Westminstenders: Going, going, cummings

[RedToothBrush]

As expected he's fucking off and leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces in January. But it does look like he was eventually shown the door and left with a cardboard box. As he should have been months ago.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with Johnson needing an image change, like the shape shifting creep he is, to one that fits more with the incoming Biden Administration. In other words hes got some serious sucking up to do...

... Meanwhile in Brexit land we are going into yet another final week of talks.

Many expect Cummings departure to signal 'the cave in'. The Eu say we havent moved enough and the uk say the EU wants us to do all the moving... Except the EU have done lots of moving. Barnier is still looking for a groundsman to level his field to play. We have yet to work out we aren't Canada and distance is important to trade.

Of course if we don't get a deal, that Pfizer vaccine in Germany that we want, might be hit with delays and extra costs we just can't afford.

Peregrina:
I am in the Berwick upon Tweed area.
It's a very particular place: control of the town changed between the English and the Scots at least 12 times over a 400 year period.
Locals talk of being neither English nor Scottish, but 'Berwick-ers'.
There was much talk of' joining Scotland in Independence' during the last IndyRef.
I can see a line being drawn along the old lines of Northumbria ie anywhere north of the Humber. (I am less familiar with the NWest)

@prettybird

Johnson's comments re Devolution are deliberately provoking.
The man is a Fool (therefore a gift to NS who is no fool) but I am not sure why he is doing this, especially now?

@52andblue Oh my goodness, what you wrote finally made it click for me that "Northumbria" = "NORTH OF THE HUMBER". My mind is blown. (I'm not British by birth, loads of this stuff sails right over my head, but I love it when I get one of those moments.)

[quote TheMShip]@52andblue Oh my goodness, what you wrote finally made it click for me that "Northumbria" = "NORTH OF THE HUMBER". My mind is blown. (I'm not British by birth, loads of this stuff sails right over my head, but I love it when I get one of those moments.)[/quote]
You've just left a majority and joined a minority

It’s maybe a bit more obvious if you consider the name ‘Northumberland’! (I know it’s not interchangeable with ‘Northumbria’ before anyone starts)

Stockpiling is all well and good
but people who are self isolating are relying on fully booked supermarket delivery slots
and relies on having both the physical and financial resources to do so

its all so bloody unnecessary

My father was from the North West (Barrow) which was then in Lancashire. I remember the historical counties of Westmorland (much of the Lake District) and Cumberland, before they were amalgamated into Cumbria.
Cumberland/Cumbria comes from the same root as Cymru.

(Father’s family were N Irish/Scottish but settled in Barrow in the early part of the last century - my grandfather was a boilermaker in the shipyard there, died when my father was 3 and Dad returned to live with relatives in N Ireland until he was 10.)

A quick Google only threw up hysterical Express and Mail headlines (so I feel I need a shower now). However anyone know why it appears to be suggested that regardless of any deal, UK fishermen won't be able to sell their catches anymore ?

However anyone know why it appears to be suggested that regardless of any deal, UK fishermen won't be able to sell their catches anymore ?
Rainbow unicorns and a complete lack of understanding of international trade ?

@52andblue

Peregrina: I am in the Berwick upon Tweed area. It's a very particular place: control of the town changed between the English and the Scots at least 12 times over a 400 year period. Locals talk of being neither English nor Scottish, but 'Berwick-ers'. There was much talk of' joining Scotland in Independence' during the last IndyRef. I can see a line being drawn along the old lines of Northumbria ie anywhere north of the Humber. (I am less familiar with the NWest)

@prettybird

Johnson's comments re Devolution are deliberately provoking.
The man is a Fool (therefore a gift to NS who is no fool) but I am not sure why he is doing this, especially now?

I think Peregrina got it: BJ likes to set one group against another and has no sense of when and what is appropriate, other than giving himself the figleaf of a sense of authority

So as a result and however much backtracking he does , he's handing out ammunition to the devolved nations, in particular Scotland but also Wales and NI, left, right and centre.

The IMB is just the tip of the iceberg (but also because of the campaigning fillip it provides the Indy campaign which BTW is not just the SNP )

I know it's good to talk, but now, this, and it's supposed to do what?

www.lloydsloadinglist.com/freight-directory/news/Logistics-UK-slams-setting-up-of-Brexit-Business-Task-Force/77841.htm?fbclid=IwAR3y1fgAwqy2U-IYtG4hsvrw06usaDMorYltHLFzlavdDQw_PfJ9gZQOvLA#.X7PepuPfWhD

My DB who lives in Wales, hopes for Independence. It seems a long way off, but as I told him, 50 years ago, the idea of Scottish independence seemed very far fetched. Not now.

