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...

this government would be unscrupulous enough not plant people in the march to make it look like the march turned violent and started rioting

I have read from various sources that, typically, far less than 0.1% of a population could usually be motivated to riot. In all but large cities, this means it's hard to get a critical mass for a riot, and obviously factors like age demographics and weather play a huge part.

It seems to me that this government of shameless amoral mendacious Brexitatious sociopaths, despite their fervent incitement for the Faithful Willy People to Rise Up, know that this is unlikely to happen spontaneously.

I'm usually the opposite of a conspiracy theorist. But I don't think it's actually paranoid to suspect that this government of shameless amoral mendacious Brexitatious sociopaths has at a minimum made background plans, established lines of communication, and put in place initial arrangements to ensure that this narratively important pro-Brexit civil unrest is not purely left to fortuitous chance.

After a bad-tempered No Deal, Macron might not let any British official work at Calais

He might well wave a problem like Sanget through the tunnel.

One less thing for him to worry about domestically.

The border with France is one that works on the basis of bilateral cooperation and mutual respect.

The focus has been on the Irish Border in all this, but the French border is equally, if not more so, important in the event of no deal.

www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-leave-remain-second-referendum-no-deal-final-say-a9124241.html?fbclid=IwAR2zAXzU4mt05rYYRF28FWZCc4yAun_2EVjlrCa1Hff97tuIP4u1zkOpEa4 There is no solution to Brexit that will placate Leavers and Remainers – only turmoil awaits

Yep, Yardley case was yet another disgraceful example of TRAs trying to intimidate anyone who states basic biology:

Transwomen are not women

TRAs also frequently complain to the police to try to close down talk of that fact

• some police have bought into the TRA fantasy, so they actually investigate and warn off people who have committed no crime

iirc, a couple of years ago, a TRA on MN called the police on an FWR poster, who had committed no crime, but wouldn't keep quiet when the TRAs told her

• she was visited by the police

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 hmm

It had occurred to me that the Government may also be trying to put people off marching to keep the numbers down on the PV/remain side of things.

I also noticed news from the BBC about thugs that had been arrested and charged during the Free Tommy campaign, with the veiled threat that the number charged in no way reflected the numbers involved in the attack on the Police, neatly slipped into my Twitter feed along with all the MOS and Telegraph bunkum.

Scare tactics if you will.

To go back to the Good Law Project analysis on the potential (mis)use of the CCA:

30. Third, because the unlawfulness is so clear, anybody involved in making the regulations (or, in the case of an Order in Council, procuring their presentation to and approval by the Queen) would be at serious risk of civil liability and criminal sanction.

(a) As summarised in Attorney General’s Reference No 3 of 2003 [2004] EWCA Crim 868, the offence of misconduct in public office is committed when a public officer acting as such wilfully neglects to perform his duty and/or wilfully misconducts himself to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder without reasonable excuse or justification.

(b) There are strong arguments that the wilful misuse of powers such as those under the CCA to override the Benn Act would meet that threshold. That is particularly so in circumstances where the obvious inappropriateness and indeed unlawfulness of such a course will have been canvassed extensively (in Sir John Major’s speech and thereafter) in advance of any such powers being exercised. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

(c) Misfeasance in public office is also a common-law tort, and the requirements are similar. Tortious acts are capable of being the subject of civil claims for damages. If the effect of those acts is to bring about a no-deal Brexit which might otherwise have been avoided, the damages suffered, and therefore potentially recoverable.

It is well worth a read.

A very sweaty Nigel Farage who suggests taking a knife to the pen pushers in Whitehall. He should be investigated for hate speech.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-news-latest-investigation-knife-pen-pushers-brexit-a9124286.html

DG I also wondered if the govt has received permission from France to station soldiers on their soil after No Deal

I didn't wonder. I knew they hadn't. Because I'm not a fucking moron Breixteer who laps up every turn a paper lays.

Just reverse the situation, and apply 1 millionth of one brain cell to see exactly how that conversation would have gone. For example if a French President asked to station French troops in Dover to help deal with the Gilet Jaunes ? Is that ever going to happen ?

