LibDem and other centrists will now wring their hands – but Johnson’s monstrous actions are taking place in the space they created
Number 10’s announcement this morning that Boris Johnson is to ask the Queen to shut down Parliament, blocking MPs’ route to the legislative attempt to prevent a no-deal Brexit that centrists preferred over Labour’s plan to bring down the government and allow Jeremy Corbyn, as ‘interim PM’, to agree a Brexit extension with the EU to allow time for a general election.
Johnson’s team lied directly to the BBC last weekend, saying no such manoeuvre was planned:
Many have compared Johnson’s move to the ‘prorogations’ of Parliament by Charles I, whose behaviour ultimately cost him his head. But there is a far more recent precedent of which Johnson’s disregard for the UK’s democracy, constitution and precedent is frighteningly reminiscent. The comparison was made by NHS doctor and campaigner Rachel Clarke:
Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell were unequivocal in condemning the ‘coup’ and ‘threat to our democracy’ – but their comments were ignored by many media, including the Tory-controlled BBC on its lunchtime news broadcast:
When the nazis took over the government in 1930s Germany, they immediately set about co-opting, corrupting and where necessary dismantling the country’s democratic institutions to install and protect their dictator – the so-called “Führerprinzip“.
Boris Johnson’s immediate aim may be to sever the UK from Europe in a no-deal Brexit, but the contempt for this country’s democracy is just as clear – and deeply dangerous for the UK’s stability and the safety of its people.
There will no doubt now be hand-wringing across the board of centrists, but it is their actions over Brexit which have enabled Boris Johnson – he is a monster, but he is acting monstrously in the space they created for him, as political activist and commentator @ToryFibs accurately pointed out:
Even recent Tory ministers are appalled, with David Gauke and Philip Hammond publicly condemning Johnson’s manoeuvre:
‘Soft’ Tories such as Dominic Grieve have also condemned it. However, none of them, so far, appear to have stated publicly that they will back a no-confidence vote to bring down Johnson’s government.
Johnson’s cronies are threatening to exploit this hesitation and the prorogation to call a general election immediately after the UK falls off the no-deal Brexit cliff edge – and to further ignore the country’s democratic processes:
Many on social media have voiced the opinion that Johnson’s action may be connected with his ‘series of calls’ with LibDem leader Jo Swinson, which the SKWAWKBOX revealed. Swinson has condemned Johnson’s action this morning and said her party will oppose it – but her and their culpability over months of parliamentary votes and their determination to keep Jeremy Corbyn out of Number 10 is absolutely clear.
Will they now have the sense to see the clear and present danger to the fabric of our society that Boris Johnson, his advisers and collaborators represent – and to support Corbyn into government?
Tragically, precedent suggests not. It seems – as really it always has – that only UK voters removing Johnson in the seemingly-inevitable post-Brexit general election will allow a real Labour government to begin the process of rebuilding, rescue and restoration.
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– and I bet he won’t call a general election either.
Take a deep, deep, calming breath, Skwawkbox, and all the over-excitable Left Liberals too who think the current Johnson claque’s Parliamentary manoeuvring has any resonance whatsoever with Hitler’s assumption of power in 1933 ! I well remember, soon after Margaret Thatcher took office in 1979, and had just started her reign of radical anti trades union and privatising neoliberalism, old Labour councillors and trades union codgers in my then stamping ground of Stockport assuring me that “Thatcher had done more damage in her first year than Hitler in his first three “. Even as a gullible young Trot, rather intimidated by these grizzled old politicos, I thought this a tad exaggerated – given the distinct lack of armed mass terror and concentration camps.
And so today , with the Johnson Tory globalist claque in charge of the Cabinet hanging on by the skin of their teeth to a majority , but distinctly lacking Hitler’s (by 1933) 2 million SA Brownshirt stormtroopers to dominate the streets, the ultra loyal mouthpiece of the inner Corbyn circle, Skwawkbox, evokes the nonsense of “Hitlerite fascism” arising from mere Parliamentary manoeuvring. This is of course the long promoted “Paul Mason” line of sell-out Left Liberalism – evoking a mythical “threat of imminent fascism” to justify Labour abandoning its 2017 radical Manifesto agenda – and promise to respect the Brexit vote – to justify snuggling up to both the Labour Right and the Lib Dems and the Greens and SNP in a ludicrously named “Progressive Alliance” !
So this latest Skwawkbox nonsense is actually cover for the range of key policy and tactical sell-outs recently by the Corbyn circle to the Right of the Party and the wider pro-EU, viciously anti-Left, Parliamentary forces of the Greens, SNP, and Lib Dems.
