Westminstenders: Game On?

[RedToothBrush]

Johnson has had prorogation approved by the Queen.

There has been widespread outrage and horror both in the UK and in Europe. Johnson has ripped up the principle of Liberal democracy even if constitutionally what he has done is legal. In shredding convention and the 'gentlemans agreement' of understanding we teeter on the edge of democratic collapse.

Talk is tha Dominic Cummings is persuing a game theory principle of deliberately putting us on collision course with the EU. The idea being that they will blink first because the alternative of what will happen is just too awful for them to allow. The idea is to force others to make the moves whilst Johnson appears principled and strong, even without a proper strategy and plan for a deal.

And there is the rub. Despite all the Talk of no deal, at some point a deal MUST be made, regardless of whether its before or after 31st October. There is no sense of what that could be and how it could be done. And then there's the prospect of a US deal which suffers from the same lack of tangibility.

All there is, is how things look for a General Election. Nothing else.

Johnson is pitching for an election with no sense of what's needed for Brexit - including the legislation needed for no deal. Not to forget that Cummings, strategist that he is, apparently isn't here for the long haul, only being contracted until 31st October, when he goes for surgery he postponed to take on this job.

So what's the plan for Johnson Post Cummings? Or is he going to do even more 'winging it'.

Meanwhile there's an awful lot of moderate Tory MPs getting very nervous and already failing to stick to the Cummings script.

Johnson, until there is an election is going to firmly blow hot and cool, trying to play to the hopes and fears of leavers and remainers to keep them hanging on to hope and the notion that x or y will happen, when x and y can't possibly both happen because they are completely opposing strategies. Hope leads us blindly to stumble like fools into his trap and to win his reelection.

Next week looks very bumpy indeed. Chances are this thread won't make it past Saturday...

Careful flouncy, I may vomit on your shoes...

Elements It was a bit of a damp squib. Someone started yelling something unintelligible then someone said 'ooh they're fighting' - and the crowd sort of shuffled away whilst standing on their tiptoes to get a better look. Not exactly Peterloo.

his take is that if prorogation is not stopped Bercow would relish opening an alternative chamber.

Don't forget that before he became Mr Speaker, he was and still is a Conservative. I have to qualify that and say that he must have been a previous model of Conservative - Johnson and Rees-Mogg are not Conservatives in the once accepted sense, they are English Nationalists or natent fascists.

Thanks flouncy

Didn't get your haz x

I would like to see a truly cross-party GNU that was in place long enough to see through a referendum on a sensible deal. Oh and brought in PR to make everyone’s vote really matter every time. Hopefully this prorogation situation has highlighted to the public who the undemocratic ones really are.

Still saying message invalid hoo

why won't it validate meeee?!

Perhaps it's me

Sent two other PMs today but they were in reply.

I went to the Leamington Spa one. Despite the rain and relatively short notice it was larger than expected. Labour and Lib Dems both had their supporters out, but also a surprisingly good cross section of society - everyone from pensioners through to students and a lot of young families. I looked around at the crowd - especially the families and thought "if this is true everywhere, then the Tories are in trouble".

The other striking thing is that the focus is on a upcoming election. By preroguging, Johnson has given his opponents a gift: the chance to shift the debate. It's not going to be about Brexit. Its going to be about an arrogant Eton elite hell-bent on muzzling Parliament. "Take back control" was being used at the meeting - and not about Brussels.

I read a good article on Bercow earlier- about how he has changed from pretty rightwing to almost centre left.
amp.ft.com/content/b8e4d016-ca48-11e9-af46-b09e8bfe60c0?shareType=nongift&__twitter_impression=true

Are you putting enough o's in??
😊

One of our speakers at the Oxford demo, talked about how in 1938 the Master of Balliol (Johnson's alma mater) opposed the appeasement of the late 1930s.

From Wikipaedia:

In 1938, Lindsay stood for Parliament in the Oxford by-election as an 'Independent Progressive' on the single issue of opposition to the Munich Agreement, with support from the Labour and Liberal parties as well as from many Conservatives including the future Prime Ministers Winston Churchill, Harold Macmillan and Edward Heath, but lost to the official Conservative candidate, Quintin Hogg.

Just out of curiosity, what's the exact wording of the oath MPs solemnly swear on taking office ? And more importantly, how close - if at all - is Boris to suggesting MPs abandon it to do what he says rather than as their conscience demands ?

Since her madge has been much written of lately, is the case not that an MPs final, ultimate, and incorruptible loyalty is to her, her heirs and successors a little bit before it's to that blond posh twat who thinks he's Gods gift ?

Screenshot. hoooo yeah I think so. Did you put a hazard blocker on?

(No one look at how many tabs open I have...it's embarrassing!)

I read a good article on Bercow earlier- about how he has changed from pretty rightwing to almost centre left.

Or has the Tory party just shifted 10 paces right ?

I suspect even Mrs T wouldn't cut the mustard as a Tory these days. (Well, wrong chromosomes for a start).

BBC1 1pm news had Mark Easton saying, "There are thousands here in London but not the millions that were here before."

What a tangled web we weave .....

its the landed gentlemen taking back control for themselves

Did they ever lose it ?

I didn't know a lot about politics a few years ago but I was under the impression Bercrow was right wing to. It's hard to tell these days, I think we're all just grateful someone isn't a complete psychopath.

ooo you've only ever kicked a puppy not drowned? You've got my vote!

flouncy I live life on the edge sometimes I let it run to 5%

DGR - the Code of Conduct for MPs makes interesting reading maybe Cummings should read it

publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmcode/1474/147402.htm#_idTextAnchor004

I particularly like Item 6 Members have a general duty to act in the interests of the nation as a whole; and a special duty to their constituents.

Followed by Item 11 Members shall base their conduct on a consideration of the public interest, avoid conflict between personal interest and the public interest and resolve any conflict between the two, at once, and in favour of the public interest.

and Item 13 The acceptance by a Member of a bribe to influence his or her conduct as a Member, including any fee, compensation or reward in connection with the promotion of, or opposition to, any Bill, Motion, or other matter submitted, or intended to be submitted to the House, or to any Committee of the House, is contrary to the law of Parliament.3

Quick question and I am sure some here will know the answer.

How many remainer Tory MP's voted against May's Deal and how many Leave MP's?