Westminstenders: From Uxbridge to...?

[RedToothBrush]

Speaker Bercow is gone.

Speculation that Johnson is parachuting into Rutland.

Rumours that the Brexit Party won't contest the election.

A new speaker to be elected on Monday.

Parliament to dissolve next week.

Brexit? Oh we've forgotten that until Friday 13th...

I am not a violent person. I deplore all the threats MP's get.

But if Boris Johnson was in the room I'd pin him down with one crutch and bash him over the head with the other, (and whilst he was temporarily dazed, both my Autistic kids could sing Carols to him).
I wouldn't want to do more than daze him. But I'd like him, as a representative of this bloody awful and divisive regime, to understand what it was like to feel powerless and dazed and try to keep getting up, day after day, feeling like that, dreading a brown Govt letter in the post. Then they might behave in a more humane fashion. Or not.

ARoom I hope you can sort everything out quickly and not lose your money 💐

and fuck all those mean bastards who vote Tory because they hate to see people getting benefits

room
I'm so sorry. It's utterly, utterly shit.

The SNP position is actually the most interesting one because it seems to me that UK Brexit is likeliest to bring about the outcome they really want, Independence for Scotland. LouiseCollins28

Maybe because they're not prepared to promote something that they think will be dreadful for the economies of both Scotland and England (who after all, will be a major trading partner although like Ireland, that may well decline ) for personal gain/a quicker result.

In fact, it's not "maybe" - they've actually said that (as have I, regularly, every time my wee devil on my shoulder says, Fuck it, let them having their fucking deal/No Brexit and then they'll find out why life is truly like on the outside - he gets pushed down because I wouldn't wish that on the poorest and most vulnerable even if they were conned into voting for it as a cry for help even if it would help achieve a desired outcome sooner)

Strange concept that - you should maybe give the SNP credit for that.

Oh Room that's shit; can you get CAB to support you with responding to this? (DWP tend to lose more appeals than they win, especially when a welfare benefits professional is involved, which is no comfort now but definitely means you should not give up!).

Basilpots that Report re Autism made me cry.

I finally got through to the DWP.
The overpayment was due to my starting a job last September.
I didn't last long. I am long term disabled on double crutches and the employer placed me upstairs in an office with no lift and I couldn't manage safely (with equipment to carry too!). I also couldn't stop work because I'd be tipped onto UC and I'm the sole provider for my two disabled kids. I managed a few weeks. The overpayment is from then. It's the first i've heard about it.

But I'd still pin down fucking BJ and MAKE HIM LISTEN...

(this is cathartic, I never swear esp online!)

Rant away ARoom - you're more than justified.

The way that you - and other people needing help - are treated is disgusting.

Ohh Room I didn’t mean to make you cry !!!

I just wanted you to know that there are people out here that may not have this in our life but we do know that people like you exist and we do care

Why the hell is Farage on the front of BBC web pages? Offering a deal to Tories. This is NOT front page news. Unless you are a BXP/Tory BBC editor. As usual.

It's the system

I was NOT 'sent a letter' last year (or I would have known why and not let it get passed to a debt collection agency)
The DWP person I spoke to wouldn't give a name. I asked for the details of the office location I'd been put through to (as after 3 calls taking nearly 3 hours when I should have been looking after my 'high needs' Dd) I prefer to have a record of whom I've spoken to and where as I know from experience that the next person I have to speak to may give me different information. I was told: 'All I'm allowed to say is that I am in West Yorkshire'. I understand. I wouldn't want to give my full name either. I have worked in the NHS contracted out IAPT system ('Improving Access to Psychological Therapies') and we are trained to never give personal data / time guarantees etc as we know they will be broken and we must not be held accountable to get the next contract.
But there is no accountability by Govt, from my somewhat pathetic benefit worries all the way to the top, and Grenfell, the Windrush scandal, and the sheer wasteful divisive MESS that is Brexit.

((((( aroom ))))))
The DWP are nearly as bad as the Home office.

I'm afraid since their primary objective is the breakup of the UK, I'd have difficulty believing that the SNP want anything other than that.

On Brexit, they've no need to promote it, they could just stop voting against it at every opportunity. It's a weird one, their position.

Just had a leaflet through the door from the Conservative Candidate.

We are a marginal seat so we are going to get a lot of leaflets (I've already had no less than 3 from the Lib Dems).

Anyway his 'plan' is as follows in this order:

1. Housing. Protect the Green Belt. He blames the local Labour council for approving building in the area (in line with Conservative Policy) and says we should instead be building in the neighbouring constituency instead. (Yes really).

Which is fine, except the reason planning has been approved here, is because we are under quota for building in the area, and unless the council do approve, then central government will step in and penalise the council for not building its target number of houses. The situation is so bad that pretty much anything that comes up, will more or less get approval atm the moment, because there has been so much Nimbyism in the past.

