Johnson is fearful of certain words; he will not say “Shutdown” because that would signify yet another failure of his shambolic Tory Government, so we suffer the ‘Tiers of a Clown’ as he ratchets up the restrictions that are now very strict and almost universal. The relief that the Vaccine Cavalry are riding to the rescue hides his most recent blunder when, well beyond common sense, he at first encouraged people to get together for five days over Christmas, then waited for us to make travel plans, and restricted celebrations to just one day… with warnings not to hug grandma! Each tightening of the rules is leaked with enough early warning to create an exodus among those eager to escape confinement, thus ensuring that infected individuals carry the virus throughout the country to help maximize the impact of the Tory cull. But the children represent the Tories most deadly weapon, kept in school to pass round the infection they will function as vectors in the multigenerational homes of the impoverished to deliver a ‘Slaughter of the Sheeple!’
Good news of the Oxford AstraZeneca will drown out the goings on in Parliament where MPs will be offered ‘Hobsons choice;’ to accept Johnson’s abysmal deal with the EU or reject it and crash-out with no deal at all. Boris Johnson is gloating, very pleased with himself that the fake 80 seat Tory ‘landslide victory’ majority gifted to him in the Covert 2019 Rigged Election has delivered the worst possible outcome for the vast majority of the British people and a bonanza for the wealthy elite. If he had not had the BBC and Mainstream Media on-side to spin the incredulous result as a legitimate reality by bullying Labour MPs into reinforcing their fake news failure, the public might have mounted a challenge and demanded an Investigation of the result. Keir Starmer, the PM’s loyal Trojan horse, is tearing the Labour Party limb from limb; the Captain of Capitulation offers zero opposition as Johnson sees his end goal in sight: MPs will be compelled to vote for this hellish extrication from the EU paving the way for Tory Sovereign Dictatorship!
Has old faithful ‘Auntie,’ our BBC, become emblematic of a failed state? A Skwawkbox Video/Article entitled: “Labour parliamentary candidate on the importance of new left media,” makes that case by stating that, “If the UK were another nation, this country’s so-called ‘mainstream’ media ‘would be calling it a failed state’, yet instead it is complicit. During Sunday night’s Cornish Damo round-up of the year on Socialist Telly, the topic turned to the dishonesty and corruption of the UK’s supposedly ‘mainstream’ media, and Labour’s candidate for Truro and Falmouth in the 2-19 general election, Jenn Forbes, hit the nail on the head: She said that if the situation in the UK was happening in another country, the ‘MSM’ would be calling it a ‘failed state,’ and highlighted the essential role of the left independent media if this country is ever to hear the truth about what’s really happening. It’s time we all tuned in to Socialist Telly to hear the real news.
Democracy would require such a momentous decision to be properly debated in our Parliament, but in our corrupt ‘failed’ state it will be little more than a rubber stamp formality so that we can pretend to the British public that there was unanimous support for the hard Brexit no one wanted except the wealthy elite. Politicians have barely had time to read the lengthy document let alone prepare for a cursory five hour debate. It is being rushed through both Chambers in a single day by the necessity of Johnson’s last ditch decision at a time of maximum public distraction, over Christmas and during a Pandemic lockdown disguised by seemingly arbitrary separation into tiers. No one is paying attention to the dirty deal being rammed through Parliament, despite the fact that today’s decisions will impact our lives for decades, causing untold harm and misery especially among the working poor. The EU 27 will be glad to be rid of the oafish British tyrant and I doubt they would ever allow us back due to the severe harm we have caused.
In the London Economic Article entitled, “Brexit deal means ‘protections for workers,climate and the environment at serious risk of being eroded,” warns Joe Mellor. He says, “Given it is notoriously difficult to prove that any lowering of protections affects trade or investment, the deal is unlikely to prevent the UK Government from weakening EU-derived labour and environmental policies if it so chooses. The post-Brexit trade deal with the EU leaves workers’ rights and environmental protections at risk of erosion and will slow the economic recovery, an early analysis has warned. The IPPR think tank’s assessment, published on Sunday, says that the bar for proof of breaches of the ‘level playing field’ to safeguard the issues is so high that it will be rarely enforced.” In one of his classic PR spin ‘pledges’ soon to be broken, “The Prime Minister has insisted that the UK will not regress on the issues and instead has vowed to use the ‘legislative and regulatory freedoms to deliver for people who felt left behind’.”
