we start with the role the debate about Europe played in the 2014 independence referendum
Gethins was elected to Westminster in the SNP sweep in 2015 ... and spoke straight away on the EU referendum..but the govt did not engage at all with the SNP over the terms of that referendum - wonder if David Cameron regrets not taking those amendments?
and a shout out to the benefits of being a member of the @CommonsForeign
and on the problems created by the timing of the referendum so soon after Holyrood elections..
and Gethins shares the view of many others we have interviewed, that the Remain campaign learnt the wrong lesson from the 2014 referendum
fascinating aside on how difficult "balance" was for broadcasters in Scotland..
and the Brexit vote made being part of the UK that bit harder for nationalists...
on the lack of appetite for engagement or compromise from HMG after the referendum and the SNP ideas for the future
the SNP were caught out by the 2017 election .. but ended up with fewer MPs but "more influence"....but not as much as the DUP...Gethins on the failure of Westminster to get to grips with minority government
on the not as easy as it looked decision to back a second (EU) referendum
and on the difficulties of engaging with Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit ....
on the prospects of a Johnson premiership
and how the general election nearly didn't happen
Brexit has driven support for independence...clarified the choice... but Gethins acknowledges the SNP will need answers on the future border with England
Interesting to see the outrage at how the govt has gone about deciding the health and social care levy package which suggests people don't understand how tax policy gets made in the UK govt
In a way this was exceptional, because it looks as though this may have been a three way decision, involving the Health Secretary as well... normally any tax decision is a Chancellor-PM bilateral at best
Cabinet not consulted in advance? well at least this time they knew it was under discussion and could have made representations... for a normal Budget they are presented with the fait accompli on the morning when all the docs are printed
.@instituteforgov has published a paper by Lee Cain on reforming the govt communications service...it offers a fascinating insight into the Cummings/Cain approach to govt ..he makes the case for the plans they had for massive centralisation of govt comms
Today's vote on the aid cut cannot undo the damage a hastily implemented cut has wrought on the UK aid programme. Programmes abandoned midway through. Contracts broken. People laid off. Morale hit. Reputation damaged.
if the government really wants to move to a lower aid spend through this Parliament, as is now clear from its motion, it should have had the honesty to legislate in advance to amend the act setting out the 0.7% target
and then it should have implemented the cut in a sensible value for money way -- rather than slamming on the brakes, pretending this was a short-term move - but now admitting it isn't.
watching Policy Exchange event on Northern Ireland with Brandon Lewis and David Frost .. terrible broadcast quality - not sure hybrid events are the way forward.. anyway will tweet
Lewis starting by talking up what is going on in NI .. (without any mention of the protocol opportunities). Continuing to work on New Decade New Approach which brought Stormont back...
committed to legislate a package on legacy to help NI move forward.. determined to work across the board in NI on how to move forward..
we are celebrating the fifth birthday of @tradegovuk next Tuesday
first we are discussing how you go about creating a new department and new capacity from scratch - with @JohnAlty1@Lorand_Bartels@SamuelMarcLowe - and me ... join us at 11.30
then we are discussing Parliament's role - or lack of it - in scrutinising trade policy with @hhesterm@AlexanderHorne1 Mark Garnier from Trade Select Cttee and Jill Barrett