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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Once again political gamblers have been overstating the chance

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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,364
    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
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    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Current evidence would indicate that our monarchy is far more accountable and pppular than any of our current or former political leaders.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,004
    isam said:

    The referendum was not fought on party political lines. We were told the decision was ours, not politicians.

    Given that, for politicians to then refuse to vote through a deal agreed by a Remainer PM and the EU is outrageous. I know PB is full of fans of lawyers using trickery to come to conclusions that baffle laymen, but this really wasn’t the time for that nonsense

    Politicians saying things dont make it true, that's not legal trickery.
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    dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    viewcode said:

    TGOHF said:
    So to summarise:
    Is the secret plan kept secret from the UK negotiators? No.
    Is the secret plan kept secret from the EU negotiators? No.
    Is the secret plan kept secret from the British public? Yes.

    Damn, that stinks... :(
    Stops interference from opposition politicians whilst negotiation underway. Parliaments job is to scrutinize the deal when presented not try and influence or undermine it in advance.
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    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    I would have thought it is still - as expressed by Peston - unacceptable to Ireland as it allows NI to No Deal unilaterally.
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    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    As others have pointed out they are happy to be different when it comes to matters such as gay marriage.
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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,364

    41% support the legitimacy of the policy, not the policy itself.
    And the question appears not to spell out that it would be done without a referendum - if that was added, I suspect the "illegitimate" proportion would rise. But of course the LibDems will be perfectly happy if they get say 25% of the vote, so in terms of party advantage it may be simultaneously unpopular and a relative vote-winner.
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    Maybe Cummings plan is to goad the opposition into voting for an election, by making them think Boris is holed beneath the waterline and polls are moving their way, whilst secretly he’s looking at very different numbers to everyone else?
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    viewcode said:

    TGOHF said:
    So to summarise:
    Is the secret plan kept secret from the UK negotiators? No.
    Is the secret plan kept secret from the EU negotiators? No.
    Is the secret plan kept secret from the British public? Yes.

    Damn, that stinks... :(
    More likely it is being kept from a Parliament intent on stopping any possible deal.
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    DruttDrutt Posts: 1,093

    dixiedean said:

    Rob Howley, Wales backs coach, sent home from Japan for betting offences.

    Backing Diane Abbot or Wingnut Williamson for next Labour leader?

    or

    Tracey Crouch as next Tory leader.

    Quite right too if so.
    Backing Hilary as next Dem nominee.
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    isam said:

    isam said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Nigelb said:

    Chris said:

    It seems an odd argument that if something has happened several times without coming before the courts, it must be lawful.

    Does that go for the rest of us, as well as politicians?

    Yup. You drive at 120 mph many times. Nothing happens. So it must be lawful.
    I call @Dura_Ace
    I have never been nicked at 120mph. The time I nearly went to jail was 117mph in my 993. I have driven at more than 170mph on the road several times and got away with it so that might be legal. Fuck the pearl clutchers before they start.
    I think you are a disgrace and that's nothing to brag about. I hope you get caught and punished severely
    Sounds like a too obvious thing to say, so I guess it must be stupid... but why are cars sold that can go faster than the speed limit?
    A car capable of no more than 70mph would have to be very low powered and so dangerously slow at accelerating past bicycles for example.

    Also I don't agree with your possible implication that the speed limit is set by people who are benevolent and wise and who deserve to be obeyed with reverence and gratitude for their kind management of our lives...
    Cars are just so dangerous and the speed they can go unnecessary. I think they need reining in
    People drive a lot slower than they used to twenty years ago, and the cars are much better. I think tailgating and lane discipline are far bigger issues.
    morons sitting on outside lanes at 40 and 50 are biggest issue, get their arses back in slow lane and let real drivers past
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    Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453

    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.

    I think that's entirely backwards.

    I would not be surprised if John Major says the ONLY reason to do it is to avoid scrutiny.

    That's why he did it, and that's why BoZo did it.
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    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Presidents are shit.

    You get two kinds of President.

    Ones like Trump and Macron who are highly political and divisive.

    Then you get non-executive Presidents who no-one has ever heard of and have zero presence on the international stage.

    Who’s ever heard of (still less cares) who the Presidents of Germany and Ireland are?
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
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    ChrisChris Posts: 11,140

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    But I suppose that the DUP is no longer indispensable per se - what with the government having lost its majority and an election being likely - so the question is to what extent the ERG would be influenced by the DUP's attitude? Or whether the opposition could be faced with a choice of Deal or No Deal?
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,003
    edited September 2019
    Scott_P said:

    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.

    I think that's entirely backwards.

    I would not be surprised if John Major says the ONLY reason to do it is to avoid scrutiny.

    That's why he did it, and that's why BoZo did it.
    Maybe they could declare Major's prorogation illegal and throw him in jail.
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    Maybe Cummings plan is to goad the opposition into voting for an election, by making them think Boris is holed beneath the waterline and polls are moving their way, whilst secretly he’s looking at very different numbers to everyone else?

    It is certainly possible. We know that Lynton Crosby's firm has previously run massive private polls for CCHQ. I've given up trying to guess what the plan is, and am not even sure Boris, Cummings and Crosby are all on the same page.
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    dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    Theres something to that, he will have to show a different side at home and take it on head first
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    Maybe it’s only sketched out at a high level?

    I presume the EU would also want to agree if NI (and Stormont) wanted to diverge as that would create a delta over the border on the island of Ireland.
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    nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
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    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    What do you make of how the Luxembourg PM behaved Malc? Genuinely interested.
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    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,961
    Selebian said:

    Nigelb said:

    Selebian said:

    I braved the Swinson speech as long as I could but alas I'm out

    Listening in, had a quick look on the video stream too. I'd really like to be enthused by the LDs, given the current other options, but somehow it just isn't happening. Trying too hard, sounds fake, like Ed Miliband (I don't think he's fake, but I think he looked fake trying to be someone he wasn't).

