Amber Rudd says 'sexist' Brexiteers are backing Boris Johnson's deal 'because he's a man'

Sexism nothing to do with it.
For a start, the deal is different.
And it hasn't passed yet.

Of course sexism is playing a part here. Sexism permeates every single aspect of society, and it is a factor in most interactions.

Even if it's not the sole issue, it will have been a factor, likely often a significant factor, in each little step that led us here.

The Govt has always felt that Stormont should decide these issues, but it is not sitting. If power sharing may be restored V soon then these decisions should clearly return. Doubt if it has anything to do with the Brexit agreement - Creasy is just making political capital.

I guess TM's deal didn't include this? www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/16/abortion-rights-used-to-get-dup-to-back-brexit-deal-says-stella-creasy

I'm inclined to agree that sexism is absolutely at the heart of this.

However, another key difference is that having lost his majority, Johnson is not in hock to the DUP to the same extent that May was. I also believe that the lack of a majority has focused the minds of those who would do anything to stop Corbyn.

This process needed metaphorical testosterone, whether in the person of a forceful man or a reincarnation of Margaret Thatcher

That's internalised mysogony right there.

I hope she's laughing like a drain on her country walks or whatever shes doing now, knowing that the ERG posterboy couldnt thrash out a better deal than she did.

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding of the current proposals here. From an ERG point of view Johnson's plan is very much better than May's. It's a very hard brexit.

If you're determined to find sexism I'd wait and see what the DUP do. This is a very much worse deal for unionists. If Arlene and her band of bigots vote for it when they turned their noses up at Johnson's deal then you might claim that they're motivated by sexism.

Although the Guardian is hardly going to hold the front page for that revelation when the party says of its own leader: "Her most important job is wife, mother and daughter"!

Add another female into the mix and the boys get all defensive and competitive. Sadly, this meant TM was always going to fail.

Oh, right.

What was the reason for Mrs Thatcher’s three terms in office then?

Plus the deal isn't the same.

I don't think so. More about the personalities I'd say. Boris is more inspiring as a leader. He oozes confidence and enthusiasm. May appeared afraid of her own shadow.

Johnson's remit was to get rid of the backstop, which he appears to be on track to do

All this testosterone you mention is what's made him make massive concessions, is it? How has he been vigorous and forceful? It's exactly the opposite and it's not the victory you are trying to make it sound like above.

Sexim claim is utter rubbish.

Johnson's remit was to get rid of the backstop, which he appears to be on track to do. That is not all that stinks about May's deal but it is unrealistic to think the whole lot can be scrapped.

May did an awful job, as she did as home sec. - reportedly some of her failure as home sec was due to bullying by Cameron, Osborne and Gove. Which just goes to show, while not excusing this she lacked the aggression, vigour and forcefulness to withstand and combat this just as to be effective in negotiations with the EU.

She had no charisma, as others have commented and seemed to think that if she behaved reasonably so would the EU. This does not happen in negotiations.

This process needed metaphorical testosterone, whether in the person of a forceful man or a reincarnation of Margaret Thatcher, who, as you will remember, gave the EU a royal bollocking and acheived her objectives.

And I do not care if you think that is sexist.

Dementia" tax was a rare example of the conservative party trying to help the poorest in society. If i need care my house will eventually pay for it. Leaving my DS with SN completely homeless. £100,000 buffer would leave at least enough for somewhere for him to live.
Agree. I didn't see what was wrong with that. Very odd that Labour ended up fighting for inherited wealth!

The ERG isn't just men.

Honestly although I think sexism is an issue, I think it's only a small part.

The deadline and the walls of reality closing in on Johnson are more of an issue.

Johnson never understood what problems May had. He never could be arses to do his homework. He's subsequently been forced to once he became PM.

Meanwhile the ERG had this idea that May was a Remainer and she was trying to dupe them, rather than her presenting the reality of the problem (they too couldn't be arsed to do homework).

Finally May's deal, was more about getting a deal where the UK was treated the same as NI to please the DUP.

