In case you don't understand what happened with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, here is the lowdown.
The relationship between the chancellor and PM is one which if the PM sacks them, it can cause serious damage to the reputation of the Government.
The relationship between the chancellor and PM is one which if the PM sacks them, it can cause serious damage to the reputation of the Government.
As a result, Boris engineered a situation yesterday that he knew would force Javid out, an obstacle to implementing crappy policy because Javid, even though a Tory is pretty moderate and actually listens to the treasury's advice.
Boris demanded that Javid sack his advisors which he knew he'd refuse to do. Javid did and then resigned.
The problem is what comes next.
The problem is what comes next.
The chain of command for the chancellor is pretty simple. The treasury and others report to him, he reports to the PM and the Government. However, a chancellors job is to be a balance to the PM when the PM wants to put through a bad policy which could hurt the economy.
Now that Javid is out of the way, Boris's plans have been revealed. Rather than the treasury advisers etc reporting to the chancellor and the chancellor to the Government, Boris is establishing a Joint advisory committee with the office of the PM.
These advisors will now report to BOTH the Chancellor AND the Prime Minister. In reality, though, it now means that the Prime Minister and his sidekick cummings will be in direct control of the treasury and the chancellor will be nothing more than a figurehead.
You have absolutely no idea how dangerous this is.
For those of us in Scotland, I need you to clearly understand that this has serious and direct consequences for Scotland.
For those of us in Scotland, I need you to clearly understand that this has serious and direct consequences for Scotland.
The entire block grant, taxation, barnett etc are all pretty much run by the treasury and other departments under the remit of the Chancellor. I warned you all that if brexit happened with Boris at the helm, first they'd come for the money, then they come for the scotparl.
Boris Johnson is now in a position to effectively neuter the Scottish Electorates tax income and the money from that taxation that comes back to the Scottish Government.
By transferring money from the remit of the Scottish Parliament into the UK Government he can simultaneously choke the Scottish Government and brand it as incompetent then use those funds to directly fund projects himself which would usually be overseen by Scotparl.
Making the Scottish parliament look weak while also portraying himself as a "white knight". In reality, what he's going to be is a firefighter who sets fire to your home just so he gets the call to come and put it out and receive adulation for it.
What you are seeing is the initial stages of rolling back devolution. We must act quickly to secure independence.
@threadreaderapp unroll
