Westministenders: No Australia Don't Have A Deal

[RedToothBrush]

Since Friday, far from letting things calm down, Johnson has doubled down stating that if we can't have a Canada Deal (which the EU says wouldn't be equal because we are much closer than Canada geographically) we will go for an Australia Deal.

This is the latest rehash of a managed no deal package up as something else which the EU have already repeatedly said no to.

So we are on track for no deal.

At the same time Johnson has got very excited about American food and how its great. Almost as if he wants no deal wit the EU to force a shitty bad deal with the us through.

Johnson and his chronies have also been trying to undermine journalistic transparency by blocking access to the lobby to some media outlets in a move that makes us look like a tinpot dictatorship. Fortunately there was a mass walk out of journalists but it remains to be seen how long that can be maintained.

Far from being a clean slate to move forward from its already proving that nothing has changed and old divisions are as deep as ever, if not worse...

David Blevinsns_@skydavidblevins*

Three quick take-aways:

a) Transfers will be critical (exit poll based on first preference votes only);

b) An astounding result for Sinn Fein by any standards;

c) Don’t rule out Ireland ending up back at the polls

There's a thread on Craicnet specifically about the Irish election results, if anyone's interested. It will probably take a few days before the final counts have taken place. But it's clear that none of the main parties (Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin) will have enough seats to form a majority government. So we're heading for another coalition government. The big question is, will Sinn Féin end up as one of the coalition parties?

I've read that the FG vote plummeted after Varadkar's misguided attempt at reconciliation of the 2 different communities in Ireland

i.e. the commemoration of the RIC (the pre-Independence Royal Irish Constabulary)

The RIC and Black & Tans committed horrific atrocities during Ireland's struggle for Independence

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/ric-controversy-will-not-help-fg-in-town-sacked-by-black-and-tans-1.4159397

Some objected to the RIC’s “intolerable record of barbarism” carrying out British rule in Ireland.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald described it as “crass Fine Gael revisionism gone too far”.

“The lesson is learned,” said Varadkar during the debate, pledging not to proceed with any other commemorations unless they had cross-party support.

The Taoiseach was keen to insist that the commemoration was “never about the Black and Tans” but the damage was done.
....
Lawless laughs when asked whether 100 years will be sufficient time passed to remember the RIC in the centenary of his grandfather’s murder at events planned for September.

“Would the Jews commemorate the Germans? I don’t think so, no matter how many years pass by,”

BCF I think that was less of an issue (although SF were quick to seize on it for political capital). The big issues in this election were housing/homelessness and health.

Interesting times in ROI now.

Brexit not mentioned at all AFAIS, but that was because Coveney sorted it all out I suppose.

Anyway it's a three way split. SF surged and few foresaw the scope of their results. They didn't field enough candidates to maximise their vot e though so they are neck and neck with the so called Establishment parties of FF and FG now.

The Hard Left has largely been booted out. SF vote seen as a kick to FG to do something.

The PR system is just fascinating and addictive. Many results in now, but more of a picture will emerge tomorrow.

It will either be

A. A merge of FF and SF

B. A merge of FF and FG + Greens and Indos.

C. Another election.

The SF surge should not worry anyone, it was just a protest vote IMO. But one never knows. SF are comfy on the Opposition benches, but they need to put their money where there mouths are, meaning they have to be true to themselves.

Fascinating times.

Sorry for derailing, I hope I will be forgiven.

But Brexit will feature for ROI, but maybe not just right now, this minute.

BCF
However, I wonder if the upsurge in English Nationalism that same out into the open with Brexit and the disgraceful anti-Irish sentiment expressed by some UK Brexiter MPs and newspapers, caused some Irish voters to choose the most militant form of Irish Nationalism in reaction

SF don't really represent the most militant form of Irish nationalism unless all vague hope of a reunited Ireland is to be classed as militant - there are armed factions who can truly be called militant. Irish nationalism of the sort SF espouses is not too far beneath the surface in Ireland.

I think it is entirely correct that the ignorance and even downright hostile attitude of British politicians toward Ireland over the course of the last 3-4 years have contributed to this result.

The SF surge should not worry anyone, it was just a protest vote IMO.

