Westminstenders: It couldn't get any worse... Until today

[RedToothBrush]

We are trapped in the tailspin of the end of the UK. Firmly headed downward and getting more and more frenzied and desperate.

Even the most sensible of types like David Allen Green have finally noticed that Brexit isn't about leaving the EU it's about the frenzied and wilful destruction of our state instutions and structure. The collapse of the civil service, of our justice system, our democratic institutions and social order. All in the name of rule Britannia, a warped sense of taking back control to preserve an ideal that never existed and an idea of sovereignity that simply was a fantasy.

We move ever closer to Johnson becoming Prime Minister and a life under President Trump.

Joy.

Ode to Joy really isn't that bad.

My GP is into 'Am dram' and co writes a Christmas pantomime. He also acts it the production.
There is something slightly unnerving seeing your GP one year in green tights and tunic, or full skin tight black leather the next!

I rather baffled my teachers.

Poor wc kid who did well at school - whose parent's valued education and got us library cards before we could walk.

Public libraries! Remember them!?

I used to think that the internet could be a great tool for levelling the field in education...online resources, books, free courses...

But most of us use it for things like mn, insta, twitter and arguing with people we don't know.

I think with schools, too often head teachers are not doing the right job.
With the ever restrictive curriculum, it has demotivated many of the staff, who might have previously been able to put a particular flair and understanding into the job, but now they are all too often delivering a 'set menu', perhaps as dumbed down as serving at a fast food place.
As a school parent governor I could see that much of the headteachers work was trying to secure funding, something that detracts from teaching. Fortunately the head has a true wish to run a happy and 'productive' school but it is easy to see that those who treat it as a job rather than vocation can easily fail. The way the head taught on a fairly regular basis and made the effort to learn all the childrens names was one of the attractions of the school.

Many in previous generations were perfectly able but were undereducated because e.g. of lack of money for the grammar school, or having to go out to work to help the family income, so they pretend that education doesn't matter

My dh’s family had horrible experience. They come from a very deprived area. Dh has an older sister, Dh is intelligent but his sister is unusually intelligent.

From an early age his parents bought books and made a real effort with their kids education. The result was constant abuse from their neighbours on the estate. Verbal abuse, nappies wiped on car windscreens. Eventually they moved and all was well but Dh remembers how disliked his family was because they wanted to better themselves.

They were seen as snobby. I’ve no idea if this is changing but 40 years ago the culture in some deprived areas was very anti education.
I don’t really know why. Some of his relatives are very sweet but they don’t do change. The idea of moving 20 miles away is seen as extreme let alone emigrating. Also the idea that their kids might want to move away from home when they get older is greeted with horror. They just want things to stay the same as much as humanly possible.

It's usually dogs on my timeline flouncy but yes :)

Flouncy

Tom Newton Dunn
@tnewtondunn
Justice Secretary David Gauke says he might vote for the Grieve amendments to block proroguing tonight - which means resigning: “I’ll have to see” #r4today
8:15 AM · Jul 18, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone

BUT

Tamara Cohen
@tamcohen
Will the Hammond30 move today to try and stop suspension of Parliament?

Hammond Gauke and Lidington are being urged by colleagues that "now is the time for action" by breaking the whip to back amendments.

But Tory rebels pushing for it fear they won't act today.

It's always advisable not to have too much hope. Is tories we're talking about

Matt Chorley
@MattChorley
Treasury insider plays down talk of Hammond rebelling on no-deal today. Hasn’t made a decision on terms of his exit from Cabinet... yet.
10:40 AM · Jul 18, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone

Laura Kuenssberg
@bbclaurak
·
11m
Anti-no deal rebels reckon 2 Cabinet ministers are ready to abstain on their amendment at lunchtime... let's see. Whispers too about poss resignations - at least one has already planned to announce they are off next Tues rather than wait to be sacked, not sure they'll jump today

I agree hammond might think 'well I'm pretty much finished anyway, I might as well go for it' Today might turn out to be more interesting than first thought.

{ "failing Grayling" get's a job in BJ's "Government of all the bluster", what post would it be?}

Won't he still be in charge of transport, getting food and meds into the UK? He has all the experience.

Twitter saying Bercow has accepted Benn-Burt amendment, which one is that?

I need to get myself back up to speed in advance of next week!

Selected not accepted!

OK, Sam Coates being quite helpful on twitter, hard 3 line whip to vote against the amendment, vote apparently around 1:30pm

Yes, Benn-Burt is the one to watch. Voting at about 1:30 I believe

I saw an interesting argument on LinkedIn today. Belgian lawyer who had just visited the UK and decided that we are so divided we have to leave the EU and even if had another referendum we'd still have to leave because the leavers would feel stabbed in the back and we know where the stabbed in the back argument got us in the 1930s (Hitler used the argument that German soldiers had been stabbed in the back by feckless politicians etc at home). In summary we have to leave because of the dangers of the lunatic fringe. He didn't pose a view on what happens next.

probstimeforanewname
Sadly that is a 'conclusion' that I, and I think a few others on Westminsterenders came to several months back.
Talking about 'lancing the boil'. Mr Mogg is uncle Fester.

@ adequate food, that’s awful. How, how did this happen. It was low key before and rarely aimed at white (I assume she is) people, doesn’t make it any better but it shows a further descent from colour to just not belonging.

@lonelyplanetmum I thought the same - dying breed. I usually try to feel reassured by all the objection but it’s hard.

In 2012 I never thought I’d be discussing how more people speak out now (media, schools, legal bods etc) about current racism/sexism/homophobia/wrongs than in Nazi Germany.

Then remembered the ‘enemies of the people’ Brexit headline but also that the resistors I listed are always the first to be purged 😢

Sorry to be on a downer but It’s just so so Nazi Germany, kids shouting ‘send her back’. Shit, the only thing missing is the Nazi salute. I’d hate HATE to be non-white in America right now and I pray the UK sees sense before we copy.

Grayling in NHS? That jackarse would cause an epidemic of epic proportions. That fuckwit would probably reintroduce smallpox as a method of reducing waiting lists.

On a goodish note, Once Stewart was kicked out I always felt Boris would be the best thing to happen to Remain as his incompetence, complicated lifestyle, plethora of enemies etc means that he won’t be able to scurry around making deals or moving shit forward like May did.

Basically, he is a fuck up and I fully expect him to fuck up this Brexit job so badly and so quickly that it almost forces us to Remain
With the Brexiteer pitchforks faced at the right person.

Worth noting that we are creeping towards the famous "silly season" in the UK MSM where all the serious reporters and correspondents left are away, and most media coverage is reduced to a compilation of Drop The Dead Donkey stories from around the world.

I wonder how that could affect upcoming events - or their perception ?

I wonder how many Leavers were cheerfully coughing up 20% extra for their holiday cash singing "taking back control ..." ?

Sorry to be on a downer but It’s just so so Nazi Germany, kids shouting ‘send her back’. Shit, the only thing missing is the Nazi salute.

This song:

Billys joined the National Front,
he always was a little runt
he's got his hands in the air with the other cunts ...

got me into trouble at school aged 15 ... It's by The Police off "Ghost in the Machine". We were warned ....