Westminstenders: The Brexit Apprentice

[RedToothBrush]

Theresa May is increasing looking like she is running an episode of the Apprentice with two teams trying to compete in their plan for Brexit. Complete with the obligatory reprehensible contestants.

On one side we have Team Creationists intent on hard Brexit and on the other we have Team Sensibles desperate to get a softer deal.
May herself has been held hostage by seasoned expert negotiators the DUP. Once No 10 has reported the deal was done, only for the DUP to say it wasn’t. Then it said, it would be settled today. But the DUP disagreed and said ‘the weekend’. Now its 'next week'.

Meanwhile the Queen has been messed about with a scapegoat over when her Queen’s Speech will be. It’s likely to be a week on Monday.
Meanwhile the Brexit department is also in chaos.

The Number two in the department was sacked and replaced by a Remainer, and the number three quit amongst reports that he no longer thought Brexit was achievable and that there was no way that the Great Repeal Act could pass through the Lords. He has been replaced by the Head of the infamous Arch-Brexit Whatsapp group.

Oh and Gove got hired. Nuff said on that one.

After some slight back tracking from David Davis, Hard Brexit is still on in all its glory. Negotiations are going ahead next week. Well that’s what we are saying. The EU, on the other hand, don’t won’t to go ahead until we have an officially sworn in government. Which seems pretty fair enough.

Tune in to find out which Team wins this week’ The Brexit Apprentice

This is a somber read.

"Her authority was destroyed by the vote of 8 June, and she’s been in shell-shock since, starting to count down the days until she leaves office, insofar as it is practically inconceivable that she will lead the Conservative Party into the next general election and no-one is afraid of her anymore. But a zombie government is still the government, the Spiderman principle applies, and Theresa May is a coward and a disgrace."

crookedtimber.org/2017/06/16/from-kings-cross-to-grenfell-tower/

I have always said that Brexit can only be handled by a cross party negotiating team. It really is the only solution for the sake of the country as a whole. I ask all of you on this thread who would you pick from each party to negotiate Brexit? Don't forget the minority parties and independents.

Timothy blamed Lynton Crosby specifically for the presidential style campaign in the article I read.

The latest Private Eye points out that Crosbys UK campaign was almost a carbon-copy of his Australian one last year. With almost identical results ...

Damian Grammaticas‏ @dngbbc
So #EU source says UK has agreed to EU sequence. Must agree citizens rights and money issues before EU will discuss future trade relations

May had previously been arguing about this.

So #EU source says UK has agreed to EU sequence. Must agree citizens rights and money issues before EU will discuss future trade relation

Has "the UK" agreed ? We can't be sure these days.

And if it has agreed (notice I say 'it' not 'we', John fucking Redwood) how did all the hard-Brexit MPs get on board ? And so quick !

I couldn't help feeling that her campaign was a bit like Clinton's. (although I quite like Hillary).

It spent far too much time going: 'You can't possibly vote for that chump. Seriously?'

Sos
Keir Starmer
Nick Clegg
Ruth Davidson
Caroline Lucas
Angus Robertson

Don't know from Plaid C or NI but one from each

Oh and they put Farage in too. But by Skype only and his volume is turned off. Just for light relief

Lurking A fear based scenario didn't exactly do it for the Government's Remain campaign either #whenwilltheyeverlearn

The hopeless Tory electoral machine - no grass roots, crap database - is brought up regularly on ConservativeHome. Those in relatively safe seats were shipped off to doorstep ones the Maybot thought she had a chance in even though they pointed out that Labour had droves of people swarming in. Explains their rage. Obviously has big impact on their redundancy pay also.

George Eaton‏*@georgeeaton*
Increasing number of Tory MPs believe May should form minority govt, rather than do DUP deal.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/06/tory-mps-fear-price-deal-dup-too-high

There's a point here. No one can win a no confidence vote without the DUP on board can they?

