How right we were

In a car crash interview this morning with Andrew Marr, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that,-

The Prime Minister would never ask for an,extension to Article 50

and

The Prime Minister would not break the law.

Andrew Marr pointed out that a law was just about to be passed obliging him to ask, in certain circumstances for an extension and therefore these two statements were incompatable.

No answer

youtu.be/4XtpJVFldRc

I’m sorry Gracesgran, but I DON’T keep saying that a politician’s promise usurps the law. Where on earth have you got that from? Please do not misrepresent me!
I’ve no idea what you’re talking about when you say I ‘......still believe a couple of politicians looking for support.’
The driving analogy is pointless, the referendum was advisory, we all know that, BUT the public were told that the result would be implemented. That is the fact whether you like it or you don’t.

Labaik, you are right in saying that there should have been a plan for leaving, and the public should have understood in simple terms, what that plan was, however as my barrister son (who strangely enough deals in law somewhat more often than you or I do) as he says frequently, we are where we are. The country has to deal with what has happened and find a way through it. I’m not suggesting what way through might be, I’m simply stating facts.

maddyone why do you keep saying that the politician's promise usurps the law? The law is that the referendum was advisory. Why do you still believe a couple of politicians, looking for support? If David Cameron told you it was okay to drive at 60 mph in a 30 mph limit would you be trying to convince the court that you believed Cameron's word was superior to the law in that instance? Worse still would you tell a child that someone in authority can disregard the law.

They were also told that we wouldn't leave until we had a deal. And there was no mention whatsoever about how, if we voted to leave, it would be implemented. This should have all been sorted out beforehand and then put to the people. It's all very well making a promise to people but not when you have no idea how to fulfil that promise.

Whitewave, you know as well as I and everyone else does, that whilst the referendum was legally advisory, the public were told, rightly or wrongly, that whatever they voted in the supposedly ‘once in a lifetime’ referendum would be implemented.
What exactly is so hard to understand about that? Some people may not like it, but why is it difficult to understand?

He lied and lied and lied

Anna Turley MP
@annaturley
So no work has been going on to get a new deal. Since TM’s deal nothing has been done. What a colossal waste of time & what a mess. Strategy was entirely based on Boris getting into No10 & having an immediate general election & then no deal. Sorry but we’re not playing your games

gmarie

What puzzles me, is how did we get to this?

In the U.K. we were toddling along, with one centre left government being replaced by a centre right periodically and whilst things were not perfect, especially for the poor, we seemed to be progressing towards a better society, with investment in our schools, NHS etc accepted as the norm and the aim of at the very least seeing society as one nation.

But then we had this ridiculous decision to hold an advisory referendum, (they can’t be anything else in a parliamentary democracy) which suddenly became written in stone having the affect of totally destroying the cohesion in our society and pitching the two sides into this prolonged sterile battle.

For 3 years now, the uks economy has faltered, no thought has been given to what needs doing or changing. All minds are concentrated on how best to destroy the adversaries argument and that is all.

The effect is that polarisation is getting more and more extreme, with the effects spilling out into society which is reflecting it by greater violence and hate language. The sort you would never have dreamed of 10 years ago.

I hope that history is being constantly referred to and that we avoid what happened in 1930s by refusing to accept the propaganda and hate so prevalent then and now.

Labaik - Yes, Trump-ism has divided families, friends, communities, and parts of the country!! Here in the US, you're either from a "blue" state or a "red" state; we're extremely polarized. I'm not sure how this happened. Whitewavemark2, you mention you fear moderates will be replaced by hard right-wingers in the UK and I'm afraid it's already happened over here. I've actually been quite down about it as of late.

Lessor, he's not too bad as a clown

Do you REALLY think that Jeremy Corbyn is disliked because people don’t like what he looks like? Have you been at the cooking sherry?

My personal opinion is that Corbyn is a wally, so Johnson has performed a minor miracle in making him seem statesmanlike and relatively honest.

