Vote Of Nasty Conservatives

This was first posted on Facebook on 23rd March 2021, with support from my Ko-Fi network.

A few things that occur to me after listening to the no-confidence vote debate in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon. (Video at link: it took less than an hour.)

Writing About Brexit: The House of Lords Fails To Filibuster

This was first posted on Facebook on 5th September 2019, with support from my Ko-Fi network.

I stayed up til after 1am last night listening to the House of Lords debate the No-to-No-Deal-Brexit bill.

(The last time I did this it was when the Lords were debating equal marriage.)

There was a group of less than a hundred peers who were trying to prevent the bill passing – effectively, a filibuster. Endless references to “Lord True’s manuscript amendment G-9-c-x-zzzzz.”

Something over two hundred peers stayed from 3pm til after 1am consistently voting down the amendments proposed by the Brexiter peers. I was impressed by their tenacity and endurance.

Writing About Brexit: No Deal Brexit inevitable

This was first posted on Facebook on 29th August 2019, and repostd here with support from my Ko-Fi network.

Why I think we all need to start prepping for No Deal Brexit (or take up the prepping again if you were prepping for Brexit earlier in the year):

Boris Johnson has petitioned the Queen (who had no constitutional option but to agree) to prorogue Parliament – at earliest Monday 9th September, at latest Thursday 12th September.

The first day on which Corbyn could call for a no-confidence vote against Boris Johnson in Monday 2nd September, but he would be unlikely to do so as MPs are on their way back from their constituencies on Mondays. It is clear that the nascent Remain alliance – such as it is – isn’t yet together enough to have a coherent proposal which Tory MPs furious at Johnson may back even at the cost of losing their seats in the next General Election. But supposing they all do some hard thinking over the weekend (“Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully”) and conclude on a Plan – a caretaker-PM, a temporary government supported by 320 MPs (or whatever – enough to keep voting down Johnson’s Tories & a handful of diehard Brexiteers of other parties and none): and a process to stop no-deal Brexit.

Writing About Brexit: Proroguing Parliament

This was first posted on Facebook on 28th August 2019, and repostd here with support from my Ko-Fi network.

Boris Johnson will prorogue Parliament from the 2nd week in September – week beginning 9th September – to 14th October: Queen’s Speech 14th October.

This means that if MPs in the Remain Alliance intend to do anything short of revoking Article 50 to prevent no-deal Brexit on the 31st of October, they have to do that next week – if it’s not done by 6th September, it won’t happen.

It is still possible that if a majority of MPs vote to do it, they can order Boris Johnson to revoke Article 50 at any time.

Because a no-confidence vote under the rules of the Fixed Term Parliament Act requires a fortnight’s grace between losing a no-confidence vote and a general election, Boris Johnson has ensured that unless a no-confidence vote is held next week, he is secure as Prime Minister between 14th and 31st October – he can ensure No Deal Brexit goes ahead.

The Tories ignored 6.1 million signatories to the Revoke Article 50 petition, but still: Do Not Prorogue Parliament

Writing About Brexit: Will There Be A No-Confidence Vote?

This was first posted on Facebook on 19th August 2019, and posted here with support from my Ko-Fi network.

At the moment, Boris Johnson has 311 MPs.

He also has, for now, 10 DUP MPs.

As a practical matter of fact, while officially a majority in the HoC is 326 (650/2 +1) in actuality it’s 322 ((650 – (7 Sinn Féin MPs + 1 Speaker)/2).

Writing About Brexit: MP Numbers

This was first posted on Facebook on 19th August 2019, with support from my Ko-Fi network.

At the moment, Boris Johnson has 311 MPs.

He also has, for now, 10 DUP MPs.

As a practical matter of fact, while officially a majority in the HoC is 326 (650/2 +1) in actuality it’s 322 ((650 – (7 Sinn Féin MPs + 1 Speaker)/2).