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Brexit

Westministenders: Amber Alert

977 replies

RedToothBrush · 29/04/2018 19:25

The coming week is a busy one.

First on the menu is the fate of Amber Rudd, who after her long awaited fifth apology and denial that she saw a memo with targets on (and Brandon Lewis took the responsibility for her) ANOTHER leak has come out of a letter from her to the PM, talking about, you've guessed it Home Office targets.

She is to give a speech to the HoC on Monday. After avoiding the chop/resignation on Friday and receiving the PM's kiss of death with a "The Home Secretary has my full confidence" statement, rumours are most definitely not going away about her resignation.

If this happens, she is almost certain to go to the Naughty Corner to add to May's woes with the other rebels. This is not the week that May will appreciate it.

Watch out for Sajid Javid making more unsubtle hints that he wants the job and how it will be great PR for the party.

The EU withdrawal Bill is in the HoL again tomorrow. Last week it suffered numerous government defeats relating to the Customs Union and the limiting of Henry VIII powers. With the LDs and Labour control most of the house and together with cross benchers and the (to date no less than 17) Conservative Rebels, expect more defeats and amendments to be sent back to the Commons.

Today there is an amendment tabled by Viscount Hailsham (ex-MP Douglas Hogg) with Labour and Lib Dem support. It is being touted as a 'Lords Veto' to block Brexit by some, but is about making sure the government is held to account and does not overstep its powers by not consulting with parliament over final terms. It would in effect strengthen the power of the House of Commons (rather than the Lords) to influence the Withdrawal Bill.

So its quite a big and significant one.

If this wasn't enough, there is a key crucial vote over the Customs Union. Its been touted as Schrodinger's confidence vote. Its not the final vote on the matter (that's later in May) nor is a true confidence vote due to the Fixed Parliament Act, but at the same time it is a real test of May's commitment to leaving the Custom's Union and a real test of the resolve of the rebels. Last week several Conservatives who previously had not rebelled were dropping large hints they would, plus there is the fate of Rudd, who if she wants a future as an MP will find it difficult not to rebel due to her constituency being hugely remain and only having a majority of 300.

If May fails to follow through and bows to pressure from the rebels, Johnson and Davis have threatened to resign and there is some suggestion that letters will go to the 1922 Committee's Graham Brady.

May also has been put under significant pressure by Brexiteers to sack civil servant Ollie Robbins from the Cabinet Office (who has effectively taken over Brexit negotiations from Davis) because he's too Remainy got his hands tied with no where to go because reality.

Other things on the cards:
Tuesday: The Sanctions and Money Laundering Bill is back in the Commons. It might be worth a look at what goes on there (and who takes part).
Wednesday: Labour's Opposition Bill is about Windrush. Expect it to be last minute campaigning for the local elections every bit as much as about the scandal.
The Withdrawal Bill is in the Lords again.
Thursday: We get to listen to David Davis (if he hasn't resigned) making excuses in the HoC whilst in the Lords there is a debate on 'Brexit: Sanctions Policy' so another chance for them to point out great big wacking holes in government Brexit Policy.

Thursday is also the day of the Local Elections, so although Parliament adjourns on Thursday, we have a full day of spin on how Labour 'won' and are going plant magic money trees everywhere (to replace the ones they cut down in Sheffield no doubt) or how the campaign for bins now means that the Tories now have a 'mandate to leave the customs union'. Joy.

Also on the radar are sexual misconduct allegations against Labour's John Woodcock (the much hated by the left John Woodcock) and Labour and the expulsion of Marc Wadworth in the midst of the anti-Semitism row and threats the grass roots will revolt over it. Tuesday is also MayDay (a chequered day in Labour's history) and a mass resignation from the Labour Party by women is planned.

And I'm definitely not betting against there being a likely to be another scandal that rears its head because that's just British Politics at the moment.

But GOOD NEWS.

Eurovision starts next week!
(Israel have to be my fav - and are favs to win - but I do like our entry. Though this year looks to be a good year and our unashamed goodbye to the EU probably will be lost amongst them unless she pulls a blinder).

