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?

Just to qualify, calling Johnson spineless was not meant to be a compliment on my part.

I'm interested in your experience of Boris LaLa as his undiscipline is absolutely key to my objection to him: he's all over the place.

He can turn out a reasonable article, he may make a fair job of presenting a documentary (I wouldn't know I can't bear to watch him),
but he's without self-possession and self-control.

He's bull in a china shop charging whichever way he thinks the cameras are pointing. Politically he just goes whichever way the wind blows.

I saw him with John Major on the Andrew Marr show and Major wiped the floor with him. Imagine that? The little grey man came across as wise, considered, informed, measured, articulate. Boris is not actually very articulate live.

He's a narcissist not a negotiator, and the EU will eat him for breakfast.

Yes. He is absolutely not a diplomat and not a details man.

My concern with BJ is what his reception in Europe would be.

Agreed Gumpendorf.

The parliamentary vote on Brexit was not a free vote - MPs were cowed into trying to avert a constitutional crisis - which is probably unavoidable.

Boris is a useful (apparent) idiot. Have we seen that work out well for someone recently?

Anyone else really getting excited about these may-dup talks?

Not in a 'it's great' way of course, but this is the first proper test of TM et al and their negotiation ability.

They need this agreement, otherwise TM has lied to Brenda. But their gain of 10 MPs cannot gone at the expense of losing the 13 scots Tories nor harming the gfa. In this case there's a very real no deal better than a bad deal opportunity. Can they navigate the complexities? Will they walk away?

The parliamentary Brexit vote was a farce though.

MP just voted with the whip, even those whose constituencies were against Brexit and some didn't even vote.

Very few rebelled. Most of those I believe were labour. Though Jc did think the fight should start after article 50 was triggered 🤦‍♀️

Friday is the anniversary of Jo Cox's assassination.

BBC is now reporting that Queen's speech has been delayed because of problem with accessing goat skin vellum on which to write it. Really?

No manifesto, no majority no constitutional integrity in deal with DUP, no queen's speech.

This is not really a government, and May is not really the prime minister.

But they are in power.

BBC is now reporting that Queen's speech has been delayed because of problem with accessing goat skin vellum on which to write it.

That doesn't sound at all like some of that new fangled fake news...

I assumed the bit above about goat skin vellum was some kind of satirical comment which I was too dim to get. But no. WTF??

Lord Bucket for PM. A man with a bucket on his head proposing gamma schools has more credibility than this shower.

Hang on. You don't suppose she sacrificed all the goats in an attempt to win the ge do you?

Cabinet sensibles plot a soft Brexit

Cabinet ministers opposing a hard Brexit today sidelined Theresa May by reaching out to Labour MPs and European leaders who share their fears over jobs and stability.

“This is no longer a question just for Government,” a senior minister told the Standard.

“It is a question for Parliament. It is clear to me that Parliament will want to assert its role in a way it did not before.”....

Today, Labour Centrists said they would be willing to put the crisis above party divisions by co-operating for a softer Brexit, which could include membership of the single market or the customs union....

In today’s Standard, ex-Labour transport secretary Lord Adonis called for an early vote in the Commons for staying in the customs union, the zone free of trade barriers.

“If the mainstream majority among Tory and Labour MPs assert themselves across the party divide, they can save us from the deep damage which a majority Theresa May government was about to inflict by forcing Britain out of the European single market and customs union,” he wrote.

Lord Adonis said there were signals from some European politicians that free movement could be reformed, which may solve Britain’s immigration concerns.

Lord Bucket and that Mr Fishfinger would be a more comforting proposition than Gove and Johnson.

Sorry lurkinghusband I disagree. The referendum was a democratic vote and we can go on ad finite about how it was lies etc etc etc and all of that has been done to death. No Government in their right mind would would go against that vote. It would be political suicide. You would have mass demonstrations. The question should never have been asked in the first place but no way can the outcome be reversed. Like or unlike the result this country us STILL a democracy. We can try to get a soft brexit but that is all. Kier was talking on daily politics that there could be an opportunity to alter EU policy on immigration across the board and on trade. A big dream but it may come about. Who knows?

I refer you to my previous comment that we seem to be treating June 23rd as Holy Scripture. What makes it so inviolable ? What is it that raises it above all other democratic votes ? Blind logic, never leads anywhere.

If a democractic vote, can't be overturned, then we don't have a democracy.

Anyway, you don't just need to convince me. You need to convince all the other people who have already admitted that they might not re-support a Leave-beholden Labour party.

Square one. Again.

Think Addams now kicking up a stink on the news about DUP deal.

I believe acts of parliament are still written on vellum ? It's practically perpetual.

It's entirely possible that they weren't expecting to need some at this point of the year ?

Supplementary question : How long can Theresa May govern in the absence of a Queens speech ?

Are we seeing a possible attempt to avoid democracy by just "not having" a Queens speech ? After all, the people have spoken (not that anyone was listening).

BBC is now reporting that Queen's speech has been delayed because of problem with accessing goat skin vellum on which to write it. Really?

A good opportunity to modernise the process not delay it. FFS!

@rhodri_jones
According to @LordAshcroft poll 35-44s voted LAB 50%-CON 30%. That’s not kids, thats mortgages, car-owning, kids at school, mid-career

@faisalislam

One of the reasons for Queens Speech delay - it takes a week to dry the goats skin upon which it is carved. I am not joking. #velum

Do you think there's a link?^

Brexit doesn't bother me either way lurking husband as I am church mouse poor and as usual the poor are impacted whether we are in or out. Makes not a bit of difference to my circumstances and that is why my focus is on things that affect me directly like NHS education social care inflation benefits cuts etc. As far as a democratic vote, the most votes wins and that is final in a referendum.

Hang on. You don't suppose she sacrificed all the goats in an attempt to win the ge do you?

Which means there's plenty of goatskin around, but it does take time to process into actual vellum. completely straight face

Seriously, though, I've just gone online and found several suppliers of vellum, even goatskin, none of whom note their products are out of stock. To whom should I send the relevant links?

As far as a democratic vote, the most votes wins and that is final in a referendum.

So WTF did we have a second EU referendum in 2016, after having one in 1975 ?

And if the answer is "things have changed since 1975", then how have things remained the same since 2016 ?

I believe the Tories had a lot to do with leaving brexit? Aka BORIS.