Analysing the deal Mellor reports, “As Tory Eurosceptics pore over the 1,246-page treaty to see if they can give their backing, the IPPR added to criticism of the deal from the fishing industry. A senior member of the UK negotiating team has defended the trade deal after the Prime Minister was accused of ‘sacrificing’ fishing rights. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also said the industry had been ‘sold out’ over the agreement, which includes a transition period allowing EU and UK fishing vessels access to each other’s waters for another five years. Claims from officials at the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) that Boris Johnson had only secured ‘a fraction of what the UK has a right to under international law’ prompted a response from a senior person involved with the talks.” The reality is that the UK Fishing Industry does not have sufficient boats and crew ready to take on a vastly increased fish quota immediately and we still want to be able to sell our catch within the EU.
Mellor points out that, “Marley Morris, a director focusing on trade and EU relations, warned that the commitment in the deal not to decrease current standards in a bid to gain an unfair competitive advantage is ‘considerably weaker than expected’ and sets ‘a very high bar for proof’. ‘Given it is notoriously difficult to prove that any lowering of protections affects trade or investment, the deal is unlikely to prevent the UK Government from weakening EU-derived labour and environmental policies if it so chooses,’ his report says. He later added: ‘This leaves protections for workers, climate and the environment at serious risk of being eroded’.” We should all have known that the Tory Party could not be trusted on this point which is why I am so certain there was not a massive swing to the Tories in the Covert 2019 Rigged Election. I do not accept that so many Labour supporters were confused and turned off by the logical decision of the Labour Party to proceed in the best interests of workers basic rights, environmental and safety concerns.
Mellor remarks on the minimal Market access concessions we secured in the deal, saying that, “The IPPR also said that by the UK having ‘watered down’ the level playing field requirements to secure ‘only limited benefits in market access’ there will be a blow to trade. There will likely be disruption to trade flows, including at the border, in the short-term while barriers to trading with the nation’s biggest partner will ‘likely lead to slower growth and a more prolonged economic recovery’ from the coronavirus pandemic, the analysis says. ‘This thin deal is better than no deal at all, but still creates major trade barriers with our closest neighbour, which will inhibit growth and slow the economic recovery,’ Mr Morris added.” Also there may still be considerable reluctance for hauliers to continue transporting goods into the UK at least in the initial few weeks into the New Year. Lorry drivers have experienced first hand how we deal with delays and backups in the port of Dover and they may want to steer clear until we get our act together.
Mellor focuses his concerns on the fate of Erasmus, saying, “Speaking after the announcement of a trade deal between the UK and the European Union, Boris Johnson said the UK had made a ‘tough decision’ to pull out of the programme for financial reasons. The Erasmus exchange programme, which the UK joined in 1987, allows students to study and work across Europe. The move to leave the Erasmus scheme has been criticised by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who called the decision ‘cultural vandalism’. She tweeted: ‘There will be lots of focus, rightly, on the economic costs of Brexit. But ending UK participation in Erasmus, an initiative that has expanded opportunities and horizons for so many young people, is cultural vandalism by the UK Government.’ Labour and Co-Op MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle also criticised the scheme, tweeting: ‘As someone who lobbied & drafted parts of last scheme this will not work. UK gains from students coming to UK & Brits gain personally from going abroad’.”
In the London Economic Article entitled, “High profile Labour MPs rebel against Starmer’s decision to back Johnson’s EU deal,” Jack Peat reports on the objections of certain MPs who say, “We are witnessing an act of vandalism against our livelihoods, our rights and our horizons,” the statement reads. He says, “Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is facing a high-profile revolt over his decision to back Boris Johnson’s EU trade deal in this week’s Commons vote.Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and ex-cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw are among the signatories to a statement calling on opposition parties not to support the “rotten” agreement, The Guardian reported. Sir Keir has said that he will call on Labour MPs to support the ‘thin’ post-Brexit free trade agreement, despite misgivings that it would fail to protect many key economic sectors.”
