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

In depressing news, I have just got up and discovered that my unicorn has not arrived, I also don't have a copy of Loathsome's tax return and a statement that she is distancing herself from Banks and Britain First.

My kids are now quite happy because this means pizza for dinner instead of something resembling actual food, because there's soooo much sport on today, I don't have time to cook!!

Sunday Times front page talking about 20 Tories leaving the party if Leadsom wins.

20 is a significant number.

The government would no longer have a majority...

Chalala - it's not just FPTP. It's the very design of Westminster which is set up to be confrontational: the two sets of benches set opposite each other and a chamber which was deliberately built too small to create a febrile atmosphere.

Ironically, some of the other parliaments (like the Bundestag) were designed and built with our advice so as to be "better" places.

The Scottish Parliament was built to encourage discussion and consensus, both in the d'Hondt voting system, which was designed to ensure no overall majorities although the SNP and the Scottish people managed to break that and in the physical debating chamber, which is semi-circular and where everyone has a seat.

Tim Loughton still thinks Steven Crabb would have been a credible PM. Perhaps he wasn't reading the rest of the papers.

Cristiane Amanpour totally called out the Leave campaign tactics of saying something, getting it out there, then denying it. Also raised the Britain First support for her, asks why she hasn't renounced their support.

Positives of her campaign - she's a fresh face and she's pro Brexit.

TL not entirely inspiring.

Labour advisor says Tom Watson was genuinely trying to get a deal. Says climate in Labour party is very hostile, especially to women and AE is getting huge amounts of abuse. Women used to talk about issues affecting women, now they have to talk about rape threats and death threats, some of it is coming from Corbyn supporters.

Doesn't really touch on what's going to happen next.

Doinitfine My fury about ignoring the available civil service support is that this has been the case since Corbyn became leader - organising this is just one of the many unglamorous tiresome jobs that any leader of the opposition has to do.

It would be bad enough if it happened after the PLP rebellion, because JC was too preoccupied.
It is bloody disgraceful that he has NEVER bothered to do the job properly.
He still just organises his own ideological protest clique

there's already parties called solidarity and with 'national' in their name.

I don't think new parties would get anywhere though

David Davies says AL showing her inexperience, the pressures of a leadership campaign are nothing like the pressures of being PM. She's not lacking in intelligence, just experience, this is the most important time in our history.

iirc, historically the government and opposition benches are supposed to be further apart than a sword length for each
The classic parliamentary saying however is "opponents in front of you, real enemies behind you"

Labour, Tory and Liberal are themselves coalitions of the unwilling. This causes great strains over major issues sometimes, as now.

Thanks, red Fascinating about 20 Tories maybe quitting the Tory Whip if Loathsome gets in.
Shows the depth of feeling, because MPs who switch parties don't usually get reelected. Even if AL doesn't call an early GE, they would have to face one in 2020.

Ugh. Arron Banks now on AM. Reckons he could win 30-40 Midlands-ish Labour seats on back of Brexit campaign.

Campaign won't be just anti-immigrant, more anti-elite, power back to the heartlands, says wasn't involved in the 'Breaking Point' poster but doesn't think it was a mistake. Has not discounted running for Ukip leader. Says he's had no contact with Team Loathsome, but everyone's being mean to Andrea, May won't trigger a50, will go for Norway option, we'll still have political elite.

If TM wins Ukip will be back with a vengeance, if AL wins, Ukip could be a new party. Says Tory party is dying, Ukip has more power, direct democracy and more referendums is the way to go.

That's a fucking terrifying thought.

Also, Andrew Marr says AL has stated that she doesn't want Banks' support or money, but I can't find where she's said this.

Says climate in Labour party is very hostile, especially to women and AE is getting huge amounts of abuse. Women used to talk about issues affecting women, now they have to talk about rape threats and death threats, some of it is coming from Corbyn supporters.

Lovely.

Leadsom to the left of me.

