EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

I think we'd have a vote of no confidence with a new pm before that could happen. I hope, maybe more than think. But also think.

Scottish variety of the Sun has a separate editor (the Express and the Mail do also). He often runs with markedly different front pages and headlines counter to the English edition(s). And he likes a pop at Westminster / the Sassenachs also!

EDIT: beaten to it ^

Take it Johnson was pissed-up in that police vid, would explain why he arrived so late..

No the Scottish sun has a bit of a history of different front pages to the normal the sun.

Apparently it was Corbyn as a chicken today

Edit beaten to it by two others

@jaitch
@
@c00ps

You're obviously correct.
I failed to notice the "Scottish" label.
Still one of the best front pages I've seen recently.

Brewdog's marketing dept cashing in on current Westminster cluster fuck.

cluster fuck.

... would have been a better beer name. A blonde, gassy beer obvs.

Edinburgh castle has JRM (sort of) meme projected onto the side of it

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What I'm worried about is BoJo just not asking for the extension. He would be in contempt of Parliament but as we saw with TM that has absolutely no consequences. I feel like they should have attached a "...if the PM does not comply, he will be sent to prison for a year" or something to it.

Well ... previously, there were only non-binding motions. What is being passed now is an Act of Parliament approved in both Houses. I suppose it's entirely possible that when Cummings says “When are you fucking MPs going to realise we are leaving on October 31? We are going to purge you.”, he means that he intends to 'advise' the Prime Minister not to heed the Act:

Rebel fears that Cummings was behind the expulsions appeared to be confirmed by the report of a foul-mouthed tirade by him directed at one of the rebels, the former business secretary Greg Clark.

The Daily Mail claimed Cummings said: “When are you fucking MPs going to realise we are leaving on October 31? We are going to purge you.” No 10 has admitted that Cummings has had robust conversations with rebels, but denied he swore.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/05/conservatives-rising-anger-at-cummings-role-in-purge-of-brexit-rebels

I'm afraid I still can't believe that, but we'll see. I don't know what, if any, the consequences would be, apart from a massive scandal and huge political turmoil, of course.

Previously, I thought Cummings' stick was only that he dishonourably and mean-mindedly sought to exploit 'loopholes' in laws, and since he's been a 10 Downing Street adviser, in the 'unwritten constitution', but now that Parliament has legislated (or is a short way away from securing Royal Assent) and presumably in this way has closed a loophole, perhaps there's something more sinister going on. Could he be the enemy within? Has Johnson been compromised? I mean, he's always been absurd to some extent, but his behaviour recently has been even more absurd than before. He's been utterly rubbish at everything, including that bizarre speech today, which apparently had been intended as the launch of his election campaign, and has appeared completely rattled and extremely nervous. All very strange and not comforting.

I've just realised after thinking about that lords headline, Brexit is an opportunity to create extremely long words based on opposition to political positions

e.g. antinodealarianism

It is interesting that his supposed strength - public speaking - is turning out to be terrible. When pressed on detail, he completely flounders, but even set-piece speeches have been awful. Add to that his pathetic interactions with the public. I think the pressure is definitely getting to him.
In a full general election campaign his handlers will have to restrict his appearances as they did (successfully) in the leadership campaign. Another reason for the opposition not to rush into an election is the longer he is this exposed the worse he will look - and is more likely to screw up somehow. Much the same with Rees-Mogg - his schtick works in soundbites (for that audience), but given a larger stage he's showing how truly awful he is.

https://twitter.com/dionfanning/status/1­169309541902770182?s=20

Very interesting.

https://mobile.twitter.com/sturdyAlex/status/1169664123745054727

No Prime Minister
has ever got off to such
a terrible start.
–––
Pete Wishart @PeteWishart
5th September 2019
https://t.co/UCVPKLfkQ3

https://twitter.com/hansardhaiku/status/1169901030638682112?s=19

what has boris fucked up today then ?

I think the pressure is definitely getting to him.

Agree.

Prior to this he has always seemed so effortless. I've heard a few anecdotes from people who've seen him comfortably deliver an entertaining speech on any number of topics. Now the heat is on he seems to be struggling to maintain that laid-back charm. Interesting when you think of him against people like Cameron, Clegg and Blair.

Re:shambolic Boris

Apols if pea but Jeremy Vine (himself a massive Tory I believe) wrote this anecdote about Boris on the after dinner speaking circuit and thought it very revealing/apt

https://reaction.life/jeremy-vine-my-boris-story/

Yeah, saw that before. An excellent and insightful read.

Fascinating. I've seen him do that a couple of times with 'mishearing' questions to deflect from having to answer them. Presumably the police caution thing was the same tactic. It's going to seem very tired when everyone sees it over and over again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49600646

ROI government finally admitting checks will have to be done near border. Well, they knew this but I guess for strategic reasons let research groups say so.
Ulster Farmers Union says UK must do check as well to protect farmers.

Mess continues... I'm getting tired with the "BUT IT WAS A UK WIDE VOTE" types, perhaps the people that have to deal WITH the problems should be taken seriously more than Mr Gammon. A few of those also seem to say "If Brexit doesn't happen I'll never vote again" welllllllllll..........be my guest? [that is unfair of course, not feeling very patient atm]

BoJo rather dies in a ditch than ask for an extension he said today, well I'm sure there are perfectly good ditches near the UK border with ROI ;)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-resign-brexit-election-no-deal-commons-vote-a9094276.html

Mr de Pfeffel Johnson once again says he won't ask for another extension, and declines to rule out resigning over it...

The Guardian thinks this may be his strategy as the Remain alliance cannot agree on a leader atm.

and declines to rule out resigning over it...

Is that "He might resign over it"? That seems highly unlikely given - given his pursuit of the job for so many years, the public self-comparisons to Churchill etc. I can't believe he'd then be willing to go down in history as the shortest ever, with a 100% record of losses in the house.

They're doing quite well without one at the moment. Being a group, rather than having a single leader, means Johnson has no one person to point at. Meanwhile, he himself is very exposed.

Yep that is true, but if a GE comes or he does resign and they need to form a temp government, that may be a problem.

Maybe what we are witnessing is just sheer incompetence, or (tinfoil hat) something driven by people that make a lot of money from the chaos.

BJ is so useless atm, I'd really expected more. Of Cummings as well, but it seems bullshitting a whole country via FB ads/vague slogans is easier than bullshitting people that are used to a stream of BS :)