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.

Don't get me started on my dislike for corporation Bear Grylls. Backshall is annoying but he's so much better than Brand Grylls.

Gerald Howarth CON MP for Aldershot is standing down.
This is a RESULT.
You know its bad when an MP has a large section on their Wikipedia entry marked 'controversies'.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Howarth#Controversies
His are particularly erm... yeah.

I got Plaid, followed by SNP, followed by Respect . Funny as I had always considered myself Blairite running dog scum. And I live in London so not entirely helpful choices.

I got Green, then Plaid, then SNP, then Lib Dems.

I'm a Lib Dem member (newish) living in Labour City in London, so like lala I don't feel much further on.

Is the methodology of that survey OK, does any one know how to check it?

I got Lib Dems, happy with that!

It must be an old quiz though?? As on the results page it shows Nick Clegg's face under 'who should I vote for'?

David Mundell's nickname is Fluffy, which, as far as I can establish is nothing UK do with his beard because he is always amiable to deal with even though I can't stand what he tries to promote and defend so I doubt he was as ungentlemanly to call YC such a nasty name.

He's ineffective, not nasty unlike Ruth

Yes its 2015

I once did the Vote for policies one and i got BNP...for education

There's still everything to play for:

European Parliament will welcome Britain back if voters veto Brexit

Am I alone in feeling a little tearful at the EU's generosity?

I came out Green Labour and then LibDem.

Thankfully it didn't show me to be a closet Tory, or worse a UKIPer.

Mine came out as;
Labour
Lib dem
Green
Plaid
SNP
Alliance
Respect
Dup
Conservative
Ukip

Fairly accurate imo

Except I'm voting Lib dem!

Tommy Long @_tommylong
Former long-term Lib Dem MPs running against those who beat them in 2015 actually have more incumbency than the current incumbents

Could work both ways but an observation worth noting.

George Eaton @GeorgeEaton
Labour MPs believe winning 185-200 seats (down from 230) would be "good result".

Expectation management in action. Several places suggesting 170 possible.

Farage definitely not standing. Nor is Ed Balls.

Disappointed that Ed Balls is not standing but don't blame him.

I don't ever want to see Ed Balls again after seeing him dance.

The Sun belatedly woken up to Brexit impact on the car industry:

www.thesun.co.uk/motors/3371394/could-brexit-could-see-the-cost-of-cars-rise-by-thousands-and-put-169000-jobs-at-risk/

It makes my blood build that Farage and Cars well are skipping off happily into the sunshine, alongside Cameron and Osborne, following the carnage they've unleashed.
Also that Farage is "focusing on the European parliament". Doesn't want to get off the gravy train more like. Frog faced fucker

And jeopardise his pension? The very thought.

Frog faced fucker

www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39649119

Mr Corbyn could have blocked it in Parliament but instead ordered his MPs to back the snap poll in a Commons vote on Wednesday.

After his speech, the Labour leader was asked to rule out backing a second EU referendum - replying that he respected the result but that the UK had to have continued access to the EU single market and should not "tear up the workers' rights agenda, the environmental protection agenda, or any human rights agenda".

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell also declined to rule one out, telling the BBC the government should "put the deal to Parliament and possibly to the country overall".

But asked later, Mr Corbyn's spokesman said: "A second referendum is not our policy and it won't be in our manifesto."

What a pack of morons. No second referendum would be needed if they would only use Parliament for what it is intended - i.e. giving voice to opposition.

The electorate would get a chance to vote on Brexit in a later General Election. No second referendum needed.

Labour should have opposed the election in the HoC. Of course TM could have gone ahead anyway via a vote of no confidence, but at least Labour would then have made the point that the electorate are being asked to vote for a pig in a poke here, and could also have made the points the Times makes wrt how this election does not in fact alter the UK position at all in Brexit negotiations.

The revolutionary right wing Tory agenda could have been put front and centre.

But instead we have JC doing a great impression of a fecking marshmallow.

The point of a referendum is to give the people a voice. The point of Parliament is to give the people elected representatives.

I much prefer the German GE campaign:

Impressive highly qualified and knowledgeable party leaders.
I'll be very happy with either SPD or CDU, one of whom is bound to lead a coalition, which will have over 50% support.

The SPD White Knight Martin Schulz made his career in the EU Parliament and this is regarded as an advantage, as great training to lead the country.

Really constructive debates here about the future direction for the EU
but with all the main parties being enthusiastic about the EU and constructive.

This is part of an EU-wide debate started about alternative strategies to help the South and the young:

EU tax, an EU-wide standard minimum wage, EU unemployment insurance, social fund transfers from richer countries to the South and East.

Decent description from Der Spiegel:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/german-election-2017-focuses-on-european-union-a-1142693.html

There is currently a petition calling for political claims to be subject to advertising standards law.
I know that manifestos are basically wishlists, but something like this could stop blatant lies/alternative facts/false promises.

Don't rub it in BCF. Last debate of the French campaign tonight, dd is watching, she has more stamina than me - we missed Melenchon but what we've seen has been been pretty grim so far (Hamon pas terrible, the rest awful). Poutou next - should be entertaining - then Macron. He had better not fuck this up.

DD says she will run in 2035 or 2042 . Next stop is (applying for) Macron's old school. She is only half joking.