I confess to having misgivings concerning Boris. I do not blame him in any way for the despicable treachery of his Tory 'Remainers'. Anyone who can vote for a Brexit process, for a referendum, then promise to abide by the result of the people's choice and then use every Machiavellian trick in the book to destroy it, deserves far worse than being booted out of the Tory party. Tied, naked, to a stake in the centre of their constituency towns and pelted with offal would be more suitable!
However, given that, I have to say that I have been less than impressed with Boris's performances in public. I watched his first PMQs and he came across as a stuttering, stammering toff straight out of a tale by P. G. Wodehouse! The main thrust of what he was saying was excellent but his way of saying it was appalling. He has been compared by some silly people to Churchill but that great man was a politician who was never short of an elegant and cutting phrase delivered with the precision of a guided missile. He is obviously not a man who can think and talk fast on his feet. Happily, his main opponent, 'Jezza', looks and sounds like an escapee from an old folks home.
As to the current impasse, there is only one possible solution and that is a general election. I have no firm idea how that would work out but I can only hope that the dreaded 'Peeps' turn in fury against the despicable cheats and liars who have deceived them. A man may hope, may he not?
There are a number of solutions to our current impasse. A General Election may just return another hung parliament with many members the same plonkers as before. A 2nd referendum might return an even bigger leave vote. The only clean solution is to just leave. How about Monday?
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 12:16
How about this weekend? More seriously, yes, you are right that a similar monkey-house Parliament might be elected, in which case, so be it but at least the @Peeps' will have been consulted.
Posted by: David Duff | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 14:01
Timing is crucial for the next election, and that's why Tony Blair got himself in such a two-and-eight about delaying it until after Halloween and into the A50 extension ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/06/timing-election-could-difference-huge-tory-majority-hung-parliament/
Jezza's two E grades at A-level were pushed to the max, but even his peanut brain managed to concur after applying himself.
BoJo made a fine effort to bring the BP vote back to the Tories - look at the way that graph bifurcates the Tory and BP votes after he took the helm.
But sadly for you guys and gals, when Her Maj signs off the extension on Monday and the EU signs off their end at the October summit, it's all over for you.
Except that it isn't!
Because you know as well as I do that Jezza and the Lib-Lab-Green-SNP pact will make a cock-and-bollocks of soft Brexit and self-combust even with it handed to them on a plate - just as you did!
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 14:10
Oh. My. God. ...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/06/establishment-brexit-fix-trick-british-people-reheated-may-deal/amp/
Govey really was faking death on the field of glory in the central position as I described!
But he's got more than a couple of rounds in the Tommy Gun - he's got a ruddy great BAZOOKA!!!
Go on my son, take out Kinnockio, Jezza, and the whole f@@@ing lot, bring back the 21 and unite us all again!
By George and all the Saints, if that Bastard pulls that trick off then Blighty has found its man, Gaffer!
I'll follow him. He may be a bastard, but at least he's our bastard.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 14:28
SoD
Might I refer you to this piece on that steaming heap you support to my everlasting amazement.
https://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2019/09/03/explosive-2nd-world-war-anniversary-marred-by-2nd-civil-war-nursery-yah-boo-sucks/
WF
Posted by: Wigner’s Friend | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 14:45
Further to my last, the major reason I voted Leave was my experience with European Armed Forces. There has been a drive for a EU military since the early 2000’s and, despite the denials pre-referendum, it was obvious that this would continue and become more likely - it will be a disaster. NATO not the EU has been the reason there has not been War in Europe since 45 and the EU came close to blowing this with the stupid Eastern expansion. If the EU had had their own combined military, disaster would have ensued. It still might.
Posted by: Wigner’s Friend | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 14:55
Balderdash, Wiggers.
Pushing east until we get to the Moskva was always the plan. Get all peeps with the shared lineage of Greco-Roman, Judea-Christian, dark ages, renaissance, enlightenment, modern, post-modern together and leave the savages behind. Beyond the Moskva? Monsters live there, leave them.
Once the Heer, Grognards, and Tom's are together as one Putin won't stop us. That's the mistake Boney and Adolf made: going it alone. Bit like you lot really! The Rooskies west of the Moskva will join too coz they're just like us.
Imagine that? Heer, Grognards, Toms and Ivan all as one, with bayonets all facing outwards.
Trump and the Chinks can go fk themselves, we've got all we need.
No-one will fk with us anymore, no-one. Including us.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 15:08
Unfortunately, moving little lead soldiers round a table at the local wargaming place, is not exactly like real life. NATO held the line because of the Americans plus the only two nations they could trust. The rest of them might fight or they might not.
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 16:07
BOE,
Might I suggest you replace “or they might” with “probably”.
Posted by: Wigner’s Friend | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 16:39
The Jerries will fight and the Frogs are nuclear. Putin won't touch, nor would any of his predecessors.
