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.

[TigerCubScout]

Agreed Max
The 'backstop' is stated as the issue with May's WA. But the backstop only comes into play if we can't find an alternative to a hard border between ROI and Ireland. Ministers were always saying how we could easily implement these (mostly unspecified) alternatives. If they were/are so certain there is an alternative why is there a problem with having a backstop - we would never need to use it!

[Songsofexperience]

Indeed they (rabid brexiteers) are not being honest about it.

[Songsofexperience]

The pound crashing is just a simple ploy to allow foreign corporations to buy British businesses for a pittance.
Why do you think the CBI is so bloody angry?
The vultures are about to feast off our bones.

[DGRossetti]

Why do you think the CBI is so bloody angry?

But (like my friend) they were quite happy to back the Tories when it was other people being shat on. So for some Leavers, their wails of woe are actually a siren song.

One of the problems with any organisations credibility opposing Brexit is their previous Arslickhan to the Tories when it suited them.

We return to the proverb, adage and prediction and ultimately truism that every generation bites the hand that feeds. Tories unleashed are eating their own paymasters first.

[prettybird]

Not directly Brexit related (although it does have an impact ) and a wee bit more positive : A friend posted this in FB with the accurate intro Even if she grinds your gears, you've got to admit that Scotland's perspective is a refreshing antidote to the uffwuffumph spouted by that poisonous honey-monster in number ten. I don't think she likes him much

https://www.ted.com/talks/nicolasturgeonnwhygovernmentssshouldprioritizeewellbeing/details?utmmcampaign=tedspread&utmmedium=referral&utmm_source=tedcomshare

It's Nicola Sturgeon doing a TED talk about how well-being measures (wealth in equality, climate impact, happiness index) are as important as raw GDP measures. It's only 10 minutes and is worth taking the time to listen to. She even refers to Adam Smith and how this aligned with his own books (the Adam Smith Institute would have apoplexy )

[Songsofexperience]

Sure- but no matter how it's basically karma striking back, the fact remains that British businesses bought for zilch by predatory investors won't do us ordinary citizens any good, will it?

[prettybird]

I can visualise the "negotiations" if/when Frost/BloJob/whoever deigns to meet with the EU negotiators and leaders.

UK: We're serious. See, we're planning for No Deal.

EU: And?

UK: We mean it. Look at all the arrangements we're making.

EU: You do realise we've also been planning for No Deal, don't you? And have been doing so for longer than you. We're ready.

UK: Oh.

EU: But if you think you're so ready, you'll not be needing those transition arrangements for flights, trains, ferries etc that we unilaterally put in place then....

UK:

[BigChocFrenzy]

poster I agree
All that criticism of Labour's Magic Money Tree in 2017 - and criticism for years that they were profligate
At least they were trying to tackle existing problems

This Tory Magic Money Tree is to try to reduce the effects of a massive problem that they have created entirely themselves, for internal party reasons

[BigChocFrenzy]

.

[DGRossetti]

Sure- but no matter how it's basically karma striking back, the fact remains that British businesses bought for zilch by predatory investors won't do us ordinary citizens any good, will it?

I didn't say it would. But let's not kid ourselves here ... some members of the CBI probably can't be seen below the waist at the moment given the size of the hard-on they are sporting for reduced and removed workers rights.

[RedToothBrush]

Katy Balls @katyballs
‘By 16.30hrs on Wednesday, in 40°C of Commons fug, I’m fired. Job done. Ours not to reason why. Good command cheerfully accepts all missions with humour and loyalty’

Penny Mordaunt writes of her five-minute Boris meeting for @spectator diary

Madness

[RedToothBrush]

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-defection-lib-dems-brexit-boris-johnson-majority-phillip-lee-a9030576.html
Boris Johnson could lose majority overnight as Tory MP considers defecting to Lib Dems

‘At the moment, I’m increasingly feeling politically homeless,’ Phillip Lee says


A pro-EU Tory MP has said he is considering whether to defect to the Liberal Democrats, in a move that could wipe out the government’s Commons majority.

Dr Phillip Lee said he feels “politically homeless” over his party’s shift towards a no-deal Brexit following Boris Johnson’s election as Conservative leader.

The former justice minister, who has thrown his weight behind The Independent’s calls for a Final Say referendum, warned the Tories could lose voters if the party leads the UK out of the EU without a deal.

Speaking on a podcast with Tory MP Sam Gyimah, Dr Lee said he would spend the parliamentary recess “thinking a lot” about his future, when asked if he would join the Lib Dems under new leader Jo Swinson.

I saw a rumour about this a couple of days ago. Now he's confirmed he is actively considering his political future. Lee is already in the process of being actively deselected by his local party so it is not unsurprising.

By Election in Brecon tonight too.

