He Who Fights Monsters
As Guido reports, the speech that Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit Coordinator, made to the Liberal Democrat conference was rapturously received. He said, We cannot continue, dear...
View ArticleWe have had enough of experts. Yes, really.
Michael Gove’s famous or infamous quote about having “had enough of experts” has often been held up as an example of anti-intellectualism. Perhaps if Faisal Islam had spent less of the next half minute...
View ArticleProrogation unlawful
The supreme court ruled that the prorogation was unlawful. It is unclear what the implications of this are, besides that Parliament will sit for more days than expected and that future prorogations...
View ArticleDoes Dominic Cummings look bovvered?
Last night Dominic Cummings was questioned by a Sky News reporter. He looks quite happy. We’ll see what we do about the Benn Act when we get to the right date. […] I don’t have a master plan. People...
View ArticleI thought Chancellors of the Exchequer were supposed to understand this sort...
In theory I ought to like Independent MPs. In practice they are often cranks. So strong is this correlation that I begin to suspect that there might be causation involved. Perhaps the bites on the neck...
View ArticleAnd fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling, Show’d like a rebel’s whore
The Independent‘s John Rentoul is scarcely likely to be happy at what the latest poll by Opinium says, but dutifully tweeted it anyway: Opinium poll for Observer, Cons back to 15-pt lead: Con 38% +2...
View ArticleBrexit according to Merkel
According to No. 10 Angela Merkel thinks that Northern Ireland must enact all EU regulations forever. Ways out of this? Ireland leaves the EU. The EU changes its mind. The UK, complete with Northern...
View ArticleQuoth the Raven, “Nevermore”
Earlier today Robert Peston, the Political Editor of ITV News, tweeted: This feels very big. PM spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at 8am this morning. According to Downing Street source, she...
View ArticleRighty ho, Guy
Just when the Remain side had got some traction for their line about the evils of inflammatory language with that embarrassingly crude tweet from Leave.EU that called Angela Merkel a “kraut” and...
View ArticleLight at the end of the tunnel?
Boris Johnson is about to go into a tunnel, apparently. I think that means something like: the EU has agreed to properly sit down and have a talk about that deal they said was the final possible deal....
View ArticleThe unity candidate
The Sunday Times reports, Jeremy Corbyn ‘would support John Bercow as unity PM’ This is some new meaning of the word “unity” not previously known to me. I do not believe I am alone in preferring the...
View ArticleKnowing when to fold ’em
Interesting times. Boris Johnson ‘on brink of Brexit deal’ after border concessions, reports the Guardian, making the best of what is for it a painful dilemma. The Guardian, along with all the Remain...
View ArticleHow do you want today’s negotiations to turn out?
Michel Barnier optimistic of deal after PM makes concessions on Irish border This may be a minority opinion round here, but I hope that a deal is agreed today. If it is it will probably be a bad deal...
View ArticleA little still she strove, and much repented, And whispering ‘I will ne’er...
There is news, my friends, and my title quote from the first canto of Byron’s Don Juan could apply to both parties involved: New Brexit deal agreed, UK PM Boris Johnson says
View ArticleMartin Howe on the Boris deal
Is Boris Johnson’s deal with the EU BRexit In Name Only? What kind of exit from the EU will a Tory party with an overall majority deliver? Important questions for anyone struggling to decide whether to...
View ArticleThree and a half shower thoughts
1) I am beginning to think that the best strategy for the Leave side would be for the Brexit Party and the Conservatives to make no official pact, and to continue to denounce each other vigorously, but...
View ArticleI am not going to vote Tory
When people tell me “you must vote for Boris’ party or we will never get Brexit” I usually respond with “Because you trust & believe a Tory leader to actually do what he says & are willing to...
View ArticleMaking doubly sure Leave cannot win
It was always clear that the “credible Leave option” that the Labour party proposes to pit against Remain in a second referendum is a fake. The plan is for Sir Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry to get...
View ArticleThe axes have rotated
Sometimes all one can say is “Read this”. It is by peer-turned-pollster Lord Ashcroft, who used to be Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, but whose relations with the Tories are no longer so...
View Article