Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Valmy]

I would appreciate you stop bullying Corbyn like this Sheilbh in your Blaownite way. Somewhere Corbyn is suffering trauma due to the mean things you have to say.

[Valmy]

And he might sue

For mental distress. Poor dear

[Sheilbh]

Gotta admire Tory ruthlessness indeed. Everybody closely tied with Brexit (Cameron, Johnson, Gove) has been utterly destroyed politically. More flesh for Moloch.

Watching their leadership election and even all the Leadsom/Gove/Boris supporters now immediately fall in behind May...it is incredible the Tory will to win.

[Barrister]

I have to say though, as someone whose Conservatism is well established, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that the leadership is going to proceed by acclamation.  That speaks to the party's weakness, not its strength.

[Sheilbh]

I have to say though, as someone whose Conservatism is well established, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that the leadership is going to proceed by acclamation.  That speaks to the party's weakness, not its strength.

I mean in fairness it wasn't quite by acclamation. George Osborne was destroyed by the Leave vote, Boris Johnson was stabbed in the back by his ally. Then they had an election and weakest candidate was eliminated, another candidate - seeing a bandwagon - withdrew and nominated May. Then the Tory MPs whittled the field down to two, May who's been Home Secretary for six years and Leadsom who's been an MP for six years and a junior minister for 2. She then withdrew because of the pressure and 'nastiness' of the media.

It may have been better if the Tories had chosen Gove to face May (if only to avoid the distant possibility of a Leadsom ministry) but it's hardly been a coronation like Howard in 2003 or Brown in 2007. May was just helped by all her major opponents wiping each other out beforehand.

[PJL]

Yes, the Tory leadership election was definitely decided by the crack suicide squad this time.

[Agelastus]

I have to say though, as someone whose Conservatism is well established, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that the leadership is going to proceed by acclamation.  That speaks to the party's weakness, not its strength.

Why? The "going to the party members" bit is a recent innovation - I don't see why anyone but the parliamentary party should be involved in deciding who the leader should be; they're the ones who will have to work directly for and with said leader, not the party members.

-----------------

And the BBC news...every reporter and presenter going on about "unelected leader" and "no mandate from the country" etc.

[mongers]

Angela Eagle doesn't look like a very effective politician or communicator, I think the Labour 'rebels' should coalesce around the Welshman Owen Smith.

[Valmy]

And the BBC news...every reporter and presenter going on about "unelected leader" and "no mandate from the country" etc.

Huh. Which of the MPs presently in Parliament are unelected? Which ones have no mandate? Why can they not select a new leader?

If that is the attitude the British are going to take they might as well adopt the French Constitution.

[Zanza]

2025 we become like one of those Eastern European countries with a broad centre-right party, a sort-of liberal party and a populist right opposition.

With the positive, inclusive civic English nationalism you talked about that won't be a problem, right?

[Richard Hakluyt]

That "one nation conservatism" in May's speech was interesting. Though it was also reminiscent of Thatcher when she became PM (with quotes from St Francis no less  ). Whether she can do anything about it is another thing but at least she seems aware of the problem.

[Sheilbh]

Brick thrown through Angela Eagle's windows and one of her backers, Chris Bryant, speaking to the police following a death threat

[celedhring]

Brick thrown through Angela Eagle's windows and one of her backers, Chris Bryant, speaking to the police following a death threat

Somehow I'm instantly reminded of House of Cards (American version) where the main character sets up a brick attack on his own house to discredit the unions during a showdown with them.

And no, I'm sure this is legit.

[garbon]

People are the worst.

[garbon]

Looks like Corbyn finally had that hanging shrubbery fixed.