POLITICS CORNER

[PanBiker]

Well yo don't have to bother do you China choosing to live in a one party state. I assume you don't have a vote in the UK? If you do it's a travesty of democracy.

[chinatyke]

As far as I am aware I'm not entitled to vote in the UK. Yes, I live in a country where all the government members pull together, that's what they are paid to do. It's great.

[Stanley]

At least our politicians can attack the government if they don't like their policies and not be arrested by the Thought Police. Remind me, where is the former head of Interpol now?
Things are warming up in Parliament.....

[plaques]

The government may have broken parliamentary rules by failing to fully release legal advice over the Brexit deal, according to John Bercow.
Parliament got the summery version of the legal advice instead of the full document that they had asked for. The summery content is bad enough but has everyone suspects its what's in the small print that really counts, the Devil is in the detail, MP's will have to decide whether to move this to Committee which, depending on their findings, will move it for Parliamentary discussion, which in turn could delay the Brexit debate. PanBiker has already raised the question why we have to wait two weeks for something we have nominally agreed to and here we are frustrating the commons to possibly push it back even further. Mervin King, ex governor Bank of England, said in one of his recent interviews that the Brexit debate had been badly managed politically and could have been explained back in 2016. In effect Mrs May has filibusted two years of time away and is still at it. All this secrecy and statements about weakening their negotiating position is aimed at keeping people in the dark. These cavaliering Tories should be kicked out as soon as possible.

[Tizer]

China, I like the coin image, it sums up the situation well. Incidentally, in a well-known British tradition coins are circulating that have been over-stamped with anti-Brexit slogans by members of the public.

Good news has broken this morning...
`Law officer says UK can cancel Brexit' LINK
`The UK should be able to unilaterally cancel its withdrawal from the EU, according to a top European law officer. The non-binding opinion was delivered by the the European Court of Justice's advocate general. A group of Scottish politicians has asked the court whether the UK can call off Brexit without the consent of other member states. The Court of Justice (ECJ) will deliver its final ruling at a later date. The advice from advocate general Manuel Campos Sanchez-Bordona comes as the House of Commons begins five days of debates on Prime Minister Theresa May's proposed Brexit deal, with a vote due to be held next Tuesday. In a written statement, the ECJ said Mr Campos Sanchez-Bordona's opinion is that if a country decides to leave the EU, it should also have the power to change its mind during the two-year exit process specified in Article 50 of the EU treaty. And it should be able to do so without needing the consent of the other 27 member states...'

[Tripps]

I watched a lot of politics yesterday on Ch 201. I sense that history is in the making over the next few days. I noticed in the debate an 'honourable member ' who bobbed up and down continually trying to catch the speaker's eye. She eventually succeeded, and asked a long question which she read from a crib sheet. What happened to the tradition that questions were never read,from a paper? I recall that it used to generate cries of 'reading' from members of the party opposite.

I saw this same lady asking another question later in the day, and then even quite late in the evening she was till there asking still yet another long complex question. To my shame I can't remember what she asked in any of her questions.

I checked her out later, and discovered she was in fact Dr Caroline Johnson - a medically qualified person, and still practicing. In addition to being Conservative MP. She is in fact a Consultant Paediatrician, whose education started in a comprehensive school in Middlesborough.

Isn't google wonderful? She should write the definitive book on time management.




-+-+=`

[PanBiker]

Government held in contempt of parliament in refusing to make the full text of the legal advice available. They are now forced to publish this for scrutiny.

[Stanley]

P is right about history in the making. I find the process fascinating and it struck me that this is a full answer to China's criticism of our politicians, can you imagine this in China?
The thing that really grabbed me was that the radio 4 interview of the man who actually wrote the Article in the Treaty that allows us to exit said weeks ago that all we had to do was send the EU a letter saying we had changed our mind. That view was confirmed yesterday by the adviser to the ECJ.
On the broader front of the debate, it's so good to see Parliament acting in its finest traditions, holding the government to account. Pity they didn't swing into proactive mode earlier. I am not going to be foolish and predict the outcome but there is one near certainty, May and the Tories are going to have a rough ride and it is down to her lack of political, constitutional and historical expertise. This could be the 19th century Free Trade debates all over again and that put the Tories in the political wilderness for over twenty years.... Being 'bloody difficult' isn't a negotiating stance, it's simply ignorance of the process. There are some very angry Tory back benchers and the Brexiteers are noticeably quiet.
Lots more interesting stuff to come.....
PS. I have protected myself against over-excitement by arranging for a general anaesthetic on the day of The Vote!

