Westminstenders: Sucking up to the 'enemy'

[RedToothBrush]

Phil Hammond called the EU the enemy. Then retracted it. A classic political move, to pitch to one group and then say you didn't mean it after all.

This is the UK's negotiation strategy. Because the negotiation isn't really with the EU. Its the ongoing debate over the what leaving the EU actually means since it wasn't officially defined prior to the referendum and has been left to politicians to say its one thing to persuade people to support them and then decided no that's not really what they meant after all.

The whole thing makes it impossible for the EU to respond to us, because we don't appear to know what we want.

The EU have been explicit in their position. So things they can not do because of the limitations of trade rules and EU law. Its possible work arounds could be possible for some things - but certainly not all which too many Brexiteers fail to acknowledge.

And then there is the a50 deadline which is like a snake coiled around May's neck slowly strangling her. A self imposed screwing of our negotiating position. One that kills off our Brexit options and ups the stakes into a brinkmanship battle - not with the EU but between the hardlines and the sane. Its not even about remaining, though that option might well end up being the only option left on the table through our own folly, rather than out of EU malice.

The longer we take to work out what we want the higher the stake become and the more we destroy the foundations of our economy in the meantime, even if we do stay in.

We have only just noticed that we've lost money worth 25% of our GDP and we have no net assets anymore, when in early 2016 we had significant assets. Project Fear they said was wrong. Well was it?

We are flat broke as a nation.

Then there is the Great Repel Bill. The Bill was supposed to be in the Commons this week. It was delayed a week due to the sheer number of amendments. There are nearly a dozen with enough Tory rebels to make them stick. Including one for parliament to have a meaningful vote on what option we take - including no deal. If parliament rejected this, we would be left in a situation where we sure as hell better hope a50 is reversible or we could end up unlawfully leave the EU by accident!

And the Lords could be fun for the Repel Bill. The Labour whip has vowed to examine every amendment properly even if the commons don't. And they are free and within their rights to do so.

Still May could exit stage left. Or left with egg all over her face as she has to suck up to the 'enemy' for being such a tool for the last 18months, because she hasn't made progress on the negotiations that really matter. The Tory party ones.

Whichever way you cut it, you can be sure on only one thing: it will go to the wire for both. And possibly beyond with an eleventh hour extension to prevent chaos.

There are hints that the public mood might be changing. Not fast enough. Yet. Interest rates? A break in the triple lock? Phil's budget sure will be interesting. Especially as Brexiteers want money to prepare and protect us from a no deal scenario which they also tell us will be just fine and won't be a problem. Bye Bye NHS, don't get flu this winter. As a note once infamously said: 'There's no many left'.

We are Greece. Only worse. And out of pressure and deadlines we alone created. We just haven't realised it. Yet.

And if this doesn't make you cringe and brace yourself in horror:

Danny Kemp‏ @dannyctkemp
May wants to take the floor at EU summit dinner on Thursday to explain Brexit policy to fellow leaders, senior official says

Just remember her party speech and think: What could possibly go wrong...

@britainelects

Jared O'Mara MP (Sheffield Hallam) has had the Labour whip removed.

and Guido Fawkes is the new moral authority on sexism.

@davidallengreen

Czechoslovakia has not existed since 1 January 1993.

I think Brexit not being democratic is the problem to be fair cat.

We have lost understanding of the word.

Also see 'liberalism', 'political correctness', 'bias', 'freedom', 'free speech'

Basically any principal of liberal democracy.

This is in part due to complacency and those who say they believe in progressive politics subverting this themselves, for personal gain.

Cronyism and corruption.

We need to give these words their meaning and their power back. We need principled individuals to drive this.

Those who claim to be liberal - on which ever side of the HoC - need to PROVE it and FIGHT for it and BEEN SEEN to be doing so.

I feel like cutting, pasting, printing and sticking that last post of yours on a wall, RTB .

Sometimes, i wake up and I can't believe what's happening. It's as though the democratic structures I've grown up with, relied upon, and pretty much took for granted (yes, I'd argue for extensions here, curtailments there - but the fundamentals seemed solid, and could be appealed to), have turned in on themselves and are ripping themselves apart.

