Neverending Story 3: The Ongoing Brexit Thread

I've been too involved in my council stuff to follow it much, (it's budget setting time... oh joy ), but I think that's probably right.

As I said before, you only have to go back to the 50's for a time when the farmers would go into the voting booth with their workers and tell them where to put their cross in those areas. Obviously it's changed but it hasn't changed that much.

It's one of the reasons why we should have gone for the AV system when it was offered.

 

Jesus... even bluetooth is having a pop?

 

Yeah, I get what you're saying but this is north Shropshire we're talking about. The word 'yokel' doesn't cover them properly.

I'll give yer a clue what they're like.

We used to employ a guy called Grocott and his son came to work for us. About a week later the kid didn't turn up for work and we asked his old man where he was.

Apparently he'd been arrested for drunk and disorderly and criminal damage.

He'd 'keyed' some abuse onto the paintwork of a police car after he'd come out the pub when the filth were inside arresting some piss-head who was a mate of his.

But we were still confused how the police knew it was him that committed the deed. Turns out he'd 'written' 'GROCOTT WAS HERE'

I mean, he hadn't actually given his full name, address and date of birth but even the Shropshire police managed to 'solve' that crime.

 

::scritch scratch scritch scratch::

 

It's not a good headline for him, but the comparison drawn there is not really fair on Johnson. It's hardly draconian measures that he's introduced yesterday. Nothing really that compares to lockdown. More minor inconveniences, unless you're an idiot.
I don't think there'd be the same outrage if it had been revealed that last year he'd not worn a mask, or not been tested.

 

Still, the Scum turning on him? Such a shame.

 

Yeah, Covid makes it difficult. If evidence that he attended/organised a party came to light, then it's plausible that someone like Javid, who's been sent out to lie for him, could resign as a minister citing that and mount a challenge. Wouldn't win, but the realistic challengers won't start it - they'll jump in after the stalking horse.

 

Even the Telelgraph, his home team, are starting to question him.
The only thing that got him the job his his appeal to large sections of voters (despite being polarising). If he's lost some of them, which is likely, then he's finished - it's just a matter of when.
Tory MPs have long known he's useless at actually doing things.

 

Hmmm

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Truss is incredibly popular with Tory members - I wouldn't rule her out.
Sunak has been on easy street so far. Remains to be seen how he handles scrutiny. He got free popularity with announcing furlough, but was responsible for "Eat out to catch Covid".
Gove wouldn't cut it with the public. Don't see him going far.
Raab and Williamson will both try, and be laughed out.
I fear Patel would get a lot of grass roots support.
I think Hunt could get a bit of support as a cabinet outsider, if he can frame a "Johnson screwed Brexit" narrative, but there's probably too many Desmond Swaynes and Mark Francois' still fighting the Brexit battle.
Left field long shots would be Tom Tugendhat or even Johnny Mercer, but I think the party has already jumped too far to the right.
Whoever wins would surely dump at least half of the cabinet, with Rees Mogg the first to go.

 

It does say something about the state of the Tory party when you look at the potential replacements for Johnson and think "Jeremy Hunt wouldn't be too bad".

 

I do not see a path forward for her. I do not see a way she wins... not see...

 

Agree. I doubt she gets anywhere with the MPs. If she somehow does, I think the members would be more favurable to her though.

 

It's all crumbling down around him

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At this point, it is established that BoJo is a pathological liar. He has no credibility left and he is totally damaged goods. Now the question is will the Tories push him aside for a more palatable PM? Not sure who that can be. Their bench is pretty thin.

 

Yeah, oddly enough, covid makes it more difficult despite being his handling of it being an utter fiasco. If they rolled him straight away then they'd have to handle all the shit we're going to have to go through with Omicron, including any lockdowns, (partial or otherwise), vaccine mandates or not, furlough or not, etc. etc.

 

I'm sure there'll be an element of "let him deal with the Covid crap, and someone else can get the bounce", but the more things that keep coming to light, the harder it will be to keep him in place. If it turns out there was a party on Nov 13th, as Cummings claims (yes, I know), and he was there, then he'll have to go.

 

Truss might be the stalking horse, (probably unwitting as she's too dim to realise she's got no chance), but she's seen as too weak to be chosen, IMO.

Sunak's probably in the best position, (it's funny how paying people mortgages for a year and a half makes you popular, isn't it), but he's probably too bright to launch himself at Boris head-on.

Gove comes across as what he is... an oddball. I think even HE realises it, tbh.

As you say, Raab is an absolute lightweight but then, who isn't among this lot.

I actually had to remind myself who Williamson was when you mentioned his name. Probably says more about my memory now than anything but he's found the position all such people do in the modern tory party... one that's slightly above where he should for someone of his ability. I think he's the minister of state for pencil sharpeners, isn't he?

Patel would only be elected if the grim reaper wasn't available. She's even too sinister for most tory voters and that's saying something. They like her policies but I doubt they like her.

I'm not sure about the first bit of that. I mean, sure, he's not 'brexity' enough for the headbangers but then, who is. Also, the byproduct of that is he can say justifiably say he's distanced from the NI debacle but also the failings on covid.

On the other hand he's probably too competent for the modern right-wing who seem to view politics as performance art.

The voters would probably prefer him but, WTF's it got to do with them.

Outside of the people you've mentioned even most of their own mothers struggle to remember who they are. If we're including the armed forces representatives we really ARE scraping the barrel.

Also, I agree, the member of parliament for the 18th century being on the front bench is a joke.