Westministenders: A New Approach? No chance.

[RedToothBrush]

Next week we will have a new PM. He will be called Boris Johnson unless something very odd has happened.

His first 72 hours will be 'interesting' especially if today's events are anything to go by.

His Cabinet is sure to be a horror show. It was noticable who abstained today - they don't think they will be in a Johnson Cabinet and clearly don't want to be.

To move forward Johnson must be able to survive a rebellion and a Queen's speech before now and 31st October.

And be able to unit his party in order to find a way forward.

And whilst parliament has voted to block proroguing parliament, it could still be dissolved if there is a vote of no confidence.

And what happens if Johnson loses a vote? Will he manage to become PM? Will there be a GE.

All the signs are that next week is going to be a hell of a ride.

Enjoy your weekend.

But why does Johnson say that we're leaving on October 31st come what may?

Pretty sure May said the same about March 29th Then at the 11th hour asked for an extension. I'm so glad they've used time wisely

Ah, it was Sky that are saying 11:50am

BBC News confirmed 11am, @TokyoSushi.

NoWordForFluffy
thanks - will watch from 10.30 I think.
Oooof.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/9559770/boris-johnson-to-unveil-domestic-policy-blitz-if-he-is-elected-pm-to-look-beyond-brexit/amp?__twitter_impression=true
Boris Johnson to unveil domestic policy blitz if he is elected PM to look beyond Brexit

BORIS Johnson will today start to unveil a blitzkrieg of domestic plans if he is elected PM in a bid to widen his Premiership away from just Brexit.

In his acceptance speech late this morning and on No10’s steps tomorrow, the Tory leadership frontrunner is expected to promise immediate action on a raft of long standing problems that Theresa May’s administration failed to grip.

Why does the word blitzkrieg in this headline leave me feeling uncomfortable?

They include an immediate insurance plan to tackle the spiralling cost of social care, a major overhaul of school funding, and moves to turbo-charge business in the regions

And this will be paid for with?

All those tax cuts for the rich he's promised?

New state-backed insurance scheme which people would use to save for better care in their old age from their 40s

So remind me what does national insurance do, and given I'm going to be paying for my parents and grandmothers care (when they are net benefits from the taxation and benefits system), I'm now being told I'm going to have to pay twice for my own care.

Nice.

Yes I'm all for that.

A very appealing policy for anyone under 45.

It’s expected to be voluntary and ask all workers over 40 to contribute 2.5% of their wages to it every year.

Mr Johnson is also expected to unveil his plans for a Brexit dividend for Britain’s forgotten regions with speeches around the country over the coming weeks.

Solving Britain’s housing crisis, boosting police numbers by 20,000 and income tax cuts are also priorities but have been dubbed “second order” for now and will be tackled later in the year during the Budget and Whitehall-wide spending review.

Huh.

A 'voluntary' tax for those in their 40s, whilst simultaneously cutting income tax.

Oh yes that makes perfect fucking sense.

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
...as well as One Nation-esque, allies also say both are key doorstep issues with voters, and so must be neutralised before any general election enforced on Boris in the Autumn (3)

Ah.

And there it is.

A GE policy. Which he can forget about if he wins an election.

Jim Pickard@pickardje
extraordinary scene this morning when health secretary Hancock had big row with PM May because she wanted to publish HIS green paper on preventative health measures?

Surely nothing to do with him wanting cabinet job under Johnson, who opposes sin taxes?!

Hancock was initially reluctant to have the paper published by his own health department, meaning that it was instead published by the Cabinet Office and DHSC together.

The minister also argued successfully against any press notice to accompany publication.

One Tory aide suggested that Mr Hancock had tried to “time out” the paper over the weekend by not responding to a government write-around on the subject.

One Hancock ally said he still wanted to pursue the ideas in the green paper. “Last week everyone got a letter saying we shouldn’t announce anything which could tie the hands of an incoming administration.”

He argued the policies could be re-examined at leisure by the next PM

Anyway what’s in the paper?

IN:

complete ban on smoking by 2030

levy on tobacco companies to fund initiatives to help smokers quit

end to the sale of energy drinks to children.

DELAYED

mandatory calorie labelling in restaurants

9pm watershed for TV ads for unhealthy food

www.ft.com/content/5d9bc696-acb2-11e9-8030-530adfa879c2

Just to make that clear. The health secretary wanted to pass and promote his own health policies until he found out that might threaten his job with the new PM who does not like policies like the ones Hancock thinks we should have.

Hancock seems weak and I’m very unimpressed.

It’s tricky working out which Tories are threatening what: resigning from Cabinet, resigning the Tory whip, going Independent, joining the LD, voting no confidence against Boris...?

This article seeks to clarify - it all sounds quite dramatic but I’ll believe it when I see it.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tory-rebels-threaten-to-join-lib-dems-to-thwart-boris-johnson-h6nzxdsdt

Front of the "i" tomorrow:-

Again the prime minister apparently warning the country of electoral disaster of not delivering Brexit. Just like May. Party before country with seemingly no qualms.

Appealing to the party but speaking to the nation as PM

Again the prime minister apparently warning the country of electoral disaster of not delivering Brexit.

Delivering Brexit is also likely to lead to electoral disaster. The only thing we can be sure of, is that the Tories will find a way of blaming someone else.

Complete ban on smoking by 2030?

The man has gone mad.

Crazy times!

I keep reading this thread and finding myself laughing in a unhinged way as more and more posters bring stuff to our attention.

tobee me too, it's all just so bloody bizarre. And I keep wondering if we are in some kind of parallel universe... Ah well, Tuesday should be interesting: the execrable BJ moving into no.10 and having to sort out the Iranian tanker issue. Wot larks eh?!!

Yes yolo! And for extra added fun will Carrie being moving in too?

It’s expected to be voluntary and ask all workers over 40 to contribute 2.5% of their wages to it every year.

Anyone else wondering how ‘voluntary’ this would be? How would you administer such a scheme? Everyone pays, unless they opt out? Everyone pays but has the option to claim back the tax by doing a tax return?

Also where will the money go? Will it be ring fenced? Or just lumped in with general taxation? Is there enough inter-governmental trust for people to ‘voluntarily’ pay this and believe it will actually be honoured by some future government?

And what if you don't pay it? You don't get care later? If it's genuinely an 'insurance policy' it should be a fixed amount for the premium, not a percentage of your earnings. I might consider that type of thing. But not a blanket % of my salary, no ta!

Every single hour of the day brings another news item about the ridiculousness of this destructive absurd path we have chosen...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/22/wework-us-brexit-european-medicines-agency?CMP=sharebtnn_fb

It's tragic enough that as a result of our own stupidity we lost the EMA , absurd we lost all those jobs and all the business it brought to hotels, pharma etc.

It's bad enough that a US firm ( of course) owned by two billionaires is getting €62m of taxpayers money (£55.7m) in inducements to take the 25 year lease of the building.

But what really gets me is that the Government declined to comment, trying to suppress the figures, keeping it all secret, but the EU was entirely above board and accountable about the whole thing.

I don't suppose Carrie will move in until the (taxpayer funded) bed is in place. Pretty sure it wont be coming from IKEA either!