Westministenders: A week in politics is a long time....

[RedToothBrush]

Lost track of politics in the last week or so?

Someone asked how do I keep on top of this? I’ve struggled this week there is so much going on.

Brexit seems to be on a bit of a back burner and we have become utterly swamped in mud and sleaze and corruption allegations

So here is a summary of the last week:

1. Government defeated over the impact reports due to an ancient parliamentary protocol. They must release papers to the public though this is likely to be heavily redacted.
2. Currently we are holding talks about talks with the EU. Instead of speeding up talks. They are annoyed at us for this.
3. Baroness Anelay, the minister responsible for getting the Repel Bill through the Lords, quit citing an injury caused by jumping out of a helicopter several years ago. She was the second person to quit this role. Lord Bridges quit saying it was impossible task.
4. Michael Gove has joined the Brexit Cabinet, which now has a majority of Leavers.
5. There is currently no one employed at the Brexit department for strategic planning.
6. Brexit Bill likely to face even more opposition in the face of Williamson’s self promotion. More Remainers who have been loyal to May talking of joining the Rebel Forces.
7. The has been a threat to rig the Lords to pass the Repel Bill according to Lord Adonis
8. Clegg, Adonis and Clarke went to see Barnier. Farage got jealous.
9. Talks for Stormont broke down. No direct rule but not home rule. Who is ruling is a mystery, but the same can be said in England at present. DUP are not getting their dosh.
10. FTA may not be possible on lines UK want as it would be better than Canada and South Korea and that’s not legally allowed. The real problem for the UK is services.
11. EHCR related issues – prisoner voting rights and letter to Romanian which brings into question whether the EHCR is deliberately being flouted.
12. Clause in the data protection bill which allows it to be ignored ‘cos immigration’.
13. The Electoral Commission are being sued for allowing over spending by Vote Leave
14. Arron Banks is being investigated by the Electoral Commission over how he donated to political causes
15. UKIP whistleblowers reported donations they thought were odd and not declared but only just has come to light
16. Arron Banks is winding up a charity under investigation by the Charities Commission
17. Arron Banks paid for Kate Hoey to go to Washington DC.
18. Lord Ashcroft apparently exposed by the Bermuda hack, like Robert Mercer
19. Steve Baker reported for taking money from the mysterious donor to the DUP
20. Priti Patel breaks ministerial code with an undisclosed trip to Israel with lobbyist. May says she has done nothing wrong, despite it being clear breech of the rules.
21. Michael Fallon quit over multiple incidents
22. Damien Green embroiled in accusation over Kate Maltby. Also having a fight with former counter terrorism copper who he has history with over ‘extreme porn’ found on his computer during a raid. Copper previously said he had been set up in the paper but dropped the accusation. Green is denying everything
23. Charlie Elphicke has had the whip removed and case has been referred to police. Says he has done nothing wrong and isn’t even aware of what he has been accused of.
24. Steven Crabb under investigation for sexting. Has apologised.
25. Michael Garnier under investigation for dildo buying. Has apologised
26. Daniel Kawcyznski allegedly tried to set up dates with aides and wealthy friends
27. Dan Poulter reported by fellow tory MP Andrew Bridgen for allegedly putting hands up skirts. Whips told in 2010.
28. Chris Pincher alleged pound shop Weinstein who attempted to untuck the shirt of former Olympic rower and tory activist Alex Story.
29. Gavin Barwell former whip and May’s special adviser. Broke special advisor code by tweeting politically controversial things. Is accused of being complicit in hiding the bodies and not taking action.
30. Gavin Williamson gave himself a promotion and pissed everyone off. As former whip knows all the dirt but is vulnerable as a result of that, as he didn’t report or discipline offenders.
31. ‘The Lift Lunger’ – as yet unnamed Tory MP said to have ‘attacked’ Labour MP in taxi. Date rape drugs possibly involved.
32. Boris Johnson, Alok Sharma and Tobias Ellwood all named as having contact with the mysterious Maltese professor named in the Papadopoulos indictment.
33. Farage makes anti-Semitic remarks on LBC. That’s Farage, a person of interest to the FBI.
34. Three indictments in USA for Trump Russia. Which implicate a whole load of people by association.
35. Some stuff is going on in Saudi Arabia which should have half an eye kept on it.
36. Jared O’Mara, Clive Lewis, Ivan Lewis and Kelvin Hopkins on the Labour Shit List. Also a rape allegation against a Labour activist which was shut down by a senior Labour figure

This week the Repel Bill and the Budget. Plus no doubt, lots more scandal.

