Brexit - the next steps

[Gordon]

Bullshit Boris is currently sounding off about not paying monies to the EU should Brexit go ahead, which isn't going down well as regards any post-Brexit UK/EU trade agreement. Also interesting to note the comments about fishing negotiations, since one the reasons that some fishing communities are pro-Brexit (such as those in Scotland who returned Tory MPs last time) was that they would have UK waters all to themselves.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/26/eu-would-block-trade-deal-if-britain-reneged-on-brexit-bill

[Gordon]

Looks like Bullshit Boris is telling porkies again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49470831

[Stranger]

Looks like Bullshit Boris is telling porkies again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49470831

What is it with Boris the Liar and foodstuff? We've had prawn cocktail crisps, kippers, and now pork pies....

[Nearly Sane]

Mebbes aye, mebbes no

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/uk/boris-johnsons-pork-pie-claims-defended-by-uk-officials/

[Gordon]

This could get very interesting.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/26/brexit-shutting-down-parliament-gravest-abuse-of-power-in-living-memory-legal-advice

[Harrowby Hall]

According to the front page of the I, our wonderful new prime minister is planning to "re-balance" the House of Lords by appointing a swathe of anti-Brexit peers, thereby neutralising a potential source of defeat for his grand plan.

Is this how coups are performed in the United Kingdom?  Should the army be sent in to intervene?

[Nearly Sane]

According to the front page of the I, our wonderful new prime minister is planning to "re-balance" the House of Lords by appointing a swathe of anti-Brexit peers, thereby neutralising a potential source of defeat for his grand plan.

Is this how coups are performed in the United Kingdom?  Should the army be sent in to intervene?

A fish stinks from the head down

[Spud]

The pork pies are not restricted by high tariffs in Thailand and Iceland, but demand is so low they are no longer exported there. So Boris wasn't completely wrong.

[wigginhall]

One of the strange things about no deal, is that the UK will immediately have to start negotiations with the 27 countries of the EU, in relation to trade, and other stuff.  How long will this take?  Some people say 7 years, some decades.  I'm sure that UK business are well prepared for this (sarcasm).

[Gordon]

John Crace in good form, as usual, looking at Farage's part in the current omnishambles.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/27/brexit-party-nigel-farage-non-aggression-pact-boris-johnson-no-deal

[Nearly Sane]

And here we go - suspension of parliament


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49493632

[Nearly Sane]

Looking at the detail - it looks more like a tactical move to try and force people to react. There are a few more days lost than would have been in normal circumstances given the party conferences and a new queens speech but the symbolism is what will matter. Those wanting Remain have to be careful of being seen to over reacting but if their session yesterday was sensible they would have covered this option.

[Gordon]

Hard to work out how this can help Johnson since there is presumably still time next week for MPs to try to use legislation, assuming Bercow doesn't stop them, and if not perhaps the outrage already being expressed will aid a no confidence motion succeeding.

Maybe, amongst all this, Johnson sees that as a route to a new GE that he doesn't call and will claim is being foisted on him by uncooperative others. Maybe Frodo will get to Mount Doom in time.

[Stranger]

...if their session yesterday was sensible they would have covered this option.

I'm not sure I have much faith that the opposition are being very sensible...   

[ProfessorDavey]

Hard to work out how this can help Johnson since there is presumably still time next week for MPs to try to use legislation, assuming Bercow doesn't stop them, and if not perhaps the outrage already being expressed will aid a no confidence motion succeeding.

I think this is why the spending review has been brought forward to next week - on the basis that parliamentary time will be required for the review announcement and debates, thereby using up the time that could have been used to stop the no-deal brexit.

[Stranger]

FWIW Do not prorogue Parliament petition has reached 100,000 already...

[Nearly Sane]

FWIW Do not prorogue Parliament petition has reached 100,000 already...

Now past 225,000 but it's a mere sop of action. As I feared there has been a set of reactions which portray this as some form of coup, and yet, and yet it's backed by precedent - it's just that our constitution has its oddities. I think that portraying Johnson as a dictator simply solidifies that part of his supporters who see this as a principled act. Meanwhile the 'opposition' to him looks both overwrought and divided.

[Gordon]

Things are fairly frenzied right now, with some Labour MPs threatening to occupy the HofC. Hopefully the frenzy will die down and those intent on stopping no deal and/or Brexit will use this upping of the ante to find ways to intervene. A problem for them all is that in all the angst, urgency, defensiveness and general thrashing about things might yet take unexpected turns.

Manna from heaven for the SNP though, since I'd imagine the Scottish Tories will be wriggling given Ruth Davidson's previous stance on no-deal and whether or not the Scottish Tory MPs in Westminster support prorogation.   

[wigginhall]

I wonder if this will force a VONC, which Boris will hope to lose, then an election, people versus parliament, which Boris should win, unless there is outrage at prorogation.  I expect Boris to win, the other parties are flat-footed.

[Nearly Sane]

It has its own problems for the SNP in that their more radical supporters are calling for immediate action - see Craig Murray's blog below

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/08/boris-johnson-crosses-the-rubicon-we-must-react-now/?fbclid=IwAR2YVh4H1Ji8MpjT1xEOodsU6ud9Ft3z6UgafB4nfLPupbqnas0dsCwdhxg


And while he is one of the radicals he is not alone and has some support in the MPs. Add to that the spectre of Salmond's court case next year in all likelihood and they live in interesting times.

Davidson is apparently not giving interviews today - how typical.

[Nearly Sane]

I wonder if this will force a VONC, which Boris will hope to lose, then an election, people versus parliament, which Boris should win, unless there is outrage at prorogation.  I expect Boris to win, the other parties are flat-footed.

Certainly getting the spending review in will help. Then we have party conference season and if the VONC is after that you have to suspect he could win easily. There isn't really much any of the other parties other than Labour can do here. And it isn't clear that Labour can do anything.

[Nearly Sane]

And looks like Ruth Davidson is going as leader of the Scottish Tories. Where to?


https://stv.tv/news/politics/1440328-ruth-davidson-set-to-quit-as-scottish-conservative-leader/?fbclid=IwAR3eLJNaHH9Q6cA0DyMxrHtXwP0iaWo5k9SHjwahDXkg04Y3ie-KkCcG6wE

[Nearly Sane]

This. The whole hyperbole over the proroguing just makes this more likely.

https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/28/boris-johnson-election-prorogue-parliament-populist-majority?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&__twitter_impression=true

[Anchorman]

And looks like Ruth Davidson is going as leader of the Scottish Tories. Where to?


https://stv.tv/news/politics/1440328-ruth-davidson-set-to-quit-as-scottish-conservative-leader/?fbclid=IwAR3eLJNaHH9Q6cA0DyMxrHtXwP0iaWo5k9SHjwahDXkg04Y3ie-KkCcG6wE

   


Who cares?
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ruth-davidson-set-to-resign-as-scottish-tory-leader-1-4993182

[Nearly Sane]

   


Who cares?
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ruth-davidson-set-to-resign-as-scottish-tory-leader-1-4993182

Well either it will herald a time where Scotland has its finances reduced or it becomes independent. Either way, I would suggest this shows precisely how much of a Minister of the Union Johnson is.