    Still probably vote for them though, as a least bad option.
    I think she has yet to learn how to appear good on TV and live at the same time.
    It's not an easy act to pull off.
    I'm not old enough to remember early Thatcher - did she improve over time?.
    In terms of presentation she improved enormously between the early Education Secretary fussy busybody years and the mid '80s full-on Elizabeth 1st years. Before her, attempts at presentation management were ad-hoc and sotto voce - Wilson posed as a pipesmoker in public but smoked cigars in private, and had his teeth done - and after her they were overt and obvious: Kinnock was rebranded, and Blair turned a craft into an art. Boris is naturally gifted but (unlike Thatcher) does not apply himself.
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    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    It’s a form of can kick.

    Which should tickle the EU’s tummies at some level.
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    NooNoo Posts: 2,380

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Presidents are shit.

    You get two kinds of President.

    Ones like Trump and Macron who are highly political and divisive.

    Then you get non-executive Presidents who no-one has ever heard of and have zero presence on the international stage.

    Who’s ever heard of (still less cares) who the Presidents of Germany and Ireland are?
    Yeah, I'm certainly not advocating for the former. The latter is exactly what's needed. Odd that you think the role ought to bring with it international fame. An unobtrusive arbiter is what's needed. The way the queen currently plays it is good, we just need to be able to remove the head of state periodically to make sure we don't land up with some idiot who meddles and can't be removed. Because we are going to get that sooner rather than later.
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    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Current evidence would indicate that our monarchy is far more accountable and pppular than any of our current or former political leaders.
    Our monarchy works well when it’s incumbents follow convention and precedent and don’t let their egos and delusions of grandeur run ahead of themselves.

    I’d say that’s it’s only real weakness.
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    dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    nico67 said:

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
    Well the 5 weeks was given a detailed run down this afternoon, the position seemingly being the Scottish court misunderstood the workings of parliament and that its 7 days not 5 weeks due to parliament not being able to be recalled during conference season to do the prorogation......
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    NooNoo Posts: 2,380
    malcolmg said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Nigelb said:

    Chris said:

    It seems an odd argument that if something has happened several times without coming before the courts, it must be lawful.

    Does that go for the rest of us, as well as politicians?

    Yup. You drive at 120 mph many times. Nothing happens. So it must be lawful.
    I call @Dura_Ace
    I have never been nicked at 120mph. The time I nearly went to jail was 117mph in my 993. I have driven at more than 170mph on the road several times and got away with it so that might be legal. Fuck the pearl clutchers before they start.
    I think you are a disgrace and that's nothing to brag about. I hope you get caught and punished severely
    Sounds like a too obvious thing to say, so I guess it must be stupid... but why are cars sold that can go faster than the speed limit?
    A car capable of no more than 70mph would have to be very low powered and so dangerously slow at accelerating past bicycles for example.

    Also I don't agree with your possible implication that the speed limit is set by people who are benevolent and wise and who deserve to be obeyed with reverence and gratitude for their kind management of our lives...
    Cars are just so dangerous and the speed they can go unnecessary. I think they need reining in
    People drive a lot slower than they used to twenty years ago, and the cars are much better. I think tailgating and lane discipline are far bigger issues.
    morons sitting on outside lanes at 40 and 50 are biggest issue, get their arses back in slow lane and let real drivers past
    Point of order: there is no "slow lane". The official titles are, from left to right,
    - driving lane
    - overtaking lane
    - idiot lane
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    nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502
    Scott_P said:
    Is this for real . That’s asking for trouble . To use the term political advantage when the judges were questioning at what point does advantage transgress the law.

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    malcolmg said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    Nigelb said:

    Chris said:

    It seems an odd argument that if something has happened several times without coming before the courts, it must be lawful.

    Does that go for the rest of us, as well as politicians?

    Yup. You drive at 120 mph many times. Nothing happens. So it must be lawful.
    I call @Dura_Ace
    I have never been nicked at 120mph. The time I nearly went to jail was 117mph in my 993. I have driven at more than 170mph on the road several times and got away with it so that might be legal. Fuck the pearl clutchers before they start.
    I think you are a disgrace and that's nothing to brag about. I hope you get caught and punished severely
    Sounds like a too obvious thing to say, so I guess it must be stupid... but why are cars sold that can go faster than the speed limit?
    A car capable of no more than 70mph would have to be very low powered and so dangerously slow at accelerating past bicycles for example.

    Also I don't agree with your possible implication that the speed limit is set by people who are benevolent and wise and who deserve to be obeyed with reverence and gratitude for their kind management of our lives...
    Cars are just so dangerous and the speed they can go unnecessary. I think they need reining in
    People drive a lot slower than they used to twenty years ago, and the cars are much better. I think tailgating and lane discipline are far bigger issues.
    morons sitting on outside lanes at 40 and 50 are biggest issue, get their arses back in slow lane and let real drivers past
    They are an equal problem with the tailgaters. When driving "Clowns to the left of me - Jokers to the right" seems apt, in politics I think its more the jokers are to the left and the clowns to the right but almost works there too.
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    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,961

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    I genuinely don't know what will happen here. I hate uncertainty... :(
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    Ishmael_Z said:

    I put 993 into Google translate and got Entry level Nazi penis substitute.

    Great name for a punk band.

    A car capable of no more than 70mph would have to be very low powered and so dangerously slow at accelerating past bicycles for example.

