It’s a remarkable fact that, of the three largest political parties, the only one speaking out against the grotesque, self-inflicted crisis hammering the United Kingdom is the one which wants to leave it.
That’s deeply troubling. And unsustainable.
A 🧵. /1.
▫️ @UKLabour are now actively supporting the Johnson Brexit, calling for VAT cuts which, they specifically state, wouldn’t be possible if the UK were in the EU (or the Single Market). /2.
▫️@Conservatives are pretending there’s a Schrödinger’s Brexit. Existing when rhetorically convenient. But non-existent when it comes to respect for the legally binding treaties on which it’s based, or its increasingly dire consequences for the UK. /3.
▫️@theSNP consistently & accurately call out the Johnson Brexit disaster. They’re right it’s terrible for Scotland. They know it is for the rest of the UK, also. And that those facts boost their dominance of Scottish politics & public support in Scotland for independence. /4.
.@ScottishLabour & @ScotTories : there’s no point whining that you don’t like the SNP’s policies or (as you allege, lack of) competence. Your UK bosses are shredding the Union & Scotland’s place in it. /5.
The toxic politics which underpin, & are ever further escalated by, the Johnson Brexit, are the reason.
You won’t win in Scotland, or save the UK - or its security, prosperity & well-being - until you & your colleagues have called out, defeated & reversed the Johnson Brexit. /6.
Even that might not save the UK. Many would no doubt cheer. Presumably not you & your party colleagues, though.
The forces you & they have contributed to unleashing may have gone too far for the UK to have a future. /7.
But even if that’s true, all decent @Conservatives & @UKLabour MPs have a duty to protect everyone across GB & NI from the appalling Johnson Brexit & all that goes with it. /8.
Pretending this particular sow’s ear can be turned into a silk purse might seem clever. The problem is, it can’t be. /9.
Without frictionless integration & political solidarity with the $16T, 500M pop., Union on the UK’s doorstep, we’re permanently weakened, impoverished & increasingly vulnerable to acute, destabilising crises.
You’re all going to have to admit it.
Sooner or later. /10. End
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@BorisJohnson’s Brexit’s a disaster. Claiming it’s “done” & not mentioning it won’t win a @UKLabour majority. Nor will opposing it. What’s the point of the opposition?
A long🧵/1.
There’s pretty much no way any UK electoral calculus leads to an outright Labour majority at the next general election.
That’s even if a free & fair election is held.
Given the gerrymandering has already started, that seems unlikely in itself. /2.
Courting the “Red Wall”, winning among disillusioned southern Tories … None of it will work. Unless Labour pulls off an extraordinary victory in Scotland. Which looks extraordinarily unlikely. To put it kindly.
So, what indeed is the point of Keir Starmer & the opposition? /3.
Some thoughts about sewage, credibility & integrity.
92 of your Conservative colleagues didn’t follow the government whip in voting down the Lords amendment on sewage in water.
If you did, that was your choice. /1.
But be aware: many people are angry with you. They don’t like the way you voted. That’s their choice.
By all means try to explain your vote. You’re on very shaky ground, in my opinion. And that of 92 of your Party colleagues. But have a go. If you want. /2.
Please, though, do not exploit the alleged terrorist assassination of one of your respected colleagues to attempt to shut down polite, robust, or even angry, opposition to your vote on raw sewage dumping.
1. Poland’s government is dismantling democracy, taking over the courts & ripping up its legally binding EU treaty commitments.
2. Germany’s highest court has ruled in one, technical judgement that the ECJ exceeded its powers.
A 🧵/1.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is the highest instance in the EU for the interpretation of legal obligations arising from the EU treaties, including relevant legislation. /2.
By acceding to the EU treaties the member states legally bind themselves to respect the ECJ’s judgements &, of course, the treaties themselves & relevant legislation. There are no two ways about it. /3.
The surprise & consternation expressed by many that @BorisJohnson & @DavidGHFrost are insisting on the role of the ECJ being eliminated from all aspects of Northern Ireland is odd.
Everyone has known this is the UK position, since at least December 2019.
What’s up?
A🧵/1.
.@Conservatives manifesto had a whole section on Brexit.
Famously (or infamously) the centrepiece & overwhelming message of the Conservative campaign was that they would “get Brexit done” with @BorisJohnson’s “oven-ready deal”. /2.
To be sure, that “deal” was the Withdrawal Agreement (including Northern Ireland Protocol), not the later Trade & Cooperation Agreement which was rammed through the House of Commons a year later, in December 2020. The WA/NIP was hailed as “great” by @Conservatives. /3.