Get Your Cox Out!

 

Thanks to the remarkably tin eared, inept and mind boggling stupid handling of the Paterson affair by Number 10 (ie Boris), the media (who have got bored with Covid - since it is declining) are having a field day scrutinising the second jobs and incomes of MPs.

Suffice to say some MPs (Cox) have some explaining to do, especially if they have broken the rules about working for third parties on the parliamentary estate. In the likely event Cox goes, I doubt that he will give a toss.

However, his colleagues who remain, will be giving many tosses and will be asking themselves why did Boris drop them in it?

As for Boris?

There are straws in the wind, not least the hint that some of the whips have been "unofficially" briefing against Number 10.

Bye Bye Sir Geoffrey - A Right Cox Up!

 

Will He or Won't He?

 

People who have nothing better to do, than ponder about Westminster politics, are currently wondering whether Boris will turn up to the Commons debate about the Paterson debacle this afternoon.

I bet he doesn't!

Goodbye Mr Whippy!

 

Given the absolute clusterfuck over Paterson, it is clear heads must roll in order to protect Johnson.

Step forward Mark Spencer (Chief Whip) who, apparently, is not going to go quietly!

Went The Day Well? - The Government's Pyrrhic Victory

 

Yesterday's vote on the Paterson case was a Pyrrhic victory for the government.

The government succeeded in overturning the suspension, and set up a new committee dominated by a five-to-four majority of Tory MPs that would draw up new rules on MPs’ standards. However, that victory was turned to ashes by the fact that Labour and the SNP are to boycott the committee, thus making it look utterly pathetic and a sham.

Such is the anger today over this farce, the government is making a monumental U-turn, and abolishing its own proposed changes.

After huge backlash - Jacob Rees Mogg tells Commons Government will look for cross-party reform.

As @bbclaurak reports, plans from last night seem to be ditched https://t.co/PiNUK51Lq9

— Nick Eardley (@nickeardleybbc) November 4, 2021

The apparent shambles of the last 24 hours can be interpreted in a number of ways:

1 It is part of a grand plan, the overall objective of which remains unclear to mere mortals such as myself.

2 It was a monumental misreading of the situation and, in effect, a cock up.

3 The government thought people wouldn't really care, and assumed it would get away with it.

#StoneGate - Marking Its Own Homework?

 

Many in Westminster agree the watchdog system is flawed/inconsistent. Many agree Stone made errors

But also concern in Whitehall that No10 has made a tactical and tin eared error and should have framed reform around toughening system, not rigging it and getting Paterson off pic.twitter.com/4eSvIYmL4W

— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) November 3, 2021

Sadly, all too often, when presented with an opportunity for positive reform and improvement Parliament manages to drop the ball!

Jersey Sticks Two Fingers Up To France

 

Very punchy interview just now on Sky News by Jersey senator @Ian_Gorst on Brexit fishing row.
``It's bordering on they're just being silly,'' Gorst says of the French threats 1/ https://t.co/HQcvCjoMcN pic.twitter.com/95p87Z0KOU

— Joe Mayes (@Joe_Mayes) November 1, 2021