We need principled individuals and free bullet proof vests for all MPs. We asked Grieve and Hobhouse why they would not form a cross party coalition for remain. Many of the speakers referred to MPs privately expressing horror at brexit, but feeling powerless to unite and fight it, claiming party loyalty superseded brexit. Grieve or Quintin Peel, the journalist, said they needed a 10% lead for remain in public opinion to move it forward. They are frightened.

It's really quite plausible, irene even though it's horrifying to think about.

The ration books were printed by the Royal Mint - the goto place for such govt secrecy - and this contract was subject to the Official Secrets Act,
Hence, leaking risks jail
JDD was questioned by the police, but was released - a more junior person with less legal backup, less vital skills might not be.

I'm sure the E27 have found out though - it's the UK public that the govt wants to keep in the dark.

I can understand ration books being printed early, because it's vital to have them ahead of time, in case if unforeseen delays.
if they weren't ready in time after a no-deal Brexit, local shortages could cause panic and the collapse of civil order.

With the billions that Brexit is costing and compared to the 145 million for a GE,
200 million or so to avert this is peanuts compared to the potential disaster of not having them

Remember too that some Ultras want to leave immediately after a walkout, not wait for the end of A50

I disagree sometimes with the horrendous political predictions that North makes, but I have never found any of his facts wrong
He knows JDD well and backs him up.
Hence, I assign this report as "likely to be true" but cannot be confirmed
(unless shortages loom, in which case the govt will be strung up by their thumbs if they don't have all this in place)

Bless Nadine Dorries, a few steps behind the party line. He's writing a book Nadine, a book. It may never be published but he's writing it.

Brexit is just like climate change. You have to allow equal weight to the climate change denier/John Redwood as you would to an eminent climate change scientist/person who knows what he's talking about when it comes to trade deals.

Brexit: MPs may not get vote on deal until after Britain has left EU, David Davis reveals.

Wow, British representative democracy has been replaced by direct democracy where voters have been brainwashed by bots funded by billionaires and Russians and Americans. wow, just wow. And the emotions that were exploited are good old fashioned envy and fear of 'the ether'.

Printing ration books isn't the expensive bit, I'd have thought, that would be the distribution and all the support mechanisms you need in place to ensure that everyone who is entitled gets one and those who aren't don't.

I wonder if Labour / Momentum did't really expect JO'M to win the seat?

*fear of the other.

Priyamvada Gopal‏********@PriyamvadaGopal**
Despite my spending enormous amounts of time with journalist who wrote this piece of garbage, carefully explaining everything. Please remind me not to talk to rightwing media again, I ignored warning bells. @camillahmturner that's the last time you get my co-operation. Shameful

Basicaly, as I KNEW, @Telegraph CAN NOT stand to report a story correctly because racism and hysteria, @camillahmturner**, yes? comes first.

For the record, Cambridge has 'caved in' to precisely NOTHING, least of all decolonization.

Camilla Turner‏***@camillahmturner
@PriyamvadaGopal* hi, i'm the education editor at The Telegraph. pls could you follow me back so I can DM you? many thanks

Priyamvada Gopal‏********@PriyamvadaGopal**
From now on, what is the answer? "Ummmm, no, I cannot follow you, go make up the story like you're going to anyway. "

What is wrong with ME, people? I mean really? In which planetary state of mind did I think the bloody Telegraph would report a story on diversifying the curriculum slightly without pushing panic buttons for white upper-class snowflakes?

CC‏*@celticchampionz*
Wouldnt worry too much about it. We all know a stitch up when we see it, especially when it's in the Telegraph.

Priyamvada Gopal‏********@PriyamvadaGopal**

Only saving grace. But i still demand Darwin Awrd.

BREAKING NEWS brought to you from @Telegraph. Women of colour have taken over Cambridge University, I am now Supreme Vice Chancellor, @CUSUWO* Student Dictator, all white men have been locked up pending execution, and students will ONLY STUDY BLACK WRITERS. Resistance is futile

I have to say though that I'm hugely tickled by idea that the Faculty, never mind the University, would 'cave in' to anything vaguely associated with students or with me.

