Westminstenders: "I don't give a flying flamingo"

[RedToothBrush]

Amid scenes parliament was shut down.

In an unprecedented comment the Speaker, stated it was not an ordinary prorogation and it was blatantly an attempt to stop the executive being held to account.

And now it seems a Scottish Court agree with him:
"Lord Brodie cont: "the principal reasons for the prorogation were to prevent or impede parliament holding the executive to account and legislating with regard to Brexit, and to allow the executive to pursue a policy of a no deal Brexit without further parliamentary interference"

Thus parliament must reopen. Unless the decision is overturned in a higher court.

This is constitutionally a big deal. The Queen is highly unlikely to attend a reopening, especially in this manner, due to how political it now is.

General Election campaigning has already began with parties trying to take full advantage of the fact that there are currently no rules over spending.

Dominic Cummings actively and openly campaigning for the Conservatives whilst paid as a civil servant by the tax payer is a huge breech of the Civil service code but MPs are struggling to pin the government down on this as its being obstructive.

Cummings is keen to use data to target and personalise people based on their usage of the .gov portal for Brexit. This is OK as its in the national interest apparently. Its also incredibly sinister and concerning about how this could be used against the population.

Anyway if you thought parliament closing would result in a lull in events you were very much mistaken!!

What next?

They've always regarded the UK as eccentric, but as another responsible adult in the room when the chips are down

It is really weird that so many non-British Europeans can't tell the difference between UK residents and the UK "government".

I think people appreciate the difference between Trump and the average American - or perhaps they don't?

PMK

They can tell the difference perfectly - or I'd be in trouble

What has changed is how they view the Uk government, not the people

It is really weird that so many non-British Europeans can't tell the difference between UK residents and the UK "government".

I do agree ! It's a bit of an oddity considering the average Briton is pretty careful not to say things like "The French", but make careful distinctions between the people of France, and it's government. Same with Germany too. If the British can do it, why can't foreigners ?

Ditto re Trump vs American expats

I'm looking at our head of state, in her 90s

Just to wargame the hell out of this, what if she should pop her clogs while actually being advised on the whole mess and the impression is formed "It was Brexit wot dunnit" ?

How did "To Play The King" begin ?

They don't say "the British",
but "the UK" does encompass the whole gamut of craziness from govt to media to Brexiter thugs rioting & harassing MPs to comstitutional crises
... to Brits voting for Brexit

It does NOT include expats (yet, hopefully never) - we aren't in the UK

Emma De Souza still having to fight Home Office to exercise her right to be Irish from Northern Ireland, as per the GFA. HO arguing you have to renounce an automatically imposed British nationality to 'become' Irish. Yep, Irish person has to renounce their Britishness. So much for British, Irish or Both. British or British and Irish works. Because they will take the British as the main nationality. But you have to officially renounce the British bit to be Irish.

Wondering if someone native to NI, and identifying solely as Irish, then becomes 'foreign' to the HO.

twitter.com/redwest44/status/1125924390988910592

PMK.... How can I be late to the party after being away from the computer for a small afternoon???

and I read a lot of paranoid remarks about "the Germans" or "Germany" online, including on MN

I actually think the UK is beginning to get its act together. Hope I'm not living in a bubble and it's not too late. I like that view from Germany BigChoc - UK is bonkers but act like grown ups when the chips are down. Hope that hard Remainers take a good long look at themselves. It is where it is and the country needs to come together.

A read of the GFA is always worth it. You can feel you're Irish, or you can feel you're British, and we will all accept your feelings are valid and this document gives legal weight and actuality to those feelings.

You can feel you won because you're legally Irish now, or you can feel you won because you're still legally British.

And everyone gets equal rights no matter how they feel. I love it for its fudgieness.

There needs to be something so people can have their feelings validated.

So Labour should say in the case of Remain - they'll always keep the pound, implement the full controls on immigration that are available, always keep a UK Army, not sign up to anything further regarding integration without putting it to the people, keep to the highest standards of British law, use the UK veto to say no to the EU if necessary, encourage British fruit and vegetable growing, and any other stuff that people are worried about.

Also from the GFA - a promise of a poll when it can be shown a United Ireland would win the poll. That's another great fudge.

I'd be inclined to toy with a policy that in future after Brexit has happened (if the public vote for the Brexit Deal) or after Revoke has happened (if they don't) that if it can be shown in x no of years' time that a majority has changed opinion, there'll be a poll on Rejoining or Releaving. But it would be a poll on leaving with such and such a deal or remain. With a super majority required.

@Cailleach1 , my mum was Irish born. Born before 1949. I am automatically an Irish citizen as well as a British one. Stupid to make it different if you were born on another part of Ireland.

DG I was wondering what would happen if Charles had to suddenly take over

Any legal delays before he can sign anthing ?

Would BJ shut down Parliament again, for a few days, at a critical time - out of respect ?

btw, I'm damn sure the EU would grant at least a month's extension for HMQ
She's held in great respect there
and they would expect us to be shell-shocked and needing time to get back to normal

Soon people in the EU will say of Hungary:
"well, at least it's not as bad as Britain"

Yep, I agree BCF. From the outside orld pov, the UK just has lost the plot. Completely.

Of course the Emma de Souza case makes shit of the GFA.

DG I was wondering what would happen if Charles had to suddenly take over

The Queen is dead. Long live the King !

Or is it La reine est mort, vive le roi !

(apologies to any Francophiles, I decided to write from memory ...)

How ON EARTH does the UK ever row back from being a BASKET CASE PARLIAMENT after all of this.
I utterly despair.
This will make even MORE people tune out and just want it all over with

Maybe the Libdems should campaign with
Revoke - the option that will make it all go away

So Labour should say in the case of Remain - they'll always keep the pound, implement the full controls on immigration that are available, always keep a UK Army, not sign up to anything further regarding integration without putting it to the people, keep to the highest standards of British law, use the UK veto to say no to the EU if necessary, encourage British fruit and vegetable growing, and any other stuff that people are worried about.

Ironically, that sounds like something the 1980s Tories would have gone for ...

Bellini, It is about people from NI. A contested place with a contesting population. And a very difficult and violent time since it's carving out and creation nigh on a century ago when the rest of the Island gained independence. It is not about anyone passing by with an Irish identity.

Poor old GFA.

Yup, currently we have Labour fighting for the economy, whether they're saying it or not. It's all Topsy Turvy.

DGR it’s so bloody simple isn’t when it written in that way, I’m no where near as informed or as articulate as many contributors here but even I can grasp that statement.

You are quite right @Cailleach1 and I didn't express myself clearly.
I entirely agree with you about GFA.
Christ, I would vote for Corbyn's Labour if I thought it would save GFA. And I swore never to vote Labour while he was leader.

If the Yellowhammer papers are released tonight and MPs are back in the chamber, can they discuss the content?

Actually, I think that Labour campaigning for the 'economy' is wrrying in some ways.
That means that the Tories arent right wing but extreme right.
But also that there is no one on the eft side of the spectrum.
It's not good as it measn no check and balance between the right and the left on the political spectrum.

Boris Johnson rules out election pact with Brexit Party.

In the same way he said he wouldn’t prorogue and didn’t want a GE?