Thanks, red
Blimey, it's intense, so much going on ...

I wonder what we're missing ....

Thank you Red

Big Choc, I think that's why we need to be really paying attention. I am sure I've missed stuff off the list but that's precisely why I did it.

.

Not on the list is the Sanctions and Money Laundering Bill in the Lords.

I haven't had chance to look at this myself but this is Hansard for it.

hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2017-11-01/debates/B122FCEA-07C2-4A5E-A5DC-87EB70642A5E/SanctionsAndAnti-MoneyLaunderingBill(HL)

I need to have a good read, as I suspect this will throw up a few things relevant to wider issues over Brexit.

Tim Burgess @ tim_burgess
I don’t generally use twitter to give anyone a hard time, but for @clarkemicah I’ll make an exception: You really are an absolute dick

Peter Hitchens @ clarkemicah
Gosh, how unimprovably witty and trenchant. Got any actual arguments at all?
Tim Burgess @ tim_burgess
In the headline alone, you are victim blaming, condescending and misogynistic. In my book that makes you a dick ; )

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/04/damian-green-denies-pornography-was-found-on-his-commons-computer

Two Conservative MPs have called for Damian Green to step down as Theresa May’s deputy while claims of inappropriate behaviour against him are investigated by the party.

Brown gives an example of the Special Relationship, that most Tory Brexiters prefer to the EU

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/05/iraq-weapons-mass-destruction-america-misled-britain-gordon-brown

The US defence department knew that Saddam Husseinn^ did not have weapons of mass destruction but kept Britain in the dark,
according to an explosive new claim from Gordon Brown.

In an extraordinary allegation, the former prime minister states that a secret US intelligence report into Iraq’s military capabilities was never passed to Britain and could have changed the course of events.
The revelation leads Brown to conclude that the “war could not be justified as a last resort and invasion cannot now be seen as a proportionate response”.

Has the Uk govt come to a complete standstill over the last year ?
Shameful dereliction of duty

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/05/uk-yet-to-send-team-to-myanmar-to-gather-evidence

A Foreign Office team specialising in gathering evidence of sexual violence in conflict zones
has yet to be deployed to Myanmar’s refugee camps
despite evidence that systematic mass rape has been used as a weapon by
the Burmese military against the Rohingya muslim minority.
.....
The Foreign Office (FCO) has said it is still assessing the need for a team,
even though aid agencies have reported the mass use of rape, including of children as young as 100*.

The burning and violence in Rakhine state started at the end of August and the FCO minister Lord Ahmad has described reports of sexual violence against the Rohingya as “staggering”.

Thanks

I can't keep up. Damian Green's feud with the Met totally passed meby at the time.

Reading through that list I was exercising some skepticism that the sleaze allegations were having that much of a distracting impact.

Until I realised I had totally forgotten about the budget!

I'm just worried about what will happen when May goes, who will replace her?

Thanks as ever red what a Siskindite list. Will be required reading on future history courses.

Money laundering and London property:
www.newsweek.com/london-house-center-manafort-indictment-701064

Repel bill and budget. There are lots of tory remainers. Hope we can build bridges and mitigate.

Fantastic list, Red.

Thanks.

thenumberfaker Gavin Williamson? Would complete his meteoric rise.

Gavin who as a Remainer might reverse Brexit?

Thank you Red and all the other regular contributors

Thanks Red (Beermat King)

Marking place

Thanks Red. Placemat.

Thanks, woman
I'd never heard of Amy Siskind until your last post prompted me to Google "Siskind"

For anyone else who didn't know, she does a very valuable Trump list across the pond:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/trump-won-and-amy-siskind-started-a-list-of-changes-now-its-a-sensation/2017/06/23/cdba2b12-575e-11e7-b38e-35fd8e0c288fstory.html?utmm_term=.91168756621c

Thanks rtb

De Volkskrant, Dutch, speculates that the source of the leak of the 'dirty list' might be a former intern who now works for Peter Mandelson. The man (Joe Armitage) denies.