Westminstenders: Stuck in the Middle With TIGGERS

[RedToothBrush]

Well I don't know how we got here tonight.
We've got the feeling that something ain't right.
We're so scared as we leave the EU
And we're wondering how we'll get out of this stew

Antisemites to the left of me!
Dog Whistles to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle whilst we leave the EU.

'Cause I'm stuck in the middle whilst we leave the EU.
And I'm wondering what it is we should do.
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face.
Losing control and running all over the place.

Clowns to the left of me!
Jokers to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle whilst we leave the EU.

When you started off with rights
And you're starting to wonder if thats for life.
And all the politicians come crawling
Slap you on the back and say
Please . . .
Please . . .
Vote Leave and back EU Withdrawal

But we see it makes no sense at all.

Best to keep your money offshore
Than to visit the bookstore

Deniers to the left of me!
Islamaphobes to the right!
Here I am stuck in the middle with you.

Its finally happened. FINALLY.

MPs have seen that their leaders have lost the plot and are hell bent on destruction and politicial ideology ahead of practicality and will justify the unjustifable in the face of democracy and they have jumped ship.

Enter stage left and stage right: The TIGGERS - members of The Independent Group.

Will there be more. Hard to say no. It seems almost certain there will be more.

Will it make a difference? Difficult to call, but these MPs would be driven out sooner or later. Such is our accelerating politicial polarisation and narrowing of views. This is their last stand. They have nothing left to lose on a personal level.

Whether you agree with the TIGGERS or still look to the other parties for policy, I do think that the emergence of the TIGGERS marks a feeling of optimism and much needed hope for many many Remainers / Moderates, even if it ultimately does fizzle out.

A reflection from 2017: People voted for Corbyn because they were looking for Hope. When he's failed to deliver that, its led to disillusionment and he can not pull the same trick again at a future GE. This makes that doubly so. People are STILL very much looking for that hope. If Brexit does go tits up in a big fashion, then what happens? To what direction do people look? I'm sure there will be the bitterest of recriminations, but... hope is a big deal. We need something...

Tick tick tick. 37 days til Brexit.

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

Stephen Lloyd is a bit 'baffling' though ...

blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/12/stephen-lloyds-baffling-decision-to-resign-the-lib-dem-whip/

So is he pro-Brexit or what??

The lib dem MP quit to vote for the brexit deal though. Whereas the Tiggers are anti.

Whenever I look at Sarah Wollaston and Phillip Lee I can just see them as GPs. You can really imagine them being kind to you in the doctor's room.

Are people certain the confusion over "no deal" and "no Brexit" has been cleared up across the board ?

I see Junker doing his usual doom and gloom threat because nothings changed. As if we need reminding

We might not. An awful lot of people bloody well do.

Whereas the Tiggers are anti.

The problem is now the Tories "own" Brexit, it's hard not to conflate anti-Brexit and anti Tory. Something Magic Grandpa needs to bear in mind as it makes Labour a paradox.

DRG loving Magic Grandpa. Can I steal that one?

loving Magic Grandpa. Can I steal that one?

i can take no credit for it. It popped up a while ago to explain Corbynmania ...

Keeping my fingers crossed for more good quality TIGGERS. No idea if it will make any difference to Brexit, but I think it's a positive change to our insane two incompetent parties system!

The Tory Tiggers are anti-Brexit. I am not sure where the Labour ones stand, more anti than pro?

Purplebricks in trouble - can they be regarded as a proxy for the housing market ?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47315546

Shares in estate agents Purplebricks plunged after it slashed its sales forecast and announced the departure of two senior executives.

The company expects sales for the current financial year of between £130m and £140m. Its previous forecast was between £165m and £175m.

(contd)

Political pics @politicalpics
Tory chairman just left No10 with Grayling not a smile to be seen.

Bet that was a fun meeting.

May: So Brandon, how many more do you think are going to leave?
Lewis: I don't know. But it's bad.
Grayling: Don't worry, perhaps I can speak to some of them and persuade them to stay.
May and Lewis in unison: NO! I'll do it!

Sky news @skynews
Barclays has said it has set aside £150m to cover the impact of "anticipated economic uncertainty in the UK"
news.sky.com/story/barclays-sets-aside-163150m-to-cover-uk-uncertainty-11643395?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter
Barclays sets aside £150m to cover UK 'economic uncertainty'
The lender has taken a hit to profits to cover an expected impact on its business with a possible no-deal Brexit just weeks away.

What's that a euphemism for?

sos It's not a doom and gloom "threat"
Juncker is just trying to remind the UK side - who remain engrossed in their own navel fluff - that time has almost run out.

Unless May Revokes, anything the UK decide they want, has to be agreed with the EU by 29 March

I've noticed people mentioning stocking up on bottled water or water purifying tablets, but I've not seen why. Could someone explain to me please how our water supply could be affected post-brexit? Thank you!

Tom Harwood @tomhfh
Hearing that the Electoral Commission have spoken to TIG and told them that they must report donations of amounts over £1,500.

Could someone explain to me please how our water supply could be affected post-brexit?

Presumably it's the same magic gremlins which are going to cause us to run out of bananas, flour and fuel supplies.

...and fertiliser apparently.

I think the chemicals to treat water supplies are imported, so again, it's the bottle necks at the ports especially Dover which are a potential problem.

PMK further along the thread...

Still laid up ill, washing been sat in the machine for 2 days, Ddog is unwalked and I've only done the very bare min to keep DP sorted. Half watched a lot of daytime tv the Tiggers are polarizing to the Jeremy vine viewers. Love the indignant rage of callers why wont they listen to us? Out means out. Very sad that one leaver called and said Tiggers don't know what it's like to need to go to a foodbank...this is very true but how will leaving stop the need for foodbanks? So much pain flying around and so much hope pinned on brexit. Whatever the outcome I really hope politics starts centering basic needs like food, shelter, healthcare.

It is that the chemicals used in the water treatment plants all come from mainland EU.

The question is one of whether these might be caught in any traffic issues.

Personally, considering the importance of an effective water supply, I believe that any such chemicals would be treated as per medicines - they would be given priority (as much as possible, perhaps by air-freight).

That said, no harm in being prepared if that is your preference. We have had situations where the local water supply has been contaminated simply due to flooding, so makes sense to have options if you think Brexit might have wider impacts.

Apparently the tiggers are going to elect a 'leader' on Monday. How on earth this group can form a manifesto when several are against austerity and some actively voted for all the tory austerity measures? And to be honest all they have spoke about is brexit.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/senior-tories-ready-to-resign-unless-may-rules-out-no-deal-brexit-cqngdhlp8?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1550751871
Senior Tories ready to resign unless May rules out no deal.

She was joined by Dominic Grieve, the former attorney-general, who said that he would “cease to take the whip” if he thought the government was “about to take us into a no-deal Brexit”.

Add Grieve to the list of maybes.

the Tiggers would attract Tory and centrist Remainers who'd never vote for Labour under Corbyn and who don't like / trust the LDems

Add in this version:
the Tiggers would attract Labour centrist Remainers who don't want to vote for Labour under Corbyn, and who don't like / trust the LDems OR the Tories

And you're looking at a lot of people. There's a reason why Blair chased the centre ground. It's where most of the votes are! Not that you would think it given the way the two big parties have behaved of late.

Evan Davis @ evanhd
Commons debate on trade bizarrely empty..

Now, in my fantasy Parliament, the MPs would all sit as Independents. They would elect a PM via a vote of all MPs. Why not? An MP's duty is to the country and then the constituents and they are supposed to use their judgement as to how they discharge their duties. There could be loose alliances of MPs who took a similar stance on various issues.