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.

Re the "other" thread, they are also calling the sexual harassment stuff "hysteria", so best to avoid for your blood pressure if nothing else.

Laura Kuenssberg‏ @bbclaurak
Patel already looked like she was on way out of the door late last night, revelations about more extra curricular meetings make that seem almost inevitable now

Mirror Politics‏*@MirrorPolitics*
British mum imprisoned in Iran Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe requests formal meeting with Boris Johnson

www.buzzfeed.com/alexspence/michael-fallons-former-aide-is-being-investigated-by-police?utm_term=.gykeG57pLv#.qojY4vq9Wr
Michael Fallon's Former Aide Is Being Investigated By Police Over A Sexual Assault Allegation
Richard Holden is accused of assaulting a woman in her 20s at a party in London in December 2016. He told BuzzFeed News he "totally refutes" the allegation.

David Whitley‏*@mrdavidwhitley*

David Davis picked a good week to reveal he lied about doing 58 sectoral Brexit impact reports, that's for sure.

How on earth do you spin Patel's actions as Civil Service incompetence?
Is why I was asking about it earlier.
If things go they way they seem to, I expect litigation involving government and civil service in the near future.

HuffPost UK‏*@HuffPostUK*
Six hours until Priti Patel lands.
The Kenya Airways flight is due to land at Heathrow at 3.30pm GMT.
There is no WiFi on board

But plenty of alcohol.

Civil servants have been doing lots of arse covering.

Mirror Politics‏*@MirrorPolitics*

Top Jeremy Corbyn aide, John Prescott's son David, suspended amid Westminster sexual harassment allegations

Robert Peston‏ @Peston
So I am hearing that Priti Patel is likely to be sacked within hours. That would be two cabinet ministers gone in a week.

Imagine being so shit even Theresa May sacks you.

Jim Pickard‏*@PickardJE*
at this rate by March we'll be down to May vs Hammond shoot-out on the beach while Grayling plays dead in a cupboard

Those trying to frame the Civil Service for Patel's misdeeds have a job on their hands.

This from a post by Robert Peston on Facebook:
"The meeting which looks to have done for her was with Israel’s public security minister Gilad Erdan on September 7.

What is most shocking about this meeting is that it had been declined on her behalf by her department officials. But unbeknownst
to them, it was then fixed up by her constituency office."

Priti watch Don't those countries look fab that she's flying over.
www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/kq100#f76cdcf

blessed everything but full devotion to the soundbites scriptures is hysteria. It's a word undergoing a new definition like people, democracy, racism, fake news, etc.

Which reminds me, I caught up the first part of hignfy last night. I think some of the reporting on it was a tad unfair. Letts was being a twat unsurprisingly and Jo Brand had already had a pop at him. I thought Hislop's comment related to the more stupid consensual things on that list. Not that Jo Brand wasn't right to make her point.

Apologies for the formatting. Tsk tsk!

Re the "other" thread, they are also calling the sexual harassment stuff "hysteria", so best to avoid for your blood pressure if nothing else.

^^

Is anybody surprised by the strong correlation?

See also: Trump, our Hostile Environment policy, etc etc.

(Essential disclaimer: NABALT)

Joey D'Urso‏*@josephmdurso*

Israeli newspaper @haaretzcom is reporting that Priti Patel visited the Golan Heights - which the UK does not recognise - on her trip to Israel

www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/.premium-1.821652
Breaching Diplomatic Protocol, Embattled British Minister Priti Patel Visited Israeli Golan Heights

Already under fire for undisclosed meeting with Israeli politicians, secretary's political career further in doubt with new revelations about her visit to Israel

Interesting to discover that Priti Patel is even more ghastly than I had previously suspected. Hoping very much that this will be the end of her political career.

I wouldn't be so sure ... politicians of all stripe are like the undead. Also there might come a time - sooner than we think - where being kicked out of this government becomes a badge of honour for the next .

Priti has also been vandalised.

Those trying to frame the Civil Service for Patel's misdeeds have a job on their hands
.
Because this administration is f*ing big time, with separation of powers, it's inevitable that cracks will appear in the executive, and people will ask, who's fault was the f**up.

Framing public servants, from whistle blowers in police, NHS etc has become a blood sport for this crew, and sadly the civil service will be blamed like all the others have been for political decisions. Unless there is the political courage to stop firing whistle blowers or those who speak truth to power.

Wow, waiting for Patel !

This must have been a little like how people were awaiting the return of Dr. Crippen (whose every move was telegraphed ahead to a fascinated public days ahead of his ship arriving, thanks to Marconis newfangled "wireless" that the ship had).

Waiting for Patel .... I should be so lucky (@MNHQ - we need a "super nerdy" icon).

Interesting to discover that Priti Patel is even more ghastly than I had previously suspected. Hoping very much that this will be the end of her political career.

Liam Fox is in the Cabinet.

twitter.com/hugorifkind/status/927839058281218048

So many members of the Cabinet ought to resign that none of them can. It's like the Three Stooges trying to get through a door.

That is a very good analogy, LH. Have you seen that her location is being tracked via Whats'App - Social Media being a modern equivalent of the wireless?

I'm loving today's thread, by the way. So many of your posts are articulating my feelings. It's like a 'reality checkpoint'.

But Priti Patel will be whisked off the plane and ushered through by some back way, to avoid the waiting journalists.

That is a very good analogy, LH. Have you seen that her location is being tracked via Whats'App - Social Media being a modern equivalent of the wireless?

That's what dinged a bell . Plus ca change and all.

Meanwhile, in other news:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3081276-To-be-terrified-that-this-is-the-future-for-the-UK-Sorry-yes-its-a-Brexit-one

I notice that when specific fears and criticisms are focused on (i.e. things with facts) then the Brexit-bot-brigade are less in force.

Tomorrow is deadline for this:

Please support the Represent Us campaign, which recommends writing to MPs to ask them to support Amendment 7 to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. This is absolutely VITAL in order to keep our options open, and give Parliament a meaningful vote
.

represent-us.uk

I notice that when specific fears and criticisms are focused on (i.e. things with facts) then the Brexit-bot-brigade are less in force.

The first properly Brexit-y reply on that thread was a glorious masterpiece of full-on substance-free hyper-emoting. Whilst, ironically, calling their opposition "hysterical".

The first properly Brexit-y reply on that thread was a glorious masterpiece

My favourite was someone shouting "WE WERE AN INDEPENDENT TRADING NATION ONCE" in the same paragraph as "YOU CAN'T TURN THE CLOCK BACK".

In my minds eye, I can see Germans reading that, shaking their heads saying "How did they win the war ?"

@J_amesp

The Brexit bots are back in force. A shedload haven’t tweeted for a year. Invest the time in reporting them and their follow lists.

Although, Elements, when a poster quoted the first Brexit-y reply from pallasathena and said "That is too funny it must be satire, no?", pallasathena replied "Yes...it is satire....well spotted!!"