    I used to drive a 2CV (and Ami/Dyane variants) in my youth. It's fine at overtaking bikes.
    with a tail wind and going downhill perhaps
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    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,006
    TGOHF said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Parliament could have decided this at any time - it didn’t .
    Perhaps it will now.
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    Maybe Cummings plan is to goad the opposition into voting for an election, by making them think Boris is holed beneath the waterline and polls are moving their way, whilst secretly he’s looking at very different numbers to everyone else?

    Then again maybe not and he is just another donkey worshipped on pb
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    isamisam Posts: 40,990
    edited September 2019
    Boris does a kind of vlog on facebook by the way.. dont know if anyone else has seen it?

    Quite surreal, esp when the plane takes off and his sign off

    https://www.facebook.com/borisjohnson/videos/473223380194747/
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    Maybe Cummings plan is to goad the opposition into voting for an election, by making them think Boris is holed beneath the waterline and polls are moving their way, whilst secretly he’s looking at very different numbers to everyone else?

    It is certainly possible. We know that Lynton Crosby's firm has previously run massive private polls for CCHQ. I've given up trying to guess what the plan is, and am not even sure Boris, Cummings and Crosby are all on the same page.
    I think Cummings’ strategy is broadly clear.

    It’s not to give a flying shit what Parliament or anyone else in the “Establishment” do to delay or frustrate Brexit, because it all plays into his meme that it’s the people v. vested interests. If Boris gets a Deal and it’s more narrowly voted down than May’s, that helps him too.

    It’s high risk though, because he can’t cash in without an election and Parliament are perfectly able to block one and, in extremis, there’s enough Tory MPs to VoNC Boris as Tory party leader too.

    If he’s really playing 4D chess maybe he secretly *wants* a re-run of the referendum too so he can forcibly recode Parliament to get on with Brexit, and then call a GE?
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    nico67 said:

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
    Well the 5 weeks was given a detailed run down this afternoon, the position seemingly being the Scottish court misunderstood the workings of parliament and that its 7 days not 5 weeks due to parliament not being able to be recalled during conference season to do the prorogation......
    That is bollocks, they did not prorogue for a few days , they did it for 5 weeks, there was no prorogue for conference
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Current evidence would indicate that our monarchy is far more accountable and pppular than any of our current or former political leaders.
    Our monarchy works well when it’s incumbents follow convention and precedent and don’t let their egos and delusions of grandeur run ahead of themselves.

    I’d say that’s it’s only real weakness.
    Once you get spivs and conmen running the show , there are no gentlemanly rules.
  • Options
    dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    malcolmg said:

    nico67 said:

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
    Well the 5 weeks was given a detailed run down this afternoon, the position seemingly being the Scottish court misunderstood the workings of parliament and that its 7 days not 5 weeks due to parliament not being able to be recalled during conference season to do the prorogation......
    That is bollocks, they did not prorogue for a few days , they did it for 5 weeks, there was no prorogue for conference
    That's what they are asking the judges to rule on
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,896
    edited September 2019
    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Surely a referendum for a republic would be perfectly legal? (OK, not so exciting ...)
  • Options
    NooNoo Posts: 2,380
    malcolmg said:

    nico67 said:

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
    Well the 5 weeks was given a detailed run down this afternoon, the position seemingly being the Scottish court misunderstood the workings of parliament and that its 7 days not 5 weeks due to parliament not being able to be recalled during conference season to do the prorogation......
    That is bollocks, they did not prorogue for a few days , they did it for 5 weeks, there was no prorogue for conference
    Spot on. Anyone who thinks parliament is just the Commons doesn't understand Parliament.
  • Options
    AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,763
    La Swinson seems to be getting carried away with it all

    cant quite see her as PM
  • Options
    dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    Noo said:

    malcolmg said:

    nico67 said:

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
    Well the 5 weeks was given a detailed run down this afternoon, the position seemingly being the Scottish court misunderstood the workings of parliament and that its 7 days not 5 weeks due to parliament not being able to be recalled during conference season to do the prorogation......
    That is bollocks, they did not prorogue for a few days , they did it for 5 weeks, there was no prorogue for conference
    Spot on. Anyone who thinks parliament is just the Commons doesn't understand Parliament.
    The point was made that even if the commons had voted to stay open through cconference the Lords might well not have and hence no legislation could be passed.
  • Options
    DruttDrutt Posts: 1,093

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    Also, if HMG sends to court witness statements or affidavits as to the reasons for prorogation, it does rather undermine their point about non-justiciability. This is especially true if the bench is minded to consider justiciability alongside, rather than prior to, the merits of the prorogation advice.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,226
    It is well worth listening to Lord Sumption’s Reith Lectures on the role of law in politics, especially in view of today’s Supreme Court case. Currently available on iPlayer.
  • Options
    NooNoo Posts: 2,380
    Carnyx said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Surely a referendum for a republic would be perfectly legal? (OK, not so exciting ...)
    I'm not so sure:
    > it is treason felony to "compass, imagine, invent, devise, or intend" to deprive the sovereign of the Crown.

    To call for such a referendum would surely be to imagine and intend to deprive the sovereign of the Crown. Republicans like me are literally guilty of thought crime.
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,912
    viewcode said:

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    I genuinely don't know what will happen here. I hate uncertainty... :(
    That is a very odd sentence coming from a statistician. If there was no uncertainty, you would have no job.
  • Options
    nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502
    edited September 2019
    An interesting point today .

