I am exceptionally busy with constituency matters, the leadership election and briefing on Brexit, so I am afraid there may be delays in Posting. To get posted early please keep contributions brief without citations of other sites which need checking.
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July 1, 2016
Completely understandable. I’m sure we wouldn’t want to distract you from these matters. Keep up the good work.
July 1, 2016
Absolutely. The priority is to make sure the referendum result sticks. Delay comments as much as you like (even mine!).
July 1, 2016
Understood, your efforts are much appreciated 🙂
First priority is to get Brexit right…
July 1, 2016
Perfectly understand your situation.
Thank you for maintaining this site whilst so much is going on, and thank you for working behind the scenes to try and help us move forward as a Country to what we all hope will be better times for all.
Thank goodness some Mp’s are thinking of the bigger picture at the moment instead of just carping on about the result or their own careers.
July 1, 2016
I second that…Dr Redwood is a very decent chap keeping us informed when he has so many other matters to attend to.
Mrs May (backed by Heseltine, Soubry, Ken Clarke, Edwina etc.) must be stopped or it will be back to the heir to Blair modernising rubbish and another 5 years in exile for traditional Conservatives….
The ‘Modernisers’ have had their kick of the ball…now lets see a Redwood/Leadsom Britain to make this country great again!.
July 1, 2016
Lets get back to common sense, not politically correct sense with John Redwood given a prominent position in the government… not the usual 20 something policy wonk/lapdogs in No.10’s pocket.
I see a big opportunity to roll back the worst aspects of the corrosive blue labour modernising agenda but keeping the bits that work.
Perhaps then former Conservatives will be able to return to the party if they have a choice other than hard left Labour and left wing Conservative.
July 1, 2016
Ken
Agree, Some of the backers of Mrs May you have listed worry me a lot too.
Far too “Remain” in thought and possibly deed.
We now have a great opportunity to move forward with a new fresh start if we grab the present opportunity with two hands.
We certainly do not want EU light.
July 2, 2016
I share your concern there seems to be a group at the top of the party that show a curious almost fanatical resistance to change…my worry is that this rubber like quality sees the old Cameron culture spring back but with new figureheads.
We remove the head but the creature doesn’t die…
That is what the May campaign is about imo – essentially no change with a few cosmetic tweaks here and there. Mr Osborne can be relied upon to talk down the economy and keep the pound from recovering to focus minds on keeping the current deal..
Aside from ‘taking our country back’..real Conservatives should unite and take they’re party back…
July 1, 2016
Quite understand John.
Good speech by John McDonnell today. Labour accepts referendum result, accepts free-movement is gone and has negotiation red lines on access to the free market and that all EU citizens currently here should stay. Very sensible. Let’s hope he and Corbyn – good anti-EU supporters both – stay in control eh ?
July 1, 2016
Personally, I don’t know how you fit it all in. I’m not bothered whether my posts are published or not. My main aim is to let you know my opinion and if you can pick anything useful from my ramblings then I’m happy.
July 1, 2016
We all owe you a debt of gratitude in changing and unexpected times and you can only be in one place at a time.
Personally I am dubious about Mrs May and even more so about Mr Crabbe.
July 1, 2016
Ditto your final sentence.
July 1, 2016
Mrs May ditches her proposal to take us out of the ECHR, obviously a woman of principle who can be trusted; not a majority in parliament for this measure? what about a majority in favour of leaving the EU? Oh, why not water that one down as well, anything to get elected as the next Tory leader.
The ECHR derives its purported legitimacy from its being representative of all european nations, however small such that Germany has one judge as has San Marino and Monaco; I wonder how many international terrorists are ensconced in the latter whilst claiming their ‘right to family life’? The ECHR is an example of all that is bad about some international bodies, making up laws which can then be enforced in opposition to those created by elected legislatures in proper countries, not Ruritanian backwaters.
July 1, 2016
If Mrs May wins it will be hugely depressing look at the dire quality of most of he supporters.
July 1, 2016
Leadsom is the right choice for Tory leader.
July 1, 2016
I suspect you are right, I would have preferred Boris as I suspect would the electorate in general. Now Gove has foolishly & pointlessly knifed him.
