Move ‘likely’, according to Cabinet sources
A move against Theresa May by members of her Cabinet is expected this afternoon, as senior Tories’ frustration over her persistent failure to find a route out of the EU boils over.
However, the Tories are hampered by the fact that the party’s rules contain no direct mechanism to topple her until December, when twelve months will have expired since the last no-confidence attempt by Conservative MPs. Tory plotters may be pinning their hopes on a rule change when the ‘1922 Committee’ of senior Tory back-benchers meets this afternoon.
May’s failure to make meaningful compromises to find a Brexit deal with Labour is forcing continued absence of government on the UK and making the country an international laughing stock. Her replacement is likely to be a hard-Brexiter whose aim will be to waste time until the UK defaults to a no-deal exit at the end of October.
SKWAWKBOX view:
Never has Parliament owed the UK’s people a greater obligation to call a general election and give us all the chance to change the Westminster equation.
That the Tories and those propping them up are withholding that opportunity for their own narrow aims is unforgivable.
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It seems as if a victorious Johnson will call the General Election and with an understanding or even Coalition with Farage (MP) believes he can romp home for 5 years more Tory rule. Yes, a General Election is what is needed – but my goodness we need to win it or it will be 1979 again.
“It seems as if a victorious Johnson will call the General Election…”
That is assuming that he will successfully find a way around the minor issue of FTPA, which seems very unlikely for one reason: Self-preservation.
Most Conservative Party MPs and most PLP members know they are living on borrowed time. The Conservatives know that if a GE is held now, they are most likely to lose. That’s why they voted against no-confidence motion last time, and nothing has changed since then for them to have had a change of heart. They are not going to willingly risk losing their perks if there is a way of prolonging their stay in parliament. That’s about the only issue that unites the Conservatives: their fear of GE.
Our ‘centrist’ PLP members also know that they are out of sync with the majority of the members and supporters – and I dare say the electorate. That’s why none of the MPs who resigned the whip didn’t dare resign his/her seat and have a by-election. They know they were certainly going to lose. And our ‘centrists’ know that they are facing deselection anyway.
So talk of a GE is a bit of wishful thinking, although that’s the best route out of this quagmire. The only certain thing is that we are heading for another leadership elections triggered by the ‘centrist’ PLP members after the EU elections.
“talk of a GE is a bit of wishful thinking”
Very much so. Not impossible, but not likely. Turkeys and Christmas.
Well now it’s Friday and the BBC thinks today’s the day May will resign.
Dredging the bottom of the barrel for pundits – David Mellor FFS.
Haven’t heard of him since the taxi rant – seen his new hairdo?
Looks like he asked the hairstylist to make him look thinner so she gave him a Twiggy cut.
Doubt it, when his best bet of a no deal Brexit is to run the clock down. More likely route to a G E is centrist tories failing to support him in a no confidence vote. I’m doubtful about there being enough of them though.
I don’t get why Boris would be fav to be voted as leader? The bloke is a bloody half wit! He hasn’t kept any job in office for longer than 3 weeks! He’s racist, he’s gormless, he has no moral compass and he’s an embarrassment? What sort of people areTory voters?
‘He’s racist, he’s gormless, he has no moral compass……’
Yes, and much more besides – ie duplicitous, devious and deceitful – but THAT is precisely why many of them would vote for him!
Just to be clear, I was referring to Tory Party members in the event of a leadership contest.
‘He’s racist, he’s gormless, he has no moral compass……’
‘Yes, and much more besides – ie duplicitous, devious and deceitful ‘
Well, that narrows it down :/ That’s still all of them
——————————————————————
”What sort of people areTory voters?”
Well, they’re racist, gormless, have no moral compass, are duplicitous, devious and deceitful….
Yes, but people want a larger-than-life personality in their politicians these days. Hence Boris. Hence Farage. Policies come some way down the list.
Democracy has become part of the media-entertainment industry.
There are other groups who can apply pressure to the Tory MPs. One is the business community who have already said today that Boris and his response to a query about the effects of Brexit on business (“fuck business”) meant he was unfit for the job. Trouble is, is there any other in the morally bankrupt party fit for purpose?
There is a clear split between the shrunken Tory Party in the country – a collection of debris – and Tory MPs who will have the final short-listing say.
I am doubtful if Johnson will gain enough parliamentary support to be in the final two.
But, to be honest, that’s only a microscopic mercy given the field.
The counter argument is that, after the Brexit referendum, there is clearly enough of the clueless vote who might see Johnson as an attractive proposition despite the evidence!
Boris is a Tory and is apparently preferred by Tory party members because he is racist, gormless and has no moral compass. He does not embarrass them – they are proud of him – says it all really doesn’t it?