Unfortunately for Labour, millions of Leave supporting voters, many of then our Labour voters , would applaud the Johnson claque proroguing Parliament if necessary to get their version of Brexit through (and at the end of the day I would predict this deal will simply be May’s Deal, plus a flummery of new words on the Irish Backstop that allows Johnson to “declare victory” and do the May deal), because they agree with the Johnson claque’s cynical narrative , ie, that “the political elite are determined to use endless Parliamentary manoeuvre to defeat the democratic 2016 Referendum result, in any form of deal whatsoever”. Labour have fallen right into the political bear trap set for them by Johnson and Cummings – and will be seen no longer as the “radical opponents of the neoliberal status quo” – but as just an integral component of the enforcement of that neoliberal status quo. Only the political failings of our Labour Party could have given the corrupt chancer, Johnson, and his cast of Ayn Randist spivs , the opportunity to pose as the “champions of the popular will”.
😪
Whatever the sins of the ‘Centrists’, and there are many, this is actually about the rabid Right whose programme Brexit is. Trump arse voles intent on selling out to the US and lining their own pockets.
A very interesting legal opinion on Brexit. Well worth a read.
https://www.foundrychambers.com/on-sunday-11-august-2019-rose-slowe-was-interviewed-by-richard-foster-on-bbc-radio-5-about-article-50-and-the-legality-of-a-no-deal-brexit/
“Unless there is an Act of Parliament authorising a no-deal Brexit, or Brexit on the terms of a withdrawal agreement, legally the United Kingdom will not be leaving the European Union. On my interpretation of the constitution and EU Treaties, Brexit will not take effect without a further Act of Parliament authorising it in one form or another.”
Steve H…..again thanks for the info,but the author falls flat on his face when he mentions constitution.We have not got one!Where is this constitution everyone is talking about and relying on…..Perfect king with no clothes….or constitution?
Joseph OKEEFE 28/08/2019 at 2:44 pm
I suggest that you follow the link and read the whole article before passing judgement on what she has said.
Indeed – an interesting gloss on the current state of affairs.
All the blather about the beauty of the unwritten UK constitution always boiled down to the ruling class not wanting to be tied into democratic procedures – as Johnson (our man in Washington) has just vividly illustrated.
However (and this is where Joseph gets it wrong), constitutional norms do exist and can have the force of a legal analysis regarding precedent.
Anyway – if there are still Lexiteers (as opposed to ill-informed dupes) around after this latest right wing coup attempt, they need to re-calibrate their political antennae.
Swinson is a political lightweight with very poor judgment.
That’s the definition of all recent LibDem leaders.
Now the Centrists face their moment of truth. Their choice is clear: eat shit and support Corbyn’s VONC or enable a de facto Fascist dictatorship to take control of the UK, in hock to the other one over the pond.
Yes indeed – and time for the Lexiteers also to realise the futility of backing Tory policy with some specious argument about ‘democracy’..
All need to get behind the project of preventing stupid people pursuing stupid aims.
The so called are centrists have the utmost contempt for democracy and have no problem with de facto dictators here or in the USA. The only way they will support Jeremy’s VONC is if it is in THEIR interests to do so. Fear of deselection may well carry the vote for him.
Good point, Smartboy!
And next to nobody gave a shite when dummkopf-schmitt ‘retroactively’ changed the law to deny 000’s of people payment at NMW instead of being forced to work for f-all for global corporations at taxpayer’s expense…
No mention of ‘fascism’ or ‘dictatorships’ or anything of the sort, then.
They’ve been doing as they bastard well please for the last 9 years; the ONLY UK Govt in history to be found in contempt of parliament, and some people have suddenly expressed their ‘outrage’ by this latest stunt – One that’s been on the cards for months?
Oh, I haven’t taken into consideration that it’s gonna affect THEM directly now, isn’t it?
Balls to them. They weren’t there for me or mine when we needed them. And they’ll gladly throw YOU under the bus when it comes to it.
If you hear a whirring sound comrades, it’s Tony Benn and Eric Heffer spinning in their graves as Corbyn et al make common cause with the “centrist” class enemies to protect a constitution – the EU Treaties – which bans the extension of public monopoly and thereby prohibits the substantial extension of public ownership.
