Response sent by three senior Tories and recent ex-Tory MP Boles
Three senior Tory MPs and former Tory Nick Boles have replied to a letter from Jeremy Corbyn inviting them to support his attempt to prevent Boris Johnson dragging the country over a no-deal cliff – and have agreed to meet to discuss:
Update: Tory Guto Bebb has also commented publicly:
I do think that those who have said that they will do anything necessary to stop the long-term damage of a no-deal exit must take seriously this type of offer.
SKWAWKBOX view:
Former Labour/TIG/CUK-now-LibDem MP Chuka Umunna was embarrassed on national television last night when his claim on the BBC’s Newsnight programme that no Tories would support Corbyn was disproven within seconds. No video has yet emerged of his face when he heard about the above response, but it might safely be assumed to look something like this.
Corbyn’s chess move in sending the letter has exposed the gross hypocrisy of most centrists, including dire LibDem Jo Swinson – but it has also drawn out Tory MPs whose principles on stopping a no-deal Brexit might be genuine.
Former Tory Nick Boles has already stated that he will support Corbyn’s plan.
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He having been one of the (junior, possibly unwitting in part) protagonists of neoliberalism I’d doubt Letwin’s sincerity.
To put it mildly.
I think ‘unwitting’ is a very appropriate adjective with which to describe Letwin – he doesn’t have a lot of wit – a bit of a naive character, with a bundle of fairly incoherent views.
Wasn’t he co-author of a pamphlet back in the 80s on how to dismantle and privatise the NHS?
Wide berth required!
Apologies, jp, I see you made the same point already (scroll down).
The unprincipled Swinson and her 13 acolytes are looking increasingly isolated.
I can’t remember – does the 13 – considered to be the perfect number for a coven – include the crone herself?
Wake up ! Oliver Letwin, along with his co-writer of the highly influential book, “Privatising the World” are far from the out-of-touch, dreamy, semi academics, image projected by the sympathetic Tory press as cover for his long term role in UK Far neoliberal Right politics. Letwin, with John Redwood, have been key ideological drivers and usually behind the scenes, planners, of the last 30 years of neoliberal roll-back of the post war Welfare State consensus. The entire post 2010 stage-by-stage fragmentation, underfunding, contracting out, strategy (employed to privatise the Swedish Health service too) , has been completely in line with strategies devised by Redwood and Letwin over 30 years ago.
Getting into bed with Letwin would be a HUGE mistake by Jeremy Corbyn – and merely confirm the current narrative of “Corbyn Coup for the Elite” being promoted across the Tory UK press this morning – as a key part of the pre snap General Election strategy to promote Boris Johnson and his hedge-fund-backed Ayn Randist, crook-infested, Cabinet as “champions of UK democracy and the 2016 Referendum result” .
Where did you get your “Corbyn Coup for the Elite” quote from.
They didn’t ‘devise’ a fucking thing – Hayek did that. They just made CliffsNotes for Thatcher.
Letwin expressing willingness to fight a BlowJob no deal is a long way from him getting a rimming from Corbyn so turn down the panic a notch.
If you’re suggesting naïveté on Corbyn’s part you’re deluded as fuck – half the planet’s been out to get him for three years and he’s still there.
I’m sure he’ll appreciate your advice though…
Ignorant stuff, McNiven, Redwood and Letwin actually drew up detail step-by-step operational blueprints for the destruction of specifically publicly owned health services 30 years ago – a blueprint used in the Swedish Health service as well as the NHS. Hayek (and Ayn Rand for some neoliberals) merely provided the general ideological pro free market framework. Your ignorance is just pathetic, McNiven. Do some reading before making your inept comments. Your uncritical faith in Jeremy’s political judgement is touching , but pathetic. Jeremy is a socialist, unlike most of his current “Corbynistas”, but he has jumped unwisely on numerous pseudo Left “hobby-horse” positions and causes over the years which reveal him as a follower of the Left groupthink herd, not an original thinker. and now he is falling into a political tactical beartrap which might well be the final nail in Labour’s coffin for electoral success.
It’s not a direct quote, its a summation of most of today’s Tory press narrative message. And FFS , make an effort Steve H, have a look yourself online at that overall narrative of most of the Tory press today, front page stuff, from the Daily Mail to the Express to the Telegraph. I’m not spoon feeding you, troll.
“It’s not a direct quote, its a summation of most of today’s Tory press narrative message.”
In which case it would have been more appropriate to use single apostrophe marks.
Talking of “pseudo Left “hobby-horse” positions” (Ha’Penny) – isn’t disappearing up your own ideological arse the principal one?
‘Getting into bed with Letwin would be a HUGE mistake by Corbyn’
Agreed entirely, Letwin has been the main toerag strategist since Thatcher’s zenith, although he’s no Zhuge Liang. Cunning but clumsy he’s as trustworthy as gary glitter at a kids sleepover.
Pubicly, the remainists would agree also. Privately however, there’ll be many fingers crossed. Their endgame is all too obvious.
MOMENTUM PETITION:
The Lib Dems Must Back Corbyn to Stop No Deal
Tell the Lib Dems to back a Corbyn-led temporary government to stop a no deal Brexit.
https://actionsprout.io/B30A1E
Signed.
Pussonally I’d have nothing to do with that stupid air-juggler.
ps. Was she in “White Chicks?”
