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Brexit

Westministenders: Johnson defends his President whilst we try to defend Britain

998 replies

RedToothBrush · 31/01/2017 11:25

Theresa and Donald
Sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First come Brexit
Then comes the Ban
Then comes the
Removal of Human Rights
… Damn

(Shamelessly stolen from a protest sign)

A couple of weeks ago people were still asking why we were talking about Trump on a Brexit thread. I think the answer has made itself all together too apparent.

What is happening in the US is not going to stop. It’s not going to get any better any time soon. The situation is grave with suggestions there has been a coup. What happens next is not going to be pretty. American institutions are struggling. The rule of law has been undermined. We are not talking about a developing country. We are talking about the country which has stood for freedom and democracy.

Our leadership looks weak in the face of this. We look like we are not only appeasing but endorsing. For what? A trade deal that he could revoke in 30 days?

We have but one question. How many of our ‘British Values’ will have to be sacrifice for the special relationship?

Make no bones about this: Cosying up to Trump threatens our national security. It threatens our democracy. It ruins what little moral authority we have left. It threatens our ties with Europe who we DO still need to have a relationship even if we are outside the EU. This is not world leadership. This is appeasement. This is cowardly weak and downright desperate.

Let us also not forget ‘Good old Boris’ pretending to be Churchill and calling the EU Nazis and Hitler during the Referendum and on several occasions since. He has now had the bare faced audicity to stand in the House of Commons and call MPs out repeatedly for ‘trivalising the holocaust’ or for making comparisons with the 1930s when they saying they have been told this by survivors of the holocaust. It is SHAMEFUL. I also note how many times Johnson referred to Trump being democratically elected as if this makes all the difference and he can’t possibly be a dictator if elected.

Why do they want to use the parallel themselves and HATE it when its used for things they use? Fascists hate being pointed out as fascists.
What would happen if you put it to the public? You have a choice, The EU or Trump? What would they say. At its most basic this is what Brexit is now. You can not hide it or disguise it any longer.

Get used to this. Be prepared to protest, to keep challenging, to keep calling things as they are. Fatigue might set in, but we need to keep on. This is for the long haul.

Today the a50 Bill starts in parliament. It’s not looking good, as it looks like MPs will completely fail in their DUTY to hold the government to account and will not have the balls to add amendments to the bill.

If it passes without any, get worried. It is not just about the EU.

It never was.

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SemiPermanent · 31/01/2017 15:51

The government had access to an emergency break when the Eastern Europeans acceded to the EU.
I know, but Blair decided in his arrogance not to use it.


So it is not the EU who were guilty of too little, too late. Given the Osbourne / Cameron economic strategy I wonder how hard Cameron even negotiated.
Cameron was 'advised' by Merkel that she would not back an emergency brake & the EU would not back it either, and so he didn't even bother to try.

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lalalonglegs · 31/01/2017 15:58

Rolling back a bit, I think Anna Soubry has every right to point her finger at the Labour front benches. She put her neck on the line by defying her party, she might have hoped that the opposition benches would have had her back but she was left fighting (almost) a one-woman battle.

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RedToothBrush · 31/01/2017 16:03

Reuters Politics ‏@ReutersPolitics
UPDATE: Pfizer says won't change philosophy on drug pricing after Trump's comments.

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Peregrina · 31/01/2017 16:14

Kate Hoey going on about how badly we betrayed the Commonwealth in 1973.

Which was so. May ought to remember this, because they won't have forgotten. They were let down once before, who is to say they won't be let down again?

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CeciledeVolanges · 31/01/2017 16:17

Reading the live feed: Gisela Stuart apparently accused the EU of being unable to drop an idea. So, totally unlike her and those like her, then. Am I alone in finding her hypocrisy absolutely staggering? On all aspects of this?

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PattyPenguin · 31/01/2017 16:26

To go back to Trump for a minute, the Grauniad is saying that the invitation to come on a State visit was an attempt to get the Tory government ahead of Nigel Farage in the line to kiss the Cheetoed One's arse.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jan/31/how-nigel-farages-taunts-prompted-hasty-offer-of-trump-state-visit

I don't often swear, but there are no fucking words...

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CeciledeVolanges · 31/01/2017 16:29

I often find the only suitable word is "fuck" as well.

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RedToothBrush · 31/01/2017 16:31

Chris Ship ‏@chrisshipitv
Odd this government: since Saturday we've gone from PM saying "a matter for the US" to Home Secretary saying "propaganda opportunity" for IS

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RhuBarbarella · 31/01/2017 16:32

Oh bollix, that means I was wrong in argument with DH this morning, I didn't think they would let themselves be rattles by Farage in this.
Would that really be it? I despair, again!

