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?

Anyways, back to the actual government response....anyone think it is adequate? I'm in two minds about it.

Was it on these threads yesterday someone posted a comment (from a Russian source) along the lines of "deadlines aren't for nations with nuclear arsenals" ?

Presumably the Russians will just expel some UK diplomats ?

If we really wanted to hurt Russia, we'd stop buying from them. Which, thanks to our own stupidity, isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Russia appears to be the international equivalent of the school bully that can't be touched as long as the school wants to compete in their sport. A sort of blend of Risk, and US high school "jock" behaviour.

Going back to the cold war, I'm pretty certain someone once wrote that the best way to defeat your enemy is to understand them.

No. I personally think we should be shutting down key targets in Russia through cyber warfare.

Russia has nuclear weapons, and (like the US) is quite happy to down airliners ...

I might just hit the gin tbh

Do you think this might be the undoing of him? I suspect the answer will be no, given the loyalty of his core of supporters (where is that familiar from?) but will these permeate the kool aid or further entrench them in their support of him?

It will entrench supporters.

It will alienate centrists.

Thus totally splitting the left.

This, in theory, looks like it plays to the Tories. But look at where Putin sits politically. Far right. Alt right. It helps the right's anti-establishment types most.

Like HELLO!?. Useful idiot.

The entrenchment of the left, supping their kool aid thinking they are progressive just kills real progressive politics as it kills our ability to question and think and to hold the right to account.

The cognitive dissonance between the lack of pragmatism and willingness to engage with others politically in a domestic setting - whilst saying at the same time we should engage politically with our foreign antagonists - whilst saying Trump should not come to the UK is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

Fuck wit.

This is the political dynamic which has helped keep Putin in power in Russia. Fragmentation of the opposition.

Funny that.

David Allen Green
‏*@davidallengreen*
Looking at Corbyn, Farage and Trump, I guess the definition of "grassroots populist" is now someone unable to criticise Putin.

I think what happens next depends on just how badly that PMQs hits with voters.

I THINK it will have a bigger effect than other issues. Not a huge one. But a dip. We had better hope that dip, or the percentage of people saying they don't know who to vote for, is significant enough to be noticed.

I find it telling the number of Tory MPs pretty much just going

"Oh. My. God"

on my twitter feed and who are so unbelievably lost for words that they aren't using it for a political point scoring opportunity yet. (give 'em time).

Britain Elects @britainelects
May leads Corbyn as preferred PM by 7pts in latest @YouGov - little change since the start of the year but a far cry from before GE2017

Hands up who thinks this poll out today, will show a difference next week.

raises hand

That chimes with my thoughts. Might be able to venture out of the dark room but not sure I want to face reality any time soon.

Sam Coates Times @SamCoatesTimes
Backbench Labour MPs sound the alarm over Jeremy Corbyn’s Commons Statement on Russia

I'd imagine this will probably be dismissed as the centrists usual anti-Corbyn stance

Chuka Umunna
‏*@ChukaUmunna*
In the Commons chamber now. There is only one appropriate response to the actions of the Russian Federation on UK soil - nothing less than unequivocal condemnation. I very much welcome the tranche of measures the PM has just announced which have been praised across the House.

Excellent contributions on our backbenches from @YvetteCooperMP @leicesterliz @SDoughtyMP @MPphilwilson @patmcfaddenmp @MadeleineMoon @ChrisLeslieMP @Vernon_Coaker @EmmaReynoldsMP & many others in the best traditions of Attlee, Bevin and @UKLabour on Russia’s indefensible actions

I used to think we could manage through with Corbyn.

We can't.

He has to go.

Now.

No. I personally think we should be shutting down key targets in Russia through cyber warfare.

Seriously?
How has aggression ever deescalated a sensitive situation?

Election Data @election_data
In 2016 I did a poll of @UKLabour members. I asked the members if they agreed or disagreed that “Russia is a force for good in the world today”. 4% agreed it was. 73% said it wasn’t a force for good in the world today.

I think it’s safe to say that’s pretty conclusive.

For those members who joined after Corbyn became leader it was 53%

Matthew Holehouse
@mattholehouse
Labour spokesman agrees to Q that we can't exclude possibility that Kremlin was framed over Salisbury. Also notes the Iraq/WMD affair, potential role of Russian mafia and that chemicals weapons were produced in former Soviet states other than Russia #whodunnit

Gavin Shuker
@gavinshuker
This once great party.

Laura Kuenssberg
@bbclaurak
Not a happy afternoon among Labour MPs - suggestions one of them will put down a motion backing the govt's position explicitly

Note, Election Data's survey in 2016, would have been BEFORE Trump/Russia.

Laura Kuenssberg @bbclaurak
Not a happy afternoon among Labour MPs - suggestions one of them will put down a motion backing the govt's position explicitly

Again, not saying he is a puppet of shadowy figures

You can't help but make the comparison and put on a tin foil hat.

www.theguardian.com/media/2018/feb/21/labour-mp-barry-gardiner-fantasist-media-corbyn-spy-claims

"The defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, claimed Corbyn’s meetings with the alleged Czechoslovakian spy were “a betrayal of this country”. DexEU minister Steve Baker was pressed on whether he shared that view on Wednesday by the BBC’s Andrew Neil in a tough interview. Baker said: “Jeremy Corbyn, I think, is a grave danger to this country because of the ideas in which he believes and what that would mean.” But he refused to stand by the language used by his ministerial colleagues."

The Guardian seems to have fallen out of love with comrade Corbyn. This news item was published less than a month ago.

I am not a tin foil hat liking person but RTB's observations are as astute as ever

@Street2

Seriously.

For the nerve gas and the meddling in Brexshit and the other disinformation Russia has been responsible for.

We won't know if it's happening unless Russia complains.

I think it should happen. On a few important targets.

Putin doesn't give a toss about diplomats being sent home. Force is the only thing he'll respond to.

Kevin Schofield @PolhomeEditor
Corbyn spokesman: "I think Jeremy's record in relation to judgement in relation to international crises is probably better than anybody else in the House of Commons.He's been proved to make the right call time and again."

What utterly staggering arrogance!

www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/93620/jeremy-corbyn-spokesman-says-lack

That's fucking DANGEROUS.

Its also what did for Blair. Ironically.

Sam Coates Times @samcoatestimes
I’m told nobody at Labour’s shadow cabinet meeting challenged the Corbyn decision not to blame the Russian state for the poisoning. (There have been robust private conversations on this issue but shadow cabinet was relatively pliant)

Is this a healthy situation? They seem too scared to.

(similar to Republicans privately sharing concerns about Trump but not wanting to risk the wrath of the base in articulating them on record?)

(or indeed to his face)

Labour spokesman agrees to Q that we can't exclude possibility that Kremlin was framed over Salisbury

and ?

This is the post-truth era now. Who cares what the "truth" is ? It's all about "da feelz". Russia can be the aggressor and the victim simultaneously.

"Truth" has become just another international standard. And as was observed when I was an undergraduate, the great thing about standards is there are so many to choose from ....

Laura Kuenssberg @bbclaurak
Of course main topic of conversation at SW1 is what govt proposing to do about Novichok attack, but significant disquiet among Labour MPs about Corbyn's response - 'what we just witnessed - an utter disgrace' says one

Jess Phillips @jessphillips
I have long known that standing up to bullies is the only answer.
Tom Tugendhat @TomTugendhat
You’re right. And today’s bullies are in the Kremlin too.
(Liked by Jess Phillips)

These are my principles. If you don't like them I have others.