    MPs changing the terms of prorogation would need Queens Consent and not Royal Consent.
  • Options
    NooNoo Posts: 2,380

    Noo said:

    malcolmg said:

    nico67 said:

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
    Well the 5 weeks was given a detailed run down this afternoon, the position seemingly being the Scottish court misunderstood the workings of parliament and that its 7 days not 5 weeks due to parliament not being able to be recalled during conference season to do the prorogation......
    That is bollocks, they did not prorogue for a few days , they did it for 5 weeks, there was no prorogue for conference
    Spot on. Anyone who thinks parliament is just the Commons doesn't understand Parliament.
    The point was made that even if the commons had voted to stay open through cconference the Lords might well not have and hence no legislation could be passed.
    Select committees too.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    What do you make of how the Luxembourg PM behaved Malc? Genuinely interested.
    He had a press conference organised and he attended, I think he was right and cannot believe Boris was so scared he could not go out and bumble and bluster for a minute or two. It seems to be the Tory way, if they do not have bussed in Tory drones and any real public get involved they are out the back door pronto. Spineless useless cretin.
    Then you get the morons going on about how England won the war single handedly and saved these people to really show how far down the toilet the country has sank, slagging off Luxembourg because UK has a bigger population , really pathetic.
    How low can UK go. Overall it showed up UK for what it is at present , a banana republic run by spivs and full of morons wittering on about wars from another century. Almost as pathetic as those idiots supporting 1690.
  • Options
    NooNoo Posts: 2,380
    Cyclefree said:

    It is well worth listening to Lord Sumption’s Reith Lectures on the role of law in politics, especially in view of today’s Supreme Court case. Currently available on iPlayer.

    Good recommendation.
    Also available through podcast apps, if you don't fancy registering with the BBC.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    La Swinson seems to be getting carried away with it all

    cant quite see her as PM

    She is away with the birds, I bet she sits at home at night with a crown on her head.
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,595
    edited September 2019
    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Presidents are shit.

    You get two kinds of President.

    Ones like Trump and Macron who are highly political and divisive.

    Then you get non-executive Presidents who no-one has ever heard of and have zero presence on the international stage.

    Who’s ever heard of (still less cares) who the Presidents of Germany and Ireland are?
    Yeah, I'm certainly not advocating for the former. The latter is exactly what's needed. Odd that you think the role ought to bring with it international fame. An unobtrusive arbiter is what's needed. The way the queen currently plays it is good, we just need to be able to remove the head of state periodically to make sure we don't land up with some idiot who meddles and can't be removed. Because we are going to get that sooner rather than later.
    I think our monarchy helps us punch significantly above our weight on the world stage, and is a great unifier for national events. It punctuates our national life from top to toe, and anchors our sense of self as a polity.

    A republic is a really shit idea. It would take all the colour, fun, history and ceremony out of our public life too and make Britain a more anodyne, insipid and less interesting place.

    No-one normal agitates about this stuff. They just want the monarchs to play by the rules and have a fair ear for both blending tradition and keeping up with the times.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,374
    On topic this is such a consistent market failure. Those who are engaged in something always seem to over estimate the probability of developments. They look at the situation and it seems unsustainable to them. They conclude that things are bound to change and they completely underestimate inertia. It’s a money making opportunity but it is so counter intuitive to the participants on this site I wonder how many take advantage and how often.
  • Options
    dyedwooliedyedwoolie Posts: 7,786
    malcolmg said:

    La Swinson seems to be getting carried away with it all

    cant quite see her as PM

    She is away with the birds, I bet she sits at home at night with a crown on her head.
    She has a mock up of the commons with 650 little plastic orange figures
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,912

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Current evidence would indicate that our monarchy is far more accountable and pppular than any of our current or former political leaders.
    Our monarchy works well when it’s incumbents follow convention and precedent and don’t let their egos and delusions of grandeur run ahead of themselves.

    I’d say that’s it’s only real weakness.
    You are saying the monarchy works well when its role is purely symbolic, but not if it is needed to make a meaningful decision.
  • Options
    malcolmg said:

    Maybe Cummings plan is to goad the opposition into voting for an election, by making them think Boris is holed beneath the waterline and polls are moving their way, whilst secretly he’s looking at very different numbers to everyone else?

    Then again maybe not and he is just another donkey worshipped on pb

    He’s a very flawed man.

    But he’s very intelligent and has a campaign record that speaks for itself, so he’s certainly not a donkey.

    I would never make the mistake of underestimating him.
  • Options
    TabmanTabman Posts: 1,046
    malcolmg said:

    La Swinson seems to be getting carried away with it all

    cant quite see her as PM

    She is away with the birds, I bet she sits at home at night with a crown on her head.
    Do you dress up in woad of an evening? ;-)

  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,896
    Noo said:

    Carnyx said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Surely a referendum for a republic would be perfectly legal? (OK, not so exciting ...)
    I'm not so sure:
    > it is treason felony to "compass, imagine, invent, devise, or intend" to deprive the sovereign of the Crown.

    To call for such a referendum would surely be to imagine and intend to deprive the sovereign of the Crown. Republicans like me are literally guilty of thought crime.
    Ah!
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Presidents are shit.

    You get two kinds of President.

    Ones like Trump and Macron who are highly political and divisive.

    Then you get non-executive Presidents who no-one has ever heard of and have zero presence on the international stage.

    Who’s ever heard of (still less cares) who the Presidents of Germany and Ireland are?
    Yeah, I'm certainly not advocating for the former. The latter is exactly what's needed. Odd that you think the role ought to bring with it international fame. An unobtrusive arbiter is what's needed. The way the queen currently plays it is good, we just need to be able to remove the head of state periodically to make sure we don't land up with some idiot who meddles and can't be removed. Because we are going to get that sooner rather than later.
    I think our monarchy helps us punch significantly above our weight on the world stage, and is a great unifier for national events. It punctuates our national life from top to toe, and anchors our sense of self as a polity.

