Westminstenders: Charge!!!!

[RedToothBrush]

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!

I was involved with the Lib Dems for a long time. Jo Swinson is pretty marmite. But she's always been considered 'safe', as in, not going to cause a scandal or dredge up old ones. (Personally I'm very pissed off she has seemingly not followed through on her own pronouncements on e.g. Rennard.)

Politically in a crisis, she needs to watch her authoritarian streak and 'red lines'.

Jo has form on not doing what she’s pledged she will, sad to say. I was reminded that she was the one LDV put up to defend their tuition fees decision. She, of course signed the pledge, then voted in favour of raising fees in England in the full knowledge the policy wouldn’t apply in her Scottish seat.

www.libdemvoice.org/jo-swinson-mp-writes-on-tuition-fees-21908.html

Still remember the pushback way back then from LD members even now. This is before we go anywhere near her record on austerity.

It would seem the Corbyn proposal isn’t getting traction anyhow.

Lib Dems have immediately dismissed the idea, saying too many MPs are unwilling to work with Corbyn

Lib Dems can shut up and fuck off. If they want to stop no deal then they do whatever it takes and works with whoever offers. Otherwise they're still exactly the same part who sold their soul for power in 2010 and reneged on the tuition fees... but ten times worse.

Greens say a second referendum must be held before a general election

I agree with the greens - but this is semantics and can be negotiated. They certainly shouldn't refuse to help in the plan to block no deal in the event of their chosen order of events not being used.

But others were more amenable with the SNP and Plaid Cymru responding to say they would be willing to enter talks

Hooray for the nationalist parties.

The others approached for talks were Dominic Grieve, Caroline Spelman, Oliver Letwin and former Conservative Nick Boles. Grieve said he would be “considering it with colleagues

Hooray for the moderate tories.

The lib dems need to sort themselves out.

Any word on change UK? Labour are going to need every MP they can get.

Really good interview on Farming Today with Brexit MEP called out on lies will post link when it’s up.

The LDs are turning into a fucking liability. Their priorities are totally screwed. I think I'll have to tell them my thoughts. (Like they care!)

I’m a Lib Dem member as they failed to cancel my membership when requested so have just emailed Jo Swinson to urge compromise and pragmatism as have such a short period to prevent No Deal. Not that I think it will help but felt I had to try.

LDs need to be careful here - it was a foolish and unnecessary move to dismiss Corbyn out of hand.... If there is enough support from moderate Tories, independents, nationalists etc., they’ll need to backtrack or risk taking part of blame for no-deal.

They should at this stage be presenting an alternative - a veteran respected MP who is willing to resign party whip and become an independent and make this their final great civic act as an MP before retiring (I’m thinking Margaret Beckett). That would be a more credible “unity” Government than one led by Corbyn. Then let Corbyn argue against that!... If he won’t countenance it then the LDs may need to acquiesce, but the consequences would be huge. Corbyn is massively unpopular amongst a large majority of the country, and the thought of him having to deal with international affairs (eg Iran) for even a fortnight is a scary prospect

This would only work if the process was very, very quick - ie agree extension then hold a GE. Holding a referendum would take many months and the country wouldn’t accept an unelected Corbyn-led Government for that long. Besides we’d be totally politically paralysed over that period.

I'll vote for your plan, Oakenbeach!

I'm annoyed with Jo Swinson this morning. If she really, really wants a chance at getting shot of Johnson and No Deal then why doesn't she support Corbyn's -terribly late- idea? What is her idea to try to stop Johnson?

Hooray for the moderate tories.

I wouldn’t be too hopeful - like the LDs, I can’t see them supporting a JC Government.

If the SNP, Plaid Cymru and The Greens are saying they are willing to consider Corbyn's idea and the Lib Dems are outright refusing to even consider it then the Lib Dems need to sort their priorities out.

I still haven't got the hang of strikethrough. Am thinking one must do it for every word. What I meant above was Corbyn's -terribly- -late- idea. Will that work, lol.

Crunchy, it's double -- not - on either side!

On Newsnight Chuka Umunna said the Lib Dems would not back a Labour no confidence vote in Boris Johnson. So, the Lib Dems prefer Boris and no deal to Corbyn and compromise.

Crunchy, it's double -- not - on either side!

.....

I totally fail.

I despise Corbyn- I'm old and know his sort too well - but in a Corbyn vs No Deal dilemma, I could probably hold my nose for long enough. I think. But I imagine his "call" would be enough to bring Tories back into the fold for No Deal. Maybe that's his cunning plan as a Lexiteer. Let us No Deal and when it all turns to shit, be the man with the even shittier plan that desperate people will support.

Why is she a twat?

For all the many reasons listed above ^

LDs need to be careful here - it was a foolish and unnecessary move to dismiss Corbyn out of hand.... If there is enough support from moderate Tories, independents, nationalists etc., they’ll need to backtrack or risk taking part of blame for no-deal.

Agree with this

BUT

They are getting a lot of support from ex tories and ex Labour who think Corbyn the devil incarnate.

The problem is if they get themselves between a no deal v Corbyn situation then they betray either those against no deal or those who hate Corbyn which will lose them support.

Which actually might be why Labour are pushing this angle now...

I'm really disappointed in Jo Swinson. I think she's let 'the power' go to her head. Yes the LD's are gaining in popularity but to start throwing her weight around, red lines, won't work with Corbyn etc etc.

Yes, we all know that Corbyn is far, far from ideal but she should at least discuss the plan.

It seems from the outside that #joinjo is actually a bit of a brat.

Dennis skinner has been v quiet of late....

Anna Soubry @anna_soubry
^1/4 I am disappointed Jeremy Corbyn did not include me in his letter especially as there are five MP members of our party.
Our exclusion and the preference for a General Election rather than an immediate People’s Vote leads me to conclude this is nothing more than a stunt.^

2/4 Our country faces a very serious political and constitutional crisis and important decisions must be taken. I have argued for a genuine Government of National Unity led by someone who commands respect and support not just in his or her own party but in all parties.

3/4Jeremy Corbyn is not that person given he struggles to maintain the confidence of his own back benchers. He is also a Brexiteer given his long standing views. A Government of National Unity must have as its common purpose a determination to return Brexit to the British people.

^4/4 It’s striking that Corbyn does not share that view instead he offers a General Election which will not settle the matter.
@ForChange_Now^

Paul Brand @paulbranditv
Excluding the 5 MPs in the Independent Group for Change does seem a rather counterproductive move when arithmetic of all this is very very tight.

I don't think the numbers are there to do it WITHOUT the Independent Group.

I think Anna correct. It's a gambit against the LDs...

Just saw an interesting argument on twitter that the threat of a Corbyn govt might be the excuse Blowjob needs for an extension.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-farmers-protest-business-agriculture-referendum-final-say-a9058621.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1565848527
Brexit: Farmers call for fresh referendum as they warn half of farms will go bust after no-deal exit

Yes I think you're right, this possibly is against the LD's. 'They wouldn't work together to try to rescue the situation'

Somebody else to blame when this all goes tits up, which I suspect it will.

Comes to something when a legal government by HM's elected opposition is a 'threat'.

But the PM using exactly the same inciteful slurs, as the man who assassinated Jo Cox, to describe Members of Parliament is accepted without comment.

And the rest .......