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

67chevvy agree totally!
The vision of TM being 'bullied' does not compute. But what AS says is so much sense ( even though I still don't like her).

Jennifer Williams @JenWilliamsMEN
Without making comment on the political or strategic rights/wrongs of these defectors, there is something strangely emotional about watching this press conference

Jonathan Mills @lovelybokeh
It's the shock of hearing people talk with conviction and belief.

Jefferson built the idea of American Liberalism by using conviction and belief and passion.

If you look at the LDs and wonder why they are getting precisely no where, its a lot to do with a total lack of this.

Jane Merrick @janemerrick23
Anna Soubry: "Like everyone, we're tired of labels, we're tired of tribalism, of British politics being dominated from its extremes. It's time for change and we are a team with your support who will deliver that change." #ChangePolitics

James Forsyth @JGForsyth
The Soubry speech is the danger to the Tories, it is an attempt to create an impression that the two main parties are as bad as each other

Erm.... she doesn't have to do anything to 'attempt' or 'create' 'an impression'.

Any one with their eyes open can see that shit.

Churchill allowed a few days at the end of ww2 for essentially lawlessness to enable people oppressed by the Nazis to take revenge. I watched a documentary on it.

People were hung from lampposts, some of whom were innocent.

The rule of law needs to be the most important thing.

I think we're all agreed on the thread so far re: following due process and the rule of law.

But don't ask me to feel compassion. She's well above the age of criminal responsibility and was when she left. I don't agree with the use of 'grooming' in relation to getting people to support such groups. Most criminals of all kinds could point to ways in which they've been 'groomed' into that lifestyle. It's an abdication of personal responsibility and, IMO, a mis-use of the concept of grooming.

Where do we draw the line? If someone gets involved in a radical group or criminal activities(of any kind) before age 18 can they argue they were groomed into it?

Agree Red. I am personally finding it refreshing and inspiring to see three women taking centre stage and talking about their vision for something different. The LDs don't offer that either.

Excellent speeches by all 3 ex Tories, at last people from both main parties are standing up for what is right for the nation.

The Tories have become a far right party now, with policies akin to FN/AFD.

If they form a party and stand nationwide, they've got my vote and i expect many others too, people are totaly fxxxed off with lab/con

Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford
So far the 'three amigos' - Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston have:

* Said a 'significant no of colleagues' will join them

* Urged ministers to stand down to avoid a no deal Brexit

* Vowed to see ERG off

Not quite how PM envisaged this week going...

People were hung from lampposts, some of whom were innocent.

My DFs DF (Nonno) was involved with the partisans that strung Mussolini up ...

meat is 'hung', men are 'hanged'

You can put that post on your CV as well, DG.

Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford
Anna Soubry says the 'last thing this country wants or needs is a general election'.

But speaking people in Govt that's exactly what they are worried about.

Interesting to know how Independent Group would vote in event of a confidence motion...

The temptation will be for a GE sooner rather than later to stop to TIGGERS becoming organised. And this works for BOTH Labour and the Cons. So perhaps, ironically, the TIGGERS make a GE more likely...

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn 5 hours ago
Surely @TheIndGroup’s price for Govt support in a confidence vote would be a second referendum.

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn 14 seconds ago
Anna Soubry all-but confirms the above. The TIG will back May's Govt and even her Brexit deal, if she agrees to a referendum: "The last thing this country needs is a general election. What it does need is a People’s Vote". It might just come to this.

You can put that post on your CV as well, DG.

What ? And leave off the advanced sarcasm ?

Henry Newman @HenryNewman
All three Conservative defectors say they had no contact from @10DowningStreet yesterday 😬

Very much suggests that May WANTED them gone.

Very much suggests that May WANTED them gone.

Or that May dare not be seen to trying to court them for fear of the ERGs reaction ? She has to be seen to be imperious and aloof - chasing defectors would be an admission of desperation.

Led by Donkeys currently trolling TM for her Brussels trip...

Aubrey Allegretti @breeallegretti
Strongest quote of the entire press conference, I think, comes from @heidiallen75:

"This is what the big parties do: they want to crush the birth of democracy."

Proper Jefferson Type Stuff there.
Magic.

Thats exactly whats needed and what I've said for some time.

To quote Alan Partridge, I'm tremendously excited by all this...

Going to email my MP (Labour, Remainer) to say they have my vote if they move over to the TIGgers.

Going to email my MP (Labour, Remainer) to say they have my vote if they move over to the TIGgers.

Ohh, there's an idea ....

Well I suppose Westminster is 'Poo corner'.

I might have missed an 'h' deliberately!

Henry Zeffman @hzeffman
BREAKING: Times/YouGov voter intention poll

Con 38
Lab 26
TIG 14
LD 7
SNP/Plaid 5
Other 11

(Weighted by likelihood to vote, excluding would not vote and don’t knows)

Henry Zeffman @hzeffman
One in five people who voted for Labour in 2017 say they would switch to the Independent Group, which is not even a political party yet

Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot
God they are killing the Lib Dems..

The LDs have some difficult choices ahead....

Heidi Allen said 'people first, politics second.'. There's a slogan.

I'm actually finding these three more inspiring than the labour tiggers.

Leaving aside the the rights and wrongs of what Shamima Begum has actually done I'm astounded by the precedent that the decision to strip her of her UK citizenship would set.

As I understand it she's a British-born British citizen, with rights no different from mine (British-born British parents with immigrant backgrounds) or any 'native' British person? Have I got that right?

If that's the case then surely anyone who automatically has the right to a second nationality through birth could be summarily stripped of their British citizenship at the whim of the Home Secretary? That includes just about anyone with Irish or Jewish grandparents.

I think they have grabbed the zeitgeist. The lib dems are dull.

People want change. They want something new, something to give them hope. I don't see Vince Cable as offering that.

Here's what I sent, in case it helps ?

After the decision of the Labour party to continue pursing the Tory Brexit agenda, I decided - reluctantly - that I could not vote for a candidate whose election would be considered a backing - and acceptance - of the flawed Brexit vote.

This would mean that were you to stand on such a platform, I would had to have sought a candidate opposing Brexit.

However, the recent development of MPs from both Labour and Conservative in becoming independent in order to stand against the flawed Brexit process means that were you to make the same decision, I would be confident of voting for you, in the next election. My preference is always to be represented by someone who has a strong attachment to their constituency - something I am well aware is true in your case.