Brexit and not very united kingdom politics II

[Batman]

That's the whole point-to discourage asylum seekers. 'If you have the audacity to seek asylum in the UK, we'll deport you to to a place where there's a large probability you'll be killed.'

[EnterpriseSovereign]

It was supposed to start today until it was blocked by a series of legal challenges. Nobody is going to be deported to Rwanda just yet.

[Crazedwraith]

That's the whole point-to discourage asylum seekers. 'If you have the audacity to seek asylum in the UK, we'll deport you to to a place where there's a large probability you'll be killed.'

No shit, except that's also not what they want to sound like they're doing so they're going on about how great it is and how it's safe and it'll be full of opportunity for them and so on.

Just pointing out the disconnect between the intention and words. Which I realise is not ground breaking when talking about politicians.

As ES says it stopped at the last second at least for now.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

The response of the UK press has been all-too predictable. As has the government's;

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... t#comments

No 10 revives prospect of UK leaving European convention on human rights, saying 'all options on table'

Downing Street has refused to rule out the UK withdrawing from the European convention on human rights to allow it to implement the Rwanda deportation policy more easily. At the post-PMQs briefing, asked if the UK could withdraw from the ECHR, the PM’s spokesperson said:

We are keeping all options on the table including any further legal reforms that may be necessary. We will look at all of the legislation and processes in this round.

This is more or less word for word what Boris Johnson said about this in a TV interview yesterday. But the significance of No 10 saying this now, when it has had almost 24 hours to prepare a line, is that it shows Downing Street is serious about floating this as an option. If Johnson thought he went too far yesterday, and wanted to downplay the prospects of the UK leaving the ECHR, the spokesperson could easily have given a briefing stressing this was most unlikely.

(And, realistically, ECHR withdrawal is unlikely. The Good Friday agreement, which Johnson professes to support, is based on the UK remaining committed to the convention, and the UK eventually agreed to include ECHR commitments in its Brexit deal with the EU.)

The No 10 line also suggests that Guy Opperman and Thérèse Coffey, the two ministers who played down the prospect of the UK leaving the convention in interviews this morning (see 9.39am), were freelancing, not delivering a No 10 message.

I confess I'm not sure whether Bojo is remotely serious about this. The simple reason is that he would have to put a bill before Parliament, and the current bill regarding the protocol is expected to take 18 months. That's a long time to wait before he can really cash-in popularity-wise, and a lot of time for things to go wrong. Besides, it means exposing himself not only to parliamentary opposition, but an emboldened Tory opposition; who might just be willing to openly vote against him.

My inner cynic thinks he's planning - or fears - a general election this year, and is shoring up Hard Brexit support in the meantime.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Who is Lord Geidt - the man who has resigned as Boris Johnson's ethics advisor?

Lord Geidt's resignation as Boris Johnson’s ethics chief has dealt a fresh blow to the PM's beleaguered premiership as the fallout from the Partygate scandal continues.

He became the second ministerial interests adviser to resign during Mr Johnson's three years in office, when a brief statement was published on the government website announcing his departure.

The crossbench peer's dramatic exit made headlines on Wednesday, but his name remains largely unknown to the public, despite holding huge sway in politics.

So, who exactly is the man whose resignation threatens to derail the prime minister's grip on office and what did he do while he was Mr Johnson's ethics chief?

What issues did Lord Geidt have to deal with while he was the PM's ethics adviser?

Lord Geidt's predecessor Sir Alex Allan quit in 2020 after Mr Johnson refused to accept his finding that Home Secretary Priti Patel had bullied civil servants.
He began the job last April by leading an inquiry into the funding of renovations to Mr Johnson’s Downing Street flat following reports over the cost of the work.

His report, which was published the following month, found Mr Johnson had not broken the ministerial code over the refurbishment.

Lord Geidt later launched a probe into former health secretary Matt Hancock after it was reported he held shares in a family company which had won an NHS contract.

