The Brexiteers are positioning the sand haired swamp donkey as the next leader. But I think it’ll be either Sajid Javid or Amber Rudd as a safe pair of hands.

Personally I can think of noone who would do a good job amongst that lot at Westminster in any party. I hope I'm wrong!

It's time for a government of National Unity.

Probably led by Keir Starmer.

It's time for a government of National Unity.

Probably led by Keir Starmer.

Probably between Raab, Johnson and Javid. I would have handed the keys to Johnson 12 months ago.

In Reply To

Raab showed himself to be totally out of his depth when he was briefly in charge of EU negotiations.A deer in the headlights.

Johnson has burnt his boats. Untrustworthy, disloyal, lazy and a fool.

Javid is a bit of a weasel.

It’ll be Hunt.

Wouldn't be a popular choice putting an NHS hater in charge of the country.

In Reply To

I don’t think the Tories care much about that.

Esther Mcvey has put herself in to the running to be the next PM... We're all doomed. last one out of the UK switch off the lights, assuming the power hasn't gone off by then.

Whatever ones position on Brexit one can see Theresa May won't last much longer, so who next?

Personally I can think of noone who would do a good job amongst that lot at Westminster in any party. I hope I'm wrong!

Tim Martin at Wetherspoons seems keen to tell everyone who wants to listen (and those who don't) that a no deal Brexit is the optimum solution for the UK.

Perhaps his next missive will tell us who he thinks should be the PM to deliver that outcome.

Dyson as in the guy who seems determined to have his dirt collectors put together by cheap labour overseas?

And we're under starters orders.

Be fun to see who stands against her. .

Today's PMQs should be entertaining in a horror movie sense. Even Jezza shouldn't be able to mess this one up.

Out of around 306)ish) tory MP's, 141 have stated that they will vote against May in the vote. It will be close

Out of around 306)ish) tory MP's, 141 have stated that they will vote against May in the vote. It will be close

In Reply To

If that's the case her jacket is on a shoogly peg. You can be sure there'll be plenty who will not be open about stabbing her in the back for fear of appearing disloyal.

Bt they'll do it all the same.

In Reply To

Not that close 200-117 majority 83.

Enough for her to bumble on.

What can’t happen now - she can’t be taken down by her own party for a year.

Indeed the only one who can take her down is Jeremy Corbyn.

So, she will still fail to get her Brexit deal through. Does this make a no-deal Brexit more likely?

I would go for one of the former military men such as Johnny Mercer or Tobias Ellwood

In Reply To

Why?

In Reply To

Military figures are good at running countries, or at least holding them together - think Tito (Yugoslavia fell apart only a decade after his death) Gaddafi (look at Libya now that he is gone) or Saddam Hussain (although not the failed state that Libya now is, Iraq is less safe than it was under his rule)

If you want to be more specific, for example if you want to focus on the economy, get a businessman to run your country. The US economy has improved greatly since Trump became president, because he is a businessman rather than a career politician.

A career politician is seldom good at anything except telling lies.

In Reply To

You’re joking, right?

Perhaps you could be more specific though and tell me why you think I'm joking> (By the way, I wouldn't support military dictatorships or vote for Trump - I'm just trying to look at things from a neutral viewpoint, although I'm aware that other posters have been banned from the forum for doing that.)

In Reply To

So you wouldn’t support a military dictatorship but you put forward murderous military dictators to exemplify your argument.

Hmm.

Antonio Salazar.

What about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk?

Lord Havelock Vetinari.

The Patrician stood for no nonsense.

In Reply To

I had to google him to find out who he was and was surprised to discover that he is a science-fiction character.

Ataturk had one of the major things that tends to blight attempts to be benevolent dictators, (as most at least start with good intentions - although I would not like to speak for Putin)

This is that he did not suffer from longevity. The view of his rule is tempered by the fact that much of his reform programme was in line with (and in some cases ahead of) thinking in western democracies.

If you look back at the careers of people like Suharto and Magabe, then when they first came to power they were popular - they could have won democratic elections. Power corrupts, and both these dictators became more corrupt as time went on. Their families and cohorts were enriching themselves out of connections to power. Both in their later years were more concerned with hanging on to power, (if only not to be arrested for what they have already done).

"El comandante" Fidel over 50 years.

provided her replacement can win a confidence vote within 14 days, there would not have to be a General Election which could see them out of power. What have they got to lose?

Why are her backbenchers not taking the opportunity to threaten to vote against her in today's no confidence motion unless she goes. It would take fewer than ten of them to get her out and, provided her replacement can win a confidence vote within 14 days, there would not have to be a General Election which could see them out of power. What have they got to lose?

She must have more brass neck than anyone in the history of British politics. She called a General Election, which she said she wouldn't, to get a mandate, which she already had, for a policy that she had campaigned against; only to lose her majority. She has suffered more parliamentary defeats than any PM in decades, including failing to get her Finance Bill through unamended, culminating in a record defeat on her flagship policy last night. She has survived a vote of confidence in which the majority of her backbenchers opposed her.

Why doesn't she resign? Why are her backbenchers not taking the opportunity to threaten to vote against her in today's no confidence motion unless she goes. It would take fewer than ten of them to get her out and, provided her replacement can win a confidence vote within 14 days, there would not have to be a General Election which could see them out of power. What have they got to lose?

So who will be the anyone but Boris candidate?

So the end of May has been delayed until June 7.

