Wednesday 26th June 2019

[HindleA]

Morning.

Thanks to AK for "round up"


https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... erty-study" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... d-benefits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HindleA]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-l ... led-people" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RogerOThornhill]

Morning all.

Not the best of hobbies to admit to given the endless fun that can be had with headlines later...

[citizenJA]

Good morning, everyone.

[Willow904]

https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/25/boris-jo ... -10058693/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Boris Johnson refused 26 times to answer question about ‘staged’ photographs

As everyone else moves on to painting buses, I'm still wondering about this. In the normal scheme of things, wouldn't every tabloid be falling over themselves to get her side of the story? Although she is perfectly entitled not to comment, wouldn't it be normal for there to be some speculation as to why she hasn't? As a former communications director for the Tory party, you wouldn't expect her to be phased by handling the press, so isn't it at least a little bit odd she hasn't released some kind of statement to smooth over her boyfriend's negative press? If, indeed, the row was no big deal & they're still together. On the one hand, there's an argument for privacy but on the other hand there's a self-inflicted breach of that privacy with the planting of a seemingly fake photo which really does beg questions to be asked.

Johnson is running for PM with a track record of financial incompetence as Mayor and complete failure as Foreign Secretary, with a fantasy Brexit policy that even the BBC is struggling not to decimate on contact against the backdrop of a tumultuous private life and a disrespect for the truth in interviews that verges on trolling an entire nation. People are talking about "dead cats" and successful strategies but all I see is someone repeatedly demonstrating why they are unfit for office and a Tory party that endorses him revealing itself as unfit for government.

[adam]

Boris Johnson would be able to ignore parliament’s efforts to stop a no-deal Brexit and blame the EU if it refuses to give the UK a better deal, Dominic Raab, the former Brexit secretary, has said

It's difficult to see how far they could get with this without a very real constitutional crisis coming along very quickly.

[adam]

https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/25/boris-jo ... -10058693/

Boris Johnson refused 26 times to answer question about ‘staged’ photographs

As everyone else moves on to painting buses, I'm still wondering about this. In the normal scheme of things, wouldn't every tabloid be falling over themselves to get her side of the story? Although she is perfectly entitled not to comment, wouldn't it be normal for there to be some speculation as to why she hasn't? As a former communications director for the Tory party, you wouldn't expect her to be phased by handling the press, so isn't it at least a little bit odd she hasn't released some kind of statement to smooth over her boyfriend's negative press? If, indeed, the row was no big deal & they're still together. On the one hand, there's an argument for privacy but on the other hand there's a self-inflicted breach of that privacy with the planting of a seemingly fake photo which really does beg questions to be asked.

Johnson is running for PM with a track record of financial incompetence as Mayor and complete failure as Foreign Secretary, with a fantasy Brexit policy that even the BBC is struggling not to decimate on contact against the backdrop of a tumultuous private life and a disrespect for the truth in interviews that verges on trolling an entire nation. People are talking about "dead cats" and successful strategies but all I see is someone repeatedly demonstrating why they are unfit for office and a Tory party that endorses him revealing itself as unfit for government.

I quite liked this as a response BTL in the guardian...

On the subject of which, has anyone else wondered whether Mr Johnson may not actually be dead? Old photographs appearing in the papers, no direct participation in debate, multiplicity of brainwashed spokespersons: it fits the pattern we associate with that other charismatic politician Mr Leonid Brezhnev.

[gilsey]

all I see is someone repeatedly demonstrating why they are unfit for office and a Tory party that endorses him revealing itself as unfit for government.

I can't stand *unt either though.
Tories unfit for govt since 2010.

[gilsey]

Corbyn aides want Brexit no matter what, says Margaret Beckett

“Unfortunately, it’s looking more and more that some of the people who he wants to accept the majority view are not just expressing reservations but completely oppose, and I’m beginning to think some of them do actually want Britain to leave no matter what and they don’t give a toss.”

She declined to say which advisers and Labour figures she was talking about.

That's more or less what Flint said the other day.

[gilsey]

The only good thing you could say about the tory leadership process is that it seems to have revealed that DFDS Liam Fox actually has brains, who knew? In a spat with Steve Baker and Bill Cash over GATT.

