The Purge -- Over Half Of Cabinet To Be Replaced

[jim360]

As I type two more ministers, David Mundell and Claire Perry, and Leader of the House Mel Stride, have stepped down from Cabinet roles, presumably because they were pushed -- joining a long list of ministers to have followed Theresa May out today.

A brutal purge, not just of Remain-supporting ministers, but also of anyone who had the temerity to back Hunt rather than Johnson in the Leadership election. Fox out. Mordaunt gone. Two of the strongest Leave supporters you could find right there.

One could presumably forgive Johnson for wanting Hammond, etc, gone -- and even if Johnson wanted to keep him Hammond didn't want to stay -- but a clearout of this scale seems to be a dangerous way to start. The Prime Minister can only govern with consent, and with such a wafer-thin majority (that anyway relies on another party!), creating so many enemies is at the very least a courageous decision.

[ichkeria]

I’ve wondered for some time if Priti Patel is slightly unhinged. I hope I’m wrong.

Dominic Raab was asked if this cabinet could unite the Tory party. He avoided answering ...

[andy-hughes]

It's standard for an incoming PM to want his or her 'own' people around him or her, you would expect nothing less.

So musical chairs is completely expected, those who have resigned have done so to avoid being sacked, which again is what you would expect if they know they don't figure in Mr Johnson's future plans.

I sincerely hope he lives up to his promise of leaving the EU by 31 October, and is not thwarted by MP's who appear to put their own egos and interests above the democratic process and the will of the people.

[ichkeria]

It isn’t normal at all as a matter of fact.

[ToraToraTora]

AH: "I sincerely hope he lives up to his promise of leaving the EU by 31 October, and is not thwarted by MP's who appear to put their own egos and interests above the democratic process and the will of the people." - bang on AH, it's time these self serving quislings were put to the sword.

[naomi24]

Good for him!! Scary stuff for some. :o)

[Peter Pedant]

// In the medical circle when a professor is appointed, he brings in his own entourage //

there should be security of tenure - you remember the For Office official who said they cdnt go into the libyan embassy ? they couldnt fire him.

One senior lecturer said - I went in ( to the professors office ) with a job 14 30 and I came out two hours later without one.

how many did Macmillan sack in the Night of the Long Knives ( 1962 that is) - jeremy thorpe quipped
no greater love hath man than this than he gives up the lives of his colleagues....

the tories found it less funny

Note Macmillan was the PM in 1962 - no many ABer know that you know !

[Peter Pedant]

// It isn’t normal at all as a matter of fact. //

it is normal for AB for chrissakes

[Peter Pedant]

// I’ve wondered for some time if Priti Patel is slightly unhinged. I hope I’m wrong.
//

you mean shes pretty crazy ? well she cant be as bad as Diane Abbott can she?

[jim360]

I suppose this display is for the "EUSSR" only to show that Boris is capable of out-Stalining them?

I agree that a PM should want his/her allies in Cabinet, but if you are proposing to unite the party and the country then it stands to reason that you should also appoint people who, at the very least, represent different wings of the party. Trying to bring about unity by expelling everyone who disagrees with you never ends well.

And again we have people on this side determined to almost celebrate the idea of expelling the treacherous. It's so shameful to welcome that attitude.

[douglas9401]

I suppose it's handy for when the time comes for Johnson to vacate, taking his rabid dogs of destruction with him.

There's a complete bloc in lace to cover till an election can be organised.

Early November should see the wheels in motion.

[jim360]

It's not clear to me yet whether it's an advantage for Johnson or a disadvantage that it's not actually within his power to guarantee a 31st October exit or not. If the only way out on that date is with a No Deal exit -- and, let's be clear here, the "if" is more or less redundant, unless Johnson accepts piecemeal changes to the existing Withdrawal Agreement -- Parliament will try to block it. Johnson will presumably try to veto that block, and Parliament and the Courts will try block him on that, too. Maybe he can exploit that to force an early election in which he, and the Brexit Party, can (with some justification) claim that we'd be gone if it weren't for those dastardly scoundrels who paid attention to the overwhelming evidence that exiting without the proper arrangements would be hugely damaging. Or maybe not.

I don't think I've ever wanted to be more wrong about anything than about this. If I am right, then the country is on the verge of tearing itself apart, politically and economically. If Johnson et al are right, then he leads us out of the EU, the economic damage is superficial at worst, and the UK successfully demonstrates a new and astonishingly effective approach to international relations.

[Old_Geezer]

The only ways Brexit can be achieved is either the Brexit thwarter MPs running out of spoiler ideas, or government gets suspended and that stops their tricks. There is no compromise that can be made. To get out we have to truly leave, not pretend to and try to claim that's a compromise. Once out then hopefully even the most overbearing will buckle down to making it work.

[Canary42]

/// the democratic process and the will of the people. ///

If you're talking about the referendum (which I'm sure you are), then surely it was a demockratic process

[retrocop]

May wasted three years with her cabinet of imponderables..She could not hope to get a job done without 100% loyalty in her cabinet. No General can win with the equivalent of 5th Columnists on their staff and May had no firm resolve for Brexit in any case.
As Prime Minister Johnson's hero once announced," Give me the tools and I will finish the job". Get who you can trust on your side and then deliver the pledges. That is a winner.

[naomi24]

Today I heard for the first time the EU say they don’t want this country to leave without a deal. I might have missed them saying that before but I can’t help thinking that Boris, declaring that we will be leaving on 31 October, has

[naomi24]

...alarmed them.

Sorry, difficult to
post using a phone. Too easy to press the wrong buttons.

[Peter Pedant]

//Today I heard for the first time the EU say they don’t want this country to leave without a deal.//

yeah Barnier was going thro his bit about how bad it would be for the UK and half way thro seemed to wake up to how bad it would be for HIM
and kinda lost it.....

as in - - - the UK have failed in getting a deal oops two sides to every deal so I ( Barnier ) have also failed ! never thought of it like that ....

[Old_Geezer]

They probably don't, but I still don't see them taking the solutions to their created issues seriously. The elites would lose too much face. They'll continue to give nothing of importance, and let their member nations lose out, whilst pretending that no deal was something we chose not something they forced upon us.

[Togo]

17 Gone. Good. Where will the EUSSR get it's inside information from now? Let's see how clever they are at "negotiating" when they don't know what is being proposed before we do. Now unleash Cummings on the placemen squatters in Whitehall. Drain the swamp. Tell the pyramid schemers stuff your confected backstop, no divorce payout blackmail money, we want our money back for the infrastructure that we have paid for and if you want to trade with us give my secretary a call and make an appointment.

[douglas9401]

And once all that's done ^^ we can build a wall and send her back.

Instead of meaning Brexit, Brexit now means 'rehash the rantings of the Pyss-Eyed Tango Monster'.

Have another burger and calm down.