Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Tamas]

I feel I should should be happier that we have a woman PM for the first time since Thatcher.

I am actually liking the fact both in this race and in Hillary's case it has been largely irrelevant (until Leadsom applied her charming comments) that some contestans are female. This is the way it should be - it should be irrelevant and no eyebrows raised -neither in a negative nor positive way- over an office-holder's gender.

[Valmy]

I am actually liking the fact both in this race and in Hillary's case it has been largely irrelevant (until Leadsom applied her charming comments) that some contestans are female. This is the way it should be - it should be irrelevant and no eyebrows raised -neither in a negative nor positive way- over an office-holder's gender.

Well you knew that was how it was eventually going to happen.

[Ed Anger]

Women leaders. 

[Brazen]

Shane I've ruled myself out of any background checks to get into politics

[Richard Hakluyt]

Cameron will see the Queen after PM's questions on Wednesday and resign; presumably May will see the Queen shortly after and be PM by that evening.

[garbon]

That was kind of cute what the hot mic caught on Cameron as he entered no. 10.

This, from the BBC's Daniel Sandford, is a delight. David Cameron had his mic on as he returned to Number 10 and was recorded humming loudly, before coming out with a purposeful "right" as the door closed behind him.

[Valmy]

What song was he humming?

[garbon]

I don't know if it would be possible to tell as he only said about 3 or 4 doo doos. Someone on guardian feed guessed the west wing theme song.

[Valmy]

Well that is just adorable.

[Gups]

This is the best possible outcome in the circumstances. A competent PM and a quick handover of power.

[The Brain]

What song was he humming?

Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)

[Sheilbh]

Why does she "terrify" you, any particular reason? Seems a fairly standard Tory to me.

Because she's formidable. She's absolutely the best candidate for the job - especially against Leadsom. But I think she's very impressive, see her Remain speech and the Police Federation. As someone who generally opposes her politics - stopping search and rescue in the Med, 'Go Home' vans etc - she's a terrifying prospect.

One thing stuck with me was I was recently chatting to a guy who works in politics and he has to speak with civil servants a lot. In general he says civil servants will tell you what the minister thinks with a raised eyebrow and often have a slightly different spin on what the 'Department' thinks. The one exception he's come across is the Home Office. Her civil servants are either scared or very impressed into very strong loyalty.

I'm not sure about what she actually stands for either. There was a great line in the FT about her being a bit of a blank slate and inscrutable, it commented that even her allies know her like Londoners know their neighbours. Her speech today was an interesting start and she is in an authoritarian department....so....who knows?

Also, May as PM as soon as Thursday?

Wednesday. Apparently the Queen is in Balmoral and rather than doing the decent thing and going to Scotland (God forbid) the PM is making her come back to London.

I believe Labour and Lib Dems have called for a general election.

They have to. It's one of the rituals of British politics. What was amazing was that it became clear we were getting Theresa to be PM, Angela was announcing her leadership bit, and Corbyn was (genuinely) giving a speech to representatives of Cuba Solidarity Campaign. So Labour called for a general election and announced that they were going to election footing.

Six minutes later they announced there was a valid challenger and there would be a leadership contest

Shitty female and minority and LGBT politicians are still shitty politicians

David Coburn - gay, UKIP. I'll give you. But Sturgeon and Davidson are excellent, Kezia Dugdale's too new to judge and Patrick Harvie's fine too.

I don't know I like that this is where we are as a country that - by my count - two Cabinet Ministers have come out in the last year and no-one's batted an eyelid. The campaign to lead the Tory party came down to two women, the challenger to Corbyn is a lesbian, the First Minister of Scotland is a woman and her two main opponents are lesbians. All of this has happened in the space of the last two or three years and no-one really comments on it or noticed it. And the Mayor of London's a Muslim - that got a lot more comment though. But it's one of those things that's a nice reminder that the UK in 2016 isn't a dreadful place.

I did kind of like the Tory lady in Scotland but it is not like she is going to win anything.

She did do very well though. Took the Tories to second in Scotland, one of the best Remain performers etc.

Edit: I mean she doubled their number of seats and increased their vote by 8-10%

Edit: Also it's taken the same amount of time for the Tory Party to have a leadership election and brutally destroy several contenders as for the Labour Party to decide to have a challenge to the leadership

[Richard Hakluyt]

@Sheilbh - ah I see. I'm glad she is formidable myself, given the circumstances, and six years at the Home Office has not ruined the country yet..............I shall hope for the best 

(Reading Barnaby Rudge at the moment, the descriptions of the carelessness of the people leading up to the Gordon Riots are surprisingly relevant  )

[celedhring]

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

[Sheilbh]

Meanwhile in the Labour Party Len McCluskey takes the challenge to Corbyn well, announcing that those working against him will be 'branded forever with the mark of infamy for betraying their party and country.'

Here's my nightmare scenario.

May goes for an early general election, say, while Labour are still in a leadership struggle.
May carries all before her. Labour plunges to 1983 or below levels.
Corbynites declare that this is because the PLP wouldn't unite behind Corbyn/it's good because it's got rid of those disloyal elements in marginal seats and their grip on the party is strengthened.
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

Edit: Incidentally someone did a poll on who'd make best PM: May - 62%, Corbyn - 18%. I can't think, off the top of my head, of an opposition leader who has ever polled that poorly.

Edit: Also it looks like the NEC might well rule that Corbyn does need the nominations. In effect he won't be able to run...And he might sue