In May 2021, the ethics adviser concluded that Mr Hancock had committed a “minor” but undeliberate breach of the ministerial code and should not resign from his post.

In April this year, Lord Geidt also cleared Chancellor Rishi Sunak of breaching the ministerial code over the tax affairs of his family.

Mr Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, was reported as holding non-domiciled tax status, exempting her from paying UK tax on overseas earnings.

Lord Geidt found two instances where Ms Murty’s tax status “could have given rise to a conflict of interest” for the Chancellor.

But he found in the first instance the issue was properly declared, and in the second Mr Sunak assured a Treasury change for some non-dom individuals did not affect his wife.

Why did Lord Geidt suggest the PM may have broken the ministerial code over the Partygate scandal?

Last month, Lord Geidt suggested Mr Johnson may have breached the ministerial code after being fined following partygate.

Mr Johnson responded that the fixed penalty notice he was given by the Metropolitan Police “did not breach” the ministerial code as there was “no intent to break the law”.

On Tuesday, Lord Geidt reiterated his comments during an appearance at the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

The committee noted that he had been given a “small pool” of staff to help him following a request he made to Mr Johnson in December, a move which he said had been “very helpful”.

Two weeks ago, ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen analysed how much extra trouble Lord Geidt's intervention spelt for the PM

He added: “I’m very glad to have it because the amount of traffic that comes to the Office of Independent Adviser has grown very greatly in my time.”

Questioned why, he told MPs: “I think matters relating to the code have become a matters of greater profile in the public square.”

Lord Geidt also told MPs on the committee he had felt “frustration” over partygate and that the option of him resigning was “always on the agenda as an available remedy to a particular problem.”

According to The Guardian, one person who had spoken to him said he was “sick of being lied to".

Another person was said to have believed he was “frustrated” at his portrayal as a “patsy”, the paper reported, with him then finally sending a strongly worded letter to the PM on Wednesday after a "long night of the soul".
What has been the immediate political reaction to Lord Geidt's dramatic resignation?

A government spokesperson said officials were surprised by his exit, given his "commitment to the role".

"We are surprised by this decision, given Lord Geidt’s commitment to the role, to the Prime Minister, and in his evidence to the House of Commons just yesterday," the statement said.

"This week, the independent adviser was asked to provide advice on a commercially sensitive matter in the national interest, which has previously had cross-party support. No decision had been taken pending that advice.

"Whilst we are disappointed, we thank Lord Geidt for his public service. We will appoint a new adviser in due course."

The PM is said to be totally surprised by the resignation.
A senior source told ITV News Political Correspondent Daniel Hewitt that the sudden departure remains a "mystery" to Mr Johnson, as on Monday he allegedly asked if he could stay on for another half of a year.

Labour former minister Chris Bryant tweeted that "Christopher Geidt is one of the most honourable men I have ever met".
“In the end he was a decent man working for an indecent prime minister," he wrote.
“He thought he could discreetly bring about incremental change but he was repeatedly lied to by No 10. In honour Johnson should resign."

[Zaune]

Anyone else surprised he even bothered to have an ethics advisor on the payroll in the first place?

[Crazedwraith]

not really? it's good for optics.

Surprised it hasn't been filled with a spinelesas yes man though.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

A mildly interesting development.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ied-to-mps

Boris Johnson may have to give evidence under oath about whether he lied to MPs
Privileges committee investigating whether PM misled parliament when he said ‘no Covid rules were broken’

Aubrey Allegretti

Fri 17 Jun 2022 17.00 BST

Boris Johnson could be ordered to give evidence under oath when MPs begin a new investigation into claims he lied about Partygate.

The privileges committee is expected to start its inquiry within the next month and will aim to deliver a verdict by the autumn on whether Johnson misled parliament. Sessions are likely to be held in public, in an attempt to limit potential criticism about the group’s work and avoid any accusations of a “cover up”.

A call for evidence may also be set up before the summer recess, for people – including potential whistleblowers working in No 10 – to submit any testimony or evidence.

