The Westministenders / Media Baron Hunger Games continues. Who is trying to outmanoeuvre who?

[RedToothBrush]

Don't worry we've all lost track.

In the Blue Corner
It started out with Cameron and Osborne trying to win the battle of the Tories, but they got stung in a UK wide vote. Some of us thought it was about the 'EU'. Instead it has turned out it was an internal Tory Bitch fight between some old Oxford and Eton mates, whilst for others a protest vote at being disenfranchised.
Gove and Johnson stabbed Cameron & Osborne in the back to run for Team Leave. Then they won when they didn't expect to. And there was no Plan. Uh Oh. Then it all started to go really wrong.
Cameron quit in disgust. Johnson went all President Churchill, before he also got stabbed by Gove (possibly with the assistance of the dark influence of Osborne).
We now have a Tory Smackdown with the shadowy influence of the Media Barons in the background.

#Team Gove has been doing their best with the knives. This is a mission to stab as many Tory MPs in the back as possible in order to become PM. Sponsored and supported by Murdoch

#Team Leadsom has been selling more unicorns and trying to pretend her CV and tax return are completely transparent. Think positive and the economy will be just fine. She is the homeopathy of politics. Sponsored and supported by Arron Banks, Leave.eu, UKIP and Britain First.

#Team May has been threatening to deport everyone if the EU don't play nice. Sponsored and supported by The Daily Mail's Dacre

In The Purple Corner
Tragically, it appears that not only do UKIP have a Plan A, they also have outwitted everyone by having Plan B. Yes that’s right TWO plans.
Farage has swanned off –sacked—for a life on CBB so they are looking for a new leader.
The potential candidates are all equally loathsome. They include Arron Banks himself, a suspended member of the party and several other people with an uncanny ability to put their foot in their mouths.
If this wasn't horrible enough, Team Leadsom is increasingly starting to look like a UKIP take over bid of the Conservative Party, which might be a neat way of avoiding a leadership battle of their own considering the quality of the candidates on offer.

In short, its a bit like a Bad Dystopian Movie that invokes Godwin, set in 2016 Westminster. Except its real.
In the Red Corner
Meanwhile the WMD has finally gone off in the Labour Camp, as Chilcot has been published. However the Chicken Coup rattles on regardless.

Corbyn is STILL clinging on, putting in a good claim for the Westminster 'Charlie off Casualty' Award. He has however had his Big Moment in the Commons. Which was a bit of a let down really. ...

The Unions have been trying to talk some sense into everyone. Meanwhile everyone else is has given up and are now just praying for a ruddy miracle to end this torture and give the country an opposition party.

Angela Eagle is still outside for the 5th day in a row, going "I will stand. Soon. If he doesn't quit" The BBC now qualify for a discount deal at the local Travel Lodge.

We FINALLY know who the fuck Owen Smith is! He's a Welsh MP and sounds like he's not completely away with the political fairies.

George Galloway appears to be trying to make a late bid to be included on the ballot paper for any leadership election.
Bliar's cried. We didn't. Chilcot took over 2 million words to tell us everything we already knew. As well as the fact that Mi6 like Nicholas Cage a lot.

The Cult of Momentum are still worshiping their Dear Leader by sending death threats to PR companies they suspect of disloyalty. Somehow they still manage not to get the title of the most vile pressure group in the UK.

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

All these questions and more.
Tin foil hats now available upon request

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

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/2678198-The-Westministenders-Hunger-Games-continues-Boris-still-trying-not-to-be-outmanoeuvred Previous thread 5

She is also dissing all non-Christian marriage. I don't know if that makes her comments better or worse, or if she just sounds more stupid than bigoted.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-postal-votes-missing-late-not-received-eu-referendum-electoral-commission-post-a7125711.html

Another legal challenge. This time over disenfranchisement.

I think she's trying carefully to sidestep around her beliefs to make them more "presentable".. but just making it look worse.

Making homophobia about Christians' rights to religious freedom is from the US playbook.

We get it a lot in NI too.

I'm starting to fear our position at top of the leaderboard for bigotry in Western Europe is under threat from the English

Well, oops. Not very clever of him, considering he makes a big deal about his Christian values.

www.politicshome.com/news/uk/politics/news/77140/stephen-crabb-embroiled-sexting-scandal

It was blindingly obvious that her 'as a Mum' was going to come up. She started sensibly for the position she was in then carried on talking and shot herself in the foot. It bodes extremely badly for negotiations with other world leaders.

Yes it was blindingly obvious.

The Times used a leading question. She naively walked into it.

We do not need a naïve prime minister like that, who can not see things like that coming. Not at a time of negotiation.

I don't think it damages her either though unfortunately. That's entirely the problem. She gets to use the victim card, even though she said what the times printed and I don't think it was terribly taken out of context. She said 'I don't want it to be about Andrea has children, Theresa hasn't because that would be horrible BUT'

Look how well 'I'm not a racist but ' worked out for the EU Ref.

It really depends on how kipperish and how upset at political correctness the Tory Party Membership are. It could help rather than hinder in truth.

There is a voice recording of the interview that the Times journalist was taking on radio 4 at 7.30am so I think this is going to run for a while.