Tactically our biggest threat to our party is the libs,Leave Swinson to alienate the libs and tigs.We can make real gains against the torys if we show the public that the only anti Tory vote must be a vote for Labour..Watson cosying up to swinson again shows what traitors are and will turn any Labour supporters onto our way of thinking!!.Leave them to get on with it and we might win a general election…
“In that General Election, Labour will be committed to a public vote on the terms of leaving the European Union, including an option to REMAIN”
From my understanding, first there will be an GE, where Labour will commit to a PV. Should Labour win the GE, then there will be another ref. with 3 options I suppose: Leave with No Deal, Leave with the Deal (presumably as negotiated by Labour, and presumably Labour’s position, because there will be no point in negotiating a deal only to advocate for its rejection), & REMAIN. In the event that either REMAIN or Leave with No Deal wins after Labour supported Leave with Deal, we are going to find ourselves in the same unenviable position TM found herself in: having to implement a position one campaigned against.
Labour should just disentangle itself from this REMAIN option. The only options should be LEAVE With Deal or Without. REMAIN shouldn’t be an option. I hope the last paragraph in JC’s letter is just a ploy to hoodwink the restless Conservatives to vote for NC motion, nothing else.
“I hope the last paragraph in JC’s letter is just a ploy to hoodwink the restless Conservatives to vote for NC motion, nothing else.”
I hope his letter is sincere because it expresses the wishes of the majority of the membership and it would be disappointing if Jeremy turned out to be as insincere and dishonest as other politicians.
I would suggest that he is nothing other than consistent and will always be the same as he always shown other politicians and supporters consistent correct on policy.He’s probably too old to change years of refusing to follow the herd and thats why the membership support him.We are all sick of selfish career politicians!.Maybe he’s not prefect but he’s the best we’ve got!
“I hope his letter is sincere because it expresses the wishes of the majority of the membership”
Precisely … the divorce between policy and members has been a massive weakness up to now.
The shedding of support has largely been because of this lack of internal consistency and firm direction – it has led to scepticism about seriousness in other areas among many people I have spoken with.
“REMAIN shouldn’t be an option”
=” Democracy … but not so much that it upsets me”
Reminiscent of the ‘any car as long as it’s black’ beloved of a well-known capitalist … and the Chinese ‘Communist’ Party 🙂
Except the choice was given and more people voted leave than remain.
And the 2nd ref/ remain option was NOT democratically arrived at via conference.
Once again you’ve shown everyone that your an ignorant arrogant twunt who has NO place giving us his utterly and wilfully misrepresentated version of democracy.
Thanks for that gaseous rear-end emission, O Toff. I’m sure the world is better informed after your diktat on what constitutes permissable debate and the nature of democracy. 🙂
We note your usual logic and its implicit advocacy of eternal Tory hegemony from now on.
Heil to the Eternal Sacred Vote!!
“We note”
Is that the royal “we”? You don’t pretend to speak for anyone else do you? Who’s this “we”?
This is what Oliver Letwin said in the House of Commons “rexitcentral.com/ignore-oliver-letwin-tories…
Oliver Letwin was in the news on Tuesday night after he made an emotional Commons speech with some notable contents. One eyebrow-raiser was his obviously daft statement that he was “past caring what deal we have” with the EU and would vote for one whatever it contained just to secure an orderly departure.”
Although I never trust what any Tory or right wing politician says per say, this was an interview he did some time ago in 2017, so is not related to current events, but does consistently say that he wants an orderly withdrawal from the EU, so it is perfectly credible that he means putting Jeremy Corbyn in office may be the best way to achieve that.
https://www.conservativehome.com/interviews-5/2017/10/interview-oliver-letwin-says-the-brexit-talks-could-well-fail-and-every-minister-must-prepare-for-this.html
Oliver Letwin’s position is interesting, in that as a key very long term neoliberal strategist for the Tory Party, and well beyond (with John Redwood), he recognises that , for a neoliberal globalist, the EU IS the very best organisation to pursue the neoliberal dream of complete UK and European marketisation. He is therefore much more far-sighted than the globalist spivs around Boris Johnson – who are motivated mostly by their being paid puppets of both the short-termist currency speculating hedge funds and the US Health companies and the US-based neoliberal mega-funded “Think Tanks” of the likes of the Kochs. Letwin simply wants the productive (for neoliberalism) relationship of the UK with the EU to continue as close to the status quo.
In his clear understanding of the EU, Letwin may well be a stone-bonkers neoliberal, but he’s more “woke” , than the gullible pro EU “Corbynistas” who pathetically think the EU is a basically benevolent institution which can be reformed to allow a Left agenda to flower !
Only chance dregs of cheap and nasty Tory party has is in a GE is on a Pure Brexit v No Brexit, project fear 2 narrative,
Only chance we have is to honour result and put Labour brino v remain in 2nd referendum
‘Honouring the result’ means recognizing its flawed indeterminacy based on the overwhelming propaganda of the Tory press backing the 1% looking for a fast buck.
Holy writ it isn’t.
Jeremy Corbyn going into coalition with Tories smacks of Ramsay MacDonald. It would be a government of the Establishment Elite. Labour would be finished for a lengthy period (as was the case in the last era of National Government).
It may have escaped your notice but without a few Tory votes it is impossible to win a no confidence vote against Boris.
You are spot on, Danny. Jeremy Corbyn has been trapped into an ill-judged political tactical “wheeze” which may well end with him as a modern-day Ramsay MacDonald. He will certainly be presented as the “metropolitan elite’s poodle in overturning the democratic 2016 Referendum result” by the pro Johnson Tory press during a subsequent General Election if he becomes “caretaker PM” . Labour is on the verge of a mistake of historic proportions.
He’s now a bit like the Alec Guinness British officer character in “The Bridge on the River Kwai – in both cases he , and Guinness, put up a long resistance to their oppressors – until both were finally broken, and tricked into collaboration – the Guinness character into building the Japanese bridge , Jeremy in doing the UK Ruling class’s bidding in stopping their now “gone rogue” Tory Party under the opportunist Johnson from crashing out of the neoliberal EU. Tragic stuff.
Seeing as jack t hasn’t mentioned it…
….But isn’t letwin jewish?
Asking for a friend.