Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Sheilbh]

In slightly odd British politics news Trade Minister has resigned and been suspended from the Commons for 7 days over his use of official letterhead in an intimidating letter:

Trade minister Conor Burns resigns over 'veiled threats' in letter

Conor Burns has resigned as a trade minister after a report found he used his position as an MP to intimidate a member of the public.

The Committee on Standards said he had broken Commons rules after suggesting he could use Parliamentary privilege over a debt dispute involving his father.

It had recommended he be suspended from Parliament for seven days.

No 10 said he would be replaced "in due course".

Parliamentary privilege protects MPs from being sued for defamation for speeches made in Parliament.

The committee's report found he had made "veiled threats" to use privilege to "further his family's interests" during the financial dispute involving his father.

Apologising to the committee in March, Mr Burns said he should not have written to the member of the public "in the terms I did," which he did using official Commons stationery.

He said he had been motivated by a desire to resolve the "long-running" dispute, which he said had a "significant" impact on his father's health.

In February, Mr Burns had written to a member of the public connected to a company with whom his father was in dispute over the repayment of a loan.

He wrote: "I am acutely aware that my role in the public eye could well attract interest especially if I were to use parliamentary privilege to raise the case".

The committee concluded Mr Burns had tried to intimidate the member of the public, and it was an abuse of his position as an MP which required a "sanction more severe than apology".

It added that the dispute related purely to "private family interests" and had "no connection" with Mr Burns's duties as a member of Parliament.

In other resignations Jennie Formby, a Corbyn ally has resigned as General Secretary of the Labour Party. Interesting how quickly the left have lost their top jobs and their majority on the National Executive Council

[The Larch]

The Daily Hail has gone a bit overboard in their VE memorabilia section:

[Admiral Yi]

 

[Sheilbh]

[Richard Hakluyt]

Actual page says "Britain's victory in Europe" :
https://www.mymail.co.uk/catalogue/reward/promotions/4815

[grumbler]

Actual page says "Britain's victory in Europe" :
https://www.mymail.co.uk/catalogue/reward/promotions/4815

Stop trying to harsh my buzz.

[Syt]

[Syt]

I hope y'all in the UK have your VE Day party set up and organized as per the government's suggestions:

https://ve-vjday75.gov.uk/plan-your-ve-day-party/

Plan your VE Day party

The weekend of May 8th – 10th is the weekend to commemorate and celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day, marking the end of the war in Europe.

To help you prepare your day, we've collated a party pack to get you started while you #StayHomeSaveLives.

Venue
First things first, you need a venue. You know what they say, you always find them in the kitchen at parties, so be sure to stay home this weekend and mark the occasion while complying with social distancing rules.

Use our toolkit for bunting ideas and ways to decorate your home with VE Day artwork.

Menu
What's a party without a buffet? We have seen everyone delving into banana bread recipes but now it's time to take it back to 1945.

Meat options
Cauliflower cheese with bacon – make the most of the rationed cheese with this British classic
Spam hash – A can of spam can last 5 meals so this party dish will certainly serve everyone!

Veggie options
Homity Pie – a rich, wholemeal pie with a potato, onion and cheese filling said to be made by Land Girls during WW2.
Vegetable turnovers – a bit like the Homity Pie only in pasty form!

Desserts
Follow and download Prue Leith's VE Day inspired Muscovado Flapjacks recipe
Fancy something a little different? Try Nadiya Hussain's Preserved Lemon Traybake

But that's not all, there are lots of recipe ideas online to take you back to the 1940's.

Party playlist
A party isn't complete without a playlist. The 1940's was known for big band and jazz – as well as new wave electric guitar thanks to Les Paul in 1941. Use our Spotify playlist to inspire your VE Day sounds

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rQJog0IN63BWCDRoYl9LE

If you're looking for more ideas and inspiration, use English Heritage's pack with more ideas to help you put together your own celebrations and mark #VEDay75 from home.

Once you have all of the above in order, you're all set to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day! Keep safe and enjoy yourselves.

[Syt]

[Josquius]

Ending free movement to open Britain up to the world is the funniest and most idiotic one they're pulling out. Simply amazing that they continue to get away with this nonsense.
I better propose ASAP.

[Richard Hakluyt]

We will only let people in if they are highly-skilled and can do the top jobs. The crap jobs will be reserved for British citizens 

[Tamas]

We will only let people in if they are highly-skilled and can do the top jobs. The crap jobs will be reserved for British citizens 

I know right. 

[Sheilbh]

I could be wrong, but I actually suspect that in about 5 years time we'll end up with a higher level of immigration out of the EU than we had in it.

Of course Patel may be gone by then (I've only recently seen polling on individual members of the cabinet and it is astonishing, but appropriate, how consistently unpopular she is ).

[Grey Fox]

That's always the problem, low skilled immigration leads to resentment. Much less resentment for a high level engineer or doctor.

[Josquius]

Top brexiters continue to show the only difference between them and the idiot down the pub is a plummier accent and a few mil in the bank.