Westministenders: The Zombie PM

[RedToothBrush]

Back from the dead, May carries on whilst the vultures circle.

She had tried to out smart her rivals by running of to the palace to tell the queen she could form a government before they could act.

Definitely she stood and pretended nothing had changed. Except everything had. The wrath of her party was unleashed and there was open revolt. She has been summoned to appear before men in grey suits tomorrow at 5pm to hear their verdict.

How do she decide to make amends and reach out to moderate Tories? By sleeping with the DUP. And appointing Gove to her Cabinet.

How long will this last? How long can it last?

I'm not sure how democratic it is to ignore a no confidence vote of 172 MPs.

I'm also not convinced that Corbyn has the degree of political sophistication of Thatcher, who while Eurosceptic, was, ironically, a key architect of European integration - pro single market, pro free trade.

Can he unite the party and direct it down a route he doesn't personally support. We'll soon see. Personally I'm not breathing a sigh of relief just yet.

I have an SNP MP who are pro remain anyway but I will certainly be feeding back to my local party.

If we all did - keep the pressure up - it would get the message across.

One thing I have no idea about, is whether there is a divide in activism between Labour, and Tory. Could it be that Tory party members - and voters - are much more accepting of shit sandwiches, whereas lefty troublemakers are more likely to make themselves heard ?

Re Labour financing, 3.5 billion is estimated to come through a 15% levy on residential property bought through offshore entities and in the manifesto, they cited 'data from Land register and Private Eye calculations'.

Private Eye' have acquired data on hundreds and thousands of offshore companies. Their 'man with the spreadsheets' said Labour estimates of revenue was accurate but the IFS that it is widely optimistic given how offshore companies make huge efforts to hide their identity (so nobody would report). Even so, Eye pointed out that it would at least achieve 'a drastic opening up of the secretive, money-laundering property market'.

Thatcher, who while Eurosceptic, was, ironically, a key architect of European integration - pro single market, pro free trade.

pro single market, pro free trade

There you have it. That's still what a lot of Tories (Cameron included) believe it is to be a Tory.

There was an existential question the UK kept dodging (so it was foisted on us) as to whether it was axiomatic that "single market, free trade" would lead - of necessity - to political and social integration of a kind.

Nancy, it is not just the PLP who appoint a leader but Labour Party members as well. You could say that was MORE democratic! Not having the confidence of your colleagues - well that would cow most politicians, but not JC. Their main arguments were that he didn't really want to lead the country or make efforts to shape policies that would win a general election. Maybe they were wrong.

What Remainers need to start doing NOW is effectively push a 'positive propaganda' agenda about what benefits the EU gives us. This links into Human Rights too.

This is what the Stronger In Campaign SHOULD have done instead of Project Fear.

One of the problems we have is the media being dominated - even in the likes of the Guardian - by this over whelming anti-EU undertone.

Yes I think its fine to be euro-sceptic, but that's generally not what is in this press. Its stronger than that.

The New European is a great vehicle for that, but it has restricted circulation.

It needs to be a much more organised strategy on a par with Leave.Eu who are more organised in that respect. And it really needs to be ramped up now.

I'm well aware how leaders are appointed, but as a Labour Party member I don't believe we have the monopoly on democracy.

I still don't believe Corbyn actually wants to do the graft of ruling the country - he generally likes pitching up and shaking peoples' hands. He's never shown much interest in Brexit, and I highly doubt he wants to spend the next 5-10 years negotiating it, by which time he will be 80.

Yes the pros, cons and costs of leaving or staying in the EU need to be outlined very clearly and if possible without bias (ha ha), for people to be properly informed. The leave campaign was built on lies and soundbites and I think for many a vote was a protest.
I voted remain and someone not against migration, but I would really like a proper comparison now a bit more is known. Just an honest straight forward this is what it would be like. Why does that feel so difficult, to have honesty?

Could it be that labour are being deliberately vague about the single market because they don't know whether they can 'retain the benefits' or stay in it until they start negotiating?

I think she looks in shock......as if the Mycrofts have said 'you are not doing a runner...you will fekn stay until WE decide it's time for you to go'

Nancy there are many leaders who are like that. I'm sure we've all worked for managers and MDs like that! I feel he has answered some of the 'electability' issues not least because he's a fantastic campaigner and does genuinely seem interested in people. This is the time to rally round but Brexit is a nightmare because there are both leavers and remainers who will have voted for him.

