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[STEMO]

Losing seven of it's MP's.  What a pity the Tories are split into two parties too because, the last time this kind of thing happened, Thatcher stayed in power for ten years.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Both parties are utterly useless, apart from a few good people in each of them. Labour though, has been taken over by the left wing equivalent of the BNP. It might just destroy itself in the next few years.

[Doctor Gollum]

We can only hope...

[Varche]

May is toast come April.

Then we will see the Tories disintegrate too.

[Doctor Gollum]

May is toast come April.

Then we will see the Tories disintegrate too.

Here's a question...

Where are you registered to vote?

[Varche]

Good question.

Until recently we could vote in local elections and for an MEP but not in national elections in Spain. We were ( only just) qualified to vote in the Brexit referendum.

The minute we get back home next month we are going to ask at the town hall if we can vote in the omni shambles of Spains GE in April.  I suspect we expats will be unable to vote in any elections anywhere in Spring especially if no deal happens.

[zirk]

The whole Government is falling apart, its been doing it for years now. The sooner these so called MPs, Politicians, Servants or what ever you want to call them realize there here to serve the People rather than fight amoungst themselves and there own beliefs and personal agendas the better.

We were having a similar debate over a Beer a few nights back about Brexit, one thing that Brexit has brought to light for the normal non followers of our so called Leaders in Power is the childish stupidity of our Government no matter what side of the fence your on or who you support.

[Varche]

The whole Government is falling apart, its been doing it for years now. The sooner these so called MPs, Politicians, Servants or what ever you want to call them realize there here to serve the People rather than fight amoungst themselves and there own beliefs and personal agendas the better.

We were having a similar debate over a Beer a few nights back about Brexit, one thing that Brexit has brought to light for the normal non followers of our so called Leaders in Power is the childish stupidity of our Government no matter what side of the fence your on or who you support.

Couldnt agree with you more. The ordinary man in the street votes then the politicians studiously ignore them.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Completely agree. This has highlighted what a bunch of self serving, dishionest, loathsome turds most of them are.
The "crisis" has been created by the fact that most of them represent leave constituencies, but they want the result to be ignored / overturned, while still claiming to be respecting and implementing it.
I would have shred of respect for them if they stood up and stated their true intentions.

[Bigron]

Completely agree. This has highlighted what a bunch of self serving, dishionest, loathsome turds most of them are.
The "crisis" has been created by the fact that most of them represent leave constituencies, but they want the result to be ignored / overturned, while still claiming to be respecting and implementing it.
I would have shred of respect for them if they stood up and stated their true intentions.

Pigs fed, watered and ready for take-off. Albs!

Ron.

[Doctor Gollum]

Good question.

Until recently we could vote in local elections and for an MEP but not in national elections in Spain. We were ( only just) qualified to vote in the Brexit referendum.

The minute we get back home next month we are going to ask at the town hall if we can vote in the omni shambles of Spains GE in April.  I suspect we expats will be unable to vote in any elections anywhere in Spring especially if no deal happens.

Why, as a resident of another country, should you* be able to vote here? Surely at some point you will need to decide if you are legally British or Spanish? I don't mean by birth or spiritually, but rather on a practical level as the very act of emigration should forfeit your constitutional rights (not including earned state pensions at the appropriate age as that is a different matter) in the country from which you emigrated, otherwise, what's the point?

Presumably, at some point after Brexit and any 'amnesty' period has passed you'll need to make the decision one way or tother...

*For clarity, 'you' applies just as much to those living here from other countries... Apologies for apparently singling you out, but asking a valid question that I don't believe has been  previously asked

[Doctor Gollum]

Completely agree. This has highlighted what a bunch of self serving, dishionest, loathsome turds most of them are.
The "crisis" has been created by the fact that most of them represent leave constituencies, but they want the result to be ignored / overturned, while still claiming to be respecting and implementing it.
I would have shred of respect for them if they stood up and stated their true intentions.

And the establishment can't get their heads around Donald Trump becoming President of the United States...

[Varche]

Good question.

Until recently we could vote in local elections and for an MEP but not in national elections in Spain. We were ( only just) qualified to vote in the Brexit referendum.

The minute we get back home next month we are going to ask at the town hall if we can vote in the omni shambles of Spains GE in April.  I suspect we expats will be unable to vote in any elections anywhere in Spring especially if no deal happens.

Why, as a resident of another country, should you* be able to vote here? Surely at some point you will need to decide if you are legally British or Spanish? I don't mean by birth or spiritually, but rather on a practical level as the very act of emigration should forfeit your constitutional rights (not including earned state pensions at the appropriate age as that is a different matter) in the country from which you emigrated, otherwise, what's the point?

Presumably, at some point after Brexit and any 'amnesty' period has passed you'll need to make the decision one way or tother...