[Stanley]

Buried under the avalanche of Brexit was the grovel we got yesterday from Grayling who has had to admit prime responsibility for the recent timetable fiasco which engulfed South Eastern and Northern Rail.
He was questioned about HS2 as well and refused to admit that the most respected Rail Cost consultant in the country was right when he forecast that costs were out of control and looked as though they could be double the forecast, somewhere near £100billion. Not on the web yet but the former chairman has backed the consultant this morning and expects the same level of overspend, He said that in particular the land purchases that are happening are in chaos.

[Tripps]

Why should we trust our politicians. After a two hour live questioning attempt to keep the dogs off, and keep it hidden by the Attorney General it has been released. Or has it?

"The letter is just six pages long. It is therefore rather baffling as to why the summary of his advice to MPs was 43 pages and included other aspects of the deal such as EU jurisdiction and the budget."

I watched a lot of Geoffrey Cox's performance - he really is a piece of work - no danger of 'low self esteem issues here. He has an unfortunate resemblance to Derek Wilton from Coronation Street. The phrase which kept entering my head during his and other 'honourable' members contributions was 'self serving posturing gargoyles' typified by Bill Cash John Redwood etc. I think I preferred Rumpole of the Bailey.

Now they have five full days to 'debate' the issue, and give full exercise to their egos. What a waste of time - I doubt a single one will change their view as a result of it. Call me naive but how can they be divided into leavers and remainers when they were nearly all elected on a leave manifesto, and matter has been decided.

That feels better. . . .

[Stanley]

I watched some of the debate and was struck by the DUP man who took May to pieces over the Backstop and broken promises. He was particularly good when challenged on agriculture and had all the facts in his head. I was impressed and realised what a head of steam is building up in Ireland. The grand tradition of screwing them up is alive and well after over 400 years!
Good question about the legal opinion David. Like you I have no confidence in anything they say, particularly now they are locked in what could be a death struggle for the Party. That's the elephant in the room as far as the Tories are concerned, some of them have read their history.....

[chinatyke]

Shall we put this into some sort of perspective?

How about trade? Let's see: 80% of GDP is domestic trade. Of the 20% remaining around 12% is Non-EU, that is to say, trade with the rest of the world. That leaves, only 8% of GDP coming from trade with the EU.

Sadly, EU rules, standards and tariffs affect 100% of all UK businesses. This means that 92% of business is disadvantaged to satisfy the customers who are buying just 8%.

OMO: Out Means Out.

BOO: Better Off Out.

[Stanley]

If it was as simple as that China it would be done and dusted.
OMO means 'Old Man Out' and was reputedly a signal placed in the widows of Married Quarters to signal availability....
According to Unilever's website, OMO was first registered in the United Kingdom as early as 1908, so it is the oldest laundry powder brand in the country. You won't believe it, but the acronym OMO which is a household name stands for “Old Mother Owl” - presumably because owls are associated with wisdom and it was supposed to mean you were making a wise purchase!
Leaving that aside, panic is setting in at Westminster and rumours are rife about a possible postponement of the vote because all the signs are that it is going to be disastrous for the Tories. You'll hear all about it....
We live in interesting times!
Later.... I am listening to T May burying any answers to questions under a torrent of repetition and verbal diarrhoea. I don't think she has any Plan 'B' or new ideas. There is an air of desperation about her.

[PanBiker]

Later.... I am listening to T May burying any answers to questions under a torrent of repetition and verbal diarrhoea. I don't think she has any Plan 'B' or new ideas. There is an air of desperation about her.

