Westminstenders: Silly Season

[RedToothBrush]

It's that time of year again when politicians seem to completely lose their marbles in order to impress the faithful. And it is beginning to feel like conference season is increasingly an exercise in religious ferver to the party rather than considering what's in the best interests of the whole country.

Labour have got off to a good start before their conference opens, by almost starting complete melt down.

The Tories have promised to break from convention and try and over shadow the others, so that's something to look forward to.

And early this week we have the supreme Court ruling which could, regardless of which direction it swings, have massive ramifications for our democracy.

Big week ahead.

I’m now thinking born lives in Hogwarts! Fab windows!

So, again, all those vox pops of 'left-behind 'Leavers, just why do the media persist with them?

I think it's conflating the lower education levels of that older generation with the left behind stereotype of lower education and income, ignoring the wealth of the former and that higher education simply wasn't as widely available for them.

Granny my first thought was if your cat can levitate why can't I?

JC has just clearly stated on Marr that he was not aware that the motion to effectively oust (sorry, don’t know what the precise wording of the motion was but oust is basically it) Tom Watson was going to be put before the NEC. What? The movers and shakers of Momentum feel the elected Leader is so superfluous to their aims that they don’t feel obliged to inform him in advance of proposed fundamental changes to party policy? Does anyone else find that astonishing?

Belated pmk

Borrowed kittens for this PMK

After a long drought rain has finally arrived, so some good at least.

Who knows what is happening - no one it seems.

Does anyone else find that astonishing?

Sadly not

PMK
So, again, all those vox pops of 'left-behind 'Leavers, just why do the media persist with them?
This trope is still going strong on MN too (being peddled in the Brexit Arms). Its aim is obviously to position remainers as un-empathetic privileged elites who have no sympathy for the downtrodden. It started immediately after the referendum and persists because they don't have many other arguments. According to posters in the Brexit Arms, it's also because remainers are middle class and don't want the poor taking away their power. They read it in a Tweet apparently.

Glad I didn’t watch Andrew Marr. Raab escalates my blood pressure.
But also JC, promising to stay, and to still be firmly on the fence for a long time. Till after he’s PM actually.
Doesn’t he get it? He won’t become PM if he stays on the fence.

He stuck to his guns on the party’s Brexit position, calling for neutrality for the time being on how the party would campaign in a second referendum ahead of a special conference once he is prime minister to decide.

blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/09/corbyn-insists-he-is-going-nowhere-in-testy-marr-interview-its-wishful-thinking-by-some-people/amp/

But we're already showing we AREN'T like America in how we are resisting the behaviour which is being demonstrated / forced on us. And, actually, for all his talk, I've got a funny feeling that there will be some worried thoughts / discussions going on behind the scenes.

Just because he tries to cling on, doesn't make his position tenable.

My thought is all mouth no trousers. He's goading everyone to fix it around him, in my opinion.

If the Supreme Court does rule against Johnsons (this is starting looking more likely), then Johnson will need to recall Parliament.

A heavily pissed-off institution with a Speaker who has nothing to lose where he has no majority.

I'll be getting my popcorn.

He stuck to his guns on the party’s Brexit position, calling for neutrality for the time being on how the party would campaign in a second referendum ahead of a special conference once he is prime minister to decide.

Seriously, how can anyone be expected to vote for a party who do not plan to make a decision on their position on the biggest issues the country faces, until after a GE and after they’ve had their go at negotiating a deal.

Have heard several rumours from different sources this week of a unity government led by the retiring Speaker. That is an interesting idea. Wonder how much traction it would gather?

His neutrality doesn't bother me in the least, probably because I remember Harold Wilson doing this very successfully.

The great problem with a PM taking one side in a referendum - as we saw in 2016 - is that for many people it then becomes a vote on the govt

• which they have a high chance of losing, because no UK govt was elected by a majority (of those who voted) since the 1950s

Remainers angry that Corbyn won't say he'd support Remain as PM in a PR:
it would ensure Remain would lose again !

PR PV

Remainers angry that Corbyn won't say he'd support Remain as PM in a PR: it would ensure Remain would lose again!

I disagree. If Corbyn fucked off and Labour campaigned for Remain, they’d have their best chance of winning.

Even with Corbyn but Remain they’d do better.

The trouble is they wouldn’t get an outright majority in that case as Corbyn is such a twat, and the LDs won’t enter into a coalition with Labour for the same reason.

Until the members chuck Corbyn out, or he loses the next GE, he'll stay

Labour won't change their leader to please Centrist or Tory Remainers
( and I am one of the former)

Tory Remainers need to take back their party and stop it acting illegallym rather than demand Labour save the country from Tory nihilism
Brexit No Deal is a Tory party project from the very beginning

Corbyn has been a totally inadequate Opposition leader, but I won't forget whose fault the whole Brexshit is
With a "normal" Conservative - not hard right nihilist govt - his incompetence wouldn't have been important

pmk

Seriously, how can anyone be expected to vote for a party who do not plan to make a decision on their position on the biggest issues the country faces, until after a GE and after they’ve had their go at negotiating a deal.

Didn't seem to worry all the people who voted for the BXP without them even bothering to write a manifesto.

I'm another not bothered by his neutrality not only because, as BCF says, any position he takes a PV then becomes a confidence vote in him but also because 'I'll tell you what I think once we know exactly where we are' seems like an eminently sensible position. JC is entitled to be a lexiteer. He's entitled to want to try and get his own lefty version of a deal - and he's sensible not to start 'dying in a ditch' for it until he's seen whether it's worth it or not. As long as he lets the people decide between his deal and remain, I have no problem with him not taking a definite stance before he knows what his deal looks like.
The stance that matters is giving us a P.V - and he is definite on that. I couldn't care less what side JC wants to be on once we get there. I imagine he will let his mps support whichever campaign they prefer - that's fine too.

I think Brexit has driven me loopy. I've just reserved this little lady (yes in the middle of a renovation/move ) to collect at the end of October. Can I blame you lot for your daily parading of pets?

Oh she's so gorgeous, poulet
Of course you need her, as your Brexshit emotional support animal

Ohmyactualgod @JeSuisPoulet , I might have an attack of the vapours at that cuteness.

No shits given from my own support animal

The free prescriptions policy of Labour's is daft. Are they trying to lose?

Why is it it daft? I've always thought that it's a bit unfair that those in England still have to pay. The downside is that people then expect to get aspitin etc on prescription, but that aspect could be addressed.

That's the eye of Smaug, that is, bellini. Be careful how you move...