I know there's currently a thread running about Lily Allen and she's probably Marmite and tbh I'm not entirely sure why she's speaking to the press, but she is talking about why they aren't talking about the death toll rising. I know the police/fire brigade have mentioned difficulties in identifying bodies, but still.

www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/grenfell-tower-london-fire-victims-lily-allen-newsnight-jon-snow-channel-4-news-a7792846.html

I like Lily Allen but I don't think there's a conspiracy afoot here.

The Police spokesperson on Radio four yesterday around noon said that he hoped there would not be triple figures - thus suggesting there might well be. I think better to be safe than sorry. Why pluck a number out of the air? There are many dead, we know this.

Like ever except given how difficult ni is in general I think you'd need a representative of both main parties there. And whether sf would take part is a whole other matter.

Oddly I'd probably also have Hammond in there too, he may be in tms cabinet but he is making a lot of noise about making this all economically decent.

I suspect the govt has agreed to discuss expats and bills, because they haven't a clue what to do now about trade proposals
(they hadn't a clue before the GE either, but at least then they had a majority for "haven't a clue")

Hashi I agree with your views on Hammond. Yes him too

Regarding Lily Allen, she was getting a fair few people saying that's what they were told at that time too. Whether it's a dodgy bit of info someone gave out or not I don't know.

Woman on the tv who has 6 members of her family, saying the council not supportive. But journalists and other people have been wonderfully supportive and genuine in trying to help. Journalists.

In contrast to this crap:

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/16/sun-journalist-grenfell-tower-victim-hospital?CMP=twt_gu
Sun journalist 'impersonated Grenfell Tower victim's relative at hospital'
King’s College hospital launches complaint with watchdog over behaviour of Sun reporter

30 confirmed dead.

I think everyone thinks she should form a minority government.

The deal won't come off and even if it does initially it will likely collapse.

Then she will have made even more of a pig's ear.

Maybe Murdoch's gang will return to hacking phones of bereaved relatives like before ?

One reason May got in was to squash Levison's recommendations.
She no longer has the power to do so
So Murdoch, Dacre '& co will want a new Tory PM, who maybe can win a GE and do so (well, it's their hope)

Not sure why it's taken Tory MPs so long to figure that out?

So Murdoch, Dacre '& co will want a new Tory PM

Yesterdays men ?

I think last weeks result is a clear demonstration that whereas maybe even 2 years ago, print media could add a few %ages to a parties vote, currently that's debatable.

If I were Murdoch, Dacre et al, I would be very wary of risking another election so soon, in case it confirms their loss of power. Because once that has gone, it will be open season. Imagine if politicians suddenly realised that the age of the newspaper is dead.

It's all very well papers spewing out their bile, but if their readers don't/won't vote ?????

Bless the Queen. I'm a republican bit have so much respect for her. She gets the mood of her country and she adapts

The queen is well aware that the continuation of the Monarch and her families position relies on public opinion. They must be seen to be relevant and have a role or there is a real risk we would decide they weren't worth the money once she is gone. A big part of that role is being a source of stability in times of crises and by visiting the injured here and after Manchester she is doing that. Being seen, being consistent, being strong and stable in fact. I am no monarchist (and personally would get rid of the lot of them at the drop of a hat), but it is noticeable that someone given their position through a hereditary system that considers themselves to have a god-given right to rule has a clearer understanding of her reliance on the public opinion than our elected representative.

May is calling the DUP's bluff by scheduling HM's speech for Wednesday
She's gambling they hate Corbyn so much, they'd always side with the Tories in a Vote of Confidence

So, why go for a DUP deal ? esepcially since the more the rUK public get to know the Dangerously Unhinged Party, the more they'll be repelled from a govt allied to them

Imagine, e.g., what might happen during the marching season, hotting up in July. Republicans & Nationalists are likely to react to any provocation by triumphalist Orange Order marchers - and the DUP are always in the forefront of those.

I wouldn't pick anyone to negotiate Brexit. I would admit that the vote was close and at present such an upheaval is not what the country requires. Then start investing in the neglected regions, and cut out the bollocks of "we can't afford it", because if the will was there we could afford it.

Face down UKIP/extreme right wing Tories.