As a petition on the Parliament website says: Parliament must not be prorogued or dissolved unless and until the Article 50 period has been sufficiently extended or the UK's intention to withdraw from the EU has been cancelled. You can sign the petition against proroguing Parliament here. When you sign the petition against proroguing Parliament, you will be sent a confirmation email. You must respond to that email for your signature to count. (If you don't appear to have received the email, it is worth checking in your spam/junk folder. Look out for an email from no-reply@petition.parliament.uk.) These official Parliamentary ...
Can I vote for the Prime Minister? Its a simple question, and our Parliament's website has a simple answer: You cannot vote for a Prime Minister. Which means a PM is not elected by the public and as the clip above shows, not even by those who live in the constituency they are standing. So, how do they get elected? They don't. The position of PM is a function of parliament. According to the
Can I vote for the Prime Minister? Its a simple question, and our Parliament's website has a simple answer: You cannot vote for a Prime Minister. Which means a PM is not elected by the public and as the clip above shows, not even by those who live in the constituency they are standing. So, how do they get elected? They don't. The position of PM is a function of parliament. According to the
Remain campaigners are, in the conventional political wisdom, meant to be disparate, divided, indecisive and losing. But consider the following sequence of events. One, the leading Leave party loses its Parliamentary majority at a general election. Two, the leading Leave party crashes to single figures in a nation-wide election as the Leave camp splits deeply with the rise of a new Leave party. Three, the leading Leave party loses its Prime Minister. Four, Brexit still hasn't taken place. Five, in a desperate bid to make Brexit happen, the Prime Minister is driven to a headline-grabbing gambit... that only a quarter ...
Second paragraph of third chapter: Graham [Williams] just could not or would not take no for an answer, and although I did not know it at the time, he was in behind-the-scenes negotiations with Tom [Baker], too, who was asking for more control on the programme, and had even threatened to leave the show. Graham asked me if I would stay on if Tom was no longer involved, but my answer was still the same. He never gave up, though, and continued assuming I would change my mind until the very last studio day—talk about persistent! After reading First Generation, ...
Queen Elizabeth this afternoon acceded to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's request that Parliament should be prorogued for about five weeks starting in the first half of September. The Prime Minister argued that this is necessary so that a new session of Parliament can begin following a Queen's Speech in mid-October, but critics — including many [...]
Earlier today, I signed the petition against proroguing parliament and about 150,000 people had also signed it. I've just looked and now 604,612 people have signed – and it's going up all the time! (P.S As I published this post it had gone up to 622,453) Please do sign the petition here – it just takes a few seconds. You can also see how many people have signed the petition in your local constituency here. * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist. He is one of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
It's almost half a century since I taught what was then rather grandly called "British Constitution," but I remember at leat one of the standard textbooks (possibly Wade and Phillips Constitutional Law) explaining that parliament was solemnly prorogued, normally in the autumn of the year, and then solemnly opened again a day or two after. From time immemorial these procedures normally took place in early November, which is why we have Bonfire Night on November 5th. (That was the date in 1605 when King, Lords and Commons all met in the same place at the same time, so Guy Fawkes, ...
1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth? Rum. (Yes, I did first see this meme when [IMG: [personal profile] ] softfruit posted it. This question is the reason I left it in a tab till now... 😇) 2. Do you sleep naked? Usually. Occasionally I will wear a t-shirt if it's particularly cold, just so I don't get frozen shoulder. 3. Worst physical pain in your life? Broken metatarsal. WAAAAAY worse than childbirth. Althought the drug cocktail your body produces in childbrith may have coloured my memory. 4. The 1st bone ever broken? Collarbone. I got ...
[IMG: Westenhanger Castle (photo by Ian Knox [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]) (Ian Knox [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)])] Dear Susan, I read, with some incredulity, the press release regarding the purchase of Westenhanger Castle last week My initial reaction was that I failed to understand how such a decision could possibly be made without discussion and debate by Council to do so, and that, at the minimum, such a decision would have to be referred to Overview and Scrutiny to discuss the business case at the least. This Council and local residents needs many things. It is *at least* debatable ...
[IMG: Hugh Grant doesn't hold back on Boris] That just about sums it all up doesn't it? The post Hugh Grant doesn't hold back on Boris appeared first on @ambitiousmamas.
[IMG: Las Vegas is where capitalism goes to receive oxygen] William Pearson's 1965 novel, The Muses of Ruin: An ordinary fellow from a place like South Bend, Indiana can't wait to catch the first plane to Vegas. For thirty bucks a day he and his... The post Las Vegas is where capitalism goes to receive oxygen appeared first on @ambitiousmamas.
The BBC reports: Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable is to step down as an MP at the next general election. Sir Vince has represented Twickenham since 1997 and served as business secretary in the coalition government. After losing his south-west London constituency seat at the 2015 general election, the 76-year-old regained it in the snap poll two years later. He took over Lib Dem leadership from Tim Farron, continuing to lead the party in its opposition to Brexit. When Sir Vince stepped down as leader in May, Mr Farron said his legacy was to have saved his party ...
Following the news of a former party leadership candidate set to retire, comes this from a former party leader: Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable is to step down as an MP at the next general election. Sir Vince has represented Twickenham since 1997 and served as business secretary in the coalition government. After losing his south-west London constituency seat at the 2015 general election, the 76-year-old regained it in the snap poll two years later. He took over Lib Dem leadership from Tim Farron, continuing to lead the party in its opposition to Brexit. [BBC] Jo Swinson responded ...
