It was too good to last. After yesterday’s encouraging Brexit news (here) the top Brexit wreckers came out of the woodworks. The Speaker John Bercow spoke in Edinburgh and Mr Philip Hammond MP penned an article in The Times.
One can’t help wondering if this was a coincidence when one reflects on the announcement yesterday afternoon that a Scottish Judge was fast-tracking the legal challenge to block Johnson from proroguing Parliament (here). This is the paywalled DT report:
“The action, backed by more than 70 MPs and peers, including the Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and the SNP MP Joanna Cherry, wants the Court of Session in Edinburgh to rule that shutting down Parliament to make the UK leave the EU without a deal is “unlawful and unconstitutional”. The politicians had hoped to have the case fast tracked by having it referred straight to the most senior judges in the “Inner House” of the Court of Session, after voicing fears that they may run out of time before the UK is due to leave the EU on October 31. However Lord Doherty rejected the request, ordering instead that the case should be heard by one judge in the Outer House of the court – the normal procedure at the Court of Session – on September 6. The hearing will take place during what is shaping up to be a tumultuous week in Westminster. MPs will return from their summer break on Tuesday September 3, and Labour could call a confidence vote in the Government any day that week.” (paywalled link)
It certainly underlines the sovereignty of Parliament when parliamentarians demand a court to rule on their procedures! Why Mr Tilbrook’s court case still lingers is of course the court’s secret. Perhaps he ought to have gone to a Scottish court …
Meanwhile, the Speaker John Bercow, in a ‘performance’ in Edinburgh, made sure that everybody knows that he’s still here – and he won’t resign even though he ought to have gone a year ago. Reports of his speech are here and here, and paywalled here and here.
He couldn’t have been more dramatic, proclaiming that he’d fight ‘with every bone in his body’ against a prorogation of Parliament:
“John Bercow said on Tuesday that he would refuse to let Boris Johnson take Britain out of the EU by suspending Parliament. The Commons Speaker said he would fight any attempt to prorogue Parliament “with every bone in my body”.He also said that MPs can stop Britain leaving without a deal at the end of October, putting him on a collision course with the Prime Minister’s chief strategist, Dominic Cummings. Mr Bercow dismissed suggestions that he would stand down in the short term as Speaker.” (paywalled link)
Mr Bercow then reiterated all his previous arguments which he made when the question of prorogation first arose with Johnson’s election. It didn’t then and still doesn’t matter a bit that Johnson said he’d not want to prorogue Parliament:
“Mr Bercow told a 200-strong audience in Edinburgh on Tuesday: “The one thing I feel strongly about is that the House of Commons must have its way. And if there is an attempt to circumvent, to bypass or – God forbid! – to close down Parliament; that is anathema to me and I will fight it with every bone in my body to stop that happening. We cannot have a situation in which Parliament is shut down – we are a democratic society. And Parliament will be heard and nobody is going to get away as far as I am concerned with stopping that happening.” […] As the event in Edinburgh’s New Town ended, an audience member shouted at him over the applause “can Parliament stop a no-deal Brexit?”, the Remain-supporting Speaker replied: “Yes.” (paywalled link)
The Times emphasised that reply in their report:
“The Commons Speaker has insisted that parliament can block a no-deal Brexit as he vowed to “fight with every breath” to stop MPs being bypassed by Boris Johnson. John Bercow is viewed by MPs determined to stop a no-deal Brexit as a crucial figure who could help them to use parliamentary procedure to engineer a crunch vote.” (link, paywalled)
Parliament – and correct me if I’m wrong – has been ‘heard’ for the last three years, not least when they passed the laws which made our leaving on the 31st of October possible, deal or not. Parliament was certainly heard when they tried again and again to scupper Brexit any which way.
That last answer though, that Parliament can stop a no-deal Brexit, is ominous. However, it’s strange that neither Bercow nor those Parliamentarians seem to be aware of that new figure, the Leader of the HoC, a certain Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg, who will do his best to scupper the Brexit scuppers.
Then we have Mr Philip Hammond writing for The Times. Well, he’s now found the time for that since he’s finally moved out of his grace-and-favour flat above No 10 so Mr Javid could move in. It only took him a bit over two weeks to do so … A non-paywalled report on Hammond’s article is here, and The Times has this summary of Hammond’s article:
“Boris Johnson risks betraying the EU referendum result by allowing “unelected people” intent on wrecking any chance of a deal to “pull the strings” of his government, Philip Hammond is warning. In his first intervention since resigning as chancellor, Mr Hammond accuses Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s most senior aide, of attempting to force through a no-deal Brexit by making demands that Brussels “cannot, and will not, accede to”. […] He says that there is neither a public nor parliamentary mandate for no-deal and warns the prime minister that parliament will “make its voice heard” to stop it happening.” (link, paywalled)
Another one clamouring that ‘the voice of Parliament’ will be heard! It will give me great pleasure to take a close look at Mr Hammonds article in our “From behind the paywall” feature, published later this morning.