Unnamed Cabinet Minister on chances of a new party if we get Loathsome and Corbyn stays. There is a very similar story in the Telegraph, but this has more background on the last time parties split etc.

BigChoc, I am lead to believe that the Tory Party is not just losing MPs. Its haemorrhaging support across the board.

JC doesn't believe he needs nominations, he will be on the ballot. Hasn't seen the legal advice saying he'd need to get them. His lawyers say he would be there by right. The MPs have a say, but not the ultimate.
We'd be surprised by how much support he has, the party has been effective at holding the government to account.
Members are the most important people in this. They should have a say, they want him.
Doesn't agree with Neil Kinnock, not all about the MPs. Says he's reached out in a way no other leader has, reached out in the broadest way he could.

He gets very tetchy whenever AM interrupts.

From Lib Dem Press Office last night:

Tim Farron leader of the Liberal Democrats, said "The big issue for any Labour challenger is what will they do to reverse Jeremy Corbyn's lack of leadership on our membership of the EU.

So these are the questions Angela Eagle needs to answer:

Firstly will she join with the Liberal Democrats in making the case to remain in the EU?

Secondly will she fight to maintain free movement?

Thirdly, what is her plan for restoring confidence to the markets and supporting businesses through this period of economic uncertainty?

In context of everything else, that's a VERY interesting press release.

JC - Labour MPs are only there because of the work of party members. JM has turned economic policy around. MPs need to get together and work to hold the gov to account. Our duty is to stand up for the very poorest.

AM - you've lost support across the party not just from Blairites. People like EdM, Lisa Nandy.
JC - they think MPs should control everything, they need to think about the members.
AM - They have to think about the 9m voters too, not just party.
JC - MPs have been put under enormous pressure to quit. They should think again. Tories in disarray, unemployment rising, we should be out there campaigning. JM is giving a real alternative.
AM - again, you don't have a majority, the MPs are grown-ups, how are you going to get control
JC - democratic party not a dictatorship. I've reached out. A little bit of movement on their part should be a priority. My give is bringing people together to talk about what we do now. They can talk to me at any time, but I won't put a limit on my leadership.

Pissed off as I am with Corbyn, I don't like the idea of leaving him off the ballot. He was elected leader and I think he has a right to defend his record. In fact I would very much like to hear what he has to say for himself.

Another manifesto released by AL

JC - no wobbles, no stress, no depression on my position. Never thought about standing down. Need to focus on stress suffered by real people. Labour has been an effective opposition, can be proud of achievements in last 9 months.
AM - why should you get loyalty when you voted against party over 500 times.
JC - it wasn't personal, wasn't about TB, I voted in favour of HRA, NMW, etc. Wasn't about loyalty or disloyalty, just what I believe in.
AM - Is this more important than winning the next election?
JC - Most important is changing politics to a new way of doing things. Harnessing social media, co-operating.
AM - what about abuse online?
JC - not done in my name, totally unacceptable.
AM - momentum has made you its cause, its made the abuse personal about people who don't support you
JC - momentum has been a force for good in getting people in to politics. No idea why Owen Smith thinks I'd split the party.

We have to have a discussion on Trident, no firm policy yet. I'm against, I know others have other views. On Chilcot, Parliament must hold people to account.

He shouldn't even want to be on the ballot.

His belief that less than half a million labour party members are more important than 9m voters is extremely authoritarian.

They sound like Chinese communists with all their talk of deselecting serving MPs who won majorities to impose ideologically pure candidates.

He genuinely doesn't seem to think that he's the problem. There's no possibility that he might be in the wrong. Everyone else needs to get on board with his vision and accept that he's right.

And it looks like there is no official policy on trident.

He shouldn't even want to be on the ballot.
I agree.
But if he does want to, I think he should be on it and explain himself.

I'm slowly getting past the stage wanting to put a custard pie in his face and I now want to hear what he has to say in his own defence.

Ed Balls. Wow, that's a bit of a shock this early.