Yesterday in the HoC: peacocking about
Finally the HoC turkeys have voted for Christmas! The GE is on. The Bill has still got to pass the HoL today but that ought to go smoothly. To reach this stage we were treated to yet another display of “Groundhog Day in the HoC”. Yes, I watched most of it. It was excruciating, but I learned something new which I’ll report below.
In order to save space I’ll not quote from the MSM reports on yesterday’s HoC session but just give the links to this article and this one in the DM. The paywalled ones are here, here, here and here. They are anyway not describing the tedium of having to listen to a blustering Johnson on one side and a spluttering Corbyn on the other, who yet again took this opportunity to give a ‘speech’ more suited to an election rally for the ‘faithful’.
I shall draw a veil of forgiving kindness over the speeches by the leaders of the Illiberals and the SNP. Regarding the latter, all you need to know is that as soon as he rose, Tory MPs on the benches opposite left the Chamber in double-quick time.
Onto the Groundhog-Day reading of the bill, with more of ‘we just want to scrutinise the WAIB now that the EU has granted that extension’ and with innumerable arguments why 16-year-olds should have the vote: “it’s about their future, innit!”, because adults can’t be trusted to care for the future of their offspring. EU citizens living here must of course be allowed to vote because ‘it’s only fair’, and never mind that in no other EU country expats are given the vote in national elections. Many saw this as a blatant attempt at ballot-rigging by Labour.
There was social-media chatter: tweets from ‘sources’ said that the government would pull the GE Bill if these amendments of extending the franchise were voted through. That had observers to speculate that this franchise amendment might be the final ploy by Corbyn to get out of having a GE: “I wanted that election and now Johnson is refusing it’.
This and the change of date for the GE – the 9th versus the 12th of December – were tabled as amendments, but there was of course first the ‘major amendment’, about allowing amendments to be tabled at the 2nd reading of the Bill.
Arcane? Oh yes it is, and it gets even more arcane! That amendment to allow amendments went through: Ayes: 312 – Noes: 295 – the Ayes have it. Next, the motion, with the amendment to allow amendments, was accepted on acclaim. Therefore the Bill went on to the 2nd reading, having been moved by the PM. It was then announced that the deputy speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Lab), who had to select the amendments, did not select those on extending the franchise, only tabling the one about the date change.
This 2nd reading is done ‘in committee’, with the whole House sitting in committee. The Speaker does not sit in the chair, but “it will be A.N.Other”. That was Sir Lindsay Hoyle. He is not addressed as ‘Mr Deputy Speaker’ but by name during this sitting.
The mace was removed for this whole house committee session, debating the one amendment about moving the date so as “not to disenfranchise students”. It was presented by Cat Smith (Lab), aand – she sneaked in their demand for franchise for 16-yr-old and EU citizens, turning it into an election rally speech.
The interest on the opposition benches, especially the LibDems and SNP who were so keen to have that extended franchise was overwhelming: practically all of them had left the Chamber by then. When that amendment was put to the vote, the result wasn’t surprising. The vote to change the date from the 12th to the 9th Dec: Ayes: 295 – Noes: 315.
The GE date is thus set for the 12th December, so the next vote was on giving the Bill the 3rd reading. The Speaker was now back in the chair, bellowing his ‘division’ lustily. This is the result: Ayes: 438 – Noes: 20 – The Ayes have it. The third reading was then passed by acclaim and it’ll now go to the HoL. All that was too arcane or too complicated for our MSM who prefer to deal with gossiping sources.
Overnight the election gurus were wheeled out, playing their numbers games, talking about Johnson needing to ‘win big’ (paywalled here), about what TBP might or should do (paywalled here and here), about ‘Tories begging TBP to stand aside’ in certain seats (here) and about Labour still being split (paywalled here).