Just spoken to a dear friend who us a member of the Tory party. She said rumour going round her constituency headquarters is that May will be gone by end of week and it will be Boris the Animal put in as PM. Can you imagine Boris and Jezza?

Also for me its not the ins and outs of the deal that matters but the approach and attitude of those who carry it out. What we know for sure is May and Cameron have been an embarrasment, particularly Mays threats and difficult attitude. As a remainer who wants them to get on with it, I feel like a second election and a labour win would mean Starmer could go in like an adult, calm and professional, apologise for the mess they are left with and start with a clean slate. Corbyn is all about creating a movement and letting the people have their say so I think he will listen to the membership. I'm no expert on the EU but the tories have created a toxic reputation for themselves which cannot be undone.

Is Boris THAT stupid though?

rumour going round her constituency headquarters is that May will be gone by end of week and it will be Boris the Animal put in as PM.

Until June 19th.

What sort of Queens Speech can Boris deliver to get the vote he needs ?

Also, one thing Boris can't do for toffee is shake of his air of privilege (which goes with the name Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson) - at least May had a "vicars daughter" narrative to fend off accusations of poshness.

I can't see Boris trying to play the "everyman" card being a winning strategy.

Nor the air of imbecility.

Certainly from the murmurings in the media it does look as if the Tories are genuinely considering Boris as a candidate.

I don't think the population has the soft spot for him that the Tories believe.

Boris is reaaaallly power hungry. He has been after PM job for a long while and would have won I believe if he hadn't been shafted by Gove.

After the stories i've heard about him? No. No amount of appearances on highly can create a 'soft spot' here tatiana he'll have to adopt a new persona if he wants to present a united front with the DUP though.

As a remainer who wants them to get on with it, I feel like a second election and a labour win would mean Starmer could go in like an adult, calm and professional, apologise for the mess they are left with and start with a clean slate

But then we are back to square one ... I can't promise my vote to Labour in a second election if they are intent on jumping straight into Brexit. And just this thread - let alone the real world - suggests I am not alone.

Brexit is bigger than party politics - which is why it has broken party politics.

And on a very serious note, if this trend continues, all parties are in danger of burning through any senior talent they have at an unprecedented rate, leaving us with even more rank amateurs than we seem to have now.

However you negotiate this maze, you end up back with Camerons ludicrous referendum, which I think, for the sake of future historians using Google, we always refer to as "Camerons Folly". So far he has got off far too lightly, considering what he has done, and (more importantly) the fact that he used the electorate in a private Tory party squabble. Almost certainly needlessly.

I know I don't think the electorate wants another Etonian. They really don't know how to read the electorate do they? They keep getting it wrong. Pity Ruthie in Scotland isn't a member of Parliament I think she would be a good leader.

Can you imagine Boris and Jezza

Didn't they have a discussion on Marr a couple of years ago? Boris played the clown to avoid answering questions and Jezza came across as a grown up? Jezza can only win in those circumstances. I don't think the public is in a jokey, 'it's all a bit of a laugh' mood, especially when Brexit bites.

I'm sure Boris is being groomed to take over the leadership with Gove as his right hand man. It's the Murdoch dream team and sod the electorate. I expected they would wait til after the Brexit damage was done, and Boris would clean up and win the grateful support of the nation. I wonder which of them is getting impatient.

Thanks for the new thread, Red. The threads reporting the election results and aftermath were brill.

I don't think the population has the soft spot for him that the Tories believe.

I think he is actually a good communicator ... I have linked to some BBC documentaries he made about Islam, and Europe (in which he spoke French and Italian). And I do have a soft spot for people who can quote Latin and Greek.

But as a PM, we're going down the Douglas-Home route of poshness. Which famously didn't do A.D-H any favours, and would not do Boris any favours either.

I suspect the Tories would also face a small, but vocal backlash, about replacing a woman with a man. Indeed, it could become a nuisance for Boris, if, as (brief) acting PM, the question of the day is Would a man have been replaced so quickly ?

Boris as PM and Trump in the White House

There is only one solution to brexit. There needs to be a multi party committee solely for brexit and completely separate from other parliamentary business. Brexit has took over everything, nothing else us being discussed. With a multi party team everybodues voice will be heard , leavers, remainers, soft and hard. No one party will be able to please ALL the electorate but a multi party could. It is the biggest decision for this country and I think this will be the only real solution.