Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Sheilbh]

I found it weird that he kept going into the Commons even when it was fully virtual because of lockdown given that he is in his 70s and there were about three other people there. I don't know what it is, but I think most of the British political class have pretty strong "rules are for other people" attitudes.

Continuing a theme an SNP MP has had to apologise and this is possibly the crziest I've heard yet because she basically just did all this because she felt better

I apologise unreservedly for breaching Covid-19 restrictions by travelling this week when  shouldn't have. There is no excuse for my actions.

On Saturday afternoon, after experiencing mild symptoms, I requested a Covid-19 test which I took that day. Feeling much better, I then travelled to London [her constituency is in the Borders] by train on Monday to attend Parliament as planned. This was wrong, and I am very sorry for my mistake.

On Monday evening I received a positive test result for Covid-19. I travelled home by train on Tuesday morning without seeking advice. This was also wrong and I am sorry. I have been self-isolating at home ever since.

I have used Test and Protect and I have notified the House of Commons authorities who have spoken with Public Health England. I have also notified the police of my actions.

Despite feeling well, I should have self-isolated while waiting for my test result, and I deeply regret my actions. I take full responsibility and I would urge everyone not to make the same mistakes that I have, and do all they can to help limit the spread of Covid-19.

It's about five hours on the train to the Borders

[Sheilbh]

The Daily Star - which still regularly hammers the government - continues its transition from broadly apolitical tabloid, to daily satirical mag

[Richard Hakluyt]

I believe it was Oscar Wilde who observed "...one must have a heart of stone to read of the infection of president Trump without laughing."

Very prescient.

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/oct/05/row-after-london-council-is-warned-off-enforcing-mask-rules-in-shops

Row after London council is warned off enforcing mask rules in shops

Ministers have been accused of putting the high street above public health after the business department warned council leaders against enforcing mask-wearing in supermarkets.

Four retailers – Sainsbury's, Lidl, Morrisons and B&M homeware stores – were issued with warning notices by Barking and Dagenham council in east London after their staff were seen failing to enforce mask-wearing and social distancing by customers.

After the enforcement notices were issued under antisocial behaviour legislation, stores are understood to have complained to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

A senior official at BEIS then phoned the council and said it "did not have powers to enforce these guidelines using the government's Covid-19 emergency powers" and that "the action had caused a negative reaction from the operators", according to a letter of complaint from the council to Alok Sharma, the business secretary.

The letter claims that the BEIS official, who said she was acting on behalf of Sharma, asked the council "to refrain from taking any further action against Lidl, B&M, Sainsbury's and Morrisons supermarket operations."

The wearing of masks in shops was made compulsory in England from 24 July, with fines for non-compliance. But supermarkets said they would not be responsible for enforcing the law, despite calls from police representatives for them to eject shoppers who refuse.

...

[Sheilbh]

There's nothing important here. Just a picture of the Speaker with his cat, Patrick:


(They're launching an online mental health forum for staff who work in Parliament - and he talked about his cat helping his own mental health.)

[The Larch]

When did Priti Patel go full Trumpian? Or was she already like that before?

On Sunday home secretary Priti Patel used a speech at the Conservative party conference to criticise lawyers who defend migrants, linking them directly with traffickers who help asylum-seekers to cross borders.

Patel said: "No doubt those who are well-rehearsed in how to play and profit from the broken system will lecture us on their grand theories about human rights. Those defending the broken system – the traffickers, the do-gooders, the lefty lawyers, the Labour party – they are defending the indefensible."

Priti Patel says Tories will bring in new laws for 'broken' UK asylum system
Human rights groups decry home secretary's plan to stop 'endless legal claims'


Priti Patel has called the asylum system "fundamentally broken" and promised new laws to deny asylum to those using illegal routes to enter the UK, causing dismay among human rights groups.

Speaking at the Conservative party conference, the home secretary said she would bring in legislation next year to stop "endless legal claims" from refused asylum seekers and was willing to face "being unpopular on Twitter" in order to bring claims down.

About 7,000 people have arrived in Britain this year after risking their lives in small boats to cross the Channel, in many cases fleeing persecution.

The Home Office is already facing questions over leaks exposing potential draconian measures to transfer asylum seekers to offshore detention in places as far from Britain as Ascension Island or Papua New Guinea.

Patel said the new system would be "firm but fair" and mean swifter acceptance for asylum seekers who came using legal routes, with 40,000 people awaiting decisions under the current system, and almost half forced to wait a year or more.

In the speech, Patel also delivered a staunch defence of policing and reprimanded Black Lives Matter protesters, criticising "some on the left ... who have called for us to defund the police" and condemning what she described as "hooliganism and thuggery" in the tearing down of statues linked to the slave trade or protests where Winston Churchill's statue was graffitied.

"It is not acceptable for mobs to tear down statues and cause criminal damage across our streets," she said.