Polling gurus such as Matthew Goodwin wrote that this will be the ‘messiest election’ to predict (paywalled here) while Philip Cowley has a go in his non-paywalled article here. The polling ‘guru of gurus’ John Curtice predicted yesterday – before the GE had been voted for – that he expects to see ‘a “record number” of non-conservative MPs and non-Labour MPs in parliament after the election.” (link). No wonder Ministers are ‘nervous’:
“Cabinet ministers have privately admitted that they are nervous about the outcome of the election amid fears of a voter backlash. One minister said that […] there was considerable uncertainty about the result. While they had gone into most other elections thinking all was going to be OK, this time they said they genuinely didn’t know.” (link, paywalled)
The main point – Brexit – has already vanished amidst all those prediction attempts, these second-guessing articles and the imminent rah-rah-rah of a GE razzmatazz. The establishment parties will fight this election with their party political programmes, distracting us from the reason why this Parliament needs to be replaced. Sir John Redwood gives a nod to the Brexit question in his Diary today, but also doesn’t seem to regard this as the one, burning question.
Why would we vote for the Tories when Johnson is obviously not planning to get us Out? Why should we care about Labour Socialism or not when Labour also wants to keep us In?
Why should we believe any of them or their wonderful election manifestos when we’ve learned by bitter experience that manifestos don’t mean a thing to them once they’re all back on their green benches? Why should we elect MPs who are bent on destroying our democracy by extending the franchise to all who happen to be here, citizens or not?
Above all – why should we elect MPs who’ve twice ‘promised’ to respect our vote in the EU Referendum, only to then kick that into the long grass, kicking us in the teeth while passing? Why would we believe the Tories were they now come out and say the Johnson-May deal is dead and we’ll leave on the 31st of January with No Deal? Once bitten twice shy …
There is one GE cloud already lurking on the horizon: the use of social media. This led to an article in RemainCentral by Lord Puttnam, Chair of the Lords’ Democracy and Technology Committee, demonstrating the establishment’s attempts to curtail free speech on social media even further:
“Far too often political messages can be placed online with no information as to who paid for them, which candidate they support, and why. It has become increasingly easy for campaigns to use micro-targeted messages to fan the prejudices of small groups, safe in the knowledge that the wider electorate won’t be aware of them. […] There is a real danger that following the next general election, the losing side can plausibly claim the result to be illegitimate due to dark messaging having subverted the democratic process. This in turn would undermine the legitimacy of our government; precisely the goal of every malign foreign actor wishing to influence the outcome of our elections.” (link, paywalled)
That is known as getting one’s excuses in early … and is a warning for us Leave campaigners as well. It is interesting that no mention is made of the use of ‘micro-targeting’ especially by Labour. The relevant article is paywalled, so it’ get the “From behind the paywall”- treatment tomorrow.
I leave you with this thought as we wait for the HoL to pass the Bill: there was no ‘cunning plan’, as so many had hoped for. The ‘Brexit Emperors’ in the Tory Party have been shown to wear no clothes.
Expect the establishment parties to present us with lots of fat squirrels, or rather with shiny baubles because: Christmas! And expect them to sweep any arguments about Brexit under the carpet. Expect the Tories to fight TBP and especially Nigel Farage, as is their usual procedure.
Expect to see Brexit betrayed, finally and once and for all when the establishment parties win. Meanwhile we’ll remember Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The Beginnings”, keeping our anger ice-cold, channelling our inner Churchill for the time being and
KBO!
I cannot thank you enough, Viv, for watching Parliament so I don’t have to: the turgid treachery and repetitive rhetoric, the fatuous arguments are enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure to hypertension. I hope yours is normal. I suppose repeating KBO can stabilise it a bit.
Thanks, Tony – and yes, my blood pressure is fine (that’s official, medically), thanks to my ‘secret weapon’, my resident collie.
Ah, yes Viv, dog’s walkies are the best therapy of all. Thoroughly approve your ” secret weapon”.
I suspect and HOPE this will be seen as ” the day of reckoning” for the ordinary people !!! A day where all our corrupt and quisling Politicians, their broken promises, treachery, lies and deceit will come back to haunt them in a way they could never have imagined. We the forgotten 17.4 million have throughout this debacle, not got ANGRY… as we knew there would come a day when we could get EVEN !! That day is 12/12/2019 !!
It looks like the Labour party is going big on corruption, incompetance and wealth again. Pity really, tried and tested. They just throw the baby out with the bathwater, and replace with a crocodile. Another clever party could have capitalised. But it’s now too late, and the crafty usual suspects are starting to catch up.
I must admit to having given up watching the endless Remainer parade and blatant unceasing propaganda of the MSM. That’s why Viv’s reports have been indispensable. So I must have missed something.