Next we read about a rather intriguing development, reported in RemainCentral:
“Jeremy Corbyn must work with the Liberal Democrats to stop a no-deal Brexit, his deputy has warned. Tom Watson, speaking alongside Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrat leader, at an event hosted by young campaigners for staying in the EU, said that party allegiances needed to be set aside to obstruct Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans. “Everyone who cares about democracy, our country and our future must work together because there are enough of us — from all parties in parliament — to stop him. Whether you’re Liberal Democrats, social democrats or democratic socialists, we are all democrats. And democrats have got to realise in this crisis that we’re stronger together if we work together.” (link, paywalled)
Rousing words aye! Stopping Brexit is the pretext for Watson to get rid of Johnson’s government altogether. Next, here’s Ms Swinson herself:
“Ms Swinson called Mr Corbyn a Brexiteer who “cannot be trusted on Brexit”. Yesterday with Mr Watson, who has become a vocal advocate of a second referendum, she said: “This is no time for tribalism. That is why I am pleased to be here with Tom to show that there is a desire across the political spectrum to stop Boris Johnson’s reckless no-deal Brexit plan and instead deliver a brighter future inside the EU.” (link, paywalled)
How democratic is that – overthrowing the will of the people! She got this right though: this is no time for tribalism. Good to know that they’ve heard us on that!
I suspect Watson, Swinson, even Bercow and probably some Tories felt good after yesterday’s ComRes poll in the DT, especially since, as The Express points out here, TBP lost six percentage points to the Boris Bounce revitalising the Tories.
Given that bounce, it seems highly unlikely that the Tories will even think about working together with TBP. However, the next poll will certainly see their numbers plunge again – especially should there be truth in speculations of Johnson having to beg for an extension, or negotiating “A Deal” which is nothing but putting lipstick on May’s WA pig.
We the people want Brexit, no ifs no buts. We’ve been very patient. We’ve been willing to give Johnson the benefit of doubt. But our patience will run out. Those who’d vote for Johnson if he delivers Brexit will not do so if he doesn’t.
No prospective amount of money spent on the NHS or prisons will be sufficient for Johnson to win a GE against the Remainers if Brexit hasn’t been delivered without an alliance with TBP.
Political tribalism is indeed dead. The Tories as well as all other Remainers better realise that they are on borrowed time.
KBO!
Your accompanying image — the oak face from Cragside — is very appropriate. Armstrong, the engineer made the Royal Navy powerful, our docks efficient and England prosperous.
It can be done again.
JF
In advance of Viv`s “From behind the paywall expose”, may I have a few words on the subject of that devious, malevolent ,traitorous rat Hammond.?
I heard him on radio this morning on the theme which he writes in his article “there is neither a public or parliamentary mandate for No Deal”, he didn`t quite say that again in those terms of a “mandate” this morning, I believe he said the public “did not vote for a “No Deal”.
I believe he is far too intelligent to be able to believe that simplistic argument will stick or even have any legs at all.
No indeed the public did not vote for “No Deal”, nor did they vote for any kind of deal at all . I voted for a simple question that asked me if I wished to Leave or Remain in the EU, nothing was said or inferred about short or long term implications or negotiations.
By voting leave in my own mind I had implied that I wanted my COMPLETE SOVEREIGNTY back, which had been filched bit by bit and with the aid of the British parliamentary enemy from within by an undemocratic, autocratic, colonially minded empire building evil authority the EU.
That COMPLETE return of sovereignty encompassed the return of our ability to control our own laws, our own borders, our own territorial waters and the fish therein and particularly any subjugation to the ECJ would cease. I understand in the Government`s timely leaflet presented to the electorate before the referendum that to vote LEAVE would mean we would be no longer members of the Single Market, with the implication that also meant cross border immigration from EU countries could be controlled by us.(I cannot remember if they also stated we would be obliged to leave the Custom`s Union).
Regarding subsequent May Government attitude to negotiations ( of which devious Hammond was a constant member ( he was meant to be sacked, but escaped because she made a mess of the GE she had so unwisely called)
If I remember correctly she said “NO DEAL WAS BETTER THAN A BAD DEAL” and when her WA was massively voted down by parliament for the second time she did say she “detected a flaw in the WA which was the Backstop” and went off to renegotiate its alteration after the leader of the 1922 committee got a motion through parliament authorizing this amendment. Most were led to believe at the time that meant the complete removal of the backstop not just a bit of fiddling with the wording of the subsequent trade agreement stage.
