Westminstenders: The beginning of the dictatorship and the end of Boris?

[RedToothBrush]

Brexit is being fought in the UK media and parliament on the premise that the EU is being difficult and obstructive.

The fallacy can not be understated.

What the UK fails to understand is the right of the EU to put their own interests before the UKs. It doesn't under that our demands cannot be met even if the EU wanted to for practical and legal reasons - not political ones because our understanding of the situation and law is so poor.

The net result is the slippage of the next phase of Brexit talks being pushed to Christmas by the EU due to lack of progress by the UK. Barnier is open to more regular and intense talks but this is bad news for the UK with the a50 clock ticking.

The main stumbling block is NI a with Barnier warning not to use the border as a way to test EU resolve. Brexit always about the NI border. The UK have never provided a solution to the EU that does not produce a hard border. The idea being pushed by the UK will create one despite claiming it won't. The reality is the only viable solutions are either staying in the single market and customs union or NI being granted special status and being different to the rest of the country. The former is opposed by the government, the later opposed by the DUP.

The DUP are getting a taste of their own medicine. They have been warned that Assembly Members might have pay frozen and if they don't reform Stormont they won't get their Billion Pound Booty. Plus Ian Paisley Jr just found a new scandal for the party.

May is trying to channel Venezuela by getting rid of democracy when it suits. The Great Repel Bill (aka as the Withdrawal Bill) faces it's challenge. The much feared Henry VIII in clause 9 are not only facing criticism from Remainers but also from the secretive crackpots of Tory Bastard Club (aka ERG). The TBC want hard cliff edge Brexit. May seems to support given her goodwill burning interference at the Home Office which seeks to discriminate against all foreigners and make them sign a register. The visa system and how it will attract much needed staff for the NHS makes the mind boggle.

The Repel Bill also could end the possibility of transition due to clause 6 which requires us to leave the ECJ. Given the May's ambition to make EU citizens display their stars in job applications this is totally unable to the EU. If it passes the chances of transition drop dramatically. Bye bye Smooth and Orderly.

Then there is the May-Bot paradox: the one were she gives a friendly speech to the EU and a nasty on to the Swivel Eyed Loon gathering. As if neither will be reported to the other audience.

On top of this May is attempting the Parliament Rigging Act as she has a 'majority Government'. Yep I know, this is the general election version of 'will of the people'. The Rigging Act seeks to stack parliamentary committees with Tory majorities so they can stop any bill they don't like getting anywhere need the main chamber this limiting the power of opposition to irrelevant. Sadly I think this one will get through due to maths of the HoC atm.

We shouldn't forget the role of the HoL though and the lack of a majority government (why do you think May is saying majority government? It's down to the Sewell convention and trying to make the case it applies when the argument is it doesn't for a minority government).

The other development is the rumours that Boris is for the boot. And Rees-Mogg might get a promotion.

This article usefully explains the Parliamentary process over the upcoming Brexit bills, and also all the different groups of MPs and their allegiances over Brexit.
It sounds like it's going to be a battle. I hope so because I feel like we really have to rely on our (sensible) politicians now to hammer out something that's not massively self-destructive. There's not much else we can do now.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/09/is-a-divided-brexit-parliament-up-to-the-biggest-task-for-generations?CMP=share_btn_fb

Thanks for the link, Hester. On paper, the numbers certainly stack up against an unamended Repel Bill but we're dealing with Tories here who have, time after time, voted with the party rather than with their consciences. It also looks as if a lot of the grunt work will be done between tomorrow and the third reading so this week's vote might be a bit of a damp squib in terms of rebellions.

I too live in a strong Leave area and I am thankful every day that I look white and don't sound forrin. It's only the presence of two US air bases that keep it bearable. (So you now all know where I live )

I agree lala I've been repeatedly disappointed with so-called Tory rebels who don't put their money where there mouth is. Even Anna Soubry has said she won't vote against her party on this.

Do you know who is godmother to JRM's latest child? Louise Mensch.

QuentinSummers:
Growing up the whole narrative of our tolerance, ability to stand up against bigotry ('re WW2) was such a huge thing.

I wonder if that was just a gloss on something else. I have a suspicion that WW2 (and WW1 before it) were about beating the Hun, and nothing at all to do with standing up against bigotry.

I know it's fiction, but reading Small Island was fairly eye opening in that regard, Math. We also turned away many thousands of Jewish refugees who sought sanctuary in the uk, which everyone has conveniently forgotten.

I also dislike the disingenuous use of 'Britain stood alone' in 1940. Yeah, completely alone apart from India, Canada, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Burma, South Africa, Rhodesia, the West Indies, Kenya...

So true Bolshy, and also turned them away from Palestine.

(Many Irish also contributed to the war effort, both in the armed forces and in factories. My former GP's brother died on the first day of the Battle of Britain. My dad and his brother both served in different branches - Dad's best friend was a Burmese comrade - and an uncle of my mum's was in the submarine service.)

WRT latent or even obvious racism , after many years of working in the NHS , I have to say I am not shocked by recent events .

You mention Malaysia - we spectacularly failed to defend the Malay peninsula against the Japanese invasion.
India - Bengal famine - which Churchill allowed to happen.

Oh yes, 'we stood alone' and this is how we rewarded people who quietly stood with us. I dare say a Leaver will come rushing in to accuse me of being unpatriotic, and I will tell them that someone who loves their country enough to be informed about their history, 'warts and all' is more patriotic than one mouthing slogans from right wing Tabloids.

After all that we then shouldn't be surprised how the countries of the Empire sought their independence, and how they seem lukewarm now at our new found enthusiasm for wanting trade deals with them.

