The Darroch Affair 1152


I am amused when I hear the resignation of Kim Darroch mooted as an attack on an apolitical civil service. Darroch’s rise to the top of the FCO was in fact a startling example of the politicisation of the civil service – there is no doubt that his enthusiastic support for the Iraq War, and for every neo-con war of aggression since, is what endeared him so strongly to the people who make the decisions on the top posts (and do not believe the fiction that ministers have no influence on them).


Kim Darroch and Tony Blair

I have annoyed quite a few people – including regular readers – for refusing to endorse any of the more baroque conspiracy theories involving Trump and Johnson conspiring to get rid of Darroch. These have the attraction of simplicity, with the evil Johnson and Trump on one side and the angelic Darroch on the other.

But many things do not easily make sense. The notion it is a plot to make Farage Ambassador to Washington is bizarre. If Johnson wishes to appoint Farage as Ambassador to Washington, after the summer break he could do it on Darroch’s retirement – which could have been if desired quietly brought forward two months with no fuss.

More to the point, the Brexit Party like UKIP is nothing without Farage. The idea that, at this crucial point, he would voluntarily lose his political leverage by going off to be a diplomat in Washington is a nonsense. And – crucially for Farage – there is just as much cash in being an MEP.

We do not know who leaked the telegrams and why. One overlooked possibility is the intention was to damage Trump himself, by releasing Darroch’s criticisms of him. As I pointed out, Darroch is an abrasive character with many disaffected people who have worked for him around, and I still think that is a likely source for the leak.

We just don’t know. But what I do know is that the idea that Darroch is an apolitical civil servant is a nonsense. I would remind you also that my objections to torture and extraordinary rendition were entirely in internal highly classified communications at the time the FCO first decided to try to move to sack me. I only leaked afterwards. So the idea that the FCO encourages honest and candid reporting is still more of the hypocritical nonsense being talked around Darroch’s resignation.


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1,152 thoughts on “The Darroch Affair

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  • N_

    On this horrible day, here are two occasions from the life of Nye Bevan which underline the importance of the Tory party as a target.

    During WW2, after Rommel had defeated British forces in part of North Africa, Bevan supported a motion of censure against the National
    Government, saying that had Rommel been in the British army the posh boys would only have let him reach the rank of sergeant. Then he pointed out that the man who had successfully led a Spanish Republican force of 150,000 across the River Ebro, defeating Franco’s fascist forces (he was chief of staff of the International Brigade), WAS now only a sergeant in the British army.

    And in the post-war general election campaign in 1945: “We have been the dreamers, we have been the sufferers, now we are the builders. We enter this campaign at this general election, not merely to get rid of the Tory majority. We want the complete political extinction of the Tory Party.”

    You can see why working class people liked him.

    • michael norton

      Whinge all you want you marxist
      over the cliff we go together, no holding back now.

      • N_

        Only a very few will profit enormously from the country being pushed over a cliff. Are you sure they’ll include many of the white (and white-power) small business types who make up much of the Tory party’s membership? As for whingeing, many of those types whinge have been whingeing like hell ever since Enoch Powell departed from the corridors of power.

    • Goose

      Problem is, she doesn’t take up her new position as President of the European Commission before 31st Oct, so with what authority can she negotiate or commit the EU with?

      Although his negotiating team has now disbanded, Barnier is still the man the European Commission appointed as its chief negotiator. And he’s adamant on the backstop, reiterating the fact today.

      Boris Johnson’s only hope could be rip up May’s deal and quickly ask for a bare-bones temporary FTA agreement. Then offer some of the £39bn for the permanent FTA deal that will be negotiated.

  • Jo1

    “Heartfelt congratulations from Jerusalem, @BorisJohnson. Looking forward to working closely together, both in facing our common challenges and seizing the opportunities ahead.”

    Netanyahu’s tweet to Johnson. Chilling or what?

  • Wikikettle

    Its honest, by default, to have the likes of Trump and BJ as our ‘representatives’. No pretences, just bare faced little nobodies. How the world must mock us.

    • Dave

      The Maybot tried to sabotage Brexit and it was going to plan when the incredible success of the Brexit Party threw the Conservatives into meltdown, deliver Brexit or we’re toast, just like the Lib Dems suffered when they reneged on tuition fees.

      A Brexit compromise was always there, leave the political institutions and “ever closer union” (this would ensure Britain didn’t join the Euro and restored “state aid”), leave the single market (restores control of borders), but remain in the customs union for now, which maintains soft-border in Ireland, reassures those worried about “jobs and growth” and keep the country united.

      This is Corbyn preference and would clean sweep the country in a General Election, but the Conservatives have got themselves into a No Deal panic and Corbyn can’t promote it, yet, due to the Labour remaniacs.

      • Ken Kenn

        Once Johnson is revealed the Tories will be toast.

        They could end up as three parties within a party.

        The Lib Dems for some reason think that they would rather work with the Tories than a Corbyn led Labour Party.

        Which Tories do they want to work with.

        Just Grieve and Clarke and maybe Hammond.

        That’ll revive the centre ground of politics.

        Anyone still heard of Change Party?

        I haven’t.

        Last years model.

      • Paul Barbara

        @ Dave July 23, 2019 at 19:52:
        Whilst I voted out, I have come round to that sort of deal myself. I had not realised how the Tories would hand over the NHS, and debase our food base with US GMO’s, chlorinated chicken, hormone-stuffed meat and milk etc.