The committee will not seek to reinvestigate the extent of Covid law-breaking in Downing Street, which was the subject of inquiries by Scotland Yard and Whitehall, but will instead focus on whether Johnson misled MPs.

Challenged in the Commons about initial reports of parties in No 10 last December, the prime minister repeatedly denied strict lockdown rules were breached. “All guidance was followed completely in No 10,” he told the Commons on 1 December. A week later Johnson said: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken.”

As part of the inquiry, sources said Johnson would probably be called to give evidence under oath given the seriousness of the allegation against him. The ministerial code says that those “who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the prime minister”.

The step of requiring a witness to give evidence under oath to a parliamentary committee is not unprecedented but rarely used. The Parliamentary Witnesses Oaths Act stipulates that the oath is administered by the committee’s chair or clerk, and any false evidence carries the penalty of perjury.

After criticism over the handling of the Met and Sue Gray inquiries, a source said of the privileges committee investigation: “The adults are in charge now.”

Whitehall insiders believe that some evidence Gray decided not to publish, such as further photographs from the dozen parties investigated, could be released by the privileges committee. Senior Tory MPs have sought to discredit the potential findings of the privileges committee, claiming that the Labour MP Harriet Harman, who is expected to be installed as chair during the inquiry, has made biased comments against Johnson.

This week, Michael Ellis, the paymaster general, said it was “an age-old principle of natural justice that no person should be a judge in their own court” and that “where an individual has given a view on the guilt or innocence of any person, they ought not to then sit in judgment on that person”.

He added: “I have no doubt that the right honourable lady will consider that.”

Labour has called the pushback an effort by the government to “dodge scrutiny and get Johnson off the hook”.

After the embarrassing resignation of his ethics adviser, Christopher Geidt, for threatening to break the ministerial code, the prime minister was urged not to leave the role permanently vacant. Abolishing the position would be “quite a big mistake”, said John Penrose, a Tory MP who recently quit as the government’s anti-corruption tsar.

He added: “I think one of the reasons why it’s important to have some continuity, why it’s important to have – if not a precise replacement then an effective succession here – is to make sure that you don’t leave really quite damaging questions dangling and that anything that’s outstanding doesn’t just get forgotten and lost.”

Penrose said Johnson was “currently overdrawn, if I can put it that way, on his account with both the voters and with the parliamentary party” and that No 10 needed to show it was “serious” about addressing their concerns.

Downing Street defended its review of the ethics adviser role, saying the prime minister would take advice from those within No 10 as well as “others with expertise in this area”.

“It may be that the prime minister decides to make a like-for-like replacement, or it might be that we set up a different body that undertakes the same functions,” a No 10 spokesperson said.

They refused to commit to the review being completed within a year, saying: “I wouldn’t get into timelines.”

Interesting, because it may affect when the next leadership challenge comes. Will the Tories let this go ahead, or destroy him before he can embarrass them further?

[Vendetta]

A mildly interesting development.

<snip>

Interesting, because it may affect when the next leadership challenge comes. Will the Tories let this go ahead, or destroy him before he can embarrass them further?

The Tories won't be able to get rid of him easily, they've had a VoNC and party rules mean they can't have another one for a year.

The interesting thing will be if the privileges committee recommends a suspension, they'll either have to vote it down and share in every grubby thing that Johnson does when the next round of elections comes up (he's already poison in byelections, of which two more this month) or we'll have a PM who is *not allowed into the House of Commons* (and we all know by now that Johnson will *never* have the decency to resign.

It gets even more interesting if the suspension is upheld and is more than 10 sitting days, because at *that* point Johnson is subject to a recall petition in his constituency and that only needs a 15% threshold to trigger a recall and a byelection, and Johnson is not in a safe Tory seat. So we may well end up with a PM who is not a member of government at all. (because, again, this does not actually *force* him to resign, it's merely the convention that the PM is the leader of the largest party).

At which point there will probably be a general confidence vote and general election.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

The Tories won't be able to get rid of him easily, they've had a VoNC and party rules mean they can't have another one for a year.