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borntobequiet · 31/01/2017 16:34

The original Second Referendum petition was started by a Leave supporter in case Leave lost.
We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based a turnout less than 75% there should be another referendum.
But times have changed and we now see Brexit through the lens of the Trump victory...do we need an alternative petition? Or we all petitioned out?

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SapphireStrange · 31/01/2017 16:40

Place-marking.

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PausingFlatly · 31/01/2017 16:41

That's interesting. I'd also thought that cutting Nigel out was the main reason for such a hasty visit by May.

But I'm surprised she thought she needed the Queen-card as well, given Trump is so desperate to rise in rank and so would probably have ditched Farage for Prime Minister May - at least for the five minutes he cared.

And after the five minutes... well, they're going to screw the UK regardless of the Queen. I doubt Bannon is bothered about the ego stroke, he'll just be coldbloodedly calculating how to get max PR gain.

To be fair, I think it's only now after May's visit that we're getting the measure of how psychopathic and uninterested in diplomatic norms the regime is going to be.

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PattyPenguin · 31/01/2017 16:48

Oh, we could have guessed how psychopathic the regime was going to be months and months ago. All we needed to do was listen to them, say on the campaign trail.

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PausingFlatly · 31/01/2017 16:53

Fair enough. I suppose I meant being so openly, without even pretending to be observe the norms.

Appointing Bannon to the NSC, removing the military and intelligence heads. Signing unconstitutional EOs and sacking the Attorney General when she points this out. Purging the top of the State Dept.

Little things...

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PattyPenguin · 31/01/2017 16:59

Trump made his disdain for the norms clear enough. Indeed, it was his USP.

The Mumsnet trope holds here, too - when he tells you who he is, believe him.

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HashiAsLarry · 31/01/2017 17:19

lala I agree about Anna Soubry too, the Labour front bench really needs massive shaming in this. May as well come from one of the few still vocal remainer Tories as no one else seems to be brave enough to.

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RedToothBrush · 31/01/2017 17:39

Chris Ship ‏@chrisshipitv
Interestingly, No10 is refusing to be drawn on Amber Rudd's view that the Trump #travelban is a "proaganda opportunity" for ISIL/Daesh

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Peregrina · 31/01/2017 17:47

I certainly feel angry about Labour - the Tories were wide open to criticism last summer, and what did the Labour party do? Go for an internal blood letting instead of Opposing. However, it still comes down to May and her Government now, and nothing I have seen yet convinces me that she will make a success of Brexit, and cosying up to Trump is just the latest error of judgement.

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BestIsWest · 31/01/2017 17:54

Ken Clarke very funny on Twitter. Great speech.

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MitzyLeFrouf · 31/01/2017 18:04

I thought that was a joke Ken Clarke twitter account! But maybe it's real

'Thanks for all the kind messages, Twitter followers. Sometimes one just knows when one has nailed it. Hashtag drop the microphone.'


Grin

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woman12345 · 31/01/2017 18:05

thanks red and all Flowers

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PeasandTrees · 31/01/2017 18:10

Can I ask, what sort of response should I expect from a letter to my MP? I've written to mine (inspired by this thread!) and got back a reply which just outlines the procedure for leaving the EU,not answering any of my questions about our relationship with Trump and requests to support amendments to the Article 50 bill.

I realise this is ridiculous to ask,but is it a standard response from an MP to completely ignore the questions? I've never written to an MP before so don't know if this is usual and I'm expecting too much.

Just wanted to ask before I write back asking the same questions again!

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BestIsWest · 31/01/2017 18:16

KCQCMP?

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Motheroffourdragons · 31/01/2017 18:17

Just watching the news just now, how sensible and reasoned Ken Clarek is and sounds, and Redwood is just horrible. How is it possible these two are in the same party?

I wrote to my MP back when the first high court action on a50 was successful and got the reply that while he was a remainer he has to listen to the will of the votes - our constituency voted leave at about the same as the national level.

I was just wondering, is it worth emailing again ? Or is he just going to a)ignore now or b)reiterate the same nonsense ?

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Motheroffourdragons · 31/01/2017 18:21

The French election is taking some weird turns.
Fillon is in trouble because he has been paying his wife for work she didn't do, and Le Pen is having to pay back €300K to the EU (a la Farage ? Not sure if she has been doing the same as him).
There are rumours that Macron is gay - apparently it is ok for French politicians to have 10 mistresses, but there must be no suggestion of being gay if you want to win anything.

Who knows what will happen ? But Le Pen is beginning to look strong again, sadly.

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