UK Politics Thread

[Jimbuna]

I think the political correspondent Nick Eardley sums up where we are here and now quite well.

The EU is not optimistic about any agreement with the UK.

The message they are getting from Boris Johnson's team is that the UK is not going to sign another deal unless it involves getting rid of the backstop.

But the EU has been clear time and time again that it isn't going to do that - the backstop is an integral part of any withdrawal agreement and it has to stay.

So the conclusion of officials is there is no reason to get back round the table at the moment, for the simple reason that they don't think they can meet the conditions Boris Johnson has set.

There are a couple of months to try to eke something out from one of the sides - to see if somebody blinks and there is some room for negotiation either in Brussels or in London.

But at the moment, many people think the direction of travel is heading towards a no-deal Brexit.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49240809

[STEED]

That person has blown it, he has allowed Bojo to stand on more solid ground with all his promises ringing richly in people's ears. Bojo has better odds on wining the next general election, it will take some very solid evidence to put Bojo back on shaky ground.

As for the EU their door is always open to drag out brexit.

[Jimbuna]

Cabinet minister Michael Gove says the EU "seem to be refusing to negotiate with the UK" over a new Brexit deal.

Mr Gove, who is responsible for no-deal planning, said he was "deeply saddened" that Brussels was, in his words, saying "no, we don't want to talk".

It comes after the EU said UK demands to remove the Irish backstop from Theresa May's deal were unacceptable.

Irish PM Leo Varadkar has reiterated that the withdrawal deal, including the backstop, cannot be renegotiated.

The European Commission said it was willing to hold further talks, "should the UK wish to clarify its position".

Meanwhile, a group of politicians has started a legal action aimed at preventing Boris Johnson shutting down Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49251257

I was wondering how long it would be before Gove chipped in.

So the game of ping pong has begun and that last sentence concerns me and a great many others I suspect.

[mapuc]

There are usually two to play ping pong and so far it's only England who playing ping against a wall.

Markus

[Skybird]

Time seems to play in the Brexiteers' favor: this is a Google translation from something in Der Spiegel:



After a successful no-confidence vote, Johnson and his opponents would have 14 days to prove under British law that they can form a government without a new election - by winning a vote in parliament. If that fails, the prime minister must dissolve the parliament and start new elections. The waiting time is at least 25 days. If the opposition Labor Party requests a no-confidence vote right after the summer break on September 3, the rest of the timetable could look like this:

September 4: The vote of no confidence takes place, the government loses.
18 September: The 14-day period ends without a new government.
September 19: Johnson announces a new election date.
September 20: The parliament is dissolved.

As in the UK elections are traditionally held on a Thursday, the election could take place at the earliest on 31 October - the day of Brexit. If Johnson ignores this custom, October 25 would be possible.

However, Johnson can largely determine the election date freely - and to act in a hurry he would have little reason. "His problem is that in Parliament, even after a new election there would be a majority for nothing/against anything," says a Brexit negotiator of an EU state. But the new prime minister would hardly risk repeatedly failing with a withdrawal agreement in parliament similar to his predecessor May.



I assume the time gap between September 20th and Octobre 25th/31st is due to mandatory legal rules for a moratorium between dissolving the parliament and calling elections. 3 weeks?

[Jimbuna]

Interesting if potentially chaotic times ahead Sky once Parliament returns.

[Jimbuna]

A future Labour government would not block a second Scottish independence referendum, according to shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

In an interview at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he said any decision about holding a vote would be up to the Scottish Parliament.

His view contradicts that of Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard.

Earlier this year, Mr Leonard said the party would refuse to grant Holyrood the power to hold another vote.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla...itics-49257322

As desperate as Labour are in there current poll ratings I'm wondering how many promises they are willing to make to improve said ratings.

[Jimbuna]

Rebel MPs are working on a plan to thwart Boris Johnson pursuing a no-deal Brexit on 31 October that involves forcing parliament to sit through the autumn recess, amid growing outrage about the power and influence of his controversial aide, Dominic Cummings.

The cross-party group of MPs is looking at legislative options with mounting urgency because of the hardline tactics of Cummings, who one Conservative insider described as running a “reign of terror” in No 10 aimed at achieving Brexit on 31 October at any cost.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexi...id=mailsignout

If matters deteriorate further I wonder what odds a bookmaker would offer on civil unrest occuring

[STEED]

https://news.sky.com/story/tens-of-t...orbyn-11780139

Not much of a blow, I suspect they will fill those ranks with the solid hard left head bangers.

Meanwhile I hear labour is planning a coup by over throwing boris....YEA YEA YEA.
Dream on, with any luck it will be the voters over throwing Westminster when the you know what hits the fan.

[STEED]

Are we facing the night of long knives or is it just media over kill again.

So much info coming out makes me wonder how much of this brexit battle is true and what is nothing more than hot air.

[Reece]

It has been going on for a long time!! Does anyone take Brexit seriously anymore?

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Reece

It has been going on for a long time!! Does anyone take Brexit seriously anymore?

Approximately 50% of Tory MPs apparently.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Reece

It has been going on for a long time!! Does anyone take Brexit seriously anymore?

The way it has been going you would think no.

[Jimbuna]

Mr Corbyn said his party would propose a no-confidence vote at an "appropriate" time after the Commons returned from its summer recess on 3 September.

Election rules say Parliament should be dissolved 25 working days before polling day - so some people are concerned Mr Johnson could allow a no-deal Brexit to happen while MPs are not sitting.

If the PM loses the motion of no-confidence, then under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act he would have another 14 days to win a vote of confidence.

If he failed to win such a vote, then a general election would be called on a date advised on by the PM.

However, if another candidate could secure the confidence of the Commons, Mr Johnson would be expected to resign and recommend the Queen appoint that person in his place.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49285670

Does Steptoe really believe he could be that person?

[STEED]

Looks like we could be heading for recession as the economy contracts for the first time in a while...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49290926

Looking at the graph shows we are going down so Bojo what's the plan?