Government watch

Umunna and Zeichner represent Remainers. (Don't know about the rest.) Zeichner is the MP for Cambridge and he wouldn't have won if he hadn't backed Remain. (It was a highly marginal LD/Lab seat.) I respect him for standing up for what he believes in and representing his constituents.

I'm quite fearful about this, because I think the Labour fairy tale is going to unravel. The EU has been Labour's Achilles' Heel since the referendum.

So this is how I see it (not what I want though)

Referendum -majority to leave European Union.

To leave the Union must mean by logic to leave the single market.

BUT - all right minded people understand that this would do severe if not terminal damage to our economy.

So I think this is where JC comes in. He recognises the damage and so intends to retain as much of the single market and customs union as is possible.

I think being a democrat he also recognises the polls.

I could be wrong, but I prefer his position to the Tories. Well I'd prefer not to leave, and maybe we won't but in the absence etc.

Zeichner resigned before the vote rather than be sacked.

The EU is everyone's Achilles Heel!!! But we shall see as we go through the next two years. Don't forget the fact that we all will be sitting back as the Tories try to get to grips with an insolvable problem. It will be definately to Labours advantage. When you think what the Tories have on their plate!!!!! Even apart from Brexit.

The first two directions concern torture and cyber surveillance – issues which clearly have huge implications for human rights. The Third Direction is entirely shrouded in secrecy.

Oh yes! I agree that Labour would be foolish to want power now, because the Conservatives will inevitably fail. However, they need to be very careful. I know from my daughter how many new and young voters thought Labour would go for a "soft Brexit", even though such a thing has never been defined and is almost certainly impossible. It's about as meaningless as Brexit means Brexit. I really can't accept that this is democratic.

PS. People are also beginning to notice that Labour didn't promise to repeal benefit cuts in its manifesto.

PPS. I don't think Labour should rely on the Conservatives messing up.

I think they will go for a soft Brexit. Nothing is certain dd

Labour manifesto said it would hold a review of benefit cuts and how best to reverse them.

Chapter called Dignity for those who cannot work, page 56 or 58 in the manifesto.

Cheers dj

www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jun/29/biggest-ever-study-of-food-banks-warns-use-likely-to-increase

I guess Tory MPs didn't read this before they voted to continue with austerity for the many, not the few.

The country voted to leave the EU. Some may be having second thoughts but we don't know. Corbyn had no option but to sack the front benchers because they defied Labour Party policy.

Corbyn was, like me, a not entirely convinced remainer. Did people really want him to feign unbounded enthusiasm and certainty when that is not what he felt? He is not like many other politicians who play political games, and position themselves not according to their beliefs but according to how it will win them allies and further their career prospects.

dj so what do you think might be the third directive? Would it be internal or external?

Of course I suppose as it's intelligence we may never know - although I expect the Russians do

No idea, whitewave. Something worse than torture?
Bombing anything that trump says, like Syria or Yemen?
Stopping any help for refugees in the Med?
Nuclear weapons?
Nuking Syria?
Your guess is as good as mine, and reprieve's.

Use of drones outside battlefields?
There's a video by Jemima Khan on their website.

www.reprieve.org.uk/topic/drones/

This is good news.
People trust fullfact fact checking enough to give them a lot more money to develop the site.

fullfact.org/blog/2017/jun/awarded-500000-omidyar-network-open-society-foundations-automated-factchecking/

Bit of good news

Scotland is being sensible.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/29/scottish-government-abandons-public-sector-pay-cap

So Labour has won its first victory

Stella Creasey got too much support for this government supported by the DUP and its misogynistic policies to prevent an amendment being passed allowing NI women using the NHS in mainland U.K. for abortions.

How humane

So much for taking back control.

www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-06-29/u-k-won-t-escape-shackles-of-eu-laws-after-brexit-bloc-says

If we wish to continue to trade with the EU of course we have to comply, why shouldn't we? Everyone else has to.

Did you watch QT last night?
Half the audience sounded like they wanted to commit commercial suicide and cut all ties.

No - in bed it is recorded though..
I've started a thread about cliff edge Brexit - hope people like that read it.

A trade deal defines the things which can/cannot be exported to a country, the quantities, and the standards to which they must conform (materials and ingredients, safety features, packaging and so on) If we wish to sell to EU countries, we will need to conform to those standards.

The same applies to any other country with which we trade. For years we have beeen able to put "CE" onto things to show that they are up to the standard required by EU regulations. Importers round the world knew what they were getting. Will we still be able to do that when we are no longer a part of the EU? If not, what quality mark will replace it to maintain confidence in "Made in Britain"? THe kitemark?

We still have the kitemark and the British Standards Institute.
However, for some things, such as toy safety, CE law is stronger.