*For clarity, 'you' applies just as much to those living here from other countries... Apologies for apparently singling you out, but asking a valid question that I don't believe has been  previously asked

The situation for expats is quite complicated. Presumably one issue is that you may return to your home country one day so it takes that into account. However for a big chunk of years you cannot vote in national elections in your adopted country or home country. It changes if you take nationality but even then it is complex.

We wont be able to vote in the Spanish GE because we didnt check we were registered on the electoral roll by end of January due to our current seven week tour. We can vote for our local Spanish town hall mayor but not in the May Elections.

We havent been able to vote in UK GE’s for 14 years as not on the electoral register in UK but can in referendums.

A lot of expats prior to Brexit led a double life picking the best options like a menu. E.g. kept a UK address so vote in UK  GEs . The authorities know about it but expats dont form a large group for anyone to worry about. There wont be an outcry for example when expat OAPs in the EU have state pension increases frozen.

[Doctor Gollum]

Pension freezes aren't a big deal as the vast majority of expats have become so with some form of private income. The state pension is then effectively an bonus rather than critical income.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Pension freezes aren't a big deal as the vast majority of expats have become so with some form of private income. The state pension is then effectively an bonus rather than critical income.

You might be right that it's minimal amounts of money, but if you've paid into the system all your working life, why should your pension be frozen just because you decide to see out your days elsewhere. 

[scimmy_man]

on the other hand people who have never paid in get a pension.

[Doctor Gollum]

Pension freezes aren't a big deal as the vast majority of expats have become so with some form of private income. The state pension is then effectively an bonus rather than critical income.

You might be right that it's minimal amounts of money, but if you've paid into the system all your working life, why should your pension be frozen just because you decide to see out your days elsewhere. 

Why should it increase if you are no longer contributing to the pot to fund the increases? By this I mean paying local taxes on goods and services rather than employment contributions. Incidentally, private pensions are, I believe, taxed at the relevant income tax rate based on the country/state that the person is resident/draws the payment in rather where the fund is held.

Equally, I don't see why someone on benefits their entire lives should be given anything beyond basic shelter and food stamps once of retirement age...

[Marks DTM Calib]

Pension freezes aren't a big deal as the vast majority of expats have become so with some form of private income. The state pension is then effectively an bonus rather than critical income.

You might be right that it's minimal amounts of money, but if you've paid into the system all your working life, why should your pension be frozen just because you decide to see out your days elsewhere. 

Why should it increase if you are no longer contributing to the pot to fund the increases? By this I mean paying local taxes on goods and services rather than employment contributions. Incidentally, private pensions are, I believe, taxed at the relevant income tax rate based on the country/state that the person is resident/draws the payment in rather where the fund is held.

Equally, I don't see why someone on benefits their entire lives should be given anything beyond basic shelter and food stamps once of retirement age...

Or before.....

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Agreed.  ...……..and I speak as someone has been on benefits for a time just over ten years ago.

[STEMO]

on the other hand people who have never paid in get a pension.

Not any more. You need 35 years NI contributions to get a full state pension, the amount you get drops by 1/35 for every year you missed. Obviously, once you get below a certain level, your money is made up from another benefit, not sure which one.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Ruth George, a Labour MP and a Corbyn ally (according to reports), has suggested that the break away Labour MP group is funded by Israel! 

They don't learn do they? 

[Rods2]

With Corbyn funded by Iran the two parties should get on like a house on fire. Coordinated left-wing voting anybody?

[Sir Tigger KC]

Aaand they've had another defection!    Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North.

Thought for the day.

Yesterday the Labour Party lost Luciana Berger, but gained Derek Hatton! 

[STEMO]

Aaand they've had another defection!    Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North.

Thought for the day.

Yesterday the Labour Party lost Luciana Berger, but gained Derek Hatton! 

The good people of Liverpool are extremely pissed off about DH being taken back into the fold. Liverpool council was run by the Lib Dems for years before Labour got in, and the way things are going.........

[STEMO]

Aaand they've had another defection!    Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North.

Thought for the day.

Yesterday the Labour Party lost Luciana Berger, but gained Derek Hatton! 

Three Tories have joined them just now. Eleven and counting.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

If they had a shred of honour (extremely doubtful) they would resign their seats and stand for re election. *
Apparently swivel eyed Soubry,s constituency are desperately trying to find a way to get rid of her, which is probably why she has taken this route.

* A peoples vote. A second chance for people to have their say, now that they are more informed, and now know that they weren't in full possession of the facts when they voted for them last time. 

[Olympia5776]

If they had a shred of honour (extremely doubtful) they would resign their seats and stand for re election. *
Apparently swivel eyed Soubry,s constituency are desperately trying to find a way to get rid of her, which is probably why she has taken this route.

