Westministenders: Oh No Not Another One. Thread that is.

[RedToothBrush]

In this edition of Westministers we play a game of ‘Where are they now?’

In June 2016 our screens were subjected to the sight of a number of particularly vocal MPs who participated in debates and stood on soap boxes to talk about the referendum.

The most noticeable of these for Leave were perhaps Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Andrea Leadsom, Gisela Stuart, Nigel Farage, Priti Patel and Kate Hoey. For Remain it was David Cameron, George Osborne, Jeremy Corbyn, Ruth Davidson, Sadiq Khan, Nicola Sturgeon, Nick Clegg and Tim Farron.

It is starting to seem that anyone involved in campaigning either for or against Brexit in June 2016 has faced an epic battle for survival. Just how long can they last before being defeated or conceding defeat.

David Cameron’s scalp was the first to go, as he swanned off leaving everyone to clear up his mess.

Boris Johnson, who was keen to stamp his mark and pitch for the leadership by stitching up Cameron, got stitched up by Michael Gove who also lost his own bid for leadership as a result.

Johnson, of course, still lives to fight another day by getting a nice job as Theresa’s whipping boy. He’s occasionally let out by himself, but its Michael Fallon who does the ‘Grown Up Business’. He was said to be one of the last to support an early election. I can’t think why that might be.

Poor old Gove is now confined to a straight-jacket, the back benches where he’s been told to think about what he’s done like a naughty school child and a column in the Times

Andrea Leadsom was sent to a field of cows never to be seen again except to pop up for the odd cameo line shouting about ‘Jam’.

Queen Theresa also dealt with the other Conservative Leader Leave Candidate Mr Liam Fox, by shipping him off to every dodgy corner of the global to get pampered by state hostility.

Stephen Crabb simply crawled back under his rock.

The announcement of the General Election seems to be like the major soap incident episode where half the cast get killed off by a totally unrealistic disaster because their acting contracts weren’t being renewed.

The quitters and abdicators who now have legged it at the sight of a General Election are Gisela ‘Champion of the Brexit Bus’ Stuart and Nigel ‘Too chicken to be defeated for an eighth time and risk losing my nice EU pension’ Farage. George Osborne took the advice of his school teachers and had another career to fall back on when he didn’t become successful in his first choice.

Its rather starting to look like the curse of being a leading Brexiteer is to be made to disappear off the face of the earth or fuck off when the going gets tough. Have you seen Priti Patel lately? Does she even still exist? And Chris Grayling? He was convinced he was going to get chancellor when he supported May in her bid for the leadership.
Instead he got packed off transport and disappeared off the face of the earth much to the annoyance of everyone caught up in the rail strikes.

The only one who is remotely visible seems to be David Davis and is like May’s pet poodle who just tries to please his owner.

It’s almost like the only one still standing or hasn’t been banished is Kate Hoey. And the Lib Dems are trying to work on that one and make her sink beneath the waves, on board her Alan Partridge Titanic once and for all.

Conversely the visible Remainers seem to be – on the face of it - fairing rather better at the moment.

Sadiq Khan is hugely popular and actually does his job rather than fannying about on zip wires. Ruth Davidson is also well respected and apparently has saved Priti Patel’s job from abolition. If the rumours are to be believed bored with scrapping with Nicola, she might be lining herself up for ‘Big Things’ in Westminister. Cameron’s one time love interest, Nick Clegg hasn’t shaken the tarnish of the coalition but he is enjoying a new reputation as the Brexit Soothsayer and some people actually know who Tim Farron is now, which is progress. Nicola Sturgeon is of course riding high and seems to be a permanent thorn in Theresa’s side.

Jeremy ‘I’m a Remainer, honest comrades’ Corbyn is the one who seems to be something of a walking disaster area yet is also thriving with it like a zombie who just keeps going regardless of what you throw at him.

And then of course there is Queen Theresa. The Remainer. Who has crushed everyone in her party. Not just the saboteurs. Even her supposed ally Hammond and BBF Rudd have been thrown under the bus at her wimb when its suited May personally.

The General Election now sets a new scene and opportunity for new characters to emerge. Now the rats have left the ship or been put in their place.

Will May set course to the left or to the right or simply plow on like a bull in a china shop?

