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.

Meanwhile, the demonisation and othering of those damn foreigners continues apace - in the less likely places ...

www.theregister.co.uk/2017/10/30/reg_analysis_the_data_protection_bill/

(excerpt)

However, since its introduction, a more significant cause for concern has been spotted in the bill text that has caused an outcry from privacy and civil liberty campaigners, including MedConfidential.

This is a broad exemption that would remove a person's rights as a data subject – their ability to access information or ask how it is being used – if satisfying them would prejudice "effective immigration control", but this is not specifically defined.

This is concerning because it isn't clear what the government wants to use this exemption for. It's not in either of the two preceding Data Protection Acts - which have been around for the past 35 years - and there are already exemptions for cases of crime, national security, public safety and protection of sources in both the GDPR and elsewhere in domestic law.

As Liberty said, the clause could "strip migrants of the right to have their personal information processed lawfully, fairly and transparently when it is being processed for immigration control purposes, regardless of their immigration status".

Data protection expert Chris Pounder noted that the clause could prevent asylum seekers gaining the information they need to appeal a Home Office decision on whether they have the right to remain - 13 per cent of such appeals are successful, he said in a blogpost.

Given the existing exemptions available to the government, he said there is a "distinct possibility" that the powers granted here could "become an administrative device to disadvantage data subjects using the immigration appeals process".

(contd)

Chief Executive Officer Simon Wolfson of apparel chain Next said in an interview.

I recall that the bosses of Next espoused the Leave cause. So if it's causing you problems now - tough.

.

adam beinkov @ adambeinkov
Labour's Darren Jones says on way to Commons he overhead two MPs joking about whether they'd "fessed up to their sexual harassment".

Ashley cowburn @ Ashleycowburn
Labour MP @jessphillips says she heard two male colleagues on way into sexual harassment statement in Chamber muttering about a "witch hunt"

So they still are not getting it...

They did peregrina....
Another shop i now boycott I miss my costa flat white

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-politics-41807472
Brexit: Nick Clegg, Ken Clarke and Lord Adonis visit Barnier

I recall that the bosses of Next espoused the Leave cause. So if it's causing you problems now - tough.

It's tempting to create (and publish) a scrapbook of pre referendum Leavers, and paste in any comments like this, post-referendum.

If nothing else, it might encourage some Leavers to keep quiet, rather than expose the fact that they aren't happy with the Brexit they foisted on us all.

I boycott Next too. It's no great hardship for me, because I never bought much there anyway.

Good Idea LH.

My DD was able to tell me what a Tontine was the other day when we passed the Tontine Hotel in Ironbridge. She’s been working for a building Society for 6 months.

I liked the kids stuff from next
Oh well
Their loss is h & ms gain

I left wetherspoons feeling rather unclean at the weekend

I have always liked Ken Clarke, he's one of the few tories I like.

Me too Hollie.
I prefer him to the likes of Dennis bloody Skinner

Faisal Islam @ faisalislam
DEXEU finally releases the list of 58 industry sectors for which it has done unpublished Brexit impact studies
58 sectors cover 88% of the economy, says Government...
released in annexe to a letter from David Davis to Baroness Verma - Davis also goes back to “freedom to trade with and operate in” language
DEXEU make clear that the “precise way” movement of EU nationals will be controlled is “yet to be determined” will be informed by MAC...
... so difficulty of passing the Immigration Bill early next year if the Migration Advisory Cttee hasn’t reported until next Autumn
DEXEU:“New trade deals with third countries cannot come into effect prior to [Brexit]. Nor would we want to undermine EU’s trade interests.”

@davidallengreen
Have just been followed by @DExEUgov...
and
Brexit: Nick Clegg, Ken Clarke and Lord Adonis visit Barnier
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41807472

Brexit: MP demands Met Police investigate Breitbart 'donations' to Ukip in run up to EU referendum

Individuals paid by the right-wing US news organisation were working as senior unpaid Ukip volunteers, it is alleged

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-breitbart-donations-brexit-met-police-investigation-eu-referendum-influence-donald-trump-a8027456.html

Ben Bradshaw.

www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/emilyashton/mps-have-been-sharing-their-own-stories-of-sexual
MPs Have Been Sharing Their Own Stories Of Sexual Harassment In Westminster

"A worker employed as staff of a member in this House told me today that she reported being sexually assaulted to the proper authorities earlier this year, who did nothing," Liz Saville Roberts said.

And

And Labour MP Chi Onwurah said she had made a complaint about some MPs making researchers feel "deeply uncomfortable" in a parliamentary bar – only for that to be dismissed as normal behaviour.

"When I complained recently to an officer of parliament who had some responsibility in this area that I knew a number of researchers – male and female – who had been made to feel deeply uncomfortable in the Sports and Social club here by members of parliament, I was told that happens in pubs all over the country," she said.

And

Fellow Tory Matthew Offord said the issue was not just about sexual harassment and not just about women.

"The issue of bullying in this House is systemic," he said. He read out a text message he had received from someone who had observed bullying from an unnamed MP.

On that final one its worth reflecting on Fiona and Nick and how Theresa turned a blind eye and why the Tory young wing got shut down.

My DD was able to tell me what a Tontine was the other day when we passed the Tontine Hotel in Ironbridge.

We passed there the other day as well and were also discussing what a tontine is.

Cathy Newman @ cathynewman
On @Channel4News: the unredacted list by @Conservatives researchers naming MPs accused of harassing staff & why the researchers did it

C4 7pm it is then. Interesting they are not concerned about the legal side of doing so.

Interesting they are not concerned about the legal side of doing so.

Oscar Wilde ???

www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/emilydugan/the-government-just-confirmed-it-will-review-its-legal-aid
The Government Just Confirmed It Will Review Its Legal Aid Cuts
Justice minister David Lidington said the review would look into changes to eligibility for free legal advice, among other things

I'm embarrassed to admit that ukip only know what's tontine is duecto an old Simpson's episode

UKIP????

I only know

Those Fuckers get everywhere!....

"Half of the names on the list are ministers." Channel 4 news.

m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/women-mps-outnumber-men-during-sex-harassment-debate_uk_59f77941e4b09b5c2568457b/
Women MPs Outnumber Men During Commons Sex Harassment Debate
Usual gender balance reversed. So where were all the men?