        • Dave

          The EU was negotiating TTIP. The secret is voting reform, if Labour or anyone are genuine “anti-Conservative” then emancipate the people by extending the franchise by making votes count. They wont because they would rather lose than change the system, based on a prospect of ‘winning’ (but for whom) in the future.

          The Lib Dems would have avoided melt-down if they had secured proportional voting reform as part of the coalition, but after years of advocating PR they promoted the pig’s ear Alternative Vote, as they thought others would benefit from PR rather than exclusively themselves.

        • N_

          The NHS is the biggie. Jeremy Corbyn has got to attack on this when he faces Johnson in the Commons. The Tories want to push the country off a cliff and allow the vultures in to pick off what remains of the NHS. That’s the kind of “free trade” the Tories want. I’m not sure Johnson will be able to handle himself with much skill in response, but we shall see.

    • Observer

      Which is this world that is mocking us? And pray, who are these grand world statesmen that they (who are mocking us) look up to?

  • John2o2o

    Message for Tatyana

    A beautiful Russian flower has settled here in this garden. Surrounded as she is by lesser blooms and even a few weeds. (Weeds are flowers too once you get to know them, I am told).

    And I cannot imagine what this place would be like without her and her insightful comments, friendliness and gentle humour.

    I was a little frightened that my recent clumsy attempts at romance with her might put her off being here, but she is a hardy bloom and not easily dislodged from her resting place.

    Her rare beauty of course means that she is desired and sought after by many – but such is life – many must therefore be disappointed.

    So thank you, dear Tatyana for your kindness to me. Your package arrived today.

    • Wikikettle

      Observer. You are miserable…This is our forum and John2020 made me smile. You on the other hand are just here to troll. Get a life and stop mocking.

    • Kerch'eee Kerch'ee Coup

      Meanwhile, another beautiful Sino-Russian floral bouquet intended perhaps as a lei/garland for Bolton’s delayed visit to Seoul, had to be blown away from Korean airspace today in a rather unkind manner.

    • Tatyana

      It is not that I’m reproaching you, John, you’re an adult and you’re responsible for your own decisions. But if you want to tell something publicly, it would be better to leave a review, you know where ;-), so that other people can learn really valuable information.

      For example, “The package arrived quickly, everything as described and pictured, nice and safe containers, convenient and reliable packaging, fresh and strong Novichok. The ducks in the pond died quickly, Mrs. Haspel might be jealous. As soon as there is a Russian spy in the neighborhood, I will definitely order more from this seller. Five stars.”

      • RandomComment

        Not sure 5 stars would be appropriate, when you can get it cheaper elsewhere

        • Tatyana

          🙂 oh, Mr. Random, I doubt you can find such quality for such a price anywhere else. I can’t recall ever receiving less than 5 stars. I assure you that the items are manufactured in very small batches with attention to the tiniest detail and this ensures the highest degree of khm… usability.
          Yet cheap fakes from elsewhere can’t serve even a hamster, let alone a man. Beware of fakes! 🙂

      • John2o2o

        Oh, I’m sorry. Sincerely they are very nice to have Tatyana. But they are just keepsakes for me really. I did wonder if there was anything hidden in the boxes though, but it just says “From Russia with Love” on the inside.

        And I am still living. (For now).

      • John2o2o

        PS: In seriousness that comment is the nicest thing I have ever said to anyone on the internet and I meant every word. You are a lovely lady Tatyana.

  • Hatuey

    Here we go again. Another British PM full of fancy words and crap, doomed to fail as they all do. In 2 years he will look older than Barbra Streisand and all his plans will be dust.

    It’s a tragedy. People accuse Britain of being America’s lapdog but it’s worse than that. If Britain plays its cards right, only then will it be America’s lapdog. And there are plenty of other wannabe lapdogs out there waiting to take up that position.

    British prosperity hangs by that thread. That’s the secret that makes PMs age so fast. And that’s why they all fail. Brexit is another Suez, but it will be Europeans slapping us down and humiliating us this time, rather than Americans.

  • giyane

    Listening to Boris Johnsin’s sister talking about Johnson’s vision to level up society reminded me of an occasion when I took my young children to Weston upon Slime. Trailed as a quick last ditch look at the sea, in reality the smelly brown ooze came up through their toes and covered their clothes.

    They were satisfied that visiting the sea might not always be a wholly positive experience just as Tories across Dreamland yesterday realised The all pervading nastiness of political office.

    Not all seaside is the Enid Blyton version of their dreams.

    • giyane

      The reason for this lying bastard in No 10 is to finish the Zionist neo con wars against Israel’s neighbours Johnson is an out and out Zionist
      British tradition since Blair is to override parliament and bomb anyway. A job that May was both unwilling and unable to perform.

      We all know the fake rhetoric and false indignation which precedes a Zionist war.
      The reality though is that only Iran stands between the extremist Sunni hoards of Pakistan and Israel.

      Qe Sara Sara. Al Quds will be back in Muslim hands soon. Inshallah

      • Alex Westlake

        Historically the only time when Muslims have given a shit about Yerushalayim was when it wasn’t in Muslim hands. It was a backwater of the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century.

  • Sharp Ears

    A welcome message for Boris. Note Prince William is being claimed.

    ‘CFI chairmen Stephen Crabb MP and Lord Pickles, and Honorary President Lord Pollack said in a statement: “From his refusal to boycott Israeli goods in his time as Mayor of London through to his instrumental role as Foreign Secretary in both the landmark Balfour Declaration celebrations and the first-ever official Royal visit to Israel, Boris has a long history of standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel and the Jewish community.

