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.

Anyone else wondering how ‘voluntary’ this would be? How would you administer such a scheme? Everyone pays, unless they opt out?

I’m not remotely convinced by this voluntary idea. So if you don’t pay you get no care? Then what happens to you, voluntary euthanasia?
I’m actually very pro euthanasia, but not because of lack of money for care

How long do you think his relationship with Carrie will last? Has the publicity already killed it off?

We already get social care paid for in Scotland. Will the Scottish Government get a refund?

Scottish Government has some control over income tax rates (so higher rate tax payers pay more here and the low paid pay less) but no control over National Insurance.

I’d rather be allowed to save more into my pension, so that I have a chance of funding my own care. In a place of my choosing. I started my pension late, and really resent the current annual allowance cap.

Women earn less and live longer so do they get worse care than men then?

I’d rather be allowed to save more into my pension, so that I have a chance of funding my own care

I think this is why it has to be an insurance scheme. You could need nothing for your care in later life. Or you could need 100,000s of pounds.
There’s not many people who can afford to save £100,000s on top of their pension needs.

Only one things clear, it’s going to cost a bloody fortune.

Not been on here for a long while but just heard the new Lib Dem leader on the radio being grilled about Brexit etc by Nick Ferrari on lbc.
All she needs to say is she's ' on the side of the remainers' as he was still peddling the will of the people , already had a referendum ' talk that's been said nearly everyday for three years.
She is already on the back foot as she was once part of the lib / con pact a few years ago , but she needs to keep on the same that leavers have done for forty years. Calmly and clearly ' I'm here for the millions that voted to stay' as leaver MPs were for the ones that DID NOT vote to go in the original EEC in the 70s. They didn't ' shut up ' did they? They went on and on and on and still do.

Some presenters can't get their head around this detail really. We are split and this problem will not just go away. At least she is on remainders side ; Labour are still on the fence quite a lot and been a bit muddled.
I've zoned out a bit last few weeks I must admit as it's all so depressing.

I have woken up with a horrendous migraine.
Dh has proceeded to scald me woth coffee.
Portents.

A Belgian MEP says "If I were Boris Johnson I would do just that [NI only backstop]] and then call for a general election which I think he could then win having delivered a form of Brexit,"

Remainers haven't gone away, and he could just as easily lose. A lot of moderate Tories who want Remain will go to the LibDems, even just for this one vote. I would be interested to see how it plays out with Farage and the Brexit party.

Is there any point in even listening to the result of the Tory leadership? Seems everyone thinks its a done deal God help us all.

If Boris wins he will have to call a GE before end of parliamentary session or as soon as they come back in September in my humble opinion as I can't see him getting DUP on his side. Surely he cannot push through a no deal brexit without having the numbers? And dare he try and shut down parliament via the Queen? Or is all of that irrelevant because the EU won't grant an extension anyway and we leave on Halloween? Who knows!
All I can say is my hope has faded fast and I cannot see any miracle of a revoke or PV on the horizon. We are doomed.
On the radio this morning on farming. Apparently there is a contingency to cull thousands of sheep and lambs because it will be impossible to sell them after October.......

Of course there's the possibility that the situation with Iran could escalate to the point that a 31st October Brexit could be seen as lunatic - especially by the Brexiteers who feel the UK should be throwing it's weight around.

Be interesting to see how the "European Mission" talks are reported. Also be interesting to see if any of our EU partners has the guts/balls/honesty to turn around to UK and say:

Are you fucking joking ?

I can already see a Speigel article that starts:

When we first heard the UK foreign secretary was calling for a European alliance to deal with Iran, we thought it was that famous British humour ... surely no one could be that stupid ?

Delurks... Waiting for, God knows what.

Sam Coates Sky
@SamCoatesSky
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1m
This - from 1140 - is where the announcement event will take place

There will be a 2 min introductory video, 3 min Brandon Lewis remarks, Charles Walker introduction then Cheryl Gillan announces the result at 1147

Then a 10 min speech from the new leader

Buckle up!

Robert Peston thinks no 'no-confidence vote' this week, but a tumultuous autumn with GE.

But as I said on News at Ten last night, there won't be a no-confidence vote before MPs break for their holiday at the end of the week.
September and October, by contrast, will see parliament in tumult like nothing anyone alive may have witnessed.
And as I think you all know, my central scenario is there will be an autumn general election, fought between a no-deal-Brexit Tory party and a disunited set of opposition parties which have varying degrees of commitment to remaining in the EU (LibDems unambiguously remain, Labour conspicuously unsure of its position).

The worrying bit is the 'disunited set of opposition parties'. In my view, they should be talking to each other now, about how to form an electoral alliance. (SNP, Plaid, LD, Change, Greens.)

Also Johnson has tried to get the rebels onside this week but these are their reactions:

That said he has been trying to bring his arch critics, the Gaukward Squad and beyond, into his tent by requesting and holding meetings over the past two days with Gauke, Rory Stewart, Greening, Greg Clark, Hammond, Grieve et al.
They have not succumbed to his charms - or at least not yet.
One of them said of Johnson and the conversation with him: "Captain Clueless; they sold a fantasy and now it becomes their nightmare".
Another: "Friendly; not entirely reassuring".
A third: "He seems keen on do or die by 31 October!"
A fourth: "My views are well known and consistent, and I'm not going to amend them".

www.itv.com/news/2019-07-23/johnson-tries-and-fails-to-bring-gauke-clark-greening-stewart-and-grieve-into-his-tent/

Also woken up with a migraine.
A pot of EG and 2 slices of toast and oxford marmalade (darn the diet) have failed to shift it.
Could be the weather.
But I Blame Boris.
That is going to be my new tag-line.

Just to cheer you all up - I heard Jacob Rees-Mogg confirm that he would be delighted to accept a cabinet position from Boris Johnson - if he was asked.

That's the thing, isn't it? The Rees-Moggs of the Tory party were more than happy to put the boot into Theresa May, but Johnson is one of the chaps so they will give him a free pass. If he comes back with a Withdrawal Agreement, it will be exactly the same as Theresa May's, but they will vote it through without a murmur.

Logging in for the rest of the day...

Occasional poster, constant lurker placemarking with a foreboding sense of doom. Gods help us all!

I suspect I'll crack open the gin later 😩

Yes StripeyChina. Let's make Blame Boris 'a thing'.

He needs to be held accountable for everything. Already I feel that our lowered standing in the world could be attributed partly to him.

How soon will Leavers on these threads start telling us that they didn't support Johnson? We have already heard them tell us that Brexit won't be easy, which most certainly wasn't the story when they voted for it.

for those with migraines, dodgy tummies and general anxiety. Am perched in front of the TV waiting. BBC just showing live pics of the Johnson siblings in the audience.

Anne Milton has apparently resigned from the government.

Honestly I can see this being hunt. All the fan fayre of BJ getting it, only for hunt to be announced.