@Peregrina

My DB who lives in Wales, hopes for Independence. It seems a long way off, but as I told him, 50 years ago, the idea of Scottish independence seemed very far fetched. Not now.

I think it's advanced 10 years these past 10 hours.

Even the Scottish Conservatives have given up.

I wonder if Scottish independence will be the next mis call the Tories make, after getting the US elections so wrong ? Internally their confidence must be very shaky. They really are in a reverse Midas situation now. Even Murdoch must be pondering whether it's time to call Keir.

Make that 20 years. Redwood has just got of the phone from giving Joe Biden a piece of the Redwood wisdom (so not a long call then) and has weighed into the debate.

Time for BJ to stop shovelling

@prettybird

Time for BJ to stop shovelling

He can't. He is incapable of it.

24 hours into his "reset" and his mouth has never been wider and his foot never so deep.

Still, the Tories are gloriously stuck with him.

Worse things happen at sea, but a US democractic POTUS in 2024 nudging a more centralist sentiment in a UK sick of the right might just see another period of Tory exile. And even if that's unlikely, it's worth scaring them with. As I said, they appear to have made a series of really bad decisions recently. Looks like their common-touch-foo has deserted them.

If 24 hours is a long time in politics, 3 years is an enternity. I will honestly be surprised if Johnson lasts until 2024. He is making Gov appear palatable.

DGRossetti

Make that 20 years. Redwood has just got of the phone from giving Joe Biden a piece of the Redwood wisdom (so not a long call then) and has weighed into the debate.

🤣🤣🤣 l hate Redwood as much as Mogg. Hate them both so much.

Surprised we've not had a flying visit from someone who is just about to pop out, but had a vitally important job of ensuring we all understand the nuances of Redwoods letter to Biden,, to be honest. That certainly seemed to be on their Google Alerts.

Plus anything suggesting that our own Dear Boris was BFF with Charlie Elphicke (a curious hill to die on I thought).

Interesting seeing speculation that Trump could cause a Republican split (he won't) at the same time reading some similar speculation the Tories might also split (they won't).

I can't help but feel if Boris goes, it won't be a shoe-in for anyone associated with his past. So that's Gove out. And Patel too. The only way the Tories could get out from under this now would be to "do a Major" and find someone that makes you go "who ?"

(Now there's todays earworm ...)

Could the ‘who’ person be a remainer?

I wonder about Tom Tugendhat or Tobias Ellwood?

No Remainer worth their salt will want to pick up the baton at this stage.

It is worth reminding ourselves
that there are millions of people who have convinced themselves that
project fear is real
and that even the hardest of hard Brexits will be just fine
THE ONLY thing that will disabuse them of that notion will be
TO LET IT HAPPEN
and then the told you so brigade to sort it out in late January

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

Could the ‘who’ person be a remainer?

Best chance of winning an election - bearing in mind I'm thinking the Tories will be desperate to shift the 2024 election now. Dumping Boris and seeking a new mandate while Labour are still burying Corbyn would be a good strategy. A new PM now would still have 4 years of accusations of not being democratic. Which can be a fatal squirrel when things go pear shaped.

That said, I wonder if the red wall trick can be repeated ?

By now, "Remainer" and "Leaver" are really labels that are obsolete. We have left. I'd expect Leavers with their rather fuzzy grasp of everything history to carry on calling themselves Leavers (and the Liberals "Whigs") but really "remainers" are now either "rejoiners", or "realists". As "Realists" the task is to deal with what is, not what could or should be, and repair relations with the EU, and knuckle down to be the best we can be given the circumstances.

I'll be honest. If I were asked in an Italian referendum whether the UK should be readmitted to the UK, I would vote No without hesitation. Simple as that.

One can always hope though😔

@ListeningQuietly

No Remainer worth their salt will want to pick up the baton at this stage.

It is worth reminding ourselves
that there are millions of people who have convinced themselves that
project fear is real
and that even the hardest of hard Brexits will be just fine
THE ONLY thing that will disabuse them of that notion will be
TO LET IT HAPPEN
and then the told you so brigade to sort it out in late January

Except rejoining won't be an option.

Time to play the hand you're dealt and have a better plan than "dump Boris".

But any would be leader needs to be prepared to jettison the ERG. Lock, Stock and Redwood. Until they are gone, the Tories are forever vulnerable to the Fear of Farage. The fear borne of a guilty conscience.

If the Tories can't deal with Scottish nationalism - which let's face it is happening in another country, then what hope does it have in England ?

Right now the Tories are like the letter bombers who scrimped on postage and keep seeing all their billet doux to Nicola being returned underpaid.