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Brexit

Westminstenders: A fully functioning government?

960 replies

RedToothBrush · 10/05/2019 23:50

It's been a month since parliament voting on anything.

The staggering reality of May's premiership is that government has ceased to function. We are stuck not just on Brexit but every other issue, such is the weakness of May's authority.

It begs the question of how long this is tolerable by all sides of the Conservative Civil War?

May being unable to bring anything forward means no deal is probably as inevitable as if a hardliner was PM.

There was talk of May / Corbyn reaching a fudge to get a deal via the backdoor WAB (Withdrawal Agreement Implimentation Bill) as it was politically impossible for them to be seen doing a deal any other way. However news today is that despite pressure from the 1922 Committee to bring it forward, May has slapped just a one line whip on it, meaning it will go precisely no where.

The polling for the European elections is perhaps more favourable to Labour than they might have feared after last weeks local election disaster so the mutual interest for Corbyn to move forward in anyway has already gone. Seeing the Tories be humiliated at the ballot box is too much of a temptation.

The phrase about Shit Creek only gets more apt.

All that is happening is every member of the Tory Party is lining up to take part in a leadership contest. It's harder to think of a Tory who isn't considering standing. It's not just the likes of Johnson, Gove, Rudd and Hunt. It's also the likes of Johnny Mercer and Graham Brady queuing not so patiently.

And its getting harder to argue that May is better as PM than the possibility of a right right candidate, because of the paralysis. Though as Rudd rightly points out, such a PM who wanted to actively have no deal as a policy, would struggle to win a majority in the HoC for that all important Queens Speech vote - every bit as much as May. Unless they were to somehow decide they could abuse the power of the executive and ignore parliament - a feat May has repeatedly attempted but ultimately failed at.

All everything feels, is a massive sense of merely delaying the inevitable.

Remain? Hard to see how under any Tory. A Deal? Hard to see what it might be and how there will be a Parliamentary majority. A PV? Well that still has to get through parliament and needs to be arranged smartish. And might not resolve the Irish border issue if the vote goes 'the wrong way' A General Election? That still seems to be a distinct possibility. But with the seeming resurrection of the LDs that's one the Tories will be desperate to avoid. Not that Corbyn is likely to succeed either. And of course there is now the Spectre of the Turquoise Arrows lurking. The crushing of the purple pound notes feels a hollow and distinct success.

It feels like we are waiting for the political sky to fall in in some sort of never ending Brexit Purgotory.

The cataclysmic event will occur at some point. It has to. But for now, it feels that there is nothing but waiting and waiting to be done.

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BigChocFrenzy · 15/05/2019 22:43

I like that one best, pretty 😂

dreichuplands · 15/05/2019 22:43

Yes, I had noticed that not all parties were on that list.

dreichuplands · 15/05/2019 22:44

Or, away an boil yur hied Brexit, maybe?

BigChocFrenzy · 15/05/2019 22:49

Emmanuel Macron freezing UK firms out of EU defence contracts

The Torygraph is spitting feathers, but it's one of the expected consequences of this Brexshit

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/15/emmanuel-macron-infuriates-nato-allies-freezing-uk-firms-eu/?WT.mcid=tmggsharetw

prettybird · 15/05/2019 23:08

That too Dreichuplands Grin

How about "Not on your fanny, Faragit" for a more targeted comment Wink

OhYouBadBadKitten · 16/05/2019 07:31

I like these new campaign slogans. I think we should adopt them.

ElenadeClermont · 16/05/2019 07:36

We finally had a Labour leaflet yesterday evening.
I also saw a Labour poster in a window during the school run.

RedToothBrush · 16/05/2019 07:40

Roland Smith @rolandmcs
All Brex-psychologists should read AN Wilson's review of 'The Victorians' by Jacob Rees-Mogg.
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-victorians-by-jacob-rees-mogg-book-review-zqltrw5rz
The Victorians by Jacob Rees-Mogg review — ‘what a staggeringly silly book this is’
This is not serious history, just a silly bit of self-promotion by a politician with an obvious agenda, says AN Wilson

More Mogg psychopathology revealed in this review:
amp.theguardian.com/books/2019/may/15/the-victorians-jacob-rees-mogg-review?__twitter_impression=true
The Victorians by Jacob Rees-Mogg review – history as manifesto
Confidence and moral purpose made Britain great, argues this poorly written book, designed to reflect the rightwinger back to himself at twice the size

A narrative of "Brexiters-as-heroes" being today's manifestation of "British-as-heroes"; Of Victorian adventurers being the "mindset forefathers" of today's No Dealers.

