Westminstenders: From Uxbridge to...? Part deux GE 2019 special.

[placemats]

New thread.

General election 12th December 2019. Results out on Friday 13th. Unlucky day for some.

So this election is unusual in that it will focus primarily on Brexit and referendums with domestic issues tagged alongside, for some parties.

Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle now favourite to become new Speaker of the HoC
He has Tory support too.

Only fellow Labour MP Harrier Harman has a (small) chance of beating him

Christopher Hope@christopherhope

NEW The Unite union backs Sir Lindsay Hoyle to be the new House of Commons Speaker.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lindsay-hoyle-in-pole-position-as-rival-withdraws-and-backs-him-wsjf92r96

The field of candidates to succeed John Bercow as Commons Speaker narrowed today as the Conservative MP Shailesh Vara pulled out in favour of Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Sir Lindsay, a Labour MP and deputy speaker, is the favourite to win the contest that will be decided by a secret ballot of MPs this afternoon.

This morning he unveiled a list of MPs who are backing his candidacy including Charles Walker, the deputy chairman of the Tories’ influential 1922 backbench committee.

< hands flouncy her coat and locks the door behind her ! >

TBH I know very little about Lindsay Hoyle, and what I know about Harriet Harman irritates me intensely.

I just hope the wits behind Sweary Bercow are able to continue with a similar take for whoever replaces the great man who - as with all prophets - is without honour in his own land.

I think Rosie might be quite good. I hate her with passion due to entirely personal reasons, but in fairness to her I do think she'd do well - and not just for herself.

Alex Wickham@alexwickham
NEW: Internal attack document reveals Tory election strategists are urging candidates at risk of losing their seats over Brexit to say the Liberal Democrats “are not proud to be British”

Read it here >>
[[

Tory attack document for candidates in LibDem marginals

"The Liberal Democrats are not proud to be British"

"The Liberal Democrats are out of touch with the British people"

They would "make our country more vulnerable to terrorist attacks"

Here is the section of the Tory document accusing the Lib Dems of a lack of patriotism

@EdwardJDavey says it is "the politics of division and nationalism"

Tories plotting aggressive strategy in LibDem-facing seats

Here's the bit of the Tory memo urging candidates to tell voters that the LibDems would leave Britain "more vulnerable to terrorist attacks"

"They want to let hate preachers off"

Official Tory document also accuses the LibDems of being "pro-pimp" and alleges they've said prostitution should be suggested as a career to schoolchildren

(This claim refers to one local LibDem, not the central party or LibDem policy)

Tories double down on their LibDem attack document

Conservative source insists it is accurate

Meanwhile Jo Swinson has been involved in a security alert and a unknown powder has been sent to her office and was opened by a member of staff. Met Police now involved.

Oo missed the link.

www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/alexwickham/conservatives-attack-lib-dems-jo-swinson-election

Here it is

Steven Swinford@steven_swinford
Nigel Farage says he’s ‘given up’ on trying to form a Leave alliance with Tories and will push ahead with plans to stand candidates in 600+ seats at the general election

‘I have to take attitude that I’ve tried like crazy to put together a Leave alliance and all I get is abuse’

Quite a few anti-Bercow jibes from the jostling contenders. All sound serious except that silly old buffer Leigh.

Aside from all other considerations, Hoyle has the best voice with the best accent.

Going back to that article about safety concerns during campaigning: with a winter election, if people only campaigned in daylight hours, then that would severely constrain and restrict effective campaigning.

The sun sets here today at 16.30 - up in the Orkneys at 16.10. When it's dreich and overcast (like it is today) it is already getting dark then . So those that work standard hours won't be home before it gets fully dark. So that leaves the daylight hours of weekends

It's a sad indictment of "democracy" that it's deemed not safe to be able to go out and promote different opinions as part of the democratic process

Hoyle has the best voice with the best accent

As a Lancastrian, I totally agree

Jack Maidment @jrmaidment
Latest Brexit guarantee from Downing Street: Categorically rules out extending transition beyond 2020.

Means the EU and the UK will have less than a year to hammer out and finalise a free trade agreement.

PM's spox: ‘The government will not be extending the transition period.’

Worth remembering that the trade talks will start when the UK leaves the EU: So January 31 (probably).

Transition period will then kick in, ending December 31, 2020.

So basically 11 months to get everything sorted⏳

Number 10's comment came in response to Cabinet minister Therese Coffey who said trade talks with the EU should be straightforward - but probably won't be.

‘Nothing ever is straightforward, I think we have learnt that from the last three years,' she told Sky News.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7647359/amp/Downing-Street-rules-extending-Brexit-transition-period-past-2020.html?__twitter_impression=true
Downing Street rules out extending the Brexit transition period past 2020 as Number 10 slaps down a Cabinet minister who said free trade talks with the EU will not be 'straightforward'

This is physically impossible if we are outside the customs union and/or single market.... As we all know here...

Who is at home during the day to canvas?

Not many people who actually work and are bothered about their jobs and the economy...

Gorbachev gives the perfect answer to the Brexit question
www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-50265870/mikhail-gorbachev-tells-the-bbc-world-in-colossal-danger

Steven Swinford@steven_swinford
Nigel Farage accuses Tories calling for Brexit Party to stand aside of ‘conceited arrogance’

‘What kind of conceited arrogance is this?There will be no Brexit without the Brexit Party

‘Those 5m [Labour leavers] are the most vulnerable group to Brexit Party in this election’

(For the record there are not 5m Labour leavers. Farage can't do percentages)

Who is at home during the day to canvas? Not many people who actually work and are bothered about their jobs and the economy...

So a retired person, then ?

Although I'm pretty certain research shows the most effective campaigning votes/person-hours is simply getting as many people to the poll as possible. While the least effective is to spend 2 hours on the doorstep trying to change a voters mind ...

I remember Doug Hoyle (Lindsay's father) quite well because he took up our case for equal pay in the 1980s. (Speech and Language Therapists) I was a union rep and we trooped to Westminster to hear speeches by Doug Hoyle and Donald Dewar. Also Ann Winterton and Nicholas Winterton I think. It may be nostalgia but MPs seemed much more statesmanlike then

How are (ex) MPs going to campaign if they can't go out after dark? I guess it would be weekend only....

The new clock at Conservative HQ

Is that real, @RedToothBrush??!

Latest Brexit guarantee from Downing Street: Categorically rules out extending transition beyond 2020.

So a vote for the tories is categorically a vote for no deal at the end of next year.
Because that trade agreement is not happening in 11 months.

Fedup21, I've seen a channel 4 journalist, the Herald Scotland and Harriett Baldwin the Conservative MP for West Worcestershire who is standing again all tweeting it today.

So yes I'm pretty sure it's real.