Watch out for them in the coming weeks …
It’s Day 2 of the GE campaign. The Establishment Parties are fighting the one-before-last war, the 2015 GE. As far as LabCon are concerned it’s about who can present the biggest bribes to the electorate while Lib is seriously pushing for getting their leader into No 10.
Brexit? Honouring the Referendum, as Nigel Farage said? No – but yes: Brexit will be done if you vote BoJo, it will be re-done if you vote Corbyn, and it will be not done at all if you vote Swinson. The Establishment Parties are treating us, the electorate, as if we were indeed the thick, ignorant, racist, xenophobic bigots as which they’ve been painting us ever since we dared to vote Leave.
Let’s look at the LibDems first who are now in open alliance with the Greens and Plaid Cymru in Wales. Details will be ‘unveiled’ later today but here’s a preview:
“The Liberal Democrats are to unveil a Remain pact in up to 60 seats, as Jo Swinson predicted an electoral breakthrough by the party could see more MP defections to them. Ms Swinson said the pact could make a “significant difference” as the Lib Dems, Welsh nationalists or Green Party stand down seats to allow the Remain candidate with the best chance of winning to have a clear run. She said the Lib Dems would be the biggest beneficiaries, with potentially tens of thousands of extra voters swinging behind the party’s bid to revoke Article 50 and block Brexit. “Mostly it’s going to be Lib Dems that are going to be best placed to win,” said Ms Swinson, who was campaigning in her electric battle bus for the first time on Wednesday, reaffirming her ambition for a “breakthrough” election to instal her as Prime Minister.” (paywalled link)
One of the issues will be ‘Climate Emergency’ – that’s why the ‘electric bus’! The green-yellow alliance plans to heap more debt on or country because of this, and they will support each other while gunning for Tory Big Wigs. They’ve already said they’d go for Jacob Rees-Moggs’ seat and have now come up with another: Dominic Raab (link).
Odd, isn’t it, that an alliance with TBP is still out of the question for Johnson. He seems to be content to sacrifice his colleagues – for what? I thought he and the Tory High Command were keen to win a majority because, according to their election launch, Johnson was forced to go to the country by the Remain Parliament.
Was “Cummings’ cunning plan” to have an election anyway, with the “Deal” just some sort of bribe for us voters – nice if it comes off, and if it doesn’t, as it didn’t (‘do or die in a ditch on Halloween’), then it’s no great loss? You might certainly think so when you read reports of Johnson’s GE launch (here, paywalled here and here). BoJo ‘only’ asks for us to give him a majority so that we can forget about Brexit … yeah, right!
While Johnson mocked, Farage has pointed out that this ‘deal’ is already on the ropes (here) because the EU’s ‘Brexit Nemesis’, Michel Barnier, has warned in an under-reported speech that thanks to BoJo’s LINO we can look forward to more Groundhog Days:
“The EU’s chief negotiator said there may not be enough time to complete free trade negotiations with Brussels before the end of the planned transition period at the end of 2020. Mr Barnier said that the UK and the EU would start “difficult and demanding” talks from opposing positions and time would be “extremely short” to meet the deadline, warning an extension would be necessary to avoid a no deal “cliff edge”. (paywalled link)
Is that why the Tories don’t want to talk about Brexit, is that why Labour will go for a moderate ‘Remain’ and the Libdems for a total ‘No Brexit evah’?
