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.

This is when we need Jane Horrocks Mrs Pritchard and the Purple Party only half joking

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Mrs_Pritchard

www.independent.co.uk/voices/jeremy-corbyn-labour-criticism-general-election-2017-dont-support-him-you-are-a-tory-conservatives-a7692431.html

Kevin Schofield‏*@PolhomeEditor*

Unite officials in the West Mids were told this morning that Gerard Coyne - who challenged Len McCluskey - has been suspended as regonal sec

Election Data‏*@election*_data

Unite suspend Coyne on the day Corbyn complains about rigged systems. You have to admire the chutzpah

Election result still to come out. It does make you wonder though.

Ian Dunt‏*@IanDunt*

Best thing about election2017: watching all the ppl who said Brexit could be sorted in two years effortlessly switch to saying it'll be five

pretty The police are only supposed to prevent any illegal acts, e.g. threatening behaviour.
Embarrassing a PM of any party is not a threatening act (it's a public service !) and the police should not allow themselves to get involved

Trudeau is also an environmental hypocrit, preaching environmental protection whilst supporting environmentally disasterous mining /drilling practises (or whatever you do to recover shale oil)

I still would though......

It is all my Mother's fault, I grew up hearing her lust after Pierre

From Pierre Trudeau to Brexit, just shows the power of peer pressure and the right wing press......

Laura Kuenssberg‏*@bbclaurak*
Predictions in some quarters Coyne-McLuskey might end up in High Court, remember contest seen by many as proxy for corbyn v rest of labour

That's a good look in the run up to a General Election.

Trudeau is also an environmental hypocrit, preaching environmental protection whilst supporting environmentally disasterous mining /drilling practises (or whatever you

Don't disagree with this, but the problem for Canada is that big chunks of it have almost no other industries. No anti-mining politician will ever be elected and even if they were they'd immediately face impossible dilemmas about funding government without mining revenues.

Better a left-leaning pragmatist who will at least keep the pressure on companies to clean up their act than a right leaning one in the pocket of the minerals industry.

"Theresa May agrees to BBC Question Time-style question and answer televised election debate but not head-to-head with rival leaders:"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/19/bbc-itv-collision-course-theresa-may-say-will-hold-televised/

So whilst we are now in the throw of a GE and are taking our eyes from the ball that Brexit is, the EU is carrying on implanting and reviewing what they want from Brexit
And it doesn't look good for the UK (or it does look what most sane people said it would look like - it depends how yu look at it!)

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/20/eu-toughens-brexit-stance-and-demands-uk-pay-liabilities-in-euros

In particular, what I have noticed in that article is the fact that the eu is working with all the 27 countries to define what is and isn't acceptable. Also what they would be happy to negotiate in the second part of the negociations (once the divorce bill is settled...).
They are miles ahaead in the game than the uk is. Which really should be the other way around.

Dan Jarvis looks strong and rugged; could inspire voters.
A Justin Trudeau type is maybe too devilishly handsome for grumpy British taste

< Ok, I know this is just an excuse for trivial beefcake photos, but we need cheering up >

Good heavens. Who's Dan Jarvis? Hello tiger.

"Ultimately the unions will decide Jeremy Corbyn's future in the Labour Party, starting with Unite
If Len McCluskey is re-elected next week, it will be a win for Corbyn. But controversy has surrounded his bid – and there's no guaranteeing other union heads feel the same way as he does about the Opposition Leader
In Labour today, it’s not business, as they say in The Godfather, but personal. The party is more like the American version of House of Cards".
www.independent.co.uk/voices/jeremy-corbyn-unions-len-mccluskey-unite-election-blairite-mps-gerard-coyne-future-a7680706.html

MichaelLCrick 6h
Rush to select candidates in this election means Cons & Lab HQs claim huge powers. Lib Dems have quietly picked lots of cands already

Has this been posted? The expanded list of MPs under investigation for election expense. I did post I thought spending must have been high here judging by the level of activity and my MP is now on the list.......

mobile.twitter.com/thefoodumbrella/status/854741196375248896

BluePepper

I expect, consistent with previous form, that BeLeavers will assure us that (a) they expected all these outcomes and anyway Freedom is worth any price; and (b) "Punishment!!!1!!11!"

Back in 2015 - this Mirror article - he probably hadn't been in the HoC long enough
With 2 more years experience now, this ex-para could be the white knight to inspire voters.
They need someone young, with time and energy to rebuild Labour after a probable humiliation.

"Who is Dan Jarvis? Meet the Labour leadership candidate who terrifies the Tories"
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/who-dan-jarvis-meet-labour-5670094

hee hee hee. Amber Rudd. Do you have a total number, ron? thanks

steve hawkes‏*@steve*_hawkes
Rumour that Simon Danczuk will be reinstated as Labour MP today then re-suspended if he wins. It is a crazy world

If this is true.... in combination with the Unite stuff.... could Labour do anything more to throw the election if they tried?!

Press Association‏*@PA* 4m
#Breaking Philip Hammond to hold talks with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley bosses in New York today to discuss Brexit and general election

*Perhaps the obvious charges of nepotism etc that would have resulted changed their minds?
Who knows?

Or perhaps it is a classic example of fake news with absolutely no basis in reality in the first place

Mmmmm...Dan Jarvis you say. I shall investigate those photos further

Germany pessimistic about chances of a deal: a GE won't change that much (e.g. May govt incompetence)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/19/germany-strong-eu-britain-easy-brexit-angela-merkel

"In Berlin there is some optimism that a larger parliamentary majority will make May an easier negotiating partner to deal with.

Many senior German officials think the Brexit talks are quite likely to collapse in any case as a result of the UK, in their view, being ill-prepared.

For example, the British say they want a quick deal on the rights of EU nationals in the UK and vice versa,
but seem unaware of the legal and technical complexities involved.

The Germans fret, too, about the lack of EU expertise in Whitehall and its lack of capacity to run the negotiations efficiently.

Another complaint is that Theresa May has done too little to prepare public opinion for the painful choices that lie ahead, although a thumping parliamentary majority may make it easier for her to cede ground on such issues as transfers of money or the UK accepting rulings of the European court during transitional arrangements.

If (SPD candidate) Schulz triumphs over Merkel in September’s federal elections, the chances of Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal would rise. Schulz has long had an antagonistic relationship with Britain"

Now, if Steve Backshall were to stand - provided he were left of centre that rules the Tories out - and I were in England, then I might be prepared to vote for him.....

as long as he doesn't dance

(I may have been the teensiest bit selective in the images I chose )