Westminstenders: The Bill Cash Appreciation Society

[RedToothBrush]

We've had a new thread pretty much everyday for the last week or so, so I'm short on inspiration.

There haven't been too many new developments today. There have been two ministerial resignations. Both were ministers close to Boris Johnson.

We had a vote to add an extension if we still have no deal agreed at the end of next week to the Withdrawal Bill. May has said she will do this anyway; this would merely tie her hands. It passed by 5 votes. It now is fast tracked to the committee stage and third reading.

A business of the house amendment by Benn to secure a debate and Indicative Vote 3 next week failed after a speakers vote. Bercow followed convention and didn't create a majority where there was not one (though under Erskine May he is free to do the opposite at his discretion).

Corbyn has met May for talks which have been described as construction, though we have no further details though curiously Emily Thornberry put out a statement demanding a ref on whatever was decided which suggests Corbyn isn't keen on the idea. Rumours are of Schrodingers Customs Union: somehow being in a union but not a union. It can't be called a customs union. And Liam Fox has said Corbyn can't have his union. Though he may have a vested interest as he loses his job if Corbyn gets his way.

Oh and the Commons photocopier broke so no one knows what is currently supposed to be happening.

Otherwise it's been a quiet day, all things considered. Too quiet?

Sorry to keep talking about the goddamn bill, but I’ve just had a thought.
If I understood it correctly, the bill requires May to lay her plans for an extension before the house for debate the day after the bill becomes law/receives Royal Assent/whatever.
That means that the bill is basically redundant if May requests an extension earlier.
BUT: If the bill receives RA on Tuesday, could it actually prevent May from actually going to the emergency summit on Wednesday, the last day when an extension could reasonably be granted?
Someone more knowledgeable than me tell me I’m wrong, please.

Just so sorry to take so long to get back to you !

To see the full picture of why Cash thinks what he does you need to go back to 2005, reasonably ok Labour majority then 2009 Labour Govenment announce Hs2 cue local outrage. Tory candidate stands on oppose HS2 ticket sneaks in on local issue. 2015 Labour and Tory vote pinched by the Kippers who did campaign really hard next village along and had lots of purple bunting out. But by 2017 only Conservative vote recovers. If you look at it like that you can understand where Cash is coming from. Poor old Libs have also been decimated not sure last candidate would even have got his deposit back. What I am trying to say is you can’t underestimate the importance of local issues. There are definitely people round here who would take staying in Europe if Hs2 got cancelled.

Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall
Clutch of Brexiter Tory MPs including Nigel Adams (who resigned only yesterday) just walked into Downing St.

Something afoot?

Sorry to keep talking about the goddamn bill, but I’ve just had a thought.
If I understood it correctly, the bill requires May to lay her plans for an extension before the house for debate the day after the bill becomes law/receives Royal Assent/whatever.
That means that the bill is basically redundant if May requests an extension earlier.
BUT: If the bill receives RA on Tuesday, could it actually prevent May from actually going to the emergency summit on Wednesday, the last day when an extension could reasonably be granted?
Someone more knowledgeable than me tell me I’m wrong, please

I believe you are right.

So a lot of claimants were declined because there are wheelchairs "available" that would get them to work. Putting aside the fact they (a) cost £5,000+ and (b) aren't supplied on the NHS.

I didn’t know that. Disgraceful.

DH hasn’t ever claimed ESA - only DLA. A big part of the reason he didn’t was not being able to face the application process. He worked as long as he could and then I was working for a long time so we were lucky enough to be able to get by without claiming it, though he would, in theory, have been eligible. When he first claimed DLA he was awarded the higher rate of mobility and the middle rate of care. When he had to reapply after three years they downgraded it to higher mobility and lower rate of care. When I queried this and said I was going to appeal the decision they put the frighteners on and said the whole application, not just the care component would be reassessed and could be downgraded. This would have meant losing the blue badge, which was more valuable to us than the money (we were both working at the time).

Now I’m not working and DH’s condition has deteriorated such that I think he might well be eligible for the higher rate of both and I would be able to claim carer’s allowance, which needs the middle rate of care as a minimum, but to be reassessed he’d need to go for PIP and has heard so many horror stories. Stress affects his symptoms so badly we just can’t face it, especially as you hear about so many people losing their benefit.