    A republic is a really shit idea. It would take all the colour, fun, history and ceremony out of our public life too and make Britain a more anodyne, insipid and less interesting place.

    No-one normal agitates about this stuff. They just want the monarchs to play by the rules and have a fair ear for both blending tradition and keeping up with the times.
    We couldn't punch our way out of a wet paper bag nowadays, we are ridiculed all over the place from Iran to Luxembourg. Get a grip.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067
    Tabman said:

    malcolmg said:

    La Swinson seems to be getting carried away with it all

    cant quite see her as PM

    She is away with the birds, I bet she sits at home at night with a crown on her head.
    Do you dress up in woad of an evening? ;-)

    :D perish the thought, first time would be the last , my wife would put a rocket up my nethers
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067
    edited September 2019
    DavidL said:

    On topic this is such a consistent market failure. Those who are engaged in something always seem to over estimate the probability of developments. They look at the situation and it seems unsustainable to them. They conclude that things are bound to change and they completely underestimate inertia. It’s a money making opportunity but it is so counter intuitive to the participants on this site I wonder how many take advantage and how often.

    David, can you not wangle yourself into the Wings appeal case, lots of money to be made there, seems to be more like Vegas than High Court with the costs being splashed about
  • Options
    malcolmg said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Presidents are shit.

    You get two kinds of President.

    Ones like Trump and Macron who are highly political and divisive.

    Then you get non-executive Presidents who no-one has ever heard of and have zero presence on the international stage.

    Who’s ever heard of (still less cares) who the Presidents of Germany and Ireland are?
    er.
    I think our monarchy helps us punch significantly above our weight on the world stage, and is a great unifier for national events. It punctuates our national life from top to toe, and anchors our sense of self as a polity.

    A republic is a really shit idea. It would take all the colour, fun, history and ceremony out of our public life too and make Britain a more anodyne, insipid and less interesting place.

    No-one normal agitates about this stuff. They just want the monarchs to play by the rules and have a fair ear for both blending tradition and keeping up with the times.
    We couldn't punch our way out of a wet paper bag nowadays, we are ridiculed all over the place from Iran to Luxembourg. Get a grip.
    The UK both overstates and understates its influence at the same time.

    We are still a major influencer. We were ranked no.1 in soft power last year.

    It’s just the delta between the top two and everyone else is vast.
  • Options
    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    What do you make of how the Luxembourg PM behaved Malc? Genuinely interested.
    He had a press conference organised and he attended, I think he was right and cannot believe Boris was so scared he could not go out and bumble and bluster for a minute or two. It seems to be the Tory way, if they do not have bussed in Tory drones and any real public get involved they are out the back door pronto. Spineless useless cretin.
    Then you get the morons going on about how England won the war single handedly and saved these people to really show how far down the toilet the country has sank, slagging off Luxembourg because UK has a bigger population , really pathetic.
    How low can UK go. Overall it showed up UK for what it is at present , a banana republic run by spivs and full of morons wittering on about wars from another century. Almost as pathetic as those idiots supporting 1690.
    Interesting. You haven't actually offered any justification for his actions though, just launched into a rant about Boris, which isn't what my question was about.
  • Options
    FenmanFenman Posts: 1,047
  • Options
    eristdoof said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Current evidence would indicate that our monarchy is far more accountable and pppular than any of our current or former political leaders.
    Our monarchy works well when it’s incumbents follow convention and precedent and don’t let their egos and delusions of grandeur run ahead of themselves.

    I’d say that’s it’s only real weakness.
    You are saying the monarchy works well when its role is purely symbolic, but not if it is needed to make a meaningful decision.
    That’s the essence of constitutional monarchy.

    Right to be consulted, to be advised and to warn. But not to decide.
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,912
    Noo said:

    Carnyx said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Surely a referendum for a republic would be perfectly legal? (OK, not so exciting ...)
    I'm not so sure:
    > it is treason felony to "compass, imagine, invent, devise, or intend" to deprive the sovereign of the Crown.

    To call for such a referendum would surely be to imagine and intend to deprive the sovereign of the Crown. Republicans like me are literally guilty of thought crime.
    The Queen said she was prepared to accept the referendum result if Australia chose to become a republic in 1999. May be her reaction would be different if the UK suggested a referendum on becoming a republic.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    What do you make of how the Luxembourg PM behaved Malc? Genuinely interested.
    He had a press conference organised and he attended, I think he was right and cannot believe Boris was so scared he could not go out and bumble and bluster for a minute or two. It seems to be the Tory way, if they do not have bussed in Tory drones and any real public get involved they are out the back door pronto. Spineless useless cretin.
    Then you get the morons going on about how England won the war single handedly and saved these people to really show how far down the toilet the country has sank, slagging off Luxembourg because UK has a bigger population , really pathetic.
    How low can UK go. Overall it showed up UK for what it is at present , a banana republic run by spivs and full of morons wittering on about wars from another century. Almost as pathetic as those idiots supporting 1690.
    Interesting. You haven't actually offered any justification for his actions though, just launched into a rant about Boris, which isn't what my question was about.
    I fail to see what justification he had to miss the press conference other than he knew he had no answers so used a pathetic excuse to avoid being questioned by the press, simple as that .
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,990
    edited September 2019
    Ooer a site upgrade? Twitter link and weird avatars!

    @SouthamObserver that feature will save you hours!
  • Options
    YorkcityYorkcity Posts: 4,382
    malcolmg said:

    nico67 said:

    TGOHF said:
    Since the current Prime Minister hasn’t deigned to explain his actions to the court, it’s most unlikely previous Prime Ministers will need to do so.
    The argument of the government is the information on reasons is all there in the documents provided and there is no need therefore for an affidavit. The SC will determine the rightness of that
    The Scottish Court said an affidavit wasn’t essential but they mentioned avernments .

