Westministenders: Strong and Stable Theresa Date with Destiny

[RedToothBrush]

WELLLLL

Its just before 2.00am.

So far its the YouGov model all the way. Still a long way to go but, the Cons are not getting the top of their target list and Labour are doing very well in seats they just 'shouldn't be'.

Corbyn is now favourite to take the poison chalice of Brexit, but they may not be the largest party yet.

This is looking right now like 1974 not 1983.

May's potted regardless. I look forward to her resignation speech. Its still entirely possible that our next government is a Tory Minority under another leader.

The LDs are having a rough night so far. They are loosing deposits all over the place as they are squeezed out. But they still might hold the balance of power yet. Though they are pledged not to go into coalition.

Another election in the autumn? Brexit delayed and going soft and squishy?

allianceparty.org/article/2017/0011152/talks-process-in-real-danger-says-long
Stormont Talks process in real danger, says Long of the Alliance Party

@montie
MPs who lost their seats have been contacted by David Cameron; not by his successor (so far).

Interesting. Not in her not contacting them, in fairness she's been busy ignoring the election result.

European Bunny‏*@tweetyaca*
Good Friday Agreement requires Westminster Gov’t to be impartial in NI matters.
Will DUP coalition destroy this?

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136652/agreement.pdf
(v) affirm that whatever choice is freely exercised by a majority of the people of Northern Ireland, the power of the sovereign government with jurisdiction there shall be exercised with rigorous impartiality on behalf of all the people in the diversity of their identities and traditions and shall be founded on the principles of full respect for, and equality of, civil, political, social and cultural rights, of freedom from discrimination for all citizens and of parity of esteem and of just and equal treatment for the identity, ethos, and aspirations of both communities.

Do we potentially have a legal issue here now the DUP are potentially actively involved from Westminster? I don't know but it just... yeah... just a feeling this might at the very least prove to be an issue.

An interesting atmosphere has descended on the UK.

The post Queens visit bravado by Theresa May is starting to look like an attempt to keep her back, whilst things happen under the radar.

(Maybe the total radio silence from the usual Tory rentagobs is related ?)

As was stressed last night, by the experts, the first real obstacle is the Queens speech - which is June 19th ? So we have a few days for intrigue, plotting, treachery and murder most foul.

And as the experts also said, last night, Theresa May does have one power to her name. If she can't get a Queens speech through, we are in for another election.

@peston
Senior Tory MP: "We all fing hate her. But there is nothing we can do. She has totally fed us".

First comment:
good old ken

Senior Tory MP: "We all fing hate her. But there is nothing we can do. She has totally fed us".

Boo fucking hoo. Cry me a river.

Not working in a university and I am sure someone will be along soon who is MissMoon but I do have a lot of contact with academics. The TEF has raised a lot of controversy. In principle if it is a tool to improve the standard of teaching it could be a good thing but as always it is the way that it is implemented that raises the issues, especially the use of blunt edge measures to exert political control.

These include , that increased use of National Student Survey results increase the perception amongst students that they are customers rather than students, that can affect the student teacher relationship but also introduces the principle that a student should pay more for better teaching (rather than expect it).

It may well be an unintended consequence of measures which the Tories mean to distinguish what they would regard as academic centres of excellence such as the Russell Group others like Bath with equivalent reputations, will actually damage some of them. It might not be entirely undeserved but it may end up particularly affecting research based universities who have tended to stack the students high and teach them on the cheap with many lecturers employed on casual contracts that pay worse than the cleaners. (a model now prevalent throughout academia).

The Brexit deal is also a key change in the environment for universities in terms of attracting staff and students and research funding. They have argued that the TEF should not be implemented until those factors are understood.

The relationship between the TEF and research funding is not clear.

There was an excellent piece by Scientists in etc Eu but i can't find it but there is this www.theguardian.com/education/2016/aug/22/teaching-excellence-framework-universities-tuition-fees-tef

The Johnson that is an Education Minister, and responsible for this, exhibits a lot more sensitivity and head down into the detail than his brother though, so would not surprise me if he has instigated this?