I remember joking a few years ago that we could have Boris running things here and Trump in charge on the other side of the Atlantic.
It's like your worst nightmare coming true

I remember joking a few years ago that we could have Boris ruining things here and Trump in charge on the other side of the Atlantic.
It's like your worst nightmare coming true

Indeed, any half-credible opposition should be wiping the floor with this government yet Labour are also imploding under their own incompetence. Still think it was all a prank that made Corbyn leader - the ultimate oxymoron.

Boris is being taken to court for lying during the referendum campaign and the election campaign.
Perhaps Yatesman could give evidence on his behalf as he is one of the few people in this country who didn't spot any lies

Boris is being taken to court for lying during the referendum campaign and the election campaign.
Perhaps Yatesman could give evidence on his behalf as he is one of the few people in this country who didn't spot any lies

In Reply To

It's a private prosecution.

If by few you mean 17.4 million I agree.

Boris didn't lie because the bus statement based on the gross amount we send to the EU before rebates ......whether or not £350 million is accurate to the nearest penny is not really important. The message was about the principle of us sending vast amounts to the EU that could be used domestically on projects of our choosing .
Anyway, I'm not sure his role in the Leave campaign was an aspect of his public office. He undertook that role as an individual, not in any official govt capacity.

The bus slogan was vigorously and emphatically challenged during the election so what's the problem?

Any half arsed law student could see this spurious and vindictive claim dismissed.

In Reply To

Boris didn't lie because the bus statement based on the gross amount we send to the EU before rebates ......whether or not £350 million is accurate to the nearest penny is not really important.

In Reply To

Mayor of London until 9th May 2016, a public office I believe, if that helps clear up your lack of certainty.

I have to smile at your predictable defence of your boy but I'm pleased that you aren't shouting Project Fear yet, as is normal when a Brexiter is confronted with facts. Anyway you should be commended for your loyalty and the way you are sticking to your principles. It provides hours of mirth in our house. Keep up the good work but prepare yourself, just in case......

Mayor of London until 9th May 2016, a public office I believe, if that helps clear up your lack of certainty.

Having turned us into an international laughing stock with Brexit the Tories are now giving us the broad farce of a leadership campaign involving eleven contenders. So far.

The eleven include one guy that I'd never even seen a photo of or even heard speak on radio before yesterday.

.

Rory Stewart appears to be the only credible candidate of the 12.

He is the only one who doesnt want to bragg about how far they can throw the UK over a cliff!

Westminster voting intention:

BREX: 26% (+1)
LAB: 22% (-4)
CON: 17% (-5)
LDEM: 16% (+4)
GRN: 11% (+7)
CHUK: 1% (-1)
UKIP: 1% (-1)

Next PM might be Farage.

Just how stupid is the UK electorate? 26% would vote for a one-man party (actually not a party but a company) with a single policy.

Jezza''s 1970s Citizen Smith style response to a state visit by the Head of State of by far our most important ally confirms he is completely unfitted to be PM.

As for the current Tory runners and riders, I'd go for Gove. Not something that at one time I ever thought I'd say. Unlike Johnson I"ve been impressed by his record in office and his defence of Theresa May in the HofC confidence debate was a tour de force (are we still allowed to use French phrases? )
.

So among the candidates, we've got

One who's mantra about hard drugs seems to be "do as I say not do as I do"

Another who wants to restrict access to abortion for women

One who wants us to default on our sovereign debt to the EU, and then basically spend all the net saving on contributions from leaving the EU on tax cuts for the richest 8% of the population

Another two who want to suspend parliament for months to force the leaving of the EU with no deal

And that's to say nothing about some of the stupid statements that have come out in the last 48 hours about how they'd deal with the UK/EU border in Ireland.

What a lovely bunch the Conservative party members have to choose from!

So among the candidates, we've got

One who's mantra about hard drugs seems to be "do as I say not do as I do"

Another who wants to restrict access to abortion for women

One who wants us to default on our sovereign debt to the EU, and then basically spend all the net saving on contributions from leaving the EU on tax cuts for the richest 8% of the population

Another two who want to suspend parliament for months to force the leaving of the EU with no deal

And that's to say nothing about some of the stupid statements that have come out in the last 48 hours about how they'd deal with the UK/EU border in Ireland.

What a lovely bunch the Conservative party members have to choose from!

So, whoever our prime minister is next, I cannot see him/her being in a hurry to call a General Election

In Reply To

If it's Johnson his ambition is just to be PM (and cut taxes for himself and his rich chums). Like all good Tory Etonians he'll scarper and let someone else pick up the pieces.

One assumes his tax cutting policy is designed to win him over the Tory members first.

In Reply To

It's a private prosecution.

If by few you mean 17.4 million I agree.

Boris didn't lie because the bus statement based on the gross amount we send to the EU before rebates ......whether or not £350 million is accurate to the nearest penny is not really important. The message was about the principle of us sending vast amounts to the EU that could be used domestically on projects of our choosing .
Anyway, I'm not sure his role in the Leave campaign was an aspect of his public office. He undertook that role as an individual, not in any official govt capacity.

The bus slogan was vigorously and emphatically challenged during the election so what's the problem?

Any half arsed law student could see this spurious and vindictive claim dismissed.

So, whoever our prime minister is next, I cannot see him/her being in a hurry to call a General Election

In Reply To

Mayor of London until 9th May 2016, a public office I believe, if that helps clear up your lack of certainty.

I have to smile at your predictable defence of your boy but I'm pleased that you aren't shouting Project Fear yet, as is normal when a Brexiter is confronted with facts. Anyway you should be commended for your loyalty and the way you are sticking to your principles. It provides hours of mirth in our house. Keep up the good work but prepare yourself, just in case......

I think it's fair to say McVey had no idea what she was talking about.