* A peoples vote. A second chance for people to have their say, now that they are more informed, and now know that they weren't in full possession of the facts when they voted for them last time. 

I'm watching her,and her two cohorts, just now .
The three of them are displaying an unbelievable and breathtaking arrogance. Everybody is wrong and they are shining beacons of righteousness.
When asked if they should stand for re election she grimmaced and said no.
It should be a matter of course that if any MP changes or dismisses the platform they were elected on they should automatically have to go for re election.
They/she has/have sunk to a new and unbelievable low.
I find they and the eight yesterday ,repugnant.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Aaand they've had another defection!    Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North.

Thought for the day.

Yesterday the Labour Party lost Luciana Berger, but gained Derek Hatton! 

Three Tories have joined them just now. Eleven and counting.

All the fault of JRM and the ERG.......apparently.

[Doctor Gollum]

Aaand they've had another defection!    Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North.

Thought for the day.

Yesterday the Labour Party lost Luciana Berger, but gained Derek Hatton! 

Three Tories have joined them just now. Eleven and counting.

All the fault of JRM and the ERG.......apparently.

I blame Brexit...

Runs and hides

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

What she referred to as Blukip (official name is Bluewave) is mostly people who were previously Tory supporters / members/ voters who defected to UKIP. Now that UKIP has imploded, they have gone back to the Tory party to influence things in order to protect the referendum result and try to prevent it from being overturned or ignored.
I joined the Tory party 6 months ago in order to have a vote in getting rid of May, but that turned out to be a waste of time.
Many others have joined in Constituencies where MP,s such as Soubry are persuing their own agenda in defiance of their own Constituencie voters and the overall result of the referendum.
Several of them were facing deselection and votes of no confidence so, have jumped ship to save their own skins, and persue their agenda which is the opposite of the manifesto they stood for election on.
They cannot possibly justify this without standing down and calling a by election, but they are filled with self interest, so wont do the right thing.

[Varche]

Self interest?  It is just more of what uk politicians havebeen doing for years. Ignore thevoters.

[Rods2]

When Douglas Carswell & Mark Reckless crossed the floor to UKIP they both did the honourable thing and called by elections. The TIG members want a second referendum called the LosersVote PeoplesVote where you can't have too much democracy when an EU vote is lost, just no further votes required when they win. When it was suggested their need for more democracy means they will be calling by elections then, right? Apparently this is too much democracy for the plebs electorate.

Just signed the Change.org petition, along with almost 60,000 other people to stop the theft of the votes from the electorate in their constituencies by calling on them to call by elections. IMO any pressure that we can apply, the better, where they don't like it up them, except at least one of them has an alleged reputation of enjoying a bit of rough.

https://www.change.org/p/votetheft
 

[BazaJT]

There should be by-elections as the constituents are not now represented by the party they voted for,but I doubt any of them will do such an honourable thing and stand for re-election as members of their new "party".There is of course precedent for MPs "crossing the floor" without a by-election being called.

[STEMO]

When Douglas Carswell & Mark Reckless crossed the floor to UKIP they both did the honourable thing and called by elections. The TIG members want a second referendum called the LosersVote PeoplesVote where you can't have too much democracy when an EU vote is lost, just no further votes required when they win. When it was suggested their need for more democracy means they will be calling by elections then, right? Apparently this is too much democracy for the plebs electorate.

Just signed the Change.org petition, along with almost 60,000 other people to stop the theft of the votes from the electorate in their constituencies by calling on them to call by elections. IMO any pressure that we can apply, the better, where they don't like it up them, except at least one of them has an alleged reputation of enjoying a bit of rough.

https://www.change.org/p/votetheft

You can sign as many petitions as you like. They are fully aware that they would lose any by-election and, as such, their political careers would be over. The law says that they do not have to, so they won't. As you've said in many previous posts, there's no honour amongst politicians, so why should this lot be any different?

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

No reason really, apart from the fact that they say they have done what they did as a matter of honour and principle - which I suppose makes them even worse than your average waste of skin found on the green benches. 

[ronnyd]

The reality of our elections is that you vote for a name on the ballot paper and not for a party. It wasn,t that long ago that the candidates party was actually added to the ballot paper. That said, i would imagine that most people vote on party preferences these days though i may be wrong on that assumption.

[Sir Tigger KC]

There have been reports that Tony Blair is to publicly support the independent group of MP's or even become their leader. 

That's the kiss of death for them then! 

[Kevin Wood]

There have been reports that Tony Blair is to publicly support the independent group of MP's or even become their leader. 

That's the kiss of death for them then! 

Ahh, yes. I think it was Jonathan Pie who coined the perfect phrase to describe B.Liar. "The turd that won't flush". So true.

[STEMO]

Another Labour MP has moved over. Must confess, he's not one I've heard of.

EDIT: Not moved over, just quit.