Good article

Fair few flaws in its build up but the conclusions it draws are inescapable. Cant take credit for this, but recent events re speaker summed up perfectly in this:

"The faux constitutional outrage of the government supporting press and punditry this morning is quite a marvel.
Let's see what constitutional outrages they have so far not cared about.

1. The government prolongs the current parliamentary session over two years, so that there will not be a Queen's Speech.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

2. The government packs the select committees with Tory majorities, even though it is a hung parliament, by procedural sleight of hand.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

3. A secretary of state repeatedly misleads the House and its committees over the extent and existence of Brexit sector analyses reports.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

4. Government repeatedly ignores and does not even participate in votes on opposition motions.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

5. Government sought to make the Article 50 notification without any parliamentary approval whatsoever, and forced litigation to go all the way to the Supreme Court so that parliament could have that approval.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

6. Government commits itself to billions of pounds of public expenditure in a blatant bribe to the DUP for support in a supply and confidence vote.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

7. Government repeatedly seeks to circumvent or abuse the Sewell convention in its dealings with the devolved administrations.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

8. Government seeks to legislate for staggeringly wider "Henry VIII powers" so that it can legislate and even repeal Acts without any recourse to parliament.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

9. Government becomes first administration in parliamentary history to be held to be in contempt of parliament.
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- Shrug.

10. Government stands by as there are attacks on the independent judiciary and the independent civil service?
Response of government supporting press and punditry?

- To lead those attacks, while the government shrugs.

11. But for the Speaker to allow an amendment on business motion so that the will of elected MPs can be carried?
Loud outrage and front page screaming headlines."

We really are in dark times. May is a dangerous mix of incompetence and machiavellianism.

Posted By: CWC, Jan 11, 19:50:59