Needless to say, they obviously don’t think he’s “gormless”, but they are well aware that the buffoon routine is just a front.
Allan, don’t you think he might be covering up total incompetence with the jovial buffoon act?
His FO civil servants thought so – and the MSM has published about a dozen of his screw-ups as Foreign Secretary.
That’s without the disgraceful Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe betrayal which he just laughed off..
The Garden Bridge and his childish suggestion for a bridge across the Channel are more telling than any of the rest though.
He’s a profligate waster – a mouth breather with hardly a drool of spittle connecting him to reality.
It’s a toss-up which is the dumber, him or Trunt.
David. Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but if the Tory Party rank and file regarded him as incompetent, then how do you explain why he is so popular with them?
‘Allan, don’t you think he might be covering up total incompetence with the jovial buffoon act?’
No, David, I don’t.
Allan, I disagree. I know he got nominated and elected on the strength of his jovial buffoon persona on HIGNFY and in the tabloid comics because he’s such a proven political liability.
I hope the Tories do choose him for leader.
With him in charge I give them six months but fuck knows how long sweeping up after him will take.
Not being a typical grey and boring politician – ie being “colourful” – is enough for far too many people.
Trunt as president proves the point in spades.
Many people just like having a household name as their MP.
Ridiculous but true.
Given that 80% of the electorate would pay less tax under Labour and we have a Tory government the electorate’s decision making capacity is at best limited.
Hear them interviewed in the street for their political or any other opinions on anything including their favourites like football and ‘strictly’ and they confirm the diagnosis.
The franchise should depend on an IQ test.
My statements will be hated but that’s fine – if it takes fifty years people will eventually see that pop culture politics was the problem, not my calling it out.
Yes and no, David
” they (Tory Party members) obviously don’t think he’s “gormless”, but they are well aware that the buffoon routine is just a front.”
That is partly true. But they don’t see the buffoonery as a front .. they actually believe the essence of all his bullshit – even Torygraph readers who should know about his sacking for bare-faced lying. Which says a lot about the Tory Party membership and not much about Johnson.
As I say .. never underestimate the stupid vote ion these days of Brexit.
I disagree, and I find it hard to believe that you are so naive. The vast majority of Tory Party members are far from stupid.
Evidence?
Although, to some extent, there is the fact that a section of the wider Stupid Vote might back Johnson.
In case you weren’t aware of it, the German parliament passed a motion last Friday – albeit symbolic – condemning the BDS movement as anti-semitic (but bear in mind that West Germany – as it was at the time – had very close ties with apartheid S Africa, as did Thatcher and the Tories of course!):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany%E2%80%93South_Africa_relations
See Part 3
German parliament smears quest for Palestinian rights as anti-Semitic
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/riri-hylton/german-parliament-smears-quest-palestinian-rights-anti-semitic#comment-95196
Appalling. Thanks for linking.
Proof that guilt can be a dangerous emotion ripe for exploitation.
Vexatious claims of anti semitism, who would have thunk it,
Just found the following, and I would imagine Israel’s negative rating has gone UP since 2014 (they were of course voting the way they did NOT about ‘Israel’, per se, but the Israeli state) :
How the world sees Israel
https://www.vox.com/2014/7/29/5948255/israel-world-opinion
PS Oh, right, but all those who hold a negative view of Israel must be anti-semitic of course! I mean there couldn’t possibly be any other explanation, could there?
It’s a major reason for the intensification of the ‘hasbara’ initiative … Israel is aware that it’s losing ground in global opinion.
…and also losing support among American jews, as I understand.
“West Germany – as it was at the time – had very close ties with apartheid S Africa”
Just noticed that comment. If you have German friends, you’d know that’s not the salient issue – the guilt thing is much more potent. And Israel is going to exploit it.
What has having German friends got to do with Germany – or W Germany to be precise – having close ties with apartheid S Africa, as it did? The point is that the German elite don’t give a flying fox about the plight of the Palestinians – and are now formally smearing those who DO as anti-semitic – just as they didn’t give a damn about the black population in S Africa under the apartheid regime. It’s precisely because the boycott of S Africa WAS successful in bringing about the end of apartheid that the fascists are disseminating their vile propaganda smears against all those who support the Palestinians AND criticise the Israeli state for their crimes.
You have totally misinterpreted my comment, Allan.
Given the context, you seem to be linking the historical South Africa connection in some way to the current sentiment in the Bundestag. I was simply pointing out the actual dominant motivation that I have seen when talking to German friends.
Occam’s razor – better than simplistic preconceptions.
My point is RH that they are ALL fascists, and THAT is why the German elite had no problem whatsoever with apartheid in S Africa, just as they have no problem with apartheid in Israel. It’s really THAT simple!
And – sorry, Allan – that’s just a daft simplification. That is the value of actually talking to people rather than erecting straw men.