    “Mr Johnson continued to display his resolute support throughout the Leadership Contest with a memorable hustings event with CFI and an excellent letter penned to CFI’s supporters reiterating his deep support for Israel and pledging to be a champion for Jews in Britain and around the world’.”

    The Board of Deputies also issued a statement wishing Mr Johnson “every success as Prime Minster at this critical time for our country.”’
    https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/boris-johnson-praised-for-standing-shoulder-to-shoulder-with-jewish-community-after-winning-race-t-1.486736

  • Republicofscotland

    As Donald Trump was praising the victory of Boris Johnson yesterday, EU leaders appeared, well, underwhelmed by the appointment. French MEP Natalie Loiseau, captured the mood I think, she kind of quoted Thatcher when said of Johnson, if he attempts to try and renegotiate, “The EU is not for turning.”

    Which in my opinion kind of sums up the feeling towards Johnson, and possibly Britain as a whole with regards to the Brexit debacle.

    • michael norton

      RoS I think the idea of Boris is to pretend he wants to renegotiate a deal with the European Union but in reality he is waiting for the clock to tick over past midnight on Halloween.
      Then as if by magic the United Kingdom will have left the E.U. under U.K. law.

  • Dungroanin

    Day 3 of a long week in politics – i’ll let bojo’s words do the talking with a little help from Summner, the dodgy jamaican accented crooners classic premonition from last century.

    “Don’t think me unkind
    Words are hard to find
    They’re only cheques I’ve left unsigned
    From the banks of chaos in my mind
    And when their eloquence escapes me
    Their logic ties me up and rapes me
    De do do do de da da da
    Is all I want to say to you
    De do do do de da da da
    Their innocence will pull me through
    De do do do de da da da
    Is all I want to say to you
    De do do do de da da da
    They’re meaningless and all that’s true”

    Anyway to quote Bojo’s cover version yesterday;

    ‘Duh…DUD…DUDE!’

    DOA in my opinion.

    ‘Deliver..Unite…Defeat. DEFEAT CORBYN.’

    Todays imaginary PMQ’s

    ‘Congratulations to the huge member for being the 3rd Tory PM to face Corbyn in as many years. Would he care to back up his victory speech?

    Deliver what ? A hard brexit?

    Unite? But commons already is against a hard brexit!

    Defeat Corbyn – bring it on big boy, CALL the election, if you think you’re hard enough!’

    That is what every commentator and parliamentarian should be demanding of tge new PM.

    Murdoch has decided that Al ‘I get to make many more yummy mummies’ Johnson has a better chance to beat the Corbynites, then the cold eyed assassin of the NHS , the utter and complete Hunt – based on the publics response over the pointlessly prolonged campaign.
    (almost pointless – designed to make sure there is zero time for the clown to crash and burn before recess.. Murdoch also gets to install direct control in No 10, again, with another of his cohort as the clown minder.)

    So, even the very few words bobo said – he wants to defeat Corbyn – should be held against him at every opportunity – ‘Go on then, call the election! Defeat him. Now. Fight!

    Parliament has said NO HARD BREXIT.
    Parliament is UNITED AGAINST HARD BREXIT (sort of).
    Parliament can not DEFEAT CORBYN (unless they have a junta government installed to stop having a GE).

    The ultimate chickencoup is underway, this time including the Tories and tbe other puppets of neolib con artistes – the Morrrrrdoorks of the world.

    There is no majority to persue any of the 2017 manifeso tories got into government with. There would be no mandate for any made up policy unless they put it to the country.

    100 thousand tory members have ..er..spoken, let the rest of us have a say now.

    ‘Shit or get off the bucket, Al.’

    ‘Bring it or you are a dud’!

    Over to you Parliament.

  • David

    Do we have available somewhere the fragrant Rose Marchioness of Cholmondeley’s opinion of Darroch, Gove and BoJo’s elevation?

  • mike

    This is Jonathan Marcus, one of the state broadcaster’s many propagandists, doing what he needs to do to stay at the “top” of his profession. It was yesterday’s reaction to the joint China-Russia patrol near South Korea.

    “They [Russia and China] broadly share a similar world view, hostile to Western liberal democracy, eager to promote an alternative model, protective of their own national sovereignty, and often willing to ride rough-shod over that of others.

    “This poses a huge challenge for US strategy. The nightmare in Washington is an ever closer relationship between an assertive, but declining Russia, and a rising China, which looks set to overtake the US as a technological and economic power in the years ahead.”

    There’s a book in pulling this apart – and laughing at a good deal of it. The “ride rough-shod” bit in particular is a real hoot. But guys like Marcus don’t get top jobs at the state broadcaster without ignoring (double-thinking?) US imperialism and the various vassal states, principally the UK, which tag along with its latest war of aggression.

    If he’d replaced the phrase ‘US strategy’ with ‘US hegemony’ he might have been on to something. But there’s more chance of Marcus running naked through Whitehall.

    He’s a closed mind and a safe pair of hands.

    PS Someone tell him about Russian missile and electronic warfare tech – it is many years ahead of the USA’s.

    • michael norton

      When we Brexit on Halloween, we will need all the trade partners we can gather.
      It has been said that thirty per cent of all the World Resources, are in Russia.
      As the next Prime minister will be known as Boris, let’s hope he quickly patches up relations with Vlad and we can start being civil and do business with each other, again.

