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

Thanks, red 💐

and thanks, mojo for the fertiliser info at the end of the last thread

Bangladesh have said that Begum will not be allowed in there. In other words, they are saying she is now technically stateless...

Don't they know who the UK are ?

Don't they know who the UK are ?

That soon to be irrelevant nation in the Atlantic off the coast of Europe?

For a long time I couldn't post on the thread...so may need to catch up.

DG "... how come all these "initiatives" start with getting joe public to pay extra on top of rather than getting Megacorp inc. to take less profits ?" - yes - I was saying this the other day to someone banging on about how we all need to embrace little changes in relation to recycling and become accountable. I was saying even if the whole country recycled double their current amount the effect is minimal. Without policy (for example plastics regulations being across the country, funding into national recycling, as well as taxes on companies that don't comply with regulations) we can't get anywhere near the amount of change if people at the top are being bought by big business.

I found CNN reporting on the TIGGERS. My leaver friend said "they are all people I find annoying and eye roll at when they are on the telly. All of them whinging remainers. It's basically a party for remainer extremists" I argued the other two party are at the extreme ends, hence the gap for this one, but she was having none of it. Said they weren't real tories, which reminded me of Corbyn trying to get deselection.

Strangely this reinforces to me this was a long awaited shift in politics and can only be a good thing.

red I thought we agreed on Tiggers here because of the star in the cereal advert

Passionate speech by Margaret Hodge on anti-semitism on at the moment www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/26a6adbe-141a-48d2-bafa-c8686b9093c5

TIGgers could play on the notion they are draining the swamp ?

I would like to see the Tiggers remain as a group of MPs without a leader or fixed structure.

The first priorities are avoiding a No Deal Brexit and gaining a PV
I see them as an as hoc group with that aim, which could work very well

Tiggers need to avoid being distracted by having to form - and defend - policies on other issues

Once Brexit is over, then they can think about whether they want to fight a GE together and who should get which jobs

The LDems are just a dried out husk of the great party of a century ago
I see no advantage of merging and catching their lurgy - and inheriting the blame for student loans fiasco etc

Interestingly, Margaret Hodge (Lab Barking) has repeatedly referred to Jeremy Corbyn as "the leader of the Labour Party", rather than as "My Rt Hon Friend" - very unusual in the Chamber of the H of C. She's also said she's "Not yet" ready to give up on the Party. she is clearly very angry.

Social liberalism is all very well,
but we also need the old Labour to return to defend the interests of the lowpaid manual workers, the wc.

No party is addressing the fact that millions haven't enough money for a decent standard of living
while the top 5% are hoovering up ever more

However, that's another issue to concentrate on after Brexit has been resolved

The LDems are just a dried out husk of the great party of a century ago

Well it's 2 dried out husks, really.

PMK

Henry Zeffman @hzeffman
Jess Phillips tells Commons debate on antisemitism she would never share a party with George Galloway, who said this morning he was reapplying for Labour membership

There's been a noway Galloway campaign on twitter today.

As well as a not my young Labour campaign

Henry Zeffman @hzeffman
One of Momentum's major achievements has been spreading Labour's message rapidly on social media.

The Independent Group now has more Twitter followers than them

It was a good intervention by Jess Phillips.

Ian Dunt@iandunt
Bit of breaking news here. There's an amendment secretly doing the rounds which would force the government to try & protect Brits' rights in Europe in the event of no-deal - and it looks set to succeed

www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2019/02/20/last-minute-gambit-smart-new-amendment-to-may-deal-protects
Last-gasp gambit: Smart new amendment to May deal protects Brits in Europe

I know. We've had our bit of good news for the year. But apparently today's the day for good things.

For those not reading the piece - this would also protect European cits in UK, but is less pertinent to them, because UK has unilaterally guaranteed in event of no-deal and EU has passed it down to member states.

Nice but surely we can't FORCE Europe to protect British citizens. Only apply political pressure to persuade them to.

Isn't it the 'shit we need to keep the expensive pensioners in Spain' amendment

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/restricted-rules-independent-group-parliament
Restricted by the rules: the Independent Group in Parliament

Lots of points in here but this one is the most important and relevant for the time being, and worth looking out for.

The Speaker will be conscious of this new group’s existence when inviting MPs to speak in a debate, or when choosing amendments to bills or motions. The Speaker also plays a role in calling party leaders to ask supplementary questions at PMQs – how he interprets the new group and how big they become could prove crucial. In making these decisions, the Speaker will always consider a wide range of factors – including ensuring that different viewpoints on an issue are heard.

Tigers are beautiful and noble animals who are far too wonderful to name a bunch of politicians after them. As much as I might like the fact this lot have grown spines I think Tiggers is still much more apt.

Stella Creasy @ stellacreasy
Today @lucianaberger showed in her strength and determination to challenge anti semitism even in the face of horrific threats and abuse that she is a champion of social justice. She deserves our solidarity and willingness to learn from and act on her call to arms. #EnoughIsEnough

Ross Kempsall @rosskempsell
Derek Hatton has been suspended from Labour per Liverpool Echo

Well that didn't last long

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/derek-hatton-suspended-labour-party-15861929.amp?__twitter_impression=true
Derek Hatton suspended by the Labour party already
He was only readmitted to the party this week

The controversial former deputy leader of Liverpool Council has been notified of the suspension pending an investigation into a tweet he posted in 2012.

Matthew Goodwin @ goodwinmj
Reminded today by @robfordmancs that we will soon have a by-election in Newport West (5.6k Lab majority - 54% Leave) & possibly also Peterborough (600 Lab majority - 63% Leave). Treat by-elections with the usual caveats (protest voting etc) but still chance to gauge mood?

I think one is a very sick elderly Labour MP and not sure about the other