Reporting on the flawed agreement Peat said that, “Sir Keir has said that he will call on Labour MPs to support the ‘thin’ post-Brexit free trade agreement, despite misgivings that it would fail to protect many key economic sectors. He argued, however, that the alternative of ending the Brexit transition period on December 31 without a deal in place would be even worse for the economy. However, his stance has upset some pro-Europeans in the party who say they should not support a flawed agreement and should abstain instead. The statement has been organised by Another Europe is Possible and Labour for a Socialist Europe – both on the left – but has attracted support from both wings of the party, according to The Guardian. As well as Mr Bradshaw, the paper said the signatories included ex-cabinet minister Lord Adonis from the Blairite wing of the party.”
From the left, Mr McDonnell is joined by another former shadow cabinet minister Clive Lewis. John McDonnell Tweeted, “Johnson has achieved the unique success of negotiating a Brexit deal that in the cold light of day over the next weeks and months is likely to brass off both leavers and remainers but will go through Parliament warts and all as a result of political exhaustion & inertia.” Although this significant group of rebel MPs will not overcome Johnson’s corruptly acquired huge Tory majority, just like the Iraq War vote, this decision will become an iconic milestone in UK Parliamentary decision making and MPs of strom conscious will want to be on the right side of history.
Calling it a rotten deal, Peat said, “The statement warns that it is the duty of the opposition to provide proper parliamentary scrutiny and to set out an alternative. ‘That task gets harder if opposition parties fall into the trap of rallying around this rotten deal,’ it said. ‘We are witnessing an act of vandalism against our livelihoods, our rights and our horizons. We call on Labour, the Labour movement and other opposition parties not to support the Tories’ Brexit deal when it is put to a vote in the House of Commons.’ Other signatories are said to include former MEPs, councillors and local activists. Labour is alone among the opposition parties in saying it will support the deal, with the SNP and the Liberal Democrats having said they will vote against it. The DUP, which backed Brexit, has also said it will oppose the deal because the Brexit divorce settlement imposes customs checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.”
Peat reports that, “Meanwhile, the self-styled ‘star chamber’ of lawyers led by veteran Eurosceptic MP Sir Bill Cash and assembled by the European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers is expected to deliver its verdict on the deal. Despite some reported misgivings over elements of the package, it is thought the group will be broadly favourable – although some are unhappy at the way the agreement, which runs to more than 1,200 pages, is being rushed through Parliament in a single day. However, with Labour backing the agreement, it is expected to be passed comfortably on Wednesday.”
In the London Economic Article entitled, “MPs approve post-Brexit trade deal, 521 votes to 73,” Henry Godwin reports that, “The House of Commons has given its overwhelming approval to Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, passing the bill at its second reading – by 521 votes to 73. The House of Commons has given its overwhelming approval to Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, passing the bill at its second reading, by 521 votes to 73. With Labour voting with the government, and Johnson winning over the self-styled ‘Spartans’ of the European Research Group, the result was never in doubt, with the only question how large the prime minister’s majority would be. In the end, a long and tortuous saga, that has taken up more newsprint and dominated broadcast packages more than any political happening in modern British history, finished with a whimper, in a socially-distanced chamber with the eyes of the nation elsewhere.”
Godwin notes that, “The legislation has been hurried through parliament in record time, with the UK’s transition period with the EU set to expire tomorrow night. It will be instigated within hours. A number of Labour MPs, including Diane Abbott and Clive Lewis, defied Sir Keir Starmer’s whip, with the majority abstaining. Two of those MPs, Tonia Antoniazzi and Helen Hayes, have resigned from Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet as a result of their opposition to the bill. Conservative Brexiteers John Redwood and Owen Paterson also abstained, citing concerns with the impact the agreement will have on Northern Ireland, as did Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader currently sitting as an independent.” Jeremy Corbyn has Tweeted: “I cannot vote for this deal, which this Government will use to drive down rights and protections, and step up the sell-off of our vital public services. We need instead to break with failed race-to-the-bottom policies and build a Britain that puts people before private profit.”