Today the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, has written to Her Majesty the Queen to ask for a meeting following the reports that the Government is expected to suspend Parliament from mid-September. Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson said: I've written to the Queen to express my concern at Boris Johnson's anti-democratic plan to shut down Parliament, and to request an urgent meeting. This is a crucial time in our country's history, and yet our Prime Minister is arrogantly attempting to force through a No Deal Brexit against the democratic will. He is outrageously stifling the voices of both ...
At our Conference next month we will be discussing the policy motion and paper A Fairer Share For All. What I particularly like is the policy to have "a £50 billion capital Rebalancing Fund to address the historic investment disparities between our regions and nations". (I proposed a motion on poverty last year and it included a Rebalancing Fund but it was rejected by Federal Conference Committee.) The policy paper is not radical enough. It does not call for the end of relative poverty in any timescale. Also it does not include all of our existing policies as set out ...
Election pacts and participation in an Emergency Government need to be agreed by members. As a No Deal Brexit and a possible General Election get nearer there has been much talk of how we Remainers can stop it. The focus at the moment is on legislation to stop it but there are two other areas said to be under discussion: An emergency government to hold a referendum followed by a General Election A 'Remain alliance' so that in key seats Remain parties don't stand against each other (though Alastair Carmichael has been reported as saying we would not stand down ...
Wed 28th
11:51
Johnson proroguing parliament is a gigantic dare to Remainers. Here's where I think it takes us
The big news yesterday was that the opposition leaders had managed to have a productive meeting about what do to try and prevent a no deal Brexit. Even Corbyn had been brought on side with a plan to attempt to halt it through legislation. Given the number of Tory MPs who would be willing to vote to stop no deal, this gave Remainers a majority in parliament, so long as they managed to land on something which could unite all MPs against no deal. Given there were several options available that could achieve this, it gave the Remainer cause some ...
World history is littered with examples of troubled executives that have suspended the legislative part of the governance system. I struggle to find any examples that have ended well. With the government's announcement here in the UK that Parliament is to be suspended in September, this action tastes very much like a constitutional coup. I never thought I would see this happen in my own country.
Tue, 12:56: The key question. Personally I am pessimistic. https://t.co/6haF64tyZX Tue, 13:38: Today is the 40th Anniversary of the Assassination of Lord Mountbatten and the Narrow Water Attack...... https://t.co/7tb6FKiI41 Tue, 13:57: Agreed. https://t.co/TkJHme6f2t Tue, 16:17: Post-match analysis of the G7 summit from me and others, on CGTV's World Insight with Tian Wei. (If you just want... https://t.co/C8GBqmEV8L Tue, 18:32: Tuesday reading https://t.co/g5zIjBU4wM Tue, 18:52: RT @Mina_Andreeva: 🇪🇺🇬🇧 READOUT @JunckerEU @BorisJohnson phone call. 👇🏻 https://t.co/w10N8zkLzq Tue, 21:59: A Statement from the Editor https://t.co/ADxDDeGU7v via @analog_sf The Campbell Award will henceforth be the Astounding Award. Wed, 08:00: RT @hayward_katy: That moment when ...
Responding to the reports that the Government is expected to ask the Queen to suspend Parliament from mid-September, Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson said: Shutting down Parliament would be an act of cowardice from Boris Johnson. He knows the people would not choose a No Deal and that elected representatives wouldn't allow it. He is trying to stifle their voices. By suspending Parliament to force through a No Deal, Boris Johnson and the Government would remove the voice of the people at the most important time. It is a dangerous and unacceptable course of action which the Liberal Democrats will ...
Our latest Focus newsletter in Bensham caught the attention of the local media earlier this week. Local campaigner Leanne Brand highlighted the problem of fly-tipping in the area and demanded action to put an end to the problem. A spokesman for Gateshead Council admitted in the Chronicle yesterday that "The amount of deliberate fly-tipping in the Bensham and Saltwell area is clearly much worse
Given the number of hoops that EU nationals are now required to jump through to stay in the UK, I suppose it is unsurprising that even the government is struggling to understand its own regulations. That at least, is how I read the latest cock-up from Boris central. As the Independent reports, a Home Office campaign informing EU nationals how to confirm their UK status after Brexit has been banned by the advertising watchdog for being "misleading": In April, a radio advert for the EU settlement scheme was aired stating that all applicants would need was their passport or ID ...
I spent some time yesterday in a long meeting with a local resident. He had cared for his mum for many years and sadly she died. The circumstances leading up to her death and the nursing home care she received tell a grim tale. My local resident called for an investigation and has written numerous letters demanding social care reform. He has written to MPs, Prime Ministers, Parliamentary Health Ombudsmen and the CQC. His activism and call for changes to the system has gone on for fourteen years. I tell that story to highlight the recent Government announcement that the ...
At the G-7 Biarritz Summit (24-26 August ), Emmanuel Macron demonstrated diplomatic mastery. Created by President Giscard d'Estaing in 1975, this economic club of the seven most advanced democracies in the world (United States, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Canada) produced two thirds of the world's wealth at the time. Today, its share of value added has fallen to 45 per cent. With a low birth rate, it now represents only 12 per cent of the world's population. This means that this club is far from representative of the entire planet. Receiving the G-7 for a summit in France ...
I recently received concerns from residents about the state of the area around the lock-ups in Ancrum Drive. These are managed by Hillcrest Housing Association and, having contacted the association, I have been advised that it has agreed to : • Strim back overgrown weeds around the site• Remove graffiti from two garage doors• Attend to leaking downpipe and clean out gutters
