The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the anti-Brexit plot to collapse the Boris Johnson government that is underway in the UK. Remainer Conservative MPs have agreed to meet with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to discuss ending UK PM Boris Johnson’s pursuit of a no-deal Brexit.
Dominic Grieve, Caroline Spelman and Oliver Letwin, have said they are willing to meet with Corbyn before the British parliament returns from summer recess. The only problem in this plot is that the ‘remainer’ MPs want Corbyn’s support, without backing him to take over as “caretaker” Prime Minister, after they remove Johnson.
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Via MishTalk by Mike “Mish” Shedlock…
Desperation Sets In
Should this motion actually succeed (it almost certainly won’t), Boris Johnson’s likely response would be to refuse to stand down until October 31.
For starters the public is tired of this nonsense. More importantly, the Liberal Democrats refuse to go along.
Rebel Tories Agree to Meet Corbyn to Stop No-deal Brexit
The Guardian reports Rebel Tories Agree to Meet Corbyn to Stop No-deal Brexit.
The Tory MPs Dominic Grieve, Caroline Spelman and Oliver Letwin, plus the former Conservative Nick Boles, said they would be willing to enter talks with the Labour leader in the weeks before parliament returns from recess.
“We agree that our common priority should be to work together in parliament to stop a no-deal Brexit and welcome your invitation to discuss the different ways this might be achieved,” they wrote.
Their tone was very different from that of Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem leader, who dismissed the idea of Corbyn leading a caretaker government as nonsense and said the Labour leader would not be able to build even a temporary consensus.
“This letter is just more red lines that are about him and his position and is not a serious attempt to find the right solution and build a consensus to stop a no-deal Brexit,” she said. “I am committed to working in a credible way with those in other parties, and none, across parliament to stop a no-deal Brexit and will set out how that could work in my speech tomorrow.”
Anna Soubry, the leader of the Independent Group for Change (formerly Change UK), told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday: “I would not support a government of national unity that is led by Jeremy Corbyn for all manner of reasons.
“One, because I don’t think it’s genuine, secondly because it is not going to deliver a people’s vote, which is the only way through the chaos; and, of course, he doesn’t command support or respect in his own political party, never mind across the parliamentary divide.”
IF IF IF
If Corbyn would resign as Labour party head, there might be room for some sort of deal. But any Tories who voted for such a move would lose their seats in the next election.
And even if that happened, Johnson might refuse to stand down. The law is not clear on whether he would have to.
Refuse to Resign
Can Johnson Refuse to Resign? I believe so and so does Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s top deputy and strategist.
Mr. Cummings has let it be known, even if a rival were to attract enough support to form a government, the prime minister could legally call for a general election and refuse to vacate Downing Street. The Fixed-Term Parliaments Act of 2011, which guides the procedures for a no-confidence vote, does not specifically require prime ministers to step aside at that point, even if custom and respect for democratic norms would seem to dictate that they should.
At this point, constitutional experts say, the queen could conceivably step in and dismiss Mr. Johnson, using her “reserve prerogative power.”
Thus, parliament would first have to modify the Fixed-Term Act of 2011 which is rather hard to do if Johnson does not propose any legislation for Parliament to amend. And here’s a hint: He won’t.
Would the Queen get involved? That’s highly unlikely, bordering on zero percent.
Even then, please note that Corbyn’s proposal is to ask for another extension for the purpose of holding another referendum or renegotiating after another election.
Who would win?
UK General Election Polls
In all likelihood, Johnson would be reelected if there was another vote. The reason should be easy to spot.
The Tories and the Brexit Party are highly likely to unite while Labour and the Liberal Democrats are highly unlikely to.
Swinson sees herself as leader of the opposition. She does not want to do anything to prop up Labour or increase the chances Corbyn would be elected.
Already Corbyn is blaming Swinson. She can just as easily say, make her the temp PM. Would Corbyn go along?
Is Corbyn’s plan to stop Brexit really that? If so, any caretaker would do. There are no guidelines that suggest it has to be the leader of the opposition.
Corbyn appointed himself the caretaker.
Would the Tories, who would immediately be outed from the party really go along?
And what about Labour MPs who really do want Brexit.
Add this all up, and there is little chance Corbyn’s “Make Me PM Pretty Please” motion does anything but fall flat on its face. But if by some miracle it passed, I expect Johnson would refuse to resign until October 31.
Happy Halloween.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
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