The system is appalling.

People said it was poorly drafted. However, doesn't May need to request the extension before this weekend, and not at the summit?

Anybody watching the Lords?

It is totally surreal.

Talking about storming the Bastille.

having I though she had to formally request the extension at the summit, because that’s the last time before the 12th when all the EU leaders come together to discuss it. Either way, the bill seems to do more harm than good...

How more harm horseshit?

I see Nigel Lawson is in to claim his daily three hundred quid.

Denounce the EU and all its works, then it's back to his home in France.

having I though she had to formally request the extension at the summit

This from Merkel just now in the Guardian.

Do you think the Commons vote last night will increase the hopes of a deal?

Merkel says she is following developments in the UK with great interest

Last night’s vote was very interesting, she says

She says she is waiting to see what May offers next week. She hopes that there can be an orderly Brexit

"Interesting"
We're negotiating with ourselves when we need to be doing a plan B to negotiate with the EU.

horehound quoting my earlier post:
If I understood it correctly, the bill requires May to lay her plans for an extension before the house for debate the day after the bill becomes law/receives Royal Assent/whatever.
That means that the bill is basically redundant if May requests an extension earlier.
BUT: If the bill receives RA on Tuesday, could it actually prevent May from actually going to the emergency summit on Wednesday, the last day when an extension could reasonably be granted?

I will more than happily be corrected on this. But even if May doesn’t have to request the extension on the exact day of the summit, forcing her not to attend the summit would not be a good thing.

Theresa May can request an extension regardless, and get herself to the Summit late Wednesday for a formal request. The EU27 are well aware of what's going on, not least her talks with Labour, the Lords procedure, and the box she's maneuvered herself and the UK into.

Don't know if I can bear to watch the Lords.

I feel really fed up today. So many young people who had no hand in all of this being affected. It's just not bloody right or fair.

I've just been checking the results of the 2nd May Local Elections
At Parish and Town council level, they are around three quarters uncontested - rich old chap agreed to stand an gets in.

The level of apathy does not bode well

Ah I see horseshit. Thanks.

So at the moment though we are waiting on the house tlof lords to pass it Yeh?

if you are an illegal immigrant, you aren't a person

Given that the 16 million of us who voted Remain aren't people, according to May's repeated rhetoric about 'the will of the people', how much worse will that be for migrants? They matter even less.

So at the moment though we are waiting on the house tlof lords to pass it Yeh?

At the moment we are waiting on amendment 6 of 7 (?) of the business motion to be voted on so they can then vote on the business motion before eventually getting to the bill. It’s a complete farce.

Yep.
That's how it is here tip
I'm annoyed that I didn't stand now :(
If I hadn't already got 3 voluntary roles I would have stood for sure.

Oh, and 4 councillors have stood down

for you babooshka. I have a relative in a very similar situation.

Turned down for ESA despite falling asleep in the assessment and having to be told that he had been asked a question by his wife, because he wasn't able to process anything.

He was moved onto PIP from DLA and luckily got a decent assessor who said she could tell by the amount of meds he was on, he had a very serious condition.

I was told I ought to have DS' DLA reassessed because I am often up in the night with him, so he should get higher rate care. But I had to appeal to tribunal to get middle rate care and can't face losing my carers. Especially because he's not in school so I definitely can't work.

We had a client at the food bank recently who had their ESA stopped with no warning.

She is appealing but it'll take months and then she will no doubt get the payments back.

She's very depressed about it all.

The level of apathy does not bode well

Apathy or fear?

Why would a gender critical woman stand atm? Why would any woman want to stand?

It's not exactly friendly in politics atm. The hours for parish and local government are difficult if you have a lengthy commute or child care issues.

I hear they are struggling to find EU election candidates in my region too.

You make valid points

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/serbia-kosovo-uk-ivica-dacic-embassy-travel-a8854436.html?amp&__twitter_impression=true
Serbia advises citizens to avoid travelling to UK due to ‘major political chaos’
Ivica Dacic warns of ‘danger due to the daily demonstrations’