    • Tatyana

      This Mr. Marcus is wrong, Russia is not hostile to Western liberal democracy. But also we do not rush into the new pool without looking around first.
      The third way, I’d say, we watch the life of our western neighbours with a dose of curiosity, discussing this or that aspect, as if trying on ourselves and deciding whether to bring such a thing in life in Russia. Some things are too much for our country, and some others are quite suitable.
      But there are people like Mr. Marcus who see everything in black and white. Either with us or against us. What’s it? Does he still live in a bipolar world? The USSR and the Communists on the other side of the globe? I would say that it is time for some elderly people to update their information, or let them retire and make way for the young.

      • John2o2o

        For many years people here were told lies about Russia Tatyana. I can remember as a small boy in 1980 reading that there were KGB agents on every corner of every street the USSR, waiting to report wrongdoers, who would be punished severely.

        And our television news terrified me as a small boy with stories of how the USSR and Warsaw pact was going to bomb us with nuclear weapons.

        It all had a very bad effect on me and a lot of people. I know now that this was not true, but many older people still believe the lies, unfortunately.

  • N_

    According to the Guardian, the eugenics-promoting psychopath Dominic Cummings will be named as one of prime minister Boris Johnson’s most senior advisers. That means at 10 Downing Street or the Cabinet Office.

    His fellow eugenicists Roger Scruton and Toby Young may well be asked in too, perhaps at housing and “education”.

    Even if it were only Cummings, the balloon should still be up. Click here for a long piece of “strategic” cybernetics-informed power-management drivel written by Cummings in 2017. In the version of the text that I downloaded and read some time ago, he writes

    After the referendum Britain also needs new national priorities. Supporting a manned lunar base would kill two birds with one stone. First, it would give a huge boost to basic science and technological applications, requiring a civilian version of DARPA to improve a poorly functioning R&D and funding system. It would help make Britain a leading scientific power and help reverse the decline that is happening behind the scenes in cutting edge fields. Second, it would embed Britain in a project that would deliver real improvements in humanity’s material circumstances and the dynamics of international competition/cooperation while the EU continues to ratchet itself into economic stagnation and political dysfunction and extremism.

    Such ideas seem almost hopelessly naive with very low probability of success. People should keep in mind two things. First, many things regarded by conventional wisdom as very low probability happen when a relatively tiny number of able people decide to change something. Second, if we do not change course drastically, then the low probability of catastrophe in each particular year becomes a near certain cumulative probability within a century. Eventually our luck avoiding the near misses of 1962 (thanks Vasili Arkhipov), 1979, 1983, 1995 and so on must run out. Given the number of near-misses over the past 60 years how likely is it we will keep dodging them for another 100 years?

    So – a Boris base on the moon, followed by the sending out of self-replicating Von Neumann machines with little Union Jacks painted on them, and then the evacuation of members of the elite (but probably not if they’re continental types) from the Earth? This guy is just as insane as David Cameron says he is.

    • N_

      This is the Guardian piece: “Dominic Cummings, the former head of the Vote Leave campaign who was found in contempt of parliament in March for refusing to appear before MPs, is to be a senior adviser to Boris Johnson, it is understood. Cummings will serve as one of two key aides to Johnson, alongside the new prime minister’s former adviser when he was London mayor, Sir Edward Lister. These roles will be in place of a formal chief of staff, as fulfilled by former Tory MP Gavin Barwell under Theresa May.

      Can we expect some resignations by senior figures in the civil service? I can’t imagine them all wanting to be bossed around or “inspired” by a nutter like Cummings.

      • N_

        From David Cameron:

        Congratulations @BorisJohnson on becoming our Prime Minister. It is a great privilege & responsibility – but behind that famous black door you will find the most hugely talented officials waiting & wanting to help you serve the country; I wish you well.

        C’mon Mark Sedwill – if Cummings comes in, resign.

      • Greg Park

        “Unless a “serious” blogger demonstrates a healthy sense of humour – not to say self-deprecation – I’ve noticed a remarkable correlation with mental health issues. He/she usually turns out to be a bit of a crackpot on closer inspection.
        The jury’s out in Mr Murray’s case”

        Humourless establishment shill attempts crude smear. *massive yawn*

    • Vivian O'Blivion

      Cumming’s advocating for education focused on science and engineering is to be commended. He writes, “billions of pounds have been wasted on pointless university courses”. What of his education; Ancient and Modern History or that of his gaffer; Classics?
      The great unwashed concentrate on the science and engineering stuff and put their noses to the grindwheel while he posh boys do all the THINKING.

      • N_

        Cummings understands little about either the method and religion of science or “history”, even though “history” was what he supposedly studied at Oxford, and he can’t think very well either – much of his writing involves mainly cut and pasting. Doubtless he believes he is Mr Would Never In a Million Years Engage in Confirmation Bias, unlike the Morlocks. As for engineering he has invested much of his personality in pushing for red-in-tooth-and-claw engineering of the social kind.

        A Boris Moonbase project would be well into Emperor Bokassa territory.

        Self-driving cars is another piece of nonsense that survivors of the coming period will suss as the utter and emblematic bullsh*t that it is, even those who used to think Elon Musk was a really cool dude.

    • Deb O'Nair

      “the eugenics-promoting psychopath Dominic Cummings”

      Over the next couple of years or so there will be a big push to legalise ‘assisted suicide’; the media will run with heartbreaking stories about people with terminal illnesses living out their last days in agony and without dignity etc. and the Tories will be spinning it out as giving people a choice etc.