In my gap year I spent some time with the Royal Tank Regiment. I had a long conversation with one of the NCO's. He described the German Panzer crews as "Still a bunch of fanatical nutters, we can't get them to pack up when the exercise ends. They just wanna stay in their Panzers and see everyone off. And they're crafty as f**k, get round your flanks and everything".
If you know your mil history and/or you wargame WW2 with a set of rules that correctly imparts Guderian's know-how into the capabilities of Jerry armour, nuff said. The RTR struck me as a bunch of wannabe cavalry nob-jockeys, so I joined the paras instead.
Not to say the Yanks didn't help, mind, just to say it would have been a desperate Rooskie leader to have a go. Plus if the Yanks had pulled out the Brits and Frogs would have re-activated the Panzer Divisions to full strength and we'd be on the Moskva by now.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 16:55
You've sent me down a memory lane I've not been for a while.
I remember one of the recruiting officers saying, "In the Short Service Limited Commission you won't do much, just organising the officer's theatre night out, background admin things like that. And we don't talk shop in the mess, very rude, remember that state school boy."
I thought to myself, "Do you think Michael Wittman organized theatre trips and talked about irrelevant shite in the officers mess?"
I nearly said it too, but discretion proved the better part of valour.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 17:08
For once, SoD, you are quite right - well, there has to be a first time!
The Germans used to take soldiering extremely seriously, not just at the 'Schlieffen level' but right down to the very basic infantry tactics. I'm sure I have somewhere in one of the 'book mountains' in my attic, a diagram drawn up in circa 1903 showing an infantry man crossing some 500 metres of open ground against a stationary dug-in machine-gun. It analysed how often the man would fire before throwing himself to the ground to reload against how many m/gun rounds would be fired at him. Somehow, I don't think the cavalry besotted higher ranks of the British army would have bothered with such 'minor details'!
Posted by: David Duff | Friday, 06 September 2019 at 17:47
https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/09/uk-boris-johnson-to-defy-brexit-delay-bill-passed-by-parliament/
That look about right David?
I'm just aware as I think you understand, SoD and his American ally an' all.
Posted by: JK | Saturday, 07 September 2019 at 19:35
Amber "Name and shame my Fluffbun" Rudd has bottled it. She don't wanna be associated with a jail bird - let alone become one herself. David Lidington, former de facto deputy PM, says he'll duck out too if BoJo goes illegal taking another chunk of the Tory party with him to the 21 ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/07/boris-johnson-prepares-supreme-court-showdownover-rebel-mps/
The 21 are the rebels, JK! BoJo's the crown.
Also, if BoJo refuses to obey the law and ask Brussels for the 3 month extension and this all goes to Blighty's supreme court before 31st October, then if BoJo loses he will have one more option ...
...An appeal to the European Court of Justice - hahahaha!
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 08 September 2019 at 11:12
I wonder what the world thinks of it? ...
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/10/brexit-chants-of-shame-as-suspension-of-parliament-descends-into-chaos
Something like going to an air show and watching teams of nimble trainer aircraft piloted by experts perform gobsmacking acrobatics. Then some deadly looking fighters from Rooshia and Yankeedom bedecked with pointy finned rows of Armageddon slung beneath their wings. And then in the interlude a comedy act: two wrinkly old farts, one dressed as Capt Mainwaring and the other as VI Lenin, attempt to fly the length of the runway in the original Wright brother's plane draws a huge "Ooooh aaaah!" from the crowd as they face-plant the aircraft right infront of the main grandstand and emergency services rush out to sweep up the mess.
I told you they were shite.
Well, TTFN and see you in 5 weeks when the prorogue ends and "normal" service is restored.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Tuesday, 10 September 2019 at 07:55
One last blast: -
And then, after a short while, a combined ambulance / fire engine from Brussels whose parts are made by supply chains in 27 different countries appears on the scene to clear up the mess and apply life support to the two wrinkly old farts at death's door splattered over the runway.
The engine driver jumps out, waves an angry arm at the circling fighter jets to send them away, and shouts, "We can do it!" to the crowd.
Same as the last airshow crash 45 years ago.
Yes, that brings all the analogies together nicely.
xox SoD
Posted by: Loz | Tuesday, 10 September 2019 at 11:47
The drama in parliament has earned a fair amount of coverage on American teevee. Mostly there are dryly amused comments about the pompous hangovers of royalty such as Black Rod and the raucous nature of the British governmental process. On the whole we are delighted to have competition for the most ridiculous once-respected country in the world.
My favorite moment was BoJo's meeting with the equally bizarre Mike Pence. BoJo lecturing Americans to eat more haggis was hilariously surreal. Good luck with that trade deal.
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, 10 September 2019 at 15:02