Human rights campaigners said the Home Office asylum plan would put lives at risk. Minnie Rahman, public affairs and campaign manager at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: "Patel's speech shows a determination to make things worse, not better, by focusing on getting as many people as possible out of the UK as fast as possible.

"What she should be focusing on are the workable solutions already presented to her many times over: policymaking based on evidence and grounded in the rule of law; an overhaul of Home Office systems and training to eradicate racism; and more safe legal routes to claim asylum so that people do not risk death in their quest to reach safety."

In her speech, Patel claimed the system would be "fair and compassionate towards those who need our help".

"Fair by welcoming people through safe and legal routes," she said. "But firm because we will stop the abuse of the broken system. Firm, because we will stop those who come here illegally making endless legal claims to remain. And firm, because we will expedite the removal of those who have no claim for protection."

Amnesty International said Britain's current asylum policy was poor in terms of protecting the most vulnerable when compared to other nations in Europe.

Kate Allen, Amnesty UK's director, said: "It's clear that either the home secretary does not understand her own asylum system or she is simply determined to shirk even more responsibility for providing protection to people.

"The facts are that most women, men and children receiving asylum in this country are the very people she wishes to deprive of that in future – by preventing them getting here or taking away the legal protections on which they depend to ensure recognition of their rights.

"And it is shameless for her to imply the UK has some exemplary record in providing sanctuary. Many of this country's European neighbours – even more so several poorer and less stable countries further away – continue to do hugely more than the UK in providing a home to people forced to flee tyranny, torture and war."

Patel said illegal migration has "plagued many home secretaries, many political parties and many governments" but she said many were still risking their lives to cross the Channel in small boats.

"If the solution to stop this was simple and straightforward, then believe me, this issue would have been resolved by now," she said. "A fair asylum system should provide safe haven to those fleeing persecution, oppression or tyranny. But ours doesn't."

Patel suggested the government expected to hear legal challenges on the new approach, saying that those "well-rehearsed in how to play and profit from the broken system will lecture us on their grand theories about human rights". She said Labour had claimed lives will be lost but "lives are already being lost".

"If at times it means being unpopular on Twitter. I will bear it," she said. "Because as Conservatives, we do not measure the depth of our compassion in two hundred and eighty characters on Twitter, but in the actions we take and the choices we make."

[Sheilbh]

She's always been like that. She was involved in the Referendum Party (a late 90s version of UKIP - it used to be the dominant single issue Eurosceptic party). She's very dry, hardcore Thatcherite/right-wing.

[celedhring]

Always puzzles me when children of immigrants embrace anti-immigration 

[The Larch]

Always puzzles me when children of immigrants embrace anti-immigration 

I think it's actually much more common that one can imagine, the "close the door behind me once I cross it" kind of attitude.

[Tamas]

Also might be overcompensating for a perceived "handicap".

[celedhring]

I'm not sure Priti Patel should feel threatened, though. I get the ideological pull of "I want things to be like they always were!/they are stealing our jobs!" for locals... but successful children of immigrants like her? I guess it's trying a bit too hard to fit in?

[Sheilbh]

Always puzzles me when children of immigrants embrace anti-immigration 

Yeah I think it's fairly common. I think part of it is "my family did it (legally) and I'm successful - so there's nothing stopping others". Which is quite the take, but there we are.

[Tamas]

Nah, I think it is just trying too hard, probably. Plus, being an immigrant doesn't automatically remove your prejudices. As I told you guys, I am yet to meet a non-white Brit who brought up Brexit with me and did not vote Leave.

[Sheilbh]

I'm not sure Priti Patel should feel threatened, though. I get the ideological pull of "I want things to be like they always were!/they are stealing our jobs!" for locals... but successful children of immigrants like her? I guess it's trying a bit too hard to fit in?

It's particularly striking given that her family were Ugandan Indians so came to the UK as refugees. But I do think there's a thing of: we followed the rules, we've been successfully, people who don't do that are trying to cheat the system. Which is fine but does sort of ignore that the reason her family followed the rules was because the UK decided to accept a large number of Ugandan Indian refugees.

Nah, I think it is just trying too hard, probably. Plus, being an immigrant doesn't automatically remove your prejudices. As I told you guys, I am yet to meet a non-white Brit who brought up Brexit with me and did not vote Leave.

I am yet to meet anyone who brings up Brexit who didn't vote leave

Except for friends I suppose. Brexit if you're a remainer is just a sad thing, leavers get to (and often do) gloat because they won.

[Josquius]

I recall back at brexit referendum time seeing some interviews with Poles who said they were planning to vote leave, their reasoning being they're already here.
A desire to fit in is a large part of it I reckon. The whole thing that if  you're part of the pitchfork waving mob then the mob isn't after you. But lets not under-estimate the fact that some people are just selfish cunts.