    Which I think is a posh term for an explanation of why it needed to be 5 weeks. The documents produced do not explain the need for 5 weeks .

    This does seem a bit bizarre because given the controversy surely they might have thought to make their case watertight .

    As for tomorrow expect some fireworks because that’s when the governments actions are really going to be in the spotlight , the QCs for Cherry are going to try and portray Johnson as a liar but of course not in that direct type of language .
    Well the 5 weeks was given a detailed run down this afternoon, the position seemingly being the Scottish court misunderstood the workings of parliament and that its 7 days not 5 weeks due to parliament not being able to be recalled during conference season to do the prorogation......
    That is bollocks, they did not prorogue for a few days , they did it for 5 weeks, there was no prorogue for conference
    Spot on , can not believe anyone beliefs Johnson's explanation.
  • Options
    https://twitter.com/peston/status/1173997956011364353?s=21

    As someone who considered May's proposals worse than either leaving properly or remaining, I find Johnson's emerging plan potentially quite attractive for a host of reasons. Leaving aside its merits per se, there is also a degree of compromise involved which has the potential to heal across the divisive split in our country, isolating extreme positions such as those of the Liberal and Brexit Parties. It would appeal to a lot of Remainers concerned to uphold the outcome of the referendum. I think that it would have a real chance of commanding a majority in our current parliament if the EU ever agreed to it.

    And I think that if our current parliament had had the wisdom to allow our PM to go the EU summit in mid October with the ability to give the EU the choice between this or the UK leaving before any comprehensive agreement had been reached, then I think the EU would have accepted this for fear of something that for them was much worse.

    Yet parliament has managed to scupper the UK's negotiating clout, so it's not going to fly for now. I think the EU will take their chances on the outcome of the inevitable GE, betting that Johnson won't come back with a strengthened position in parliament and will ask for no more than this if he does. We will see.
  • Options
    CatManCatMan Posts: 2,801

    eristdoof said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Current evidence would indicate that our monarchy is far more accountable and pppular than any of our current or former political leaders.
    Our monarchy works well when it’s incumbents follow convention and precedent and don’t let their egos and delusions of grandeur run ahead of themselves.

    I’d say that’s it’s only real weakness.
    You are saying the monarchy works well when its role is purely symbolic, but not if it is needed to make a meaningful decision.
    That’s the essence of constitutional monarchy.

    Right to be consulted, to be advised and to warn. But not to decide.
    So it's basically pointless
  • Options
    ZephyrZephyr Posts: 438
    Surely the longer it goes without that election the give aways become stale?
    So at what point does the magic money tree spending announcements, those pre election softeners up need to be reannounced or extra spending added on them? Can they keep being re announced or will that look desperate and pathetic? Because all the voters will see is NHS winter crisis, education crisis, welfare in crisis etc?
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,992
    Fenman said:
    Blimey
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,004

    eristdoof said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Current evidence would indicate that our monarchy is far more accountable and pppular than any of our current or former political leaders.
    Our monarchy works well when it’s incumbents follow convention and precedent and don’t let their egos and delusions of grandeur run ahead of themselves.

    I’d say that’s it’s only real weakness.
    You are saying the monarchy works well when its role is purely symbolic, but not if it is needed to make a meaningful decision.
    That’s the essence of constitutional monarchy.

    Right to be consulted, to be advised and to warn. But not to decide.
    It was a real eye opener a few weeks ago when some Republicans expressed dismay and pretended surprise that the Queen dies not exercise her own judgement. Supportive of the system ir not there were a lot faux shocked comments.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,144

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    They'll get a big sweetener for NI. Bridge/tunnel combo feasability study plus a Freeport status should get them over the line.
  • Options
    rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    Carnyx said:

    Noo said:

    Carnyx said:

    Noo said:

    Noo said:

    nico67 said:

    I think both Lord Pannick and Lord Keen did well today .

    I think it would be important that the SC at least rules the matter justiciable. To not do so would effectively mean a PM could prorogue Parliament whenever they like and the law couldn’t intervene .



    What we need in the longer term is a bill to limit the time of any prorogation to, say 5 working days combined with a very limited list of reasons why it should be permitted.

    Stop not just the Johnson examples but also the Atlee and Major examples.
    Get rid of the queen, have a president who performs the current functions of the monarch, plus the power to amend a preset prorogation timetable.
    No thsnks. Very happy with the current setup. Certainly don't want President Thatcher or Blair.
    Yeah, and I don't want King Charles. But a President Blair would be at least be the fault of the people, and removable by the people.
    The only mechanism we currently have for the people to change the head of state is... not strictly legal.
    Surely a referendum for a republic would be perfectly legal? (OK, not so exciting ...)
    I'm not so sure:
    > it is treason felony to "compass, imagine, invent, devise, or intend" to deprive the sovereign of the Crown.