Prorogation is the greatest! Ideally it should be a socialist Labour Left Prime Minister who is pursuing it, as part of transitional demands to change from a capitalist economy to a democratic socialist economy. Far from being alien to the Labour Party, such a transition was what was envisaged in the original Clause IV(4) thrown out by Blair (which Jeremy mused about bringing back before deciding not to bother).
But prorogation but ANYONE should be supported if it means escaping the capitalist armlock of EU law, its capitalist Four Freedoms, its public-ownership-precluding freedom of corporate establishment and its liberalisation directives which means that the key public utilities must permanently be in private ownership.
This is a Parliament of Liars, 85 per cent of whom were elected with a commitment to respect the referendum result. The vast majority are not against a No Deal Brexit but simply against leaving the EU in any form whatsoever regardless of the popular vote (and especially contemptuous of the working class vote 64% of whom voted Leave).
It is ridiculous to compare this to the actions of the Nazis. The Labour Left shows its usual sensitivity to Jews in making this comparison!
Above all it is staggering that the so called Labour Left supports in the EU Treaties – a constitution which defends the ownership of the economy by the Few – when we should be supporting a transformatory programme to change the ownership of our society from the Few to the Many.
Or in other words, if you can’t get what you want, just ignore democracy.
Says the fella who’s still to condemn watson for the way he went about getting you your 2nd ref/remain option without it being brought before conference to become a DEMOCRATICALLY arrived at decision.
But you won’t reject the ‘policy’ now, will you?
Yes – that’s democracy, ‘remainer’ style. Ignore party policy and act like a right c**t until you get what YOU want.
Danny’s right – Clause IV and the EU are totally incompatible.
The Toffee (597) 28/08/2019 at 3:49 pm
Could you explain how the actions taken by Corbyn are incompatible with what was agreed at last years conference.
https://labourlist.org/2018/09/labours-brexit-composite-motion-in-full/
The Toffee (597) 28/08/2019 at 3:49 pm
ps: Once upon a time Tom Watson agreed with you
https://labourlist.org/2016/11/watson-mocks-lib-dem-brexit-deniers-and-vows-labour-will-not-disrespect-public-by-trying-to-overturn-eu-vote/
And now you agree with watson – And your failure to condemn and reject his methods can only be viewed as an endorsement.
That much is obvious. Just like 52% being greater than 48% ,
Just like 17 million is a lot more than 16 million.
And always will be. Got that, Mr tom watson enabling democrat?
Support for the proroguing of Parliament – in a move reminiscent of the Enabling Act of 1933 – by a Tory government – from someone claimed by his sidekick (or alter ego) pinkpinny to be the only other real socialist on the planet.
What an unfuckin’believable pair of tits those two are.
Listen, you senile old fuck….Show me WHERE I said I FAVOUR proroguing parliament?
Go on…
The Toffee (597) 28/08/2019 at 4:20 pm
You owe David McNiven an apology, his comment was directed at Danny.
You didn’t say you favoured it as far as I can see.
The fact that my comment was intended for professor danny – who wrote “prorogation is the greatest!” – seems to have escaped your notice.
Perfectly understandable, given your situation.
Maybe put the bottle down for a bit though and feed your kids, you broke-arsed pisshead?
‘You owe David McNiven an apology, his comment was directed at Danny.’
Oh, Danny’s a PAIR, is he?
I mention my class – rh is the sneering bastard decides that’s his cue
I mention my brand of socialism & it’s a fucking free-for-all,
I owe nobody anything.
The Toffee (597) 28/08/2019 at 4:39 pm · ·
“Oh, Danny’s a PAIR, is he?”
FFS – How dumb can you get. He was referring to Danny being a sidekick of the ‘Citizen Smith’ infiltrator ‘jpenney’. You should tone down the paranoia, not everything is about you and your childish rantings.
So, as well as a pronazi (?) and a fat bastard (Or words to the effect) because I’m taller and heavier (And no doubt FAR better looking) I’m also a ‘broke arsed pisshead’ as well.
All of this ‘Sherlock’ mcniven has deduced from simply reading posts I’ve made. Never met me, doesn’t know what I do or how I live.
Prejudiced much, david? It certainly appears so, you sad, embittered old man.
How dumb can I get, he asks?
I write ‘danny’s right the eu and Clause IV are incompatible’ and mcniven weighs in with his ‘pair of tits’ at the very next comment…
Just who the fuck do you expect me to think mcniven’s referring to knobhead?
Never ends well for you when you chime in to voice your disapproval when it’s fuck all to do with you so if I was you I’d refrain and stop making yourself look a proper knobend for the cunteenth time.