Anyway I’m now looking forward to the shocking soap opera moment where your favourite hero or villain gets killed off in a twist you didn’t see coming. Role on June 8th. If only to get pass the upcoming horror of the next six weeks.

tiggy just more fake news from people who can't be bothered to go look at the texts.

There are obligatory medical check ups for all small children in France - aged 8 months and 2 years. Unless you take your kids you risk losing your child benefits. These checks are carried out by a paediatrician, GP, or child health clinic doctor and they are required to report if girls have suffered FGM (there are special measures in place to allow doctors to breach medical confidentiality laws if a child has been mutiliated or is considered at risk of mutilation). Children identified as being at risk are followed up by social services.

There really are no random people looking down brown girls' knickers - it's pure UK press fantasy. The french policy is largely about identifying girls at risk (very small numbers: almost exclusively the children of recent immigrants who have themselves suffered FGM, religion not being considered a risk factor) and protecting them, and also systematically prosecuting anyone considered to have contributed to sexual violence against a minor.

when councils could just properly resource waste collection and leave the police to deal with all the violence in our society.

Could this be because their finances have been cut to the bone? Hence cutting back on waste collection, and leading to the unanticipated knock on effect. Or are there some members of the public who are selfish lazy arses who can't be bothered to take stuff to the tip? Thus causing us all to suffer?

No worries tiggy. I'd love to say I understood the french system but I can only go so far as to say when I saw Abbotts name I assumed she'd got the wrong end of the stick

But though I despair laugh, what a badly wrong end of a stick to get

Watched Countryfile in disbelief last night at the police resource being directed to Fly tipping, when councils could just properly resource waste collection and leave the police to deal with all the violence in our society.

Our local council have started charging for green bin collections. This was after it was pointed out that a costing assessment have revealed the money raised from this wouldn't cover the additional cost of fly tipping that it would produce.

Go figure.

I'm reading some stuff on my local newspaper's website about the election. The comments are interesting and tally with what I've heard a lot elsewhere. The issue that comes up a lot is not the EU but corruption and nepotism by Labour. This is the big driver behind why people intend to vote Conservative having always voted Lab in the past.

There are a number of brewing scandals and warring various factions within the party.

My gut feeling is the public has really had enough of it.

Brexit was kicking the EU. This is going to be about kicking local councils who have been in power a long time.

The trouble in both cases, is whether what replaces it is going to be any better.

Re countries leaving the Euro:

in Germany, the left including the SPD candidate Martin Schulz, have been suggesting for some time that it would be better if Greece and maybe Portugal did leave the Euro

They say that Greece would benefit and also the German taxpayer is very reluctant to keep footing the bills whenever the Greek debt is reorganised.

Martin Schulz, coming straight from his Brussels post, is very enthusiastic about the EU, but wants to reform it to help the Southern countries and young, less skilled workers.

My skim reading of that document (and I admit, my ability to skim read in French is not what it once was ) was that the "checks" were part of general young children checks and that the key "controversial" thing was the over-riding of medical confidentiality in cases where FGM was identified.

More importantly, it talks about (in the case study) the importance of identifying ante-natally women at risk because they themselves have suffered FGM and then working with them to get them to understand the risks of FGM, especially if they go on to have a girl.

I see nothing that describes the sort of pro-active and intrusive (as opposed to sensitive and preventative) policies proposed by UKIP (which you expect from them) and Dianne Abbott and other MSMs (who should know better ).

E27 expats paid in Sterling demanding pay rises and UK expat pensioners with lower standards of living - everywhere, not just in the EU - are all effects of the low pound.
So are some higher prices now in the UK.

The pound has been lower before, but only for a short time after the 2008 financial crash.
Its low level ever since 24 June may have benefited some - not all - exports, but it has also caused problems for a lot of people and businesses.

Misti FGM is not generally carried out at age 2??? Is this UKIP being disingenuous as per in linking inspection of infants to FGM prevention when in fact the actions in France are more centred around education and community engagement with an average prosecution rate of 1 per year over the last 30 years to reinforce the message rather than heavy handed legal crackdowns?

steve hawkes‏ @steve_hawkes
Arron Banks jumps off the pier: "I have a consequently made the decision to withdraw my candidacy for the seat of Clacton."

Didn't see that coming either

Compulsory intimate examination of schoolgirls would be far more intrusive than banning veils in public , for women & girls.
If you wanted to force Muslim girls out of education ....

