Westminstenders: Pragmatism versus Purity

[RedToothBrush]

There is one question for the HoC in the next week and that's will you persue pragmatism or purity?

May looks as if she is being sidelined after a backbench withdrawal of support, the DUPs withdrawal of support and an omminous silence eminenating from the Cabinet.

Her speech on Thursday where she pitted the people against parliament has been her last mistake. She's now a danger to the country's stability and the safety of MPs.

The priority for the week is to pass the SI to change the UK exit date from 29th March to the EU's new terms.

After that, with May's deal stuffed due to lack of support and a Bercow ruling it looks like we are facing some sort of indicative free vote. This seems to be being supported by ministers in government regardless of leave or remain.

The prospect of a Tory Leader Election contest looms. It remains to seen if that can happen in the next three weeks with so much else at stake. But this is the Tory party.

The penny seems to be finally dropping about the reality of leaving the EU and how we leave the EU. A week before we were due to go. The incompetence of Parliament is laid bare in all its glorious full scale.

Thanks everyone for today and everyday for the last three years. Wore my red toothbrush with pride, even if I didn’t see any others ( there were more than a few people there).

I've heard that a lot here from other politicians too, that they are afraid of UK MEPs deliberately wrecking proceedings and trying to incite the far right.

Back from the march and just catching up with the threads. This quote is from pages back, but remember, an awful lot of people -did not realise- that Farage was an MEP. Now people are much more aware, and UKIP has split, and the other parties might have realised that they need to get their EU vote out, it's possible that there might not be all that many Brexit party/UKIP MEPs to wreck anything.

Consider also the vast turnout for Farage's march, the 'throngs' in Plymouth (I.e. 12 people) and the lorry protest which was going to bring the motorways to a standstill but ended up with a couple of the drivers being charged by the Police ("Don't worry about the legals, the organisers have sorted it")........

Times

Liddington supported by six cabinet ministers

Rudd, Hammond, guake, Clark, Hammond and Javid

well fuck! I've got to go to bed to watch telly and see if anyone (apart from westminstenders) is making sense... so many congrats and pride to those of you that marched, an honest thank you from me - and so many others I am sure.

❤🇪🇺

I know nothing about Liddington.

Are there no rumours of Johnson for PM? please say no, please say no, please say no

Met up with lala which was fab.

chevvy lala?

Well I'm feeling quite smug reading tonight's newspapers as my reading of where May was at at midnight last night, before any of the papers started to print about the cabinet coup, has been not at all far wide of the mark.

It looks like there are three names being taken seriously, with Liddington the remain candidate, Gove seemingly pitching as a compromise candidate and Hunt shaping up to be hardliner.

It doesn't particularly sound like the ERG are keen on either Liddington nor Gove (perhaps surprisingly).

I think any name outside the Cabinet for an interim MP will be difficult to get traction. But the issue is how does this fit with Tory party rules and would someone outside the cabinet try and challenge anyway?

Monday should be interesting then...

Jesus, I've just looked at Liddington's voting history - he's as far right as they go by the looks of that alone... like a British Trump. Lord help us all .

chevvy just seen your second post 😂😂😂

I agree, Peregrina. Farage is now spoiled goods with nothing like the popularity he enjoyed before people realised just what he really was.

Hezza’s speech was fab ... just watched it on youtube

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10361/david_lidington/aylesbury/votes

You Gov @ yougov
With reports of a potential cabinet coup against May, here are the YouGov Ratings figures for touted interim successors as PM
David Lidington - 👍 5% / 👎 5%
Michael Gove - 👍 12% / 👎 51%
Jeremy Hunt - 👍 13% / 👎 49%
t.co/g5OrPu8lGh

It would be brilliant to think there was a 65% or greater revoke 'vote' possible, having seen the sterling work of the march today but achieving it and quelling the whinging 'Brexiteers' would be a tough call.
Hessletine as a 'temporary' leader. At least he has the steadiness and experience of an 'old hand'. Not sure all his supported policies in the past are really what the UK needs, but as interim to turn the UK around possibly. Also K Clarke. A Year's worth of stability and 'pro Europe' leadership is what is needed.

Self proclaimed Julie Walters sound alike had it yesterday.
@davidallengreen
Good luck to Prime Minister David Lidington at the next European Council.

singingbadooshkabadly 😂 I've no idea what I was thinking!

I'm tired. Thats my excuse 😁❤🇪🇺

Lidington hasn't been on my radar but I've just had a quick read and I don't think I like him.

Just watching the BBC news. Whilst they had some good aerial shots the ones at ground level were weird. They must have tried very hard to find footage that made the march look so sparsely populated.

We need a PM who can get the HoC to support an option by at least 100+
so it has credibility nationally and with the EU and actually happens

The country would be even more divided by a solution that is only decided by a handful of MP's votes

That someone must cooperate with Labour, hopefully Starmer as it is Brexit,
but if need be grit his teeth and deal with Corbyn

Also who can cooperate with the SNP and TIggers, i.e. not a flouncing fool like Corbyn

It seems to be the Cabinet who are in effect choosing a new PM from amongst themselves, just as they would if a PM dropped dead

A Cabinet Minister gives us a PM who would be fully up to date - 3 weeks to 12 April rules out anyone else
Obviously no time for a full leadership election, even one by Tory MPs

Liddington from my limited knowledge when my late mum was in his local party:
decent bloke, works well with others
could be another John Major

Gove < wet tentacles slapping > has the ruthlessness and brains to drive a CU and a deal with Labour
Unpleasant human being though

Hunt All ambition, little talent, no principles. Hell no.

Leadsom is too stupid to realise she is too stupid - and nasty - but the rest of the cabinet must have realised by now.

Boris & JRM are outside the Cabinet, so won't be annointed
but anyway imo they don't want the responsibility of taking decisions that the batshit party membership would hate and compromising with the Opposition.

Also from him.
@davidallengreen
Have spent three years writing, reading and researching about Brexit, with the occasional real-life conversation.

So it was rather an experience to see it all converted into live action.

Will remember the atmosphere in Parliament Square as long as I live.

chevvy - feet up for you - tea and cake needed.

So lovely to meet you 🤗

bbc should have tried being in the same area of the march as I was. For a couple of hours there wasn't room to get my water bottle out of my rucksack.

I guess if she goes is pushed then that could mean the EU would give us a longer extension?

As I've said before: ONLY if we prepare to hold EP elections by 12 April.

Katie @supermathskid

Brexit has gone from "no downside, only a considerable upside" to "who do you hate less: the guy so busy literally writing the book on privatising the NHS that he never learned what nationality his own wife is, somebody you've never heard of, or a slightly less lifelike Pob"