    To call for such a referendum would surely be to imagine and intend to deprive the sovereign of the Crown. Republicans like me are literally guilty of thought crime.
    Ah!
    AIUI that statute has to be read in the context of the Human Rights Act/ECHR, and so peacefully advocating a British republic is protected speech.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,144
    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    What do you make of how the Luxembourg PM behaved Malc? Genuinely interested.
    He had a press conference organised and he attended, I think he was right and cannot believe Boris was so scared he could not go out and bumble and bluster for a minute or two. It seems to be the Tory way, if they do not have bussed in Tory drones and any real public get involved they are out the back door pronto. Spineless useless cretin.
    Then you get the morons going on about how England won the war single handedly and saved these people to really show how far down the toilet the country has sank, slagging off Luxembourg because UK has a bigger population , really pathetic.
    How low can UK go. Overall it showed up UK for what it is at present , a banana republic run by spivs and full of morons wittering on about wars from another century. Almost as pathetic as those idiots supporting 1690.
    Interesting. You haven't actually offered any justification for his actions though, just launched into a rant about Boris, which isn't what my question was about.
    I fail to see what justification he had to miss the press conference other than he knew he had no answers so used a pathetic excuse to avoid being questioned by the press, simple as that .
    He knew he was being set up. Entirely right of Boris to leave the Luxembourg git to stand alone.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,004

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    They'll get a big sweetener for NI. Bridge/tunnel combo feasability study plus a Freeport status should get them over the line.
    Theyd sell their famously stubborn principals for a feasibility study?
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,992
    Is Johnson briefing Preston so he can claim plausible deniability when it goes to shit ?
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,992
    Peston obvs
  • Options
    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    What do you make of how the Luxembourg PM behaved Malc? Genuinely interested.
    He had a press conference organised and he attended, I think he was right and cannot believe Boris was so scared he could not go out and bumble and bluster for a minute or two. It seems to be the Tory way, if they do not have bussed in Tory drones and any real public get involved they are out the back door pronto. Spineless useless cretin.
    Then you get the morons going on about how England won the war single handedly and saved these people to really show how far down the toilet the country has sank, slagging off Luxembourg because UK has a bigger population , really pathetic.
    How low can UK go. Overall it showed up UK for what it is at present , a banana republic run by spivs and full of morons wittering on about wars from another century. Almost as pathetic as those idiots supporting 1690.
    Interesting. You haven't actually offered any justification for his actions though, just launched into a rant about Boris, which isn't what my question was about.
    I fail to see what justification he had to miss the press conference other than he knew he had no answers so used a pathetic excuse to avoid being questioned by the press, simple as that .
    Well you're blind then.
  • Options
    Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091

    https://twitter.com/peston/status/1173997956011364353?s=21

    As someone who considered May's proposals worse than either leaving properly or remaining, I find Johnson's emerging plan potentially quite attractive for a host of reasons. Leaving aside its merits per se, there is also a degree of compromise involved which has the potential to heal across the divisive split in our country, isolating extreme positions such as those of the Liberal and Brexit Parties. It would appeal to a lot of Remainers concerned to uphold the outcome of the referendum. I think that it would have a real chance of commanding a majority in our current parliament if the EU ever agreed to it.

    And I think that if our current parliament had had the wisdom to allow our PM to go the EU summit in mid October with the ability to give the EU the choice between this or the UK leaving before any comprehensive agreement had been reached, then I think the EU would have accepted this for fear of something that for them was much worse.

    Yet parliament has managed to scupper the UK's negotiating clout, so it's not going to fly for now. I think the EU will take their chances on the outcome of the inevitable GE, betting that Johnson won't come back with a strengthened position in parliament and will ask for no more than this if he does. We will see.

    Personally, I would've probably voted for May's deal if I was an MP, but I wouldn't vote for Boris's deal if it's anything like what's described in the article.

    I think the 'backstop' was the best part of May's deal: it meant things would never get too terrible even if a proper, permanent trade deal couldn't be agreed with the EU. Apparently, Boris would take that away, plus there'd be an even shorter transition period in order to do that permanent deal, and I'd trust him even less than I trusted May to stick to his word. No sale.
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,144
    kle4 said:

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    They'll get a big sweetener for NI. Bridge/tunnel combo feasability study plus a Freeport status should get them over the line.
    Theyd sell their famously stubborn principals for a feasibility study?
    Well, any route has to work around the Beaufort Dyke and its vast tonnage of unexploded nasties. The geology might be rather taxing too as I understand it, with faults to cross. But the prize of being connected to the rest of the UK would be huge.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,146
    Danny565 said:

    https://twitter.com/peston/status/1173997956011364353?s=21

    As someone who considered May's proposals worse than either leaving properly or remaining, I find Johnson's emerging plan potentially quite attractive for a host of reasons. Leaving aside its merits per se, there is also a degree of compromise involved which has the potential to heal across the divisive split in our country, isolating extreme positions such as those of the Liberal and Brexit Parties. It would appeal to a lot of Remainers concerned to uphold the outcome of the referendum. I think that it would have a real chance of commanding a majority in our current parliament if the EU ever agreed to it.

    And I think that if our current parliament had had the wisdom to allow our PM to go the EU summit in mid October with the ability to give the EU the choice between this or the UK leaving before any comprehensive agreement had been reached, then I think the EU would have accepted this for fear of something that for them was much worse.

    Yet parliament has managed to scupper the UK's negotiating clout, so it's not going to fly for now. I think the EU will take their chances on the outcome of the inevitable GE, betting that Johnson won't come back with a strengthened position in parliament and will ask for no more than this if he does. We will see.

    Personally, I would've probably voted for May's deal if I was an MP, but I wouldn't vote for Boris's deal if it's anything like what's described in the article.

