Westministenders: Rebel Rebel Your Brexit is a Mess.

[RedToothBrush]

Hot Tramp, I love you so!

The European Parliament have agreed to progress talks to the next stage. Despite Brexiteers saying its not legally binding, it is apparent that the EU certainly disagree.

Not only that, but the wording of the deal goes further. It binds us to not being able to agree and new trade deals for 2 years.

The All Important Amendment 7 to the Great Repel Bill has been successful. May’s power grab has a set back.

By just FOUR votes the government was defeated. How May will be regretting that pointless election tonight.

Parliament will have a meaningful vote on the exit terms.

But don’t be too excited. Brussels might not like this as May can not guarantee the UK will agree to a deal. It means the the EU are negotiating with parliament NOT May now.

There is also the suggestion that the mood of parliament is changing and is beginning to lean more towards a EFTA / EEA type deal.

But equally this could also send us to the brink with a deal from the EU that could be rejected by parliament.

The stakes just got higher.

What is May still calling the 'implementation' phase? She keeps saying this.

All four freedoms – including FOM - to remain during transition, also ECJ oversight

Which is why Farage, Lilley etc. are getting their knickers in a twist. At what stage will people wake up and say that this is a waste of time and effort?

What is May still calling the 'implementation' phase? She keeps saying this.

Still trying to appease the headbangers in the party.

"Which is why Farage, Lilley etc. are getting their knickers in a twist."

Oh good! The tighter, the better!

Quelle Surprise: DD's DExEU department has failed to respond to more than six out of 10 freedom of information requests over the past year, giving it the worst annual record for secrecy in Whitehall.:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/14/david-daviss-brexit-department-tops-government-secrecy-table

Many tweets and messages that Tory rebel Anna Soubry should be hanged for treason.

Other rebels also received death threats, bit she seems to have received the most & the worst.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/15/anna-soubry-receives-messages-calling-for-her-to-be-hanged-as-a-traitor-brexit

EU to force firms to reveal true owners in wake of Panama Papers

An important first step, but of course the UK opposed this, in defence of the privacy of the powerful

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/15/eu-to-force-companies-to-disclose-owners-with-directive-prompted-by-panama-papers

Other rebels also received death threats
Amy Siskind who documents the authoritarian creep and Shareblue a democrat organisation regularly tweet:

"This is not normal. Do not accept it is normal"

Faisal Islam article on JIT and 'Fukushima fish' (hence BJ's peach juice theatre for the proles)

In a little-noticed signed joint 'Prosperity Cooperation' declaration with the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, Theresa May promised to "support the lifting of EU import restrictions on food and feed from Japan, including those from Fukushima where they have been scientifically verified as safe". Chlorinated chickens could yet be accompanied by Fukushima fish on the post-Brexit dining table

news.sky.com/story/brexit-forensics-why-car-industry-is-getting-worried-11041671

I hope anna soubry (and anyone else who receices threats like this) reports them to the police and that they are properly followed up and brought to justice.

Lurking - that is indeed true about devolution now technically being able to be over-ridden by Westminster. Voted through thanks to the Scottish Tory MPs

I meant to post a tweet explaining and complaining about this earlier this week and to complain about the lack of coverage on MSM but lost the tweet

"Sovereignty" as long as it is Government Westminster - who cares about the Welsh and the Scots - but the DUP are extra special

Are we Scots and Welsh not worthy of news any longer?

We never were

I know. Sorry, I'm a bit disheartened about things at the moment.

Are we Scots and Welsh not worthy of news any longer?

In Theresa May's book and the right wing Tory books, no. I wonder if this will lead to a resurgence of the desire for Scottish Independence? We could yet see the break up of the UK, within 10 years say.

"the Irish are covered by the DUP " - that's a matter of opinion really. The DUP support Brexit, they want (whether they admit it or not) more distance between Ireland and NI.

So I suspect there are few people in NI (less than 30% of voters, probably much fewer if you take into account those who in a first past the post system feel they have to vote DUP to keep Sinn Fein out) who feel represented by the DUP.

I think May, Boris et al view anyone outside middle-class England as a bit of a PITA and think they should really STFU and let them get on with it

The biggest problem is not even that the govt can't decide on a Brexit policy:

it is that May doesn't dare even let the cabinet discuss Brexit, or it would tear apart, tear the Tory party with it and the govt would collapse.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/may-to-drop-brexit-date-bid-following-rebel-defeat-7cp0jnrp6
(paywall)
…
EU leaders are expected to give Mrs May a three-month deadline to spell out the government’s vision of a future trade deal with Europe after Brexit.
…
British officials are resisting the three-month deadline because of fears that being forced to spell out the Brexit “end state” could deepen cabinet divisions and encourage more parliamentary rebellions.

