[Politics] Tory meltdown finally arrived [was: incoming]...

[Gwylan]

Steve Baker is to Comservatism what Corbyn was to Labour, he’ll play brilliantly with the hardcore contingent within the Conservative Party, but he’s not going to attract swing voters.

I’m not sure them picking anyone from the current cabinet would help them either TBH, they’re all far too tarnished by the way they’ve shown zero integrity and enabled and supported Johnson in undermining our institutions and the checks and balances of power.

To restore any trust, they need to select one of the MPs who have shown a bit of backbone and integrity throughout Boris’s reign. Tom Tugendhat or somebody of that ilk. I don’t think Brexiteer/Remainer matters any longer, we’ve left, and no Conservative MP is going to make rejoining the EU a Conservative Party policy.

Baker is also in severe danger of losing his seat: he'd have to jump to a safe seat if he wanted to become leader.

It's not rejoining the EU that's the issue, I agree that no politician is going to support that (for the moment, at least) but there is the question of our future relationship with Europe. For example, rejoining the Single Market or the CU - that's what many inside the Tory party membership are worried about.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Baker is also in severe danger of losing his seat: he'd have to jump to a safe seat if he wanted to become leader.

It's not rejoining the EU that's the issue, I agree that no politician is going to support that (for the moment, at least) but there is the question of our future relationship with Europe. For example, rejoining the Single Market or the CU - that's what many inside the Tory party membership are worried about.

Whoever gets in will still have to deal with the unimplementable Northern Ireland Protocol and our complete inability to put the same necessary import controls in place that the EU put on us from day 1, without adding to the cost of living crisis and creating another trade collapse.

I see we are delaying them for a fourth time and Johnson is still talking about 'technical solutions' coming to the rescue at some point in the future https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-import-checks-boris-johnson-b2062633.html

But it's not about Brexit, it is about dealing with all the issues we now have and Johnson is desperately trying to avoid and kicking into the long grass. Any incoming leader will have to deal with a plethora of critical issues resulting from Johnson's 2 and a bit years of complete lack of Government and these issues will now hit us imminently. Whilst he was concentrating on trying to defend himself, his various cabinet and advisors over the various statistics, lies, dodgy contracts, parties, more lies etc the world has moved on while Britain has drifted completely rudderless.

You have to wonder if it may be effecting any prospective candidates that are left on the backbenches from the old sensible conservative party coming forward

 

[Randy McNob]

Steve Baker is to Comservatism what Corbyn was to Labour, he’ll play brilliantly with the hardcore contingent within the Conservative Party, but he’s not going to attract swing voters.

I’m not sure them picking anyone from the current cabinet would help them either TBH, they’re all far too tarnished by the way they’ve shown zero integrity and enabled and supported Johnson in undermining our institutions and the checks and balances of power.

To restore any trust, they need to select one of the MPs who have shown a bit of backbone and integrity throughout Boris’s reign. Tom Tugendhat or somebody of that ilk. I don’t think Brexiteer/Remainer matters any longer, we’ve left, and no Conservative MP is going to make rejoining the EU a Conservative Party policy.

David Cameron came from out of the shadows, they need another like him, iḿ not a fan but they need a centrist. In terms of Europe, we can easily rejoin the single market and customs union which would solve most of the problems.

The vote was to leave the EU, not Single market + CU, we can do that without a public mandate

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Received this from Henry Smith MP

Thank you for your email regarding the Prime Minister being issued with a fixed penalty notice on Tuesday 12th April relating to an event which took place in Downing Street during Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in June 2020.

