Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Having this weird vision now of what it would be like if Cummings was to babysit. Compulsory dose of Piractam alongside a high protein no carb dinner, algebra cramming 'til midnight, each child only allowed to speak in different non-European language, Cummings answering in Mandarin. 0-5 random "Black Swan" events to take place during the evening so they get used to dealing with randomness i.e. Cummings turns off power at the mains, Cummings rides round on child's trike swearing through a megaphone, tells one of them they're adopted etc.

This is brilliant!
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Think that description was inspired by Marina Hyde's from a few weeks back

Every photo of Cummings going into Downing Street sees him shiftily meeting the camera’s gaze with the same defensive sneer you’d see on the proprietor of a holiday caravan park who has just been released on police bail after a fatal gas explosion thought to have been caused by poor maintenance.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Anyway, has Johnson miscalculated? It seems that the numbers are saying that they will be able to pass a No Deal blocking legislation today, the Porogue isn't gonna stop that. His response to that was gonna be a snap elections - but he can't do that if Labour don't bite (and his duplicity means that they simply can't trust him not to change the date). Now that could all change any sec but at the moment it seems....

1. There will be No Deal legistlation
2. There will be no election until after the 31st
3. So Johnson will be forced to ask for an extension - which he's sworn blind he won't do
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
And if Johnson takes the whip from Rebels as promised/threatened does that mean the Tories, even with the DUP, will not have a majority? Well, it must do - but what are the consequences? Am I right in saying that if there was a large enough consensus they could form a unity government with their own PM? I would laugh like a drain if, after spending twenty years scheming his way to being Prime Minister, BJ had it taken off him after fifteen minutes in power.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Anyway, has Johnson miscalculated? It seems that the numbers are saying that they will be able to pass a No Deal blocking legislation today, the Porogue isn't gonna stop that. His response to that was gonna be a snap elections - but he can't do that if Labour don't bite (and his duplicity means that they simply can't trust him not to change the date). Now that could all change any sec but at the moment it seems....

1. There will be No Deal legistlation
2. There will be no election until after the 31st
3. So Johnson will be forced to ask for an extension - which he's sworn blind he won't do

Apparently there's another way to force an election - I was reading Kuennsberg's Twitter for my sins. Can't remember what it was, but in the UK democratic system, any old shit will do.

Removing the whip from rebels would kibosh the majority, but I imagine it was just a threat that was miscalculated. And can't assume he will do anything that he says he will.

And on the subject of Marina Hyde, her last article was gold:
'Barely three months ago, the work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, gave a speech in which she explained that “Being in a job gives a person dignity”. Does it always though, Amber?'
For me, she strikes the right note - absolute undisguised contempt is the way forward.
 
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IdleRich

IdleRich
Fascinating titbit of what happened as 'rebel alliance' of MPs were sitting outside PM's office as they waited for meeting.
I'm told several of them were 'hectored for an extended period of time' by Dominic Cummings. He then apparently told them "I don't know who any of you are.
Sounds like they are losing their cool, or maybe he just likes shouting at people, I dunno.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
While Johnson was speaking in the house one of the Tory MPs just stood up and walked across the floor to sit with the Lib Dems... Tory majority gone just like that.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Johnson says never before has the Commons forced a PM to accept a bill like this.
Yeah but there's never been a PM like this before...
(sorry Baboon didn't realise you'd just said that about the defection before I wrote it)
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Responding to the DUP’s Nigel Dodds, Johnson says he believes they can get rid of the backstop. “How?” MPs shout. Johnson says the shouting shows MPs do not want to get rid of it.
Or maybe it shows they want to know how?
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Here's hoping the rest of his life follows suit :)

General consensus is he's been shown up as an incompetent this afternoon. Unfortunately that doesn't necessarily mean much in the long term, but it might persuade more Tory MPs to jump ship
 
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comelately

Wild Horses
Sounds like they are losing their cool, or maybe he just likes shouting at people, I dunno.

Tbf it was at least implied by 'The Thick of It' that the likes of Alistair Campbell were pretty similar in temperament.

But yeah, gotta be a bit of a naked lunch moment for Boris - the truth is though, it's not that clear an election is going to change the numbers that much - especially when you consider the antipathy between Swinson and Corbyn (Owen Jones is already sticking in the knife in with regards to the LDs taking in another stray Tory).

Boris 'pretending to want a deal' (I mean he does want one, but has no obvious way of getting one to his liking in the current circumstances) lets the Brexit Party into the game, and that's going to cost them seats. It will be interesting to see if he suddenly decides trying for a deal is 'pointless' after all.
 
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DannyL

Wild Horses
What is incongruous though is for all his smarts, Cummings basically sounds appalling at dealing with people. Straight to shouty public school bully. Hardly Machiavellian.
 
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