

[yolofish]

yay, first in! thank you RTB for new fred.

[Peregrina]

Carried over from the other thread:

It's the two weekly reports that passes with one vote. A green light to the lords to do their bit?

My understanding was that this would also effectively stop Johnson or Hunt, or anyone else from proroguing Parliament. This may be why Grieve's amendment wasn't selected - because it was covered by this amendment.

[lljkk]

Listening to The World Tonight... quote from JH that BJ's answers are so entertaining that nobody notices he didn't answer the question, or even remembers what the question was. Painfully true.

I was thinking today about "kicking the Man" & "Giving a kick to the establishment": those supporters won it for Leave, I suppose. Their vote was never about EU at all.

[Jason118]

Glad you're back on line proper - I've been missing the insight you bring to the situation

[TokyoSushi]

PMK, thanks Red!

[GeistohneGrenzen]

pmk

[AutumnCrow]

I watched the 'debate' on ITV. God help us all.

[BigChocFrenzy]

Thanks, red 💐

Westministenders' Abbreviations:

https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eureferendumm2016/3492426-Westministenders-Abbreviation?msgid=84503730

[Motheroffourdragons]

PMK thanks Red - pleased you've got your broadband sorted.

I caught the tail end of the JH and BJ muppet show, and am delighted I didn't watch it all.

Grown men talking over each other - the bits I saw were impossible to follow.

What a pair of numpties.

And apparently JH had been giving the £350m a week to the NHS?

I hadn't heard that before.

[colouringinpro]

hello.

[BigChocFrenzy]

peregrina I heard that the amendment was supposed to be superfluous,
but the amendment was very specific and possibly more watertight ?

Maybe I'm just overly suspicious !

[NoWordForFluffy]

PMK.

Thanks, Red.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Thanks Red.

[IrenetheQuaint]

[Whisky2014]

Pmk

[Lonelycrab]

Very astute and spot on op as ever. Thanks Red. Couldn’t bear to watch clown vs weasel bit watched text updates instead.

[BigChocFrenzy]

In the debate, Hunt rattled BJ a few times,
but BJ has such a huge lead that it won't significantly affect the result.

Besides, most members have probably already decided that BJ is the most Brexity and sent in their vote

So, the debate was held so late that it is fairly pointless as regards the contest itself

• was that deliberate by the BJ side ?
  - iirc they kept refusing to agree a date until this late one

[ThereWillBeAdequateFood]

Pmk

Thanks red glad you’ve been reunited with broadband

[lonelyplanetmum]

Mat

I thought of PMKing with a feline but even cats don't seem much solace these days.

A parent I know works as a Labour researcher. She did say 3 years ago that Labour policy was to monitor voters' shifts and just try and gently stay a couple of paces ahead. So perhaps there is some comfort to be derived from JC's letter ? But if Labour voters do start to return that will be counterproductive as it just splits the vote surely?
Just trying to find a straw to clutch.

[LouiseCollins28]

Thanks for the new thread Red
Wow, hyperbole much?! D A-Gs fantastical ravings are largely out of character, a sad decline.

[StripeyChina]

Placematting (thanks, Red)

Just watching the 'debate' on catch up. Awful awful awful.

Bloody Johnson smugging: 'I'm not PM yet' - bleargh!

Not that Weasel is much better - praising Universal Credit, the fool.

I am so sad Rory Stewart got knocked out.
He was the only one who I had any hope in :(
I guess at least Labour finally got their message straight today.
But it's hard to feel any hope at all for the UK right now.

[BigChocFrenzy]

More dirty deeds and twisting of the legal system:

Reportedly, the DUP are taking up Johnny Mercer's veteran's pledge as part of their price for confidence & support for BJ

That pledge includes a promise of no prosecution for any soldier who manages to avoid being nabbed for murder, torture etc for a few years after the crime.

The DUP of course want immunity for soldiers - and ex RUC - for murders committed during the Troubles,
e.g. Bloody Sunday, Ballymurphy massacres

Naturally, that pledge would include any war crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan etc too
but also crimes like rape in Kenya, on ordinary overseas postings

It would be politically very costly for any future PM or govt to reverse
Hence, once there, it is likely to remain a permanent fixture

steve hawkes@steve_hawkes

Nigel Dodds warns Boris Johnson to back Sun's veterans pledge campaign - saying it will be part of confidence and supply talks

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9472697/boris-johnson-urged-to-stand-by-veterans-and-back-the-suns-campaign-to-woo-dup-allies-back/

[QueenOfThorns]

PMK - Thanks RTB

I couldn’t bring myself to watch the debate. It would’ve just make me shout and throw things at the telly

[Lisette1940]

Thanks Red.

[BigChocFrenzy]

BBC Newsnight@BBCNewsnight

BREAKING: Lord Triesman has resigned the Labour whip, citing "institutional anti-Semitism".

"We may one day be the Party of anti-racism once again but it certainly isn't today,"
the former Labour Party general secretary writes in his resignation letter
........
BREAKING: Former President of the Royal College of Physicians and Labour Peer Lord Turnberg has confirmed to #newsnight he too has resigned the whip.
......
BREAKING: Former Labour Health Minister Lord Darzi has confirmed to #newsnight that he too is resigning the Labour whip.

"As an Armenian survivor of the Armenian genocide,
I have zero tolerance to anti-Semitism, Islamophobic or any other discrimination against religion or race."