I have waited to respond until now because I wanted to hear what the Prime Minister had to say in Parliament after Easter (on Tuesday 19th April) before doing so and to be part of yesterday’s House of Commons proceedings where I supported a referral of this case to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee:

The Prime Minister is right to apologise to the House of Commons, and the nation, for his attendance at a gathering in Downing Street
While the Prime Minister has stated that he did not believe that a gathering right before a meeting on Covid-19 strategy would amount to a breach of the rules, he has accepted his mistake
I note the Prime Minister has respected the outcome of the police investigation

I understand and share the frustration felt by many on this issue. My position has been clear that the full report written by the Second Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Sue Gray, must be published for the country to read, this is a commitment I got from the Prime Minister personally, and the parliamentary standards procedure that I and other MPs supported yesterday should now be allowed to consider the issue.

Yours sincerely

Henry Smith MP

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Received this from Henry Smith MP

Thank you for your email regarding the Prime Minister being issued with a fixed penalty notice on Tuesday 12th April relating to an event which took place in Downing Street during Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in June 2020.

I have waited to respond until now because I wanted to hear what the Prime Minister had to say in Parliament after Easter (on Tuesday 19th April) before doing so and to be part of yesterday’s House of Commons proceedings where I supported a referral of this case to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee:

The Prime Minister is right to apologise to the House of Commons, and the nation, for his attendance at a gathering in Downing Street
While the Prime Minister has stated that he did not believe that a gathering right before a meeting on Covid-19 strategy would amount to a breach of the rules, he has accepted his mistake
I note the Prime Minister has respected the outcome of the police investigation

I understand and share the frustration felt by many on this issue. My position has been clear that the full report written by the Second Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Sue Gray, must be published for the country to read, this is a commitment I got from the Prime Minister personally, and the parliamentary standards procedure that I and other MPs supported yesterday should now be allowed to consider the issue.

Yours sincerely

Henry Smith MP

Same, response.

I think they are waiting for a fine for something other than him being walked in on.

 

[Gwylan]

David Cameron came from out of the shadows, they need another like him, iḿ not a fan but they need a centrist. In terms of Europe, we can easily rejoin the single market and customs union which would solve most of the problems.

The vote was to leave the EU, not Single market + CU, we can do that without a public mandate

Oh, I agree. It would solve a massive amount of issues - Northern Ireland for a start - but that would be anathema to the Brexit faction of the Tory party (and the Brexit faction IS the Tory party).

And I'm not sure that the modern party would elect a centrist - they had their chance with Ken Clarke (three times) and could have picked Rory Stewart last time. If they had any sense, they'd pick Tugendhat ... but they won't

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

David Cameron came from out of the shadows, they need another like him, iḿ not a fan but they need a centrist. In terms of Europe, we can easily rejoin the single market and customs union which would solve most of the problems.

The vote was to leave the EU, not Single market + CU, we can do that without a public mandate

Agree - the Tory Party need a centrist - Tom Tugenhat is now second favourite - shame that Rory Stewart is no longer an MP.

100% agree on your second point.

 

[rippleman]

“Look, we really do have more important things to be dealing with” - Boris Johnson



Also Boris Johnson…


View attachment 147152

WTF? Why on earth is he dressed like that? Is Biggins unwell?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

David Cameron came from out of the shadows, they need another like him, iḿ not a fan but they need a centrist. In terms of Europe, we can easily rejoin the single market and customs union which would solve most of the problems.

The vote was to leave the EU, not Single market + CU, we can do that without a public mandate

Yes of course - but best rebrand joining the Single Market as a "UK-EU Trade Partnership Zone" or similar - so as no one has to admit they were wrong.

 

[rippleman]

David Cameron came from out of the shadows, they need another like him, iḿ not a fan but they need a centrist. In terms of Europe, we can easily rejoin the single market and customs union which would solve most of the problems.

The vote was to leave the EU, not Single market + CU, we can do that without a public mandate

Totally agree. I voted to leave the EU and expected us to remain in the Customs Union and Single market. Unfortunately the bungle**** bungled the negotiations and left us in this shit.

I still don't regret voting to leave the EU evenmoreso since the EU is still paying billions of euros to Putin's Russia.