It must not be May she is a tedious, cowardly, a remainer who lied to the nation about control of borders and huge electoral liability. She is also too old, has serious health issues and has religion. Look at the rather dire list of her supporters.
It surely at the very least must be someone who advocated leave at the very least. Preferably someone without religion or indeed the new climate alarmism religion.
July 1, 2016
Agreed, failing that then C of E and I’ve love to see Moggy at Education.
July 1, 2016
Street demonstrations in support of Brexit is the only option the increasingly dark and undemocratic nature of Parliamentarians is fostering.
People require Article 50 implemented now.
Tory and Labour intrigues of who stands at the top of their banana trees is an ugly diversion from the path of democracy.
July 1, 2016
We are being betrayed and most likely we will never leave the EU.
Is that brief enough?
July 1, 2016
Is it looking rather like that. It is however a war not a single battle we will surely escape eventually?
July 1, 2016
Although Brexit is by far the most important issue in front of us at the moment, it isn’t the only issue and should not be the only consideration in picking the new PM. It is possible that common sense will prevail and there will be a speedy and satisfactory arrangement with the EU, perhaps early next year. In that case the new PM and the Government will need to re-focus on all the other issues: the budget deficit; tax reform; public service reform etc. Hopefully the new PM will be leading the government until 2020 and then in the 2020-25 Parliament, by which time Brexit will be entering the history books. Please think long term!
July 1, 2016
Osborne still running the country down I see.
Will someone rid the country of this doom and gloom, economic ignoramus, pension robber, sugar taxer and tenant mugger as soon as possible please.
The thought of the dire, bossy and boring Theresa May as PM fills me with doom & gloom. She is not an electoral asset either. Let us hope the equally boring, but at least sound M Gove can beat her (is he still holding the knife (dripping with Boris blood). But he is no great electoral asset either.
More weasel words from IHT ratter Osborne just now:- We have got that deficit down to a “forecast” of ……
We can all get things down to a duff forecast Osborne! It is actually still about 7% of GDP currently and with a huge trade deficit too. Still we are moving towards a Greater Switzerland on Sea hopefully if we can stop May/Osborne/Clark/Major and the pro EU. greencrap, Libdim wing from screwing it up again.
July 1, 2016
“Chancellor abandons plan to balance books by 2020” I hear, well he was hardly likely to hit it anyway. He is lucky to have a rather convenient excuse for his incompetence and his very many abject failures.
What this economic ignoramus need to do is abandon his job, stop running the country down and leave the job to someone with a real grasp economics. Instead of a complete and utter joker and PR stunt man like himself.
Someone like JR or Allister Heath who actually believes in smaller, simpler taxes, no EU and far less government. Someone competent who can inspire confidence rather than doom and gloom.
July 1, 2016
Lifelogic
Osbourne was going to fail to balance the books anyway, he knew it we knew it, so he has used Brexit as an excuse by talking fear and failure again.
Shameful really, but what do you expect from a political opportunist.
The sooner he is gone the better.
July 1, 2016
Ex chancellor orders Mr Gove to step down or else.
Loving it.
July 1, 2016
Please don’t vote for May, I don’t think much of any of the candidates apart from Grove. We need someone from the leave campaign.
May, will keep us tied to the Eu as much as she can she seems to be more for her career than country, we saw her flip flop in the referendum.
July 1, 2016
I wanted Boris but could live with Gove, Fox or Leadsom.
The last think I want is anyone from the remain side, especially ones with strong religious beliefs. May would be the worse of all of them.
July 1, 2016
We need someone who will send in the Article 50 notice the same day that he or she becomes Prime Minister and hopefully can still do it. Otherwise we’re sunk, it’s all been a waste of time and effort. So that rules out May, Gove and Fox, all of whom have said they would tarry unnecessarily while the opposition gets its act together, and I guess Crabb as well, which may leave Leadsom or may not.
July 1, 2016
http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7551
“After a decision to leave the EU, the first step is for the UK to notify the European Council of the UK’s intention to withdraw.
There is no set timeframe for when it has to do so, or in what form.
It is likely that the notification would be done by the Prime Minister under prerogative powers. But arguments that Parliament should – or even would have to – give its consent have gained currency since the referendum.”
Because those who are giving those arguments currency know that there is no chance that both Houses of Parliament would agree to the notice going in.