The Toffee (597) 28/08/2019 at 5:50 pm
If you had simply checked your email alerts before having yet another rant you would have seen who the comment was directed at. Plus anyone reading the comment you are wittering on about will wonder why you thought it was all about you. You need to turn down the paranoia.
Except I don’t get email alerts.
Not that it makes any difference. Blert.
The Toffee (597) 28/08/2019 at 7:15 pm
“Except I don’t get email alerts.”
More fool you, it’s not difficult to tick the boxes
“Not that it makes any difference.”
You are right about this, anyone reading the comment can see it’s not aimed at you.
On the notifications thing – you can go into wordpress and set your preferences so that each new post and each new comment sends you an email if that’s what you want.
That way you don’t need to remember to tick any boxes when you comment while alcohol-sodden.
😴
There is no way he’s planning a post-brexit election imo. Without brexit ahead of us, he has fcuk all to sell himself on. He’ll want a pre-brexit election so that he can blame everyone else for it not happening yet. He’ll want to say ‘vote for me and we will leave immediately’. After its done what can he run on? Teachers smacking pupils and more prisons? He’d be wiped out.
I wish he was planning a post ‘no-deal’ election, JC could run on a promise of proper socialism, unrestrained by EU state aid laws. But sadly I think its exponentially more likely BJ will call an election for before we leave.
‘JC could run on a promise of proper socialism, unrestrained by EU state aid laws’
Fuck me pal, but you’re sailing extremely close to the wind, there …The (dead socialist) eu fanatics on here would have you burned as an heretic for the mere mention…
Extraordinary – the only way the clutches of the anti tax avoidance can be escaped is via a no deal brexshit. “The member states will have until 31 December 2018 to transpose it into their national laws and regulations, except for the exit taxation rules, for which they will have until 31 December 2019. The amended amended anti-tax avoidance directive which introduces the rules neutralising hybrid mismatches with third countries has to be implemented by 1 January 2020”
It was always about the rich. What a coincidence. How you have been played… (If you want to know about hybrid mismatches try this) http://tinyurl.com/yxp5lfw3
All these Parliamentary and Royal prerogative shenanigans has reminded me that the last state opening of Parliament and Queen’s speech was in 2017 when the Queen did not wear the imperial crown but wore a blue hat bedecked with yellow flowers, she is frail I know. No idea what or if this means anything beyond Tories and cabinet office using the Parliamentary systems and conventions to their advantage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk_pi_nq838
High time for major constitutional reform and an end to the constitutional monarchy system which is a deeply class based system.
“High time for major constitutional reform and an end to the constitutional monarchy system which is a deeply class based system.”
I couldn’t agree more, Maria – monarchy is defended by the establishment as a profitable boon to tourism and a nice, nostalgic bit of pomp and ceremony it would be a shame to lose.
If that was all it was I wouldn’t be as opposed as I am.
The monarchy being at the pinnacle of the established order the two defend each other as we’ve seen today.
Even with a Corbyn-led Labour and a massive majority the establishment will be Tory and monarchist and they’ll fight us to the death.
Keeping the monarchy in a time when neoliberalism is becoming more radical and venal would be a mistake of historic proportions – that ‘nice bit of pomp and ceremony’ is a huge part of brainwashing the public into the subservience of subjects instead of the pride and empowerment of citizenship.
The pomp and ceremony can become tourist attractions in a museum type environment that to a large extent pays for itself. Buck Pal for eg. could be turned into a museum, restaurants, hotel, staff accommodation and public parkland. Houses of Parliament the same and some sleeping lord dummies can grace the HoL Madam Tussauds could relocate its political figures along with real public debating spaces. I expect it would lose some of it’s tourist value over decades though due to no accompanying ‘real life’ royal soap operas.
As to wealth, well the royal family ain’t gonna be paupers.and the younger generation are already forging careers as self styled ‘environmentalists’ and ‘saviours of the planet’ as well as the usual corporate deal clinchers… their history will serve them well for a long time I expect. As to hereditary Lords and titles not thought about it much but their status of benefitting from the public purse should end.
Completely over the top Skwarkie!
You’ve got caught up with the liberals desperate to stop Brexit.
Shame there hasn’t been the same ‘aghastness’ at the ENTIRE political elite with their banking & corporation backers spending three years refusing to respect the result of the Ref and completely villifying all Leave voters and supporters in the process.
The radical leadership we thought we had has joined in with the FBPE crowd and created this. We’ve got to hope that somehow or other we DO Leave the EU, because we will LOSE the General Election if we don’t!