The interesting thing will be if the privileges committee recommends a suspension, they'll either have to vote it down and share in every grubby thing that Johnson does when the next round of elections comes up (he's already poison in byelections, of which two more this month) or we'll have a PM who is *not allowed into the House of Commons* (and we all know by now that Johnson will *never* have the decency to resign.

It gets even more interesting if the suspension is upheld and is more than 10 sitting days, because at *that* point Johnson is subject to a recall petition in his constituency and that only needs a 15% threshold to trigger a recall and a byelection, and Johnson is not in a safe Tory seat. So we may well end up with a PM who is not a member of government at all. (because, again, this does not actually *force* him to resign, it's merely the convention that the PM is the leader of the largest party).

At which point there will probably be a general confidence vote and general election.

True, but they could change the rules to allow a fresh vote. There's already been a lot of media speculation about them doing that, and they threatened May with it to force her resignation; only since months after she won her vote.

That said, I agree that he won't bow to such threats. I also don't know precisely what changing the rules would involve, and apparently no one outside the Tory party does; as the 1922 Committee does not publish its rules.

What you say about the privileges committee is new to me, but very interesting. I did not know for certain about recall petitions.

If Bojo does lose his seat, or faces the prospect of it, there is a way the Tories can save him; if they still want to. They can have an MP in a safe seat stand aside, and let him run in the resulting by-election; the so-called Chicken Run. If he wins, he's straight back into 10 Downing Street; unless Parliament holds a general confidence vote and he loses. Under convention, if he loses, he has to resign or hold a general election.

The trouble is, even then, it's only convention and not law. Bojo might still brazen it out on that basis; unless the Supreme Court concludes that convention applies in the absence of actual law.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

'Bordering on sexual assault': Chris Pincher accuser speaks about 'horrifying' experience.

A man who alleges he was inappropriately touched by former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher has told ITV News he was "horrified" by his experience with the MP as he accused him of behaviour he says was "bordering on sexual assault".

Mark Dabbs claims Mr Pincher was "very suggestive about things" during their meeting in his constituency office in 2018 where the MP allegedly touched his thigh and back.

He's opened up about his alleged experience after the former minister resigned from government after being accused of "groping" two men.

He told Prime Minister Johnson he was quitting government after he "drank too much" and "embarrassed" himself at a Tory private members' club on Wednesday last week.

Mr Dabbs said he'd began realising things about his 2018 meeting with Mr Pincher after reading reports about the incident which led to his resignations, and a number of others which emerged over the weekend.

Their meeting had been arranged so Mr Dabbs could ask the former minister if he would be interviewed for a book he was writing, but the politician made a number of comments about the charity worker's appearance.

The MP allegedly said Mr Dabbs was "very thin, very tall", and after learning he was a runner, responding: "Oh I bet you've got a lot of stamina...I bet you've got strong legs."

Mr Dabbs said he did not consider that the MP was acting in a "sinister" way because he regarded him as someone he could trust, "like a teacher or a doctor".

But he became "very horrified" after what he alleges was Mr Pincher's inappropriate touching.

"He was touching me here [rubs thigh] and immediately you're a little bit cautious of people invading your body space.

"It's not something you have all the time but I thought maybe he's just being friendly and then he's putting his arm around me and then he's touching me at the back."

"I'm very horrified at that," he added, "you don't know what to do really because this is someone who is in [a position of] trust like a teacher or a doctor."

Mr Pincher said he is now seeking “professional medical support” and hopes to return to work as an MP as "soon as possible".

The politician has been approached for a response to the allegations and while he has not offered a statement, it is understood he strongly denies the claims made by Mr Dabbs.

The Mail on Sunday alleged he threatened to report a parliamentary researcher to her boss after she tried to stop his “lecherous” advances to a young man at a Conservative Party conference.

The Sunday Times alleged he made unwanted passes at two Conservative MPs in 2017 and 2018 – after his first resignation as a whip.