Zara‏*@zaranosaur*

just to chip in to note, as others have: how many BAME student leaders is it now that the T & RW media insist on centering dog whistles on?

Marika Rose‏*@MarikaRose*

limited by the whiteness of the curriculum. How do you talk about medieval theology without mentioning Ibn Sina and Maimonides? How do you talk about twentieth century European theology without slavery and colonialism? It's bad scholarship as well as bad politics

Priyamvada Gopal‏********@PriyamvadaGopal**
Well, at least I got to write to another more respectable media outlet, the following sentence: 'The Daily Mail and Telegraph stories are complete fabrications.'

So, for the record, journalists, NOTHING has happened, NO concrete curricular changes made, nothing has been FORCED on anyone (yet) and there is NO there there, other than an open letter from students. Clear enough?

---------

In reference to the fact that the cover of the telegraph just has a picture of a Black Student with the headline and nothing further as if to invite someone to buy via print click bait.

Priyamvada Gopal‏********@PriyamvadaGopal**

Thread. I hadn't seen the Telegraph cover, hrrifically racist and false. Let me now release some snippetes from my convo with the journalist. Thank god for my rule that all interviews must be written.
'One important point--though Lola Olufemi has become the face of the campaign, the majority of students demanding the changes were/are not BME but 'white.' They've started to understand how central the British Empire was to the formation of British and English identity...
to their own experience of the present, and want to know more.

"If by the 'campaign' you mean the open letter, then it was students entirely, I think. The seminars have some staff involved; Adam will know more. In the English faculty, the initiative is totally student-led. Otherwise, there's no concerted campaign as such."

In response to her question about whether particular BME texts would HAVE to be taught: "No, there are not 'Set Texts' really in Cambridge except on a couple of papers so no particular people have been put forward."

The reason we don't do set texts is that Cambridge allows a great deal of freedom within broad parameters. The list of BME British authors is long, of course, in addition to 'international' ones, so it wouldn't be hard to put one together if it was solicited.

So as you can see, it was made VERY clear to the journalist that (a) no decisions had been taken (b) there was only an open student letter making demands (c) the students were themselves largely 'white (d) the curriculum did not allow for 'forced' texts to be put in there

---------

Priyamvada Gopal‏********@PriyamvadaGopal**
haha, pleased to announce first racist screeching emails sent to ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES has come in!

Catherine Taylor‏*@KatyaTaylor*

.@Cambridge_Uni has just issued a clarifying statement and in support of the student. The 'article reads as opinion piece: not journalism.

Mark Linford‏*@mslinford*

And for the record - post-colonial literature was probably the single most insightful and useful paper I took at Cambridge in 3 years.

----------

Priyamvada Gopal‏********@PriyamvadaGopal**

Thread. Conversation with hack who wrote Telegraph piece & now wants a comment piece from me. My first response: "I was minded not to reply to this email after your horrifyingly skewed piece. I was really appalled by it.If I do a piece for you, I will put the record straight'

'Thanks for getting back to me and for agreeing to write a comment piece. No particular deadline but if you could just send it to me as soon as possible that would be great. Comment pieces would normally be anywhere between around 900 - 1200 words. '

Me: 'You appear not to have read my email. I will only do this for you if I can criticise the coverage and your story: you agree in writing not to make any cuts and publish as is.'

She: 'The comment piece is intended to add to the debate and discussion around the issue. It is not a commission for a comment piece about criticising news coverage - I am afraid if you want to write this you would need to find another outlet to publish it.'

Lol lol lol. She: 'Everything that the Telegraph publishes is subject to editorial checks (grammar/spelling etc), checks by our legal department, and checks by our editorial compliance department. I cannot therefore guarantee that your piece will be 100% untouched. '

She: 'Please let me know if you are still happy to write it. If you no longer wish to write it on these terms, please let me know and I will find someone else.'

Ohhh, yaaas, I'm happy you wrote a skewed piece to start with & totes happy to let you skew my piece as well, grrrrrl

She: "I thought that when you said in your email, "If I do a piece for you, I will put the record straight in it. When do you need it by?" this meant that you were keen to write a comment piece. If this is not the case, I apologise for any confusion and will ask elsewhere."

