Westminstenders: The Tory Party Spectacular

[RedToothBrush]

A row over parliamentary language and conduct and how MPs are afraid of extremists has over shadowed talk of Brexit.

Cummings has said if you don't want to leave without a deal, vote for a deal.

Yet there isn't a Johnson approved one in front of the Commons and the EU are utterly despairing of Johnson's blank non papers and his full on Trump bullshit.

Then there's the threats to the rule of law.

Apparently there are five known suggestions to bypass the Benn Act and refuse to ask for an extension.
See Twitter Thread Here

This weekend sees the start of the Tory Party Conference. With a parliamentary vote to block a recess, its rather scuppered plans for the rest of the conference. Johnson's planned speech at the conference clashes with PMQ so he may well not attend the Commons.

Expect the conference to be.... Er... Inflammatory...

Haven't had time to read all the posts, so apologies if this has been posted, but the Guardian has quotes from the MoS about the investigation into "collusion", for those of us who refuse to click on their site:

Downing Street has launched a major investigation into alleged links between foreign governments and the MPs behind the ‘Surrender Act’ which could force Boris Johnson to delay Brexit, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Sources said No 10 took the unprecedented action after officials received intelligence that the MPs, including former cabinet minister Oliver Letwin, had received help drafting the Bill from members of the French government and the European Union ...

Last night, a senior No 10 source said: ‘The government is working on extensive investigations into Dominic Grieve, Oliver Letwin and Hilary Benn [who tabled the Bill] and their involvement with foreign powers and the funding of their activities. Governments have proper rules for drafting legislation, but nobody knows what organisations are pulling these strings.

‘We will demand the disclosure of all details of their personal communications with other states. The drafting of primary legislation in collusion with foreign powers must be fully investigated.’

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
Will you apologise for telling a female Labour MP 'humbug' over violence concerns? “Everyone should calm down. I think I’ve been the model of restraint” #Marr

Paul Waugh@paulwaugh
Finally, he's done it. Kind of. @BorisJohnson sort of apologises to @paulasherriff re Jo Cox response. "That was a total misunderstanding...I can certainly say sorry for the misunderstanding."

Ah the good old reversal.

And non-apology apology

I agree with so much of being said this morning. We English are not special. We've been lucky to have avoided extremism thus far - partly due to the respect for which our institutions have been held until now.

Also - the lies. There are just so many it's impossible to start. It's a brilliant strategy because you tie your opponent up in knots just trying to dispel the untruths. Johnson does it so often it's now portrayed in the MSM as a rather charming character trait.

Jim Pickard@pickardje
Boris Johnson says “we don’t do deals with other parties,” which begs the question of whether Cameron & Clegg was just a freaky dream #marr

Mike Smith @mikeysmith
Boris Johnson, whose government has been propped up by the DUP for the last two years: “The Conservative Party is the oldest and most successful party in history. We don’t do deals with other parties."

*fingers crossed behind back as whispers "unless we have to"

Look, Blowjob could behead kittens and drape their corpses over the Cenotaph, and his core supporters would find a positive way to spin it.

Apparently according to twitter Johnson has said 'surrender' at least 25 times.

Not watching so don't know if it's true.

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
Will you use civil contingency powers to suspend the Benn Act? “I’m not going to get into a hypothetical situation”. Not a denial #Marr

There's nothing exceptional about exceptionalism. Most nations think they're special. In the case of the English, the myth is one of almost a thousand years of uninterrupted independence. It's not quite true. King Billy and all that, Louis of France in 1215, Phillip of Spain our forgotten 'king,' but its all the more powerful for being beleived.

Peter Foster @pmdfoster
So #marr says, looking at Mail on Sunday p1 on “collusion”, that the language is “dark”, has “something of the 1930s” about it. “You must see that?” asks @BorisJohnson

“I don’t” he says.

No dog whistles me.

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
Johnson rules out resigning to allow someone else to apply for an extension (he was never going to this): "I've undertaken to lead the party and the country at a difficult time and I'm going to continue to do that" #Marr

Why does anyone buy into this 'rules out' narrative anymore?!