And a Tory MP told the Independent he was groped on two occasions by Mr Pincher, first in December 2021 and again last month.

Mr Pincher is has so far resisted pressure to resign over the allegations but Mr Dabbs suggested to ITV News the MP should be sanctioned for his behaviour.

"I know myself what he did there and if he's done it to others then this needs to be addressed and really it's unwanted isn't it and its bordering on sexual assault and sexual offences."

Chris Pincher accuser 'shell-shocked' by delay to remove Tory whip

Mr Dabbs said he thought again about Mr Pincher's behaviour during their meeting after he read about the other allegations.

"Thinking about it, he was very secretive, he was very careful and cautious with regards to when people were there and when they weren't.

"These things become clear to me now I know the sort of thing that's been happening but at the time you're never really suspicious of people's actions, you always take them at face value."

He added: "This person is an MP - representing people - and you think, you know, 'this is someone I can trust', a bit like a like doctor or a nurse or a policeman and you don't think they're up to something sinister."

The latest accusations against Mr Pincher come on top of claims made in 2017, in which Tory activist Alex Story accused him of making an inappropriate advance during an alleged incident in 2001.
Mr Pincher resigned from his previous role in the Whips' Office at the time, referred himself to police, who took no further action, and the Conservative Party complaints procedure.

Despite this, Downing Street spent days insisting Prime Minister Johnson was not aware of the allegations facing his former deputy chief whip before appointing him, and a number of Cabinet ministers were sent to defend their leader with this claim in broadcast interviews.

But several fresh allegations over historical incidents were made against Mr Pincher over the weekend and Number 10 was forced to row back on its denials in a briefing with journalists on Monday morning.

You couldn't make it up.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

The timing of this is interesting; whether deliberate or not.

The 1922 Committee is about to hold elections for its Executive; an 18-member group that runs the committee. The date will be announced on July 6th; or tomorrow at time of posting. Bearing in mind how hostile the backbench MPs are to Bojo (75% voted against him at the VONC), he has little hope of getting the Executive on his side. Said Executive is, incidentally, the body that can vote to get rid of the 1-year immunity.

This is even more interesting, because the Privileges Committee is expected to report on Partygate some time in the Autumn. I haven't been able to find an exact date, but the deadline for giving evidence is July 29th. If the immunity is reduced to 3 months - as has been widely suggested - then a new VONC can be held in September. It's already been speculated in the Independent and other newspapers that Bojo's enemies mean to hold a new vote after the committee has reported; for maximum outrage.

If all goes the way this looks like it's going, Bojo could be out - either as PM or Tory leader- by winter. A general election should not be ruled out.

[Crazedwraith]

Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid have resigned from the Cabinet

[Zaune]

Apparently it's up to fifteen resignations now.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

I did not see this coming. I thought that not much would happen until the middle or the end of this month at the earliest.

There is now open talk of Bojo going, one way or another. Even the right-wing papers are writing him off, with only the Daily Express sticking by him.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 17289.html

The Independent is reporting that the 1922 Committee is holding off on changing the rules...until Monday, when they will hold their election.

At this rate, Bojo will be gone by the end of next week.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I was just reading through the BBC's list of who's gone and who's staying and two things struck me.

One, I have bugger all idea who most of these people are. I think only BoJo, Sunak, Patel, Javid and Raab I could identify by sight (and that last one is purely because the little shit is head of my department).

Two, I still find it utterly ludicrous and yet totally in-character for the 2020's that Her Majesty's Government has a "Minister for Levelling Up." I keep imagining them showing up to meetings and saying "right, Rishi, did your Barbarian manage to reach level 10 over the weekend? No? Try harder damnit!"

[Crazedwraith]

More resignations but hilariously amidst all this Michael Gove has been sacked

[Crazedwraith]

Boris Johnson will resign as Conservative leader today - he will continue as Prime Minister until the autumn.

A Conservative leadership race will take place this summer and a new Prime Minister will be in place in time for the Tory party conference in October.

I didn't think he had it in him.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

Stunned. I seriously did not see this coming. A part of me can't believe it.

