UK General Discussion: Rishecession

[Blair]

Leadsom has been wanting that for ages; it’s quite fun to see which MPs are basically auditioning for a return from the backbenches.

The reshuffle has shown how easy it is in the U.K. to move the coverage by the lobby; virtually no discussion of Braverman let alone the events at the weekend and no doubt we’ll have lots of breathless coverage now when the Tories skim 2 points off a polling lead

[ingemann]

So hold up, just to be clear: Sunak thought bringing back the man who simultaneously is both most responsible for Brexit and is absolutely loathed by Brexiteers might breathe some new life into his failing, flailing party?

Do I have that right?

More likely that he need someone who can do the job without embarrassing UK or making a lot of intrigue. I see the selection of Cameron more as a way to remove potential dangers than gaining anything. The foreign ministry is very important, you can’t place some idiot there, but it’s also a position which an ambitious man can use to gain popularity.

So the choice of Cameron is more a sign of Sunak being so weak and his position so shaky that he can’t afford to let anyone competent gain any popularity, because it would be a potential challenger to him. Strong leaders prefer clear heir, weak leaders can’t afford that.

[GoTfan]

Well, as long as Liz's pork markets aren't in Downing Street, Dave's fine.

[Joe Republic]

If Rishi Sunak thinks he can just put lipstick on a pig by bringing David Cameron back… wait, I'd better stop this analogy here.

[CumbrianLefty]

So hold up, just to be clear: Sunak thought bringing back the man who simultaneously is both most responsible for Brexit and is absolutely loathed by Brexiteers might breathe some new life into his failing, flailing party?

Do I have that right?

Lots of Westminster commentators adore Dave, though.

Some of the gushing from them yesterday was positively unseemly.

[Lechasseur]

Today is King Charles' 75th birthday

[CumbrianLefty]

The reshuffle has shown how easy it is in the U.K. to move the coverage by the lobby; virtually no discussion of Braverman let alone the events at the weekend and no doubt we’ll have lots of breathless coverage now when the Tories skim 2 points off a polling lead

Most of them really are golden retrievers with keyboards.

[Torrain]

Vitriolic letter from Braverman to Sunak tonight:

https://twitter.com/SuellaBraverman/status/1724465401982070914

"Despite you having been rejected by a majority of party members during the summer leadership contest and thus having no personal mandate to be prime minister, I agreed to support you because of the firm assurances you gave me on key policy priorities."

Those priorities were reducing illegal migration, measures to stop small boats crossing the channel, delivering the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Retained EU law legislation as they were a year ago, and issuing statutory guidance protecting biological sex.

You have manifestly and repeatedly failed to deliver on every single one of these key policies.

Someone needs to be honest: your plan is not working, we have endured record election defeats, your resets have failed and we are running out of time.

[Torrain]

Sounds more like a campaign announcement than anything else, very like her 2022 antics. Mind you, given some of the polling about her firing, it's clear she has next to no appeal beyond the grassroots:



Does feel like the letter was drafted for a "resign on principle, in a blaze of glory", moment, rather than a dismissal.

[JimJamUK]

Mind you, given some of the polling about her firing, it's clear she has next to no appeal beyond the grassroots:

Does feel like the letter was drafted for a "resign on principle, in a blaze of glory", moment, rather than a dismissal.

It would help if she had not spent the last year in a government that by her own admission had done bugger all on these issues apparently.

[MABA 2020]

Was shocked to see the notification yesterday saying Cameron had been made Foreign Secretary, so much so that I missed that Braverman had been fired until much later which I think was probably the point.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

It probably wouldn't have been quite as sensational news, thereby not drowning out Braverman's sacking as much, but I wonder if Sunak couldn't have reached the same objectives by convincing Hauge to return as Foreign Secretary instead.

He is already in the lords and just like Cameron is an experienced politician and "pair-of-safe-hands" that wouldn't be a potential leadership challenger while (as far as I know) being much less controversial both among the general public and the crazy Tory right than Cameron.

