The Westministenders Hunger Games continues. Boris still trying not to be outmanoevered.

[RedToothBrush]

Clearly Boris didn't get the memo, on when to quit the power games, even after Gove schooled him in the dark arts of the Tory Leadership....

So the Tory Smackdown rolls on whilst Corbyn STILL clings on. UKIP has now entered the race to make a challenge for who can make the biggest leadership contest shambles.

In The Blue Corner
May strikes fear into the hearts of EU citizens as she counts her bargaining chips.
Gove strikes fear into the hearts of humans, with his Martian twitch.
Loathsom strikes fear in the hearts of Britains by talking about babies brains.
Crabb strikes fear into the hearts of Torys by suggesting a plan that Corbyn might like. (and that beard doesn't help).
And Fox.
Well he just turned up.

Johnson is still waiting in the wings to stab Gove. He'd quite fancy a seat at the cabinet table too.
Osborne has gone quite again and we wait with baited breathe to see if he is the 'Charlie off Casualty' of the Tory Party (y'know whatever happens he somehow survives like a cockroach).

In The Red Corner
Corbyn apologies. So we know he's getting a bit desperate.
Will the Unions figure out something else to do other than sit with their head in hands.
Angela Eagle is still doing jellyfish impressions and hasn't found that backbone.
We STILL don't know who the fuck Owen Smith is?
Will Bliar's chicken's finally come home to roost?
The Cult of Momentum, rumbles on. We aren't quite sure who they actually vote for, but they seem to like their Dear Leader.
When will this country next have an opposition party?

Its kinda getting boring guys, we need some action now. End the Chicken Coup! The Tories are definitely out doing in the high drama stakes.

In the Purple Corner
Farage has gone! Hurrah. We hope only that he stays under that rock.
(Don't count on it. They'll wheel him out when they need publicity)
Will Leadsom be elected leader? Oh sorry, wrong party. I was getting confused for a second there.
Will they throw the cuckoo Carswell out? [:)]
Will they be able to find a less offensive leader than Farage who can unite them in their common goal of errrr..... yeah. That.
How long before one of their candidates has to apologise for something?

And I suppose I should ask, when will a50 be triggered....? And by whom?

All these questions and more.
Sense of humour compulsory. No experience necessary though

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/2670552-Has-Boris-been-outmanoeuvred?pg=1 Previous thread 1

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/2672388-Has-Boris-been-outmanoevered-Will-someone-please-tell-me-who-is-in-charge Previous thread 2

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/a2673982-Have-Boris-and-Jeremy-been-stabbed-in-the-back-Please-can-we-have-some-leaders Previous thread 3

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/2675432-Boris-outmaneovered-Et-tu-Gove-Corbyn-The-Westministenders-Hunger-Games-Continues? Previous thread 4

Is this the Owen that Labour is talking about???

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Jones_%28writer%29

labourlist.org/author/owen-jones/

Globe, I've been feeling a bit better the last few days and then realised that we've only had the first shockwave. The major quake is all still on its way.

I've been thinking that maybe if this wakes politicians (and everyone) up to a desperate 50% of the country, maybe that's no bad thing. But then I can't see how it's going to get magically better for them, so that's not good either.

Then again this stuff is nothing new; we've been struggling for thousands of years to come up with a fair system and failed. Perhaps the rules for politicians should be Plato's stuff - no special benefits or pay, if they seem to want power then they shouldn't get it etc etc...

I think my only contribution to these threads is the occasional "I'm terrified" post.

As you were....

There are plenty of people who could lead the Labour party well.

They are just keeping their powder dry for now.

While they have an authoritarian leader who will cling onto power at tge expense of the country and party, there is no point in mounting a leadership challenge.

I suppose they're not in a position to worry about a GE, for the most part. I don't see the Tories calling one. It's just that whole "missing Opposition" thing.

The problem I'm seeing is that the longer they wait him out, the more his support grows through Momentum, as they see him "outlasting" them, and the more people possible challengers like AE look weak and afraid of challenging him for fear of losing.

I'll admit it's certainly a frustrating mess.

sorry, missed words. "the more people that are possible challengers"

Doin - can you suggest some names?

Do I really need to suggest names?

There was a leadership conrest very recently that had a lot of far more electable and competent options than Corbyn.

Have we already forgotten that?

Forgotten when the Labour Party was a proper political party and not just full of student-politics posturing for ideological purity?

Have we already forgotten that?

Perhaps some of us didn't note the leadership options that closely, or yes, we have forgotten them. These things happen.

