POLITICS CORNER

[PanBiker]

Well that didn't last long, Derek Hatton has had his membership revoked after one day. Someone found an "inappropriate tweet" that he apparently made some time ago, very convenient. Looks like there are more rabid extremist right wingers in the party that we need to get rid of. Oops, I wonder if that will get me kicked out?

[Tizer]

We might hear more today about Phil Hammond's interview with J Humphrys on Today this morning. Humphrys got Hammond to admit that he (and therefore presumably the government) don't know whether we could delay Brexit rather than crash out if a deal doesn't go through. They were arguing over whether or not a no-deal Brexit was the default if we got to 29 March without a deal. Perhaps Hammond needs to read the article `No-deal Brexit: Can Parliament stop it?' by the BBC's Chris Morris `Reality Check' correspondent: LINK

`So, the other way to avoid a no-deal Brexit in the short term is to play for time and extend the Article 50 period. The government would need to propose that and MPs would have to approve it. But, crucially, unlike in the case of revoking Article 50, to extend it the UK would also need the agreement of all 27 other EU countries. It would probably need to persuade them that something important had changed in UK politics to warrant an extension - perhaps a looming election, or another referendum, rather than more of the same argument. One of the constraints for the rest of the EU is that European elections will take place at the end of May and the new European Parliament (without UK MEPs if Brexit has taken place) is due to meet for the first time in July. The only other circumstance in which a brief extension to Article 50 would probably be approved by the EU is if there had been a vote in favour of Theresa May's deal but a little more time was needed to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s. But if Article 50 was extended without a deal passing the House of Commons, no deal would still remain the default outcome at the end of the extended negotiating period.'

[Tripps]

Some interesting views are being expressed by senior lawyers on the Home Secretary's actions

I think that behind the scenes in the Home Office some bright spark has hatched a 'cunning plan' to deny this woman any return to UK. First the Home Secretary proposed to remove her British citizenship, to which the world and his dog quickly pointed out, that was illegal if it made her stateless.

You'd like to think that he knew that already - though perhaps not. Then it was revealed that under the Jus Sanguinis she was entitled to apply for Bangla Deshi citizenship. Job done - let her apply - there is a possibility that she will be successful so we are not making her stateless. What could possibly go wrong? The Bangla Deshi Government quickly got the ball rolling in that direction, and said 'no chance' - perhaps they need to refresh their Latin?

I saw Lord Carlile (QC)'s , eyes light up the other night at the thought of the legal fight to come.

I read she may now go for Dutch citizenship as her husband is Dutch.

[PanBiker]

Tory MP Christopher Davies due in court next month for fiddling his expenses. £77k obviously not good enough.

JC just come out of talks with Barnier, proposing a different tack with a motion to be tabled next week. Some form of Customs Union and if nothing can be agreed potentially a peoples vote, never been off the Labour table contrary to the Tory press.

[Tripps]

David I was reviewing these posts and was reminded your attempt to post a Youtube video. I always post the address as a link. See if this works.....
LINK
Was that the one?

Yes it was - reminded me of Brexit - they tackled the job that couldn't be done, and couldn't do it - plus loads of ridiculous modern jargon. I clicked the youtube button on the lower 'thingy list' but it didn't work. Ian says it doesn't on the latest update. I give up pretty easily though these days. Life's too short to fiddle about.

[PanBiker]

I think I will remove the icon from the post editor as it's just confusing and doesn't have the same characteristics as in the previous version.

[Stanley]

I listened to the Phil Hammond interview and thought that by his attitude and answers he demonstrated perfectly how being the Wizards of spin and obfuscation doesn't cut it when things get serious. I don't think he knows what May is up to and is not going to say anything in case it opens him to attack. In short, 10 Downing Street are completely lost and all they can do is time the process out and crash out over the cliff. Obvious that the EU have lost patience with us as well.
I notice that more and more people who know about supply chains are warning that all the evidence points towards shortages and higher prices starting now despite all the comforting words from the government and Brexiteers. My store cupboards may come in handy after all!

[PanBiker]

One of the minor defectors was on Question Time last night (I can't even remember his name) and got savaged for not calling a by election. On a show of hands there was only one person in the audience that supported not having a by election for all those that have resigned.

