Westministenders: Money, money, money

[RedToothBrush]

The big developments are that the government have signalled they are prepared to pay more and to involve the ECJ when it comes to citizens rights on condition that we move to talk of trade. But no apparent progress on NI. Which is significant with Ireland threatening to veto.

The EU has not changed its stance at all. Since Day 1.

There is always a worrying omission and lack of commitment to retain the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The bonfire begins.

Talk is of Green still going in a reshuffle, possibly with Gove replacing him as Deputy PM.

Coalition talks in Germany have broken down, and the British have got excited about it, whilst the German response have largely been a slight shrug.

Its been a much quieter week, despite the budget. Thank goodness. There are lots of outstanding issues that are lurking in the background like the Green one though.

The main message coming from the budget, has not been any new policy, but the dreadful economic forecast for the next few years.

My first royal wedding would have been Charles and Di. I have memories of it but I don't think they're real memories, I think I just saw so many clips over the years they've been implanted.

My DM married in a cofe church despite being Catholic, not sure what she had to do for that but it was as a result of df refusing to even engage getting married in a catholic church. Not that he was ever religious, just somewhat bigoted even back then

My OH was the only person who insisted on going to the office to avoid Charles and Di's wedding.

My dad had to promise to raise us Catholic or the Catholic bishop wouldnt give dispensation for my parents to marry in a Catholic church

Someones for the chop at the BBC

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41678715

Would you give up a job you loved to fight for a cause that you knew, in your heart of hearts, was probably lost?

That's what Mike Roberts did and he is not alone.

Mr Roberts was a chief inspector with Greater Manchester Police but took early retirement to campaign to keep Britain in the European Union.

"I was so frustrated with the Brexit process," he says, "I had the idea of starting a political party, like Mr Farage did all those years ago, with a very simple message and a very simple brand."

Nigel Farage, of course, ended up as leader of the UK Independence Party, or UKIP. Mike Roberts came up with UKRemainEU. He briefly considered changing his surname to that but, perhaps wisely, decided against it and registered the name as a political party instead.

The police take a dim view of their officers taking part in political campaigns, so having racked up 30 years with the force, he decided to quit to devote his time to the anti-Brexit cause. As a senior officer he could have carried on working, but he says couldn't stay neutral any longer.

"What really fired me up was when I went on holiday to Holland just after the Brexit vote and my five-year-old son said he would like to live there when he grows up. I said 'you might not be able to because of Brexit'."

At the moment, UKremainEU is little more than a twitter feed but Mr Roberts wants to hook up with like-minded individuals to stand under his party's banner in upcoming elections.
"In every area there will be somebody like me," he says.

(contd)

Oh look, a royal squirrel ....

The Beeb and most papers must be so glad they can continue avoiding the Brexit chaos

Exclusive: Britain and the EU agree Brexit divorce bill

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/28/exclusive-britain-eu-agree-brexit-divorce-bill/

Paywall but you get the numbers -45bn-55bn! Reopen the Brexit Arms, lets party

Was that pain asking about placard slogans ?

Brexit = Dog's Breakfast

It's BrexSICK

Not really swearing:

A red, shite and blue Brexit

Brexshit will hit* the fan*

Divorce Bill agreed: one down, two more to go i.e. the rights of EU citizens and the NI/RoI border.

I have had for some time the increasing feeling the divorce bill is the least of our/May's worries.

For my sins listening to Farage on LBC. Callers not happy (obviously), calling for UK to just leave. Only card Brexiteers have left to play? Gov isn't listening.

Of course May could jsut follow Priti Patel's advice and tell the EU to "sod off" with their divorce bill requests

Bit depressing that she thinks that's how it works....

I can't help but think that this has taken 8 months since A50 was invoked, and it ought to have been a fairly simple question of arithmetic. The Irish border question is significantly more involved than this - I don't know how long it took to negotiate the GFA, but I can't see how this can be resolved quickly and already lacking the goodwill and willingness to compromise that there was with the GFA.

I can't stand Brian Cox. Nice idea, but he's about as electable as PM as a knitted smurf.

Far too smiley and smug. The smug perception is what will kill his political ambition.

It also misses the point that, so many people vote on the basis of emotion and belief rather that rational.

And he would be competing with the LDs who are full of educators. Frankly the LDs are a total disaster area at the moment and need a complete over haul, but they are certainly not ready to be replaced by a competitor on the same ground. Yet.

Btw, I've had a sick toddler, have been crazy busy for a few days and been slightly distracted by another issue, but wtf is this with pages of posts over that bloody engagement. Bah!

Thanks big!

David Lammy‏
@DavidLammy
Irony alert: Some MP's have today been saying we need to have a second vote in Parliament about the Government publishing the Brexit impact studies because they didn't like the result of the first one and they won't respect the will of sovereign Parliament demanding publication

certainly used to be the reverse: a CofE congregant needed Vatican dispensation to marry in a Catholic church

That must have been more than a decade ago, it certainly wasn't the case when I got married. Nor did the Catholic have to promise to raise the children as Catholics it was far more Jesuitical as the Catholic just had to affirm that as far as possible within the sanctity of the marriage ensure any children were educated in Christ's teachings

Just spluttered my tea here watching IDS spoofing on C4 news with his assertion that there was an election happening in Ireland . When he was Informed that it was averted as of this morning he insisted he was referring to the upcoming presidential election.

The presidential election is due to be held in Nov 2018. The Irish presidency is a largely ceremonial position and has absolutely no role to play in Brexit negotiations, anymore than the Queen and her corgis. His additional spin that Irish Govt is running scared of SF is equally ludicrous.
Does no one actually challenge this misinformation ? If seems you can say what you want without being challenged.

Kevin Schofield @ polhomeeditor
Labour advertising tonight for a new Director of Communications and Director of Strategy (both on salaries of £63,899.41). They will answer to the Executive Director of Strategy and Communications Seumas Milne, who is on £90k+. Jeremy Corbyn assembling an expensive spin team.

I thought Corbyn was anti spin...

A British mother jailed in Iran is due to be assessed to determine whether she is fit to stay in prison, campaigners say
www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/jailed-british-mum-to-undergo-health-assessment/ar-BBFSKdt?li=BBoPRmx&ocid=mailsignout

SixInTheBed
@fotoole
Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Just heard Iain Duncan Smith on @Channel4News saying Ireland is taking a hard line on the border because "there's a presidential election coming up".

Bloody ignoramus. Presidential election? Does he even know what the role of the Irish president is? Michael D should give him a call and let him know, in words of one syllable. None of these fools has so much as an elementary knowledge of Irish politics.

To be fair, IDS is only reflecting the general level of ignorance and utter lack of concern of many Brexiteers towards the Irish situation. Just look at the Irish border thread, FGS, if my eyes rolled any further I'd be looking at the inside of my skull.

Driven according to the Express she is worth £4m (Prince Harry estimate is £40m, no idea how calculated) - cannot believe I actually googled it.

BBC R4 news just said government doesn't recognise news about divorce bill agreement.