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.

I agree, Horehound. They really can't claim any moral high ground over Corbyn's childish flounce if they are going to do that, can they.

October 2017 was also wrong surely?

That's the tweet. Could have been like that for ages.

I just want to shake some sense into them!

I don't understand what's so dreadful about holding MEP elections.

I don't understand what's so dreadful about holding MEP elections.

For the UK or EU ?

For the UK. As that seems to be the stumbling block beyond extending anything beyond 12 April.

I think the point of her standing down after the WA is so that the future trading relationship is negotiated by someone else.

I think there may be some arch brexiteers who are hoping to find a way to either weasel out of the backstop, or have another GE and dump the DUP and do Irish sea border, and achieve their Singapore on Thames dream.

They are worried that they will pass the WA and May will negotiate a CU style trading relationship.

Quite an unfortunate one then, at such a sensitive time

Someone at my local county council recently accidently published a news story on their website saying Prince Phillip had died. Much hilarity all round...accept for the person who did it I assume.

For the UK. As that seems to be the stumbling block beyond extending anything beyond 12 April.

It's only a stumbling block for May and the hard brexiteers ...

I imagine they're dead set against it as it's an opportunity for the country to show it doesn't want Brexit they can't ignore. Petitions and marches are easy to dismiss as "unrepresentative" - in fact that is exactly what's happening. But it's harder to dismiss an official election.

There's also the not insignificant matter of the Tory party being pretty close to insolvency (if not actually insolvent). Whilst I doubt they'd be allowed to actually go bust (although investor patience is wearing thin) they certainly don't want the considerable expense of having to fight a totally wasted campaign.

The fact the Tory parties financial woes aren't being widely discussed is more a testament to the media bias in the UK than it not being a thing ....

The mini Mogg going is weird.

Maybe it's a " son witness this moment of history" at the no deal celebratory reception?

Ultimately, in a country trained to vote by rosette

Scotland used to be like that but the after-effect of the Indyref was seen in 2015, when the SNP won 56 out of 59 seats (and the other 3 turning marginal) - 50 more than they'd had before Ok, the full effect doesn't hold (and let in 12 extra Tories in 2017 sorry and some Labour MPs getting back in) but the SNP has now taken over as the majority party in Scotland from Labour, after decades of the population voting for "a monkey in a red rosette"

So things can change dramatically.

If you want a laugh, search for Tom Harris' official election video for 2015. He was my Labour MP, with a majority of, iirc, 10,000. He must have seen the writing on the wall from door step canvassing - so did a video about "re-elect Poppy" - his dog that he was playing with on his living room carpet . The SNP won the seat with something like a 25,000 majority - one of the swings that "broke" the BBC's swingometer.

I think the point of her standing down after the WA is so that the future trading relationship is negotiated by someone else.

The thing is that will take years. If it's taken this long for the UK to come up with a plan that even it doesn't like, how much longer do you think a proper trading arrangement will take ? I'll be honest, and say it will probably take more than one parliament.

Remember Canada and the UK - a much "simpler" arrangement took what ? 7 years. And even then it almost didn't happen.

The very first country in the queue to make sure the UK doesn't get an easy ride will be Spain, since any future arrangement will need unanimous approval (like Canada).

I'm not sure which is the most disturbing photo in this article - mini-Mogg or IDS driving a convertible while wearing a gilet and baseball cap:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/24/brexit-hammond-denies-plotting-to-oust-may-but-admits-deal-may-not-pass

The other thing about vote-by-rosette is it allows the parties to blithely ignore their core members. It's exactly like insurance companies that shit on the loyal customers to chase after the new.

If anyone says to me "I always vote Tory" or "I always vote Labour", then they are really saying "I'm not that bright, please rip me off".

No wonder there's dirty data dealing between commerce and politics. Imagine what a goldmine an over-50s insurer mailing list would be to CCHQ ?

The outcome of any general election is decided by a few hundred voters. If you could find them, you'd have a visit from two unnamed policemen who will seize your computer equipment and suggest you never speak of it again - or at least 21 years 3 months and 2 days.

I'm not sure which is the most disturbing photo in this article - mini-Mogg or IDS driving a convertible while wearing a gilet and baseball cap:

I could probably top that with a picture of William Hague sipping a pina colada in a baseball cap ?

Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar
And here's @BorisJohnson arriving at Chequers - driving without his seatbelt. Have checked with eyewitness. Not, erm, ideal. Pic © Peter Macdiarmid/LNP

Henry Mance @ henrymance
Theresa May has invited Boris Johnson to Chequers, just to get him done on a minor driving offence

Ian Birrell @ ianbirrel
So the PM is meeting:

Boris Johnson (Brexiteer who ran from taking responsibility)
Dominic Raab (Ditto)
David Davis (Ditto)
Iain Duncan Smith (Worst Tory leader in living memory)
Damian Green (Resigned after lying about computer porn)
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Head of entryist faction)

And here's @BorisJohnson arriving at Chequers - driving without his seatbelt.

He may have a valid reason not to. I'm sure the police that check up will find out ?

Anyone RTd that to Oxfordshire police yet ?

Boris and Mogg look smirky to me. They're celebrating something I'm telling you. Look at their faces.

You know what I'd really love - and it's just total spite - is for Jo Johnson to become PM someday.

Lord's debate tomorrow...

Boris and Mogg look smirky to me. They're celebrating something I'm telling you. Look at their faces.

Their plan is quite transparent really: buy ERG support for the WA by promising to step down and appoint Boris as successor. Point of that: get out of the WA then unpick it over the next couple of years until nothing's left. In the mean time Ireland reunification referendum happens (I truly don't think these guys care too much about NI), issues with backstop become redundant and hello Singapore on Thames. Very simple.

*should say get out of the EU

So what is she doing with Gove and Boris this afternoon? Is this to do with a coup? Is the coup fictional? Is she hoping to bribe the ERG to vote for her WA (doesn’t she need 75 more votes though?)

What is occurring??

To be fair to BoJo it did look as though Rees Mogg and Mogg The Younger were also not wearing seat belts.
Maybe there will be an MN thread asking if that is an 'upper class marker' ?