Have you ever heard off "strategy".
Having sacked 21 of his own MP's for daring to have an opinion different to his own, Boris sacrificed his very slender majority in Parliament, meaning that he is now politically impotent.
He had to call an election.
However, behind his very public invitation to call an election, was a plan to prorogue Parliament again and force through a "no deal" Brexit, meaning that, should he lose the election (when it came) the UK would still crash out of The EU with "no deal"

So, no "balls" involved here, just more slightly underhand tactics form Boris 0/6 Johnson and he could well end his tenure in Parliament without actually being able to pass ANY legislation.

Looks like his judgement was wrong, AGAIN.

On an optimistic note, I do feel a sense of privilege at living through one of the great political farces of modern history. The cast of comedic characters is brilliant - bumbling, dissembling, desperately ambitious Johnson, supercilious Rees-Mogg, ineffectual Corbyn, Old Testament Arlene Foster, John Bercow’s voice - they have hammed it up tremendously.

We have, for the first time in history I assume, a Prime Minister who wants to lose a vote of confidence. But he can’t because the opposition parties can’t decide who should temporarily replace him just long enough to get a Brexit delay and call an election... because Corbyn’s base is big enough to block anybody else but anybody outside of it despairs of/despises him. And so they’re trying to make Johnson a puppet prime minister, despite having no confidence in his competence or integrity. That’s a strong and stable position to be conducting negotiations from, innit?

In a couple of weeks Johnson will likely have to send a letter to the EU requesting an extension. Presumably signing it while on the phone to the leader of a member state (i’m imagining Viktor Orbán), requesting they veto the delay.

I know it is a cliche, but you really couldn’t have made it.

I just hope that spitting image makes it back before we get into the official GE campaign, they will have an absolute field day.
Right accross the political spectrum, the politicians all seem to have massive satire potential.

You insult our intelligence just posting your infantile drivel.

Keep it coming, it brightens my day.

HIGNFY makes a welcome return next week!

More left wing BBC indoctrination. The sooner we get out of Europe and regain our Empire the better.

I wish that we could get rid of or at least have some balanced press.
The twist that is put on certain stories in the right wing press is just embarrassing.

Just look at how Johnson is being portrayed

John McDonald today said Labour will win the election with a big majority and they will change the world - and all you lefties think Boris is a joke!!

I admit to a profound and increasing lack of confidence in Corbyn and McDonnell’s abilities to get poop done.

To be fair though, negative opinion of Boris Johnson is by no means limited to lefties either.

He has been described by a former chairman of the Conservative Party as a ‘mendacious chancer’, for example.

I think the old lady in his own constituency sums him up best... https://www-independent-co-uk.cdn.amppr ... 44711.html

I think the old lady in his own constituency sums him up best... https://www-independent-co-uk.cdn.amppr ... 44711.html

#filthypieceoftoerag has been trending on Twitter all weekend. That lady has just trumped #pleaseleavemytown man.

If you have a complete and utter pri!ck of a PM what more can one expect?

Agreed and the negative views on Corbyn are not restricted to the right either.

Johnson is trying to do the one thing that will separate him at an election - get Brexit done he kills of Farage, the Liberals main policy is null and void and Labour are significantly weakened. All he has to do is give the SNP a second independence vote and he has cracked it.

I struggle to understand the need for the SNP and who do they represent? Surely all the population is actively represented by the Scottish parliament under Queen Nicola? That parliament could nominate from within to discuss important topics with the UK government. Save 60 MPs and the cost.

He’s trying the one thing that he can at this point but it is far from certain that he’ll be successful. Getting a deal is difficult and no deal could well crack him rather than ‘it’. It’s on a knife edge. Personally, I think he’s more likely to fail, but I also think i’m a bit blind to his charms. His bigger problem is that I don’t think they translate well outside of England. I don’t think the EU will indulge him just to see him smile, as so many English people are seemingly eager to do.

Your issue seems to be more with the Scottish Parliament than with the SNP specifically, yeah? And...

Side note: if Scotland’s hypothetical representative were discussing important topics with a Westminster government that did not contain MPs from Scotland, would the latter still be a United Kingdom government? Wales is a Principality and Northern Ireland is two thirds of a province - though admittedly there were kings of Ulster way, way back.