I thought the 1972 European Communities Act was due to be repealed, rescinded, revoked, dis-applied, whatever the term is, at 11pm on Thursday. Yes the EU has magnanimously agreed to another extension, who’d a thunk it, but no lawful application came from the British Government. The dictated (in both meanings) Parliamentary letter was sent unsigned. Or did Boris finally do yet another thing he had categorically ruled out? What law actually cancelled the repeal?
And if May’s original extension was unlawful, as the Tilbrook case asserts, is this second one also built on sand?
And on that, does anyone know how the Tilbrook case can be deferred seemingly indefinitely (suggesting he does have a sound case) whilst enabling legislation for other factors seems to be turbo charged through parliament or the courts?
Very good question Phil. Seems breaking up is hard to do but remaining is as easy as pie. Art 50 being international EU super law is bendy and flexible. I wouldn’t trust anything else if I wanted to bamboozle a public school educated British civil service and the British media. But seriously, three letters from the PM and one saying dont want an extension and presto- article 50 is extended. International law is truly magic. What do we think would happen if no extension was requested? Or if Johnston said no thanks? If we tried to leave we may find that the sun still rises and the earth keeps spinning but that’s not how Johnston sees things or his top notch advisers.
” but that’s not how Johnson sees things….” Precisely Matt !
Come back Oliver Cromwell, all is forgiven!
Anatomy of a war of independence:
the “war” – the referendum
The withdrawal of the colonial power – Article 50
The treaty – the withdrawal agreement
The “civil war” – division in Parliament and the electorate 2016-19
the end of the civil war – this election
the acceptance of the treaty – the compromise – the next Parliament.
Putting independence into effect with the change in power.
I’m going to war and I intend to inflict as much damage I can to the Con Party!
I will not be surprised if Boris abandons BRINO during th election campaign in order to kill TBP fox. As soon as he gets a thumping majority in the HOC he will resurrect the withdrawal agreement, call it BREXIT and tell us we are all united once again so we must move on.
I feel so betrayed, so cheated. “There was no ‘cunning plan’” that was surely what we hoped for? In the end it has all been another con trick.
There are two points that come to front for me, well three really.
One the huge disappointment of the capitulation of so called Brexiteers in the Con Party. Voting for Johnson’s ‘Deal’ was an insult to Brexit. Probably the most surprise was finding out Redwood had voted for it, after everything he has said!! Words fail me. I looked at his site this morning and the first comment said it all. I am beside myself with disgust for our so-called politicians.
Two, there is talk of deals and synergy in campaigning for this GE in December. This GE is, I believe, a red herring and may allow the Tories another five years in which to screw us. My own feeling is that to hell with any form of co-operation, but to go full belt with a Brexit candidate at every constituency.
The third point which is tied to the second is that the constituency that I am in is very closely contested between Cons and LibDems. Many say if one doesn’t back the Cons one will let the LibDem in. It leaves me in a dilemma but I am now so angry I honestly think that should not make any difference and tactical voted has to be put to one side. One of the reasons for saying this is that it is important now that the Con Party receives a major hammering regardless of cost. The public, or some of us, have an opportunity to show those Traitors how real Spartans behave, no prisoners! Also we have nothing to lose as we are facing defeat in the face either way.
Thank you again for your article Viv and yours wise words of advice “keeping our anger ice-cold, channelling our inner Churchill for the time being”. And of course KBO (but I’ve forgotten what it stands for).
Is it ‘Keep buggering on’?
If Sir John Redwood voted for Johnson’s ‘deal’ then another hero has feet of clay and his reputation has bitten the dust. How does the saying go? ‘Never trust a Tory.’ The fact that May is supporting this deal and also other Tory rebels tells you all you need to know – the deal stinks and is Betrayal Mark II and The Emperor’s New Clothes. Stomach churning – pass the sick bucket!
Kim. I challenged an ERG MP re his capitulation and here’s the reply: ” there remain some flaws in the new agreement but they are mostly to be found in the time-limited transition period or otherwise within a limited scope. It is overall a tolerable deal, capable of delivering…embracing a bright and hopeful future outside the EU…it’s time to move our country forward. This agreement provides a tolerable path to a bright future and I shall support it…” I also got the spiel that “if we don’t grab this we’ll get a deal thats even worse, or no brexit.” Doesnt he know we know that the Tories deliberately manoevred themselves into this? So they’re still lying shamelessly and believing we’re idiots.