My inner conspiracy theorist thinks he's up to something. He's resigning as Tory Leader, but he doesn't have to resign as PM, even if a new Tory leader is chosen. His plan may be to start a new party, then try to form a government and brazen it out. If that won't work, he can hold a GE out of spite or desperation.

Success would depend on how many donors will get behind him, and how many Tory (or other) MPs will defect to him. The more of both, the better. That said, that Cabinet ministers have to be MPs is only convention (the Peel Convention, specifically), and that has been broken in the past.

Will it work? Probably not, but for Bojo the only obvious alternative is the backbenches. It's a lot easier to keep power than to regain it once lost.

[Zaune]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/jaco ... 11133.html

Former Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten has backed Jacob Rees-Mogg to be the next Prime Minister as the Tory leadership contest gets under way unofficially.

Speaking on TalkTV's Piers Morgan Uncensored, Rotten, whose real name is John Lydon, said he loves the Brexit Opportunities Minister's "World War Two respect, put Britain first attitude".

Rees-Mogg later responded to the endorsement saying he was "honoured" even if the punk singer made the comment jokingly.

Yeah, I got nothin'.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/jaco ... 11133.html

Former Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten has backed Jacob Rees-Mogg to be the next Prime Minister as the Tory leadership contest gets under way unofficially.

Speaking on TalkTV's Piers Morgan Uncensored, Rotten, whose real name is John Lydon, said he loves the Brexit Opportunities Minister's "World War Two respect, put Britain first attitude".

Rees-Mogg later responded to the endorsement saying he was "honoured" even if the punk singer made the comment jokingly.

Yeah, I got nothin'.

Either he's trolling Rees-Mogg, or he's going down the same path as Morrissey.

[Gandalf]

He also supported Trump previously, so it's probably not a joke.

[Crazedwraith]

Tory leadership hopefuls have to get their 20 nominations by 6 pm today to get on the ballot.

Labour are tabling a No Confidence vote to try and get rid of BoJo now but that's largely symbolic imo, there's not enough tory interest in that and they're going to circle the wagons I think.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... dates-live

Truss wins backing from Rees-Mogg and Dorries, positioning her as Johnsonite, 'Stop Sunak' candidate
10.58

Truss wins backing from Rees-Mogg and Dorries, positioning her as Johnsonite, 'Stop Sunak' candidate
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Brexit opportunities minister, and Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, have just told Sky News that they are backing Liz Truss for the Tory leadership.

Rees-Mogg says Truss had been his strongest supporter in cabinet in terms of seeking Brexit opportunities. He went on:

When we discussed taxation, Liz was always opposed to Rishi’s higher taxes. That again is proper Conservatism. And I think she’s got the character to lead the party and the nation.

Asked if Truss was the ‘Stop Rishi’ candidate, Rees-Mogg replied:

Liz Truss is the best candidate. She’s a proper Eurosceptic. She will deliver for the voters. She’ll deliver for the voters. She believes in low taxation.

Dorries added: “And she’s a woman.”

This joint endorsement will firm up Truss’s position as the lead candidate for the Tory right. It also confirms that she is effectively the Johnsonite, ‘Stop Sunak’ candidate. Boris Johnson thinks his former chancellor was disloyal, and blocked his spending plans. Johnson said yesterday he would not be endorsing anyone himself, but his closest allies are now piling in behind Truss.

Truss has become the main Brexit candidate despite voting remain in 2016. That’s a tribute to the speed with which she repositioned herself, and also the credit she won with Brexiters as international trade secretary for signing trade deals (which critics said were mostly roll-over version of the trade deals the UK had as an EU member anyway).

It would appear that a Continuity-Bojo faction is emerging, with Rishi Sunak as its primary enemy. Tom Tugendhat has been held up as the 'integrity' candidate, but I don't fancy his chances. One other worth watching in this case is Kemi Badenoch, who presents herself as a true-blue anti-woke black woman, and Bojo loyalist.