Um
Am I losing my shit or did Nigel farage suggest we need to join the EU yesterday??
🤔🤔😣😣😣😣😡😡😒😒😒

twitter.com/TechnicallyRon/status/907023609843118080

Seems that DD isn't bothering to update the HoL EU Committee on a regular basis either:

www.parliament.uk/documents/lords-committees/eu-select/Correspondence-2017-19/06-09-17-Letter-to-David-Davis.pdf

The £1 bn bung to the DUP needs parliamentary approval .

Oops, posted too soon. Gina Miller has challenged the government on the legal basis for giving the money without parliament's say so and the government has conceded her point (!).

“It beggars belief that, neither at the time the government sealed its dubious deal with the DUP in exchange for their votes in the Commons, nor at any point since, has the government made it clear that the £1bn of taxpayers’ money for Northern Ireland could only be handed over following parliamentary approval.”

So, time for all the Tory backbenchers who mithered about the deal at the time to vote against it? (Unlikely, but the debate could be entertaining.)

bolshy and we sent them back to Russia too - straight into labour camps for sentences 'without right of correspondence'.

Oh absolutely Peregrina. This country has barely begun to engage with the history of the Empire IMO. what we did and what it was like. But it does make me cross when people try to airbrush it out of existence.

Oh Gina Miller is a hero and has done more than any MP. By pointing I out the bloody rules!

So, time for all the Tory backbenchers who mithered about the deal at the time to vote against it? (Unlikely, but the debate could be entertaining.)

It's a lovely poison chalice for Liberal Tories and Scottish Tories. If they vote for it rather just say how wrong it is, then their reputations are rather shot.

It rather begs question of how legitimate the government is. I always said May pushed it through as their were questions she wanted steamrollering.

Add to the mix stuff about the parliamentary standards and the DUP. Tories are going to have to vote for working with MPs under investigation for corruption. Do you think there might be someone who the Tories try and throw under the bus to avoid that? That might be a nice behind the scenes row between the DUP and Cons.

If by any miracle the deal doesn't go through then what happens? It's not entirely clear. It lets the DUP out of an ever increasing mess.

So yeah none of this is democratic and May wants to change the system to be able to do more stuff like this.

Also the appearance of ERG members in the new parliamentary term on the Brexit Select Committee is bad.

It means that the committee will not be able to make strong recommendations and criticisms and certainly won't be unanimous. This is bad for scrutiny.

It not just that Davis isn't keeping the Lords committees up to date.

The Enabling Act (German: Ermächtigungsgesetz) was a 1933 Weimar Constitution amendment that gave the German Cabinet – in effect, Chancellor Adolf Hitler – the power to enact laws without the involvement of the Reichstag. It passed in both the Reichstag and Reichsrat on 24 March 1933 and was signed by President Paul von Hindenburg later that day. The act stated that it was to last four years unless renewed by the Reichstag, which occurred twice. The Enabling Act gave Hitler plenary powers. It followed on the heels of the Reichstag Fire Decree, which abolished most civil liberties and transferred state powers to the Reich government. The combined effect of the two laws was to transform Hitler's government into a legal dictatorship

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enabling_Act_of_1933

I don't think even Hitler was found to have committed election fraud or used financial bribery to retain power.

Former Europe minister Caroline Flint to defy Labour whips on EU bill

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/11/former-europe-minister-caroline-flint-to-defy-labour-whips-on-eu-bill

Like James Chapman, labour has been nobbled or worse.

No two ways about it, this crew know their Machiavelli.

I understand that Caroline Flint has a dilemma representing what was a strongly Leave constituency - but to vote with the Tories on an undemocratic Bill, to my defies credulity. I wonder how exactly she will face her constituents if/when the shit does hit the fan and the UK leaves without a deal? Whatever happens, I don't think her constituents will be beneficiaries.

This isn't Brexit related but to me this rather sums up thinking in this country:

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/11/mobile-phones-should-have-driving-mode-disabled-car/amp/
Mobile phones should have a 'driving mode' so they are disabled in the car

This mode exists already and is not implemented. It's called 'off'. The reason people don't use it is often because of pressures with work and a cultural expectation that you should be contactable at all times.

There is absolutely no thought given to train users and car passengers.

It's trying to approach the problem from completely the wrong angle. It sounds like a good idea until you actually think about it.

I must say it has amused me this morning that there are millions of people who will use this feature rather than off.

Pokemon Go is actually using a system which disables you from doing things whilst driving. The thing is though that it can be overridden and it is.

I actually think that the idea is more about tracking the movement of people rather than the use of mobile phones.

An old fashioned campaign along the lines of don't drink and drive which changed social behaviour is more appropriate as this would tackle the pressure in the workplace used by employers rather than just placing the responsibility on employees.

As I say, it's not just Brexit that is having these issues. I think we have a real cultural problem in thinking through problems and solving them. One which if it wins through, will stiffle creative innovation and technological advancement in this country.

Critical thinking is essential to putting the Great into Great Britain. I think this is where we have gone wrong. It's the 'common sense' argument used by some Leavers too really. (Yep I know the irony of this but it's an argument not without merit).

My car is designed now with no CD player so you Bluetooth music from your phone. It's impossible to change what you are listening to without faffing about with the phone and a stupid car touchscreen. It's really dangerous, that kind of design should be banned as mobile phones aren't to be used in cars.

I think life has got too complex for humans to think anything through. There are too many options, no clear "best answers" and so people more and more rely on their gut about how to do things, which leads to an entrenched position and inability to progress.
That's what's happening with Brexit. We are fucked as a civilization, basically