Westminstenders: The Maddest of May and Boris's Dare

[RedToothBrush]

Boris Johnson just dared May to fire him.

That's what his little rant about £350 million buses is.

Meanwhile its been pointed out that HMRC literally are incapable of handling a no deal and can only cope with an EEA / EFTA deal with no tariffs.

And given how good and on time the government are with computer systems even in a best case scenario are extremely unlikely to crack it in time.

Which makes Hammond's talk of a civil contingence plan, look, well half arsed and lacking.

We also wouldn't have planes able to fly to Europe under a no deal as we would no longer be part of Open Skies. This could leave thousands stranded. But no biggie there.

Meanwhile if the Leave Alliance have things right, May is about to serve our one year notice on leaving the EEA making all these things a reality.

Which is less like shooting yourself in the head and more like shooting yourself in the head, chest, foot, arm, leg and face (for a second time), whilst being run over at the same time.

But hey, Boris Johnson has it sussed in his 10 point plan. Especially the point where he says Brexit will be a success.

If you call success ending democracy, becoming a dictatorship, starving everyone, bankrupting the country and causing civil unrest.

Rule Britannia.

Interesting further ramifications of the BJ tantrum - from the guardian...

"Why is No 10 refusing to take sides over Johnson's £350m claim?

It should not be hard to adjudicate in any dispute about the accuracy of statistics between the UK Statistics Authority and Boris Johnson. After all, the UK Statistics Authority is an internationally respected body chaired by an esteemed economist. Boris Johnson is also renowned, but he is not revered for his commitment to accuracy. In fact, as a Europe correspondent before he became an MP, he was notorious for his unreliability. At his Brussels leaving do a colleague recited a spoof of Belloc’s Matilda starting: “Boris told such dreadful lies/ It made one gasp and stretch one’s eyes./ His desk, which from its earliest youth/ Had kept a strict regard for truth,/ Attempted to believe each scoop/ Until they landed in the soup.”

... when May does address this in person, [there is a good chance that] she will refuse to take sides. She could not disown the UK Statistics Authority without severely undermine its reputation (and, in the eyes of many observers, probably her own too). But if she were to publicly back the government’s statistics watchdog, she would be implicitly accusing Johnson of misrepresentation. It is the sort of thing that could provoke him to resign. Even before Johnson’s article appeared in the Telegraph there were reports saying Downing Street was worried about him flouncing out of government before the Tory conference. May will not want to give him a pretext.

This is from the Times’ Francis Elliott from last week.

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Francis Elliott @elliotttimes
Downing Street puts Boris on "flounce-watch"http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/80fd3b02-98c7-11e7-8c3c-cb45202c3d59 …
1:26 PM - Sep 14, 2017
Photo published for Downing Street attempts to keep Boris on board
Downing Street attempts to keep Boris on board
Allies of Theresa May are trying to placate an “out of sorts” Boris Johnson for fear that he could disrupt the Tory conference or even quit. The foreign secretary is angry at claims that he misled...
thetimes.co.uk
2 2 Replies 13 13 Retweets 8 8 likes

.

I did like the BBCs prose ...

Theresa May has attempted to reassert her authority after Boris Johnson set out his own vision for Brexit.

"attempted" - suggesting that failure is an option
"reassert" - a tacit claim that it had been undermined

The PM was speaking as she flew to Canada to discuss post-Brexit trade with her counterpart Justin Trudeau.

If we're lucky, she'll disappear on contact with a real politician.

Be curious to see how the dynamics work here. Will May+Trudeau cancel each other out ? Will his popularity take a tumble after coming into contact with the miasma of failure that accompanies May ? Will May emerge more popular, having touched the hem of Trudeaus cloak ?

On a related topic, have finally managed to crack basmati rice after all these years ....

Some good stuff in the Evening Standard:
GO today:

www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/evening-standard-comment-britain-desperately-needs-transition-deal-a3637391.html

and for other fans of The Silk Road:-

www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/peter-frankopan-henry-viii-took-back-control-but-it-eventually-led-to-civil-war-a3635726.html

More fun ..

