Westministenders: Back to School

[RedToothBrush]

No, I'm not referring to the start of a new parliamentary season, I'm referring to the number of politicians who need to literally go back to school. Its embarassing, and worrying.

Anyway, here is a slightly lengthy, end summer news round up for you.

The Brexit Headlines
It seems to be Cabinet Office policy to push for the Chequers Deal or for No Deal Even though Macron has very firm, plainly and clearly said "non" in no uncertain terms. Its significant because its come from the official Brexit Department and not from a sweating Dominic Raab at Dexeu.

He has however delivered the first batch of the Brexit Untechnical Papers which are supposed to advise what to do in the event of No Deal. In reality this is a PR exercise, which makes the assumption that some sort of minimual deal will have been done, rather than no deal at all, combined with a very practical plan for 'a wing and a prayer'. Which is a bit of an issue if we decide that we really are going to stick to the line that its Chequers or no deal.

These untechnical papers are ludicarious shallow, which some having the audaciency to say "plan for the news rules, but we haven't actually decided what the news rules are and we'll get back to you as soon as we've made them up". The completely skirt the entire subject of NI, saying merely, more or less "oh that one will just work itself out". Despite the untechnical papers don't include the crucial aviation one, which apparently was held back because it was regarded as 'too shambolic' which is quite the statement, if you've read any of them. Nor do they include details of the contract for hundreds of portaloos to line our motorways so that lorry drivers can still take a pee whilst they are stuck in queues for days. They might starve and no one else will have any food because all the lorries are stuck, but hell they'll be no exposure on the M20 to offend you.

Its not quite as bleak as it sounds though. The Chequers Deal is a vision of our future relationship with the EU. Its not the Withdrawal Deal. And the Withdrawal Deal (and backstop) is the thing that needs to be done in Oct / Nov. Which then will lead on to talks about the Chequers Deal. You can't talk about Chequers without having ALREADY agreed the Withdrawal. Which is very important to keep in mind as its continuely being lost in the media coverage. Could it be that all the sudden noise from the Cabinet Office, is an attempt to distract in the short term to protect the Withdrawal phrase?

Also as an alternative to Chequers, Macron is reportedly expected to propose something akin to an 'associate member' style agreement for the UK with a vision for the EU and its allies to form a series of "concentric circles", with Britain closely tied to the 27 "core" EU member states. If this sounds familiar it is. Guy Verhofstadt has been banging on about this as an idea since before Brexit. Its also a plan which has long been muted by Barnier too. It will probably go down like a lead balloon here, but there is a political will in the EU for a deal. There just isn't in the UK.

More generally in UK politics
Jeremy Corbyn has had a nice relaxing summer but after the hard upcoming weeks ahead, I think he'll still be looking forward to his holiday plans for the Autumn Break, when he visits Israel to profess he's still definitely not an anti-semite, because look he's visiting the evil Zion and talking to Jews. He will spend the next few month telling us that No Deal is a Very Bad Idea, whilst also trying to get his MPs to vote in ways that are a Very Bad Idea. Meanwhile the rest of Labour will indulge in a very public slanging match which most normal people have long since stopped caring about in anyway because they are so bored and disappointed in how far heads have been inserted up backsides.

Theresa May, has been in Africa, where she is trying to get trade deals with lots of countries we already have trade deals with through the EU. She's also in the midst of a fight with Spreadsheet Phil who has been busy telling her to butt out of the budget and realising information to undermine the 'No Deal' narrative all week. Oh and trying to persuade beg Mark Carney to stay another year at the BoE cos no one wants his job. Rees-Smug has been up to his usual English Gentleman Act where he replicates the MPs of the Victorian Era who were into fucking those from the colonies whilst stripping them for asserts, with impecable manners. Boris Johnson is looking for his next photo op where he can look zany and drop a headline grabbing offensive comment. If it winds May up, so much the better. The Tory Creche outing to Birmingham looks like its going to be a scream.

I should say something about the LDs here, so here's a tumbleweed for you.

Back to Brexit
The fishing wars have started. Michael Gove has yet to be sighted in a souwester though (give it time). The Scallop Wars are an insight into why we need a relationship with the EU. It turns out that the French are pissed because we've been using these big fuck off ships which dredge the sea bed and are a ecological disaster and haven't observed a break for a 'breeding season' this year, whilst the French are forced to do so by law. We had been observing an informal agreement where we stick to the same rules, but for some reason this year, some bright spark though it was a bad idea for us to do so. So the French have got a bit shirty in response. Gove is spitting the dummy and saying we will do something. The reality? Well what exactly can we do apart from go to the EU and use the EU courts apart from patrolling the seas with a lot of customs boats and officials we don't have? Cod Wars III here we come!