There is some really fine journalism and editorial decisions with a progressive agenda going on today:

Callum May‏*@callummay*

Chief sub: “Boss, can we put ‘Labour MP’ and ‘sexy slags’ in the splash?”

George Osborne: “Fine.”

I wonder if Labour / Momentum did't really expect JO'M to win the seat?

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/10/how-could-labour-allow-jared-o-mara-scandal-happen
How could Labour allow the Jared O’Mara scandal to happen?
A factional dispute has arisen about who, exactly, is to blame for the failure in vetting

But those going on as if this is unique to the Corbynite left or even to Labour should look a little closer to home. If the allegations against O'Mara are true, it won't be the first, tenth or even 100th time that one faction in one party or another has turned a blind eye to bad behaviour towards women because the suspect is "one of us".

Happens ALL THE FUCKING TIME with Labour in my constituency. Its the rule rather than the exception.

Peston On Facebook

Just when the prime minister was desperate to lower the heat in those volatile negotiations on the UK leaving the EU, her Brexit secretary David Davis has thrown petrol on the raging fire - by saying there may not be final formal agreement on the terms of our exit till the last possible moment, namely one second before midnight on 29 March 2019.

This is incendiary both in the House of Commons and in Brussels.

Among MPs, especially Labour ones. it is outrageous - because, as Chuka Umunna pointed out in the Commons as a point of order, it appears to contradict a government promise that Parliament would have a "meaningful" vote on the eventual Brexit deal.

But that vote could never be "meaningful" if it takes place after 29 March 2019, as Davies confirmed it might well be, because by then the UK would already have left the EU.

It would give parliament the status of an approving chamber in a tinpot dictatorship.

As for Brussels, Berlin and Paris, what Davies said flies in the face of all their procedures, because they want and need a Brexit deal signed by October of next year, so that it can then be ratified BEFORE 29 March by national parliaments and the European parliament.

^Strikingly, the prime minister appeared to contradict Davies when she said, during prime minister's questions, that she hoped a parliamentary vote would be in good time before we actually Brexit.
What is underlying the mess and mayhem?^

It is the conviction of May and Davies that not only the terms of our Brexit can be agreed in the coming 18 months, but also our future relationship in respect of trade and security - and the sheer magnitude and complexity of everything that has to be settled means, for Davis at least, that talks must and will continue till 29 March 2019.

They have to believe this is practical, because they are surrounded by Brexit zealots in their own party who are terrified that if talks on the future relationship with the EU were to continue after 29 March, during a so-called transition period to full Brexit, the UK would in practice remain a non-voting member of the EU for an indeterminate period, perhaps (they fear) forever.

The EU takes a completely other view. Its lead negotiator Barnier sees it as immutable truth that the future relationship between the UK and EU, especially a free trade deal, will take many years to negotiate - and that therefore talks on that future relationship must and will continue after 29 March 2019 during that transition period.

So all Barnier thinks can be agreed and ratified before 29 March 2019 are how much the UK pays as its divorce bill, the structure of the border between the Republic of Ireland and the UK, and the rights of EU migrants.

In other words, Davies has shone a light on possibly the most explosive question for both MPs and the rest of the EU - which is whether it is remotely practical for Brexit to actually mean Brexit in a year and a half from now.

This is incendiary both in the House of Commons and in Brussels.
So, Labour, Lib Dems, SNP + Ken Clarke position should be:
No vote = no brexit.
( we are still one of the EU28)
If they can find the courage.

@Shareblue

“That’s your job.” GOP senator admits they need CNN to hold Trump accountable

We need to be telling all our MPs this too.

missmoon re: But perhaps only very few people have access to the full set of reports?
They are probably very short: "Just don't do it."

RTB How could Labour allow the Jared O’Mara scandal to happen?
It is just a continuation of the Labour civil war by other means. These stories were always out there.
Corbynistas took a pot shot at Clive Lewis. This is the retaliation.
I can't believe how much I miss Clegg.