Don’t forget Israel also had secret and extremely close relationships with the apartheid South African regime including military co-operation on nuclear and, allegedly, ballistic missile. Far closer ties than either had with West Germany I think.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93South_Africa_relations
Yes, I know David, but I was making a point about Germany (in relation to their black propaganda op against BDS). And I would suggest that they – ie Germany and Israel – BOTH had close ties to S Africa, and if Germany had had nuclear know-how, they would have undoubtedly shared it with the apartheid regime.
And that is what we have been carrying around. ……
Could you elaborate, Sabine?
I have just listened to a 17 year old apprentice being interviewed at British Steel,it was genuinely heartbreaking. The next interview was Greg Hands who in his pompous voice said the situation was “concerning “. It’s obvious the bastards don’t care,I know everyone on this site knows they don’t care but thethought of five years of Johnson makes me sick to my stomach and fearful for our children.
It’s TRUE that Boris is just more liable to say what he’s thinking, but they all think the same. We are just the “national herd” (real use by ministers) for their profit. We are less than human to them hence the DWP, NHS and education destruction, etc. Useless eaters – pensioners, children, sick and disabled – are just drains on profits. I too fear greatly if we have even two years more, especially beyond the EU which forced at least a few minimal standards of care on the EU herd.
Yep, psychopaths run the show, as they always have done:
http://www.pathocracy.net/
Democratic socialists desperately need a ROCK HARD Brexit. We cannot even nationalise rail, post, gas, electricity and telecommunications under a soft Brexit regime. Much of what the 1945 Labour government did (which was not nearly radical enough by the way) would have been entirely illegal under the EU/EEA.
Err….Not quite – according to who you debate – Danny
https://skwawkbox.org/2019/04/25/msm-centrists-attack-labour-leaflet-for-stating-labour-policy/comment-page-1/#comment-103280
”On the contrary the left in the EU has its victories.
We wouldn’t have a NHS or a Welfare System if our predecessors had all been as timid as you.”
Yes, that’s right. He actually wrote that.
The Toffee (597) at 5:42 pm
Thanks for drawing attention to my comment.
It is particularly important (as JC outlined in his speech on Sunday) that, today of all days, Labour supporters appreciate how important it is that they get out and vote Labour in the EU elections.
They really do count,
Regardless of whether we end up in or out of the EU their outcome will have an ongoing effect the lives of millions throughout EU including the UK.
“Democratic socialists desperately need a ROCK HARD Brexit.”
Yeh … let’s have more British Steels … THEN the revolution …
… “as soon as this pub closes, the revolution starts”
Fuck he workers! Playtime again.
‘Fuck he workers!’ (sic)
Coming from you, that’s most likely said in all sincerity rather than with any levity. A-la boris.
And it’s not like you haven’t got form for it.
Don’t be stupid. It really isn’t compulsory for a Lexiteer, even if it helps.
Oh, far from ‘being stupid’ , there’s ample proof you’ve posted remarks amounting to as much.
Compulsory? Funny you should mention that as It’s almost a compulsion for you to make sneering, bovine remarks about ‘the working class’…with little or no prompting, neither.
RH, full marks for the Alex Glasgow reference! Coincidentally, I was playing that to my son at the weekend (along with ‘Little Cloth Cap’ – how did Alex G know how to write a song about Farage 40 years before he appeared on the scene)
One thing’s constant, Simon … the total irrelevance of joke playground leftism to real issues that the song extracts the urine from.
I remember performing in that when there *was* a coal industry, and the *real* (as opposed to imagined) working class in the audience certainly knew what the lines were about.
I suspect Toffee would prefer ‘My Daddy is a left wing intellectual’, so that he could imagine the song is about you😈
… oh, and Toffee … if your fevered brain is coming up with such
extraordinary imaginings, it’s possible that you’re not stupid – just needing a lie-down in a darkened room with a damp cloth on the brow.
RH, decrying “joke playground leftism” is unhelpful and uncomradely.
Given that the right has been all-powerful forever, bleating that we haven’t built Utopia and blaming our lack of success on people you consider dreamers requires more than bleating to justify; it requires a coherent argument and a plan.
Even superpowers have succumbed to neoliberalism. It’s the most powerful force politics has yet produced.
If you have some suggestion other than ‘broad churchism’ to offer as a path to genuine socialism I’m sure the whole class would like to hear it.
Yes I am grumpy this morning.
Christ almighty!
Heidious allen on ‘integrity’ on ch4 news inabit…
……..& what have you got against cows?
Just a few more days & she would have been in office longer than Gordon Brown,,,,,just a nod towards the writers of history.
Worst PM in history
Cameron, Mayhem or Johnson
Put money on Farage joining cheap and nasties