Unless the EU are building up their part and are going to come over the horizon at the 11th hour, it looks like we're heading for no deal or, more likely, an extension.

With the Tories likely to move even further to the right, to prevent Farage gaining any seats, it will be interesting just where Labour try to pitch their election campaign.

As for whether Scottish MP's being relevant in Westminster, of course they are.
I dont understand why you think they should be discounted and yet are more than happy to se the Tories (theoretically) propped up by the DUP.

Worth remembering that it's having been ignored for so long that has allowed the SNP to gain a stranglehold north of the border and when Mrs May didn't engage with the SNP after the referendum, you can see their point.

Each party tries to look after "their own" and for the Tories, this just doesn't include Scotland, which makes it an "easy sell" for Nicola Sturgeon.

The EU have to come with something - no deal is a bigger disaster for them Germany is already in recession a np deal would be calamitous for them and the rest of the EU which they are helping to prop up.

I have no truck with Irish either take them, the Welsh and Scots out each can send a delegation to discuss UK wide legislation with the English parliament. Corbyn giving Scotland a second referendum would be a disaster for Labour - if they got it you would never see another Labour government in this country.

As for the Tories the only way to head Farage off is to go all out for leave no deal - otherwise he would facilitate Corbyn into No 10.

I’m about 85% sure you’re playing dumb to gull us pompous, humourless remoaners.

If so, you’re doing us a service by saving us the effort of making a straw man. Ta.

German exports to the UK are worth a little over a quarter of UK exports to the EU. They’d be facing new ‘challenges’ with their 4th biggest national trading partner, the UK with their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and so on.

EU GDP is $17.3 trillion, of which the UK accounts for $2.6 trillion. No deal will clearly be a bit shizzle for them, but there isn’t the remotest equivalence in what the EU loses and what the UK loses in terms of trade, or the resulting economic impact.

The EU have it all going for them. Clued up, strength in numbers, totally united. Compare that to the Tories, clueless, divided and changing their views weekly.

The EU know we are in real trouble with a No Deal exit. Tariffs, quotas etc and they believe that we'll be back under a new Gov't within months wanting to re-join.
A No Deal will mean the Common Fishing Policy ends. French and Belgian fishermen have said that if they are excluded from fishing in UK waters then they'll start an indefinate blockade of their ports to UK ferries.
So if our ferries are blockaded out there will be no trucks, no imports and no exports. what we do then is anyone's guess.

I think sometimes he is, like the above (nobody who isn't a moron thinks no-deal is worse for Germany than the UK).
OTOH on some of his ignorant points of detail, he's just a typical Brexiteer who has spent two minutes thinking about something and then thinks they are an expert on it and that actual experts are just metropolitain elites.

The German side of our family are over for a couple of weeks at Christmas. I'll save your post to show them after a few beers; I have never actually seen someone pi ss themselves with laughter, but would put good money on this being a first.

I never said the impact on Germany to the UK was greater than the UK to Europe - what I did was Germany is not in a great position right now and yes if you believe Maynard Keynes everything is cyclical. Germany's well being is very important to the EU project anyone who thinks this is not the case is delusional.

There influence is far more than mere numbers - personally I don't see how we can ever leave other than no deal - logic says it is not possible any other way.

So clever clogs if the impact on EU of no deal is such minor thing to them why are they so bothered - just let the UK go.

The EU is not holding us hostage - they are 'letting us go' - but not in a way that damages the integrity or the security of the member states; which is exactly what we would be lobbying for them to do if this was a Frexit or a Grexit or whatever else.

What you really mean is that they won't let us go without hand-delivering the unicorns that Nigel and Boris and co promised you they would - so now you're having a hissy-fit.

I didn't say it would be a minor thing. Why do you repeatedly resort to lying & untruths when you make pathetic, groundless statements that are shown to be just that? It's not to hide your embarrassment is it?

Germany successfully integrated Eastern Germany at an estimated cost of 2 trillion Euros. They got on & did it. The trade deficit with the UK will, to quote our woman assaulting PM, be chicken feed.

BTW, I'm still waiting for you to show one post where I made things up, as you stated I regularly did.