Make Me PM Pretty Please
Desperation Sets In
Should this motion actually succeed (it almost certainly won’t), Boris Johnson’s likely response would be to refuse to stand down until October 31.
For starters the public is tired of this nonsense. More importantly, the Liberal Democrats refuse to go along.
Rebel Tories Agree to Meet Corbyn to Stop No-deal Brexit
The Guardian reports Rebel Tories Agree to Meet Corbyn to Stop No-deal Brexit.
The Tory MPs Dominic Grieve, Caroline Spelman and Oliver Letwin, plus the former Conservative Nick Boles, said they would be willing to enter talks with the Labour leader in the weeks before parliament returns from recess.
“We agree that our common priority should be to work together in parliament to stop a no-deal Brexit and welcome your invitation to discuss the different ways this might be achieved,” they wrote.
Their tone was very different from that of Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem leader, who dismissed the idea of Corbyn leading a caretaker government as nonsense and said the Labour leader would not be able to build even a temporary consensus.
“This letter is just more red lines that are about him and his position and is not a serious attempt to find the right solution and build a consensus to stop a no-deal Brexit,” she said. “I am committed to working in a credible way with those in other parties, and none, across parliament to stop a no-deal Brexit and will set out how that could work in my speech tomorrow.”
Anna Soubry, the leader of the Independent Group for Change (formerly Change UK), told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday: “I would not support a government of national unity that is led by Jeremy Corbyn for all manner of reasons.
“One, because I don’t think it’s genuine, secondly because it is not going to deliver a people’s vote, which is the only way through the chaos; and, of course, he doesn’t command support or respect in his own political party, never mind across the parliamentary divide.”
IF IF IF
If Corbyn would resign as Labour party head, there might be room for some sort of deal. But any Tories who voted for such a move would lose their seats in the next election.
And even if that happened, Johnson might refuse to stand down. The law is not clear on whether he would have to.
Refuse to Resign
Can Johnson Refuse to Resign? I believe so and so does Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s top deputy and strategist.
Mr. Cummings has let it be known, even if a rival were to attract enough support to form a government, the prime minister could legally call for a general election and refuse to vacate Downing Street. The Fixed-Term Parliaments Act of 2011, which guides the procedures for a no-confidence vote, does not specifically require prime ministers to step aside at that point, even if custom and respect for democratic norms would seem to dictate that they should.
At this point, constitutional experts say, the queen could conceivably step in and dismiss Mr. Johnson, using her “reserve prerogative power.”
Thus, parliament would first have to modify the Fixed-Term Act of 2011 which is rather hard to do if Johnson does not propose any legislation for Parliament to amend. And here’s a hint: He won’t.
Would the Queen get involved? That’s highly unlikely, bordering on zero percent.
Even then, please note that Corbyn’s proposal is to ask for another extension for the purpose of holding another referendum or renegotiating after another election.
Who would win?
UK General Election Polls
In all likelihood, Johnson would be reelected if there was another vote. The reason should be easy to spot.
The Tories and the Brexit Party are highly likely to unite while Labour and the Liberal Democrats are highly unlikely to.
Swinson sees herself as leader of the opposition. She does not want to do anything to prop up Labour or increase the chances Corbyn would be elected.
Already Corbyn is blaming Swinson. She can just as easily say, make her the temp PM. Would Corbyn go along?
Is Corbyn’s plan to stop Brexit really that? If so, any caretaker would do. There are no guidelines that suggest it has to be the leader of the opposition.
Corbyn appointed himself the caretaker.
Would the Tories, who would immediately be outed from the party really go along?
And what about Labour MPs who really do want Brexit.
Add this all up, and there is little chance Corbyn’s “Make Me PM Pretty Please” motion does anything but fall flat on its face. But if by some miracle it passed, I expect Johnson would refuse to resign until October 31.
Happy Halloween.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
I think many suffer from the halo effect of Britain. Just because you control the media doesn’t mean you are important to anyone outside of Europe. Given that the UK never joined the EMU, Brexit doesn’t really matter. The UK economy has been in decline for the better part of a generation. Whatever they do will not alter that trend. The UK was the last empire. It’s power on the global stage has been waning for nearly 100 years.
Dominic Grieve at his mendacious best…
tn=kC-R&eid=ARAmaa8C4igG1U3u-7QlTh0D2pVpypZ0_KDGP8R6BSWEwLi1Rl_wycApXXxvo6uKf6CtuhTKFt1-n5S6&hc_ref=ARQpwu6Y-o4m5Rf8RQGJP6qufF3Xby5M7sECtGRaujjuTFCtQgp_MXxN94PGwo43OUs&__xts__[0]=68.ARCKXfZZA9uaXKXEPOEvHrQKs9iIGrho5eM5D1-IZTYhntuk6IU9qDUel8zr6Sk18a1tReh6LjnlX9IM0xkjqOMwrwRMN7U6ePzKqUJ4QoVsEezDabCgmQsvFYoPi4Hv9N8ZOZS1yqtcUoKcHgVXXYYpVNeSTHA9zgI13NOAdmntkGaDv45i6_o1kvvWZg28NqScOz1qNqZzhfugFHohcm5KN7HCRkySTqLMyDD77EbEqD1P_yHilEs_CrH5I8obH0K3BQF6k1Wq5caiQ-snmHVq5-rwpSZAenbX5s16ffllQqv76D24TiOpKmwGIcURjbSWdqVjDaYKxDpmpw2rnx0u4SmlA7u6h4HWotC3pFu7VNP5SOZdQVCWHgiv0K_24GMxgYAIB5bj5E3qTmxwqc24fgquE8cJu8KELX6BD0lVxm4aIlh_wKVT8AXBZR7qj2Qp46Xv1h-qgmGh99UElTErRwna2X9T-FuyXv2NkacAFRNpUtCkp51GAFNlY6WZ5LVhaF2kVld6sr_eA5F7FBg
Corbyn: ” Parliament to lay out my plan to stop a disastrous No Deal Brexit and let the people decide the future of our country.”