      The reality is that when the demographic time-bomb explodes in the next 10-15 years and millions of people retire to find their pensions have been robbed, the ones without any social and family support will at some point end up having their life terminated by some minion from the local authority’s social services dept. and a doctor under orders from management to save money.

  • M.J.

    Boris has just become PM. I am unable to rejoice. Let’s see what happens. Perhaps a no-confidence vote will end his tenure swiftly.

    • Sharp Ears

      Many are leaving, either sacked or resigning, from HMS Boris Johnson.

      Liam Fox. Chris (Failing) Grayling, David Gauke, Penny Mordaunt. Damian Hinds. James Brokenshire. Karen Bradley. Rory Stewart. Philip Hammond. Greg Clark.

      To be continued……

  • Tatyana

    russian news report today on MH17 case:

    “In a new documentary film by Dutch director Max Van der Werff about the circumstances of the disaster, the senior investigator for digital expertise Akash Rosen from Malaysian company ‘OG IT Forensic Services’ claims that the security service of Ukraine edited the records of the negotiations presented as evidence in the case of the crash of MH17 in the Donbass…
    German analyst Norman Ritter confirmed the words of the expert, noting that the phone records were forged by nine separate manipulations. “I found a total of nine manipulations. There’s a lot of editing. And I really doubt the authenticity of these records,” said Ritter.”

    the source in russsian with more detail is here
    https://ria.ru/20190724/1556846629.html

  • N_

    Ever feel as though someone’s trying to cause confusion and misdirect? Boris Johnson’s car was blocked by climate change loonies in the Mall. Crashout Brexitists and known eugenicists are about to do a Venezuela on Britain, and some “activists” teleguided by the Rudolf Steiner “root race” cult and its Triodos Bank feign anger, or in the case of some of the lower-down cult members, actually feel anger, because it’s getting a bit hotter.

    The word “fake” is much used by the far right. Well this here really is fake. And it will probably be an important feature of what comes. Recall Stalin’s “amalgam method”. Hear a street demonstration and perhaps it will be trade unionists protesting about wages being paid in a now worthless currency which probably still has a picture of the queen on it; or people protesting the wiping out of their savings; or protesters resisting the mass arrest of slaves whom Tesco doesn’t want to wash cars in their car parks any more now that the petrol pumps have run dry. Perhaps it will be families on the brink of starvation who are demanding the delivery of their food rations before their energy levels drop so far that they stop caring. Or – wait – perhaps it will be middle-class Steinerite maniacs, leaders probably flown in from the Netherlands or Switzerland, fanatically asserting cultist garbage about “extinction”. Sometimes the nutcases will focus on numbers (such as 6), or dress up in the same colour (such as red), or follow a rune. Many won’t care whether it’s real protestors or well-fed climate change a*seholes.

    Ideally the left should ban anything tainted with Steiner cultism from its midst and insist on the exclusion of green politics from its concerns, in what will soon be a time of real crisis. Its motto should be class against class.

    It won’t take this route, though. Look at Labour leaders under Jeremy Corbyn praising Pippi “Climate” Longstocking and despair.

    • Greg Park

      You’ve out-thought science and every left intellectual to reach the Trump/ Koch denialist position on climate change, congratulations.

      • Dave

        Its an elementary scam and once it was “Left” to say so, before the “progressive Left” replaced class politics with gender politics resulting in the coal miners, the vanguard of the working class, becoming the enemies of the planet.

        • Greg Park

          Burning carbon causes global warming. Any relation between that discovery and gender politics exists only inside your head.

          • Dave

            “Left” Class politics has been replaced with “Progressive Left” gender politics. Hence whereas once the coal miners were championed by Labour now they’re not. Indeed Corbyn attended the Durham Miners Gala (a legacy title as there are almost no miners left) and berated Trump for opening coal mines in America.

    • nevermind

      Are you the new loony _N? Conflating Steiner with green politics? What is it about sustainability you dont undetstand.
      You strike me like someone looking for his paddle in main stream. Just because Steiner, like other more cultist movements, has some ideas of communal sustainable methods and educational, rather clique, ideas on how to teach this does not mean Greens have all been moulded the same. Your hatred of triodos doezs not mean that a new form of banking has to emerge.
      Have a wee look at this, there are othets in the know who are not just polemicists.
      theactionary.com

  • N_

    Priti Patel, sacked for lying to prime minister Theresa May about secret talks she was running with Israel, will probably become Home Secretary.
    Gavin Williamson, sacked for leaking information from the National Security Council, may well also be back, perhaps even to Defence.
    Johnson sure does seem to appreciate liars and traitors. (That said, Liam Fox is out.)

    FFS Jeremy Corbyn, go in for the kill.

    • Deb O'Nair

      “Priti Patel, sacked for lying to prime minister Theresa May about secret talks she was running with Israel”

      It was worse than that, she attempted to change British Government policy regarding foreign aid to favour a foreign nation for which she was an agent. A few decades ago that would have been called treason.

  • RandomComment

    It struck me as I looked at the photo (carefully chosen, I’m sure) that neither of them look entirely trustworthy. One, with good argument, is a pretender to a throne of evil. But they share those heavy, public school jowls.

