Westministenders: The Return of Parliamentary Sleaze?

[RedToothBrush]

Brexit is quietly going round and round in ever decreasing circles.

The story is that the European parliament will not agree to a transition period beyond 1st January 2020.

The third minister responsible for getting the Repel Bill through the Lords has quit. There are now nearly 400 amendments. It is scheduled for 6 days parliamentary time in the Commons from this coming week. With another 2 possible the following week. Rather bravely AFTER the budget. Bored with May, CVs are being submitted for the position of Chancellor.

Interest Rates are looking likely to rise next week too with the message being 'this is as good as it gets'.

Another team of MPs has gone to the EU to see if they can check up on May and her team. This is unlikely to work as Nicola Sturgeon came across a brick wall.

And then there are the many many distractions from it all.

Catalonia has declared independence, which will consume EU time and energy.

There are rumours that the first prosecution in Trump Russia will be Monday (Guess who is currently in the US. Yep, the gurning one). And there are increasing muttering about Russia over here, with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg being called to respond to a Select Committee investigation into Fake News.

And then there's the sleaze. Jared O'Mara seems to be the first in the queue. There are rumours more will be outed in several parties. Suggestions include May's right hand man Damien Green who was previously named in 2008. And the Tory Whips have a 'sleaze list' which suggests they know whats going on, but have done nothing.

This morning we have Gove making ill advised jokes about Weinstein in this political climate. With Neil Kinnock laughing heartily in response.

Anything that happens will be political to discredit opponents not because there is a change of attitude towards the treatment of women. We know this, because of who is leading the charge on this. The skeletons are being dusted off out the cupboard rather than exposed for the first time in dramatic fashion.

Things, could take a very unexpected turn against this background.

Don't bet against it.

missmoon - I'm a (lapsed) catholic as well and also have relatives / friends who are very religious. They nearly all voted Remain. The vocal one who didn't is buying a house in Ireland.

Fallons gone....

Fallon resigns. BBC site.

Wow.

Over the hand on knee stuff?

Doubt it. That was short tale to cover up a bigger one?

Got to be more to it to trigger a resignation, surely?

letter:
"fallen below the high standards we expect of the Armed Forces"

twitter.com/davidschneider/status/925807786319106048

Nothing like this has ever ever happened in any of the EU institutions

again MrsR
Can we play bingo, is Green next?

Hmm, so mini re-shuffle over the next day or so?

Any bets on who the new Defence Secretary will be?

Don't get excited.

Remainer goes. What happens next?

There was definitely more to Fallon. Means he can be a difficult backbencher though...

(Mutters something about being scared of Gove).

Hmmm
Not sure...hes instructed counsel

What did you think of death if stalin woman?

Wonder why he mentions the four prime ministers ? sounds like a threat or a warning to me , or perhaps I am an old cynic ( I am )

Laura Kuenssberg‏ @bbclaurak

So which way now for May for Fallon's replacement? Chat suggests it could be Alan Duncan, who has defence industry ties + was on intell ctte
Or is it a chance for May to bring on one of next generation? Big job for a newbie, and don't expect a radical reshuffle tmrw
Penny Mordaunt former defence minister also being tipped, currently at DWP - lots more names will swirl around before we know for sure..
But May has lost the minister who was Mr Reliable, and had served 4 Prime Ministers
And this autumn's scandal has claimed its first, very big scalp

'first'. expecting more?

Wonderful, Mrs R, DS knew trendy actors in it, I knew almost none of them. Clever geezer that Armando Iannucci, I didn't realise Schneider is one of the writers. Some great films about atm.

The gove will return. He just has to keep an eye on his timing. And every one knows what he's done to schools.

The four PMs para sounds to me like he's not-so-subtly advertising his CV and awaits approaches from the private sector now that he has more time on his hands.

India Knight‏*@indiaknight*

Nobody resigns about a knee 15 years ago.

Why DID he pre-empt the leak of the list?

Something missing? Something separate to sex allegations? Dunno. But yeah.

A Defence Secretary who flirted outrageously with women isn't a security issue at all, and wouldn't possibly cause a massive scandal. No historical precedence at all here.

Helen Lewis‏*@helenlewis*

May's top team: Fox (already resigned from Cabinet once); Johnson (already resigned twice) Green (facing allegations); Fallon (gone).

But Rudd. Her boyfriend. (irony alert).

Ha ha - well India Knight would know. She is/was the girlfriend of Eric Joyce, the former MP who regularly got so drunk that he was arrested several times including, once, in the HoC itself. His (suspected) alcoholism didn't mean he resigned - he had to be suspended, iirc.

@KirstyStricklan

That's the woman who lost a bet with a naval officer, so said 'cock' as many times as she could in one speech, in case you're wondering.Kirsty Strickland added,

Penny Mordaunt

She is proper tory.

Nick Robinson‏*@bbcnickrobinson*
Defence Secretary’s resignation comes on night of the Oscars of the political world @spectator awards. The host is ...the Prime Minister

Nick Robinson‏*@bbcnickrobinson*
Admirer of Fallon says alcohol is a power drug which turns some into a Jekyll & Hyde