The next generation, we hope, of Lib Dem MPs have been out and about speaking at Stop the Coup rallies today. Daisy Cooper spoke in St Albans, Laura Gordon in Sheffield Hallam and, courtesy of the wonderful Steve Jolly, we have video of North Cornwall’s Danny Chambers at the event in Bodmin.
As an added bonus, London Mayoral candidate Siobhan Benita was down there visiting her parents and she went along and the two of them did a video together.
Wherever you are, now is the time to stand up to this reckless Government and their bid to shut down democracy.
I joined @DannyVet in Bodmin today. #DefendOurDemocracy #StopTheCoup pic.twitter.com/qYn7VOs0Ya— Siobhan Benita 🇺🇦🌻 (@SiobhanBenita) August 31, 2019
With the loss of Julian Huppert, and Norman Lamb retiring at the next election, we really need more MPs who are scientists in Parliament. Danny is a vet who writes occasionally for the New Scientist and we definitely need him to win at the next General Election, whenever that may be.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
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And just across the Tamar into England, here’s Lib Dem David Chalmers in Tavistock (Torridge & West Devon) on Friday, outside the office of Geoffrey Cox MP. Video also features the poster “Cox: QC to the Coup”.
https://www.facebook.com/jeff.moody.3367/videos/366084897663863/
Keir Starmer is on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1.
Without going into details (disclosing his hand to Boris Johnson & Cummings) diverse views are clarified by simplicity. The first action will be legislative.
A motion of No Confidence is for Jeremy Corbyn to decide on and Keir Starmer supports him in that. There is therefore a possibility that, after a no confidence motion has been carried, that there will be a delay while Corbyn establishes whether he has enough support for him to be an interim Prime Minister, or whether there is an alternative candidate who can, at that time, get the support of the House of Commons.
Richard Underhill 1st Sep ’19 – 9:51am…………….Keir Starmer is on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1.Without going into details (disclosing his hand to Boris Johnson & Cummings) diverse views are clarified by simplicity…………..
He was followed by Michael Gove who, pointedly, avoided giving an answer to every questiont, using the classic ‘as you conceded’ at every opportunity (a strategy to cover weak argument). Gove even waffled about how his earlier condemnation of prorogation of parliament wasn’t really about this kind of prorogation; in short, argued that, in fact, ‘black was really white’.
Kier Starmer had suggested to Marr that he ask “What new proposals Boris Johnson had put to the EU”..Marr didn’t dare go that far but his passing reference to new ideas was easily sidestepped by Gove who answered, at length, his own question.
My verdict, for what it’s worth..Starmer was clear, concise and open; Gove was devious, evasive and smug.
1st Sep ’19 – 9:51am
Also on the Andrew Marr show, 17 minutes in, are two independent experts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Leakey
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/person/hannah-white.
“Prorogation is a TOTAL suspension of Parliamentary business” not a (recess).
“It does not need to be longer than a few working days.”
“Not since 1708, when Queen Anne declined to give Royal Assent to a bill, has the Monarch taken a political stance on an issue.”
“Paramount in our constitution is Parliamentary SOVREIGNTY”.
“What is expected is the Emergency Debate Procedure, to enable the House to have a debate and make a decision, to control the Order Paper on Wednesday”
“I Expect that Boris Johnson will MEET HIS MATCH in the form of Speaker Bercow.”
” In the Commons yo can do what is called ‘Programming Legislation’ which means you set out exactly how long there is to debate each stage. The Lords’ procedure is much more flexible.”
“There is a process in the House of Lords where the LENGTH of speeches given by individual Members can be curtailed by the House, ‘the Lord shall no longer be heard’.
It IS possible to use that convention to limit the time spent in filibustering.”
“Does Boris Johnson have to do what he is told?” “I would argue that YES, the government has to follow the law, … which has been passed by Parliament and has received Royal Assent “.
Richard Underhill 1st Sep ’19 – 11:47am
1st Sep ’19 – 9:51am
Also on the Andrew Marr show, 17 minutes in, are two independent experts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Leakey
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/person/hannah-white.
“Does Boris Johnson have to do what he is told?” “I would argue that YES, the government has to follow the law, … which has been passed by Parliament and has received Royal Assent “…………………….
Not according to Michael Gove, his answer that, “It depends on what the legislation says”; which seems, at least to me, to translate as, “Not if we don’t want to”.
Unless there is a hard wired plan for a consensual PM and government, I am fearful that a no confidence motion would lead to an election with an even longer shut down of government. A no confidence motion that fails would waste time when parliament is being deprived of time and power.
I hope that this is a distractor and that a way can be found to prevent a no-deal Brexit, perhaps involving a reversal of the prorogation.
An election at this time would only play into Johnson’s hands. He would present himself as the anti-establishment warrior; depending on the timing, the consequences of Brexit may not have had its full impact and the main opposition party is dreadfully ill-prepared for an election. it would be offering Johnson free cake for 5 years.
Great speech by Danny Chambers gathering up all the points about democracy.
The only way to stop Brexit now is via a general election, although it is quite likely it will fail. The eu will only agree to an extension to allow a general election, very likely. Just kicking the can down the road will not work. In a general election we have to hope for a hung Parliament, but on current polls with neither us nor Labour anywhere near 30%, a Tory outright victory is the most likely result under our benighted electoral system. The question comes, what do we do in Lab Con marginals?
Andrew,
If we leave on 31st October 2019 there is a small chance the Tories could win an overall majority, but chances are NOC (no party winning overall control).
In that election we must hammer Corbyn for delivering OUT as much as Johnson, if not more, as the press will not much of that for us. This will result in us gaining more seats than Labour and consigning Labour to ancient history as they did to the Liberal Party at start of C20th.
If we are still in the EU post 31/10/19 at a General Election TBP will destroy the Tory Party as a political force for two or more decades
We however will gain even more seats – as the effect of TBP party vote will erode the Tory vote in many seats where we won or were 2nd largest party in 2005 and 2010 elections.
In such an election our goal must be largest party in the House of Commons. You do not need 30% in the polls to win such an election – four Parties will be in the 20s.
Have a look at the Giles Wilkes spread sheet. And note that that spreadsheet does not fully express the results of tactical voting which will increase our vote for than Labour’s and more than the Tories.
The “Party of Law and Order” has now declared that it will defy the law.
It has also declared that any of its MPs who do not support that action will be deselected forthwith.
Will our party promise that any such MPs standing as Independents in a forthcoming election will not be opposed by the Liberal Democrats?
That is what the emergency demands. We should also call on Labour to act likewise.
I hate it when people mention their family’s World War II experiences as an argument either pro or anti Brexit. It’s not relevant
@ Bobby Cropper
“I hate it when people mention their family’s World War II experiences as an argument either pro or anti Brexit. It’s not relevant”
Me too. All we can say about everyone who fought against Nazism and Fascism is that they were fighting for the principle of democracy.
This means they wanted us to be able to decide such matters as whether or not to be members of the EU in a democratic way and to be able to choose for ourselves .
@Bobby Copper
“I hate it…”
You can hate it all you like but we are still going to do it whether it is relevant or not – especially as politicians on the Leave side often use Second World War language and analogies.
My father was alive for the referendum and voted remain and he said, very passionately, that it was specifically because he fought in the war for us to be at peace with other nations and to co-operate with them. He fought in the Second World War in the Royal Navy in Singapore and the Far East. He was standing in front of Supreme Commander Mountbatten in Singapore when he celebrated the liberation from the Japanese.