Oh, just a thought: was that proposed for state schools only, i.e. not for private schools ? It would really bring another advantage to their being "private" in every sense

Arron Banks jumps off the pier: "I have a consequently made the decision to withdraw my candidacy for the seat of Clacton."

What did we expect? Another rat not prepared to join a sinking ship. I just lurve the way these prominent Leavers are so principled.

I have no time Dianne Abbot I think she is a massive hypocrite. It's shocking that she would endorse such an ill thought out intervention. Saying that it is UKIP who use this horrific proposal to attract attention for political reasons, it's a slimy snaky thing to do. Am I surprised? One is getting used to all the current government shenanigans but every now and again some of our dear politicians come out with stuff that is simply stomach churning.

Little stat for you from You Gov.

Weighted by likelihood to vote:
2015 UKIP voters

18th -19th April
2015 UKIP > 2017 UKIP 47%
2015 UKIP > 2017 CON 42%

20th - 21st April
2015 UKIP > 2017 UKIP 24%
2015 UKIP > 2017 CON 67%

order-order.com/2017/04/24/banks-bottles-it/
Full list of things Arron has promised that never happened

It seems reading between the lines on coverage of Banks bottling it, that he was going to struggle to get the UKIP nomination. The local party weren't keen on an outsider standing.

I have a feeling.

Nuttall hasn't announced he's standing anywhere and is avoiding the question.

They have already said they don't intend to stand in some pro-leave MP seats. I suspect for financial reasons.

Are they are about to go kaput completely just before the election?

Nuttall hasn't announced he's standing anywhere and is avoiding the question.

Are you sure he's not just desperately trying to find a bedsit somewhere to not live in

UKIP going kaput? Hardly matters, May's party is now full on Blue KIP. Forget the perfectly decent people who once voted Tory, but have moderate centrist views. They are now saboteurs.

On the whole 'coffee shop wage increase' issue, I think you have to face the fact that the explosion of coffee chains such as costa, pret, Starbucks etc in cities was made possible by freedom of movement. In other words, the business model, including choice of products and pricing, only works because there is a group of people able to work for those wages. The market grew out of FOM. Most of these jobs simply did not exist before.

Take away FOM and the business model collapses. It's not that 'British workers don't want the jobs'. It's simply that wages at that level are not supposed to support families, housing etc.

The wages won't go up. Instead some branches will automate and hundreds will close.

It's what happens when as a government, you make low unemployment and high employer flexibility your target at any cost - without regard for job quality, stability and decent wages.

Anna Soubry MP‏*@Anna*_Soubry
Thank you @metpoliceuk & @nottspolice - man who called my constituency office saying I shld be "Jo Coxd" pleaded G & got 8 weeks in prison

Could this be because their finances have been cut to the bone? Hence cutting back on waste collection, and leading to the unanticipated knock on effect. Or are there some members of the public who are selfish lazy arses who can't be bothered to take stuff to the tip? Thus causing us all to suffer?

A mixture of both, but it is getting worse mainly because of the financial cuts to local councils. Many councils are closing local tips and reducing rubbish collections. Many are also starting to charge for some types of waste (particularly DIY type stuff) or putting limits on the amount you can take to a tip for free. All of this increases the likelihood of people fly tipping, but there is also less money to pay for clean up when this happens.

It isn't the coffee shops i am worried about to be honest, they will put up wages or close. I will still get a coffee somehow. It is the healthcare workers, nurses, and nursery staff that will no longer come here that concern me. The NHS can't just put up pay for nurses. Social services are already in the midst of a serious funding crises, they don't have the cash to offer higher wages to care workers.

I hope everyone who voted leave has really bloody good private insurance and plenty of savings for their care home because there sure as hell isn't going to be a functioning social care system after Brexit is over

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/23/sophie-walker-shipley-election-2017-yorkshire-tory-philip-davies?CMP=share_btn_tw
Women’s Equality party leader seeks backing for a clear run to beat ‘misogynist’ MP

The Green party approached the WEP with the offer to stand aside, according to local Green activists in Shipley, who have yet to rubberstamp the idea but are supportive of it in theory. The idea has not so far been floated widely among local Liberal Democrats, who meet on Thursday, but there is strong support already among some officials.