    I think the 'backstop' was the best part of May's deal: it meant things would never get too terrible even if a proper, permanent trade deal couldn't be agreed with the EU. Apparently, Boris would take that away, plus there'd be an even shorter transition period in order to do that permanent deal, and I'd trust him even less than I trusted May to stick to his word. No sale.
    Given barely any Labour MPs voted for May's Deal and a Withdrawal Agreement minus the backstop is the only one the ERG and the DUP will vote for Boris is on the right track
  • Options
    DruttDrutt Posts: 1,093
    Helium prices on the rise, say balloon vendors.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49715838

    But that's inflation for you.
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    kle4 said:

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    They'll get a big sweetener for NI. Bridge/tunnel combo feasability study plus a Freeport status should get them over the line.
    Theyd sell their famously stubborn principals for a feasibility study?
    Well, any route has to work around the Beaufort Dyke and its vast tonnage of unexploded nasties. The geology might be rather taxing too as I understand it, with faults to cross. But the prize of being connected to the rest of the UK would be huge.
    It will never happen, usual pie in the sky.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 32,052

    kle4 said:

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    They'll get a big sweetener for NI. Bridge/tunnel combo feasability study plus a Freeport status should get them over the line.
    Theyd sell their famously stubborn principals for a feasibility study?
    Well, any route has to work around the Beaufort Dyke and its vast tonnage of unexploded nasties. The geology might be rather taxing too as I understand it, with faults to cross. But the prize of being connected to the rest of the UK would be huge.
    Are we going to try and finish the Giants Causeway?
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,067

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    Who knew being rude and petty would harm diplomacy?!
    Boris should not have ran away then he would not have been rude and petty
    Not one we agree on this Malc, the host should provide a suitable setting for a press conference, not expose his guest to protests, that's what he gets (and rightly) at home.
    However Boris is turning out to be as big a yellow belly as May was in meeting real people. If he cannot get out there with a microphone etc and talk over a few people he is in the wrong job. He made himself look the fool rather than going out and making the other guy look like the fool. No Backbone.
    What do you make of how the Luxembourg PM behaved Malc? Genuinely interested.
    He had a press conference organised and he attended, I think he was right and cannot believe Boris was so scared he could not go out and bumble and bluster for a minute or two. It seems to be the Tory way, if they do not have bussed in Tory drones and any real public get involved they are out the back door pronto. Spineless useless cretin.
    Then you get the morons going on about how England won the war single handedly and saved these people to really show how far down the toilet the country has sank, slagging off Luxembourg because UK has a bigger population , really pathetic.
    How low can UK go. Overall it showed up UK for what it is at present , a banana republic run by spivs and full of morons wittering on about wars from another century. Almost as pathetic as those idiots supporting 1690.
    Interesting. You haven't actually offered any justification for his actions though, just launched into a rant about Boris, which isn't what my question was about.
    I fail to see what justification he had to miss the press conference other than he knew he had no answers so used a pathetic excuse to avoid being questioned by the press, simple as that .
    Well you're blind then.
    Go on then cure me with your wisdom
  • Options
    nichomarnichomar Posts: 7,483
    Drutt said:

    Helium prices on the rise, say balloon vendors.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49715838

    But that's inflation for you.

    Bit tough on Donald Duck impersonators
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,146
    Over half of Labour voters seeing Swinson's policy as legitimate is not good for Corbyn
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,146
    edited September 2019
    Former Italian PM Matteo Renzi leaves the centre left Democratic Party to form a new centrist group

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italys-matteo-renzi-to-form-new-party-after-exiting-democratic-party/ar-AAHq7A0
  • Options
    DruttDrutt Posts: 1,093

    https://twitter.com/peston/status/1173997956011364353?s=21

    As someone who considered May's proposals worse than either leaving properly or remaining, I find Johnson's emerging plan potentially quite attractive for a host of reasons. Leaving aside its merits per se, there is also a degree of compromise involved which has the potential to heal across the divisive split in our country, isolating extreme positions such as those of the Liberal and Brexit Parties. It would appeal to a lot of Remainers concerned to uphold the outcome of the referendum. I think that it would have a real chance of commanding a majority in our current parliament if the EU ever agreed to it.

    And I think that if our current parliament had had the wisdom to allow our PM to go the EU summit in mid October with the ability to give the EU the choice between this or the UK leaving before any comprehensive agreement had been reached, then I think the EU would have accepted this for fear of something that for them was much worse.

    Yet parliament has managed to scupper the UK's negotiating clout, so it's not going to fly for now. I think the EU will take their chances on the outcome of the inevitable GE, betting that Johnson won't come back with a strengthened position in parliament and will ask for no more than this if he does. We will see.

    Pesto doesn't say what his source is for this. It makes a great difference whether this is coming from Dexeu, no10, commission or the Dail.
  • Options

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    When swine flu/foot in mouth affected the GB mainland, the DUP were very happy NI was treated differently.
  • Options
    ralphmalphralphmalph Posts: 2,201
    the Pesto article states no customs union for NI or GB after transition period and by default if we are entering this stage then a FTA has not been agreed.

    To me that means tariffs. Can not see that being acceptable to Leo.
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Interesting summary. The two big issues are that:

    (1) Effectively it keeps N Ireland in the EU for agricultural purposes until such time as Stormont voted to withdraw (at which point it would by default becoming No Deal)
    (2) The EU would need to agree to make agriculture a special case, which they so far have ruled out.

    I'd think that (2) was negotiable, and realistically I suspect Stormont would never vote to withdraw. So it looks not impossible. But it certainly does make Northern Ireland different from Britain, which was hitherto a DUP red line.
    At the moment - you would know - isn’t the island of Ireland a single phytosanitary unit? So no change from status quo.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,146
    edited September 2019
    David Cameron says he regrets not introducing austerity measures 'harder and faster"

    https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/david-cameron-memoirs-for-the-record-austerity-george-osborne/

  • Options
    nichomar said:

    Drutt said:

    Helium prices on the rise, say balloon vendors.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49715838

    But that's inflation for you.

    Bit tough on Donald Duck impersonators
    This has been an ongoing problem for several years. Balloons is the least of the problems. As far back as 2012 Popular Mechanics were reporting on this and its impact on MRI and other medical scanners and such basics as arc welding and the manufacture of silicon chips.

    The US supplies 75% of the word's helium and its main source is just about depleted.
This discussion has been closed.