Westministenders: Wake up and smell the coffee, shit just hit the fan.

[RedToothBrush]

Since the last update 12 days ago:

1. We have had the proposal to give barista visas. If we are giving out visas for this, what aren't we going to give visas for. Its just the announcement of a lot of red tape.
2. EU Banking and the Medicines agency are moving so they can serve the EU. In the EU. As serving them outside the EU is just weird. This is apparently a punishment for leaving the EU.
3. The number of students applying to become nurses has plummeted due to the removal of bursaries. This is as EU nurses leave.
4. The Brexit department published a couple of graphs promoting staying in the EU.
5. Theresa May said we were unified behind the idea of Brexit in her Easter message
6. The environment is being sacrificed for trade.
7. Turkey apparently has voted to become a dictatorship. This was a vote that Erdogan won by a whisper. His executive will not need scrutiny from parliament. Rather the UK referendum which at 0.6% more than the Turkish one is decisive. Donald Trump has congratulated him for it.
8. Trump has been dick swinging about nukes over North Korea. China are telling the children to behave.

And now we have a General Election.
Well if she can get 434 votes in the HoC tomorrow. That's ANOTHER broken promise. I'm sure its nothing but a formality.

What will Labour do? Support it? To get rid of Corbyn? Corbyn has backed the election. Given Corbyn is in charge, I'm not sure I'd have confidence to say that Labour will all vote for it, even with a three line whip. One Labour MP has already said he will not stand for reelection. (Tom Blenkinsop‏) I suspect there will be more.

Tim Farron has given support to the GE though, so it seems likely it will pass as that's a few of the votes that would be needed to block a GE.

(Note here abstentions do not count to the 434 votes needed.)

Trouble is what would happen if they didn't? Would the government collapse anyway? Might take May's head with it, but...

I guess the good news is that Corbyn will be gone by the end of June.

Otherwise the news is shit I fear. We will vote to give power to the executive with no parliamentary scrutiny. This is about getting rid of any opposition even from within her own party.

How will the campaigning go? Here's a clue:

Tim Montgomerie @montie
Tories want the exln to be about Corbyn and May; LibDems want it to be about Brexit; Labour want it to be about ?

then there is this:
fleetstreetfox‏*@fleetstreetfox*
I wonder what'll happen to the SNP. Polls not too chuffed about 2nd indy ref, Labour screwed... could parts of Scotland go blue again?

there will be lots of this about:
Dan Rebellato‏*@DanRebellato*
^Right. If we don’t want a huge Tory majority, we must all hold our nose and vote tactically. This MUST happen. How to organise that?

and the strategy is this:
Laura Kuenssberg‏*@bbclaurak*
Clear from May and hearing IDS that tories will go after idea of Labour Lib Dem coalition as risky

Council officials are now seeking legal advice over the Gorton By-Election that is scheduled for next month.

One more thing: Does this bury the election expenses row that is brewing and involves May's close adviser Nick Timothy?

Oh and the bottom line?
Alberto Nardelli‏ @AlbertoNardelli
Difference size of Tory majority will make to EU27 negotiating position: 0

Sigh.

Came out of yoga nice & relaxed into a social media hurricane.

Horrified by the brass beck of the Tories. Strike whilst the opposition is at its lowest, before Brexit realities become apparent to all and within such a short timescale so as to disadvantage the other parties. I expect they've been planning this for months (unlike having a plan for Brexit). I think we need more time and I hope (forlornly I imagine) that parliament will push it back. 50 days is a disgrace to our democracy, an ambush. Fuming! Another manifesto pledge chucked out of the window and sneakily sidestepping the electoral fraud issue.

I am very concerned that they will increase their majority. But must try to be positive.

Wouldn't be surprised if most people voted libdem if they oppose Brexit Badders. I'm considering it for sure.

Lib Dems tweeting that they've gained 1000 new members in the last hour.

I'm a long term labour voter and I'll be voting lib dem this time as labour have rolled over and accepted brexit. I feel sorry for labour MPs like David lammy who are opposing brexit as they don't have the support of their party.

I'm voting Lib Dem too.

I sincerely hope that pissed off Labour supporters will still support remainers like Lammy. I don't think he is seriously at risk and as a LD member, if I had a vote (he is MP for my former constituency), I would vote for him.

I will vote for whoever gets my awful Trump supporting, hard right, misogynist Tory mp out. Or looks like to, at least. Sadly, that's unlikely to be libdem in my area but never say never!

I'm probably going to vote LD too.

I'm planning to vote Lib Dem too

Bolshy Same but mine is a refugee supporting, immigration supporting remain feminist as in a wet Tory hypocrit.......

Lib Dems aren't really viable here so I will probably vote Labour again as it's very close. But I'm not sure that will achieve much in concrete terms with regards to the EU. A Lib Dem protest vote might count for something in numbers if not seats. This is all such bullshit, there's so much more to parties than Brexit but it's all just another referendum.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/paul-nuttall-theresa-may-general-election-ukip-leader-labour-weakness-jeremy-corbyn-good-country-a7688766.html

Paul Nuttals of the UKIPs is pissed off.

Agreed, Misti: IGNORE THE TROLLS.

The other barely visible silver lining to an early election, is that Arron Banks hasn't got his "alternative" party together yet.

I'm wondering if I'm going to see Facebook posts this time around about how you should vote conservative if you want to support businesses. Don't think they can really make that claim anymore

Do you think George will stand again?

Bolshy, the LDs have been trying to position themselves into that role since October.

What will be interesting to see, is where they get donations from. Equally will the Conservatives loose some of theirs. It won't be a problem for the Conservatives if they do but psychologically its interesting, and might show which way lobbying is going to go over the next few years.

www.thepoke.co.uk/2017/04/18/conservatives-labour-lib-dems-revealed-campaign-buses-2017-general-election/
The Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems have all revealed their campaign buses for the 2017 general election

The Poke.

Checking in.....

I'm skeptical that JC would stand down even when the party gets trounced.

I don't like it, but politically it's a savvy move from May for the Tories - likely little to lose and much to gain.

The LibDems if Farron steps up to the plate have a good chance of wining back seats.

I suspect the Sturgeon will hold her ground in Scotland.

I think Labour will be the big casualties here.

Placemarking...
Thanks for new thread Red.
Politics has rarely been as interesting as over the last 2 yrs!

I wonder if MNHQ will open a GE topic?

place marking though my inclination is to stick my fingers in my ears and pretend it's all a bad dream.

So who are the Russians and Cambridge Analytica and their bots / trolls going to back in all of this? If not much of an If they came into the leave campaign via Banks and Farage to achieve their aims, UKIP is not going to deliver anything for them in an election? Surely they have no way into influence with the Tories? Even the Raab gang cannot afford to be linked in any way? Unless things are turning very dark indeed....

David Allen Green‏*@davidallengreen*
"At this moment of enormous national significance there should be [unity] [scrutiny and accountability] here in Westminster."

Faisal Islam‏*@faisalislam*

"There should there be unity here in Westminster" says PM as there is in nation. Should there be?

stealtheatingtunnocks

It would be unkind to say that none of this would have happened if Farage had been killed in that plane crash...

ButteredCrumpetNow
....a missed opportunity if ever there was one...

That's nice. You'd wish children made orphans to further your political aims? Who are you voting for, just so I can be sure not to align myself with your type?

Michael Crick‏*@MichaelLCrick*
Election could put CPS in difficulty over whether to prosecute MPs & agents over 2015 election expenses. Deadlines late May, early June!

And there you have it.

Was it the final push needed. The timing is interesting.