This appointment also means Cameron is the first former PM since Thatcher to be elevated to the HoL, is it not?

[Torrain]

It probably wouldn't have been quite as sensational news, thereby not drowning out Braverman's sacking as much, but I wonder if Sunak couldn't have reached the same objectives by convincing Hauge to return as Foreign Secretary instead.

He is already in the lords and just like Cameron is an experienced politician and "pair-of-safe-hands" that wouldn't be a potential leadership challenger while (as far as I know) being much less controversial both among the general public and the crazy Tory right than Cameron.

This appointment also means Cameron is the first former PM since Thatcher to be elevated to the HoL, is it not?

Hague has said in media comments since the Cameron appointment that he's been asked to return by "multiple" PMs since he left the Commons for the Lords. He's a very close ally of Sunak (who succeeded him in his safe North Yorkshire seat).

It's quite likely that Sunak asked Hague, who declined, but pointed him at Cameron, who's been itching for a return for a while. There was a whole "Cameron wants to be Foreign Sec" news cycle in 2018, to the point that YouGov ran a poll to gauge public support for it.

And aye - first ennobled PM since Thatcher.

[afleitch]

It's been suggested that Cameron hasn't really been enjoying his downtime. Foreign Secretary remains the one role, similar to US Secretary of State, that carries gravitas on a similar footing to the 'big job' and with less of the stress. It still remains an important position even stripped of the international prestige it once had. Cameron was a much more present PM on the foreign stage which since has been dominated by Brexit and Covid.

[brucejoel99]

https://twitter.com/That_Garth_Guy/status/1724572671940104252

[OSR stands with Israel]

https://twitter.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1724423191706136902

The GOP is catching up with the Tories in how many House Leaders they have had since 2015, and the Tories are responding by saying “we will have more PMs than you have House Leaders”

[YL]

"People Polling" has a very strong anti-Tory (and pro-Reform UK) house effect, and there are certain other reasons to be a bit suspicious of them.  More generally, I'll continue to be sceptical that Reform UK are really on more than abour 4% until I start seeing evidence from real elections consistent with a higher figure.

As to speculation about yet another Tory leadership contest, there's clearly some dissatisfaction out there but based on the numbers going public I doubt that it is enough to get the numbers needed to trigger a confidence vote yet alone to actually vote Sunak out.  With one illiterate exception, even those who have gone public haven't actually called for Sunak to go yet.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Yes People Polling had a Truss era poll that showed the Tories at 14%.

[Cassius]

I was never able to tell whether People Polling were a Corbynite or a hard-right outlet - I’m guessing the latter?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

https://twitter.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1724423191706136902

The GOP is catching up with the Tories in how many House Leaders they have had since 2015, and the Tories are responding by saying “we will have more PMs than you have House Leaders”

LOL, could Cameron get another shot at Prime Minister next year, or will he just be party leader after the next election because no one else is left?

[Torrain]

I was never able to tell whether People Polling were a Corbynite or a hard-right outlet - I’m guessing the latter?

They’re Matthew Goodwin’s firm.

[Torrain]

https://twitter.com/benrileysmith/status/1724733396117602438

[AustralianSwingVoter]

[Torrain]

On the Supreme Court decision - they were at pains to point out that repudiating/leaving the ECHR wouldn’t be enough on its own to allow the policy to go ahead. Rwanda failed a series of tests under both domestic law and international obligations.

The Tory right have convened a meeting of MPs and Peers to fume and plan next steps, with the likes of Bill Cash and David Frost speaking. Expect they’ll make some sort of ECHR demand regardless. Question now is whether they get space at PMQs, or an amendment to the Kings Speech legislation.

[Pericles]

I was never able to tell whether People Polling were a Corbynite or a hard-right outlet - I’m guessing the latter?

They’re Matthew Goodwin’s firm.

No wonder it's a clown show.