I don't think this is necessarily true, though the first preferences given to independents and small parties indicates there was a protest vote out there.

FF 'The Republican Party' has had SF pressure for a few years now on its republican flank. FF's biggest support for first preferences in this election was from those 65 and older, a socially conservative cohort, in contrast with younger groups who tend to vote FG if better off, woke, and inclined to favour austerity, or SF, Labour, and Greens in the case of those who are socially progressive, not so well off, or motivated by specific concerns (environment) and favour higher spending.

FF is heading into a demographic crisis. Ireland is becoming more progressive in culture. And FF damaged its reputation and its grassroots organisation under Bertie Aherne, perhaps fatally.

Dominic has upset Carrie over the coming reshuffle apparently.

What the fuck has happened to this country?

Red, tell us more about Dominic upsetting Carrie. It will be a test of Johnson's loyalties, who will he support?

"What the fuck has happened to this country?"

Ethics have left the building
It's government by spivs

Fox lobbied Bahraini royals for oil contract with Tory donor's firm
Minister Liam Fox intervened to promote a $5bn deal with Petrofac, under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office

www.theguardian.com/business/2020/feb/10/fox-lobbied-bahraini-royals-for-oil-contract-with-tory-donors-firm

Carrie / Cummings clash being reported in The Mirror - seems that Cummings wants Sajid Javid and Ben Wallace fired, but Carrie doesn’t.

But, it’s a leak from the Treasury, so is this positioning from The Saj?

Marcia Williams was reckoned to have a certain amount of influence over Harold Wilson, but not like this.

With the BBC waking up to fishing ...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/46401558

here's the downside for the UK

www.fishfarmermagazine.com/news/brexit-deal-may-place-huge-burden-on-salmon-sector/

Which the Norwegians have immediately realised is a great opportunity for a country inside the single market

thefishsite.com/articles/norway-increases-output-quotas-for-salmon-farmers

Cabbages to the rescue. (In more ways than one ...)

*Ethics have left the building
*
Hand in hand with democracy apparently.

Oh look - squirrel!

Work 'under way' into Scotland-Northern Ireland bridge feasibility

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51443191

Cabbages to the rescue.

Apparently (I don't hang around on Twitter frequently enough to be certain) the Dept deleted that Tweet pretty sharpish after getting their arses handed to them. Remoaning traitors pointing out things like: that's a hell of a carbon footprint, and it's only for KFC coleslaw, and if they're doing this now that literally means this "win" is not because of Brexit.

Work 'under way' into Scotland-Northern Ireland bridge feasibility

I wonder if the cost-savings are going to be predicated on the border checks that Brexit has necessitated ?

....and just who is going to be picking those cabbages?

Evidently BJ hasn't outgrown his bridge obsession 🤦🏻‍♀️

Well it would be very useful to Scotland if they gain Independence and join the EEA
but I doubt if it is feasible, e.g. with 1 million tons of WW2 munitions in the Irish Sea, around Beaufort's Dyke

I'm awaiting an Atlantic bridge any day
I suspect the holdup is that Brexiters want it to connect the USA and England .... but have noticed that the island of Ireland is in the way

That's a proposal for an Atlantic bridge - obviously not the bridge itself !

The question which pretty much kills the idea is surely how much trade goes from Britain to Ireland and vice versa to justify the cost ?

And I'm sorry, but if a fucking straightforward train line for 100 miles is going to cost over £1 billion a mile, I really don't believe that figure ("over £20 billion) for the Irish bridge. Fuck off. I wasn't born yesterday.

That's before you consider the sheer cost of securing such a huge target.

Of course, if we flip the optics and envisage a world where air travel is severely restricted, if not a distant memory, it might actually make sense. But that would be a world which the vast majority of people haven't really considered themselves to be living in ...

A bridge across an arms dump sounds as mad as an airport on a bird sanctuary or a bridge you're not allowed to cross in a group or at night or if the security guards don't like your t-shirt or some people who didn't pay for it are having a party on it.

It would be even madder if this new bridge was not put out to tender but handed to someone's rich mates who get paid £53million even though it was never built.

.

But none of those criticisms DGR will stop Johnson wasting the taxpayers money on such a project.