British Politics
Been on holiday for a few weeks, surprised to find no general discussion of British politics so though I'd kick one off.
When?
Where?
Senior Conservative Robert Jenrick has been sacked from the shadow cabinet - and has lost the Tory Whip.
Kemi Badenoch says: "I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible to his shadow cabinet colleagues and the wider Conservative Party.
...
Nigel Farage has confirmed that he had conversations with Robert Jenrick - and that he had "little doubt" that leaving the Conservatives to join Reform UK had been in Jenrick’s mind.
Speaking at a news conference in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Farage says: "There’s a lot of people seriously considering their future.
"As far as Jenrick is concerned, of course I’ve talked to Robert Jenrick. Was I on the verge of signing a document with him? No."
Jenrick too Elracisty even for the Tories.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this power struggle works out, what with Jenrick fancying his chances of leading the Tories and now having to play second fiddle to Farage.
This may be one of those really interesting moment. It could be the making of badenoch who might do very well from it. Jenrick might be ****ed for a long time if farage also now snubs him. Or it could go the otehr way. Or both might do well from it. (and just for you: or neither. or something else)
Probably simpler just to say it’s very unclear how it will work out rather than try to specify all the known unknowns as well as state the unknown unknowns.
Probably simpler just to say it’s very unclear how it will work out rather than try to specify all the known unknowns as well as state the unknown unknowns.
It's generally that the case the current state is unclear and the future is very unclear. Not many recognise how unclear but even so it's important imo to try to gaze through the murk. Also very worthwhile imo is to put the known unknowns in our range and still recognise that we don't know what the range is.
on the topic I think it's interesting that the tories seem to be warming to badenoch who seems to be a lot more relaxed these days. Obviously greatly helped by cowardly starmer.
Robert Jenrick joins Reform UK
Robert Jenrick is joining Reform UK, Nigel Farage confirms.
What are the odds on a badenoch-jenrick coalition government sometime in our future?
Seems to be a great day for Badenoch. She's got rid of the primary challenger to her leadership and looked strong doing it.
What are the odds on a badenoch-jenrick coalition government sometime in our future?
Is it your view that Farage realises (or has been told) he’s toxic material with the constant stream of information about his Nazi sympathies as a young man, and will probably hand over Reform leadership to (the equally toxic but untainted) Jenrick?
Farage seems to be collecting defectors though.
He doesn't have much choice because Reform councillors are a bunch of violence-loving extremists, or sexual criminals, or both, with social media profiles that make them unelectable to Parliament.
He's a Putin apologist and I sincerely hope he doesn't ever become PM
Is it your view that Farage realises (or has been told) he’s toxic material with the constant stream of information about his Nazi sympathies as a young man, and will probably hand over Reform leadership to (the equally toxic but untainted) Jenrick?
No I have no particular view on that. Just that jenrick is young and ambitious. Farage will be about 70 at the election after next and for all his faults he does eat and drink properly. Time will catch up with farage even if he isn't pushed. Next election could easily be his last or penultimate chance
I do wonder if labour's decision to attack farage rather than offer an alternative may backfire spectacularly. It may eventually chip away a lot of reform votes only to see them mostly return to the tories (or go to greens or your party). It is as you might say, very unclear.
Is it your view that Farage realises (or has been told) he’s toxic material with the constant stream of information about his Nazi sympathies as a young man, and will probably hand over Reform leadership to (the equally toxic but untainted) Jenrick?
Farage's main misgiving, which he's admitted to, is that Reform lacks people with front-bench experience. This last couple of defections only nominally address that problem. Farage is clearly worried that Reform would be a fiasco in power, and he's right to be worried.
So he’s going to appoint people under him who say he couldn’t run a five a side football team?
JFC every tory that joins reform is somehow making reform even worse. I didn't even think that was possible.
If anyone ever shakes the hand of any of them, it won't be about counting your rings after, it'll be about counting your fingers.
It was only mentioned fleetingly on R4 yesterday, but there was mention of a labour defection next week - will be interesting if that comes off.
I think by now we know the outrage this sentence would attract from the extremists if he hadn’t been white:
Trump has announced a new set of tariffs for a swathe of countries that export goods to the US, beginning on 1 February.
Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will be "charged a 10% tariff" on "all and any" goods sent to the US.
Trump says these will remain in place until "such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland" by the US.