The difference between the two sides lies in their assessment of the EU’s willingness to use this mechanism. Fox is arguing that, in the event of the UK and the EU failing to negotiate a withdrawal agreement, there is no prospect of the EU saying that, actually, they have agreed in principle to conclude a free trade deal in the future. But Cash seems to think this would be an option.

In his article Fox also says that article 24 would not be a panacea anyway because it only covers tariffs. It does not cover “more complex behind the border regulatory issues affecting trade”, he says.

Quote from AS in the G.

[Willow904]

Liam Fox was a GP before he became an MP, so not such a surprise here. It's never been a lack of brains that's his problem, just the usual lack of interest in anyone's interests but his own that seems to afflict most Tories and is why, after 9 years, our country is in such a mess.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Any chance we can get some posts after 1630 hours today

(not even the usual "goodnight" from cJA - otherwise occupied?)

[Willow904]

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Britain Elects
@britainelects
Westminster voting intention:

BREX: 22% (-1)
CON: 22% (+2)
LAB: 20% (-)
LDEM: 19% (-2)
GRN: 10% (+1)

via
@YouGov

Chgs. w/ 19 Jun
8:22 AM · Jun 26, 2019 ·

Really hard to know what this would look like in terms of seats, but a Tory/Brexit Party coalition looks possible. I do wonder if Johnson and Farage (along with their mate Bannon) have something cooked up along those lines. And whether the other parties would be able to get out of each other's way enough to beat them.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Its YouGov, other polls show something slightly different.

[adam]

Its YouGov, other polls show something slightly different.

You never know, but I think that if Johnson takes charge and actually tries to do a deal with Farage around an election, he'll break the conservatives and all sorts of interesting things could then happen in an election. I still kind of think that if he does go to the country and puts forward the kind of manifesto that Farage would be happy to support, the raison d'etre of the Brexit Party disappears and they'll just vote tory anyway - Johnson won't need to go through the formal awkwardness of standing candidates down in selected seats. But even that should cause them some significant problems with their significantly less fanatically-leave wing. YouGov suggests conservative voters only split 61/39 leave - that's a lot of remain voters who might well think twice before voting for a Farage-endorsed progamme.

[AnatolyKasparov]

There are no easy solutions to the predicament the Tories find themselves in - part of their problem is that so many of them still think there is.

[Willow904]

Its YouGov, other polls show something slightly different.

All the polls I've seen are pretty similar, with Tories and Brexit Party both polling around 20-22%, so a combined total in the early 40's. With Labour languishing in the 20's the Tories must be looking at how they can exploit that and Farage and Johnson are in the same Bannon/Trump nexus. There will be a plan and the fact the Brexit Party isn't a real party at all but completely in the control of Farage probably plays into that plan. He doesn't even have to stand anyone in a snap election and where would those Brexit party votes go then?

You'll forgive me for looking for angles but we aren't dealing with normal politicians here and this isn't normal politics. I really do think if we have an election this year a lot of pride will be needed to be swallowed among the opposition parties if they are to avoid tripping each other up as they did in 2015. It has never been so important for the left, and left adjacent, to work together,imo.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Yes all the pollsters have shown the same *trends*, but only YouGov have been regularly putting Labour (and until this one, the Tories) in 3rd/4th place.

That is actually a significant difference in my view.

[citizenJA]

Any chance we can get some posts after 1630 hours today

(not even the usual "goodnight" from cJA - otherwise occupied?)

I'm here.


I've been gloomy and pessimistic lately, uncharacteristically extended, like a stalled weather system. Thank you for your write-up last night. I do read everyone's posts and try to read the links.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Your presence here is always appreciated

[citizenJA]

Thank you, AK.

[gilsey]

There are no easy solutions to the predicament the Tories find themselves in - part of their problem is that so many of them still think there is.

Don't think you need the word 'easy'.

[gilsey]

Have I Got News For You
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After Jeremy Hunt says the UK’s next Prime Minister must be trustworthy, many wonder if there’s a third candidate that they’re unaware of.

[AnatolyKasparov]

Chris Williamson - not happy.

He should at least have to show he genuinely realises and understands how his previous comments were ill advised.

[citizenJA]

I've got to get some sleep, everyone.
Please have a good night.
love,
cJA

[gilsey]

Chris Williamson - not happy.

He should at least have to show he genuinely realises and understands how his previous comments were ill advised.

Thread, in case you haven't seen it.
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