July 1, 2016
Dear Denis–I am with you, seriously I am, but is it not the case that what some lawyers are saying is that Article 50 requires notification according to the leaving country’s “constitutional arrangements” and that (per these lawyers at least ) it is not clear that something so important as leaving the EU can go forward without an Act of Parliament–put another way that our “constitutional arrangements” are silent on referenda? Put yet another way, is it so clear (and it may well be, I dunno) that the prerogative (or such as remains of it) allows PM to trigger “just because” there has been a referendum?
July 2, 2016
IF we had a Brexit PM in place, and IF parliament somehow conspired to block an Article 50 notice, an early election ought to clear the dross.
July 2, 2016
Dear matthu–But maybe it wouldn’t. Then what? It doesn’t bear thinking about. Nobody knows much for certain and remember 48% did vote to Remain. Every little negative thing or market movement is going to be blown up out of all proportion with nothing good ever being attributed to having voted to Leave. I am very unconvinced by the idea of a General Election.
July 2, 2016
Some lawyers are saying that, and the longer it is left the more they will say it.
July 1, 2016
“No tax rises until 2020” says the cowardly & tediously bossy remainer and liar “we have control of our border through Schengen while in the EU” Theresa.
After all the endless tax grabs, pension muggings, IHT ratting, landlord thefts, 10% IPT tax etc. from Osborne we need huge tax cuts for the benefit of the economy not tax increases. Anyway tax increases are build into the system with inflation.
She is unfit to be PM, The cuckoo in the Boris next Gove is now not even second favourite after his knifing of Boris. So what has he achieved? Boris would have been the best bet at the ballot box by miles.
What a dam mess the Tories are making of this huge opportunity?
Who will rid us of Osborne! Like Lamont he is staying on way past his sell by date he stinks to high heaven now, not that he was ever someone anyone sensible would have put in no 11.
Max Hastings says he would have left the country had Boris won. So that would have been another big advantage of a Boris victory.
We need a leader who will rid the party of the vast Libdem wing. The BBC think, tax borrow and piss down the drain, climate alarmists and magic money tree dopes. It you want to know who they are look at the list of Theresa May supporters.
July 1, 2016
If May is chosen and doesn’t deliver UKIP will probably pick up lots of Conservative seats at the 2020 election. Likewise if Labour replace the anti-EU Corbyn/McDonnell leadership with Remainiacs.
July 1, 2016
The historic value of the Tory brand + the first past the post system still prevents UKIP doing more more that nibbling at the edges. We need some real Tories to get hold of the Tory party and boot the Libdems out. The Osborne,r
I see that Channel Four news seems totally accepting of the Osborne’s absurd:- my deficit plans are being blow of course by the Brexit vote. His plans were way out already. They even said the phrase “repaying the deficit” you can repay a debt ( a deficit).
I always expected the dire Osborne to use this pathetic excuse for his total incompetence.
July 1, 2016
Why can’t May or Osborne get rid of the deficit by 2020? It is not b cease of leaving he still has not made the cuts promised six years ago.
July 1, 2016
Indeed just a convenience excuse for the tax borrow and piss down the drain incompetent chancellor. Why on earth is he still there?
July 1, 2016
For crying out loud, when are Tory Leavers going to wake up?
https://euobserver.com/opinion/13415
“The UK remain camp will seek to delay and reverse the referendum outcome using all democratically legitimate means.”
“While it may be in the EU27’s interest, it is neither in the interest of the UK remain camp nor the UK national interest to quickly trigger Article 50.
This may still be true in one, two or five years. As always, we need to find ways of uniting diverse interests.”
With every day that passes the referendum victory slips from our grasp.
July 1, 2016
What referendum was that Denis? I seem to remember something about it; but, didn’t we lose to Iceland???
July 1, 2016
Denis – I share your concerns.
At the very least we must not cave into another referendum.
July 1, 2016
Thank you for highlighting this. I suspect JR is well aware of this huge risk, and I fervently hope that he can persuade the Brexit team to take urgent action. I have not heard Andrea Leadsom speak on this particular issue yet, but if she were to say that she would swiftly invoke Article 50, then we will have some hope. If there is delay, then we are doomed….