It’s not as if Labour didn’t have their own troubles. The MSM report across the board that Tom Watson, Deputy Leader of Labour, has resigned and won’t stand at the GE – here, here and paywalled here and here. There’s more trouble for the Labour Left as this report shows:
“Chris Williamson has been banned from standing for Labour in the general election after he was suspended for comments on antisemitism. He was one of three former Labour MPs told yesterday by the party’s ruling body that they would not be candidates on December 12. […] Mr Williamson […] said he would run as an independent in the seat against Labour, adding he was “dismayed that Labour Party officials have enabled and executed what I believe to be a witch hunt against hundreds of socialists loyal to Jeremy Corbyn and his transformative, socialist, anti-imperialist worldview”. (link, paywalled)
PPCs of TBP resigning: that’s huge! Labour officially standing down PPCs – negligible. But what is the Momentum crowd going to do now? It’s not as if Mr Williamson was a softy Blairite, like Mr Watson. Labour after all is planning to go for a full-on, industrial-strength ‘socialism in this country’. The sums they’ll ‘unveil’ are eye-watering:
“John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, will on Thursday announce plans for an extra £150bn of borrowing on top of £250bn to which he was already committed, as well as Labour’s renationalisation programme that has been independently costed at £196bn. The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the spending splurge – equivalent to £9,000 for every adult and child in the country – would take borrowing to levels not seen since the 1960s, when Britain was still paying off its war debt.” (paywalled link)
Oh dear. Since Corbyn and McDonnell want us to stay in the EU, add those sums to what we are already paying the EU. Also, thinking of the strikes called for next month I’m reminded of the 1970s, the ‘Winter of Discontent’, and of the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, a certain Denis Healey – he of the ‘squeeze the rich until the pips squeak’ – having to go to the IMF, begging. Obviously, our young generation cannot remember those ancient times. They are ‘liking’ Labour:
“Labour has gained a “flying start” on the Conservatives in its social media campaign as aggressive, anti-establishment messages appear to be beating clever Tory memes. Analysis by Cardiff University showed that Labour had leapt ahead of the Conservatives. In the week to Monday it posted four of the five most “liked” campaign tweets by political parties and five of the top Facebook posts in terms of interactions. It also dominated on Instagram, a platform popular with younger voters.” (link, paywalled)
We all know that ‘likes’ in social media means ‘votes’, don’t we! However, while the technology of influencing voters may be modern, the strategy is the same: offer bribes: who bribes best wins. The theme is ‘the poor are getting poorer’ and that’s why we need LINO, or that’s why we need no Brexit but socialism. Nobody will talk about how much the EU has cost us, nor how much it will cost us in future – and that’s not just the danegeld we’re paying them, it’s all the regulations and red tape which will tie up our economy.
Trust Johnson to get us Out when his Party can’t even decide about putting ‘No Deal’ into their manifesto? Trust Labour to make us all ‘richer’ by putting generations into debt – the same generations who ‘like’ Labour memes and who moan about ‘their future’ being robbed by Brexit? The same generation who doesn’t mind everybody going back to live in caves – except themselves, of course – because: ‘Climate Crisis’? Not [expletive deleted] likely!
These are the Establishment’s Remain Columns marching towards our Leave Lines. They are disregarding us voters and are treating us as if we’re still living in the times when people believed their party politicians. They still haven’t noticed that we’ve seen through their tawdry manouevres. Watching them peacock about on the national stage when they’ve already bored us to tears ‘performing’ in the HoC is not going to win us over.
In the next weeks we’ll have to fight our own, private election campaigns: across the garden fences, in the shops and pubs and on our private social media groups. The Referendum result of 2016 must be honoured. 17.4 million voters must not be betrayed. No BRINO, no LINO, no Socialism in our country! Tell the candidates knocking on your doors that it’s ‘stand and deliver’ on Brexit. Or else.
KBO!
You really do need to get up to speed with macroeconomic finance. Read some MMT output, and stop blethering about deficits and burdening future generations. I enjoy your blog, but please stop being so economically stupid. Britain has a fiat currency and can generate any funds it requires at will, provided an inflationary situation is not created of too much money chasing too few resources. Remember also ‘taxation does not fund spending’.
Corbyn described as ‘anti imperialist’. Strange What does he think the EU is then if not an empire. Oh, I see – UK musn’t have an empire but it’s fine to be part of someone else’s empire.
PPCs of TBP resigning: that’s huge! Labour officially standing down PPCs – negligible.
What is the metaphor for the stage after ‘the wheels fall off’ and the ‘car crash’ event?
“Lifelong Labour MP Ian Austin tells ‘decent patriotic Labour voters’ back Boris vote TORY”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1201175/general-election-ian-austin-labour-party-jeremy-corbyn-conservative-party-boris-johnson
Great article.
2015: Tories promise a referendum on EU membership
2016: Tories finally keep a promise and hold it
2016: Tories fail to keep the promise to immediately enact Art 50
2016: Tories select arch-remainer May as leader, after weeks of navel gasing and infighting
2017: May finally serves Article 50.
2017: May calls an election, is light on detail about Brexit, heavy on stuff that would make Ed Milliband blush
2017: Tories lose the election, cling on with help from the DUP
2017: May launches the Chequers plan which is worse than remaining
2017: a couple of cabinet members resign, Mogg calls May the best and most dutiful PM in living memory.