This thread touches on the subject (h/t @OliverNorgrove )

Felonius Dunc @ duncanmanton
^My thread on how to beat Leavers (sorry!)
1/ I was a Leave voter. I have become a #Remainernow, but there is one key piece of the Brexiteer psyche I don’t feel is being engaged with by any of the Remain parties. You see, every Brexiteer is a hero.^

2/ It’s a wonderful feeling – a sincere belief that you are doing the right thing, and all obstacles and sacrifices are actually proof that you are on the right track. The reaction to “Project Fear” is a case in point; clearly Remainers were cowards.

3/ In fact, it doesn’t matter if every prediction comes true to them – it just highlights the length they are willing to go to succeed in their quest; how heroic they are. The more sacrifice, the more it must be worth it in the end. It gives a sense of empowerment that emboldens.

4/ It defies reason; it can’t be appealed to by conventional means. Everything a Remainer shows as proof of Brexit’s failings is a by-the-by victim in a glorious battle. It will urge them on, not send them into retreat, because then they will be the ones falling to cowardice.

5/ Which is where the solution lies. The narrative needs to be reversed. It needs to be said, clearly and publicly, that Brexit is a coward’s way out.

6/ Those on the left – running from their commitments; those in the middle – running from hard work; those on the right – running from a fight. Running from Europe.

7/ It won’t work for many, but it doesn’t need to. It sows the doubt in the subconscious. Those Brexiteers in positions of power will have an answer, but there is no glib reply the person on the street can give.

8/ And many a brave soul looks like a coward when accused of cowardice (particularly on television with no pre-prepared answers).

9/ Even so, the effect may be small, but there are many grandparents and parents thinking they should vote Brexit for their children’s sake. If there’s a chance that this is a coward’s option, a shirking of hard work, they may think twice on the 23rd May.

10/ Another benefit of this effect is that it wouldn’t show up in polls – Farage could be left humiliated if he suddenly gets a lower voter share than predictions suggest. That would be the ultimate win from these elections.

11/ I’ve reflected on this on my own journey over the last few years, and I hope it makes sense. I feel the time is right for “Brave” to be our direction. Let them have the label of “cowards”.
#RemainerNow #RevokeA50
#BollockstoBrexit

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RedToothBrush · 16/05/2019 07:53

amp.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/15/home-office-misses-deadline-access-eu-poverty-relief-funds-sajid-javid?CMP=share_btn_tw&__twitter_impression=true
Home Office misses deadline to access EU poverty relief funds
Exclusive: series of errors by department has put further £2.9m in aid funding at risk

A catalogue of errors by the Home Office has led to a loss of access to £600,000 of EU funds earmarked for the most deprived people in Britain and has put a further £2.9m at risk, it can be revealed.

The government had tried to claim the money for Theresa May’s flagship policy of helping the victims of modern slavery, but Sajid Javid’s department missed the deadline to recoup the ringfenced money.

Under the watch of the home secretary, who has ambitions to replace May in Downing Street, the UK has been left as the only EU member state to fail to deliver aid to its citizens through the programme, and it is still yet to make an application for the remainder of the £3.5m that was available.

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1tisILeClerc · 16/05/2019 08:01

{The Torygraph is spitting feathers, but it's one of the expected consequences of this Brexshit}

It is unfortunate that it is creating tension across the EU by this action but seriously this bullshit has to stop. More EU companies should cancel contracts with the UK until the pips squeek. 3 years and still no choice of whether the UK is to be in or out is so far beyond unreasonable.
Maybe the Dutch, German, Belgian and French port authorities should all start 'working to rule' on all shipments to the UK, because the UK government is not being serious in proper negotiations and look like they never will.

borntobequiet · 16/05/2019 08:04

AN Wilson wrote a rather good book on the Victorians himself. You have to take into account his general Toryness and contrarian instincts, but he is an OK historian who writes well. He’s rubbish at science though, wrote an awful book on Darwin.

RedToothBrush · 16/05/2019 08:25

Chris curtis @ chriscurtis94
One of the most bonkers about the Tory leadership race is the inverse correlation between how much Boris says and how likely he is to win

Seems to have learnt from Theresa May's "submarine" strategy in 2015/16

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woman19 · 16/05/2019 08:44

"I find the reports of the Brexit party's success, a bit overstated really. They are polling currently, even at the highest levels, lower than UKIP was polling in 2014, the last time we had European elections." @IanDunt #skypapers

If the purple/turquoises get only 27% after all this fuss and money......... Maybe the Brexcels just aren't very good at counting, like the Skills Minister Anne Milton, isn't very good at spelling:

