Westminstenders: Operation Shock and Awe

[RedToothBrush]

The government is launching its get ready for the end of transition campaign which has been dubbed a 'shock and awe' campaign.

In this campaign we will learn all about what Brexit means and what amazing opportunities lie for having increased customs and borders, beaucracy and increased costs. Bet you are all really excited and looking forward to this.

We will also get a 'Farage Garage' in Kent to cope with these wonderful opportunities in traffic jams. This will be something that businesses throughout the country will be super excited to plan for in their socially distanced Zoom meetings or across warehouses with their face masks on. And banks will be delighted to see an uptick in applications in CCJs and debt reconstruction plans.

It will be a super fun time for the under 30s who have zero hours contracts, worked in retail or hospitality. Or should I say 'worked'.

Meanwhile the right to a jury trial has been binned due to 'long covid delays' which are shorter than they were several years ago. The NHS isn't getting the funding it expected, and waiting lists are longer than ever with no way to clear them. The plan to build more hospitals seems to have disappeared with the Nightingales. Many councils are about to go into insolvency and be taken over by accountancy firms. The civil service is being dismantled and conservative loyalists with no experience being put in charge of important functions of state. Communications with the press are being 'streamlined' to make them incredible of holding power to account and only able to repeat government public announcements.

Anyone looking forward to Christmas? When you write a letter to Santa remember to add 'visa application form', 'a sleeping bag for use at Dover', 'tinned tomatoes' and 'packets of seeds to grow your own' to the list.

@Peregrina

The Times is reporting that Johnson plans to move parliament to York whilst Westminster is refurbished. Why not Stoke?

Do you know Stoke?
York, stylish tourist attraction... District represented by 4 Tory MPs and bonus only one Labour.
Stoke - run down and depressed, never a pretty area at the best of times. Bonus point: has now got 3 Tory MPs

It is however, only 10 miles or so south of the Peak District, which people may not realise runs into Staffordshire and Cheshire, Greater Manchester and parts of Yorkshire as well as Derbyshire. Therefore, for a proper access to the Peak District experience, why not do it properly and move to Sheffield? No good: 5 labour MPs-

I know Stoke very well indeed.

Sadly you can no longer use old toilet factory for photo backdrops since its been demolished. The Potteries Shopping Centre would be a great place for MPs to stop for the odd thing they've forgotten to pack and to get a good soundbite or too.

I got the feeling York was strategic - heavy leave area, Cummins is from Durham and did all of his Eurosceptic banner waving there and it's "central" so they get to curry favour with the Brexit voting "patriots". Not sure what the medical services are like compared to London...suspect there's not as much cash floating about to make a second wave quite as comfy as retiring to Chevening...

@Peregrina

Ah, so you clearly do know something of York and Stoke, Red.

No brainer really, isn't it? Actually in terms of getting there, both are on main railway lines, and as for Motorways, Stoke is marginally easier, and nearer, although you can't avoid the drag round Birmingham.

Best thing about Stoke - the roads and rail links out of it.

Says it all really.

No one in their right mind stays there if can get out.

@JeSuisPoulet

I got the feeling York was strategic - heavy leave area, Cummins is from Durham and did all of his Eurosceptic banner waving there and it's "central" so they get to curry favour with the Brexit voting "patriots". Not sure what the medical services are like compared to London...suspect there's not as much cash floating about to make a second wave quite as comfy as retiring to Chevening...

About that...

The results from the EU Referendum in York on 23 June 2016 are as follows:

Total votes: 109,681
Remain: 63,617
Leave: 45,983
Spoilt ballots: 81
Turnout: 70.7%

www.york.gov.uk/EUReferendumResults

Yes, I too know Stoke. I moved away from N Staffs a long time ago. But I was just outside the Peak District - giving a different experience.

I think we are talking really about the surrounding area - a pig with a blue rosette territory.

Was just going to say York is a liberal, remain university place. Historically it's a city but obviously it's a small one.
The wider countryside is much more leave mostly farming with some poorer towns and some market towns.

Actually I lie. The best thing about Stoke is Oatcakes.

curry - you need Manchester's curry mile for that.

Traffic is dreadful in York city center but apart from hen dos it is a lovely place overall.

I guess this is the latest dead cat though, probably to cover up the constitutional wrecking ball about devolution coming up in tomorrows schedule.

I think reading tomorrow and Friday's Scottish press will be a worth while exercise.

My error, York wasn't strong Leave, Durham was.

There are decent hospitals although you might end up in Leeds and some lovely stately homes.
Also good trains to London and not too far from Barnard Castle.

Do they want to see Scotland become independent? Or have they just not thought about it, and geography not being their strong suit, they don't really know where it is?

It does feel like they are moving up to be with "their people" a bit and away from those pesky Brexit traffic jams

Even this is Cummings though - he'd rather his wife and kid were up in their family pads for the next wave I bet.

@Peregrina

curry - you need Manchester's curry mile for that.

Not been in a long while, but I've heard its not what it was. No longer as authentic and a rip off. No idea if thats true

@JeSuisPoulet

Even this is Cummings though - he'd rather his wife and kid were up in their family pads for the next wave I bet.

Eyes on the real story tomorrow. Not the tricky of the slight of hand.

There is excellent curry in Bradford which is close enough to York for a lunch out.

I realise I have a “thing” for Tory MPs called Julian. Julian Smith was OK. too. I blame excessive reading of Famous Five books. Julian would have grown up to be a principled Tory MP, I’m sure. Possibly with an interest in policing and security, after catching all those criminals and spies on Kirrin Island and while on camping holidays (always in the vicinity of a circus IIRC).
I’ll Google to see if there are any more. I’d be disappointed if they were shits, though.

Oh gosh there’s a Julian Sturdy, a farmer who has a tendency to call a spade a spade

York? With all its echoes of Richard III. Interesting. Chris Grayling cheered me up immensely.

So - DH gleefully just told me - that no one had bothered to ask Julian Lewis which way he would vote. They just all assumed he would vote for Grayling.

Pmk and thanks red
Pup ( now 3 years old!) Sunning herself!

Really late pmk...