howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
Courtesy of the Telegraph.
Johnny Mercer has been to war and can recognise chaos when he sees it. The Conservative MP, tipped as a future leader, believes a state of ‘anarchy’ is in danger of engulfing his party.In an interview with the Telegraph today, the former Army captain, who served with distinction in Afghanistan, fires a warning shot in Theresa May’s direction that she needs to urgently get a grip on a ‘depressing’ series of events. If she doesn’t, he says, the nation will be wrecked by the “existential threat’ posed by the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street and John McDonnell living next door.
Mr Mercer’s comments will fuel the crisis overwhelming Mrs May. The disastrous election, the resignation within a week of two Cabinet ministers and the ongoing Westminster sex scandal has led Mr Mercer to conclude that Mrs May’s premiership has reached a ‘critical point’. The integrity and credibility of her Government is on the line.“It smells of decline, and the people won’t have it” said Mr Mercer, MP for Plymouth Moor View, who bucked the national trend and increased his majority by five-fold at the last election.“There becomes a cross-over point in seats like mine, it becomes about your personal integrity, about your credibility. You have to step back and question what your party is doing - of course. Yes we are beginning to get there I
I said watching Conservative MPs attempting to justify actions of colleagues - whether accused of sexual harassment in the case of the likes of Sir Michael Fallon or misjudgment or error in the case of Priti Patel or Boris Johnson - had been particularly unedifying.I“The past ten days have been depressing but not surprising,” said Mr Mercer, “When I see my colleagues going on television or radio trying to defend Boris or Priti, I have to switch the thing off. People want moral leadership, not that”.Of the Westminster sex scandal, he said: “I don’t really understand the attempts to normalise some of the behaviour of my colleagues. That in itself has led to this crisis.
“Normalising frankly weird and creepy behaviour towards others is the beginning of buying into this myth that we are ‘more special’, entitled if you like, that normal rules don’t apply to us because we have power. It’s b******s.
"It’s why people don’t vote or engage with politics – because a minority in Westminster seem to think it’s a game or entitlement, unthreatened in safe seats.”
Mr Mercer, who led a parliamentary inquiry that shut down the Iraq Historical Allegations Team investigating fictitious charges against UK troops from the Iraq War, said the Government was now “in danger of losing credibility” and that Mrs May - if she did not dramatically alter course - risked handing power to Mr Corbyn and Mr McDonnell.
Guest 1881- Registered: 16 Oct 2016
- Posts: 1,071
#2
"...because a minority in Westminster seem to think it’s a game or entitlement..."
Safe seats plus the 800 Lords members (many of whom are hereditary). I'd call that a majority, wouldn't you?
Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
I find it gratifying that a man of the cloth after evensong is more concerned about our political plight in preference to chasing painted harlots.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#4
Courtesy of the Telegraph(the vultures are circling).
Nearly 20 Tory MPs are threatening to rebel against the Government's plans to enshrine the date of Brexit in law including seven former ministers and two committee chairmen. The MPs confronted Julian Smith, the new chief whip, during a meeting on Monday to express their fury at the Government's plans. The rebels include many Tory MPs who are usually loyal to the Government but are concerned that fixing the date of Brexit to March 29, 2019 will "tie our hands" in negotiations.
Labour announced that it plans to vote against the amendment. Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit Secretary, said: “Theresa May should stop pandering to the ‘no deal’ enthusiasts in her own party and withdraw these amendments. If not, Labour will vote against them to support our own amendments and guarantee a transition that protects jobs and living standards.”Those present at the meeting said that it had been "brutal" for Mr Smith as MPs vented their fury about the Government's plans. The Telegraph understands that 18 Tory MPs attended the meeting - more than enough to defeat the Government if Labour joins them in voting against the Government's amendment next month.
Tom Tugendhat, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs select committee, was among those who attended.He said: "I'm very positive about the future but this seems pointless.What difference does a week or even a month make [beyond the Brexit deadline] after 43 years?"
Oliver Heald, the former Solicitor-General and another of those who attended, said: "There were quite a lot of loyalists who never rebel who are worried about us being boxed in. "One MP who was present said: "It was a brutal meeting. There was a wonderful moment when Julian Smith kept looking round and said 'I'm not the departmental minister, I'm trying to help.