Yesterday saw a day of “high drama”. I put that in quotes as it seems a little overused these days. However it really was all go. To let me catch my breath I decided to do a quick update piece to try and put it all in some order and have a quick look at where we could find ourselves in the next few days. It isn’t all that straight forward so bear with me.
The day started, well we say day MPs didn’t actually start back in Parliament until 3:30pm, well 2:30pm if count all the pomp and prayers. Ok so the day started with MPs coming back from their summer recess to the backdrop of being prorogued in about a week. It meant that whatever they were going to do they had to do it quick.
First real business was a fiery update from Boris Johnson regarding the G7 summit recently. He made a big grandiose speech about how much more the UK will be able to influence things outside the EU and how much we already do to help. He fielded a few good decent questions regarding the Iran nuclear deal and the imprisoned Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, imprisoned since he was Foreign Secretary, the Brazilian Rainforest fires, China and of course Trump. He also made clear his disdain for the coming #ResistanceBill being put to the house, if the speaker approved it, under Standing Order 24. SO24 is basically a rule allowing MPs to put forward emergency debates which can, under special circumstances result in a binding vote. More on the bill in a bit
After Johnson gave his update, and before he answered any questions, up stepped Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn massively divides opinion in the Labour party and their supports. But no matter which way you fall on that subject his speech was brilliant. He pointed out Johnsons used of war like language and his lack of respect for Parliament through the use of a 5 week long Proroguing of Parliament. He used fact after fact, citing the government’s own documentation on Brexit (see Operation Yellowhammer) and referenced the court proceedings going on in Edinburgh and in other courts biding to put a stop to the Proroguing. One of his best lines was also his last “His is a government with no mandate, no morals and, as of today, no majority .”
So on the big debate.
This debate at its heart was simply to take control of business today (4th September). But it was to take control for the purpose of having a debate and a vote to force the PM to seek an extension of Article 50 (the Brexit process) to the end of January 2020, 3 extra months. It didn’t dictate what should be done in that time just that there should be an extension, so we don’t crash out of the EU.
Throughout this debate fact and fiction collided in a giant mess that served only to confuse the situation even more. But if you look behind what was said you can see some truth. Throughout the debate Jacob Rees-Mogg slouched on the front benches looking bored, taking up, as Caroline Lucas pointed out “3 seats”, all the while being shouted at by MPs to “sit up”. Twitter didn’t like it either and it quickly because a picture used to mock him. His utter contempt for the proceeding oozing out of him like some backward swamp monster.
Before that we have Iain Duncan Smith picking his nose and eating it on national TV. These MPs really seem to forget sometimes that they are always on camera.
The debate was angry with more heated donkey braying than normal. Jeremy Corbyn gave yet another great speech full of the facts at hand.
While Jacob Rees-Mogg could only prattle on about how very unconstitutional all of it was, quoting some Latin and irrelevant political sources to make himself sound intelligent.
In then end the Government was defeated and Johnson stood up to sound defiant and failed. He instead sounded like a small child throwing his toys out of the pram. It was pathetic. Johnson claimed he doesn’t want a General Election however if he loses the vote today he will call for a vote on having one right away.
So lets summarise all of this.
Yesterday
- MPs came back from their Summer debate
- Johnson gave an update to Parliament about the recent G7 summit
- Corbyn gave 2 brilliant speeches
- MPs had an emergency debate about having another debate today seeking to extend Article 50 again. This time to the end of January 2020 an thus preventing, for the time being, a No Deal crashout Brexit.
Today
- Boris Johnson has Prime Minsters Questions at 12pm. Might be a good one to watch.
- Later in the day we will have a debate about the bill to extend Article 50, with a vote on it straight after
- If the Government loses that vote, ie. is force to seek an extension, then Johnson has said he will call for a vote on a new General Election right away. So we could see two important votes today.
Things are getting a bit nasty at the moment. I want to thank the 21 Tory MPs who, because they voted against the government last night, have been stripped of their whip, so are no longer Tory MPs but now independents. I can’t help feeling like Johnson may have jut created some Political martyrs.
Keep up the good fight everyone! But do it safely and legally and especially without violence.
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