Johnson’s Commons response on the UK’s COVID infection rate is really quite extraordinary
The clip now trending on social media I have only just seen this Commons response by the PM to LAB MP, Ben Bradshaw, who asked about the UK’s COVID infection rate compared with Italy and Germany. It really is quite remarkable that Johnson should turn this round to Britain being a “freedom loving country” This was an obvious question and he should have had a response all prepared. His apporach, I’d suggest, is one of the reasons why his personal…
A problem about enforcement remains Johnson’s failure to do anything about the Cummings lockdown breach
This is always going to be thrown back at him Quite clearly the Government is aboslutely right to bring in more restrictions in view of the ongoing rise in infections. There is a serious problem that needs to be tackled and we heard the latest contols from Johnson in the Commons. It is noteable that there is a lot more about enforcement and penalities for those who are in breach something that wasn’t so important in the early days of…
Leave it to Cummings
And now for something for completely different I tell you, there are days that you can’t please anyone. It all started conventionally enough. The fresh morning light crept through the gap in the curtains and caressed my face with the tenderness of an unattended car alarm. The Moggster had introduced me to a patriotic drink called Lambrini the previous evening. I was now flying the Union Flag upside down. As I lay on my bed, sprawled and desolately flapping like a mackerel…
Now the Johnson/Cummings move to change the Brexit agreement threatens a US-UK trade deal
One of the big challenges presented by Brexit is that the UK needs to make trade deals with nations that before had deals with the EU and there’s a reminder of the pressure that can be exerted in the above letter from Washington DC. For in the US any trade deal would have to be approved by the House of Representatives which, of course could lead to all sorts of other issues being raised. A nation operating on its own…
A back down by Boris on his “break international law Bill” ?
The above Tweet from the Times suggests that the Prime Minister is thinking of compromising over his controversial Brexit move which would ignore a Treaty obligation which is in breach of international law. This would seem entirely logical because the chances are that the bill will have a rough time in the House of Lords. There is the Salisbury convention that broadly states that the Upper House should not vote down measures that were in the manifesto of the wining…
Winter is coming: the reckoning
No Deal and a Covid resurgence will make a torrid winter for the government Time was when Conservative governments stood for law and order; they didn’t wantonly break law themselves. Time was when Conservative governments stood for the Union; they didn’t sign up to first sell out Ulster unionists and then U-turn and enrage nationalists (which is at least even-handed). Time was when Conservative governments valued a stable economy, sound money and a low deficit. Time was when Conservative governments…
Promises, promises – then and now
In The Big Chill two characters have this exchange:- Michael: “I don’t know anyone who could get through the day without two or three juicy rationalisations. They’re more important than sex.” Sam: “Ah, come on. Nothing’s more important than sex.” Michael: “Oh yeah? Ever gone a week without a rationalisation?” If ever you needed proof, this week has provided a plethora of examples, with doubtless more to come. They’ve come from the PM and all those new Red Wall Tory…