Westminstenders: The Imperial March

[RedToothBrush]

There are many ways to enforce power indirectly using privilege. Jacob Rees Mogg knows every trick in the book and dresses it up as respectability rather than a subtle form or intimidation and deliberate exclusion.

It's not the stuff 'of the people'.

Meanwhile the newly crowned PM, is making rather a bug deal of how he is the man 'of the people', here to serve them and to deliver their will.

There's a big theme here about presenting as 'of the people' whilst simultaneously serving the interests of the elite and reestablishing its power over the people.

It's a theme that is set to run for some time, and is entrenched in Trumpism too.

This shift in power is particularly harmful to women it must be noted.

'Strong and stable' was 'weak and wobbly' and we should be mindful that in the era of reversed spin, what 'of the people' signifies.

We've long known about the authoritarianism at the heart of leaving thinking. It's only now that it's finally going to start stomping it's feet all over our freedoms and power.

The road back will be a long and hard one because we failed to spot the threat and the dangers of it.

OMG Sending the Army to Scotland now?

I don't believe we're heading the way of Syria or 1930's Germany.

I do however think the Tories absolutely will find a way to leave with no deal.

They will blame the EU for any fallout for being 'stubborn' and 'refusing' to remove the 'undemocratic' backstop as they already are.

The resulting economic pain will be the justification for additional 'economic stimulus' by slashing corporation tax rates (Hunt mentioned 12.5% in his campaign, perhaps BJ will go further) and removing 'barriers to innovation and entrepreneurship' (or rights as we call them).

The state will be stripped back to bare bones - the demonisation of the poor will be ramped up to achieve this.

This is quite clearly the plan and well supported by long time Tory members, they see everything after Thatcher as a 'take over' by the 'wets' and want to return to the 'dry' and 'high' Tories.

This is all from the horses mouth of Tory members in their forums.

As an aside - has anyone read Brittania Unchained? Presumably that gives a pretty good summary of where at least a good proportion of the cabinet see this going...

OMG Sending the Army to Scotland now

To keep down a rebellion? Why not? Wouldnt' be the first time.

Local idiots rioting over KFC or even a Police shooting just do not cut it

I don't know if you were in the UK in 2011, or where in the UK but I can assure you that for a few days, when the riots were going on, it was quite scary and nobody was quite sure where we were headed. I was working in London at the time and was sent home early one day and told to work at home until things calmed down.

@Janista Still stirring it about a country you no longer live in, I see. Come back to the UK. We obviously really need more shit stirrers.

Just found this summary....I think the last part pretty much chimes with my last post:

"Come the autumn, Britain may well get a huge shock, and penury will beckon. The only way to avoid it, we will be told, will be to bin regulation, drastically lower taxes, and become tech, finance and the corporate food industry’s offshore playground.

Then a terrifying future will open up: a few people creaming it in, while millions of ill, poor, eternally insecure people remain glued to their smartphones to either await their next casual shift in a fulfilment centre or spend whatever crumbs they are paid on the latest useless innovation. Such are the uplands of freedom offered by a party that seems to have lost what was left of its moral bearings, and resolved not to unchain us, but to imprison Britain in true-blue stupidity."

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/opinion/want-to-know-what-a-boris-johnson-government-would-look-like-i-have-just-the-book-1.3950191%3fmode=amp

From red's link:

Strzok and almost every senior FBI official who was involved in the initial Trump investigation has since left the FBII^, including McCabe.

In many cases, they were dismissed by Trump officials, ostensibly for unrelated reasons.

The US are quite far down the rabbit hole.

iirc it was a Hungarian observer, reflecting on his own country and beyond who said that the

populist authoritarianism he knew of didn't mean locking up the opposition:
it just meant that the ruling party were untouchable

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2019/07/why-nigel-farage-believes-pact-conservatives-has-become-almost-impossible
Why Nigel Farage believes a pact with the Conservatives has become almost impossible

The appointment of the combative Dominic Cummings as a senior No 10 adviser has alienated the Brexit Party.

there was an interesting piece on the impact of wto terms on food production on 'farming today' today.

