The Political Thread

[Frank]

Tezza was just 97 votes (20 to 30 votes in four specific constituencies) away from being able to give the DUP their marching orders and sweeping into Brussels like Emperor Palpatine boarding Death Star 2*.

Remember Dave Cameron's redrawing of constituency boundaries, which was going to guarantee perpetual Tory rule in England? If those boundary changes had been applied before the 2017 election, the result would have been the same (thanks largely to the polarising effect of Brexit on the constituencies of the South East):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p056b7l1


* Jezza was 'several thousand' ballots away from even having the option of forming a coalition of chaos, but in the context of almost thirty million voters that's still surprisingly tight. You can see why parties target policy at the narrow sections of the electorate most likely to turn out.

[Professor Bear]

Outraged wheat farmers swung it because they were tired of finding crop circles where Theresa May had been doing constant u-turns etc etc.

I don't know about boundary changes, but the Tories might want to get to work on outlawing byelections, otherwise it's just a matter of time now.

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

I don't know about boundary changes, but the Tories might want to get to work on outlawing byelections, otherwise it's just a matter of time now.

Yes, although sadly they have every chance of clinging on for a couple of years, which is more than enough time to totally hose the Brexit negotiations.

[Professor Bear]

Brexit is the beach they'll die upon, but it's not their main concern.  Their priority will most likely be a fire sale of publicly-owned works and infrastructure.  It's been nice having an NHS.

[Modern Panther]

How's about some lovely poetry to celebrate independence day.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/ng-interactive/2017/jun/19/brexit-shorts-permanent-sunshine-al-kennedy-scott-reid-video

[8-Ball]

I see that the DUP are all big Black Lace fans, "Agadoo doo doo shake the magic money tree." So much for austerity being a necessary evil to bring public finances back under control. And we taxpayers are footing the bill for this blatant bit of bribery.

[sheridan]

I see that the DUP are all big Black Lace fans, "Agadoo doo doo shake the magic money tree." So much for austerity being a necessary evil to bring public finances back under control. And we taxpayers are footing the bill for this blatant bit of bribery.

As well as £1bn to the DUP Northern Ireland, another £6bn on two new aircraft carriers.

[8-Ball]

I see that the DUP are all big Black Lace fans, "Agadoo doo doo shake the magic money tree." So much for austerity being a necessary evil to bring public finances back under control. And we taxpayers are footing the bill for this blatant bit of bribery.

As well as £1bn to the DUP Northern Ireland, another £6bn on two new aircraft carriers.

Pork-barrel politics are icky regardless of who is doing it.

[Michael Knight]

Conservatives and media demonise Corbyn during election campaign for alleged links to extremists. and then they form coalition with the DUP!????????????

[Theblazeuk]

Apologies this doesn't seem to like being resized.

[IndigoPrime]

And in the ongoing horror for EU nationals, olive branches are now being dangled. CSI will probably no longer be a thing (although there's a curious secondary reference to it in the UK's document), but isn't being scrapped right now, for some reason. So while the UK could actually deal with probably many thousands of EEA nationals over the next year, it won't and will instead punt them into the imminent shitstorm of attempting to register and process over three million people in just two years. (And at the end of that two years, if you've not registered, you will have to leave. What if the government can't deal with everyone in time? It argues they'll be able to. Sure.)

[Tjm86]

Apologies this doesn't seem to like being resized.

Bet you tried that line out on your partner, didn't you.

Sorry, childish I know.

[Theblazeuk]

What if the government can't deal with everyone in time? It argues they'll be able to. Sure.)

Yeah Theresa May is famously well known for getting things done on time and the home office is notorious as the most efficient branch of the government, moreso since she left her mark on it.

[Tjm86]

Hang on a second .... this is the Political Thread, not the Squaxx telling jokes thread. 

Can we please have a sense of decorum?

Thank you.

[IndigoPrime]

Yeah Theresa May is famously well known for getting things done on time and the home office is notorious as the most efficient branch of the government, moreso since she left her mark on it.

Now combine these things:

- A Home Office that has to process three million applications in a single year. (Assuming eight-hour work days and no holidays bar Christmas, that's over 1000 per HOUR or 17 per MINUTE.)

- A two-year cut-off point, where people no longer by default have the right to reside.

Yeah, this isn't going to be a clusterfuck at all. (And this is before you take into account the numbers are pure guesswork by the UK, and also don't take into account EFTA citizens – although they will at least be far less numerous, and probably 'only' number in the tens of thousands.)