Category Archives: Conservative

Conservative, General, Labour

Unfit to be Prime Minister

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Google the words ‘unfit to be Prime Minister’ and you get an even split between Corbyn and Johnson. What the results have in common is that all the claims are made by people close to them, who know them well.

In a first past the post election with two main parties we are told that they are the only choices we have. This is utterly untrue. In fact a hung parliament, which is still the most likely outcome, may well produce a coalition government where the price of co-operation is for either the Conservative or Labour Party leader to step down.

This is not a two horse race. They have both been described as unfit for the job so we shouldn’t vote for either of them.

Conservative, General

Fake Video “Light Hearted and Satirical” says Cleverley

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Yesterday official Conservative channels shared a doctored interview with Labour’s Keir Starmer. Today Conservative Chairman James Cleverley decsribed the edit as “lighthearted”. Most pundits found it a bit sinister.

Entering into the spirit of fun an frivolity we’ve edited a video of the PM where he claims not to want Brexit and hints that Theresa May running through fields is to blame for the current mess. See what you think.

 

Conservative, Parliament

PM Dissents From Supreme Court Ruling

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The PM’s decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday.

Boris Johnson reacted by saying that he “profoundly disagreed” with the ruling but would “respect” it.  A  government official said that he  spoke to the Queen after the  ruling.  The BBC reported that the Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said to cabinet ministers that the court enacted a “constitutional coup”.

The PM insisted he still planned to outline government policy in a Queen’s Speech on 14 October.  During a speech in New York, where he was attending UN meetings,  the PM said he “refused to be deterred” from getting on with “an exciting and dynamic domestic agenda”.

Conservative, Europe

Invisible Man

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The UK PM left the Luxemburg meeting today to resounding boos from a crown of about 200 protestors, many of whom were British ex-pats. Boris Johnson was expected to hold a news conference with Luxemburg’s PM Xavier Bettel after having lunch with Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker.

The talks appeared to have done little if anything, to move Britain closer to a deal with the EU. That, combined with the prospect off noises off from an angry crowd led the Prime Minister to leave without talking to the press.  Xavier Bettel however went ahead without him leaving an empty lectern where Borsis should have been.

Over the weekend Boris discribed himself at The Incredible Hulk after his no show today social media branded him ‘The Invisible Man’.

Conservative, Hung Parliament, Parliament

Boris Defeated in Commons Showdown

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The House of Commons has voted by 328 votes to 301 to take control of the Commons order paper. It essentially means that the Prime Minister has lost control of the House and stregthens the likelihood that the Commons will vote tomorrow to say that we can’t leave the EU without a deal.

An angry Boris Johnson confirmed that he would seek a general election by tabling a motion under the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

Conservative, Hung Parliament

Boris Loses Commons Majority

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson lost his working majority today after after a Tory MP Phillip Lee defected to the Liberal Democrats. He physicaly crossed the floor of the Commons as Mr Johnson began giving a statement on the G7 summit.

In his resignation letterhe said: “After a great deal of thought, I have reached the conclusion that it is no longer possible to serve my constituents’ and country’s best interests as a Conservative Member of Parliament …the Brexit process has helped to transform this once great Party in to something more akin to a narrow faction, where an individual’s ‘conservatism’ is measured by how recklessly one wishes to leave the European Union.”

He added: “That is why today I am joining Jo Swinson and the Liberal Democrats. I believe the Liberal Democrats are best placed to build the unifying and inspiring political force needed to heal our divisions, unleash our talents, equip us to take the opportunities and overcome the challenges that we face as a society – and leave our country and our world in a better place for the next generations.”

Earlier in the day, Formet Tory cabinet minister Justine Greening said she would not stand for the Tory party at the next election.

Even with the continued support of the DUP. Boris Johnson can no longer command a majority in the House of Commons,

Conservative, Parliament

PM Will Win Tonight

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Having analysed the public declarations of Conservative MPs this morning we’re predicting that Theresa May will win the vote of no confidence and probably by a big margin.

Of the 115 we’ve found who have gone public, 109 are supporting their party leader and just six have indicated they will vote against her. This is fewer than half the total number of Tory MPs but it is a big sample. Amongst the 109 there may me some who voice support but will secretly cast a vote of no confidence. There’s also an argument that says you are more likely to go public with a declaration of support than disloyalty. Both these factors would have to loom large to have an impact on the result.

It may not be a landslide but it will be a sizeable victory and no further leadership challenge will be permitted for 12 months. It will put May in a far stronger position than she was at the start of the week.

You can see a full list of Tory MPs here with an indication of how they will vote tonight.

Conservative

No Confidence Vote May Strengthen PM

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The vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister as leader of the Conservative Party will take place this evening (Wednesday 12 December). Graham Brady (above), Chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, announced this morning that he had received the necessary 48 letters to trigger the vote.

It is likely that the PM will win. The PMs opponents within the party have struggled to reach the magic number of 48 letters in recent weeks. In other circumstances that would wound a sitting leader, damaging them enough to precipitate defeat. In these unusual times the anti May caucus, needs to find another 100 plus MPs that will vote against May at 6pm tonight. That would mean no new leader before the deadline for a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal of 21 January. The result of voting the PM out would almost certainly lead to a no deal Brexit. Most Tory MPs don’t want that.

If May wins she’s safe from another vote for 12 months by which time she will have probably have left office of her own accord. In that event, the attempt to unseat the PM by hard line Brexiteers, will have backfired.

Conservative, Europe, Hung Parliament, Parliament

The End of May?

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The day after PM Theresa May forced her draft Brexit deal through the cabinet her proposal and possibly her premiership has unravelled.  A series of resignations from government and letters to Graham Brady the chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee will trigger a no-confidence motion that will take place in days possibly as soon as tomorrow.

The only way for May to avoid the vote, which she might well win, would be to resign.  All Conservative MPs can vote and if May wins, she remains as PM and cannot be challenged by her party for 12 months. Lose and she must resign and is not eligible to stand in the leadership election that will follow.

May’s replacement will become prime minister without a general election. The election is by secret ballot and the candidate with the fewest votes is removed. Dependent on the number there are several votes (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) until only there are just two candidates who face each other in a postal ballot of the whole Conservative Party membership.  The whole process could take several weeks.

Given that the Tories have no majority the combined opposition parties could pass a vote of No Confidence in the government and trigger a general election.