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OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon · 04/05/2018 17:46

Final ward’s in making the total 39 Lib Dems and 9 conservatives for Kingston

RedToothBrush · 04/05/2018 17:48

LDs hold South Lakeland
They were concerned about losing it, but have clung on.

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Hasenstein · 04/05/2018 17:54

RTB
"I thought Surrey council was also on the brink of going bankrupt?"

It was, so the leader of the council David Hodge threatened a 15% increase in council tax, which would have triggered a county-wide referendum (they just love 'em), but mysteriously backed off and dropped it to just under 5% after email exchanges with ministers just before the budget which showed he'd been promised "extra funding". All blusteringly denied, of course. Unfortunately, he got away with it and is still in post.

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/surrey-council-tax-leaked-gentlemans-12708098

Still laughing about the so-called "gentleman's agreement"!

RedToothBrush · 04/05/2018 17:55

I know that not all councils count at night because a) more expensive b) more errors and recounts needed at night as people are tired.

It does make more sense to do it during normal working hours. Less drama perhaps though.

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OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon · 04/05/2018 17:57

I thought it was a sweetheart deal!

Hasenstein · 04/05/2018 18:05

Maybe gentlemen in the Tory party call each other sweetheart now? The love that can speak its name!

RedToothBrush · 04/05/2018 18:23

twitter.com/ashcowburn/status/992440053090738177
Electoral Reform Society suggesting 3981 people have been disenfranchised by Voter ID.

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OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon · 04/05/2018 19:29

That’s shocking red. How is that a proportionate response to a non-existent problem?

Faisal Islam
@faisalislam
NEW: ex Cabinet minister Justine Greening tells me Brexit Cabinet rejection of Customs Partnership “out of step where the Parliamentary party is” & re ERG “we can’t have a group of MPs who behave a little bit like Russia does on UNSC –vetoing things they don’t like” @SkyNews at 7

NEW : Asked if she was concerned about Cabinet rejection of PM’s Customs Partnership:
JG – “Yes I am..it’s time for the moderates in the party like myself to work with the PM on a sensible approach to the customs policy & make sure this is something we can get through Parliament”

Interview and full words coming very shortly, but it appears to me that Greening, who has held her fire on Brexit since leaving Cabinet, has now decided, with backing, that the ERG influence on Government needs taking on. Big moment.

prettybird · 04/05/2018 19:50

Reading the replies to that Twitter thread on the numbers that were turned away is truly shocking ShockAngry

"It's their fault", "They should have known better", "How difficult is it to remember your passport", "Just bring your birth certificate/bank card/driving licence".

Some of them live in a different world of privilege and assuming that everyone is like them. Sad

I nearly went on to the thread to say, "And what happens if you are, for example, one of the Windrush generation and don't have any of those things? Or you're homeless and have lost everything?" But I decided it wasn't worth trying to argue with ignoramuses Hmm

Arborea · 04/05/2018 21:19

My ward stayed Tory, and DH and I formed about 1% of the total LD vote. There was so much anger towards the incumbents on the local FB page that I thought there was a reasonable chance of an upset, but apparently not. My neighbours want to whinge, but not actually have anything change Confused There again, maybe that's a good metaphor for the referendum...

lonelyplanetmum · 04/05/2018 21:31

Electoral Reform Society suggesting 3981 people have been disenfranchised by Voter ID.

Do we have a breakdown of how they would have voted.That will give us an indication of whether the experiment will be rolled out.

Anyway there's always the proposed constituency changes and reduction in numbers of MP's. As understand it the boundary changes if implemented almost guarantee Tory victories in perpetuum. Note the ending there using a latin quip and thereby channelling one's inner Rees Mogg (ugh), on an if you can't beat 'em join 'em basis.

RedToothBrush · 04/05/2018 21:37

Justin Greening is being touted as a possible London mayor candidate.

If she is seriously considering it, expect a lot of noise like that to come from her direction.

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Dobby1sAFreeElf · 04/05/2018 21:53

arborea same here. Lots of noise but then incumbents or at least favourite rosettes still got in without much challenge in a lot of wards. We have a lot of residents associations though which makes turning votes into national share harder to predict and if they could get together they would run the council. Tories ensure they don't though so they get coalition.

mrsreynolds · 04/05/2018 21:58

I can't help feeling that the Tories must be breathing a sigh of relief....

OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon · 04/05/2018 22:00

The numbers seem very low

Westministenders: Amber Alert
MimpiDreams · 04/05/2018 22:03

I know there's a lot going on this week but why aren't the British press reporting what's going on in Spain? This week they've approved a motion to use brexit to negotiate Gibraltar's sovereignty and rejected a motion to allow brits in Spain to have dual nationality post brexit.

RedToothBrush · 04/05/2018 22:24

Because the British can't read Spanish.

(Yes probably is that simple. No money invested by media companies to read/watch the Spanish media).

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MimpiDreams · 04/05/2018 22:34

But they could follow the Gibraltar media which reports it in English. It seems to me that they're just not that interested. Is that a reflection of attitudes in Britain as a whole? I'm bewildered by the endless wranglings of the press over the Ireland border and its potential for creating brexit chaos but Gibraltar is pretty much forgotten.

RedToothBrush · 04/05/2018 22:57

It seems to me that they're just not that interested. Is that a reflection of attitudes in Britain as a whole?

You've pretty much nailed the mentality.

Not Britain though. England. And yes its reflective.

During the referendum campaign, Northern Ireland was ignored and disregarded as an issue despite the Good Friday Agreement. Little Englanders just shrugged and said "not my problem".

Little Englanders do not care about anywhere outside their field of vision. They dislike foreigners like the Northern Irish, Welsh and Scottish.

Gibraltar isn't even some where they think is British. Its just somewhere foreign to them.

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Dobby1sAFreeElf · 04/05/2018 23:04

Gibraltar isn't even some where they think is British. Its just somewhere foreign to them.
Round this way its an excuse to call for the send out of warships

RedToothBrush · 04/05/2018 23:34

Yeah but its British property. Not proper British. And the people who live there aren't proper British.
(Said with sarcasm).

Ridiculously, Tower Hamlets has only just declared that Labour have taken control of the council.

They still have 8 wards to count. Over 24hrs after the polls closed and Sunderland had pretty much already declared.

How on earth the council functions when it doesn't seem to manage a local election well, even after previous issues, is my final thought of the day...

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HesterThrale · 04/05/2018 23:56

In other election news, Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, won a seat on Lambeth Council, bringing their total to 5, and making them the 2nd biggest party.

www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2018/05/04/green-co-leader-wins-lambeth-council-seat-in-record-breaking-elections/

George Stoakley, the Tory candidate (in Fen Ditton, South Cambs) who tweeted racist messages, did not get elected. But he did get over 800 votes. Hard to believe.
The Lib Dems took 30 seats and regained the Council.

www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/south-cambs-election-full-results-14618161

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/tory-stoakley-jew-jokes-cambridgeshire-14615234.amp

ScreenQueen · 05/05/2018 07:43

Here's south cambs liberal democrat victory in glorious technicolour....also worth bearing in mind scambs MP is Heidi Allen who is very well regarded by constituents of all parties. This really was a very specific anti-government, anti-brexit statement (however practically disconnected that may be).

Also worth noting Cambridge city in contrast remained almost unchanged with no Tory seats whatsoever....scambs is about a "true blue" area that can no longer bear the stench of Brexit.

No prizes for guessing which part of the uk I live in or which party I vote for GrinCakeGlitterball

Westministenders: Amber Alert
lonelyplanetmum · 05/05/2018 08:31

I had a dream before waking up
just now- seriously..

In it I was sort of hovering over a liberal party conference! All their banners etc were more sort of a reddish orange. They decided to rebrand and call themselves the Centre Democrats. In my dream this seemed brilliant and really catchy.The debating panel agreed their beliefs were still tolerant and liberal, but the latter word had developed a negative connotation.

Then the dream sort of morphed and a procession of 100's of identical MPs all wearing grey ( in my dream weirdly all men) started filing into the room.I knew they were moderate Labour and Tories all joining the rebranded Central party.

RedToothBrush · 05/05/2018 08:39

Im not sure if thats a good dream or a dystopian nightmare lonely.

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