And ouch.

(from another article)
The Work and Pensions Secretary reportedly sent a message describing a sultry sex act he wanted to perform on the woman.

And the sleazy MP also told the woman “the public can’t expect MPs to be angels” and “most MPs are risk takers”, according to the Times.

The Preseli Pembrokeshire MP has tried to justify the exchange by saying MPs are “risk takers”.

In a message to the woman, he reportedly wrote: “Most MPs are risk takers to one degree or another.

“Usually in the areas of money, sex, political opportunism.

I think posting the interview transcript underlines that she actually not only DID say it, but said "oh but I don't want this to be said" and then said it AGAIN. So clearly meant it and intended for it to be used.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/08/david-cameron-true-heir-to-tony-blair-totally-reckless?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Petitions Committee @HoCpetitions

Read @foreignoffice response to #petition on EU referendum rules (See below) The Committee has not yet made a decision on this.

The 4 million petitions has a response it reads as follows:
The EU Referendum Act received Royal Assent in December 2015. The Act was scrutinised and debated in Parliament during its passage and agreed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Act set out the terms under which the referendum would take place, including provisions for setting the date, franchise and the question that would appear on the ballot paper. The Act did not set a threshold for the result or for minimum turnout.

As the Prime Minister made clear in his statement to the House of Commons on 27 June, the referendum was one of the biggest democratic exercises in British history with over 33 million people having their say. The Prime Minister and Government have been clear that this was a once in a generation vote and, as the Prime Minister has said, the decision must be respected. We must now prepare for the process to exit the EU and the Government is committed to ensuring the best possible outcome for the British people in the negotiations.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

So the response looks negative which isn't unexpected. I just find it curious that the Petitions Committee still haven't made a decision either though.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andrea-leadsom-fox-hunting-animal-welfare-ban-hunting-act-poll-a7127276.html

Red It's the response I expected. They can't be seen to be waffling, and what't he point of going over it again? The damage has been done to our relationship with the EU and the economy. We cannot backtrack now, we have to push forward. I think the only thing we can now do is make the best of it.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/four-european-countries-reject-generous-brexit-deal-with-uk-poll-finds-a7128001.html

And the Labour nonsense continues....

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/09/jeremy-corbyns-staff-accused-of-being-petty-as-rebel-mps-aides-are-locked-out?CMP=twt_gu

I wonder if loathsome was hoping there was no transcript? Or that the news channels wouldn't be interested?

I think it was deliberate. She's playing to the Tory Party members, many of whom are just like herself and will think she has a point. She can backtrack but she's put the thought out there now.

Really interesting reading these threads. Its scary time we are living through.

www.itv.com/news/2016-07-09/andrea-leadsom-theresa-may-motherhood-claim-tory-leadership/

Some interesting twitter comments by MPs in this article, especially the one that says I'm gay and have no children, does that mean I don't have a stake in the Uk's future? A thought - will this cause backlash from the same groups that have been annoyed by her comments regarding same sex marriage?

And in the meantime, other developments...

news.sky.com/story/nato-set-for-long-stand-off-with-russia-10496448?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

And even still, America shows us their situation is no better....

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/dallas-police-shooting-barack-obama-joe-walsh-twitter-warning-this-is-war-real-america-a7126301.html

I've read all these threads so far but have not posted. I have nothing insightful to add - I am in awe at the depth of analysis from many of the posters. I am fearful of what is to come. Andrea Leadsom is a nasty prospect and I hope that she crashes and burns way before September.

fleetstreetfox ‏@fleetstreetfox
Anyway I predict there'll be some papers right now preparing weekend feature spreads on why mums know best.

What do you reckon?

I've seen it being pointed out that a women v women contest is going to be really horrid and not push the boundaries of feminism at all. In fact quite the reverse. I can't help but think that's right. The framing of it all, is going to be so trite.

This is going to create some controversy as well, especially after the Chilcot report coming out.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-to-commit-more-british-troops-to-afghanistan-a7128221.html

Oh god.

I can't bear the Mums Know Best thing.

It makes me want to find pictures of the worst Mums imaginable and make "As a Mum" memes.

Tracey Connelly: As a Mum, I have more of a stake in the future of this country

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/09/andrea-leadsom-tory-leadership-am-dram-peasant-revolt
'At least 50% of her public statements sound as if they were said for a dare. “Let’s banish pessimists.” “Boris Johnson is a lovely man.” The rest sound like she’s assembling endtimes magnetic fridge poetry. As a mum, Leadsom would like her hands on the nuclear codes. She likes to retreat to cooking the Sunday roast, which – contrary to what you may have heard – is not always a homosexual. This homespun hard-arse stuff is pushed with sledgehammer deliberateness – an attempt to position her as Brexit’s Bisto mum.'

Agree with the posters who said the "mum" comment is a classic far-right/populist strategy. Say something controversial so that your supporters hear the bigoted view they want to hear, but leave yourself just enough wiggle room to portray yourself as a victim of media smears.

I think the Times may be the naive party here. If anything this will help her.

Incidentally, poor Theresa May. I loathe most of what she stands for, but as a woman, to see your involuntary childlessness used against you? That's just awful.