Finally, but not acknowledged, we know the whole WA is a surrender and permanent subjugation document already signed we are told traitorously again by Mrs May and it is the very model of a BAD DEAL, despite “No Mandate” That is the view of Mrs May probably expressed in parliament and certainly believed by 17.4 million voters “NO DEAL IS STILL BETTER THAN A BAD DEAL” and her version of the WA —STINKS – that to me is a Mandate and a promise from the government and parliament (in whose name she speaks) and to the people who matter; us – the peasants
One last observation on the word “devious” wasn`t it that nice Mr.Juncker who observed that it “wasn`t wrong to Lie”, I believe the whole damned lot of them are arrant terminological inexactitude practitioners!
Viv, I `m sure I`ve sinned please may I plead a little leeway?
We could just simply ask Hammond: now that he’s no longer the Chancellor, why doesn’t he just f**k off and leave the job to his successors? It’s no longer his business is it, he’s getting to be like that has been Tony Blair already.
Well here we go then, what have I been telling you.
“Live: Germany flies into ‘perfect storm’ as economy heads towards recession — live updates”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/08/14/markets-live-latest-news-pound-euro-ftse-100-germany-recession/
Given that Germany has been propping up the EU and its member countries (excluding the UK) for many years now, it’ll be quite spectacular in the coming months when its economy implodes and starts a landslide that will take the rest of the EU with it.
If Hammond wants to keep us tied to this imminent disaster, he must be mentally retarded or is he after backhanders and a cushy job with the EU or UN with a huge untaxed salary, massive bonuses and a private jet?
We’ll end up paying if we don’t get out of the EU while we can, they’ll have the shirts of our backs and we’ll end up in the gutter. Good luck to Germany too, feeding the millions of military age men or refugees (sic) that they’ve let into Europe, before this is over they’ll be fighting us in the streets for what resources are left.
Enoch Powell wasn’t so stupid was he: rivers of blood it will be but I’d rather it was in Germany and Europe, leave us out, unfortunately though, I doubt we’ll escape the violence.
Here’s a question about the machinations of Parliament.
Parliament can put forward and vote on a ‘no confidence vote’ on the government. (Even an accusation of lying to the Nation).
Is it not possible then, to propose and vote on a ‘no confidence’ vote in the speaker?
Maybe ‘no confidence’ on the impartiality of the speaker. He has plenty of form.
Even if lost, it would put him on report. Its about time Brexiteers played the office of speaker, rather than playing the ball.
In any case, if I were the new PM, I would tug the speaker to one side and make him an offer.
Either you resign now, as you should have a year ago, or no place for you in the house of lords.
Whataboutit Beery ole’ Boy?
“Mr Bercow told a 200-strong audience in Edinburgh on Tuesday: ‘… – we are a democratic society.’ ”
Correct Mr. Bercow! Well done! You got that bit right!
That’s why we voted to LEAVE the European union. We love democracy, we love being innocent until proven guilty, etc. etc. etc. and we are going to keep it that way.
We will never surrender.
“TBP lost six percentage points to the Boris Bounce revitalising the Tories”
Proof too many of the Leave Tory voters are as dumb as rocks. They should be voting for nobody but TBP/Ukip till we leave on WTO terms so that Boris’s cabinet keeps imploring “what more do these voters want from us?!” I guess the resulting complacency will flush out more of the fake leavers including maybe the big man himself.
Tories and their symbiotic fakestream media never stop, do they? After the referendum, it was ” UKIP can disband now. We have Theresa – Brexit means Brexit May – with a collosal bounce to get us out”. UKIP did disband and look where it got us. Now the cry is ” TBP can disband because Boris – no ifs no buts – Johnson will get us out”. However, this time TBP is strong amd campaigning throughout the summer with national Action Days. All the evidence is the no deal hype is being played to scare the EU oligarchs into a last minute deal – a rehash of the Maybot Surrender Treaty. Let’s not be fooled again. What did that poster lorry say again? ” I wouldn’t trust a Tory to deliver a pizza!”
Phil needs to take a look at the poll in the D.E this morning, Perhaps he and Bercow see themselves riding as saviours of the nation to parliament. But then it’s the ‘silly season’ odd though that Phil emulated Brown and took ages to get out of his accommodation perhaps it’s something in the water.