They would prefer to carry out informal scoping work early in the new year without having to give a formal negotiating position.

“We think it would be in both our interests to understand each other’s position before the EU adopts its formal negotiating mandate,”
a senior British official said.

< how can the EU understand the Uk position when the Uk haven't decided what that position is ? >

An aide to a European prime minister resisted this:
“It is necessary that the British let us know what they want.
It makes the EU27 nervous that we don’t know.
We are giving them three months to tell us,”

If you wonder why so few Tory Remainers have rebelled, these are 2 big reasons:

• Death threats
• Being deselected by their local party

(funny how the same newspews who demonise Labour for possible deselections are the same spews demanding Tory deselections)

It's outrageous that a PM doesn't condemn a concerted campaign of death threats against several of her own MPs
But I suppose that would bring into focus who is making the threats - and who is inviting them to do it,
⁃ the same people who pull her strings

It is striking that the Tory party in the country doesn't seem bothered that some of its MPs are receiving death threats.
Not much loyalty or comradeship. Not much of a party.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/death-threats-sent-to-band-of-tory-rebels-toasting-victory-cp3klhjw2

Calls for the 11 Tory Brexit rebels to face deselection grew yesterday as some reported that they had received death threats.

Although Conservative HQ discouraged MPs from following the lead of Nadine Dorries,
who called for those who inflicted the defeat on Theresa May never to be allowed to stand again,
in private Tories weighed in behind Ms Dorries.

“The rebels should now feel the heat of their constituents,” one Brexiteer said
…
Dominic Grieve, the former attorney-general who led the rebellion, told The Guardian that he had received death threats.

“The thing which continues to cause me concern is not that people will disagree vigorously with the positions we take
but that the atmosphere is so febrile that it leads

firstly to people not listening to what the debate is about,
secondly suggests that any questions around Brexit amount to an intention to sabotage and
thirdly result in some people expressing themselves in terms that at times include death threats.”

He said he had reported the threats to police.
…
The chairman of one leading rebel’s constituency party said that messages of support and opposition were half and half.
Robert Shields, chairman of Nicky Morgan’s seat of Loughborough, said he was fully in favour of her stance but added:

“We’ve had various comments from members and it’s about 50/50 support and not in support,
broadly along similar lines to those that voted Remain and Leave.”

Mrs Morgan said yesterday she had referred a message she received to the parliamentary authorities.

If she wasn't behaving like such an arse I'd feel a bit sorry for Theresa May.

She is trying to do the impossible. While dealing with people who are impossible to deal with. And being supported by people who have no idea what they are doing.

With regard to the PM it's tempting to feel solidarity for anyone in an unenviable role, but I remember sitting in my living room with her telling me directly from the tv that the crashing plummeting of the pound had nothing to do with Brexit, and could have happened anyway.

How stupid do you think we are love.

Also the speech that really rankled with me for some reason was when she told the Scottish conservatives that you don't turn your back on your biggest trading partner!

www.scottishconservatives.com/2017/03/theresa-may-speech-to-scottish-conservative-conference/

Or the speech about helping those who aren't managing, yet she did not act to prevent the resignation of the entire very experienced social mobility committee.

(funny how the same newspews who demonise Labour for possible deselections are the same spews demanding Tory deselections)

Yes, I have noticed this. Any hint of labour party members choosing not to reelect MPs who they no longer feel represent them is met with cries of foul play and political assassination, but apparently the conservatives should absolutely chuck out MPs for voting against the party once without hesitation!

I stopped feeling anything for May at her first PMQs when she carried on with the goady, sneering which had been practiced by Cameron. I was therefore very glad when she squandered her majority in the election, which was entirely her own fault, although I am no particular fan of Corbyn.

Not that it's made any difference - hence her crowing about winning 35 out of 36 votes, not taking note of the loss of a Parliamentary vote, led by an MP of some standing. I keep hoping that it will be her undoing and that of the Tory party, but each time it seems one step forward and two back.

but apparently the conservatives should absolutely chuck out MPs for voting against the party once without hesitation!

Correction - only some Tories. Some serial rebels, e.g. Deadwood Redwood, Nadine Dories, Davis, Fox, are not called upon to be deselected, because they rebel in the right direction.