@AnneMilton
Its national numberacy day so test how good you are at numbers. It’s never too late to improve your skills #nationalnumeracyday

National Spelling Day is coming up soon! National Numeracy Day - take the test, see how good you are at numbers! #NationalNumeracyDay

'numberacy'. Blush

staggeringly silly book
would have been more sensible with more women in it: Mary Seacole, Annie Bessant, George Eliot, Mrs Gaskell etc.

woodpigeons · 16/05/2019 08:48

A N Wilson’s review of Rees-Mogg’s staggering silly book has made my day not to mentio Kathryn Hughes’ comment that it is history by manifesto.
I haven’t read Hughes’ book but have put it on my list of those I must read.
Can we all leave reviews for the ‘staggering silly book’ once it is published ?

Violetparis · 16/05/2019 08:57

If the Brexit Party/UKIP get less than 52% share of the votes, then the arguement can be there is no majority in the country for a hard Brexit. Wish more of the Remain parties would shout this out instead of just whining about the minority of support Farage is getting.

woman19 · 16/05/2019 09:10

Wish more of the Remain parties would shout this out instead of just whining about the minority of support

On the feminist threads, there's a great lecture by Dr Julia Long on the drawbacks of focussing too much attention to individuals who are currently attacking women's rights.

Rather than celebrating and developing Women's and Lesbian rights rights and culture now.

Similar could be applied to the EU campaign right now. A few figures are lightning conductors for rage, and the rage serves no purpose without strategy.

Dr Long's slogan is 'resisting, assists'. I don't quite agree with that, but her point of view made me think about what's going on in current state of play........

Close libraries, sports centres and commodify education, but sell cheap alcohol and let drugs be normalised: Is this linked to what we are going through in America and Britain, politically, I wonder?

www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/15/britons-get-drunk-more-often-than-35-other-nations-survey-finds

GaspodeWonderCat · 16/05/2019 09:12

@Ellie56 So are we all voting Fucking Liberal Democrat and Bollocks to Brexit? I have in this corner of the SW & Gib.

1 x lib dem and 1 x brexshit (shredded before I knew about returning it). No posters anywhere, no boards, nothing. Complete silence on the subject.

Violetparis · 16/05/2019 09:22

Remainers should be pointing out to Farage that his party is all about Brexit but only about half of Leavers seem to be supporting it according to some polls.

Violetparis · 16/05/2019 09:24

Meant to add if polls show 27% for the Brexit Party, this is only about half of 52%.

Peregrina · 16/05/2019 09:34

I just wish that Labour would get off the fence on Brexit, and come out as a Remain party. Then I would be pretty sure that the anti Brexit vote would be more than 50%.

Although this wouldn't shut the Leavers nor the Tories up - the carnage in the elections two weeks ago ought to have been taken as at least raising questions about the appetite for Brexit, instead it was taken as wanting to get on with Brexit. Wishing that everyone would shut up about Brexit and get on with the country's real problems, yes, that I will go along with.

lonelyplanetmum · 16/05/2019 09:37

pointing out to Farage that his party is all about Brexit...

Or is it? If you look and listen he now increasingly says that the Brexit fight is no longer just about leaving the EU. He's distancing himself from that - having gone through Norway , No deal and other variations. Now focus is shifting from the EU altogether.

The Faragit party wouldn't Brexit either. One of the problems or pluses of annexing a newly evolved word is that word is still evolving and it can mean all things to all people...

Motheroffourdragons · 16/05/2019 09:41

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on behalf of the poster.

RedToothBrush · 16/05/2019 09:46

Woman agree. No one is actively promoting rights, why they are needed, what their fundamental underlying principles are (essentially do no harm and balancing needs rather than this sense of 'winning' over others), and the historical roots of rights.

Instead we have all this shit about about how we should tear up EU citizens right of free movement being promoted by parties who are supposed to be pro rights. And those parties are not supporting women's rights properly in the context of how rights should work either - by being authoritarian in nature rather than by broad social consensus you WILL get backlash and that's where we are now - in no small part because economic inequality has also stripped rights from people.

It's all about who is deserving of rights. See Terfs do not deserve rights type talk, Punch a nazi and 'Benefits scroungers'.

It's all part of the same movement and its all about human rights and their erosion.

The people who benefit from this are the ones who are also are pushing Brexit and are best buds with dubious folk in the US or Russia.

No political party has tackled this or even acknowledged this as the fundamental problem.

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1tisILeClerc · 16/05/2019 09:51

Maybe Douglas Adams was right and that humans are simply an 'experiment' being conducted by white mice. The next phase is to isolate a (supposedly) advanced nation and put them in a glass tank and see how they degenerate.