Westminstenders: From Russia with Love

[RedToothBrush]

Things just got scary.

The colony of US puppet state or a vassel state of the EU?

Why not just let market forces take their course and let Russia buy the UK?

How did we get to stories of spies and mafia who buy politicians?

Just who are our enemies and allies?

Won't someone think of the effect on house prices in Salisbury?

Try not to don your foil hat, brace yourself and resist shouting 'money laundering too loud'.

More turbulence ahead.

Brexit still seems like such a cracking idea doesn't it?

Oh I've been eating chocolate too

Never fear

Also in Times and Indie now, so doesn't look fake news, much as I wish it to be

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/white-pupils-at-bath-school-tied-up-black-boy-for-mock-slave-sale-drhdlzm2x

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/mock-slave-auction-black-student-white-pupils-bath-school-whipped-tied-up-a8255206.html

Times reports:
"Three of the alleged perpetrators were expelled by the head teacher but allowed to return after the board of governors overturned the decision."

If we go too far with Russia it will not only be Salisbury under attack with nerve gas. You do not fight violence with violence especially with a force superior to yourself.

Couldn’t help noticing this other story in the Mirror,
which highlights what happens in a country without a free press, how ordinary people are arrested to cover up their boss's misdemeanours:

Boss broadcasts himself having sex on boardroom table unaware video conference call is still rolling

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/boss-broadcasts-himself-having-sex-12182138

The footage first leaked on Saturday but it has now been scrubbed from social media by Chinese censors.

Two employees have since been arrested and face defamation charges as well as further punishment for spreading "false rumours" after they allegedly shared the footage.

If you keep backing down when attacked violently, you just get more attacks
Ask any kid who was repeatedly targeted by a bully

There is a happy medium between rolling over and going postal

imo, 2 measures May should consider:

1. Referring this to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, because they deal with war crimes and rogue states acting against civilians. This will alarm Putin and his colleagues too - other leaders have been brought to justice by the ICC when they thought they were untouchable.

At the very least, it shames them and makes it more difficult for Russian sympathisers, e.g. in the HoC, to defend Putin

2. Organise other countries in further economic sanctions against Russia

• we know this affects Russia & the oligarchs and particularly infuriates Putin, who is orchestrating all these anti-West schemes

If the oligarchs are hit in their bank balances, they may withdraw support from him

• and they are some of his main supporters, because he keeps Russia a kleptocracy for them to loot

No joy in looting if your loot is later frozen.

The challenge with such an "Associate" membership would be that it wouldn't resolve the issue of NTBs at Dover, Portsmouth, Harwich, Hull .... with all the knock on requirements. Where is the physical infrastructure for increased checks, let alone the scoping, letting and delivering of the HMRC computer systems required to deal with the vastly increased volume - nor would it solve the NI border problem

Unless of course, we agree to become a vassal state (to use JRM's words) and agree to all new laws.

Forgive me for being negative cynical, but it does seem to be clutching at straws, at anything that looks vaguely like a fig leaf of an "agreement".

I'm still wondering about that shadow Cabinet meeting, where they all heard the outline of Corbyn's position and kept quiet

Do you think that after the failed attempt at replacing him, they're now too scared to tackle him?

Sorry - gap between writing and posting My post was in reference to the suggestion of an Israel/Ukraine style "Associate" membership.

Do you think that after the failed attempt at replacing him, they're now too scared to tackle him?

In a word, yes.

Sam Coates Times @SamCoatesTimes
The US does now blame Russia for the chemical attack. Unlike France and Jeremy Corbyn. This tonight from the UN

Mike Gapes @MikeGapes
I understand that Jeremy Corbyn’s spokesman Seumas Milne has claimed there is no proof that Russia is behind the nerve gas attack in Salisbury. Well Seumas has form on these matters.
leftfootforward.org/2015/03/projecting-the-kremlin-line/

Anna Turley MP @annaturley
I’m afraid Seumas doesn’t speak for my Labour or British values.^

Yvette Cooper @YvetteCooperMP
Govt is right to take action to dismantle Russian intelligence capability in UK, to agree now to the Magnitsky amendment, and to work through UN to expose Russia for deeply serious breaches of international law, chemical weapons prohibition & human rights.

The question of course is what exactly will trump do with this information?

Do you think that after the failed attempt at replacing him, they're now too scared to tackle him?

Laura Kuenssberg
@bbclaurak
Rumour that some Labour shadow front benchers might resign over the leader's statement today - let's wait and see - certainly a lot of anger around - uneasy truce in Labour party since election has been trashed by different instincts over Skripal case

The ‘open skies’ row shows how Trump will exploit Brexit at Britain’s cost

https://www.businessinsider.nl/open-skies-us-trade-deal-brexit-trump-2018-3/?international=true&r=US
…
The row over flying rights demonstrates why renegotiating Britain’s relationship with the world after Brexit will be far harder than Brexiteers have promised.
…
The row over Open Skies is just one example of the huge and complex difficulties that Britain faces in renegotiating its relationship with the world after Brexit.

The scale of the task is difficult to comprehend.

The UK reportedly needs to renegotiate at least 759 other treaties with 168 countries before it leaves the EU on everything from transport, to fish, to farming.

And while some of these negotiations will be relatively straightforward and end up in Britain’s favour, many others will not.

< The "Special Relationship" delivering what is usually does.

On reflection, I see belief in unicorns has been a cornerstone of much Uk foreign policy for several decades.

Successive govts have managed to hide the non-appearance of unicorns in domestic affairs,
but the Uk govt can't so easily hide the effects on the UK of foreign govt actions, particularly the USA.
So the lack of realism is surprising >

Just a bit worried and about all these government words on tough action and responsibility etc. It's just that so far they haven't got a great track record on pretty much anything. Usually ends up in disaster or they just flip flop on it.

Kevin Schofield @PolhomeEditor
I see Emmanuel Macron is no longer a vile centrist. Funny old world.

This

Election Data @election_data
People have been asking about my poll on Russia, so here's the crossbreaks. It's a Labour members poll from early 2016.

If you can't read it here, try on the link:
twitter.com/election_data/status/973970933869367296

Its interesting.

Labour Leave voters, are most sympathetic to Russia. As are post-Corbyn party joiners.

The 18 - 25 year old group are least sympathetic. As is London.

Make of that what you will.

Too many politicians trying to tell the working class what they need, instead of asking them what they need.

Showing my age, but acidly commented on by one P. Weller (when he was good)

and the public wants what the public gets, but I don't get what society wants ....

Place mat king

"Article 50 will not be revoked............"
"My noble friend is repudiating the role of parliamentary democracy"
"Is he asserting that parliamentary democracy is no longer sovereign?"John Reid.
Worth a watch:
twitter.com/estwebber/status/973967483823706113

The day democracy ended.
Maybe.

^FTSE chiefs to air Brexit concerns during summit with May
Bosses from BT, ITV L&G and Virgin Money will attend a meeting of the PM's "business council" on Thursday, Sky News learns^

news.sky.com/story/ftse-chiefs-to-air-brexit-concerns-during-summit-with-may-11289716?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

@SkyNews
The Russian ambassador to the UN has accused the UK government of using a propaganda war to influence a public "that is not well educated"

twitter.com/SkyNews/status/974017600391823361

'Russia's the enemy; pause the 'brexit'?'
It's all a matter of timing. And stories.
Especially to the 'not well educated'.