I know we're all supposed to be nice to leavers, and pat their heads and indulge their stupid moronic cretinous fantasies, but this is where it gets you.

Thanks to RTB for this thread.

If the Tories continue to ramp up the anti-EU rhetoric after No Deal, blaming the EU for problems,
then it is indeed possible that Macron might just wave through all the would-be migrants to the UK

However, what would probably stop him doing that is that it could then be a big incentive for more migrants to travel to France

So it might worsen his problem in dealing with them

What we can be sure of is that after No Deal Macron, or any successor in a few years time, would be looking 100% after the interests of France and the EU

The UK would be left to sink or swim on its own,
until at least the (new ?) UK govt eventually caves in and signs up to the EU preconditions for talks,
i.e. the main WA terms

“We are aware of the heightened tensions that exist regarding use of language, and take all allegations and concerns from members of the public very seriously,” said Assistant Chief Constable Rhiannon Kirk.

“However, following a thorough assessment, it is our view that the comments in the video do not constitute a criminal offence.”

The civil servants working in Whitehall are not members of the public.

Naomi Long MEP brought this to the attention of the Police.

In England there was shock and disbelief at the loss of this final Continental territory. The story goes that a few months later Queen Mary, on her death bed, told her family: "When I am dead and cut open, they will find Philip and Calais inscribed on my heart."

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1558)

"It is well worth a read."

and is yet more Remainers explaining why the govt can't do something because of the law
A govt that doesn't give a shiny shit about the law

I haven't read anything that says the govt can't use the CCA and the various other tactics in turn, each taking a couple of days, to run out the time to No Deal.

The law will probably work
Eventually.
But maybe not in the 19-31 October timeframe which is all we will have

Also, I am completely unconvinced that the courts will replace the PM, or otherwise give someone his power to extend,
if he just stays in the USA over that period - the PM "carrying out his duties" by talking about action on Iran, China etc

The EU said a few weeks ago that they wouldn't accept an extension request from Parliament

Even if the UK courts declare this is constitutionally valid, they have no power to order the EU to grant an extension

We can be sure that the EU would back away from getting involved in any UK constitutional fight
Refusing an extension might be the safest option for them politically

Just to put my links above into context:

Northern Ireland is basically operating via civil servants.

Naomi Long is Alliance MEP Northern Ireland.

Did the DUP return to Parliament last Wednesday? I couldn't see any of them there. Only the Independent Sylvia Hermon.

I don't see how France could "wave through the migrants" at any of the ports unless they have the correct documentation to board a ferry or a train. You can't just turn up and get on without a valid passport. People seem to get hung up on the idea that the juxtaposed controls at Calais and Paris are the only ones that exist. At all the other ports (Roscoff, Cherbourg, Ouistreham, Dieppe etc), the French border is in France and the UK border in in Plymouth, Portsmouth, Newhaven etc.
Your passport is checked in France and in England and by the ferry company.
I guess it would be possible to carry out fewer patrols to stop small boats crossing, but that would surely increase the number of migrants around the ports.

A very sweaty Nigel Farage who suggests taking a knife to the pen pushers in Whitehall. He should be investigated for hate speech.

Wasn’t his explanation he meant axe ?

Taking an axe to the civil service is a very different thing to taking a knife to a civil servant as he well knows.

BCF so don’t bother reading it then. I prefer to understand the legal reasoning as to why the Government can’t use anything to sidestep the Benn Bill.

Attacks are already taking place on those working in the Civil Service:

www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/news/mhclg-civil-servant-stabbed-attack-outside-home-office

Exactly Basil

Farage knew exactly what he was talking about.

Until Parliament vote for some kind of positive action (e.g. what they do want), they are just feeding the beast.

Although it's entertaining to watch Johnson squirm.

I wouldn't find it entertaining to watch my daughter, who is a civil servant, squirm in agony after a knife attack. Presuming of course she lived through it.

Continuity I've read many legal opinions
They only work if the govt is subject to the law AND the law works within 12 days

So, it's nice to know the law is probably on our side, but it can give a false sense of security to those who believe that is sufficient to save us.

The head of HMRC received death threats because he contradicted the Brexiter narrative

BCF nothing like a bit of catastrophising on a Sunday morning.