JC is INFINITELY preferable to ANY of that bunch of liars, cheats, greedy arrogant, self inflated, very very over entitled bunch of tw*ts that pretend to care about the UK.

The last 3 Tory PMs have sold the UK down the river. The current one, BJ the buffoon, just shows the Tories up for who they are. As for his lounging, streak of urine friend, who treats the HOC as his own bedroom, I couldn't despise anyone more.

The class system in the UK makes me want to vomit, frankly. Snobs and would be snobs (who Johnson and RM wouldn't touch with a bargepole, were they to meet them in real life) who can't recognise an honest politician, JUST because he doesn't meet their gilded cage idea of what a politician looks like.

Johnson is well equipped for somethings

like what? please?

Johnson is well equipped for somethings, however his bumbling ways and the total absence of common sense does not equip him to be another emperor Augustus, as he apparently sees himself as. The consequences of his lack of appropriate characteristics leaves our nation in turmoil while he stomps around the nation making himself an us look like fools

I used to think that TM must have had a plan but I was wrong. Now I think DC has a plan based on his success in 2016. I think that he got away with so many lies and cheating that he thinks he can do it again. I hope he is wrong and that people see through him this time but when I see some of the people interviewed on TV and what they write on Twitter I am not so sure. I never thought I had a better mind than most people but am beginning to think I might when I see how little some understand.

I'm sure that the Times journalist qouted by Nonnie was correct that Johnson had been plotting throughout August. But he (and Cummings) aren't as clever as they thought because they've been foiled at every turn. Hoist by his own petard I think.

Oh dear, it's desperate really. I agree about his mental state.

Johnson used to turn up at functions to make a speech, pretend he'd lost his notes and would then proceed to give a very funny ad lib speech. The only problem with that is that sometimes the same people would turn up at both venues and start to realise that his off the cuff funny speeches were, in fact, well rehearsed. There's an article about it somewhere which I'll try to find. Might work as an after dinner speaker but not good for the PM of this country. As for his reciting of poems/speaking in latin etc it's time he stopped that, too.

I do wonder how Boris will cope with being so friendless. I don't think he is robust mentally and, as a human being, I feel concern. Yes, he has brought it on himself and he is reckless with our well-being as well as his own, but he could find this hard to survive. The dog may help - they do. I know posts can have meanings read into that aren't there but I write that as simple concern for a human being albeit an unlikable one but I wish he was not even an MP let alone PM for his sake as well as ours.

I am a constitutional leaver and a trade, security, etc., remainer who voted remain. I imagine there are people just like me who voted leave. I cannot see how either remain or no-deal leave will be the final answer. The EU is changing, the world is changing, I just don't believe that any of this will be the end. I would not want a Conservative government in any case and a government of Labour, Greens and Liberals will still need to sort out our relationship with the EU.

I just can't see any way forward, to be honest.

Ah, but that's why you don't "get it", Lessimore. Johnson was born to rule as a consequence of his superior breeding and intelligence. He doesn't have to work at it, because he's naturally brilliant. To whom should he be obliged? It would appear Eton and Oxford forgot the lesson about "noblesse oblige". Hard work is for the plebs.

To avoid misunderstanding, the above post is ironic.

I'm sorry, I know some people regard Boris as some sort of saviour but I found the speech I have pasted an absolute embarrassment. Take a look at it, listen to the nervous laughter,

Where is this famed intelligence?

I have not been blessed with huge intellect. Every single thing I have achieved has been through hours and hours of study, time spent on task, preparation and a huge sense of obligation.

Where is his?

Every time I hear a leave supporter make a statement a out what is going to happen, as in "There will be an election next month" I remember all the other predictions they got wrong.

But this time lemongrove Carrie must have washed that shirt and the prompts on the cuff had disappeared down the plughole!

Johnson could have a speechwriter (of course) but obviously prefers to speak off the cuff however it turns out.?

I agree Urmstongran that is exactly the situation.
It’s stalemate, but that cannot go on, and there will be an election next month.