Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Josquius]

I remain sceptical on Johnsons fall in popularity. Regularly see interview with voters pieces where they run into the usual suspects who say he's better than the alternatives.

Also a worry and a plus for the tories is their last success may spur on voters in other traditionally non tory seats as much as it scares away those who protest voted.

I'm hopeful. But this negative brexity scenario remains.

[Sheilbh]

I mentioned the case of Patrick Grady, SNP whip, making unwanted and discouraged sexual advances on a young man who works for the SNP in Westminster. It wasn't his only complaint of being sexually harassed - but the latest on that and it's pretty disgraceful, from the Scottish Mail:

Secret recording exposes how Ian Blackford directed SNP group to back party's sex pest MP
JOHN STEVENS Deputy Political Editor
June 17, 2022
 
SCOTTISH nationalists in Westminster have been directed to give their 'absolute full support' to a sex pest MP, the Mail can reveal.

A secret recording exposes how the SNP's leader in the Commons told MPs to rally around shamed Patrick Grady.

In the bombshell tape, leaked to this newspaper, a gathering of the parliamentary group can be heard shouting 'hear, hear' at calls for him to be supported.

The SNP is refusing to expel Grady after he was found to have made 'unwanted sexual advances' towards a teenager. The former chief whip was accused of touching and stroking the neck, hair and back of a 19-year-old male party worker at a London pub.

A Westminster probe concluded earlier this week that he had significantly breached Parliament's sexual misconduct policy with the disturbing overtures towards a junior staff member in 2016. Grady, now 42, was handed a two-day suspension from the Commons.

Opponents have called for him to step down from his Glasgow North seat and urged the SNP to expel him from the party for his disgraceful behaviour.

But at a meeting of the SNP's parliamentary group on Tuesday night it was decided he should only lose the party whip until he has completed the two-day suspension from the Commons.

At least one SNP MP has contacted the victim offering support and expressing concern at the way the complaint has been handled.

A recording obtained by the Mail reveals how Ian Blackford, who leads the party at Westminster, celebrated the choice to allow Grady to remain as a Nationalist MP just 15 minutes after the limited suspension was agreed.

Following the decision, he told the party group that he 'would encourage' them to give 'as much support as possible' to their shamed colleague.

'He's going to face a number of challenges over the short term and so he should have our absolute full support,' Mr Blackford said. 'I for one very much look forward to welcoming Patrick back into the group next week. I am sure that everybody here will agree.'

In the tape, the MPs applauded other SNP frontbenchers speaking in support of Grady.

Amy Callaghan, the party's pensions spokesman, told her fellow MPs: 'We should be rallying together around him to support him at this time.' Her comments were greeted with a shout of 'hear, hear' and loud clapping.

The SNP leadership was made aware of the allegations against Grady in February 2018, but he remained as chief whip at Westminster for a further three years. He finally stepped down from the post in May 2021 after a formal investigation was launched by the Commons authorities.

The report this week raised concerns about how the matter had been handled by Mr Blackford, who previously promised that the SNP Westminster group would 'have zero tolerance of unacceptable behaviour'.

After learning of the claims, the SNP Westminster leader summoned the victim to a meeting where Grady made an apology.

The report said: 'The complainant accepted the apology but made clear in his evidence that the circumstances of the informal resolution were difficult: he felt under pressure to accept the apology and felt "ambushed" by Mr Blackford and Mr Grady, as he had no advance notice of why he was asked to go to Mr Blackford's office, nor was he told that Mr Grady would be there.

'The complainant said he felt intimidated into accepting the apology when put in such a situation with two people who had so much influence over his career.' The victim has condemned the SNP's 'atrocious' decision to only temporarily suspend Grady.

In an interview with the Mail this week, the worker, who is still an SNP staff member at Westminster, raised concerns that he will be 're-traumatised' when he has to come face to face with the MP.

On the decision to withdraw the party whip only until Grady's  two-day parliament suspension has been completed, he said: 'I thought it was atrocious, and it was extremely disappointing given the lines from the party in the past stating that they have a zero tolerance approach to harassment.

'The decision from the group shows there isn't zero tolerance, there is a tolerance to a certain degree of what sexual misconduct can be allowed in the party.

'I am shocked that I am in the position where I am going to have to return to work with this man and work with him as an SNP MP. It has put me in an impossible situation and it seems to me that the group as a whole, but led by Ian Blackford, are still protecting Patrick Grady, even after the report has vindicated me.'

He added: 'Ian needs to consider his position as leader of the group, because one of the roles as leader of the group is overall responsibility of staff. As long as that remains a responsibility of the leader, Ian Blackford is not fit to be leader.'

A spokesman for the SNP Westminster group said: 'Staff and MPs have been offered pastoral support throughout this process. The group has a duty to ensure the personal welfare of all involved, including the impact on mental health and well-being.'

Again it's good that the Commons is setting up structures for members of staff and giving them routes to make complaints about misconduct - but not great that ultimately the parties and MPs don't seem to be taking it seriously and the enforcement. Rallying around the guy who's taking advantage of his position of power over a 19 year old staffer is not great

[Jacob]

Fun little video (feat. Patrick Stewart and others) on the Good Friday agreements and the European Charter of Human rights:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1536849270762098690

[Tamas]

I am sure Zelensky was happy to set aside his war of national survival for a few hours to hide Johnson from his MPs angry constituents.

[celedhring]

If every time BoJo has political problems in the UK he's going to travel to Kyiv* and rain guns & ammo on Zelensky, I'm sure the Ukrainians will be pretty happy with the arrangement.

*Or alternatively stir up shit with the EU, but we'll take one for the team.

[Tamas]

Fair enough 

[Tamas]

A few days ago UK economic data showed British workers happy to oblige Bank of England president, and not getting pay rises, making it easier to fight inflation without risking the president's property and stock portfolio.

However, selfishness maybe overtaking the souls of at least some workers:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/18/strike-chaoes-teachers-nhs-staff-action-pay-rail-unions

[Josquius]

I guess it's a weird balance. When economic times are bad it usually means job losses so puts a lot into fearful accept anyrhing or lose your job altogether mode.

[Sheilbh]

The public sector have had a lot of pay freezes or caps over the last 12 years so it seems justified to me that they're pushing for a higher settlement now.

On the other hand the relative of pay growth compared to the US is one of the reasons I think the UK is more like Europe on inflation right now. If there's also larger pay awards then there's a bit of a risk of inflation getting embedded and we're a little closer to the US (without their growth).

[The Larch]

One more example from the Daily Mail about woke having become a meaningless adjective in British public discourse:

UK builders go WOKE: Study finds three quarters of tradesmen discuss their feelings with colleagues while two thirds shun the fried breakfasts and nearly half say they are history buffs

[Josquius]

 

Got my dad right here so checked.

Have to say the feeling one surprises me. Wonder what they asked to get that. My dad said "well I've got my bad leg. Always moaning about that feeling"
No full English - well yeah. When you've an hour drive to start work you don't have time for that.
Wouldnt being into history (despite actually not knowing much) be part of the typical anti woke package?

[Richard Hakluyt]

They don't have loads of sugar in their tea anymore either and sometimes they bring flasks of good coffee...

ITS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD!!!!


STOP THE WOKENESS!!!

[HVC]

What's all this about the impending rail strike? How likely is it to go through?

[Richard Hakluyt]

A certainty I think. There will be 3-one-day strikes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday which will also bugger up the days between the strikes; more to come I expect.

[Josquius]

Yeah. I was mean to go to London next Wednesday but this has been pushed back to July as there's going to be tube strikes then too.