Amber Rudd resigns

[Busaholic]

I'm unsure whether Rye is part of Ms Rudd's constituency, but the latest Guardian revelations mean she must be Toast.

 

[DanTrain]

I'm unsure whether Rye is part of Ms Rudd's constituency, but the latest Guardian revelations mean she must be Toast.

She’s just resigned according to the BBC/Downing Street. Good riddance !

 

[cf111]

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has resigned, Downing Street has said.

Ms Rudd, who was due to make a statement in Parliament on Monday, was under growing pressure to quit over the Windrush scandal.

She has faced criticism over the existence of Home Office removals targets and her knowledge of them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43944988

I don't think she could face the mauling she would have got tomorrow in the House.

 

[Busaholic]

She’s just resigned according to the BBC/Downing Street. Good riddance !

Interesting: as someone once said, 'I wonder what she meant by that?' Now another Remainer on the back benches, what's more, one who very much knows where the bodies are located. Another General Election this year? Almost unquestionably imo.

 

[hexagon789]

I'm unsure whether Rye is part of Ms Rudd's constituency, but the latest Guardian revelations mean she must be Toast.

Her constituency is Hastings and Rye, so it includes Rye.

 

[Busaholic]

Her constituency is Hastings and Rye, so it includes Rye.

And, as of now, Rye-on-Toast lol

 

[GaryMcEwan]

And, as of now, Rye-on-Toast lol

Burnt Toast I thought would have been more appropriate...

 

[hexagon789]

Another General Election this year? Almost unquestionably imo.

If Davis resigns and the DUP withdraw their support over the border issue I think I would agree.

 

[bramling]

If Davis resigns and the DUP withdraw their support over the border issue I think I would agree.

Goodness knows what the result would be.

The vibes I'm picking up with work colleagues is that people think the current government is now something of a joke, but equally people really don't want Labour, and in particular the threesome of Corbyn, McDonnell and Abbott. Meanwhile they have all but written off the Liberal Democrats and UKIP, and still want Brexit to continue more than ever. My workplace is normally a fairly accurate reflection on the wider mood, although with the caveat that there are very few people under 30. The general feeling towards a replacement Conservative leader, failing a completely fresh face, is either Rees-Mogg or Gove.

 

[hexagon789]

The general feeling towards a replacement Conservative leader, failing a completely fresh face, is either Rees-Mogg or Gove.

I would agree, they seem to be some of the most likely contenders. Rees-Mogg seems to be more popular with party members I think, while Gove is probably more favourable to other Conservative MPs.

 

[47802]

Goodness knows what the result would be.

The vibes I'm picking up with work colleagues is that people think the current government is now something of a joke, but equally people really don't want Labour, and in particular the threesome of Corbyn, McDonnell and Abbott. Meanwhile they have all but written off the Liberal Democrats and UKIP, and still want Brexit to continue more than ever. My workplace is normally a fairly accurate reflection on the wider mood, although with the caveat that there are very few people under 30. The general feeling towards a replacement Conservative leader, failing a completely fresh face, is either Rees-Mogg or Gove.

Rees-Mogg great the choice between a left wing loon or a right wing loon.

What the heck those of us in the centre do, politically I am probably fairly close to a Lib Dem, but I have no time for Vince Cable trying to put the spoke into Brexit, also if push comes to shove he will help prop up a Corbyn Government in my view, think I would vote monster raving loony in that situation carn't be any worse.

 

[bramling]

Rees-Mogg great the choice between a left wing loon or a right wing loon.

What the heck those of us in the centre do, politically I am probably fairly close to a Lib Dem, but I have no time for Vince Cable trying to put the spoke into Brexit, also if push comes to shove he will help prop up a Corbyn Government in my view, think I would vote monster raving loony in that situation carn't be any worse.

It really is a depressing outlook at the moment, and the most concerning aspect is this situation has now persisted for an increasing number of years, with no clean break in sight -- on both the red and blue sides. Both parties are simply out of step with the general mood of the country / electorate, yet seem incapable of AND unwilling to doing anything about it. I'm not even sure if it's a party membership thing - sure Labour is undoubtedly currently under the grip of the loony left, but is the Conservative membership really so much of the blue rinse brigade as it was a decade or two ago?

