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.

Don't forget though that in the first elections after VE day, Churchill was soundly trounced.

I do wonder what Labour has to do to rebuild credibility. They sank pretty low under Foot/Kinnock, but then along came John Smith who looked like a PM in waiting, and then Blair, who managed to maintain strict party discipline to get them elected. How? This is what they need to be asking.

While TM wasn't many people's favourite PM she did have some level of integrity. BoJo has none, he'll take whatever route exists to leave on the 31st.

With Major's plan - presumably this can only happen after the fact though?

It won't stop us from leaving without a deal on 31st, it's just that this decision may be subject to judicial review afterwards?

In which case I don't know what the outcome would be...we (the UK) would still be bound by EU law which will mean we still will have left. It would just be the UK's own Executive that would be subject to JR and no idea what restitutions would be made even if it were successful...anyone know?

I should know since I studied law but it's a bit rusty after so many years and I'm not even sure there would be a definitive answer as this situation is so unusual

I'm on Labour forums on Facebook as well as Tory and Lib Dem and it's clear that quite a lot of members are still very much in love with JC.

Still many, many #JC4PM posts which are extremely fawning and anyone who posts otherwise gets an absolute bashing.

So everyone thinks it's no deal and that's it then?...

I don't.

This is a campaign not serious preparation for no deal. Blowjob and his pals have basically worked out how to conduct an election campaign paid for by taxpayers with no restrictions on campaign finance.

They expect parliament or the courts to stop no deal, and they will go to the country once they have another A50 extension (which they will blame on parliament, the courts, remoaners and the EU).

If she follows through with this, BJ's majority is now gone, isn't it?
No but this current Tory momentum will ensure that Scottish Tory MPs will be wiped out in Scotland. The current Scottish Secretary represents a rural constituency. Prime sheep, beef and dairy country. He is a farmer himself. He is the replacement for poor wee Fluffy who was brutally deposed. Boris is hated up here and certainly by farmers.

Piggy sorry that you have Nadine Dorries as your MP. She’s never got anywhere yet with her anti-choice plans to so I am concerned now she is finally getting a sniff of power as a junior health minister that she will want to use it. And if MPs are offered the choice, I am also scared that cutting women’s rights in the current climate or horsetrading with them will seem to MPs like a trivial or even necessary thing to do, given that Parliament is currently dealing with seismic international and national events and a lot of MPs individually will be trying to curry favour within a new political regime. to everyone concerned about medication supplies.

PMK (thanks, Red)

They expect parliament or the courts to stop no deal, and they will go to the country once they have another A50 extension (which they will blame on parliament, the courts, remoaners and the EU

Will it work though? Can parliament stop no deal?
Can Johnson actually will a general election?
If he does win a general election? Can he actually renegotiate the WA or are we just going to be looking at no deal again next year?

Thank you RTB. Rejoining the threads. It has been so wonderfully dull since Brexit didn't happen on 31.3. so I had put it all out of my mind to manage my stress levels.

Looks like we are headed for a now deal.

I am worried.

OK, on review, JM's JR plan was to prevent prorogation of Parliament. Not specifically to stop no deal.

Do the MPs have to put forward the Cherry proposal again which will compel revocation if no deal is in place by X date? Obviously that was voted down last time, but with this administration and it looking desperate by Oct, would it get through next time?

Will Boris essentially prorogue by not having any legislation going through for fear of a Brexit amendment being added? So they'll be sitting but doing fuck all. Is that possible (Red, BCF, do you know)?

I really do expect things to get more frenzied post-recess and for plans of action to be drawn up in the recess by key figures. Just because there's a recess, doesn't mean that things aren't happening in the background. I've no doubt there's talks going on and plans will be afoot.

They expect parliament or the courts to stop no deal, and they will go to the country once they have another A50 extension (which they will blame on parliament, the courts, remoaners and the EU).

This is a dangerous game - because the courts or Parliament might not be able to stop No Deal. So we crash out. I hope then that the horrors that then ensue come to firmly rest on Johnson's shoulders.

Don't forget he tried to pull this stunt three years ago. His face when his side won the Referendum was a picture. However, he got lucky because May went and played right into his hands.

They expect parliament or the courts to stop no deal, and they will go to the country once they have another A50 extension (which they will blame on parliament, the courts, remoaners and the EU

This seems very plausible to me. So the current uselessness of Labour will split their vote with the LDs, Labour loses seats and Fatberg can form a govt without the DUP. Bring on a NI-only backstop and it’s a done deal...

Bring on a NI-only backstop and it’s a done deal...

OK, so that helps with the NI situation, but brings its own problems: it is likely to enrage both the Scots and the ERG.

I think the current uselessness of Labour could be quite useful if the Remain parties box clever. Caroline Lucas and Jo Swinson are already discussing a strategy for not splitting the Remain vote. A lot of Labour remainers will lend their votes for one election.

Just a little warning that Propaganda leaflets and tv ads are coming our way.

As an ex-librarian I really do have an extraordinarily serious allergy to all this propaganda floating around. If the entirety of the real public information sector hadn't been destroyed we might have been able to do something about this. Perhaps. It hadn't been talking much sense for a long time before.

A lot of Labour remainers will lend their votes for one election.

I hope so, especially after last time, where people thought they were voting for Remain, to be told that 80% had voted for Leave parties.

Before the EU elections there were sites suggesting how people should vote to maximise their chances of getting Remain candidates win. Does anyone know how well they worked? We will need something similar for a GE.

Cherry should not out it forward again - it will always be voted down because it comes from the SNP.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant the proposal is put forward again. Not by Cherry.

John McDonnell is saying on Peston last week that he doesn't see a GE in Autumn - he sees it being in Spring. I'm just watching it on catch up.

That implies there's no plan to put in a VoNC this year.

Of course it's outrageous, Mother.

They were quite stupid to put it forwards that way though, given the childishness of Parliament with Scottish-proposed items.

• John McDonnell is saying on Peston last week that he doesn't see a GE in Autumn - he sees it being in Spring. I'm just watching it on catch up.

That implies there's no plan to put in a VoNC this year*

...but then later talks about possible VoNC to avoid no deal. So ignore the first statement (which conflicts with this)

Can Johnson actually will a general election?
If he does win a general election? Can he actually renegotiate the WA or are we just going to be looking at no deal again next year?

Johnson has not come all this way to spend 3 months as prime minister.

He wants an election on his terms (one that he can win) and he wants a full term in office.

If you start from that premise - which is, I think, the one cast-iron certainty in all of this - then the rest follows.

If no-deal is as bad as we think it is (and it's bad: he'll need to get a whole lot of legislation through the HoC without a majority, and impose direct rule in Ireland) then there is no way that Blowjob wants an election after no deal.

He wants one before no deal and ideally one that gives him a working majority that allows him to put two fingers up to the DUP and the hardest ERG hardliners. Hence the huge campaign spending using public funds and with no electoral commission supervision (because we're not having an election - yet).

He is counting on the ERG people in government to toe the line once it's their job and their seat on the line. They will agree to an extension because they know that they risk losing if they go to the country now. He has the press in his pocket - after all, much of it is owned by people who have spent a lot of money getting him elected!

Anyone hear Raab on Today? Spine chilling. Did not deny they are considering imposing direct rUle on Ireland in event of no deal.

It's becoming clearer and clearer they have no intention of negotiating anything with the EU. The blizzard of statements and promise of largesse far and wide is transparent electioneering. Also nicking labour's promises. Cummings is already running rings around them.

We will crash out.

I have no hope left.

Posted on Aibu thread in error

Grinchly I'm with you. It's like being on a runaway train with a demonic driver.