I mean I don't believe he would resign as that's not his nature, but on other things it's just such a stupid comment given how often we've seen huge reversals and outright lies where they've said they won't do something when they've been planning to do exactly that behind the scenes at the same time.

I don't get it

It's funny how BJ can use allusions to classical history but refuses to can't see similarities to much more recent events

Paul Brand @paulbranditv
Asked five times whether he declared his friendship with Jennifer Arcuri, PM eventually claims

“There was no interest to declare”.

Not if reports about the nature of that “friendship” in today’s papers are true. #Marr

Jim Pickard@pickardje
Johnson - asked about Jennifer Arcuri - seems to admit he didn’t file a declaration of interest about their personal friendship at City Hall at the time she was taking taxpayer grants

The most pointless question in the world is, "Are you an honest person?"

The honest person says, "Yes, of course I am,"

and the dishonest persons says....

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
Johnson rules out MV4 on Theresa May's deal as a last resort to leave EU with a deal, as some Cabinet ministers want him to do: “We’re not bringing back the current Withdrawal Act” #Marr

Remember how Yellow Hammer was May's plan not Johnsons until it wasn't?

William James @wjames_reuters
Seven minutes in to the biggest interview of Boris Johnson's career so far, and we're still talking about Westminster psychodrama instead of Brexit. #Marr

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
Boris Johnson suggests he will whip Tory MPs to vote in favour of SNP’s No Confidence vote in him if it’s tabled this week. Insists Labour should “fulfil it’s constitutional duty” to have a general election in any way #Marr

Why the French collaboration smear ?

I'd have expected the Tories - if they decided on ramping up the "Treason" allegations against Remainers to allege conspiring with Tusk or Verhofstadt, or of course the German bogeyman thta scares so many Leavers

It's pretty obvious that if Macron had his way, we wouldn't have got this last extension
He - like most EU leaders now - just want the UK to leave in an orderly manner, with the WA

Most don't want the UK psychodrama playing out throughout EU meetings on the budget, or on further integration

It's "FFS, just GO" being muttered under the breath in many European languages

Just because it should not be used (because its power does not extend that far in law) does not mean that Johnson won't try to use it.

Oct 19th is the next march isnt it? I would never think that this government would be unscrupulous enough not plant people in the march to make it look like the march turned violent and started rioting and theyd never use the CCA because of that

"we don’t do deals with other parties,” 😂😂

Why the French collaboration smear?

Oh god are the English regressing that far back smh

...because they're nicking our fish!!!

(and agent provocateur sounds a bit Froggie to me.)

I also think a GNU should just sign the WA and get a longer transition period. And crucially, stay in power until some of this shit has calmed down. Preferably until the end of this parliament i.e. 2022, when the 5 years are up. Take Brexit out of the headlines. Won't the already agreed budget also be paid by then?

I doubt that a GNU would do that though. Lib Dems won't, and SNP would only do it if they're promised another referendum of their own. Labour might, except for the remainers, who might if they get another PV tacked on, crucially before the end of the transition period, on a closer relationship e.g. CU + SM. Maybe the SNP would go for this option too.

A PV would have to be on a future relationship - as far as I can see there are 3 choices - 1. CU+SM, 2. CU, 3. CU for NI only. I believe as is, the WA allows the whole of the UK to stay in the CU, without paying a penny. (Apart from what is already owed.)

Maybe the Lib Dems would compromise.

I'm absolutely sick of the people saying that refusing No Deal is taking away negotiating power. It's not a fucking car where there are 100s of other car dealerships. There's only one EU. I curse that No Deal is better than a bad deal slogan and those that thought of it. Any deal is better than no deal.

I think if a GNU was in power and the WA signed, it would take a lot of wind out of the authoritarian sails. And possibly put an end to the betting against sterling that's driving it.

Politically I don't know what would happen to the parties afterwards. Would it be the end of Labour to deliver Brexit? Would the remaining Tories be looking at 10 years in power after a GNU? Is that more dangerous than what is currently happening? (Because look what they were able to do to the country within the EU.) What would happen the SNP?

Questions, questions, big ones and small ones.