Westminstenders: Distract and divert. Just close your eyes.

[RedToothBrush]

This morning Jeremy Hunt declared that, 'With vision on both sides we can find a way through that has the support of Parliament and also works for the EU'

Of course this is 18th February 2019 and the UK has yet to demostrate they understand the problem, much less have the vision to solve it. And we leave the EU next month.

It needs to be stressed at this point: DON'T FORGET TO FOCUS ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS

Everything else is a tactic to make you close your eyes and miss what is really going on. Everything. Brexit looks increasingly like a hypnotist making their subject do ever increasing acts of ridiculousness on stage. Except I do not know if the public or the politicians are that poor sod. It is the magician who uses tricks of slight of hand to make you look the wrong way, whilst they makes all the big moves out of your vision.

There are so many stories that are coming out to try and make you miss what the government are failing to do. Stay focused. We can't ignore all these stories, but understand whether they are really important to the end game too.

A labour split, a march on the 23rd March, talk of a PV, the Brady amendment, the Malthouse Compromise, Cooper-Boles halting no deal?

No we need more than that.

The time for fantasies are gone. Its time to face reality and be pragmatic. The only thing that matters is the approaching cliff. Which we will go over not on the 29th March but in the next couple of weeks. We might not realise the ground disappearing beneath our feet at first. Our momentum as we go forward will carry for a short while before gravity kicks in.

But we can not defy the laws of physics and suddenly be able to fly because we develop magic superhuman powers of vision.

And no one will come to save us either.

Our national humilation will be total, if we don't acknowledge what is coming and stop.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/3492426-Westministenders-Abbreviation
Brexit Abbreviation Thread

Benjamin Kentish @ benkentish
George Galloway, given a platform on national television, repeats antisemitic tropes about secretive Israeli influence in UK politics, accuses a British MP of being "an agent of the Israeli embassy" and claims accusations of Labour antisemitism are "a Goebellian lie"...

"Next up, we ask Nick Griffin for his views on Shamima Begum"....

I've talked about this before and the trend of TV getting the most extreme speakers in order to 'show both sides of the debate', whilst missing all the sensible, complex, nuanced comments of moderates who are much more representative.

We are fucked in this country because of this type of pandering.

Lots of learning from English 16th century politics feels pertinent ATM sadly.

The whole Brexit split is simply a Catholic/Protestant divide des nos jours - with exactly the same level of religious fervour.

It's hard not to imagine that Brexiteers see themselves as the protestants here - trying to break free of an evil Papacy (the EU being the Catholic church).

The Begum case is simply the added frisson of Catholic spies everywhere, and the unceasing efforts of the state to protect the good Christian folk of England. Given there's even a film about Mary Queen of Scots doing the rounds, it's becoming increasingly hard to argue against some sort of intelligence guiding the affairs of man ....

Paul Brand @paulbranditv
NEW: @Siobhain_MP tells me the Labour leadership’s reaction to MPs quitting has been ‘stalinist’ and she’s still considering her future in the party. Sounds very much that unless something changes, she’ll be going too.

Corbyn doesn't care. He wants them gone.

Meanwhile project Tory is on track:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47252848

Four in 10 private companies that have published their latest gender pay gap are reporting wider gaps than they did last year, according to BBC analysis.

The BBC looked at a company's median pay gap - that is the difference in pay between the middle-ranking woman and the middle-ranking man.

This is different to unequal pay - paying women less than men for the same work - which is illegal.

Big firms with a wider pay gap include Kwik Fit, Npower and Virgin Atlantic.

(contd)

Keep you ears open (lot of noise to drown the signal) but given this is the Tory spring, let me know when you hear the first cuckoo chirps of ...maybe women should be more at home, you know - looking after the reichskinder children...

Helen Catt @ bbchelencatt
BREAKING: Labour is on the brink of losing charge of @BrightonHoveCC as Councillor Anne Meadows defects to Conservatives saying she’s had 18 months of abuse and anti-semitism. Exclusive interview on @bbcsoutheast at 1330

It makes the Tories the largest party on the council. They tell me they will now try to form a minority administration.

Just to point out that all Jews technically have the right to claim Israeli citizenship.

Just y'know saying. If any future government was that way inclined...

I have a feeling this might have been pointed out before - but on MN there are lots of threads about (generally) men who mess up tasks in order not to be asked to do so again. There might even be a name for it..anyway, I think Corbyn is doing it as Leader of the Opposition not

Sky breaking news, Soubry, Allen & Wollaston have gone over to The Independent Group

Paul Brand @paulbranditv
BREAKING: Confirmed that three Tory MPs @heidiallen75 @Anna_Soubry @sarahwollaston have all quit the Conservatives

Writing to the PM, the three MPs say "We no longer feel we can remain in the Party of a Government whose policies and priorities are so firmly in the grip of the ERG and DUP."

I should have said in order not to be asked to do them again!

Well missed the important news there...

The "logical" extension of the principle of withdrawing British citizenship from people with or the potential for dual nationality because of a perceived or actual risk to national security means that in theory, Northern Irish loyalists accused of terrorist acts or simply thought to be dangerous could (or should, if you agree with the principle) have their British citizenship removed

Better late than never I guess....

DG have you actually got any evidence to link Brexit up to religion? If not, leave it out please. I was not born into a religious state and I dislike the way religion has been creeping back into Britain of late. That is how we get dragged back into medieval times. Why not bring back the doctrine of signatures instead of proper healthcare too.

The Begum case has not got anything to do with Brexit either.

This might just push TM to a softer brexit. If she thinks Tory remainers will jump. ERG seem less likely to go.

Philip Lee saying on sky that he's not going at the moment but would consider it if things don't change.

Yep 3 Tories gone Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston off to join the 8 now 11. News just breaking. They could ( almost) make an all girls football team. For all the advances of female politicians it seems they are still very vulnerable in the testestorone filled HOC

Thanks @Sostenueto . I've just seen that too. Phew.

Good - glad some Tories have shaken things up a bit.

DG I also heard on the radio yesterday that the charts are having issues with fewer female acts reaching the charts than they did 10 years ago.

We are definately going backwards.

Leaver on fb posted that crap about how he was waiting to kill the guy who dates his baby princess . I commented and said "If you just teach her to be a strong woman, i'm sure she will take care of herself and save you a prison term."

Good to see that James Goddard is being charged with harrassment after his disgraceful bullying of Anna Soubry.

DG have you actually got any evidence to link Brexit up to religion? If not, leave it out please.

Read my post properly ...

borntobequiet men who mess up tasks in order not to be asked to do so again. There might even be a name for it..anyway, I think Corbyn is doing it as Leader of the Opposition I've seen it described as the glass cliff

Bigly I agree absolutely. And I do worry that we are quietly approaching the moment when "they came for me".

May's reaction

Have I picked up the wrong end again. OK.

Good on Soubry, Allen & Wollaston. Now it starts to get more interesting.

The Begum case has not got anything to do with Brexit either.

Of course it does. Its all part of The Culture War of which Brexit is a symptom not a cause.

Brexit is religious because leaving is an article of faith. In which you are either a believer or none believer. You also have transgenderism as an article of faith. And Corbynism as an article of faith.

All of these are movements in which you must prove your unquestioning loyalty and not ask about where it leads and what the consequences might be.

They have religious fever and cult like behaviour.

If you do not agree you are framed as an evil traitor who should be burned at the stake.