Simon Neville‏*@SimonNeville*
CEOs concerned abt Brexit negotiations but also fearful of tabloid attack. This election may reduce that fear as tabloid influence flounders

See same as GOP with Trump. Party first. Country last.

By the way I apologise for the worse than usual syntax etc. You have no idea how many times I had to correct it too. Interesting how lack of sleep affects your brain, I am nowhere near this bad normally!!

Cabinet tomorrow...

Why so long?

Meanwhile, in London ...

Bailed out by (Northern) Ireland ... again, irony ...

Could Jeremy Corbyn not step into the Stormont power sharing negotiations as an independent arbitrator?

Surely Sinn Fein will not be happy about the coalition with the DUP and any sign that this will make the UK gov noticeable impartial (and I can't see how that implication can be avoided) will be leapt upon. This is another worrying issue in a whole list of worrying issues in NI right now.

Laura Kuenssberg‏*@bbclaurak*

Andrew Lansley (remember him?) says it's 'wishful thinking' from May if she thinks she can do five years

Surely Sinn Fein will not be happy about the coalition with the DUP

But if they aren't going to engage in Westminster ...

Kevin Schofield‏*@PolhomeEditor*
Downing St were briefing earlier that it would start today. Strong, stable etc.

Why the delay?

Sinn Fein ready to resume Stormont talks on Monday. Accused DUP of actively blocking talks. Said that NI unionists and British unionists always ends in tears.

It would seem that "In the national interest" is going to be the new buzz phrase . Can we start buzzword bingo for how many times in gets repeated in her and her cabinet's answers?

Shades (no doubt deliberate) of "Government of National Unity", to create subliminally an image of a country at war.

She seemed to be showing more concern in her interview to her colleagues who she threw under a bus lost their seats than the damage she has done to the country in calling this divisive early election

twitter.com/theousherwood/status/873201043189977092
Heidi Allen "wasn't the speech I needed to hear". Radio interview.

Gives her 6 months. Tops.

Anushka Asthana‏*@GuardianAnushka*

Tory MPs going crazy about PM's chief of staff, Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy. Cabinet source saying they "destroying our party"

Ben Riley-Smith‏ @benrileysmith^
Senior Tory: May's No 10 speech "like Cruella de Vil with her fingers in her ears". Hence another clip.

Shades (no doubt deliberate) of "Government of National Unity", to create subliminally an image of a country at war.

It is starting to look like she is under the impression she is Britannia, and that her problems are our problems, so it's incumbent on us to get behind her. Hopefully the coming hours and days (weeks seems a bit optimistic) will swiftly disabuse her of that notion.

The fact that only now do I read Treeza is apologising to unseated Tories speaks volumes.

The (refreshing) radio silence of the Tories big guns is indicative too. "Will no one defend this dreadful woman ?" (as Henry II never said)

Why isn't the Cabinet Reshuffle going ahead this afternoon like No 10 advised initially. Is there perhaps something going on in the background behind the door?

Tory Prime Ministers having to appease other Tories - just so BORED of this! Thatcher (undefeated in elections, stabbed in the front by her colleagues), Major, Cameron, Cameron again, now May. IDS floated by the Telegraph in order to satisfy Brexiteers. How desperate is she going to be to clutch on?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-apologises-tory-mps-lost-seats-general-election-latest-hung-parliament-a7782491.html
Theresa May apologises to Tory MPs who lost their seats in the general election

May APOLOGISES?!

Also people are saying they can't get rid of May, yet MPs are openly saying in radio interviews on LBC that they don't expect her to last 6 months.

They are publicly humiliating her. She has no authority. How is this even tenable?

Lurking Re your earlier comment about how Davidson's success in Scotland must have given her power, that is exactly what George Osbourne said last night. in fact he said it would make her the most powerful politician in the Conservative Party, though perhaps that should have been with the caveat IF it was a sane and sensible party...