Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Sheilbh]

Edit: Also Number 10 had tried to get Chris Grayling installed at the head of the Intelligence and Security Committee which opposition MPs were very opposed to because Grayling is possibly the least competent individual in British public life and would owe his position to Downing St. The Committee have actually elected Julian Lewis (opposed by Downing St) and former head of the Defence Committee and, by virtue of being a human with a pulse, considerably more competent than Grayling.

And Julian Lewis (who is in normal times a hardline leaver and fairly dry Thatcherite) has had the whip removed for his "duplicity". Apparently Grayling also didn't actually ask if he had Lewis's support. Government has an 80 (now 79?) seat majority but they just seem to have decided that convincing backbenchers isn't really their job.

[Richard Hakluyt]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/15/chris-grayling-fails-to-become-intelligence-and-security-chair

"The Scottish National party's shadow defence secretary, Stewart McDonald MP, said: "With his abysmal record of failure as a Tory minister, Chris Grayling is the only man who could lose a rigged election."

Labour MP Stella Creasy called Lewis's ejection from the Tories "remarkable", adding: "It doesn't stop Julian being chair of committee or sympathy for him across house. It does make it more likely the long overdue report into Russian interference in our political system is published. A set of own goals of which even Sunderland would be proud.""

[Josquius]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/15/chris-grayling-fails-to-become-intelligence-and-security-chair

"The Scottish National party's shadow defence secretary, Stewart McDonald MP, said: "With his abysmal record of failure as a Tory minister, Chris Grayling is the only man who could lose a rigged election."

Labour MP Stella Creasy called Lewis's ejection from the Tories "remarkable", adding: "It doesn't stop Julian being chair of committee or sympathy for him across house. It does make it more likely the long overdue report into Russian interference in our political system is published. A set of own goals of which even Sunderland would be proud.""

Whats the money the Tories and miscellaneous scum bags try to use this next election in the area as proof Labour feel nought but disdain for the north east?

[Richard Hakluyt]

My dad supported Sunderland so there is a certain pain there even for me. However, their underperformance is really quite something.....though surely not at the Grayling level 

[Sheilbh]

My dad supported Sunderland so there is a certain pain there even for me. However, their underperformance is really quite something.....though surely not at the Grayling level 

Imagine spending your early adult life campaigning for (often uninspiring) Tory candidates through the 90s, making it to being a councillor and then an MP. No doubt with your mind full of ambition and hope about how you'll move through politics, up the ranks, changing the country as you go. Then you get to the cabinet and despite an astonishing ability to keep getting jobs because you are, if nothing else, a loyal party man and your name becomes a by-word for failure across the entire political spectrum

The number of MPs anonymously briefing about this whole plan by Downing St along the lines of "Grayling and Intelligence are not words you often put together"

[Josquius]

My dad supported Sunderland so there is a certain pain there even for me. However, their underperformance is really quite something.....though surely not at the Grayling level 

I mean sure you did well for yourself financially, in family, etc...
But how did your dad fail so massively in the most important point.

[Richard Hakluyt]

It just didn't take for some reason, I just see a load of guys running around after a ball 

[Richard Hakluyt]

Moving back on-topic, I see the government is trying to get some preemptive distraction in before the Russia report is released.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/16/dominic-raab-belatedly-acknowledges-russian-threat-but-why-now

[Sheilbh]

Moving back on-topic, I see the government is trying to get some preemptive distraction in before the Russia report is released.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/16/dominic-raab-belatedly-acknowledges-russian-threat-but-why-now

I think that Russia report is going to wildly underwhelm. I could be wrong but I think there'll be a few bad stories about Tory donors and Russia wanting chaos,, but that we'll see it and wonder why the government wasted so much time and energy releasing it.

I cannot stand Gavin Williamson - but this feels like another example of people trying to import US culture war issues into the UK:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jul/16/english-universities-must-prove-commitment-to-free-speech-for-bailouts

"You need to be committed to free speech, also we'll decide what courses you teach."

[Josquius]

I do wonder whether it might have been a trap even. Act like it's really damning and cover it up to attract attention and waste the efforts of democracy campaigners, to then release it as a gotcha, nothing to see here.

[Richard Hakluyt]

"Williamson said an institution's free speech policies would be included in any decision. Student unions would be required to focus on "serving the needs of the wider student population rather than subsidising niche activism and campaigns," he said."

If only we could require the Tory party to focus on "serving the needs of the wider UK population rather than subsidising niche activism and campaigns" 

[Tamas]

Very nice picture, but it is tempting to draw parallels between the age of the participants and the age and relevance of  the monarchy and its peagantry.

[Sheilbh]

Amid all of the chaos and real issues it's nice that there are some constants in British public life like the Queen, or the inexplicably deep unpopularity of the Lib Dems

[Tamas]

To be fair right now I'd vote for Labour instead of the Lib Dems. I know nothing about the Libdem's current leadership, and I'd want to reward Labour to going with a sane person in Starmer

[Tonitrus]

I really hate "favorability" as a polling question...isn't that really just a "who would you mostly likely vote for" poll, and thus roughly consistent with the most recent election results?

(a quick check of the 2019 numbers show the Lib Dems would have one a bit better in this case )

Or it shows they got the largest "meh" vote of the three.