Spoiled brats, thrown toys, and the creaking perambulator that is Parliament

The unthinking, thinking the unthinkable – will Hammond & Co really bring down Boris?

A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Editorial

We are entering yet another momentous week in the turbulent political life of our country during this decade.

Tomorrow the result of the Conservative Party leadership contest will be announced. On Wednesday Theresa May – the worst Prime Minister in the lifetimes of our editorial team – will answer her final PMQs in the House of Commons before visiting Her Majesty to tender her long overdue resignation.

Prima donnas - Jumping before they’re pushed

Before she goes to the Palace Mrs May will in turn receive the resignations of a raft of deplorables, as these dilettante anti-Brexit Ministers rush to resign before being fired by the (probable) incoming Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A delicious irony will be the fact that this will only increase Mrs May’s record of being the Prime Minister who lost the largest number of Ministers during her tenure of No.10 Downing Street.

Her tally currently stands at 50 – a record for any Prime Minister - and she achieved this in less than three years.

Yesterday Philip Hammond announced that he will resign if Boris Johnson wins, and others will be queueing up. They are fooling no-one of course. The simple fact is that many of the Cabinet and many of those in other ministerial positions have presided over a deliberate attempt to thwart the will of the British people and will most definitely be surplus to requirements under a Johnson administration. In effect they have fired themselves.

An audience with Her Majesty

Following Theresa May, Boris will then proceed to the Palace – without his consort Carrie Symonds – where Her Majesty will invite him to become the fourteenth Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland under her reign.

How many toys will be thrown, how far, and when?

One possibility that does not seem to have been considered by the commentators in the newspapers we have read in recent days has been the nuclear option. We would not normally raise this possibility, but after more than three years of witnessing the increasing desperation and apparent derangement of some who favoured remaining in the EU, we must pose this.

The Government currently has a majority of four, taking into account the ‘Supply and Confidence’ support of the DUP from Northern Ireland. If three ministers do not only resign their posts, but also resign the Conservative whip at the same time, the new Government of Boris Johnson would lose its majority.

This does not only apply to ministers of course but to other disgruntled and bitter individuals such as Dominic Grieve, who sit on the back benches.

Last week a total of 36 Conservative MPs voted against or abstained on the amendment to an obscure motion, designed to prevent Brexit. In doing so, they defied a 3-line whip. Ten of these rebels were ministers, yet they were not fired by Mrs May as would normally have been the case.

Bringing down Boris before he has even started

Is it credible that a former Prime Minister, former Chancellor and other ministers could bring down their own Government by their actions from the backbenches?

In ordinary times the answer would clearly be no. Their party loyalty would be too great. That said, “we live in interesting times”, as the old saying has it. It must also be remembered that we have a virulently anti-Brexit Speaker of the House of Commons who will stop at nothing, it seems, to aid and abet anti-democratic MPs in their attempts to stop Brexit from happening.

Back to spoiled brats, their toys, and the Parliamentary pram

We consider the antics of anti-Brexit ministers and MPs to be simply deplorable. In this category we include the current Prime Minister Theresa May, the current Chancellor Philip Hammond, many ministers and a large number of MPs of all parties.

Yesterday on the BBC’s appalling Marr programme Hammond talked about the UK being a representative democracy.

In general terms he is right, but on this occasion the MPs delegated the decision to the British people in the form of an in-out Referendum.

We chose out. We did not choose:

“Leave, but only on the terms our MPs might decide once they’ve messed up the negotiations for three years.”

The then Prime Minister David Cameron was unequivocal: “We will implement what you decide.” He also promised that if we voted to leave then Article 50 would be invoked “the next day”.

This is about democracy. Mr Hammond you owe your Parliamentary career to democracy, and have been perfectly happy to respect the decision of your electorate in giving you a job for the last 22 years.

How dare you try to invoke the concept of ‘representative democracy’? You were told what to do by the British people over three years ago. You have been a major part of the problem. If you don’t like it, tough. Live with it.

Frankly, throwing your toys out of the pram is not a good look for a former Chancellor.

We can all still make a difference if we try

For far too long Brexit Facts4EU.Org has advocated a concerted effort on the part of all Brexit organisations to hit MPs where it hurts – in the ballot box. We have run campaigns urging the public to write to their MPs, to warn them that a significant part of their electorate will desert them at the next General Election if they do not respect the decision of the British people to leave the EU.

We had some success with these campaigns, persuading up to 15 other Brexit organisations to endorse what we were doing. We also secured the public support of MPs, MEPs, and other key figures.

Last month 25 Labour MPs from strongly Leave constituencies came out with a letter to Jeremy Corbyn, urging him not to pursue a full Remain stance and to allow Brexit by 31 October. We would like to think that the thousands of letters generated by our campaigns, sent by readers and their friends, made a difference.

We must keep fighting for freedom

In the coming days we hope to announce a new initiative from a loose coalition of Brexit organisations. We will be seeking the support of all democratic British people in this and hope you will join in.

We're going to need some help, that's for sure. The Remain side have been spending millions - a significant amount from offshore billionaires - and we have to become seriously professional in our fightback.

If you could help us, we're seeking funding right now. We rely 100% on public donations.
Quick and secure donation methods are below. Thank you.

[ Sources: UK Parliament | Carrie Symonds Twitter feed ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 22 Jul 2019

Click here to go to our news headlines

And please scroll down to COMMENT on the above article.

Something to say about this? Scroll down for reader comments

Since before the EU Referendum, Brexit Facts4EU.Org
has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

We think facts matter. Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

Any credit card user

Quick One-off

From £5 - £1,000

Monthly

From £3 per month

Paypal Users Only - Choose amount first

Quick One-off

Monthly

PLEASE NOTE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT : You can write your comment under any existing comments below. After you have clicked to preview your comment, you MUST then click on the CAPTCHA system and send you comment, for it to be published. Thank you!