 

[47802]

My view we need a new centre party and possibly others as well but for that to work we would have to get rid of the first past the post system, and if we did that both Labour and Tory would fall back to being very minority parties that they should be with its core supporters. But people don't seem to like coalition governments that proportional system tends to bring, and so both Labour and Tory retain an inflated level of support because essentially only those 2 parties can win and form a government, so to put it bluntly I think our political system is crap and is it perhaps any wonder that a third of the population don't bother to vote.

 

[hexagon789]

My view we need a new centre party and possibly others as well but for that to work we would have to get rid of the first past the post system, and if we did that both Labour and Tory would fall back to being very minority parties that they should be with its core supporters. But people don't seem to like coalition governments that proportional system tends to bring, and so both Labour and Tory retain an inflated level of support because essentially only those 2 parties can win and form a government, so to put it bluntly I think our political system is crap and is it perhaps any wonder that a third of the population don't bother to vote.

Even in countries where they do have proportional representation, it doesn't seem to automatically lead to improved turnout in elections.

I think voter apathy is widespread among many western democracies now to be honest.

 

[bramling]

My view we need a new centre party and possibly others as well but for that to work we would have to get rid of the first past the post system, and if we did that both Labour and Tory would fall back to being very minority parties that they should be with its core supporters. But people don't seem to like coalition governments that proportional system tends to bring, and so both Labour and Tory retain an inflated level of support because essentially only those 2 parties can win and form a government, so to put it bluntly I think our political system is crap and is it perhaps any wonder that a third of the population don't bother to vote.

It seems this country doesn't really understand what coalition is - hence why Nick Clegg in particular and the Liberal Democrats in general are now seen as some kind of demons.

I'm not sure PR is the answer though. For some reason we just seem to be in a real rough patch with regard to political talent. Whilst I'm not trying to imply politicians are anything remotely resembling saints, I do feel at times it must be a pretty thankless job, derided by many, and with the media waiting to vilify without trial over any perceived wrongdoing. Perhaps this is why we have now reached this point? We're not the only ones, look at America for a start!

Meanwhile, today's middle aged people haven't exactly seen politics in shining glory. Someone in their 30s today will likely remember the brutal takedown of Thatcher and the associated Conservative backstabbing, the Major years (enough said!), various New Labour scandals, two controversial wars which history seems to have decided were at best badly implemented and at worst a monumental error of judgement, the Gordon Brown in Rochdale incident, the tuition fees debacle, and finally Cameron running off in a strop after he didn't get the referendum result he wanted. Was it ever thus?

 

[bnm]

Sortition. It's the only way out of the morass.

The problem with politics is that it attracts people who want to be politicians.

 

[EM2]

This resignation is like the bricklayer quitting when the problem is the architect.

 

[nlogax]

British politics seems to be generally broken and there's no-one out there inspiring younger voters to properly re-engage with democracy. France has Macron, Canada has Trudeau, we have.. Rees-Mogg and Corbyn. They're really the best we can muster?

One potential benefit of Rudd's resignation..Grayling could move from his post as Transport Secretary. We'll find out in a bit.

 

[SteveP29]

I don't think she could face the mauling she would have got tomorrow in the House.

She should still be made to stand up in parliament and answer pertinent questions and tell us why she decided to take the route she did

 

[DarloRich]

Oh no - the first home secretary with a porn star name has resigned

but equally people really don't want Labour, and in particular the threesome of Corbyn, McDonnell and Abbott.

that is the big problem the Corbyn clowns overlook. Many in the wider world consider him a joke. That is what frustrates me about the whole thing. With a credible leader Labour would be cleaning up and be ready for power at the next election. Instead the polls ( I know the hateful biased, tory MSM polls) show the Tories with a 5 (!) point lead

so to put it bluntly I think our political system is crap and is it perhaps any wonder that a third of the population don't bother to vote.

but is the latter the reason for the former or the former the reason for the latter?

British politics seems to be generally broken and there's no-one out there inspiring younger voters to properly re-engage with democracy.

Corbyn seems to inspire a section of the hopeful & idealistic (aka clueless) youth/student vote.

 

[Minilad]

This resignation is like the bricklayer quitting when the problem is the architect.

As Billy Connolly once said...."The desire to be a politician should bar you from ever being one"

 

[EM2]

Was it ever thus?

Pretty much.
Crichel Down, Suez, a Soviet agent (John Vassell) working for a Minister (Tam Galbraith), Profumo, Jeremy Thorpe allegedly hiring a hitman to murder his secret gay lover, Jellicoe & Lambton using prostitutes, John Stonehouse's faked suicide, Westland, Cecil Parkinson's affair, Jeffrey Archer's perjury, Edwina Currie and the eggs, the BSE disaster, alleged 'Homes For Votes' gerrymandering, arms to Iraq and the 'supergun', David Mellor's various proclivities, Cash-For-Questions involving Neil Hamilton et al, Jonathan Aitken's perjury...