[Stanley]

It seems a no-brainer to me Ian. If they are leaving the Party that they got in on all the clever arguments in the world can't make carrying on 'for the sake of the constituents' a viable argument.
I heard a loyalist (can't remember who) say (in effect) that Jeremy had been democratically elected by the Party (twice) so suck it up or get out. I don't agree with everything he does but I agree totally with that point of view.
On the wider picture, I hope someone somewhere is hatching a Cunning Plan to save us from crashing out of the EU on March 29th. Time for a proper rebellion in Parliament to stop this drift to what I really believe is a potential disaster. Tin hats on lads!

[Tizer]

Somebody's doing well out of Brexit!
`Ministers spend £100m on Brexit consultant contracts' LINK

[PanBiker]

UK Gov Petition

Automatic by-election if an MP resigns membership of their political party

[Stanley]

I saw that Tiz and heard that one civil servant had described the amount as 'eye-watering'. That's only the tip of the iceberg.
I've signed the petition Ian.
Opinion seems to be turning against the resigners in both Parliament and the public. To me all the effort that is being put into discussing this and not Brexit seems to indicate that the MPs are more concerned with what to about the Rats than the imminent problem with the process!
Listening to the 06;45 Profile on R4 and it's about Luciana Berger. I didn't realise that Manny Shinwell was her great-uncle! (LINK)
The profile is worth listening to. If it is anywhere near the truth (and I believe it) it has influenced me about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. Please listen with an open mind.....

[Tizer]

Thanks for mentioning the Berger profile. I made a brew, rounded up Mrs Tiz and we sat down and listened. It was very good but nothing about it surprised me. For a while now I've been following the reports by long-time Labour supporters in The Times about the anti-semitism under Jeremy Corbyn's watch. The abuse has been horrific and it was obvious that Labour had been infiltrated by nasty types who needed to be purged from the list of members. It needed JC to come out in public and admit it was happening, condemn it and take action to deal with it. It took a long time before he did so and in that time the problem just got worse. As always, it's harder to get rid of a trouble if you leave it too long.

What worries me even more than Brexit is the deterioration in political and social dialogue in Britain. The politicians are behaving like schoolchildren, shouting rude things at each other and getting increasingly nasty. A section of the public is behaving in a similar fashion. Whatever happens about Brexit we'll be left with this legacy and it's opening the way for extremists. Add to this all the other problems facing us and I can't see a stable future for Britain or the rest of the world.

[Tripps]

I think my MP Heidi Allen has had her moment in the sun last week. I think it will be downhill for her from now. I was a fan for a while after she came to my door in 2015, and we had a nice chat. First live call I've ever had from any candidate. I'd done my homework, and knew that she had a degree in Astrophysics, had managed the Mount Pleasant main London postal sorting office, (claimed to have enjoyed it), and run a family business manufacturing and selling spray paint cans. All admirable.

I went off her a bit when she applied to stand as Mayor of Cambridge and Peterborough; which she proposed to do part time in addition to being an MP. Said she would donate the salary to charity. I thought the whole thing was ridiculous. She wasn't chosen as a candidate.

I think you should also know - she's from Yorkshire, and her maiden name was Bancroft.

[Tizer]

Good for Tom Watson, he's speaking sense even if he's having to do JC's job for him. I'm also glad to see TW criticising Emily Thornberry for talking of `betrayal' and `crushing' people and saying we all should `dial down the rhetoric'...
`Jeremy Corbyn must take 'personal lead' on anti-Semitism - Watson' LINK

[Stanley]

