Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Brexit

Westminstenders Continues. Boris is having a bad week. Corbyn resists. Its gonna be a long summer.

979 replies

RedToothBrush · 21/07/2016 16:34

THE BREXIT FALLOUT CONTINUES - THREAD ELEVEN

The dust is beginning to settle and the storm has abated. At least for the moment. The summer is about to start, and so there may be a break in proceeding.

May has had quite a first week both here and abroad.

The ground has not stopped shaking from the political ripples abroad. Made PM on Weds, Nice on Thursday and a failed coup in Turkey on Friday. The political landscape has changed once again.

At home she first cleared out the Govians and called for loyalty. She channelled the ghost of Maggie at the despatch box. She started the process of trying to make friends with Scots, Germans and the French. She is apparently now Merkel's bestie. Sturgeon is already ousted from that position after just days.

Boris, meanwhile has been rinsed by everyone he speaks to because of what he's said in the past. He's also given up his chickfeed job. Oh the hardship.

Now he looking like he's starting to regret deciding to play with the grown up. He's been trying - and it would seem, largely failing - at sucking up to the Americans. There's still no apology, but he has admitted that he has a list that is so long that he's lost track of what he needs to apologise for. I bet he's wishing for his playmates, Dave and George to come back.

Otherwise life carries on as normal, well this alternate new version of normal, with parliament breaking for the summer today. Don't worry the Martian landing is scheduled for a week Tuesday.

UKIP's polling seems to have dropped back post referendum, and things have gone rather quiet. Wolfe, Etheridge, Duffy and Arnott are all standing (Who? When did that happen? Yeah quite. Without Farage they disappeared). They plan to reform and make an assault on seats in the Labour heartlands of the provisional NW, Midlands and NE at the next general election. Hustings in August, new leader announced Sept 15th. Looks of thinly and not so thinly veiled racism to look forward to there then. The Daily Mail best make sure it upgrades its servers in time.

The Labour contest grinds on like a war of attrition. Stalking horse Angela fell at the first fence as Owen Smith (that's the MP not the journalist everyone including the media!) wins the dream unity candidate ticket for an apparent hiding to nothing against the steely stubbornness of Corbyn. Everyone with a pulse is starting to loose the will to live with it all.

The Lib Dems, have a Spokesman for Remain. Old Cleggy's back! Otherwise they seem to have been trying to do a deluded impression of the opposition party. Though with 8 MPs they aren't doing much better or worse than Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet atm.

The Green are having a leadership battle too. It must be very civilised - I've heard not a word about it. Lucas tried to get a vote about PR though the Commons. It failed. Again.

There also is a cross party idea to set up a new iniative of a progressive movement to champion Europe, which seems to be gaining some traction. It may also double as a support group for anyone who thinks the world has gone a bit nuts lately at this rate.

The SNP are pissed off, as they vow differently on everything and once again they feel that Trident has been imposed on them. Sturgeon had a good meeting with May though, and apparently the Union must remain and Scotland holds the key to the future. Though we don't know the key to which door that is - Braveheart or Brave New World.

The Republic of Ireland is making noises about a referendum about Irish Unity, but beyond that nothing about NI has really been on the radar. May is supposed to go visiting soon.

And the Welsh? Baaaaa who cares about the welsh? They made the mistake of voting Leave as well as the English and now have been forgotten, consigned to political irrelevance forever.

Article 50 has been pushed back officially until the New Year, with a first legal hearing on how to activate it due no sooner than the 3rd week in October. Leaving the EU legally will now be no earlier than 2019.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/2685902-Westminstenders-Contines-Boris-outmaneovered-everyone-Now-War-and-Peace?pg=1 Previous Thread TEN

OP posts:
Thread gallery
20
howabout · 03/08/2016 16:04

Interesting vibes coming out of the new industrial strategy committee

next.ft.com/content/c04690ae-58dd-11e6-9f70-badea1b336d4

Phillip Hammond's contention that narrowing the UK North South productivity Gap could increase GDP by 9% gives some context to the 3% potential loss of GDP growth attributable to Brexit uncertainty.