Johnson has been more willing to push back against the DUP on that, and his version of things looks likely to have differences for NI and the rest of the UK.

This would satisfy the English hardliners more as it has the potential to be a bonfire of regulations and tighter immigration.

So Johnson's proposals are different to May's.

I think characterising it as purely sexist isn't true.

I do think Johnson's proposals have a more detremential effect on women and in this sense it is more sexist... But that's not the point Rudd was making.

It's all about the DUP. TM didn't have them on board. She could have involved them much earlier in negotiations (indeed she could have involved cross party committee), but she chose not to. If Arlene had signed off on TM's deal, we'd have left in March. Yes, OP, I agree, this is largely TM's deal, with smoke and mirrors for the DUP to get lost in.

I dont think she was necessarily bad in power. She did make an epically stupid mistake calling an election, but i think that was a sign of how disconnected Westminster had become from the real world as it wasnt consider foolish at the time.

At another time she might have made a decent PM. "Dementia" tax was a rare example of the conservative party trying to help the poorest in society. If i need care my house will eventually pay for it. Leaving my DS with SN completely homeless. £100,000 buffer would leave at least enough for somewhere for him to live.

it can’t be denied she was bad in terms of being PM like.

Unfortunately, most of us have an unconscious bias toward expecting men to be in power. So we expect PMs to look male, act male and be male. This is true in the UK and especially in Europe (and most other places). Angela Merkel is the quirky exception. She is tolerated because she is unique. Add another female into the mix and the boys get all defensive and competitive. Sadly, this meant TM was always going to fail.

If TM had not taken the advice of her idiot advisors and tried to sneak through the dementia tax (absolutely inexcusable that she should be that far removed from what the public think and what might lose instead of win votes) we would be sailing along on a soft Brexit as we speak. She lost seats, handed power to the DUP and we are where we are.

Theres i think french negotiator who comments on R4 occasionally. Whilst TM was in power she was all very bolshy a "EU have conceded loads (essentally because any departure from complete free trade and movement is a concession fundamentally contrary to the Core EU values), theres no reason to concede more" etc etc. The last interview was a complete reversal, utter exasperation... Boris is determined for no deal brexit, we've conceded so much its unreasonable of the UK to expect EU to concede further but no deal bexit seems otherwise unavoidable.

I certainly wouldn't bet against Boris getting that back stop limited and if he does, i think the chances of it getting through Parliment are probably quite high

I have no great love or respect for TM, but I hope she's laughing like a drain on her country walks or whatever shes doing now, knowing that the ERG posterboy couldnt thrash out a better deal than she did.

Its worth noting that Labour currently hold a good number of leave seat, by so obviously electioneering he really is putting the screws on any labour mp in a leave constituency, many of whom abstained On the TM vote. Im thinking Boris us going for the cross party leave vote as opposed to the DUP vote. Regardless it is deeply decisive and likely to leave deep scars all sides of the house
I agree with this. I suspect that there are enough Labour backbench MP's who know that going into an election with their Brexit plan of hoping people are too stupid to spot the gaping holes in their plan will be disastrous. The only real chance they have of getting a majority is to have an election after Brexit is done and they can fight it on other things, including how they are going to continue the negotiations to get what they want.
I did think there was an element of sexism going on, as BJ is basically going to put the May deal before all the compromises the EU made back to Parliament and all those ERG bully boys are going to clap their hands and hail it as a great victory.

That it was more personality conflicts than actual negotiation sticking points that derailed things for TM.

No not at all. The problem was totally with the "limitless" back stop. They was absolutely no incentive for the EU to agree to anything trade wise etc post departure. EU could effectively tear up the rest of the working agreement and laugh because the UK would be locked into a limitless the customs union through the backstop anyway. They could say well we'll only let you out the custom union if EU fishing boats are the only boats allowed to fish your territorial waters etc. It really was an epic negotating fail to ever allow that clause to come before parliament.

It was why the first time the WA failed TM went back specifically looking for "reassurance" over that clause.