POLITICS CORNER

[plaques]

One of my favourite short stories. What was the name of the stain remover?

Canterville Ghost. From the top of my head, Pinkerton's Stain remover. but if I remember correctly the films gave it a different name. Can't remember everything especially at my age! Whatever that is?
The Easter truce is over. The whistle blows and the troops can start firing at each other again. The blame is being put down squarely at Mrs May's door but the real culprit was David Cameron who set the ball rolling in the first place. It beggars belief that after years of infighting the Brexiteers within the Tory party are going to give in at the last moment especially if part of the solution came from talks with the Labour Party. Meanwhile we will just have to make do with the 'experts' telling everybody else what they should be doing.

[Stanley]

I looked it up P (LINK) and you are quite right.
I think you are also right about the Brexminster situation. I have been listening to the news this morning and apart from one idiot who defended May and said she had been doing a good job and deserves sympathy the major mood seems to be rage against May. One senior member of the 1922 Committee said she should go today. He also said he had personally warned May about Farage weeks ago and she said it was the Lib Dems she was worried about..... I feel the foundations are crumbling.
Bill Cash on at the moment saying his use of words like appeasement and collaboration are not 'the language of war' but he then said that the EU were being deliberately obstructive. I remember Richard predicting that this would be the attitude when things went badly....
The odds are against the Fourth Attempt..... Tin hats on lads.

[Tizer]

Another spanner about to drop into the works of the Brexiteers...
`Nicola Sturgeon to issue Brexit and indyref2 update' LINK
`...Ms Sturgeon said in January that she would give an update on her timetable for holding a new Scottish independence referendum within "weeks", but has repeatedly said she needs to wait for more clarity about Brexit before doing so...'

We've heard a lot about the potential effects on Ireland over the last 3 years but it's been rather quiet on Scotland. Perhaps we'll hear some interesting news from Nicola? LINK

[Stanley]

Almost certainly I should say Tiz. May has always said she can't accept a border in the Irish Sea because it would endanger the Union. I have always said that her course guarantees Scottish Secession and eventually N Ireland as well. What will Wales do?
Thinking back to our old friend 'The Law of Unintended Consequences'.... Brexit has thrown up more examples than a world war.... Come to think half the Tory Party is about to secede as well. Things are going to get rough and even more chaotic and it looks more and more as though the end game will see us still in the EU with less concessions. Was there ever a more pointless and stupid enterprise than Cameron's Catastrophe?
Only a matter of time before The Square Mile secedes and becomes a centre for money laundering, Passport to Pimlico country! (Don't laugh! Anything is possible now!)
(Did anyone listen to 'The Long View' on R4 yesterday. TX 09;05, well worth catching up on it. Brexit trade disputes and negotiations in the 9th C....)

[plaques]

The 1922 committee still mulling over whether to change the rules so that they can hand Mrs May her P45 is yet another sign of the general discontent in the Tory Party. Meanwhile, Mrs May has brought back some tablets of stone from her sojourn to the Welsh mountains blaming Labour for their intransigence in not accepting her red lines and for introducing some of their own customs union proposals. It looks like she is trying to appease her tormentors by turning her back on any joint talks. Prepare yourself for another round of deadlines when the World will come to an end if we don't do has she says. Its worth remembering that she promised we would be leaving the EU on 29th March no less than 129 times. Make of that what you will.

[PanBiker]

Some factions are also trying to blame it all on John Bercow claiming he is biased, last night they didn't have enough folk with the balls to trigger a vote of no confidence but they want one. What a good idea, get rid of the only bloke with any common sense right when you need him.

[Stanley]

I think he has acted throughout in the interests of the House and the Voters. That's why he is getting such stick.
I see Anne Widdicombe has entered the fray.... So that's all right then.

[Tizer]

Not only joined the fray but joined Farage's lot - she'll stand as a candidate for Farage's new party in the European elections. More polarisation.

Mrs May has brought back some tablets of stone from her sojourn to the Welsh mountains blaming Labour for their intransigence in not accepting her red lines...

I can imagine a chieftain of the Bronze Age Labouri tribe in what is now Wiltshire saying something similar about the leader of the troublesome Conservatori tribe.

[Stanley]

Substitute Romans for May and remember Boudica Of the Iceni Tribe.....
However, Downing Street says that she will only present her new vision to the house is sure it will pass. Her judgement calls have always been wrong so it looks as though the EU elections are gong to happen. The die-hard Tories will then take action..... She has evidently given up trying to persuade the ERG to come on side and ditched the DPU as well pinning all her hopes on Corbyn and Labour but at the same time shoots herself in the foot by refusing to drop her 'red lines'. Meanwhile, her Party have suddenly realised that their jobs and their power in Parliament have evaporated. They are more concerned about their pension plans than the good of the country.
Incidentally, the prospect of government could have an effect on superficial unity in the Labour Party but that won't last. Even more trouble ahead I'm afraid.
I see Nicola Sturgeon has lobbed her grenade into No. 10. This will add fuel to the flames consuming the Tories. Totally predictable and we are not far off secession if May refuses to sanction a second Referendum on Independence for Scotland. Purely economic and totally predictable, Scotland gets more benefit from membership of the EU than they do from the Union.
All in all, from the vantage point of the kitchen table I can't see anything good in prospect apart from disintegrating Tories. Tin hats on lads and get in the bunker! I predicted two things, that the Premiership was a poisoned chalice once Cameron did a bunk and that Tory economic policies would ensure the final defeat of the government. Problem is that the ensuing mess will take may years to clean up.