  • N_

    Laura Kuenssberg has woken up, smelled the coffee, and she’s posted to a US advertising company’s website to observe that this is not a “reshuffle” but a “new government”. Yes. Wasn’t she paying attention before? The Tory far right, functioning as a party within a party, brought down the old government using behind-the-scenes methods just at the moment that it had established there would be a Commons majority for a tweaked EU withdrawal deal backed by maybe half the Tory MPs and nine-tenths of the Labour ones. A “historic compromise”. Aka “Brexit In Name Only”, for sure, but with majorities in both houses of Parliament. And May was stabbed out of office before it could be voted on. Those familiar with the Italy of the late 1970s will recall that a similar thing happened then too, to Aldo Moro.

    • Ken Kenn

      Juncker congratulated Johnson on his ” appointment ” as PM.

      May’s was a Coronation.

      Johnson’s been appointed.

      The nation is dis-appointed.

      The BBC is still not sure whether Trump’s go back to where you came from speech was racist.

      Just wait ’til Johnson gets going.

      The BBC won’t be sure what to do or say.

      • Goodwin

        “The nation is dis-appointed.”
        The arrogance and ignorance of the left. Please don’t even try to speak for me.

  • David

    more seemingly accurate news that I’m sure will never get mentioned by the UK’s powerful State Broadcaster and its minions

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7281693/Republican-congressman-flays-Mueller-suspected-spy-Joseph-Mifsud-launched-Russia-probe.html

    it does relate to the USA, but also to a ‘missing’ professor, who some have claimed is related to Britain in some way, others have suggested he is on the oppo side of the old Great War/Great Game….

  • Republicofscotland

    Dominic Raab is the new Foreign secretary, you know the guy who didn’t know how important the port of Dover is for trade, or that he lives on an island.

    • Herbie

      Very clever of Johnson, surrounding himself with idiots.

      Nothing to rise up and challenge him.

    • Goodwin

      The meetings with the Israelis were shameful and sackable. What other “shameful acts” has she been up to?

      • Sharp Ears

        Suggest a read of the Wikipedia entry for her including

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priti_Patel#Secretary_of_State_for_International_Development:_2016–17 (withholding DfID aid to Palestinians)

        ‘Patel was critical of the UK’s decision to invest DFID funds to support the Palestinian territories through UN agencies and the Palestinian Authority. In October 2016 Patel ordered a review of the funding procedure, temporarily freezing approximately a third of Britain’s aid to the Palestinians during the review. In December 2016, DFID announced significant changes concerning future funding for the Palestinian Authority. DFID stated that future aid would go “solely to vital health and education services, in order to meet the immediate needs of the Palestinian people and maximise value for money.’ This move was widely supported by Jewish groups, including the Jewish Leadership Council and the Zionist Federation.’

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priti_Patel#Meetings_with_Israeli_officials_and_resignation – concealing visits to Israel with Lord Polak, chair Conservative Friends of Israel. She maintained Johnson then Foreign Secretary knew. He is a fervent CFoI member of course.

        I was sure that Craig wrote about her but cannot find it.

        • Deb O'Nair

          She also made attempts to get foreign aid directed to Israel to cover the cost of ‘Syrian refugees’.

      • Ross

        You should read ‘Britannia Unchained’, it sets out in detail a nightmarish vision for the future of Britain, written by Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Chris Skidmore and Elizabeth Truss; most of who are in Johnson’s new cabinet.

    • giyane

      RoS

      Traitorous acts more like, such as using British charity overseas Aid to pay for hospitals for Al Qaida.in the Golan area of Syria.

      This is a gauntlet thrown down , Trump-style, to goad Jeremy Corbyn. Johnson stood up in the commons and praised Al Qaida for trashing Syria for the West. This was Cameron’s policy from 2010.

      This single act of treachery by the incoming Hitler disqualifies him from the job the Queen gave him today.
      An insult to humanity and intelligence, giving an arch zionist like Patel a ministerial post.

    • Herbie

      Isn’t she the one who talked of bringing back the death penalty.

      Now’s her chance, eh.

  • Sharp Ears

    For good measure, BBC’s The One Show tonight (peak viewing time after the ‘news’) had Stanley Johnson on as a guest, He was given a lot of time to extol the virtues of his son ‘Al’ as he calls Boris. Alexander is Boris’s first name.

    We are all in for a wonderful period in our history apparently. The presenters were very deferential.

      • Deb O'Nair

        I popped down to have a look, it was neither large nor a protest – looked more like a well organised and orderly street party.

    • Ross

      Deferential and fearful. This new administration won’t hesitate to use all the powers of the state to silence its critics.

    • Herbie

      Wasn’t Stanley some sort of Rory Stewart/Lawrence of Arabia kinda character back in the day.

      It’s interesting those countries who are foregrounding your more coal-face chaps against those still relying on bureaucrats.

      • Dungroanin

        Stanley was some kind of adulterous globe trotter, Al ‘i want my mammy’ somehow got tracked into the school for future toffs by the rotter, that requires money AND DS friends. Al got called a ‘wog’ no doubt because of the Turkish family connection and started calling himself Bobo the clown – sorry Boris the clown.

        So well done Bobo – he has brought his family background into focus.
        We will hear a bit more of Stan and co no doubt.

  • N_

    Jacob Rees-Mogg says if the government loses a vote of confidence “that would lead to a general election”. Perhaps he should have another look at the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. The same MPs who express no confidence could express confidence in another government…perhaps even a government of national unity minus the crashout Tories.

    It really is time for the Shinners to turn up. C’mon, wear sunglasses on College Green afterwards if you want. Say it’s because it’s sunny.

    • glenn_nl

      The Fixed-Term Act didn’t prevent Theresa May calling a disastrous “snap election” to allow the people to grant her more power. How wretched of the people not to step up to the plate when called upon to do so.

