Westministenders: High Drama at The Ok Coral

[RedToothBrush]

3:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 26, 1881, Tombstone, Arizona.

After months of death threats from the Cowboy Billys, their long simmering feud with the law thing came to a head. The Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday faced the criminals down in a shootout.

Tomorrow's 'sleepover' is starting to feel like the Gunfight at the OK Coral.

The outcome of the real story was three of the outlaws were killed. Another two claimed they were unarmed and ran from the fight. Virgil, Morgan, and Doc Holliday were wounded, but Wyatt Earp was unharmed.

How many Brexiteers can we expect to roll over and resign from the Cabinet and how many will surrender to May and the Pro-Business lobby? ONly time will tell.

Please place your bets for the number of resignations and the number of 'I support the PM' comments.

But don't get too excited. The showdown wasn't the end of the matter.

One of the outlaws who legged it, filed murder charges against the Earps and Doc Holliday. It took them some time for them to be acquitted.

Then Virgil Earp was ambushed and disabled in the arm later that year in December and Morgan Earp was assassinated in March 1882. Wyatt Earp, then thinking he had no other option, went on a personal vendetta to kill the outlaws and then fled the state.

Given the Tory Cabinet and the perchant for stabbing each other in the back and settling personal scores, a repeat of a wild west gun fight, really doesn't sound too wildly off the cards now does it?

Buckle up. Its time to play at Chequers.

Kit Malthouse is not a bad choice for Housing, I don't think

His background is local council and he was deputy Mayor to Boris for a while (in charge of policing IIRC).

Heaton-Harris is the MP who wrote to every university asking for details of lectures given by academics on Brexit . He was also an MEP for 10 years

We all know Boris has gone don't we?

Left my phone at hone while on school run!

I know I've been saying this since the group stage but ... we're not going to win the next match.

No reason not to. Englands current position seems a fair reflection of their ability and skill. Unlike previous WCs where it's hard to avoid the accusation of being lucky more than skilled.

Sam Coates Times @SamCoatesTimes
On Friday, Jeremy Hunt painted an unexpectedly apocalyptic picture of Brexit

Some thought it went too far on Friday. I’m not sure they do now.

Here’s the story (which was in the first edition of The Times today - the pre resignation edition).

It might make you smile

'Few had expected Jeremy Hunt to be quite so apocalyptic. Giving his views on post-Brexit Britain's future, the health secretary invoked Emperor Hirohito on the occasion of Japan's surrender in World War II in 1945. Borrowing the words of the Japanese ruler, Mr Hunt told the room that there had "been significant developments" on Brexit since they last spoke which "had not necessarily gone to our advantage".

He then set out why, in the face of such adversity, he supported Theresa May's compromise. Some cabinet ministers wondered if it was really necessary to compare Britain in 2018 to the moment Japan was brough to its knees by atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. "You don't really want to be using that line," said one. Others, quietly, were less critical.

Too many 'football fans' are so proud we won (in 1966) and have been reminding the rest of us ever since.
If they revoke A50 at least business would be able to work out what the heck to do rather than bleeding to death for the next 8 months.

Two in the back of the net …. come on England make it a hat trick and boot Fox in too!

Laura Kuenssberg @bbclaurak
1. Whatever else it proves today - May's carefully constructed way of trying to keep govt and party together after referendum havoc is bust to bits - Brexiteers were meant to be kept on side in Cabinet - negotiations were meant to be led by separate dept
2. What we don't know is whether Johnson is going to call for leadership election, does this turn into a race within days or not - some cabinet colleagues were alaredy pushing May to call confidence vote to call brexiteers bluff - those calls will surely inrease now

Laura Kuenssberg @bbclaurak
Note this - Whittingdale a committed eurosceptic but t the loyal end of the spectrum

John Whittingdale @JWhittingdale
Enormous act of bravery and principle by Boris, DD and Steve. I and 17.4m people salute you

Beth Rigby @BethRigby
Nasty this; told Boris Johnson informed No 10 earlier that he was going to resign this evening & they put out statement. “They think they’re terribly clever” said a friend.

What did I say about 4.30-5.00pm?!

Beth Rigby @BethRigby
NEW: Also told that he, like Davis & Baker want to change the policy not the leader. Told by friend of Boris Johnson that he is NOT quitting to take tilt at leadership #Johnson
Told to now expect the exchange of letters at about 6pm. No 10 obviously wanted to jump the gun and take back control of Johnson resignation since they’ve lost control over everything else

No reason not to. Englands current position seems a fair reflection of their ability and skill. Unlike previous WCs where it's hard to avoid the accusation of being lucky more than skilled.

See, I disagree. I think - Belgium aside - we have been better than all the teams we have played so far... but we have been incredibly lucky in who we have drawn. I think we've had a very easy path up to this point. I think we are in (by far) the easier of the semi finals - so we might get through/ we might not. The realist in me says not to get my hopes up (or down - if we are to avoid a nationalist spike).
But should we get through .. well we've already played Belgium and lost... and no way will we beat France!

(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges
Downing Street source tells me that at Chequers Boris actually proposed a toast to the Prime Minister. He then offered to do a joint op-ed with Philip Hammond backing the deal.

Ooooo those KNIVES!!! They are sharp and pointy.

If nothing else, it seems a whole swathe of people who - until now didn't really know/care about Brexit (i.e. most of MN ...) have suddenly had their faces slapped twice in 6 hours about it.

Interesting seeing the no-moss-gathering threads popping up elsewhere.

Of course Tories for whom Brexit was a sideshow are going to also be incredibly pissed off.

Henry Mance @henrymance
AMAZING - David Davis says Boris Johnson shouldn't have resigned

"I had resigned because this was central to my job... I don’t think it’s central to the foreign secretary." (via @IainDale @lbc)

I'm getting the vaguest feeling that senior Brexiters don't like each other very much...

!!!!!!

So what happened over the weekend?

Was it DD jumping that persuaded BoJo to follow suite?

How did the briefing for Labour MPs go?

Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot
Labour MP comes out of the briefing. “Most surreal meeting ever. They are presenting a deal which is collapsing in front of our eyes. The projector doesn’t work. All anyone is talking about is Boris. It’s like the fucking Thick of It.”
All you can hear from outside the room where Labour MPs are having their Brexit briefing is raucous laughter

More Brexiteer resignations to come
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44771475

The knives are coming out for Olly Robbins

Well this is getting interesting!

What happened over the weekend?

Everyone was watching the footie and wouldn't have been terribly interested in two annoying politicians ruining their fun and getting the headlines.

Plus Johnson and Davis are too spineless to act without being egged on and say something to May's face. They have to back stab after the fact cos they are cowardly and want the greatest amount of attention.

Which is also why Davis is pissed at Johnson ruining his wedding by upstaging the bride.

Nick Robinson @bbcnickrobinson
Only yesterday Team Boris was briefing: “The only people who would benefit from Boris leaving Cabinet would be Barnier, Merkel, Selmayr & the rest of those negotiating for the EU”. Looking forward to hearing what’s changed.

Which is also why Davis is pissed at Johnson ruining his wedding by upstaging the bride

Ha ha

Surprised no one has yet managed to blame the Remain camp.

Not sure who the source was, but the DM has got a lot of detail on what happened in Chequers

Rossetti, they'll get to that after everyone has stopped stabbing each other in the back. Its the only thing that unites Brexiteers. Otherwise they all hate each other.