We've also announced plans for brand new white whale money pit satellite to circle solely over the UK. We aren't in need of coverage for the rest of the world, so we aren't going to waste money on flying over anywhere else who isn't prepared to help contribute financially to its construction. It is going under the draft name of 'Heliocentre'

In other news
If none of this cheers your spirits, then great news; Good Old Nige is making a come back!!! He's dead excited because he's planning his first big Nazi Leave means Leave rally in Bolton where he act out his childhood Hitler fantasy. It'll a cost you a fiver to get in. He's also bored and worried about his income, as he's now considering getting pasted in the London Mayoral Election for the publicity. So soon his face will be back on your TV boxes for Questiontime. Are you all so happy.

I rather suspect the Greens won't be objecting and will be only too happy they aren't getting the publicity they deserve as the 4th biggest party at the moment...

So the Summer is over and normal service is resuming. I hope you have enjoyed the rest and this post brings you a little up to speed. We have Party Conferences to look forward to in the upcoming weeks. Won't that be a joy to behold? And the resumption of shooting ourselves in the face in EU talks.

Oh and don't forget that Trump fellow too. Its all starting to look a bit tasty over there ahead of the November elections. What happens there in the next couple of months might be very important to what happens over here.

Who is excited?!

I am just dancing to the sound of the South African Beats.

I have been to Uganda. The warmth and generosity shown to visitors is often overwhelming, offering you a share in their food in situations where they have hardly any themselves.

Thanks as ever rtb
I feel like I'm drowning in all this news right now. Thank you all for keeping me somewhat afloat

Ds's sarky comment about Wonga was that they probably lent themself a £ and went bankrupt trying to pay it off with their interest rates.

@EmmanuelMacron
Ceux qui disent : « Mettons dehors tous les étrangers, fermons toutes les portes » mentent. Notre exigence à nous, Européens progressistes, est d'entendre les peurs et de les calmer en apportant une réponse humaine et efficace.

Nous vivons depuis 70 ans dans un miracle : il n'y a plus la guerre en Europe.

Compare and contrast this with anything that peculiar woman from maidenhead has said.

In theory I believe all humans are from the same race, but when I see and hear brexists, I can't honestly be sure.

Could you please translate that into English?

Oh it really is the 'back to school' business resume day today.

Not only do we have a Labour MP resigning the whip, but we also have the Tories at each other's throats - in this case literally!:

www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/four-tory-members-have-gone-public-to-accuse-the-party-of?utm_source=dynamic&utm_campaign=bfsharetwitter&utm_term=.gtW7mbRjx#.ddZ02mdvW
Four Tory Members Have Gone Public To Accuse The Party Of Covering Up Complaints Against A Senior MP

"The findings of the report appear to have been buried."

BuzzFeed News has seen a formal complaint submitted to CCHQ in October 2017 in which a complainant alleges they were the victim of a “violent incident”.

The testimony claims that “during a conversation with Guto Bebb ... he held me by my throat, squeezing it, at which I went limp”.

A second complainant told BuzzFeed News they contacted CCHQ alleging that they were involved in a separate incident at a Tory association event.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the complainant said: “He came out of nowhere and knocked me over down some stairs, in front of witnesses. He then just disappeared. I could have been badly hurt.”

Bebb denied the allegations made against him to the party, telling BuzzFeed News: “These allegations, peddled to various media outlets all summer, are false, malicious and defamatory.”

This also squarely lands at the feet of Gavin Barwell for not doing anything - which makes it an issue for May.

Place mat king

Thanks Mrs8 It's almost as good in English.

Has anyone in british politics said anything like this since Gordon Brown, correctly pointed out that the racist lady who was complaining about 'foreigners' was in fact a racist?