"What worries me even more than Brexit is the deterioration in political and social dialogue in Britain."
I agree entirely Tiz. (Add wastrels going poaching early in the morning with dogs loose that are trained to kill!)
Hard to pin down one cause but looking back at my upbringing, right or wrong, it included strict mental and physical discipline. Going to Sunday School and being on the choir never harmed me and a healthy fear of the possibility of retribution both at school and on the street was a useful corrective. Then there was the discipline of going from school into work, getting up early, being punctual and doing what you were told, add National Service of course.
What have we got now? The 'me' generation, "Greed is Good", lack of police action on crime and presence on the streets due to under-funding and in many cases young people with no expectations of a good life and poor education due to our concentration on higher learning rather than primary schools and secondary. Add the rewards that come from greed and cupidity in the financial houses and then chuck in Austerity and what have you got. A social ethos that has no manners, very little sense of responsibility and above all, dire poverty in a nation where the advertisers scream consumption at us 24X7, the new measure of social worth is the ability to consume, hence the 'celebrity cult'.
I warned long ago that we were going to see the social fabric crumble before our eyes, it is in plain sight now.
God! I sound like a reactionary don't I!
Meanwhile at the seaside May tells us she has kicked the can down the road to March 17th..... Isn't it about time this farce was brought to a screaming halt?

[Tizer]

Yes!

Matthew Parris has been criticising Mrs May over her Brexit behaviour in his Saturday article in The Times for almost 3 years now but this last week he was at his most scornful. He's been talking to more people who have dealings with her - ministers, advisers etc - and the feedback he's getting is that many of them think she's completely off her trolley now. He's worried and it's a bit scary!

[PanBiker]

An interesting read:

No sound evidence

[Tripps]

I think today is the day that 'push came to shove' and I don''t mind admitting I'm totally confused. but perhaps not as much as Owen Smith MP. Maybe he'll get his job back?

Today Sky news says -
Labour announces backing for a second Brexit referendum
Jeremy Corbyn says the party will support a public vote to "prevent a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country".

What a difference a year makes - March 2018 -
Owen Smith MP. From Wikipedia -
He was sacked from this post on 23rd March 2018 after he publicly called for a referendum on the final Brexit deal, a position that was against Labour party policy.

[Stanley]

Total confusion on all fronts. Someone must push the stop button and then we can rewind.......

[plaques]

Second referendum. I can't help but to repeat what I've said before.
1. If the outcome is leave then the Tories will still be in power.
2. If the outcome is remain the Tories will still be in Power.

The conclusion is that there is no advantage to Labour to hold a second referendum. So why don't the Tories do it? Because there is always the chance that this may expose a split in their partly that cannot be covered up by vague promises.

On Tom Watson. First I must declare a bias against him. A very clever operator with a solid background in the intrigues and manoeuvrings of Parliament. This was demonstrated by his handling of the Murdock inquiry. Corbyn needed someone like him to add stability when he first became leader. Unfortunately, Watson has strong Neo-liberal leanings and has a tendency to lean towards the Rightwing middle ground, ie: Blairites, Currently he is reaching out to these MPs whipping up additional trouble for Corbyn. On antisemitism, as Deputy Leader to Corbyn he should not be gathering up problems and then simply handing them over. He should be taking these onboard himself and updating Corbyn on the overall position. I see Watson as promoting Watson to give himself a lead position in future leadership challenges.

[Tizer]

Trouble between India and Pakistan. India has threatened to dam the Himalayan rivers which feed the Indus river that flows through Pakistan. I wonder if India has forgotten that China, an ally of Pakistan, can block the rivers that feed India? And damming a river only stops the flow temporarily while the reservoir behind the dam fills up - after that you've got to let the river's flow go somewhere. Oh well, perhaps it's better that then resorting to the other option - they're both nuclear nations.

[Tripps]

This is perhaps just a touch repetitive, but I think I understand what she is hinting at.

A clear message.

[plaques]

The latest position is..
Mrs May said an extension "cannot take no deal off the table", adding: "The only way to do that is to revoke Article 50, which I shall not do, or agree a deal."
Extending Article 50 would require the unanimous backing of the other 27 EU member states and, she said, she had not had conversations about it with them.

.

mrs may's.jpg

Having not talked to anyone about extending article 50 she has 15 days to do it in. That's if they agree.

[Stanley]

The reverse ferret she executed yesterday is her first and only because she could see that the Deal, not with the EU, that is a secondary matter, with the ERG to hold the Party together was in danger.....
What struck me was when she said that she would 'allow the House to have a vote'. This is at the root of all the trouble, she has managed to keep Brexit a purely Tory Party matter. This is all Brexit has been from the very beginning.....