In the Skwawkbox Article entitled, “No Holding Back’s Trickett gave up Christmas to read the entire EU-UK deal,” they provide a glimpse of this dedicated MPs analysis of Johnsin’s shabby deal. They present his report saying, “New report by working-class Labour MP exposes Tory give-away in Brexit deal, but highlights agreement itself has provision for future Labour government to change it, but Keir Starmer has just rejected the option. The No Holding Back (NHB) group of Labour working-class MPs and activists has published its analysis of the Tories’ agreement with the European Union, and it exposes the Tory give-away of the nation’s public assets that the report bakes in. The NHB report highlights the ‘competition’ rules that are set to open up all the UK’s public sector to privatisation, and make it hard for any future left-wing government to enact real change. Hard, but not impossible.”
Skwawkbox report that, “NHB also points out that the UK/EU agreement itself contains a provision that entitles the UK to review and agree changes to the agreement every five years, meaning that Labour’s next general election manifesto could include a commitment to do just that, for the sake of the nation and the services the UK public relies upon, and NHB calls on Labour to do it.” They provide a copy of the relevant section that reads: “Article FINPROV.2: Relationship with other agreements This Agreement and any supplementing agreement apply without prejudice to any earlier bilateral agreement between the United Kingdom of the one part and the Union and the European Atomic Energy Community of the other part. The parties reaffirm their obligations to implement any such agreement.”
I Don’t pretend to understand the relevance of FINPROV.2, but there must have been a reason for its inclusion in this Skwawkbox Article. The section Skwawkbox copied continues with what appears to be really the most important ‘get out of jail’ provision depending on how it is used by political parties in future. It says, “Article FINPROV. 3: Review The Parties shall jointly review the implementation of this agreement and supplementing agreements and any matters related thereto five years after the entry into force of this Agreement and every five years thereafter. Article FINPROV.6: Classified information and sensitive unclassified information. Nothing in this Agreement or in any supplementing agreement shall be construed as requiring a Party to make available classified information.”
But in typical Captain of Capitulation form, according to the Skwawkbox, “Keir Starmer has just publicly thrown away the chance. The Labour leader has said that Labour will not try to make any major changes to the UK’s agreement with the EU: Many Labour MPs representing working-class, leave-supporting constituencies will feel obliged to vote for Boris Johnson’s deal, but will do so on the basis that a future Labour government can and must change it to something that will not tie its hands from restoring the UK’s public services to their proper state and status. But Keir Starmer is determined to ignore the opportunity to make any real change to the status quo, because he is too closely identified with the Establishment that has agreed to entrench and enlarge it.” The Skwawkbox provide a link to download the full report. This provision offers a glimmer of hope if the Labour Party can remove Trojan horse kuer Starmer and derail his vendetta sabotage of the main, presently totally dysfunctional, opposition Labour Party.
We are faced with a very serious uphill battle on both sides of the isle, but both require exposure of an insecure egotist manipulating crony loyalty and heavily reliant on corruption to maintain undemocratic dictatorial power. There is an urgent need for us to get the Labour Left witchhunt stopped in its tracks; how many more votes of no confidence can Starmer endure without facing a serious challenge from the left to restore the party’s progressive Socialist principles? The PM is like the Emperor with no clothes how soon before his naked ambition for absolute dictatorship is exposed? How long before the public realize they have been sold down the river again to enrich the wealthy elite? How long before the ‘Lev…up’ lie is exposed as the new banner for austerity and further Tory exploitation? How long before rising prices and stagnant wages can no longer be disguised by Covid or blamed on the EU and we see a serious Brexit backlash? Boris Johnson is glaringly corrupt and the British need to realize that fact and remove him from office ASAP! DO NOT MOVE ON!