There is also a particular problem with a shortage of houses, pushing up prices to ridiculous levels in this part of the constituency, not the neighbouring constituency where there isn't the same demand pressure.

So he's using a local issue to be at odds with national policy as his number one policy. And ignoring the younger generation who can't buy locally in the process...

2. Get Brexit Done. We can make it work for local families 'by securing the investment we need'. Erm. From what sources exactly? Its very bizarre.

Its incredibly vague and almost seems to try and ignore the issue of Brexit. Which considering my immediate area is about 30% leave, I'm really not surprised by.

He waffles on elsewhere about how he owns his own company that works with manufacturers overseas so he 'knows quite a bit about international trade'. Fab. That doesn't say anything apart from 'I know stuff'.

3. A new hospital. Its been on the cards for a while. Nothing new here. Nothing apart from wishful thinking.

4. Cut Crime. Mentions his 20,000 police and how he'll push for some to go to our area. He says our streets should be safe for everyone.

Locally we have a particularly low crime rate. We don't have anti-social issues in my part of the constituency (for which this leaflet is targeting). And we certainly don't have a knife crimewave here.

5. More local jobs that pay a decent wage. He also goes on more about investment, using our (really overstretched and gridlocked) road and rail network to attract new businesses here. Yes, what investment. We have a particularly low unemployment rate at the moment, so I'm not entirely sure what he's planning to help drive up wages...

6. Schools comes in at number 6. They are particularly poorly funded, but are good schools. They do need more investment in infrastructure, but how he phrases it as specific to our well off area rather than a thought for education more generally is telling. Its so inward looking and narrow in how its all about our little bubble in the wider world.

I think 6 is the one and only one of his points thats really in tune with anything like my priorities. Even then, I find that strange in how its focused.

I'm struck by how he is at odds with conservative policy and goes very vague when it comes to investment. He also makes a big point of slagging off the local council by saying how in debt it is whilst also complaining about 'record levels of council tax'.

Its very much pitting local politics against national politics as if they are completely separate and unconnected.

It strikes me as the next step since Europe can't be blamed, so lets blame local councils.

I'll be interested to see how the Labour Party approach targeting us and how it compares.

Owen REGISTER TO VOTE Jones🌹
@OwenJones84
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That Jo Swinson tally is now 5 tweets attacking Labour and 0 tweets attacking the Tories in the last 4 days.

Why the hell is Farage on the front of BBC web pages? Offering a deal to Tories. This is NOT front page news. Unless you are a BXP/Tory BBC editor. As usual.

Of course it's front page news. Whether BXP are standing against Cons or not changes the whole complexion of the GE. They'll take some variable proportion of votes from both the Cons and Lab wherever they stand, potentially changing outcomes across the board.

Is it at all possible that Boris might lose his seat? I saw he might go to Rutland-why there? Do all his family live there or something??

Wonder if we'll get to see Swinson cosied up to Johnson in the rose garden in a repeat of Clegg/Cameron

When do we get a new speaker?

Any bets on the outcome?

Red my con candidate is majoring in on HS2 big local issue. Brexit is barely mentioned it’s like he doesn’t want to talk about it. We have a deal la la la la..... nothing to see here move along please look here I am at a local hospital with a smiley nurse.

On the Farage issue, I'm not sure he really is front page news anymore (I think his 15 minutes is over) but the BBC are doing the opposition parties a big favour by putting him there.

Given the long term impact that had on the Lib Dems I doubt it.
Some people like DH were quite impressed by the Lib Dems being able to work in coalition and prioritize UK stability.
It was a definite step in DH being able to consider voting Lib Dem.

But more people saw it as yellow Tory etc, collation government is a new idea in Westminster.

Interesting about the SNP. Sinn Fein seem to be trying to form something with the other remain parties to keep NI in the EU or with a special status, even though Johnson's crappy deal is a gift to their aim of reunification.

Rutland will have been chosen because it currently has a 23k majority. It’s still only a rumour.

Wonder if we'll get to see Swinson cosied up to Johnson in the rose garden in a repeat of Clegg/Cameron

I know you can't help yourself but this is just silly.

I think there is a big chunk of Labour which would prefer a Tory majority to hung parliament - or at least that is how they are acting.

Tbh as someone who will be affected by Brexit, but not by the other stupidities that will no doubt result from a Tory majority, it is very tempting to shrug and say that red and orange operatives who campaign in this way will get the blue government they deserve.

Ironically one of the things that has really impressed me and moved me away from my firm unionist stance has been the willingness of NS and the rest of the SNP to work so hard for what is in the best interests of Scotland while it is part of the UK.
Because their own political goals would be better met by letting BJ and Farage run amuck without opposition.