After the Friday cabinet awayday at Chequers, and the failure of Brexiteer ministers to muster so much as a peep of protest at Theresa May’s proposed negotiating position with the EU, the Sunday papers have told their readers that the Prime Minister has pulled off the kind of achievement not thought possible. The cabinet was united, the Tories were united, and it was forward to Brexit. And then came reality.
First with the bad news was pollster Survation - that’s the one who got last year’s General Election closer than the competition - with their latest survey for the Mail on Sunday, which told its readers “Voters back Theresa May over her Brexit deal but Labour has pulled ahead of the Tories in latest polls”. That’s quite a big but.
The MoS explained “Theresa May’s Chequers deal on Brexit has won public support – and could help her achieve her dream of leading the Conservatives into the next Election … That is the finding of the first survey conducted after Mrs May overcame a Cabinet revolt led by Boris Johnson … The Survation poll for The Mail on Sunday shows that 33 per cent support the agreement with 23 against”. But … don’t forget the Labour lead.
“Although Mrs May appears to have united the Cabinet, Jeremy Corbyn has moved ahead of her in the polls. Support for Labour is at 40 per cent, a two-point rise in two weeks, with the Conservatives on 38, three points down”. So she could lead the Tories into the next General Election, and then lose it to Labour. There’s victory for you.
And it got worse. ITV political editor Robert Peston picked up on the deep unhappiness within the anti-EU Tory right, telling “Sources confirm letters calling for vote of confidence in @theresa_may leadership going in to @Graham__Brady, chair of 1922. Tory Brexiters very unhappy - accuse PM of traducing those who voted to leave EU. This appears to be spontaneous, not coralled by ERG & @Jacob_Rees_Mogg”.
The Tory Europhobes are calling Theresa May’s deal a sellout, claiming it will leave the UK hitched to the EU - potentially forever. And as for the Moggster not having anything to do with leadership manoeuvres, BBC producer Liz Rawlings had this observation: “On BBC Look North tonight - Andrea Jenkyns MP says she would ‘100%’ be willing to sign a letter to trigger a leadership challenge to Theresa May. She says: ‘I am a blunt northerner. I speak as I find...I am standing up for the 17.4 million people who wanted these red lines’”.
Got that? Now look who Rees Mogg is Retweeting - Brexit Central, featuring … Andrea Jenkyns. And JRM is head of the European Reform Group, thought to have more than 50 Tories on board. They have the numbers, and the collective idiocy, to mount a contest.
It was Europe that split the Tories in the late 1980s. It was Europe that dogged much of “Shagger” Major’s time at 10 Downing Street. It was Europe that finished off the leadership of William ‘Ague. It was Europe that finished Young Dave - after, of course, he had put his own country into a Brexit tailspin from which it might never recover.
And if the Tories are going to have another leadership bloodbath, the calls for a General Election will grow to a crescendo. So perhaps we can get rid of their next leader, too.
I have voted Conservative for 42 years but I say let's get rid of this corrupt, self-serving government. It has held the UK to ransom for two years solely in the interests of the Conservative Party. The cabinet are dishonest, disreputable tricksters, every one of them.
ReplyDeleteGood piece as always, Tim; but, please: the word is "Climax" - the crescendo is the growing bit.
ReplyDeleteI would be all for election to get rid of one of the worst and lacklustre governments in recent times but what with? One of the most lacklustre opposition Party in recent times which also doesn't seem to recognise the damage Brexit will contact to the economy?
ReplyDeleteThe best I would hope for would be another hung parliament with perhaps the Greens holding the balance of power that would reign in any abuse of power a Corbyn government,if elected, might like to inflict. Let's remember that the reason we dislike the present government is it's divisiveness. The last thing we need is another one.
More or less the same problem facing the US post Trump.
Didn't take long for the Irreconcilables, to throw their toys from the pram and cry 'Its not fair'.
ReplyDeleteMad Nad is doing her stroppy act and JRM keeps using astronomical references on how useless his boss is..
Sooner or later the entire country will turn up with removal vans for Tezza and Phil and take Boris as well.
They are all living a lie.
ReplyDeleteTeresa's Chequers meeting was a waste of a day and produced more fudge than Thorntons. The Ireland matter was in no way resolved.
A full no deal Brexit isn't an option in the timescales available and it wouldn't be agreed in Parliament.
People are slowing realising the emperor has no clothes, but at some point it needs to be announced.
Who gives a shit?
ReplyDeleteThe tories are what they've always been......So not to worry, there'll be another London-based spiv along any minute.
"Strong and stable" my arse.
But you can bet the Russkis will be in there somewhere. Or something. Or maybe even another Blair/Brown type war against non-existent weapons of mass destruction. Or another 'coincidental' nerve agent attack. Or lies and propaganda spilling out of the BBC, ITN and Sky. England might even win the World Cup - Anything to divert attention from spivs and organised thievery. That's what widespread apathy and obesity does to a country.
On the other hand it would be nice if there was less whingeing and more realisation that we get the gangster politicians, corrupt oligarchs and media system we deserve.
But there'll be no change in your lifetime. Get used to it. "Austerity" is here to stay.