She has already stated in interview last week that there is no plan B, then looped straight into the diatribe, "this is the deal......." As if to repeat, "get it into your thick skulls" or words to that effect. She is treating parliament and the electorate with utter contempt and does not know when to quit, she sees this as a strength but it will come back to bite her, "bloody awkward woman" won't matter once the knives are out.

[Tripps]

the DUP man who took May to pieces over the Backstop and broken promises.

I think that was Nigel Dodds - he impressed me as well. I think it's mental health week or some such. This woman is seriously delusional and should be sectioned.

[Tizer]

China, your trade figures and claims are misleading, too simplistic. You say ` 80% of GDP is domestic trade' but much of our domestic trade is in goods that have been imported at some stage or are made from at least one imported component.

[chinatyke]

China, your trade figures and claims are misleading, too simplistic. You say ` 80% of GDP is domestic trade' but much of our domestic trade is in goods that have been imported at some stage or are made from at least one imported component.

This is politics, does it need to be 100% truthful?

[plaques]

This is politics, does it need to be 100% truthful?

Mrs May is using this technique to deflect the focus of the Brexit discussion onto the Irish 'backstop'. Meanwhile agreeing to any form of exit conditions will make the average person much worse off. Even if the government offered up some graded assessment to the various Brexit options it would probably be terms of GDP which means nothing to the average worker. If it were to be explained in terms of job losses, reduced wages and benefits then people would get more involved.

[Tizer]

China, you're a naughty boy, I told you not to listen to that Mr Trump!

[chinatyke]

China, you're a naughty boy, I told you not to listen to that Mr Trump!

The bad news is that, according to the Daily Mail, hundreds of thousands of ex-pats may return to the UK. Look out, I may be coming to an area near you soon!

[Stanley]

"Look out, I may be coming to an area near you soon!"

I shall re-read my copy of Mao's Red Book.

Yet again I agree with Ian and P. She's re-running her election campaign. Could Lynton Crosby still be whispering in her ear?She gabbled repetitively so fast her words were running into each other and she sounded incoherent, Wall of Sound politics....

[Tizer]

Stephen Kinnock wants us to go for `the Norway deal' with the EU. That's like telling someone, `Don't jump off that 100 foot cliff, jump off the 50 foot one, it'll do you less damage'. Just think of all the good work that could be done if we simply abandoned Brexit and got on with running the country.

[Tripps]

I read somewhere today that abandoning Brexit, and remaining in the EU would be a panacea for all ills. I don't think so. They are currently actively planning the accession of Ukraine, and Moldova, and whatever they say, Turkey is on the list.

Ukraine have just called up reservists and banned male Russians from entering the country, to counter the threat of a Russian invasion. What could possibly go wrong?

[Stanley]

David, I have to admit that despite all my arguments about internationalism and remaining in the EU, circumstances like those you raise give me pause for thought. Then there is the imminent demise of Merkel in Germany, that could make a serous difference. I know all about the advantages of 'fighting from the inside' but will admit that I am not as clear in my thoughts as I was.
What a bloody mess, and let's not forget who kicked this all off! Add to that the fact that it has never been an All Party debate but a Tory led project all the way. In many ways that was the biggest mistake of all, we should have had a Brexit Coalition in charge. (But would it have made any difference.....)
I am reminded of the old saying: "When the alligators are biting your arse it is sometimes difficult to remember that the primary objective was to drain the swamp".

[Tizer]

I read somewhere today that abandoning Brexit, and remaining in the EU would be a panacea for all ills. I don't think so. They are currently actively planning the accession of Ukraine, and Moldova, and whatever they say, Turkey is on the list.

Ukraine have just called up reservists and banned male Russians from entering the country, to counter the threat of a Russian invasion. What could possibly go wrong?

As long as we stay in the EU we have the power to veto the accession of other countries. It only needs the UK to say NO and accession won't take place. Once we're out we have no say on what our nearest neighbours are doing.

As for Ukraine and Russia, the UK leaving the EU sends a strong signal to Putin that the EU is weakening. Surely now is a time for showing consolidation and support for the European Union?