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/uk-could-face-prosecco-shortage-as-european-wine-production-hits-50-year-low-a3667651.html
UK could face prosecco shortage as European wine production hits 50 year low

Shit, major Brexit issue. The Italians have no prosecco to flog over here.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/4760275/labour-mp-john-mann-promises-to-name-and-shame-sex-pest-politician/
PARTY 'PEST' Labour backbencher John Mann promises to name and shame a ‘sex pest’ politician in his party
John Mann vowed on Twitter to name a fellow Labour politician who committed bad behaviour towards female colleagues during a foreign trip and suggested the incident has been hushed up

Separately Mr Mann tweeted: “I will be naming a Labour MP who behaved appalling towards a young woman”.

He added: “Why was her complaint ignored before?”

and

Westminster insiders said the party chiefs are braced for up to half a dozen serious sleaze cases to emerge in the coming weeks and months.

A Labour source said: “It won’t be quite as many as the expenses crisis but there will definitely be resignations and by-elections if the dam breaks.”

FFS.

The O'Mara stuff makes me feel a little uneasy. I'm in no way going to defend what he's said, and also I think he should have gone a long way further in his apology if it were genuine. Never mind his supposed actions that have happened since. What worries me is we may lose a generation of potentially good MPs (I'm not even saying he may have been that btw) over stupid (his were beyond stupid) comments made a long time ago before the pitfalls of social media were properly understood. I'm sure 15 years ago I had views that I wouldn't agree with now, life changes you. I hope this serves as a lesson to political parties, not just in vetting but in training candidate on how to approach not hiding your past but owning it from the off.

I'm thinking lots of Jack Monroe and their counter offer to the Hopkins school talks where they talked openly about the crap they wrote on Twitter and having to defend it in court and apologising appropriately.

O'Mara's behaviour isn't just 15 years ago. This is part of the problem. Incidents 8 years ago and this year too.

But yes, I agree completely. Being up front is going to have to be the way forward. Giving due consideration to how you would react if it does happen would be wise. The trouble is its not the best candidates who get selected in too many cases. Its the candidate who belongs to the right faction that does.

Its about how you handle it as much as its about what you do.

You know that care crisis thing ?

Apparently it's been solved. So no need for immigrant any more.

www.theregister.co.uk/2017/10/25/nhs_to_pilot_airbnbstyle_care_room_service/

The NHS has been criticised over plans for an "Airbnb"-style scheme in which homeowners will be paid £1,000 a month to host patients in their spare rooms.

Startup CareRooms is working with trusts and councils in Essex. Folks who sign up are asked to cook three microwave meals for their patient each day, provide them with drinks and "offer conversation" - although no care experience is required.

CareRooms medical director Harry Thirkettle, a part-time emergency registrar in Essex, told Health Service Journal, which broke the story: "Everyone’s immediate concern is, understandably, safeguarding. We are working hard to be better than standard practice.

"We are not going off half-cocked… We are not going to start taking on patients until we have satisfied all these different organisations' governance procedures and committees. We are really carefully considering this and making sure it is as safe as possible."

The blurb on CareRooms reads: "We are working with the local health and care community to provide a safe, comfortable place for people to recuperate from hospital.

"To do this, we are transforming spare rooms and annexes into secure care spaces for patients who are waiting to be discharged.

"All you need is a spare bedroom or annex with easy access to a private bathroom."

However, Save South A&E campaign said it was concerned that the company had been handing out flyers in Southend Hospital.

"We are shocked that an NHS trust is endorsing such a company," said a spokesman.”

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, a charity that aims to improve social care across the UK, said the model of care raises questions about whether the safety and well-being of the individual have been fully considered.

It seems some government policy-makers are obsessed with the so-called sharing economy model. Jonathan Salter, permanent secretary at the Department for Education, has previously said there ought to be an "Uber for supply teachers".

The Register has asked NHS England for a comment.

I know rtb, which I why I won't bother defending him. It was just the story initially broke as comments made about 15 years ago and I shudder to think what I may have said 15 years ago probably about football knowing me. It was the type of story, more than the content. Coming from a stereotypical small town, I know a few people who would have probably said something racist back then but have gone into the wider world or the nearest larger town and realised what they had been trotting out was crap. But yes, how you handle it is key.

LH please tell me that's a piss take

@hugorifkind
Shame on you all. I for one completely support the Government in its sudden desire to go to University and finally learn about Brexit