      • N_

        The 2017 general election only happened because Theresa May got support from Labour. It happened under the two-thirds rule. If Johnson says he wants a general election Labour will say yes please, but no confidence is a different route and a successful VONC only leads to a general election if there’s no successful VOC within a fortnight. A successful VOC might happen for instance if all who voted for the VONC could agree on a prime minister who was acceptable to them. Goodness knows what might happen during that fortnight.

        Johnson will be having a new leader bounce right now. Whether it could last 3-4 weeks is another question. A terror attack or a story about dinghies and it might.

    • N_

      If Sinn Fein take their seats, the Tories + DUP together have no majority.

      Get in there, go through the Aye lobby for an Opposition motion of no confidence, get out.

      C’mon, Mary Lou McDonald – millions of people in Ireland and in Britain will be grateful to you. Nobody will think you’ve become monarchists or supporters of the British monarchist regime’s legitimacy. Nobody ever said Keir Hardie was a monarchist.

      • Deb O'Nair

        Sinn Fein will wait until the impact of Brexit hits NI and then, presuming NIA elections have not been permanently cancelled (they’ve already been cancelled twice by HMG) due to the scrapping of the GFA because of some HMG security service psyop called “The New IRA”, will call a reunification referendum when they become the largest party in the NIA. They have zero interest in whether the UK remains or leaves the EU or which overgrown schoolboy is the current PM.

        • IrishU

          What evidence do you present that the New IRA is a security service psyop?

          The postponement of Assembly elections had nothing to do with dissient republican violence, they were cancelled as the majority of the political parties wanted to restore devolution without having to fight an Assembly election which always descends into petty sectarian nationalism. In reality, the current stalemate suits SF and the DUP perfectly. SF get to see what damage is created by Brexit while the DUP get to play at being important due to propping up the Government at Westminster.

          • Deb O'Nair

            “What evidence do you present that the New IRA is a security service psyop?”

            Because they are directly serving the interests of the British and not the Irish, e.g. in regard to fomenting a political environment which the UK government can use to declare the GFA dead for two very important reasons; a) Removes the need for the Brexit backstop agreement on NI, and b) removes the ability of SF to hold a reunification referendum in the future. The various “attacks” themselves have been suspicious in both timing and method, allied with the reporting in the mainstream media which has been used to promote the threat rather than asking the obvious questions, with some newspapers – notably The Observer – directly questioning whether the GFA is already dead.

            “The postponement of Assembly elections had nothing to do with dissient republican violence”

            The murder of Lyra McKee was used as an excuse to cancel the last NIA elections because HMG said the elections would threaten talks between SF and DUP to restore power sharing. The talks only came about in the first place due to a coordinated media campaign. The decision to cancel the elections was opposed by the Electoral Commission who publicly stated that they were “very concerned” by HMG actions.

          • IrishU

            So you have no evidence?

            An increase in dissident republican violence would not endanger the GFA, so the supposed benefits to the British would be null and void. Dissident republicans have used violence since 1998 and yet the GFA remains. On a point of clarity, Sinn Fein can’t hold a unity referendum under the GFA – that power rests with the British Secretary of State. So there is no British motivation there either.

            There is certainly some questions over the viability of the GFA but it is not currently dead. Let’s not forget that Stormont was regularly suspended during the first five years, yet devolution returned. It will do so once again, as soon as it is beneficial for the DUP and SF.

            What has been so suspicious about the method of recent dissident attacks? The gun attacks and undercar bombs fit within the well-established MO of republican terrorists. As for the timing that is easily explained, lack of devolution and possibility of a ‘hard border’ post-Brexit deludes some Irish republicans into thinking that people will support a return to violence.

            Neither SF nor the DUP are looking for Assembly elections, that is the reason for the postponement. Once the DUP change their opinion on that, you be sure there will be an election here. The claim from Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill that an election would destabilise intense talks after the McKee murder was just window-dressing. They wanted to look like they were actually serious at wishing to restore devolution. Few fell for it.

          • IrishU

            Very convincing response Deb.

            Now remove the tinfoil hat and rejoin the real world.

  • Ross

    So we’ve just had a wholesale takeover of the top of government with paid toadies of the Israel lobby, the business lobby, and interests so far to the right in economic terms they’re off the political map. This is a dark day, but there are many darker days to come.

    • Deb O'Nair

      Yes, but most British people don’t give a shit as they’re more interested in Love Island, Strictly Come Dancing and whatever sport they can spend meaningless hours following. As long as they can pick up the phone and have some economic slave working a zero hour contract peddle a hot pizza to their door and get cheap booze in the supermarket they’re happy.

    • giyane

      Johnson is Hitler. The opponents of zionist violence have been warned. It’s time to leave Britain before Johnson’s zionist gestapo lock up opponents of Islamism, Zionism and Capitalism in concentration camps.
      You only have to look at Trump’s persecution of immigrants to see the pattern. Immigrants are Communists
      who are going to infect the USA with Communist ideology. Eradicate the threat now before it’s too late.

      Johnson is Trump and Trump is Johnson. Time to emigrate.

      • Herbie

        “Immigrants are Communists who are going to infect the USA with Communist ideology. Eradicate the threat now before it’s too late.”

        By “Communist” they mean, shall vote for the Dems and their Globalist agenda, rather than the other Globalist agenda.

        • Andyoldlabour

          Herbie,

          Exactly, Republicans and Democrats are different faces of the same coin, they both do the bidding of the MIC.