Or will May, as I would be, be reduced to an embarassed red faced wordless mess trying to talk to Justin? But then I was raised by a mum with a crush on Pierre, and received the most amazingly cool Barbie wardrobe from an expat..... Unlikely to be May's experience.......

Or will May, as I would be, be reduced to an embarassed red faced wordless mess trying to talk to Justin

May really has no shame. Remember this is a woman who was heading for the palace at breakneck speed even as the seats were being counted to bag her place at no. 10.

It's hard to think of a more brass neck move.

Law and policy‏*@davidallengreen*

All UK has managed in a year is to go from "Brexit is Brexit" to "Boris is Boris".

news.sky.com/story/government-faces-brexit-revolt-from-unhappy-car-makers-over-customs-11041724
Government faces Brexit revolt from unhappy carmakers over customs
Manufacturers are challenging ministers over the lack of clarity on future trade arrangements, Sky News' Brexit Forensics finds.

Dear Dominic.

I know you don't like civil servants and bureaucracy and think it all needs to be 'blown up'. I know you have a thing about hating the single market. I know you can't stand Hammond and Davis.

But Cars. Lets talk about cars. HOW THE HELL IS YOUR STRATEGY GOING TO KEEP CAR MANUFACTURING IN THE UK?

Seriously? How?

Those car manufacturers don't share your vision, and don't seem persuaded by you. To make brexit work you need to persuade FOREIGN manufacturers that making a success of Brexit is worth it.

Its not happening. However much patriotism you might throw about, it doesn't tend to strike a chord with those foreign people who invest in Britain and create jobs.

Maybe you envisage a new British Car Company. That's nice. Not really going to get off the ground and provide any jobs anytime soon is it?

Is this a plea to 'get rid of the swamp' US style by getting rid of the civil service like Trump has got rid of virtually all the state department, concentrating power into the executive????

Yup in his own way. Cummings has advocated reform of departments and the civil service since he drove civil servants and Cameron mad when he was SpAd to Gove at Education.

Cummings wanted Brexit to be a lever to rethink the way government works, and create a more partisan civil service focused on delivering government agenda. When she set up 2 more govt depts to deal with Brexit, May perpetuated the 'old school' approach, that Cummings sees as getting in the way.

Maybe you envisage a new British Car Company.

It could go with our new British Aeroplane Company.

And our new British Reopened Coal Mines and Steelworks.

And our new British Medicines Agency and Atomic Authority.

And we're going to get this all in place by March 2019, and anyone who doubts this is Talking Britain Down and not BeLeaving Enough.

Jesus wept....

I am speechless about David and Samantha Cameron being 'utterly, utterly utterly broken about Brexit'.
WTF? Are we supposed to feel SORRY for them?
Dave, I hate to break it to you mate, but this was YOUR FUCKING IDEA
You never made a plan for Remain losing because you were too arrogant to consider that it could possibly happen and then you just fucked off the next day to leave everyone else to sort it out.
YOU should be the one doing TM's job and trying to turn Brexit into only a minor disaster rather than a catastrophic one but you're not because you're a Grade A coward and now we're supposed to feel sorry for you?
I thought public schools were supposed to build a backbone and toughness.
Our country has been reduced to a bunch of toffs having a spat. We are a laughing stock.
You may have gathered that I am rather angry right now

You mean Cummings doesn't like reality and scrutiny getting in the way of a good idea. Right?

As much as it infuriates me when leavers complain about anything linked to brexit (If you choose to play russian roulette don't even think of complaining if you end up shot in the head) I do like to see that they are unhappy, and I hope their kicking up a fuss is more effective than anything we could do.
I'm resigned to the fact of the 48% being ignored (still marching, but resigned) because we are traitors and saboteurs and remoaners who need to shut up forever because we lost.
But when important members of the 52% complain, like the Norths and Cummings, well they are the voice of the 'will of the people.' Surely the Govt will have to take note because they are committed to nothing but delivering 'the will of the people'.
Sadly I think the entire govt has lost its mind and can't listen to anyone due to the panic fuelled buzzing droning in their ears.
But if 17 million people voted for 17 million different things and the govt can't deliver any of it - surely they should just concede defeat and give the 16 million what they wanted. I'm sure Theresa and pals would be much happier for it in the long run and I don't think we have to worry too much about the over 65s mobilising for civil war. And as for the Kippers/ Britain first lot - they're about as good at organising as the three brexiteers.

