The General UK Politics (Past and Present) Discussion Thread

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  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,322Chief of Staff
    ..as said a few posts above, N24.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,795MI6 Agent
    Darn it …

    While we all know how disapointed I am that I wasn't first with this news, the news itself is only a fraction less important. This whole Brexit process has been very entertaining, but sadly it's mostly for the wrong reasons. It remains a mess.
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,690MI6 Agent
    edited September 2019
    Higgins wrote:
    :o
    What was the shortest Pm‘ship in UK history, I think that Bojo is out for a new record? :D

    That record is held by George Canning, who was PM (though that term wasn't used for the post until 1905) for 119 days in 1827. Canning in fact died in office.

    I'm not sure that means very much though as there were, just by comparison, no less than eight German chancellors who served less time than that. I also think Boris Johnson will be around for a good while yet, so there's no need at all to write his political obituary just yet. I also think we underestimate him at our peril.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    edited September 2019
    :D wow, do you really want to compare today‘s situation with the Weimar Republik, the Nazi Time and the WWII conditions - they have been called Reichkanzler back then, German Reich.

    In modern Germany after 1945, there was only one short term chancellor, Walter Scheel, who was acting chancellor for some days after the previous chancellor had resigned.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,795MI6 Agent
    I think Boris Johnson is playing a dangerous game and his term can be short, but I think he's proved he's a political survival artist.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Just following the debate now and have heard the most ridiculous so far:

    Yes, a No-Deal Brexit may hurt the UK relatively harder compared to the EU countries, but the total damage is bigger to the EU ( in total) and that gives the UK leverage over the EU :)) :)) :))

    So, the UK shoot themselfs in the head while shooting the 27 in the foot and they will all budge because of the collective pain :)) :)) :))
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,322Chief of Staff
    Let me guess- Jacob Rees Mogg?
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Nope, it was another Tory. I was laughing so hard, that I haven‘t noticed his name.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Impressive speech by Nick Boles.

    Respect!
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,795MI6 Agent
    Good Speech, yes. There are of course exceptions, but in the end of the day democracy is an excersise in compromise.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    bc65e2d59e.jpg
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,322Chief of Staff
    Indeed. Philip Lee has given Rees Mogg's patronising attitude yesterday to a leading doctor, concerned at the possibility of medicines becoming unavailable after Brexit, as the reason for the timing of his defection to the Lib Dems.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    25984a3af3.jpg

    Why have I been watching Monty Python all these years when there is the british parliament?
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    << Twenty-one Tory MPs, including Ken Clarke, Philip Hammond and Nicholas Soames, who had served their country with an honour and integrity to which Boris could only aspire, had been as good as their word and put country before self: their political careers ended by backing a motion ruling out a no-deal Brexit their party had always said it didn’t want. >>

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/03/clown-prince-johnson-cowers-in-the-face-of-the-rebel-alliance?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,322Chief of Staff
    There is an element of the UK press that considers Johnson as a chess master, almost Machiavellian in his political cunning. The buffoonish exterior is just a clever camouflage disguising his razor sharp mind. Every setback has been anticipated, everything is simply part of the master plan.
    I'm interested to see how that viewpoint stands in the near future.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Well the prorogation is certainly part of his masterplan ( and his evil henchman, what was his name?The Steve Miller guy). He certainly wants to put the parliament out of power prior to 31st October.

    Couldn‘t he be kicked out by a vote of no confidence in the coming days and would that mean automatically new election and who sets the date then?
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Barbel, what's your opinion about Rees-Mogg's attitude?

    Was it a planned move to provoke his enemies and put them onto a wrong track, or did just break his arrogance it's way?
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Another question:

    Is it really so easy to oust these Tory "rebels" from the party?

    In Germany, these members will then remain independent MPs and there must be a party decision to remove them.
    The party leader can't get just rid of them by his own will.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,322Chief of Staff
    Higgins wrote:
    Barbel, what's your opinion about Rees-Mogg's attitude?

    Was it a planned move to provoke his enemies and put them onto a wrong track, or did just break his arrogance it's way?

    A ) He genuinely does not understand how most of the UK live. Possibly doesn't care, either.

    B ) Don't know, either is believable.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    The irony is, that many of the Tories in hindsight should have voted for May‘s proposals some months ago, those who voted against Johnson yesterday.

    They‘d have kept their seats and have avoided a Hard Brexit which is now very possible.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Higgins wrote:
    bc65e2d59e.jpg


    Not a new picture this.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    When I have posted it 15 hrs ago, it was ;)
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Higgins wrote:
    When I have posted it 15 hrs ago, it was ;)

    Apologies, there was a similar picture of him a couple of months ago or so, it seems he adopts this sitting position when the house is quite empty. Not sure it in any way makes him arrogant.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Well, I‘ll not discuss this with you, imo the pic speaks for itself and this is certainly not the way how the leader of the house should present himself in parliament in a crucial political debate

    If you are seriously are speaking about sitting comfortably, may I offer him a sweater and some slippers? :v
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Well as we are not discussing it, I will just say that the picture purely shows a man sitting in a reclined position. It however does not show arrogance or entitlement nor a disrespect for the house, just prior to this JRM had delivered quite an impassioned dialogue about his deference for the house, it's constitution and the people who vote for the mps to be there. Infact I'd say JRM could do with being less humble. Such tweets are nothing more than a limp wristed jab at someone perceived to be part of the Eton elite and so hated by the champagne socialist brigade. But as we are not discussing it I'll leave this here. ;)
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,795MI6 Agent
    I would argue that that he shows enough interest to be in the room. Many MPs just watch the debates on CCTV and vote from their offices, or in many cases sit in the many pubs in Westminister.
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    I would argue that that he shows enough interest to be in the room. Many MPs just watch the debates on CCTV and vote from their offices, or in many cases sit in the many pubs in Westminister.
    He's always in the chamber, that photo was taken late last night after he'd been there all day, I was watching live until 9pm and the chamber wasn't even half full.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,322Chief of Staff
    image.jpg
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    edited September 2019
    Just one thought that the Brexiteers want to blackmail the EU to open negotiations again.:

    The EU have approved twice an extension.
    Now Brexiteer will say that it was in the EUs interest because they don‘t want Brexit.

    While that is true, the decisions in the UK parliament and the explicit statements by the May administrations made it very clear that she would not have Brexited Hard.
    So, if the EU would have played hardball with their neighbor just like the Brexiteers still naively seek out, they could have denied the extension and basically forced her to revoke article 50.
    They didn‘t!

    Brexiteers should remember this when next time complaining about the role and negotiation modus of the EU. Guess that it does not go both ways......
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Chriscoop wrote:
    Number24 wrote:
    I would argue that that he shows enough interest to be in the room. Many MPs just watch the debates on CCTV and vote from their offices, or in many cases sit in the many pubs in Westminister.
    He's always in the chamber, that photo was taken late last night after he'd been there all day, I was watching live until 9pm and the chamber wasn't even half full.

    He has been called out several times to sit up properly.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
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