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.

Having had a stillborn daughter 20 odd years ago I cannot imagine how those parents feel.

I have just been thinking that I don't think I've been unreservedly happy since the result of the referendum. Uncertainty about the future on this massive scale is such a weight.

Just seen Alberto Nardelli's report about Russian funding of Lega - he has the tapes!

Unfortunately it's not getting the attention it should because of Darroch's resignation.

If you're on twitter, go and read it and retweet it.

I think a lot of Leave voters and Boris Johnson fans will be disgusted with him last night.

The faithful will have already voted for him, probably twice, if they got two ballot papers, so it won't make any difference.

The man has had to resign for doing his job, and by all accounts doing it well.

Johnson has only apologised now because re realises he got that wrong last night.

Just tried to order some custom stuff from the UK. It appears that company has gone ping already.

@Peregrina, I agree. But it wouldn’t take a genius to realise that the question would come up last night.

And it wouldn’t take a genius to realise the mood of the country and come out with a better answer.

And let’s not kid on - BJ is an expert at lying.

And God help us all

Interesting article in Private Eye on the companies fleeing the UK Shipping Register (30% lost in the past 12 months). Quite embarrassing since they had a target of doubling tonnage.

Apparently the solution is to open up the register to all and sundry. Of course this will drive down standards (and I doubt the Royal Navy is going to be able to protect much of that anyway).

The byline was that it's more "handing over control, than taking back control".

Hasenstein I think we might need badges ! My Dad said just now tell them I love Germany but hate the EU, Er no , I am not telling your ex SIL and BIL that. I’m going to tell them you have lost the plot and become brainwashed by the Cult of Brexit - if Google translate helps me a bit.

" Therefore leaking to give him an excuse to leave early starts to look the most likely scenario "

He didn't want to leave early - ambassador to the US is a plum post, the pinnacle of his career

He was forced by the leak to leave early, because he could no longer do his job

The leak was by a Brexiter Cabinet minister or SPAD - past or present - with the intention of getting a Brexiter in as ambassador, instead of a professional civil servant

Disgraceful - and possibly illegal - behaviour by the Brexiter who leaked confidential documents - to a journalist close to the Brexit party

I hope May does foil this disgraceful Brexiter plot, by promptly appinting Sedwill

I also hope the leaker is found and prosecuted - but that is unlikely
The Tories will rally round for the cover up

The suggestion I have heard from a Tory activist is that this was an attempt to scupper Sedwill because he is mentioned in the leaked information too.

Haven't we still got the Huawei leak to bottom out ?

Yup, bellini
Sedwill was the planned successor in 6 months time
The purpose of the leak was to get a Brexiter in there, so Sedwill had to be trashed too

Easy for BJ to say now that he supports Darroch - he would obviously not have done so as PM

DG This Ship of Fools is a very leaky one

Tobee 💐

Hopefully, the Brexiter leaker shot themselves in the foot and have merely added bitterness to the internal Tory fueds

Did Darroch receive a nod & wink to quit while May is still PM ?

May has to get her skates on though

Tom Newton Dunn@tnewtondunn

Darroch’s resignation now allows Theresa May / Jeremy Hunt to appoint his successor, not Boris Johnson.

This will not have been lost on Sir Kim. May likely to pick another senior diplomat... so if the leak was designed to install someone else, it will probably now fail.
.....
Henry Newman@HenryNewman

This whole Kim row is going to make it so much harder for the Conservative party to come back together again the other side of July 24
....
Tom Newton Dunn@tnewtondunn

Indeed.
The already bad blood between Boris and Hunt camps has gone severely septicimic in the last week.

Stripey 💐 Cruel and disgraceful to put you through this stress

The "hostile environment" seems against everyone they think won't be a Tory voter

UK, sieve manufacturers* to the world.

*Obviously made cheaply in China with a Union flag stuck on it.

Another angry Tory - a minister at the F.O.

That party is more at war with itself than before the ref - which Cameron called to heal his divided party

Kevin Schofield@PolhomeEditor

Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan:

"Boris Johnson has basically thrown our top ambassador under the bus.

His disregard for Sir Kim Darroch and his refusal to back him was pretty contemptible and not in the interests of the country he is hoping to lead."

Meanwhile I see the BBC has swung back into propaganda mode with "Redundancy - It's like a new lease of life"

I'm reminded of the "Bullseye" classic.

Jim: So, what do you do ?
Contestant: I'm unemployed
Jim: So, lots of free time then, super

So Brexit is being primed to invigorate a tired, jaded workforce. Clearly we've all been oversold the advantages of secure employment.

His disregard for Sir Kim Darroch and his refusal to back him was pretty contemptible and not in the interests of the country he is hoping to lead.

A statement which makes the assumption that the country BJ wants to lead is the UK. firstly "lead" could be synonymous with "trash", and secondly (although I am aware he renounced his citizenship) I still can't shake the picture of President Johnson ("no the other one" to quote "Die Hard" ...)

Comment on Iain Dale's tweet:
"UK diplomat uses undiplomatic language about his host country in supposedly top secret email. Email gets leaked. Host country tells him he’s no longer welcome. Diplomat resigns. Minister in charge of the department where the leak occurred is Jeremy Hunt. Conclusion- Boris’ fault."

Iain Dale's tweet:
"The last 24 hours will serve as a real warning to the Boris Johnson team. The media and political pile-in on him over Darroch is nothing to what will happen if he becomes PM. It will be interesting to see how far the right circles the wagons."

DG is that an authentic Jim quote?
I don't want to speak ill of the recently dead, but Jim wasn't the best quiz show host. As he said himself!

That Iain Dale quote looks like further twisting stuff to suit your own ends. I mean by that it's completely ignoring who backed Darroch in the aftermath of the leak and who didn't. I don't think I really needed to point that out

tobee people always have their Minister's full support (in this case Jeremy Hunt's) just before they do the honourable thing and resign.