I can't help but notice we're still waiting on that promised video of a racist remainer 24 hours later. I know we're not supposed to call leavers liars but ...

• NB section of joint declaration on Prosperity Cooperation signed by

finally managed to crack basmati rice after all these years ....

PM and PM Abe last month on Fukushima food:

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641154/Japan-UK_Joint_Declaration_on_Prosperity_Cooperation.pdf …

Anyone got any recipes for radioactive ingredients?
To go with chlorinated chicken and imported turnips?

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/18/ban-social-media-trolls-from-voting-election-watchdog-suggests?CMP=twt_gu
Ban social media trolls from voting, election watchdog suggests
Electoral Commission says bans could be considered in attempt to reduce amount of abuse faced by politicians

Cos this would work. (How many bots vote? Do all trolls vote?) And wouldn't be abused to stop 'undesirables' from voting by using the ban in ways which were not intended.

Wonder how much votes will actually cost in repel land.

@jameschappers

I say to my former colleagues @dexeugov - enough is enough. You're being asked to facilitate misconduct in public office. Please resign

Pretzels I think you're right that when Remoaners express unhappiness or concern, it's just seen as white noise but that it's a different matter when Leave voters start to complain. However, I too, will keep marching.

Since the irresponsible Cameron was too arrogant to make any contingency plans for voters rejecting his advice .....

imo, What May should have done when she became PM:

Delay invoking A50 and order civil servants to draw up 3 Brexit options, with detailled plans & consequences for each
including trade, reproducing agencies, agreements like Open Skies etc

With full resources & manpower for their studies, they could probably have done this in 12 months,

• copy & paste Richard North's Flexcit for one option

Then she couly have decided between the options, preferably with all-party consultation
She could have chosen EEA /EFTA even as a transition period of 5-10 years, to give time to unpick 44 years of integration and negotiate (for signing on Brexit Day) all the new trade deals

Hell, even reduce to 2 options - hardest / softest Brexit - and hold another referendum if she preferred.

Her cowardice and kowtowing to the Ultras looks like making Brexit far more painful than it need have been

I am speechless about David and Samantha Cameron being 'utterly, utterly utterly broken about Brexit'.

Annoyingly, if Cameron returned to undo Brexit, I could vote for him. Which is not a comment on him, but on how pisspoor the alternatives are ...

(paywall) Greece threatens legal action to win back ‘stolen’ Elgin Marbles

< I suspect this is because they see the UK is much weaker in world influence now

• also the E27 will back an EU member, whereas before they backed the UK as the #3 EU power.

I womder if Argentina will have another go at the Falklands while the UK govt is preoccupied / lackimg clout >

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/greece-threatens-legal-action-to-win-back-stolen-elgin-marbles-cvqtm60pv

Greece is threatening to sue Britain for the return of the Elgin Marbles, which it says are stolen property.
....
Lydia Koniordou, the Greek minister of culture, told The Times in an exclusive interview:

“Greece is determined to break the deadlock caused by the continuous refusal by the British government to return the Parthenon sculptures to their country of origin.

We are using both diplomatic channels and alternative means . . . without excluding the use of judicial means.”

Ms Koniordou refused to elaborate but
her remarks signalled a subtle yet stark shift in the government’s attempt to win back the marble masterpieces
that have been housed in the British Museum since their controversial removal from the Acropolis by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.

Boris' attack on young people is part of Brexit's 'traitor' narrative
www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2017/09/18/boris-attack-on-young-people-is-part-of-the-brexit-attack-on

God he is a twat

Bring children up for 20/25 years as europeans, nag at them to take an interest in the world and politics

And then when they do what they are told...tell them they are doing it wrong