See my comment with link to der Spiegel article on the power games within the EU. It mentions this very point about those who specifically wants a delay, and why. This should make true Brexiters shudder. This really is a dangerous situation in which the referendum vote could easily not be honoured.
July 1, 2016
Agreed already Mr Carney has signalled that the economy is now so weak he will have to lower interest rates. The economy was heading for recession anyway but brexiteers will be made to carry the can.
The pound cannot be allowed to rise as the Remainers are hoping that price increases will turn the public mood away from Brexit.
July 1, 2016
EU, TTIP, ECHR: no, no, no!
July 1, 2016
Very feisty performance from Andrea Leadsom. I think she is just the person now for PM. Theresa May definitely not. Too many establishment people propping her up – nothing would change, and what we certainly need is radical change. An only “slightly different business from usual” is not going to convince or reassure voters.
Also interesting article in Der Spiegel.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/brexit-triggers-eu-power-struggle-between-merkel-and-juncker-a-1100852.html
Brexit Aftershocks: An Inside Look at the EU’s Raging Power Struggle
July 1, 2016
Leadsom for PM. Public will love her. Get Boris on board. He probably couldn’t run a chip shop but he’s a vote magnet like no other.
July 1, 2016
It would be really cool if we the people, had a say in these shenanigans at Westminster, don’t you think. I would like to vote for a new prime minister. I would like to choose a candidate for the job, in a primary election, rather than Westminster choosing one of the “fodder” for me.
At least I should be pleased that Osborne has gotten an excuse to give up his stupid neo liberal budget surplus attempt. Perhaps he is planning to keep his job, if Mrs May gets to be PM? She understands money, much better than he does.
July 2, 2016
acorn
“It would be really cool if we the people, had a say in these shenanigans at Westminster, don’t you think. I would like to vote for a new prime minister. I would like to choose a candidate for the job, in a primary election, rather than Westminster choosing one of the “fodder” for me.”
ABSOLUTELY…totally agree its about time we had some democracy here too.
July 1, 2016
I’m getting unnerved about the way the Remainer undercurrent (and its media support) is still renegotiating the vote. I fear that momentum is being lost each day now. Our Remainer ex PM has planned this stall and given the dark side a huge lift and time to plot against the vote. Another thing to thank him for.
Electing May will effectively throw the whole thing into the long grass. We need Leavers at the helm now until our departure has become irrevocable.
JR appreciate your efforts on keeping the focus.
July 1, 2016
John, watching C4 News an interview with Hugo Rifkind sums up the Islington (Harringey) Elite, poor old Hugo say’s Edinburgh voted 75% remain, and his home in Harringey voted 75% remain. poor old Hugo thinks its the English that have a problem with Identity. the reason why People like Hugo don’t understand the English, is because they are Not!
July 1, 2016
Quite understand John and I would rather you concentrated on getting us out of the EU. I feel quite strongly that we are going to be betrayed once again by the establishment. They will not get away with it. People won’t vote Tory again.
July 1, 2016
Leadsom or Gove please. NOT May.
July 2, 2016
Thanks, John, for continuing to post despite the chaos all around. I’m sure we all appreciate it.
My preference is to vote for Leadsom or Fox – if we get the chance!
July 2, 2016
Off Topic:
Labour and Tory MPs
The People, yes they can get it wrong.They can get it completely wrong. You can attempt to influence them ,guide them, educate them, lead them, criticise them, shout at them, play to their emotions, fears, loves, desires and needs.
But when they mark a paper, a ballot paper with “X” in a process which weeks, days, hours and even minutes before you approved of as being legitimate and honest and good, then do not after just a few days or even next day after that “X” is marked say that Mr. and Mrs UK’s “X” is invalid. That you do not respect it wholeheartedly despite your most sincere misgivings.
Yes you can have a moan about how you told them so, how they were mistaken, tricked, led astray, by others, but don’t you dare even with your suppurating arrogance question the very process which you yourselves authorised.
July 2, 2016
The choice depends in part as to who will succeed Corbyn, who in large part was responsible for the Brexit vote. I would imagine that there are frantic emails and muttered conversations going on in Labour circles. A rank outsider is Sir Keir Starmer, QC. formerly DPP. Although only recently an MP, he’s got all that it takes and if he is prepared to stand, he’ll be a dangerous foe.