      • nevermind

        ‘Yes, ‘ the new home secretary said,’ sent Paddington home, we can’t have homeless bears stopping our railways from working on time’….

    • Hatuey

      Ross: “This is a dark day, but there are many darker days to come.”

      I’m not so sure. Parliamentary arithmetic suggests that Boris is going to be significantly weaker than May as far as Brexit is concerned and that he is going to be even more hamstrung. Ultimately it is on Brexit he will be judged.

      Whatever we all thought of May’s Brexit Deal, it was in essence pretty soft which allowed her to win support from remainers in her own party. Moreover, don’t forget her payroll of around 100 insiders who to varying degrees supported her and her deal — many of these MPs are now off the payroll and we can assume many really are remainers or soft Brexiteers.

      In short, Boris will have less support in Parliament for his approach, assuming it’s harder, than May had for hers. On that basis, his only option is a General aelection but he’d be going into that election as someone who had failed to deliver on Brexit because, as suggested above, he has zero prospect of succeeding on Brexit based on the current make-up of parliament.

      One logical step more, and, unless some bizarre deal is made with the Brexit Party, we can forecast that the Tories would lose a General Election if they went into it having failed to Brexit by the end of October.

      • giyane

        Hatuey

        I don’t like Christmas or Easter because on those two days they actually believe in their gobbledy gook , while the rest of the year they forget it. Today the anonymous Tory Party Johnsonites, probably loaded onto one computer with gambling software stacking the odds against the punter, spewed its chips gedunkgedunkgedunkgedunk gedunkgedunkgedunkgedunk gedunkgedunkgedunkgedunk .
        Anybody who says the referendum was democracy will be reminded of this moment , when the owners of the software programmed the computer to give us this result.

  • Dungroanin

    Now i know today is no laughing matter.
    But seeing as how we are half way through the longest week in politics – time for a intermission. Monty Python like nostradamus prediction of the tory membership and their high expectations.

    Enjoy and remember that we are dealing with unreconstructed imbeciles. They are going no where. I give you the Crimson Permanent Assurance, free to roam the global world:
    https://vimeo.com/111458975

    Anybody still remember that?

    • giyane

      Dungroanin

      Thanks for that timely advice. It;s a bad day when so many unreconstructed imbeciles get centre space.
      They are going nowhere but it has definitely been a frabjious day for them halloo Halloy having the media attention on their very own unreconstructed imbecilities. Thank God for Craig Murray who leaves his little blog as an open space for those who would otherwise end up shouting at passers by in supermarket car parks.

      Imagine the huge embarrassment these wonks must feel after uttering the slogans of leftish tripe, social care, equality , pensions, from their 14 million pound London mansions. The guilt, the shame of blaring out rubbish on the open airwaves. Of course they go home and spaff red wine all over their 20,00 pound white sofas to get rid of the overwhelming feeling of guilt at publicly uttering such lies and tripe.
      If I was in their position I would be doing the same, After all who’s counting the cost of the spaff, the wine or the sofas when you have total freedom to spout crap for the rest of your life.

    • Clark

      “Anybody still remember that?”

      “It’s fun to charter an accountant,
      And sail the wide accountancy…”

  • Pyewacket

    So then, 17 MPs shuffled off, in one fell swoop. The Night of the Long Knives, has now become The Afternoon of the Lawnmower.

    • giyane

      if I was one of the fallen from Johnsons scythe I would see myself as a martyr.
      We’ve been here before, at the time of the civil war.
      ‘The forward youth that would appear
      Must now forsake his muses dear…’
      Andrew Marvell’s Horatian Ode.

      it was a result of that war that we pursued parliamentary democracy. But the Tories have bypassed democracy by doing a deal with Nick Clegg and building on that raft. If we had an election tomorrow the whole edifice of tory ordure built on top of the raft would be on the bottom of the lake and the raft bobbing up like a cork to the surface for a clean slate. We bypass our democracy at our peril. It was hard earned by blood .

      • BrianFujisan

        Whilst I do Know what you are saying here giyane.. Yet you, nor I could ever Say it For real..

        Mundel sacking is a joy..yet a worry..things are going to get ugly.

        • Jo1

          Brian
          I think Ruthie is going to be getting jumpy too. I think her position is now not secure. There seems to be a rump of Scots Tory MPs who are devoted to Johnson. Thomson was grinning from ear to ear last night. I’m sure he’d have been rewarded by Johnson were it not for his misbehaviour in a certain pub earlier this year… that’s still waiting to be “investigated”.

          I think Ruth the Mooth is going to be facing some very difficult times indeed.

    • N_

      How many in Johnson’s Cabinet are new to the Cabinet? It’s not many.

      The “I love the Baptism scene in the Godfather film” and “This is Blue Terror” are advertising, pushing the themes of newness, ruthlessness, and dynamism.

      I was surprised at Jacob Rees-Mogg getting the Leadership of the House rather than Brexit Secretary or Chief Secretary to the Treasury or perhaps Foreign Secretary or Chancellor of the Exchequer, but then again he’ll get a lot of exposure as Leader of the House and the role is much more important now than it usually is.

      • Dungroanin

        JRM as the ‘brains’ does not yet want centre stage – like Hunt never did.
        They are the Money.

        JRM is going where he can take on Bercow directly. It is his task to remove the Speaker without a general election (after which traditionally the position is usually filled).

        • Jo1

          Yes, as well as dealing with Bercow he’s already announced that he will maintain strict control over what MPs will be “allowed” to do.

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