Scrutable

There's a quite interesting opinion column in today's Observer, by Sonia Purnell, who has known BJ for 30 years.

The last paragraph (well, most of it):

As even people who voted for him with delight and pride now try to deny it, he is no doubt desperately trying to find another gamble with an eye-catching announcement that might buy him more time. Otherwise, he knows too well that there is only one button left in his toybox, the one marked self-destruct. He would rather not go out on a whimper but a very big bang.

Assuming she is right and things don't go well for him at the conference... an early election?

Early election seems to be closer to his style... win and silence his detractors or take everyone down with him.

He would need to call it before being booted out though, can't call one after losing the party already.

One could imagine the 1922 committee giving themselves the option to call another confidence motion within 12 months on the basis of a higher number of letters received... 51% say ... then they'd be able to throw out an incumbent without likely needing to go through with the vote and the letters would only be known to the chairman.

Well if 6 MPs do defect to Labour, that presumably reduces the willing to vote to change the leadership rules of the 1922* Committee



*My fat fingers initially typed "1933" which seemed apt.

jimbob wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 26, 2022 7:27 pm

Well if 6 MPs do defect to Labour, that presumably reduces the willing to vote to change the leadership rules of the 1922* Committee



*My fat fingers initially typed "1933" which seemed apt.

Plus a new 1922 Committee is to be chosen on 13 July and things depends on whether BJ can have it packed with his supporters.

TopBadger wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:50 pm

Early election seems to be closer to his style... win and silence his detractors or take everyone down with him.

He would need to call it before being booted out though, can't call one after losing the party already.

Although the PMs have said on various occasions, "I have called an election...", who in practical reality made the decision? The cabinet? Or the PM as an individual?

The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 S2(1) says: "The powers relating to the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of a new Parliament that were exercisable by virtue of Her Majesty’s prerogative immediately before the commencement of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 are exercisable again..."

As a 2017 House of Commons briefing paper on Crown Prerogative says, "Prerogative powers are possessed by the Crown (that is, the Government)..." They do not require the consent of the Commons or Lords. But who, in practice, exercises these powers of "the Government"? I read of several cases where a minister made a decision that was seemingly theirs to make, and apply, by prerogative, but the PM overruled them. So it does not seem automatically to devolve on an individual minister. In the curiosity that is our constitutional monarchy, the Queen dissolves parliament "on the advice of Her Ministers". In the illegal prorogation saga, was that poor advice Johnson's individual decision, or a decision of the cabinet to send him out there to misadvise her? These things are not quite clear to me.

IvanV wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:48 pm

TopBadger wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:50 pm

Early election seems to be closer to his style... win and silence his detractors or take everyone down with him.

He would need to call it before being booted out though, can't call one after losing the party already.

Although the PMs have said on various occasions, "I have called an election...", who in practical reality made the decision? The cabinet? Or the PM as an individual?

The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 S2(1) says: "The powers relating to the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of a new Parliament that were exercisable by virtue of Her Majesty’s prerogative immediately before the commencement of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 are exercisable again..."

As a 2017 House of Commons briefing paper on Crown Prerogative says, "Prerogative powers are possessed by the Crown (that is, the Government)..." They do not require the consent of the Commons or Lords. But who, in practice, exercises these powers of "the Government"? I read of several cases where a minister made a decision that was seemingly theirs to make, and apply, by prerogative, but the PM overruled them. So it does not seem automatically to devolve on an individual minister. In the curiosity that is our constitutional monarchy, the Queen dissolves parliament "on the advice of Her Ministers". In the illegal prorogation saga, was that poor advice Johnson's individual decision, or a decision of the cabinet to send him out there to misadvise her? These things are not quite clear to me.

That's by design, innit?
'swhy we need a written constitution.

BOOM!

Javid strikes first!!!

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:05 pm

BOOM!

Javid strikes first!!!

Yeah?
Why?
In what way?
What's enhapping?

Red alert

tenchboy wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:08 pm

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:05 pm

BOOM!

Javid strikes first!!!

Yeah?
Why?
In what way?
What's enhapping?

A knife has been placed into the back of our Great Caesar. A number of additional knives will shortly be joining said knife. The words "Et Tu Jacob et Nadine?" will soon be heard.

Sunak next

BOOM 2!!

Terrible news for Labour, but utterly hilarious!

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:15 pm

tenchboy wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:08 pm

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:05 pm

BOOM!

Javid strikes first!!!

Yeah?
Why?
In what way?
What's enhapping?

A knife has been placed into the back of our Great Caesar. A number of additional knives will shortly be joining said knife. The words "Et Tu Jacob et Nadine?" will soon be heard.

Hah!
Those two would never go, 'cos they know that nobody else would ever employ them

Sunak

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:15 pm

tenchboy wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:08 pm

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:05 pm

BOOM!

Javid strikes first!!!

Yeah?
Why?
In what way?
What's enhapping?

A knife has been placed into the back of our Great Caesar. A number of additional knives will shortly be joining said knife. The words "Et Tu Jacob et Nadine?" will soon be heard.

Oh.

If after f.cking everything this, of all things, proves the final straw for Johnson*, it will feel like getting Al Capone** on tax evasion.




*fully cognisant that the slimy c.nt may still insist on hanging on

**not that one, the other one.

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:15 pm

A knife has been placed into the back of our Great Caesar. A number of additional knives will shortly be joining said knife. The words "Et Tu Jacob et Nadine?" will soon be heard.

Dorries and Rees-Mogg are currently handcuffing themselves and Johnson to the PM's desk while screaming "BINO Traitor!" at anyone who comes near them.

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:15 pm

tenchboy wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:08 pm

lpm wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:05 pm

BOOM!

Javid strikes first!!!

Yeah?
Why?
In what way?
What's enhapping?

A knife has been placed into the back of our Great Caesar. A number of additional knives will shortly be joining said knife. The words "Et Tu Jacob et Nadine?" will soon be heard.

Ah but this night none will have need of pause,
Till to them their heart returns from coffin nigh,
For none amongst them has a heart to lose,
When blood soaked Boris shall fall and lie.

Sssssshhhh. Hear that noise? That's the rest of the world pissing themselves.

Opti wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:44 pm

Sssssshhhh. Hear that noise? That's the rest of the world pissing themselves.

Apart from Mr Starmer.

If Boris goes, it might make the next election just a little bit harder to win...

I’m working from home tomorrow. Might just watch PMQs.

deleted

I think Andrew Morrison has resigned but can’t be sure because this is what he tweeted. God save us.

Brightonian wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 05, 2022 6:11 pm

deleted

Insert wishful thinking comment here.