[plaques]

Just finished a biography on William Gladstone. Considering the time frame when the country was run by the aristocracy for the aristocracy he was quite radical in his thinking but still a Tory in a lot of respects. On many of his proposals, home rule for Ireland, voting rights for larger numbers of people and a basic education for children were met with total resistance. The general objections were, "I think we can hold out for perhaps 5 years or even 30 years before it becomes inevitable". Self interest ruled the day. What we are seeing with Brexit is a similar situation. Inevitably Europe will become one single force with Russia one of largest trading partners whatever Trump and his Republicans have to say.

[Stanley]

Well observed P. There was a lot of pressure for more enlightened policies in the late 19th century but on the whole much was blocked/delayed by inertia in the ruling Establishment. "It was good enough for my father.....". At the same time the Liberals were gradually moving to the Right as they got more 'middle class' and in the end this was what produced the Labour Party. The masses pushed back.
We are seeing the same thing now but the vehicle is split into two parts, on the one hand we have the healthy interest the young are taking in basic policies but on the other hand we have the so-called Populist movement which in many cases is being hijacked by the Ultra Right. In either case it bodes ill for the established parties.
The healthiest 'traditional' politics at the moment seems to be in the devolved administrations of Cardiff and Edinburgh. In other words the further you are away from Westminster the better. That place is the worst advertisement for 19th century politics in the world, they call it Tradition.
What the hell was May doing swanning round Pendle yesterday? Barnier warned against wasting time..... Fat lot of notice they have taken of him.

[Stanley]

Later.... The leak from the intelligence group heads the news. The favourites are the ministers who attended and they have been asked to own up if it was them. Leadership aspirations could be playing a part and the 'favourites' are seen to be J Hunt and G Williamson. Private Pike putting his foot in it again?

[Tizer]

I was glad to hear Sir Roger Scruton interviewed on the Today programme this morning and given the opportunity to relate the way his words have been used out of context against him and the `Twitter storm' that followed. I don't agree with everything he writes in his articles but we do need people like him to force us to listen to simple `un-spun' facts and to see the other side of arguments. I understand how he feels because I tend to be very logical and cut through the elaboration and contortions found in so many articles and discussions and I know what it's like to be misinterpreted. I also slip into devil's advocate mode very easily if I feel that only one side of an argument is getting aired!

[Stanley]

Couldn't agree more Tiz. Like you I don't subscribe to all his views but just as I admired aspects of Enoch Powell's thought processes and opinions, I can see his logic. I suspect you are right, the majority don't think like you and I do and yes, it gets me in trouble at times. I have been accused of being unemotional because of it but that is not the case. I remember once getting into terrible trouble when I asked a severely epileptic lady who I had given a research job to to tell me what we should do if she had a fit at work. I was accused of abuse and almost rape! It was only the intervention of wiser heads that saved me. It all seemed perfectly logical to me! I learned of course and faced with the same situation would approach it in a different way but my logic would still be the same.
As for Brexminster. We are treated to the views of ultra-defensive Tories who quite clearly see the writing on the wall but are desperately trying not to break ranks and panic. Privately I suspect that they are in turmoil and the major force at work is self-preservation. Cameron may be looking on and musing on the situation (although I doubt it, he isn't that smart) and coming to the conclusion that his attempts to hold the Party together were in vain. The plain fact is that Old Tory DNA is diametrically opposed to the real world and change is about to engulf anyone who can't grasp this and make accommodations. I include the Labour Party in this. My sympathies are with the members of all parties who realise this, and there are many of them, but are helpless in the flood of events. They will be swept away with the worst of them.

[plaques]

Why did Mrs May come to Pendle? Andrew Stephenson has always been in the leave EU camp. His voting record doesn't show too much since he is generally one of the tellers.
I'm saying nothing only make your own mind up!!!

Andrew Stephenson replaces Richard Harrington

The government has appointed Andrew Stephenson as the new construction minister.
He replaces Richard Harrington who quit at the end of last month in protest at the government’s handling of Brexit.
Harrington said a no deal Brexit would have “widespread and long-standing implications for everyone. The economy may take five to 10 years to adjust to the new reality.”

Stephenson, who was previously a government whip and the role as minister in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said he was “looking forward to the challenge”.

The MP for Pendle campaigned for Leave in the 2016 EU referendum.

[Tizer]

Now that the LibDems have said they'll stand on a `Stop Brexit' campaign I see Labour MPs are demanding that their party pushes for a second referendum.