I recognise the 9% figure from research by the Centre for Cities.

www.centreforcities.org

The NIESR has a report out today looking at Brexit effects which is being interpreted differently by different commentators but the 50:50 analysis by the bbc looks fair.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36953247

Anyone still following the nominations for favourite economist I think Angus Armstrong of NIESR may be worthy of consideration.

Sad to report that even having grown up in post EU membership UK my French style cooking is nothing like as good as my French MiL's.

OneArt · 03/08/2016 16:08

Olennas re your suggestion of freeing up civil service time by getting rid of, for example, new performance management systems, I think the problem would be that I imagine the civil service, like a private company, has different departments with different functions. A new performance management system or similar would be driven by the HR department rather than policy makers, legal dept etc.

RedToothBrush · 03/08/2016 17:38

More on Trump:
www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/first-read-gop-trump-go-unraveling-break-glass-mode-n622116
List of his scandals in the last 24hrs

Republicans not voting for Mr Trump
â—¾Barbara Bush, former first lady
â—¾Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, 2016 presidential candidate
â—¾William Cohen, former secretary of defence
â—¾Jeff Flake, Arizona senator
â—¾Lindsey Graham, South Carolina senator, 2016 presidential candidate
â—¾Larry Hogan, Maryland governor
â—¾John Kasich, Ohio governor, 2016 presidential candidate
â—¾Mark Kirk, Illinois senator
â—¾Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, 2012 Republican presidential nominee
â—¾Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Florida congresswoman
â—¾Ben Sasse, Nebraska senator

Republicans voting for Mrs Clinton
â—¾Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state
â—¾Hank Paulson, former treasury secretary
â—¾Brent Scowcroft, former national security adviser
â—¾Richard Hanna, New York congressman
â—¾Meg Whitman, party donor and fundraiser

theresurgent.com/can-someone-get-this-to-wayne-grudem-please/
Even committed Republican Christians are starting to write stuff like this.

edition.cnn.com/2016/08/03/politics/bush-criticizes-trump-policies/index.html?sr=twpol080316bush-criticizes-trump-policies0332PMVODtopLink&linkId=27239547
Former President George W. Bush seemed to speak out against Donald Trump without mentioning him by name at a fundraising event Tuesday, warning against policies of "isolationism, nativism and protectionism" and urging the GOP to ensure that "everyone feels welcome"

Bradd Jaffy Verified account @BraddJaffy

Meg Whitman is the headline, but -this- is the news. Hillary is privately working Republicans. 1st concrete proof.

Westminstenders Continues. Boris is having a bad week. Corbyn resists. Its gonna be a long summer.
OP posts:
Chalalala · 03/08/2016 17:53

Trump has raise $80 million in small donations. Its way, way less than Clinton but there's point to be made here. Remember all the betting for Brexit? Remain had fewer bets but they were much larger.

Fairly sure I read yesterday that Clinton's average donation was lower than Trump's for July (even though she raised a lot more). Which is surprising, but good!

But agree that he can work the "everyone is against me" narrative to his advantage. Again, just like the Leave campaign. You can't get more anti-establishment than having all the establishment come out against you.

OlennasWimple · 03/08/2016 18:15

I don't reckon any large shops would stop selling in kilos, but it would mean a small butcher or greengrocer can sell in pounds without committing a criminal act. Schools don't have to teach imperial measurement, and purchasers who prefer it will eventually die out (unless they are American). It's symbolic

OlennasWimple · 03/08/2016 18:20

OneArt, HR teams have stripped to the bare bones, so although specialist teams devise the new stuff, implantation rests with line managers: policy wonks, lawyers, statisticians, diplomats, economists....

Really a moratorium on anything other than truly critical stuff would be helpful!

prettybird · 03/08/2016 18:38

Just one small problem in re-opening the airbase at Keflavik as the building etc have been/are being re-developed (into data and business centres) Hmm

That's even before whether or not the Icelandic Government would give permission Hmm

enochroot · 03/08/2016 19:59

I was briefly a civil servant round about the time Vesta curries appeared! We were absolutely forbidden to express a political opinion in the workplace. I remember a colleague being given a formal written warning for having a ball point pen on her desk with Liberal Party written on it.
I should imagine strict rules exist regarding social media.
In a later incarnation as a teacher I remember the Daily Mail running some advice for parents to look at teachers' cars in school car parks to see what stickers were on them. A Greenpeace sticker meant that teacher was a 'leftie', for example.
So, yes, I can understand the BBC stance of public service broadcasting neutrality but it seems a naive and antiquated attitude when everyone else is bare-knuckle fighting.