 

[hexagon789]

Sajid Javid has been chosen to replace Rudd.

 

[47802]

As Billy Connolly once said...."The desire to be a politician should bar you from ever being one"

Indeed so, and I know someone who has worked with a couple of senior politicians, I wont say who they are but the general comment was that they are not very nice people.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Fell on her sword to protect the Prime Minister.

Speaking of whom, has anyone seen her recently? I worry for her health again. She's gone awfully quiet.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I know someone who has worked with a couple of senior politicians, I wont say who they are but the general comment was that they are not very nice people.

Depends on the politician.

A close friend of mine is a civil servant who can't say nice enough things about Peter Mandelson, who routinely compliments his staff on new clothes/shoes/haircuts and accords respect as a result.

Gordon Brown in Rochdale incident

The most regrettable thing about that "incident" was that Gordon Brown was exactly right in his appraisal of that woman's character. She was, and remains, a racist idiot.

What the heck those of us in the centre do, politically I am probably fairly close to a Lib Dem, but I have no time for Vince Cable trying to put the spoke into Brexit

I wouldn't say a desire for Brexit is a centrist position, you see. Centrist politicians are all, uniformly, against Brexit as A Very Bad Idea. It's the far-right nationalists and the far-left communists who are in favour of Brexit because both sides blame the EU for all the ills in their world. Both sides are going to be bitterly disappointed.

 

[pemma]

What the heck those of us in the centre do, politically I am probably fairly close to a Lib Dem, but I have no time for Vince Cable trying to put the spoke into Brexit, also if push comes to shove he will help prop up a Corbyn Government in my view, think I would vote monster raving loony in that situation carn't be any worse.

While Cable is trying to sell a referendum on the Brexit deal to mainly remain voters, I've thought for a long time if you want Brexit but don't trust the Tories to deliver Brexit in the form you want then maybe voting Lib Dem isn't such a bad idea.

While I voted remain, I'm not fully supportive of their idea to raise income tax rates to 21p, 41p and 46p to improve the NHS. If it was done alongside a personal allowance change so that those earning below something like £20-£22k weren't affected and those earning more paid a big more then fair enough but I don't support those only just making slightly more than the personal allowance having to pay more income tax.

 

[underbank]

I'm not fully supportive of their idea to raise income tax rates to 21p, 41p and 46p to improve the NHS.

Nor am I for different reasons. I simply don't believe a 1% increase is anywhere near enough without reform/efficiency improvements in the NHS. Don't forget Labour added 1% to NIC to "save the NHS" and then they had to add another 1% to NIC to "save the NHS" again! The extra 1p on income tax will just go into the black hole and a year or two later, another extra 1% will be needed and so on, until someone actually starts to control NHS spending, make it more accountable, and improve efficiency. As Labour found out, throwing money at a problem doesn't magically solve it, it can make things worse down the line.

 

[edwin_m]

I wouldn't say a desire for Brexit is a centrist position, you see. Centrist politicians are all, uniformly, against Brexit as A Very Bad Idea. It's the far-right nationalists and the far-left communists who are in favour of Brexit because both sides blame the EU for all the ills in their world. Both sides are going to be bitterly disappointed.

Described by someone or other as the far left and the far right "meeting round the back" to have a common position.

Unfortunately I fear the centrists will be disappointed first when Brexit happens, and won't take much pleasure in saying "I told you so" when the consequences dawn on the leftists and rightists.

Back on topic, replacing Amber Rudd with Sajid Javed has put a mild Remainer in a key cabinet role and a much more radical one on the back benches. Let's see where that goes.

 

[DarloRich]

Nor am I for different reasons. I simply don't believe a 1% increase is anywhere near enough without reform/efficiency improvements in the NHS. Don't forget Labour added 1% to NIC to "save the NHS" and then they had to add another 1% to NIC to "save the NHS" again! The extra 1p on income tax will just go into the black hole and a year or two later, another extra 1% will be needed and so on, until someone actually starts to control NHS spending, make it more accountable, and improve efficiency. As Labour found out, throwing money at a problem doesn't magically solve it, it can make things worse down the line.

Mind you the Tory plan of not spending any money on the health service doesn't seem to be working well either!