UK General Discussion: Rishecession

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Jonathan Gullis next, possibly? He is sailing close to the wind rather a lot.

The realization that it's going to be hard to hang on has all sorts of interesting effects on MPs sometimes doesn't it.

[afleitch]

Jonathan Gullis next, possibly? He is sailing close to the wind rather a lot.

The realization that it's going to be hard to hang on has all sorts of interesting effects on MPs sometimes doesn't it.

All behind a screen. At least in the 'old days' they used to brandish a pickaxe in public then suffer a nervous breakdown.

[EastAnglianLefty]

Judging by his recent media appearances, Gullis clearly isn't keen on going back to teaching if he loses his seat.

[Coldstream]

Back in 2011 one of Farage’s aides accused Bridgen of sexual assault. It never went anywhere (iirc they were actually retracted) but I’ve always heard theres bad blood between those two ever since. This would explain why they’ve never worked/campaigned together that closely despite being in more or less total alignment.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Back in 2011 one of Farage’s aides accused Bridgen of sexual assault. It never went anywhere (iirc they were actually retracted) but I’ve always heard theres bad blood between those two ever since. This would explain why they’ve never worked/campaigned together that closely despite being in more or less total alignment.

Yes, he was actually arrested for rape, though charges were not pressed in the end.

[Torrain]

So - weird development in the Bridgen affair. He's released a video statement attacking the Conservatives for suspending him - stating that he's *not* antisemitic, and doubling down on the antivax rhetoric.

Thing is - he didn't release the statement himself. It was published by the Reclaim Party (the vehicle set up by Lawrence Fox during his COVID-skeptic midlife crisis in 2020), and then shared by Bridgen on social media.

Bridgen ends by pledging to fight for his views, even if he "can't do this from within the Conservative Party". So, Conservatopia might have been right about a defection, but a tad to the left of the actual party Bridgen was aiming for.

Might just be a *threat* (not that I'm sure Sunak would be that sad to lose Bridgen), but a bit of political theatre nonetheless.

https://twitter.com/thereclaimparty/status/1613555611719061508
(Sidenote: would be vaguely amusing/surreal/ironic if Reclaim, who've never registered in national polling, got an MP before Reform)

[TheTide]

If/when we get some form of PR, it would be interesting to see who is in what party.

[Coldstream]

So - weird development in the Bridgen affair. He's released a video statement attacking the Conservatives for suspending him - stating that he's *not* antisemitic, and doubling down on the antivax rhetoric.

Thing is - he didn't release the statement himself. It was published by the Reclaim Party (the vehicle set up by Lawrence Fox during his COVID-skeptic midlife crisis in 2020), and then shared by Bridgen on social media.

Bridgen ends by pledging to fight for his views, even if he "can't do this from within the Conservative Party". So, Conservatopia might have been right about a defection, but a tad to the left of the actual party Bridgen was aiming for.

Might just be a *threat* (not that I'm sure Sunak would be that sad to lose Bridgen), but a bit of political theatre nonetheless.

https://twitter.com/thereclaimparty/status/1613555611719061508
(Sidenote: would be vaguely amusing/surreal/ironic if Reclaim, who've never registered in national polling, got an MP before Reform)

Reclaim is probably a better fit for most of the culture war red wall types. They don’t really care about Thatcherite economics in the way that Farage & Tice do.

[Silent Hunter]

Ah, Laurence Fox's mangey party.

[CumbrianLefty]

Ah yes, Mr Divorced Dad Mid Life Crisis

[JimJamUK]

Mr Divorced Dad Mid Life Crisis

He went out of his way in an interview to mention that Billie Piper had praised Sadiq Khan to their children. Messy both politically and personally.

[WD]

https://twitter.com/steven_swinford/status/1614020855406776325?s=46&t=857bQz...

[CumbrianLefty]

Just when the SNP have apparently abandoned their "unofficial referendum" wheeze too.

Still, with decisions like the above they might have figured that they won't need it.

[Blair]

I did wonder how many other issues were like this- broadly iirc there’s support in polls for the policy, there was once a broad political consensus on it but a number of activists across party political lines (broadly!) managed to really whip up the opposition and would have support from the broadsheets and tabloids.

I know gay marriage was one where MPs had hundreds of letters against it which weren’t really representative of political opinion!

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

I did wonder how many other issues were like this- broadly iirc there’s support in polls for the policy, there was once a broad political consensus on it but a number of activists across party political lines (broadly!) managed to really whip up the opposition and would have support from the broadsheets and tabloids.

I know gay marriage was one where MPs had hundreds of letters against it which weren’t really representative of political opinion!

Fox hunting also comes to mind.

[JimJamUK]

I did wonder how many other issues were like this- broadly iirc there’s support in polls for the policy, there was once a broad political consensus on it but a number of activists across party political lines (broadly!) managed to really whip up the opposition and would have support from the broadsheets and tabloids.