2018: more of the same bollocks, fag packets turn dull green.
2019: even more of the same bollocks, with even more added nanny state laws
2019: EU elections 3 years after we voted to leave, Brexit Party wipe the floor with everyone.
2019: May finally forced out, Boris takes over after yet more weeks of navel gazing and infighting.
2019: Tories pledge to ban the sale of cars by 2040, replacing them with glorified go-karts and ban central heating in 6 years.
2019: Boris promises to take us out of the EU ‘deal or no deal’ ‘do or die’ ‘no ifs or buts’ on Oct 31st, stating he’d rather be dead in a ditch than ask for an extension.
2019: Boris manages some minor tweaks to May’s withdrawal agreement, mainly in the political declaration – so the bits that aren’t legally binding.
2019: MPs pass legislation forcing the government to ask for an extension. strangely, the government neither fillibusters this bad law, nor advises the Queen not to give it Royal Assent
2019. Boris Johnson asks the EU for an extension. fails to die in a ditch.
2019: so called ‘Brexit Spartans’ all fall into line behind the ‘deal’
2019: Boris Johnson calls *another* election, removes the threat of no-deal
Someone care to explain to me why I should give these self serving, lying, mendacious specimens my time or a vote?
I am not sure how the opinion that WA (Withdraw Agreement) is legally binding and the PD (Political Declaration) is not was imposed into people.
ARTICLE 184 of WA
Negotiations on the future relationship
The Union and the United Kingdom shall use their best endeavours, in good faith and in full respect
of their respective legal orders, to take the necessary steps to negotiate expeditiously the agreements
governing their future relationship referred to in the Political Declaration of 17 October 2019 and to
conduct the relevant procedures for the ratification or conclusion of those agreements, with a view
to ensuring that those agreements apply, to the extent possible, as from the end of the transition
period.
If WA is legally binding than PD is as well as part of this treaty.
Labour and the CON Party will try to convince voters that the Election is about much more than membership of the European Union but, bearing in mind the reasons for calling the Election, there can be no doubt that it is about little else:
LibDems wanted the Election so they could revoke Article 50
Labour wanted the Election when No-Deal was taken off the table
The CON Party wanted the Election because they could not get their Withdrawal Agreement (aka the Surrender Agreement) through Parliament
As for the SNP they simply want “Independence” from Westminster so that Scotland can be ruled by Brussels.
Consequently, voters will have this easy to remember summary of the main parties’ policies that would be enacted after the Election:
LibDem REMAIN
Labour REMAIN v REMAIN referendum
CON Party REMAIN under EU control
Brexit Party LEAVE
So, when voters have their ballot paper in front of them they will have the opportunity to give the 17.4 million people who won the Referendum back in 2016 the LEAVE result they are still waiting to be honoured. Let us hope they do that.
I did something similar, but mine was a bit like ‘an Italian Tank’ – two reverse gears – two forward.
WILL REMAIN – LibNotDems.
MIGHT REMAIN – Labour.
———————-
MIGHT LEAVE – Cons.
WILL LEAVE – Brexit Party.
The Brexit Tragedy
Achtung! You English are so stupid.
We once thought that you had courage, bravery, foresight and at least a certain amount, a remainder, of raw determination and passion for your glorious history and your country –
but maybe it was just bravado and stupidity all along.
Where has it gone, this once ‘feet on the ground, no nonsense, common sense’ Nation of yours?
When was the last time you surrendered to anyone?
Amazing – you have not one but three types of Rule (Four counting the EU) – and every one of them has failed you – dismally.
Parliament, The Lords ………and even, unbelievably, your once Royal House.
All have capitulated, (on your behalf of course) – because you were not really capable of understanding the difference between ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.
Dumkopf!
They have conspired to destroy your honourable decision when you had that one last chance, one last throw of the dice, the opportunity to break free – a sort of chance of a noble ‘Escape from Colditz’. Yes, your once noble and trusted ‘rulers’ have not only failed you – but have treasonously conspired to utterly destroy your last chance at self-determination.
Once upon a time you could boast, with justification, of many heroes.
Were they all lost at Paschendale, Dunkirk and Burma and those other distant fields – which are forever England?
“This fortress built by Nature for her self
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in a silver sea
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England”,
Now one final act of the 17 plus million who cheered in triumph – Consign your cowardly 650 – to the vile dust from whence they sprung –
Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.