A Swedish government study has found a recent surge in the number of automated Twitter accounts ahead of elections next month

Researchers noted that 40% of the accounts are more likely to support the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats party, which is expected to make gains on September 9

The study by Sweden’s defence research agency comes amid broader concerns over misinformation ahead of the elections

Last year, Sweden’s domestic intelligence agency briefed lawmakers about the potential risk of foreign inference in the vote to renew the 349-seat Riksdagen

At the time, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told Swedish broadcaster SVT that it has “become increasingly obvious that foreign powers are trying to influence an election and its outcome”. He added that “obviously Russia was active in the US elections” and “we cannot assume that we are immune

Polls suggest that the Sweden Democrats — currently the country’s third largest political group but considered a pariah in Swedish politics — could become Sweden’s second largest party and surpass the main opposition party, the liberal Moderates. Sweden’s largest party, the ruling Social Democrats, built the country’s famed welfare state

The Sweden Democrats, born out of a radical nationalist movement with neo-Nazi links, has softened its rhetoric and expelled openly racist members. It gained popularity amid the debate about immigration, a key topic in the election

The Scandinavian country of 10 million took in 163,000 refugees during the dramatic influx of migrants in Europe in 2015 — the highest per-capita rate in Europe

www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-6113545/Sweden-fears-election-interference-automated-Twitter-accounts-surge.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490

Sweden is literally falling to the nazis tonight. Courtesy of the same folks who brought you 'brexit'.

Interesting...

Ladbrokes have BoJo as the 5/1 favourite for next Tory leader. They also have Gove as the favourite for next Cabinet Minister to leave at 7/2, with May following at 4/1 and disgraced-former-defence-secretary-and-Werrity-sniffer Fox at 5/1

Thanks for another thread, Red, and for the sterling summary

Sweden - terrifying, Putin honing his trusted formula. A relative has taken Swedish citizenship to keep EU membership, they'd be distraught if Swexit.

Well that last one flew past...

Trump is now threatening to leave the WTO. Where would that place the Brexiters and "We'll just trade on WTO terms."?

Trump is following the brexiter's logic, that any rule based international organisation us a burden ratger than an opportunity and a bulwark against war.

Trump is now threatening to leave the WTO. Where would that place the Brexiters and "We'll just trade on WTO terms."?

He's previously done that. Not new. No Brexiters picked up on it then. Which is a pretty important point if your future strategy is being threatened in that way.

“All I know is the LDs seem like a reasonably functioning party right now, but that's because Tories and Labour are setting the bar so incredibly LOW“

I had thought so, but then I saw the trans activism appeasement.
They must watching the Green Party car-crash and thinking “There, but for the grace of God, goes Cambridge...”

Mother What a lovely remembrance of Jo Cox in the city of Brussels.
Excellent plan too, for more women's names around the city.

I hope there is a similar tribute in her own town
There should be one in Westminster too.

The village square where I live is named {14 August 1944 square} and there is a small monument to the Scottish regiment who liberated this place. 5 miles away is the cemetery where 809 soldiers from around the world died to make Europe 'free'.
At least here there is some understanding of WHY there is an EU, even if they are not convinced of all it's goals.

Prospect (trade union) poll of specialist civil servants working on Brexit

Less than 5% think govt approach is OK.
Those civil servants are just experts, though

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/30/civil-service-specialists-dissatisfied-with-uk-handling-of-brexit

The union conducted an online survey of 1,073 members, made up of scientists, engineers and experts in their field working across the civil service, over several weeks.
Members were invited to say whether they were satisfied with the government’s approach to Brexit.

Just 4.85% of them said they were either satisfied or very satisfied,
compared with 78% who said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.

It would be interesting to know why there are 5 percent who are satisfied since this is such a distinctively pre selected group armed with more facts than most.

Poor old Gordon Brown, I often think he was much maligned.

If he'd have held an election when he became PM, it's a good chance 2010 might have given us a different result ...

It would be interesting to know why there are 5 percent who are satisfied since this is such a distinctively pre selected group armed with more facts than most.

That could just be approaching the margin of error for the poll ? Alternatively, maybe 5% of any group of people are simply terminally thick ? I've never heard darwinawards.com/ ever accused of "making this shit up" ....

Interestingly, that 5% - 1 in 20 corresponds exactly to the occurrence of the "alpha male" in any group of men. The Vietnamese realised this, and managed to reduce their prison guards considerably by identifying the 5% and removing them from the 95%. I'm not going to be so naive as to suggest that 5% have no purpose - I imagine in a tribal conflict situation it's pretty advantageous to have a shouty slightly less-afraid-of-consequences type of person around to lead you. However, it more problematic when you want tribes to get on.