Reader Comments 15

1. Patrick F , Monday, July 22, 2019, 06:30:

If Philip Hammond and the Remainer cabal can explain why the EU's technotyranny is a better than democracy I'll listen.
Btw I was disappointed that "Kaja Googoo too shy shy hush hush eye to eye" was unable/unwilling to put the case for Remain in yesterday's comments.
You're not alone, didums!

2. Sydney Ashurst , Monday, July 22, 2019, 07:30:

I cannot use 'nigger in the woodpile' with reference to Philip Hammond as it may cause hurt and anguish to some. Lets just say that from the very beginning he has been behind every attempt to overthrow 'the peoples vote' the referendum.
He was dishonest in voting for the Withdrawal Agreement, it could only have led to many years of negotiation ending in another Treaty membership of the EU under their terms.
Jumping and threatening to pull the Tory Government down after his Hols should lead to deselection.
He should bear in mind what Lord Kerr writer of Article 50 said. “We needed a time limit in order to reassure the departing state that it could really depart — it would get out, it couldn’t be enmeshed forever in endless negotiation, it could escape.”

3. barbara jell , Monday, July 22, 2019, 07:33:

I have emailed Hatchet Hammond begging him to keep his promise to resign if Boris becomes Prime Minister. Politicians who keep their promises are as rare as hen's teeth, as we know, but Hammond must be aware that if he doesnt go, he will be pushed - and not before time! There will a huge, collective sigh of relief when this vexatious arch Remainer is consigned to the dustbin of history and he will not be judged kindly.

4. Sydney Ashurst , Monday, July 22, 2019, 07:49:

Why is there silly and unrealistic talk in the media.
The Telegraph editorial has: The priority is Brexit and persuading the EU to reopen talks around the Withdrawal Agreement and the Irish backstop.
Its as dead as a Dodo.

5. James Bertram , Monday, July 22, 2019, 08:09:

Sydney - I was surprised to hear Michael Portillo agreeing with Alan Johnson on the last episode of This Week that they thought the final Brexit achieved by Boris would bear a close resemblance to May's WA. Too,on Sunday. Jacob Rees-Mogg was all for bringing back Amber Rudd into Cabinet so as to provide unity. The expectation seems to be the Tory Party will once again put its interests ahead of those of the country - and thus will never achieve more than a dud BRINO. Never trust a Tory.
The Brexit Party awaits.

6. Sydney Ashurst , Monday, July 22, 2019, 08:50:

Why won't politicians, the media, the EU Council and the pro-EU voter not face up to reality, the Commons voted down the Withdrawal Agreement three times. In the third vote for whatever reason 344 MP's (including most of the Labour opposition) defeated the Government by 58 votes.
Theresa May decided not to try a fourth time.
Is there any likelihood that Boris Johnson will try as the Commission are adamant they will not amend the WA. NO.
Both sides are locked in a stalemate, with the only outcome the Article 50 extension will expire and we leave by default.

7. Chris , Monday, July 22, 2019, 09:22:

Re: Sydney Ashurst : I cannot use 'nigger in the woodpile'
I think the alternative phrase is 'ethnic minority person in the woodpile'.
Re: Bringing down Boris before he has even started.
Yes I think they might, although I suspect the numbers will be quite small, once the choice between No Deal and a Marxist government sinks in. However, now that Labour has become the 'Party of Remain', there will be a significant (~30) number of Labour MPs who would vote for the Government in a confidence vote, now that Corbyn has betrayed them.
It will be crucial how many hard line Brexiteers Boris puts in his cabinet, as they could effectively veto any attempt to bring back May's surrender document.

8. kzb , Monday, July 22, 2019, 09:23:

Boris has a complete aversion to giving a straight answer to a straight question. He will do what is expedient for him at the time. Agreeing the WA (with PR tweaks) is the expedient option because it kicks Brexit into the long grass. His other option is a long extension following 31 October. I know he has said we will leave on 31 October but let us see. I really have my doubts about that.
He's seen what Brexit has done to TM's premiership, and he wants it off the agenda.

9. Catherine, Dollar , Monday, July 22, 2019, 09:50:

Thanks to Facts4EU again for an important piece Love the reminder about Mrs May's record number of resignations.
Will Hammond & Co bring down Boris? They are certainly determined to stop Brexit in full.
Several journalists have reported that Chancellor Hammond has been in talks with the SNP. Steven Swinford (Times) reported Thurs-Fri: "I’m told Philip Hammond, who hasn’t ruled out voting down Johnson govt, has been in talks with SNP about measures to stop no deal. He’s spoken repeatedly to Ian Blackford, including this week over prorogation. Suggestions he hosted Blackford in Commons office earlier this month".
Earlier this month, Glasgow SNP councillors hosted S Fein activists in Glasgow, including taking them around Glasgow City Chambers. So much for Hammond caring about the Union.
Apparently, according to Faisal Islam, Hammond would accept no deal "if the new PM managed to persuade Parliament to vote for it". Hmm.

10. Sydney Ashurst , Monday, July 22, 2019, 10:15:

kzb you hide behind a pseudonym and write as a remainer.
Extensions cannot be granted ad lib and have to be requested by the departing State. Unlike May's Cabinet Johnson's will be more pro Leave, so he is most unlikely to be allowed to request one. Leaving the UK in the default position exiting without an agreement. This does not exclude trading with the rest of the World on WTO terms nor negotiating FTA's.
Remember the Commission are adamant they will not tweak the WA.

15 comments, page 1 of 2

Add comment:

Please note: Your email address is never published unless you choose to enter it.