 

[nicko31]

Totally agree. I voted to leave the EU and expected us to remain in the Customs Union and Single market. Unfortunately the bungle**** bungled the negotiations and left us in this shit.

I still don't regret voting to leave the EU evenmoreso since the EU is still paying billions of euros to Putin's Russia.

I don't think the EU had any hand in Germany deciding the become more reliant on Russia hydrocarbons. Sovereign nations make their own decisions on energy policy

 

[zefarelly]

I don't think the EU had any hand in Germany deciding the become more reliant on Russia hydrocarbons. Sovereign nations make their own decisions on energy policy

What like selling your infrastructure to the French?

 

[Bodian]

Same, response.

I think they are waiting for a fine for something other than him being walked in on.

It's the one in his flat that he really won't be able to wriggle out of. There is absolutely no way he can dress that up as a work event.

Mind - I've never had a work event in my office where my wife has attended, let alone my personal painter and decorator!

 

[nicko31]

What like selling your infrastructure to the French?

Good bless Hinkley Point its got the French governments grubby mits all over it....

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Totally agree. I voted to leave the EU and expected us to remain in the Customs Union and Single market. Unfortunately the bungle**** bungled the negotiations and left us in this shit.

I still don't regret voting to leave the EU evenmoreso since the EU is still paying billions of euros to Putin's Russia.

I would have been exceedingly happy with a Brexit that remained in the Single Market but I didn't trust the radical wing hard Brexiters to have any desire to negotiate that so I voted Remain.

For me, joining EFTA was a Day 1 task after Brexit - leading from there to a very close Trade relationship with the EU Single Market - but that opportunity has been ignored.

Is it Rees-Smog I have to write to with suggested Brexit opportunities ?

That's number 1, right there - join EFTA.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I don't think the EU had any hand in Germany deciding the become more reliant on Russia hydrocarbons. Sovereign nations make their own decisions on energy policy

Germany also had the massive task of restoring East Germany to some sort of normality after the Wall came down in 89. The pipelines to Russia were already in. Glasnost was welcome then,

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It's the one in his flat that he really won't be able to wriggle out of. There is absolutely no way he can dress that up as a work event.

Mind - I've never had a work event in my office where my wife has attended, let alone my personal painter and decorator!

I agree - I get the defence of him and Rishi being walked in.

And it was reported at the time without much noise.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Great opportunity for Labour to take control of Worthing.

The former Tory stronghold is now NOC with Tories and Labour on 17 each, 2 LibDems and an Independent. The Leader of the Council is a Tory even though the opposition parties combined hold more seats. Not sure how that happens!

Unfortunately, the Green Party has seen fit to put candidates in every bloody Ward and I fear that they might attract votes away from the Labour Party letting in the Tory. There needs to be some joined up thinking. I will be p*ssed if any Tories get in because the Greens have split the anti-Tory vote.

Labour missed their opportunity to pounce during the bin strike as their leader was wary of upsetting the Unions. As you say, the greens are pushing hard and may dilute the opposition vote.

No surprise to see that our absent MP and Father of the House Bottomley defended Boris - if he can remember where Worthing is for the elections, he could turn out to be the trump card for Labour if he keeps up his Boris is innocent rhetoric.

 

[vegster]

Totally agree. I voted to leave the EU and expected us to remain in the Customs Union and Single market. Unfortunately the bungle**** bungled the negotiations and left us in this shit.

I still don't regret voting to leave the EU evenmoreso since the EU is still paying billions of euros to Putin's Russia.

How do you feel about the huge amount of money invested in the Tory Party by Russian " donor's " ? They are not giving it back !

Also remember that the man who had came up with the " Oven Ready Brexit Deal " which now needs renegotiation BTW, put the son of a Russian KGB agent in the House of Lords with the title Lord of Hampton and Siberia !

 

[zefarelly]

Good bless Hinkley Point its got the French governments grubby mits all over it....

With a bit of ting tong tupperware for added safety.