It's pretty obvious that those supporting Corbyn are voters that have concerns about the current political state. Labelling it as posturing simply dismisses valid concerns - I'd like to think that if this referendum has taught us one thing, it's that dismissing the concerns of a large group of voters can come back to bite us at some point.

I genuinely think the forthcoming Chilcot Report - published in two days - is the reason for the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) antics.

Corbyn is going to use publication of the report to blast Blair and the remaining Blairite MPs who voted for the Iraq war in 2003. That was around 75% of the then PLP and included some current prominent Labour MPs. I'll look up the list in a minute and name names. A lot of these MPs voted for war against the wishes of their constituents and Party Membership back then, and it's not been forgotten.

I think Corbyn is likely to go quite far in his attack on Blair. I think he'll call for his head - impeachment. It's an old law but still exists.

Who in the PLP knew that Blair's claims of WMD were 'exaggerations' is going to be an interesting discussion. There's being misled, and there's allowing yourself to be persuaded against the (lack of) evidence. Robin Cook wasn't having any of it. The other Cabinet Members stayed loyal to Blair though. Corbyn will want to berate them, I reckon - and in parliament.

That's why Corbyn won't go.

I think.

The people who want to ignore the PLP are dismissing the votes of a huge number of voters.

They are also giving the entire democratic process a giant fuck you by leaving the country with no opposition.

I had my doubts about Corbyn, but I was prepared to give him a chance. I am shocked at what is happening now inside the LP. It is utterly dysfuctional and complete undemocratic.

Refusing meetings between the Dear Leader and other senior party members due to a "duty of care"? Holy shit.

Aren't there some people who think Robin Cook was murdered, because of his views? (Or am I getting my conspiracy theories mixed up?)

Robin Cook resigned from the Cabinet because Blair would not take the Commons's decision to the UN for a proper mandate. Hence people talking of it being an 'illegal war'.

It was Dr David Kelly's death that was seen as very suspicious.

Yes, the Labour MPs who backed Blair over the Iraq war include Hilary Benn, Angela Eagle, Yvette Cooper... Corbyn voted against.

I think Corbyn is likely to go quite far in his attack on Blair. I think he'll call for his head - impeachment. It's an old law but still exists.

Oh god.

We're in the middle of a massive political and constitutional crisis and the Labour Party are focused on posturing around ancient history.

FFS

It's bad enough never being able to deal with the problems of the present in NI due to constantly agonising over "the past".

Now working people have no proper parliamentary opposition to the Tory right wing coup so that Labour can try to embarrass Tony fucking Blair.

How many leaders ago is that now?

We all know what happened over the Iraq war.

If it was unacceptable to publish this report before a GE, how on earth can it be appropriate to publish it now?

Time wasting bullshit.

I really hope Robin Cook did die of natural causes. Because otherwise...

Very principled man. Extremely intelligent.

If it was unacceptable to publish this report before a GE, how on earth can it be appropriate to publish it now?

Very good point, Doin.

Personally I think it can't wait any longer, though. All 2.6 million expensive words of it.

Anyway got to work but back to this great thread later.

Have a good day, Liney :)

Work might be good for me at this point.

Labour seriously need to get over their Blair problem.

He's so far from being Britain's biggest problem right now.

If Corbyn is holding the entire party hostage just so he can get in his digs on Blair at the right time, and so he can attack some of his own MPs in the process, then he needs to get his priorities straight.

I agree the timing is appalling - for all it really, including the report. I'm not saying they should ignore the PLP OR Corbyn's supporters. I am basically frustrated that neither appear to be willing to work together to come up with a middle of the ground compromise that will have some benefit for both. And I have to return back to the lack of a challenger put forth. That's their rules, why can't they just do it? Powder dry reasons are rubbish IMO. It's clearly a stalemate at this point, so BOTH of them need to make some compromises instead of standing in separate rooms, stomping their feet.

In other news I just listened to Stephen Crabb on Radio 4 and he sounded... pretty good?

I think he may have my vote in Round 1. In that alternative universe where I'm a Tory MP.

Found you all.
Just seen a scathing fb meme detailing May's voting record. 1st mention of leadership election on my newsfeed.
After day 1 bragging my 1 leave voter & tory member friend is super-quiet.

Still loving this thread - thank you to all the scarily knowledgeable people for keeping me up-to-date

I agree GingerIvy, there needs to be a compromise - but I suspect Corbyn is more to blame for refusing to meet the PLP in the middle.

The fundamental problem that a challenge won't address, is that the PLP seems to believe that Labour's membership has become significantly different from Labour's electorate is. I don't know where they go from there, though...

I'll look up the list in a minute and name names

Who in the current PLP?

ugh sorry for the grammatically incomprehensible sentence above. Need coffee.