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.

For anyone not sure yet:
www.haspritipatelbeensackedyet.com/

It's funny, a lot of Brexiteer sneering about this petition can be countered beautifully by suggesting that it's unBritish to win by foul means - certainly online. I wonder if that's a sentiment that might be a thread to unravel some of the more cogent leaver minds?

LH I think most of them believe the end justifies the means.

Perhaps they could make the Priti Patel sacking decisive by getting Simon Brodkin to meet her at Heathrow with a giant P45..? (Kudos to TM if they did.)

Sam Coates Times‏ @SamCoatesTimes
Uh oh - is something going wrong in Number 10

Chris Bryant‏*@RhonddaBryant*

This also means Burt was not entirely candid with the House yesterday.

Erm. Would this be contempt of parliament???

If the Romans had twitter ....

lala that would be awesome.

They're trying to get a no confidence vote aren't they? They want out of this shit show. It's the only way they can not tear themselves apart.

Won't they just be whipped in a no-confidence vote, so the Tories will win and carry on? Although, would the DUP co-operate? I don't think they have had their bung yet.

Novice question: why is it worse for Patel than PM? As far as I can make out, wouldn't it be the other way round?

Kevin Maguire‏*@Kevin*_Maguire

What Priti Patel should declare at Heathrow customs: Did she use her diplomatic passport in Israel? Was it organised by private or Department email? Why was she so recklessly stupid?

Mirror Politics‏*@MirrorPolitics*
Anna Soubry says she thinks Priti Patel has already been sacked

Worse for Patel as May will throw her under the bus to protect herself. Because she can.

In the same way that the Cabinet can do whatever they like without consequence (or it seems like it) so can May. Because Corbyn.

Recent history has made me fearful of the answer but this

1) PM knew about and endorsed Patel freelancing with Israel Gov, despite Downing St denials

would have no consequences for May?

But if May throws Patel under a bus, can't Patel brief against her with e.g. dates of when No 10, and preferably May herself, knew about these meetings?

In, say, the Evening Standard?

Eliot Higgins‏*@EliotHiggins*

So is this right, May wanted to make deals with Israel without involving BoJo so sends Priti, it's gets publicised and Boris says he didn't know about it, May throws Priti under the bus, Priti grabs on and drags May with her? So May lied to the press, BoJo, and FCO?

Eliot Higgins @ eliothiggins
So is this right, May wanted to make deals with Israel without involving BoJo so sends Priti, it's gets publicised and Boris says he didn't know about it, May throws Priti under the bus, Priti grabs on and drags May with her? So May lied to the press, BoJo, and FCO?

Owen Jones @ owenjones84
If Theresa May did indeed order a cover up of secret meetings with the Israeli government then lied about it, she really has to resign

Spoiler: she won't. But she should.

Remember the sex scandal that was covering up the Brexit scandal. Well we got the israel scandal to cover that up.

Any guesses on how they will cover this up?

Michael Crick @ MichaelLCrick
Very odd. Burt met Israeli Govt people on 22 August. According to @stephenpollard the notes of that meeting referred to Patel having had successful meeting with Netanyahu "earlier". Yet in Commons yesterday Burt said FCO didn't know of Patel-Netanyahu meeting til 24 August

I know from talking to friends here in Belgium that we are turning into a laughing stock on the world stage.

Your friend was being kind. "Turning" ? That was last year. We are a laughing stock - just not in English.

Jason groves @ jasongroves1
Govt sources flatly deny @JewishChron claim that Priti Patel was asked to withhold details of secret Israeli meetings. The sack beckons

That bus. Does it have advertising on it?

Here's my guess PainInTheEar. I suspect it's more that Priti Patel was doing some freelancing, got found out by No.10 who didn't do anything because they have lost all authority. They also decided to keep this known freelancing secret. Easier to keep things quiet than to face calls for Priti Patel to be sacked.

When more "new" freelancing came out, that's the freelancing while on "holiday", and this time publicly, this landed No.10 in a pickle. So they criticised the newly revealed freelancing but kept quiet about the already known freelancing. If both had been revealed, this would have meant the sack for Priti Patel and also No.10 having to answer questions about having no control of the situation. No.10 were aiming to keep things just on this side of the line of Priti Patel not being sacked. And to keep the fact that they knew about some freelancing already.

Now that the already known freelancing has become public, along with the new freelancing, Priti Patel has to be sacked. But it's beginning to look like there was a No.10 cover up done solely for political convenience of the Tory Party. (Now where have we heard that reason before?)

RTB it reminds me now of the cat in the cat comes back

rid of the pink [[https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=bX3lnUMP&id=62860D8D967FFA37167DD2D1F33D8C144B16C3CD&thid=OIP.bX3lnUMP7-CgC6V-d1M44QEyDM&q=the+cat+in+the+hat+comes+back&simid=608050599413875596&selectedindex=149&mode=overlay&first=1]]

Priti Patel was doing some freelancing

But given the cloak and dagger nature ...

1. Was it for Patels personal benefit ? (Remember, no records have been kept). Maybe she is setting up the "Patel charity" to work in the Golan heights (with some Israeli chums) and is looking to cream of a huge "admin fee" when the UKs aid budget is sent there ?

2. Why is she sticking her stupid nose into an area that is disputed territory and not recognised by the UK ?

3. Or was she on some sort of James Bond double-agent undercover mission which involves protecting the UK from something unpleasant ?

Annoyingly, the neural net I've been playing with recently has weighted (3) as being the most probable. Looking at the numbers it seems that the idea of sending someone as demonstrably dim as Patel on am undercover highly-sensitive mission does appear logical.

(I may have made that last bit up )

Sam Coates Times @ samcoatestimes
Key facts from this morning Times Story on Polak and corporate links