There are, at the time I am writing, two obvious questions for today.
Both relate to the extraordinary conduct of Suella Braverman. It became clear yesterday that her deeply offensive article in The Times had been shown to Downing Street, but she had refused to amend it in ways they requested. It was, therefore, unauthorised. So, the first question is:
What is Suella Braverman doing?
- Seeking to be sacked so that she can lead the Tory opposition to Sunak (38%, 165 Votes)
- Furthering the cause of the far-right, come what may (36%, 158 Votes)
- Being deeply egotistical without consideration of the consequences (17%, 76 Votes)
- I have not the slightest idea (8%, 34 Votes)
- Following what she thinks is an honest course of action (0%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 435
Loading ...This then gives rise to a second obvious question.
Where is Sunak after Suella Braverman’s show of contempt?
- As clueless as he has always been (50%, 203 Votes)
- Out of control of his party (33%, 136 Votes)
- Holed below the waterline (9%, 37 Votes)
- Desperate for an election in which he rather hopes he will lose his seat (4%, 18 Votes)
- Able to increase his standing if he gets rid of her quickly (3%, 14 Votes)
Total Voters: 408
Loading ...I should add that I have no clue as to the answer to either of these questions. I suspect Sunak and Braverman themselves have little more idea. All we do know is that Braverman is, in typical far-right fashion, ignoring rules on the basis that she thinks that they do not apply to her, and Sunak as a wholly unelected prime minister already facing annihilation for his party at a general election has not the slightest idea what to do about that, even if he wanted to.
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Well, with Labour potentially split over calls for a ceasefire in Gaza it might be an opportune time for the Tories to call an election
All of this betrays to me what is really happening to the Tory party behind the scenes.
The Tory Party is obviously split – nevermind Labour, who do not seem to know the difference between anti-Semitism and critical consciousness surrounding the conduct of the Israeli state.
There are those in the Tory party who are giving up or have given up, and there are those who are getting ready to take the Tory party into a new direction in order to satisfy its addiction to power for addiction’s sake.
This of course will mean that factions will attract backers etc., (money) and this also helps to promote the extreme ideas and reactions and just emboldens people like Braverman – this is why funding in politics in this country really needs looking at.
Because basically there are rich people who agree with Braverman and are encouraging her.
And that is wrong.
The problem for the Labour Party machine is that they’ve spent so much time and effort attempting destroying the reputation of Corbyn by deliberately conflating criticism of Zionism and support for Palestinian causes as anti-semitism.
I’m quite sure that they are well-aware of the differences between the two, but they’ve dishonestly painted themselves into a corner and can’t row back now.
Playing politics to improve your position might help in the short-term, but it will generally come back to bite you on the backside…
Party funding? Membership fees only.
No loans, no ‘donations’, just flat rate membership fees.
Not sure if that can work, but it’s got to be worth a try.
I suspect that because Sunak knows he doesn’t have a natural support base within the party membership (they didn’t vote for him as leader) it has suited him to have someone close to him spouting the extreme right-wing nonsense many Tories like without it being government policy. So I think Braverman has been able to get away with quite a lot – but now she is testing that laxity to its limits.
Sunak must now feel himself in something of a bind. To do nothing makes him look weak (assuming there is anyone who imagines he is a strong leader), but to sack Braverman would leave him short of party support. He might feel that it changes the calculation about when to call an election.
Alas – a horribly familiar sight. Labour’s Whips being sent into overdrive to urge Labour MPs NOT to vote for an SNP motion calling for a ceasefire. They have a standing direction never to support any SNP motion or initiative on any subject whatsoever. The claims that Labour should get back Scottish voters is – as ever – exposed for the self-serving sham that it has always been. Labour always puts its parliamentary fortunes – that is jobs and well-paid careers – ahead of supporting the predominant wishes of the Scottish voters; and in this case, even if it means turning aside from the horrors of Gaza.
And what is the high-minded purpose of so doing? Nothing to do with Gaza and its humanitarian disaster. It is in order not to “undermine our party in Scotland”….. whose leader has actually called for a ceasefire. “Scottish” Labour is yet again revealed as a branch office and Starmer’s Labour Party is dead set on failing the people of Gaza and all those thousands who will be demonstrating for a ceasefire. Sadly – familiar.
I am genuinely shocked by the elctoral shallowness of this
It’s sickening