I know gay marriage was one where MPs had hundreds of letters against it which weren’t really representative of political opinion!

I’ve generally ignored the gender reform debate given how poisonous it is, but I’m pretty sure there’s been Scottish polls showing opposition to it/large parts of it (how accurate and unbiased I don’t know). From polling more generally I think politicians have found themselves ahead of the public on transgender rights (the opposite of gay marriage). It’s very much a niche issue that the public don’t really care about (as you say, it’s mostly a few activists and newspapers), but insofar as they do they tend to oppose self-ID and some of the more ‘radical’ proposals, while backing the general ethos of be nice to transgender people and let ‘genuine’ transgender people get on with their lives in their gender identity.

[Conservatopia]

I'm glad the govt is striking down the law. Not just because the Scottish law is an abhorrent law but because it quite simply is outside the Scottish Parliament's remit due to its UK-wide implications.

It would be better for this country's constitution if the laws that the devolved powers can legislate on were clearly defined.

[Meclazine for Israel]

You guys gave birth to this. Now you must own it in your thread.

Prince Harry on The Late Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPyTkUFGksI

[politicallefty]

You guys gave birth to this. Now you must own it in your thread.

Prince Harry on The Late Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPyTkUFGksI

Not sure what that video has to do with what you're saying, but Australia can start talking when it selects its own Head of State.

[Silent Hunter]

I didn't give birth to Prince Harry. Also, there are plenty worse royals out there.

[CumbrianLefty]

I'm glad the govt is striking down the law. Not just because the Scottish law is an abhorrent law but because it quite simply is outside the Scottish Parliament's remit due to its UK-wide implications.

It would be better for this country's constitution if the laws that the devolved powers can legislate on were clearly defined.

Agree with the latter point, but then surely the preferable route is for the Supreme Court to rule that this legislation is defective in that way - rather than the Tory government unilaterally striking it down in fairly obvious pursuit of a culture war agenda.

[afleitch]

I'm glad the govt is striking down the law. Not just because the Scottish law is an abhorrent law but because it quite simply is outside the Scottish Parliament's remit due to its UK-wide implications.

It would be better for this country's constitution if the laws that the devolved powers can legislate on were clearly defined.

Agree with the latter point, but then surely the preferable route is for the Supreme Court to rule that this legislation is defective in that way - rather than the Tory government unilaterally striking it down in fairly obvious pursuit of a culture war agenda.

Or during six years of consultation UK Gov could have said something.

It's a wider shot against the devolution settlement more than anything else, which we know is the new prevailing post Brexit strategy from Tufton Street

Also from Tufton Street is keeping the GRA issue live. The roof not falling in in Scotland would put an end to much of the effectiveness of the rhetoric elsewhere.

[Conservatopia]

Agree with the latter point, but then surely the preferable route is for the Supreme Court to rule that this legislation is defective in that way - rather than the Tory government unilaterally striking it down in fairly obvious pursuit of a culture war agenda.

That's a good point about the Court. I wouldn't say this is necessarily a direct pursuit of culture war, although the government is probably glad that it's happening on this issue rather than some other more mundane issue. The divisiveness of the particular issue perhaps overshadows the deeper constitutional questions.

It's a wider shot against the devolution settlement more than anything else, which we know is the new prevailing post Brexit strategy from Tufton Street

Also from Tufton Street is keeping the GRA issue live. The roof not falling in in Scotland would put an end to much of the effectiveness of the rhetoric elsewhere.

This is really stupid - even for you.

[afleitch]

Nah, it's not really.

If you pay the slightest bit of attention to either, which as a pro-indy pro-GRA reform, I spend far too much time having to keep up with the latest nonsense from the Tory right.

https://mobile.twitter.com/conor_matchett/status/1613834216692662274

[Torrain]

Not directly related - but the government is moving legislation to enact the conversation therapy ban they've been discussing for a while.

Although promised under May, the ban was kicked into the long grass during the tenures of Johnson and Truss, and it was unclear how enthusiastic Sunak was to pick it back up. But he's given some significant ground here. For the past year or so, it's been assumed initial legislation would only ban gay conversion therapy, but the proposed bill also bans trans conversation therapy.

It's been a big priority of some prominent backbenchers on the left of the Conservative Party for a while - including Alicia Kearns and Caroline Nokes (who chair the Foreign Affairs, and Women and Equality Committees, respectively).

One political note - the bill is being introduced by the Office of the PM, and won't be overseen by the Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, who's previous statements suggest she's pretty skeptical (to outright hostile) to such legislation.

I assume there will be sufficient loopholes to get the cabinet onboard - can't imagine Sunak wants to give Badenoch the opportunity to oppose the bill, resign, and become a totemic figure for the right of the party.