[Stanley]

P. the bottom line is that if T May said the moon was made of green cheese and we should mine it he'd support the initiative.
Tiz. Yes and the problem is that the original leaflet was rushed out to meet an internal deadline and had other flaws in it. The word now is that the final revised leaflet contains the original Labour policy agreed at Conference that in the event of an 'unsatisfactory' deal it would be put back to the public to decide. We shall see when they issue the final draft....
My overall impression is that the Tories are paralysed. They are too busy addressing what looks like an inevitable bloodbath in the local elections to give any thought to the question of Brexit. In their minds they are fire-fighting and this takes precedence, this could explain the Brierfield visit. Notice that there are no reports of 'ongoing discussions' either in Brussels or Downing Street. Is this actually the End Game and it is being hidden from us?
In the absence of any hard information from No 10 all the opposition parties can do is concentrate on the imminent elections (and in the case of Scotland, secession!). It's worth noting that this will be the case in Brussels also shortly.

[plaques]

Corbyn is being pushed by a large number of Labour MPs to include a second referendum in the manifesto. Corbyn has replied that he is not a dictator and it will have to be decided by the national executive committee which will meet this tuesday. As far as the Tory Party is concerned whether the result is stay or leave their party will be left in chaos. Similarly the same question could be leveled at the Labour party. A split would still exist within the party and leave the Tories in power. Then there is the 'unintended consequences' or is it actually 'unintended'. Cameron's decision to hold a referendum resulted in him resigning and a new PM being voted in. A second referendum instigated by the Labour party could see Corbyn having to resign for doing exactly the same thing as Cameron. Remember that the bulk of the Labour MPs don't want Corbyn as leader and see this as an opportunity to get rid of him.
I hope I'm wrong but I today's Machiavellian world I'm not too sure.

[Tizer]

Matthew Parris, in his Saturday article in The Times, is convinced that the UK will see three Prime Ministers this year. Theresa May will be ousted but none of the `possibles' will replace her...except for Boris who will be shoved in place by the party machine. Within weeks he'll be out because he can't command a majority in the House. There'll be a general election and Jeremy Corbyn will be in place as PM. The Tory party will have to split and Parris, a moderate Conservative, hopes that Rees-Mogg and the ERG members will go to Farage's party. Otherwise, Mogg et al. will rule and the moderates will have to start a new party. Matthew is not a happy bunny at the moment.

[PanBiker]

I'm fairly certain most of our UK members will know where they go to vote. I'll stick this Labour initiative here though just in case.

Polling Station Finder

[Stanley]

Matthew is not the only one. Friday morning is going to be interesting listening on radio.... Could be quite historic.
Did you see the reports of the resignation of the 'Fracking Czar'? Interviewed yesterday she admitted that her office consisted of her and a laptop. No resources put into the post whatsoever. 7 months in Natasha has resigned because if the same standards were applied to other industries they would have to close down.

[Tizer]

Yes, we'd have had no quarries, no mines, no tunnels....I wonder what felling a chimney does to the seismic measurements?

[Tizer]

Benefits such as these should have been flagged up more often and then people would have better understood why we should stay in the EU...
`EU elections: What the European Parliament has been up to' LINK

[Stanley]

Good link Tiz and just think of what EU funding has done for areas identified as needing economic help. Boris et al never mentioned any of that.... then there are the rules on Human Rights. Well done the BBC!
I am on high alert for Thursday voting and Friday results. We will find out then just how many people are actually aware of the way they have been treated for the last 10 years. I am not optimistic but if common sense prevailed we would have a truly seismic shift in the tectonic plates of Politics.
Question, exactly what have you got to do these days to be thrown out of office?



Not entirely apposite but this sums up my feelings about all bad politicians.

[Stanley]

I note that The Corbyn point of view on a public vote on Brexit has prevailed at the Labour Party discussion on the contents of the leaflet to be used for the EU elections. All options are left on the table until we see the exact proposals from the Tories. This is a gift to the right wing media who trumpet the fact that 'Corbyn sits on the fence' by implication branding hem as indecisive. I see it rather differently, here is a complete contrast to May, a Party Leader who has a strong view and the ability to persuade his Party to adhere to it. As for the decision itself, I understand it completely. How can anyone make a decision about a definite course of action when the circumstances are unknown? Add to this my personal view that a referendum would be useless, it would only serve as a demonstration of a split in public opinion and this is what got us into the present impasse.
As to tomorrow.... Barnier advised us not to waste time. I'm sure that even he recognises that elections like tomorrow trump every external matter. The EU will do exactly the same on May 23 (Incidentally, it's a racing certainty at the moment that the EU elections in UK will happen). Unusually I heard Pendle mentioned on R4 yesterday when a commentator reported that May had campaigned in Pendle, referring of course to the flying visit to the show-piece Brierfield development. (No visits to food banks or schools.....)
The former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Tip O'Neill is famous amongst other things for pointing out that "all politics is local", he wasn't the first to say this and won't be the last. When the Tories crash and burn on Friday they will downplay the importance of the Council elections but we all know that in effect the vote tomorrow is the 'Second Referendum'. The question being do we trust politicians?
Of course I may be totally wrong. However, the sparse reports coming in for the Tory canvassing is that the doorstep news is dire.....