Peregrina · 03/08/2016 20:11

I should imagine strict rules exist regarding social media.

I was a Civil Servant until I took early retirement in 2008, and social media were blocked on our computers - Facebook was just coming in then, but wasn't everywhere as now.

Just as well, really, or we would never have got any work done! Contrary to popular opinion, we did work hard, and not just push our pens around and drink tea!

RedToothBrush · 03/08/2016 21:04

Googlebox Brexit special on C4 now!

OP posts:
TheBathroomSink · 03/08/2016 21:09

On the subject of 'Old Money', I've just escaped from several days in the company of my parents, and had to listen again to my mother explaining old money to my kids. She still works everything out in old money in her head whenever she does her shopping, and always has done, but she really had forgotten how long ago it was that the country went decimal - several times she tried to get me to agree with her about some small detail, and I had to explain to her each time that I have never used old money, it was a thing of the past well before I was born, and I was taught in decimal currency and metric measurements at school!
She would be delighted to be able to buy stuff in pounds and ounces again, even if she accepts that pounds, shillings and pence would never make a comeback.

My dad was quite happy to have been proved right about the state of European banks, but conversations with him bore a scary similarity to the sketch posted earlier, which was a bit depressing, because I have always considered my dad to be the sensible, thoughtful parent. He was quite happy to tell me that he's given up buying the Mail on Sunday because he no longer agreed with them, and he's now switched to the Telegraph. I've taken all his green pens away in case he's tempted to start writing angry letters to the editor about how Brexit is taking too long. He was very happy with this JRM article (yesterday?) until I pointed out that it lacked a lot of substance, and most people weren't really still arguing about how to trigger a50, just about when to do it, which were the parts JRM glossed over quite a bit.

I did also have some fun updating him on the spectacular incompetence of Ukip in real time though... Grin

TheBathroomSink · 03/08/2016 21:12

Oh, and I expect Farage to be back in charge on the grounds that the children have run amok, probably in September. Not sure he'd want to interrupt his holiday to restore order!

SwedishEdith · 03/08/2016 21:17

Watching. Am nervous I may go off some people. Grin

RedToothBrush · 03/08/2016 21:27

Is there any Brexit supporters on this?! Its hilarious.

It feel like watching ancient history though. Not things that only happened 6 weeks ago or more recently.

OP posts:
HesterThrale · 03/08/2016 21:33

Yes Red. Amazing that JC has gone from fatal damage to quite a strong position in those weeks.

RedToothBrush · 03/08/2016 21:42

Angela Eagle?

Who was she again?

OP posts:
HesterThrale · 03/08/2016 21:51

That's what they'll soon be saying about Owen Smith.

SwedishEdith · 03/08/2016 22:02

Pretty biased but I enjoyed it

Peregrina · 03/08/2016 22:10

I had to laugh when David Cameron told Corbyn to resign. Corbyn is still there, but Cameron: remember him? He used to be Prime Minister.

BTW I do wish they would bring back Spitting Image.

prettybird · 03/08/2016 22:30

Yes - we really need Spitting Image.

But of the more recent programmes, where the fuck is "Have I Got News For You"????? It would and should be having a field day! Grin

OlennasWimple · 03/08/2016 22:35

Huff Post article on trying to staff the new Brexit dept

TheBathroomSink · 04/08/2016 00:48

Have I got news finished at the start of June, which is when it usually finishes. It should be back in October, I think.

derxa · 04/08/2016 07:25

Schools don't have to teach imperial measurement, and purchasers who prefer it will eventually die out (unless they are American). It's symbolic
Pupils are taught equivalence between imperial and metric measurement.

Peregrina · 04/08/2016 07:40

But bringing back Imperial measures just shows how confused the arguments were - this was nothing to do with the Common Market.

prettybird · 04/08/2016 08:37

But we need it NOW TheBathroomSink!!

All this lovely news won't be news in October!!!!

Grumble, grumble, whine, whine Wink