UK General Discussion:The Rt. Hon Alex Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, Populist Hero

[CumbrianLefty]

Tbf certain MPs were widely rumoured to be about to walk had Corbyn got the whip back right away.

Asking him to do a bit more to justify his return perhaps isn't totally unreasonable.

Maybe the significant thing about recent events may yet turn out to be that the fevered fantasy of some on the Labour right and their client media - outright expulsion of JC being just a prelude to a mass purge of the left - was always a pipe dream. And a pretty dangerous one at that.

[CumbrianLefty]

If an English parliament was a solution to this, it would already have happened.

[CumbrianLefty]

For the English parliament haters, can't England be broken up and instead regional parliaments based odf the regions of England be made? Tony Blair actually tried that even if it was a miserable failure when it came to a referendum

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_North_East_England_devolution_referendum

That is what happened here and for all its flaws and headaches it has worked """fine""".

There is already even an example in England! Greater London, with its Assembly and mayor is still part of England after all. Just replicate that England wide in its 8 regions?

Problem is the lack of public demand for a regionalised England.  As seen in the 2004 NE devolution referendum (on which, btw, a certain D M Cummings cut his political teeth)

[CumbrianLefty]

Spending review today, arguably most notable thus far for the BBC's paid government stenographer Laura Kuenssberg disgracing herself maybe more than ever before.

[CumbrianLefty]

Spending review today, arguably most notable thus far for the BBC's paid government stenographer Laura Kuenssberg disgracing herself maybe more than ever before.

A reminder that she falsely claimed that a Labour activist had assaulted Tory staffers during the election; a story that saved the Conservatives from their worse day of press in the campaign.

That alone was a baffling & sackable offence

She and her partner in crime Peston.

Even better than being sacked, they should have been made to name their "sources" for that lie.

[CumbrianLefty]

Spitting Image is back

Their Starmer and Sunak content was hilarious

Is Rishi that popular?

Sorry, but this simply does not compute

[CumbrianLefty]

Well, my point of view on that could hardly be more diametrically opposed

[CumbrianLefty]

Significant rebellion by Tory MPs on the new virus restrictions last night.

[CumbrianLefty]

He was not, indeed has never been a party member since his ejection in 1986.

[CumbrianLefty]

Hatton was never allowed back in, was he?

he came very close

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47312006

But not close enough. To the satisfaction of most of us.

[CumbrianLefty]

Yeah, hard to disagree there.

And at the time of writing there still isn't a deal to vote on anyway.......

[CumbrianLefty]

Looks like its going to be no deal, then.

In any remotely just world Johnson would be strung up (metaphorically if not literally) for this, but of course our overwhelmingly supportive media will continue to support him.

Seems like literally nothing in this country will change until they do.

[CumbrianLefty]

Another thing is that earlier in the week, fishing at least appeared on the way to being resolved. The cynical might imagine its an easier thing to get people riled up about than the "level playing field".

[CumbrianLefty]

The critical thing is that this is not the end of the matter, no matter.

Which is why one plausible scenario is that after a no deal Johnson, declaring "mission accomplished", calls it a day in the next few months - leaving his successor to clear up the mess.

(of which there is likely to be plenty)

[CumbrianLefty]

Deal (possibly) back on.

[CumbrianLefty]

If so, we might say that Johnson blinked first?

[CumbrianLefty]

Thank you for that cheery and optimistic take on things

[CumbrianLefty]

Actually the latest poll shows support for Scottish independence down slightly.

(though still at - guess what - 52%)

[CumbrianLefty]

Johnson must be worth a few points to the independence polling, just personally.

[CumbrianLefty]

Cosplaying at being a "man of the people" innit.

[CumbrianLefty]

Did anyone see that absolute bonkers speech by Liz Truss?

The part that has got attention was some rant about how the problem with Britain was that she was taught about Foucalt at school in the 1980s but wasn't taught how to read? Along with some rubbish about how New Labour/Cameron cared about the wrong sort of equality issues.

Apparently the bit about Foucault has now been erased from the online version of the speech.

[CumbrianLefty]

Just as well that Trumpism is so popular in this country, then......

[CumbrianLefty]

Just as well that Trumpism is so popular in this country, then......

I'm afraid to say it probably is. Not Trump himself, but that same level of boorish reactive populism with Boris.

They are similar but not the same. "Get Brexit Done" aside (and yes, that *was* indeed the single biggest thing) the Tories did quite a bit of pretend centrism to win last year's election.

[CumbrianLefty]

Of course we realise this, and indeed know it from our own electoral experiences.

Total undiluted Trumpism, however, will not do well in this country or most other W European ones. I feel pretty confident in saying that.

[CumbrianLefty]

Well mentioning Farage sort of proves my point. He is popular - VERY popular - with a section of the UK electorate, but his politics is never going to actually win a "proper" election. Hopefully.