The people already decided the future of Great Britain. They chose Brexit. Corbyn is opposing the will of the British people.
Just call an election and then the future direction can be decided, not just the Brexit debacle.
Interesting anniversary today…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/peterloo-massacre-anniversary-manchester-bicentenary-a9058976.html
“On a point of fact, if Johnson loses a vote of no confidence and a Corbyn government survives one then Corbyn is prime minister no ifs or buts.”
Excuse me – there are plenty of If and or Buts
If Johnson refuses to resign he can call an election and wait. The terms of the 2011 act allows just that.
Not with an alternative Prime Minister who has a confidence vote under his belt. Parliament is sovereign. If parliament tells Johnson to go and he refuses then he suffers the consequences. The last person to ignore parliament had his head chopped off and his son was chased out of the country in 1689. Corbyn, if he had a vote of confidence, would appoint his ministers, they would go to their ministries and the civil service, armed forces and police would obey the new administration’s instructions. You are just touting rubbish.
A great deal has changed since the days of Charles I. I quote the Institute for Government:
*In 2011, the Fixed-term Parliaments Act put certain confidence motions on a statutory basis for the first time. This is because the act defines how confidence motions can trigger a general election. A vote of confidence under the act has to be worded in a very specific way: “That this House has no confidence in Her Majesty’s Government.”
If such a motion is lost by the Government, there is a 14-day period in which a new government can be formed and try to pass a second confidence motion: “That this House has confidence in Her Majesty’s Government.”*
To quote again:
We are in uncharted territory.
In other words, given how long it takes for all this ‘procedure’ to occur, especially over the summer recess, a competent Prime Minister (and nobody would say Johnson was a weak reed) could easily let the clock run out.
I wish people would read what I write rather than what they think I have written. It is as obvious as a pike staff that the negotiations for a GNU are going on now.Corbyn is assembling a grand coalition now. When the no confidence vote takes place the aim is to have a coalition government in place to take over straightaway. Now if Corbyn succeeds in arranging a grand coalition then Johnson goes because his authority will be shot. I don’t say he will succeed but there are straws in the wind. Several Tory MPs have stated publicly that he is the lesser evil and no Tory rebel has said that they will not vote against Johnson. Corbyn as Prime Minister could do no more than either arrange for a GE or a referendum or both. The assembled coalition would be made up of such strange bedfellows that his partners would stop him doing anything else. This is one moment when thinking outside the box is essential. Just so you can understand what I’m saying I’ll put it another way. Coalition talks are underway now in order to circumvent the ridiculous 14 day period. If Corbyn succeeds then Johnson is toast. Is that clear enough for you?
Not so. Election would be called immediately. Plans in place after the 3 week advertising blitz now in planning. I don’t know what date it starts but certainly in planning.
Read the 2011 act and weep
Watch what happens. Advertising campaign due for launch, die cast, Rubicon crossed.
Whilst the world is turning to shit.
Depression straight ahead.
On a point of fact, if Johnson loses a vote of no confidence and a Corbyn government survives one then Corbyn is prime minister no ifs or buts.
An election in that case so the country decides the colour of the Parliament.
If possible, please buy Finger-Pointing Futures
A shit show whichever way you look at it.
This is what happens when Governments give more and more power away without bothering to consult the people.
Sovereignty resides with Parliament and is bestowed by the people. For one day, every few years, its fully handed back to the people to decide who should be next to wield power – elections.
Neither Parliament nor the people have the right to give any sovereignty away with consulting the other as it belongs to both.
John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown gave more and more away and didn’t consult the people directly. Hence this mess. If it wasn’t the 2016 referendun that triggered it something else would have later.
“Neither Parliament nor the people have the right to give any sovereignty away with consulting the other as it belongs to both.”
I read a story on Zero Hedge the other day, about a former 3 star German general complaining about Merkle. Apparently, Merkle refers to the German people as the population, not as Germans and that she refused a small German flag to wave at some event.
Saw the flag video a while back. No time for any of them.
““Tiger, one day you will come to a fork in the road,” he said. “And you’re going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go.” He raised his hand and pointed. “If you go that way you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and you will get good assignments.” Then Boyd raised his other hand and pointed another direction. “Or you can go that way and you can do something – something for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself. If you decide you want to do something, you may not get promoted and you may not get the good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won’t have to compromise yourself. You will be true to your friends and to yourself. And your work might make a difference.” He paused and stared into the officer’s eyes and heart. “To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That’s when you will have to make a decision. To be or to do. Which way will you go?” Colonel ’60 second’ Boyd.”
It seems to me that all this position creates a great opportunity for finger pointing in the future. Whatever happens, everyone can blame it on someone else.