[howabout]

Pretty I completely agree with the analysis that GDP is a very poor measure of progress. I think it also works with SNP narrative more generally - eg they have policies which encourage retirees to return and take up free personal care or students to get educated in Scotland before moving to London to earn big taxable wages.

However if GDP up is not always the Be all and End all it rather holes the boat for the anti-Brexit because its bad for the economy narrative.

On a lighter note cannot believe its taken me so long to have someone point out Boris' to speech line from his Scotland trip.

• he'd go the extra 1,000 miles for a deal? "I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more..." (nobody report him to the Proclaimers or on second thoughts do because the World needs another top anthem and this is just the sort of thing to goad them to action).

[howabout]

Just to annoy JRM there's a missing apostrophe

[RedToothBrush]

Jennifer Rankin @JenniferMerode
Brexit envoy David Frost has held meetings with senior EU officials. "These were introductory meetings as is standard practice," said EC spokes @Mina_Andreeva
Commission side "reiterated the EU’s well-known position and we shall look forward to further contacts".

David Frost met Clara Martinez Alberola, head of JC Juncker's cabinet, Stépanie Riso of Brexit taskforce, Ilze Juhansone, acting secretary-general.
Meetings with EP were requested but did not take place, as MEPs and officials not in Brussels.

European commission sees "the next possible contact" at the G7 at Biarritz. Jean-Claude Juncker will meet Boris Johnson there. So nothing in the diary until end August.

[Jason118]

"We all knew we would have a no-deal" www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49165836

[prettybird]

I did think that too about Boris' "1000 miles"

Can't work out if the Proclaimers would be horrified at the accidental allusion - or delighted that it subverted his message

[DGRossetti]

A pro-EU Tory MP has said he is considering whether to defect to the Liberal Democrats, in a move that could wipe out the government’s Commons majority.

Yeah, yeah ... we are way past that my friend. ... waaaaay past that.

[DGRossetti]

Can't work out if the Proclaimers would be horrified at the accidental allusion - or delighted that it subverted his message

It's a source of endless amusement when right winger wankers completely miss the nuance in art. The Republicans using "Born in the USA" without realising it wasn't what they thought (the more you move from the centre, the less you get irony - a good wankerwatch trait).

("This 'Monty Python' - is he one of us " - Mrs. Thatcher famously said. In the 1980s ....)

[BigChocFrenzy]

"if GDP up is not always the Be all and End all it rather holes the boat for the anti-Brexit because its bad for the economy narrative."

BIG difference between not madly chasing ever higher GDP at all costs - and doing something to make GDP crash.
Suddenly.

The latter means people getting poorer, losing their jobs, benefits being tightened even more

Great for the wealthy and the mc to tell the poor & struggling that there is no need for more growth

That's like when wealthy environmentalists swan in (on their privte jets / 1st class) to lecture the plebs

[RedToothBrush]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/3653510-Westministenders-Brexit-Preppers-Are-Traitors-Who-Dont-Believe-Enough?watched=1

I'm going out shopping for school uniform. I may be some time.

[BigChocFrenzy]

Western countries like Norway, Sweden, Germany who spend a lot of public services and on maintaining a decent standard of life for the less well off

make the choice via the ballot box to spend money this way instead of perpetual tax cuts to the better off

BUT
the govt also have to have the money to spend in the first place

Making the country a lot poorer is most unlikely to mean that the stressed mc & aspirational wc will vote to pay more tax from their diminished salary on benefits

They'll even more probably vote for tax & benefit cuts

Remember too, that a spike in unemployment, as happened in the 1980s the last time the Tories decided to remake the country
costs many billions too, both in unemployment pay and lower tax take

[BigChocFrenzy]

It takes a position of great privilege - and / or ignorance - to claim that sending the economy over the cliff is worth it, for Brexit

I grew up very poor in the SE; my late dad grew up desperately poor in the NE, literally hungry & barefoot
Life got much better for us both later on

That's different from having an OK life and then some rich prats yanking it all away for some abstract ideology

• or the very unabstract reason to make billions from hedge funds & vulture capitalism

That's the kind of deliberate pissing in the face of the poor that brings bloody revolution

If the wealthy want to sacrifice money for sovereignty, getting rid of foreigners, or whatever abstract principle they think more important than money,

then waste your own bloody money

[ImNotYourGranny]

In Sweden we make the choice to pay for services because we still have a very strong sense of community. The small town I live in is very close knit and the taxes we pay fund our community not national government. The taxes we pay are used to directly pay for our children to have free school meals and free swimming lessons, for our elderly relatives to be cared for etc. We see exactly where our money is going.

The government won't cut tax rates for high earners as that's the only money they get to fund national services such as the military.

[pamperramper]

Pmk