Now watch Richard Braine’s take on this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHt8GpGTORo
This election will be fought on one word – CHANGE. ………. who is for it and who is against it?
For this is the end of a “civil war” election. Change is in the air throughout Europe. But there are very powerful forces who have brought globalist capitalist liberal democracy to where it is today and will fight tooth and nail to maintain their position with every trick in the book.
So I expect change or the fear of it will will be the decider in this election.
May I suggest two words – Truth, and Trust. Both sadly lacking today.
Some may think that right now we have little to sing about and they would be right.
But there’s never NOTHING to sing about!
So, we now know when the election will be and, roughly, what its going to be about.
For the Tories it will be about Brexit Light, exactly as it stands now . Throw in a few concessions to the North , such as public transport improvements and talk about two other things, the NHS (esp. making sure that no private USA interference gets anywhere near it ) and law and order and that will be the crux of the campaign.
For the Liberals its an out-and- out Remain ticket, quite an honest approach, with impossible promises to have windmill powered cars by 2025 and votes for 5 year olds. They will win 50 plus seats.
For Labour its a hard-left Marxist/Momentum dominated campaign. For hints of what to expect have a look at Sam Tally, the poster-boy of the extreme left and Momentum, who is standing against Mike Gapes, a leftish ex – Labour moderate in Jewish Ilford South (and a decent enough fellow, I’ve met him). Momentum will be extremely active during this campaign. Add into the mix insane spending promises amounting to north of £500 billion yearly deficits and unrestricted migration . Oh and of course a Remain biased referendum. God help us if they win.
The SNP are just about getting enough extra seats to add leverage to their ‘Independence Referendum 2 ‘ campaign. And adding a bit of free stuff to everyone in Scotland is to be expected by all parties in a futile attempt at preventing an SNP landslide,
The Greens will be largely circumvented by the Lib/Dems and I expect a pact.
The DUP will be the DUP. They will win 10 seats, as usual, and say ‘noy!’ to everything, as usual.
But what about The Bogey Man? Or The Brexit Party (TBP) ? Here the Tories have a problem. TBP is a thorn in the side depending on where Farage places his candidates. I use ‘Thorn In The Side’ with the knowledge it’s the name of Farage’s own company, where he banks his earnings.
What motivates Farage? He wants to get richer and stay in showbiz.
The simple fact is that Boris either buys Farage off, with a peerage, or maybe a safe seat for Farage and a few for his cronies or he – Farage- becomes a really awkward diversion for Boris. Rumours are rife that Boris himself might need a safer seat than present to prevent his own decapitation. Farage will want a London or South -East seat (he’s never going to move ‘oop North’ for lifestyle reasons) so expect a couple of surprises.
Not ENOUGH people (perhaps 12-15%) are as upset with Brexit Light as would give TBP, without a pact, any more than 1 or 2 seats. When people get scared (of Corbyn) they’ll go safe (Boris) . The Bogey Man is no fool, so he’ll do a deal and enrich himself personally in the process.
Other than that, the files of filth will be opened by the MSM and we can expect more sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll stories to amuse us.
Most of the baddies, like Abbott and Lammy, Corbyn and Thornberry, are as safe as safe can be with their stonking and unassailable majorities. Others , like Soubry, are toast. So as we hit panto season expect fun and games galore.
Stock up on the popcorn.
Remember ‘Vote Farage; get Corbyn’? It worked before so they’ll try it again.
Mr Bav – you began quite well, but then got carried away by the exuberance of your own verbosity, and descended into silliness and ill-concealed spite. Pity really. A good comment spoiled by hubris.
Give me examples or debate it. Otherwise you are just trolling.
On the twelfth of December
The voters gave to me
Twelve Tories snoring
Eleven Fib Dems fibbing
Ten Lords a sleeping
Nine labour jesters
Eight SNP’s
Seven DUP’s
Six geezers lying
Five Plaid Cymru, (badam-pam-pam)
Four Green birds
Three UKIP hens
Two Independents
One biased Speaker
And a 17,400,000 BXP Vic-tor-ee.
Outstanding!
Thanks. Im now singing this in my head …!