I recommend BBC's
How to break Into the Elite on iplayer.

lots of stuff in there that is relevant and strikes a political cord
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000772n/how-to-break-into-the-elite

I do fear for Scotland and NI re military control:

I can remember British troops going into NI as "rescuers" (didn't last long)
Noone then imagined that what we thought of as sleepy NI would ever be controlled for 30 years by soldiers

It's what happens when a big chunk of the people withdraw their consent to be governed - and the state refuses to accept this

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/we-often-see-grown-men-16658405
'We often see grown men in tears - they can’t believe they’re here'

SPECIAL REPORT: Politics and Investigations Editor Jen Williams discovers dismay, rage and defiance in Oldham, a town bruised by Universal Credit and austerity. This is the first of a three part series looking at the deep wounds government neglect has left on an industrial town - it's a story replicated across the North

When hope and food is in short supply, I'm guessing anything will be an improvement. Just offer the right incentive.

Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar have just spoken by phone in a call UK sources describe as warm.

‘Warm’ being a euphemism for ‘heated’, possibly?

Varadkar is a polite friendly guy. It's like Trump saying negotiations on a new trade deal have started. Which means some people have said "Hi" on the phone.

I can remember British troops going into NI as "rescuers" (didn't last long)

My flatmate at Uni remembered his aunt inviting the soldiers in for tea. They were Catholics and looked to the army to protect them from the unionist paramilitaries. That'll be the people that go to church with Arlene & chums.

Looks like the message is getting louder and clearer:

www.theregister.co.uk/2019/07/29/overseas_student_visas_suffering_it_fail/

UK universities have slammed the Home Office's outsourced visa system for foreign students as not fit for purpose because it leaves scholars waiting weeks for appointments.

(contd)

I'm always amused when the phrase "fit for purpose" is used, since it hinges upon a common understanding of the "purpose" in question. Much like people naively believing the purpose of the bedroom tax was to free up housing stock and reduce costs and not understanding why there was so little fuss when it didn't.

Of course if the purpose was "to give the poor a kicking" then not only was it fit for purpose, but it was a stellar success.

I ve had dealings with Sopra Steria, in regard to IT outsourcing and power stations - utterly useless, whether thats because they are chosen because they are the lowest bidder or because they really are, i don't know.

Considering how much Uni 's depend on overseas students, it is something that needs sorting out.

Quite ironic awarding this sort of post brexit immigration program to a french outsourcing company, they appear to be the new ATOS and will doubtless get many more contracts, that they in turn give to other companies, milking a healthy cut for their trouble.

Considering how much Uni 's depend on overseas students, it is something that needs sorting out.

Why ? Surely if it was that important, it would have been undertaken more seriously to start with ?

It's a general rule that whenever these clowns pick up a nice juicy contract (paid for by the taxpayer) it's because the people awarding the contracts couldn't give a shit about the actual service provided.

Look at Capita and army recruitment, for a start.

Army being sent to Scotland? Remember the 'deterrent' is maintained on Scottish soil - any mutterings at all from the SNP and special forces will be on the ground to ring-fence faslane and maintain the corridor to the m6.
From that it's only a small misstep to suppression of the locals.

Army being sent to Scotland? Remember the 'deterrent' is maintained on Scottish soil - any mutterings at all from the SNP and special forces will be on the ground to ring-fence faslane and maintain the corridor to the m6. From that it's only a small misstep to suppression of the locals.

People need to read up on how Macmillan gave Faslane to the US in return for access to the Polaris programme.

Thought Faslane has always been a UK base? You mean Holy loch? wasn't given to anyone, US subs were based there during the height of the cold war.
It was a forward base for US missile subs and helped maintain the peace europe has enjoyed.

The yanks left years ago.

Goes off to revise Blue Streak, TSR-2, Polaris, Eisenhower and Macmillan.

(Wish I was a leaver, I could just reply "we won, get over it" )

Fairly detailed article on various issues relating to UK military in Scotland in event of Indy from run up to IndyRef1.

rUK would not need to send troops to Scotland they are already there.

www.theguardian.com/news/2014/sep/04/scottish-independence-scotland-defence-trident

I think perhaps you mean Holy Loch? Saw a BBC4 programme about that recently and it was most interesting. A pretty dark and unedifying episode all round as I recall from the programme.

www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/boris-johnson-downing-street-advisers?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc
The Definitive Guide To Who's Who In Boris Johnson's Number 10 Team

From a "Great British Bake Off" judge's son to someone who published naked pictures of students in a magazine called Intercourse, here's the new team running the country.

I notice this particular appointment.

Nikki da Costa: Director of legislative affairs
Da Costa quit May's Number 10 team last year following differences over her plan for leaving the EU. She went on to become a Twitter must-follow as she explained Brexit to confused political journalists. Good luck to reporters when they find out she's deleted her Twitter account and is now back in Downing Street.