BREAKING: Boris Johnson loses Parliamentary majority

[brooklynite]

Link to tweet

[wryter2000]

1. Finally

Some good news, for a change.

[spanone]

2. K&R...

[dalton99a]

3. Lee's statement:

Over 27 years ago I joined the Conservative & Unionist party led by Sir John Major. Since 2010 I have had the privilege of representing the Bracknell Constituency. The party I joined in 1992 is not the party I am leaving today.

This Conservative government is aggressively pursuing a damaging Brexit in unprincipled ways. It is putting lives and livelihoods at risk unnecessarily and it is wantonly endangering the integrity of the United Kingdom. More widely, it is undermining our country’s economy, democracy and role in the world. It is using political manipulation, bullying and lies. And it is doing these things in a deliberate and considered way.

That is why today I am joining Jo Swinson and the Liberal Democrats. I believe the Liberal Democrats are best placed to build the unifying and inspiring political force needed to heal our divisions, unleash our talents, equip us to take the opportunities and overcome the challenges that we face as a society - and leave our country and our world in a better place for the next generations.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Sir John Major has joined the legal action trying to stop the prorogation of parliament

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/john-major-given-goahead-to-join-gina-miller-s-legal-action-over-decision-to-suspend-parliament-a4227881.html

It's quite consistent for someone who joined under him to say "it's not the party I joined".

[elleng]

4. Boris Johnson braced for Brexit rebellion by Tories in parliament

Rebel MPs are poised to attempt to seize control of the parliamentary agenda later today in a move Boris Johnson has said would result in a snap election. Follow along as the FT brings you live news and commentary on all the action.

Former justice minister Lee defects from Conservative party

Phillip Lee, the former justice minister, has just crossed the floor of the House of Commons to leave the Conservative party to join the Liberal Democrats, writes Sebastian Payne.

Defecting while Boris Johnson was addressing the chamber on the G7 summit, Dr Lee has long been expected to cross the floor.

With his departure, the Tories are now a minority government. Mr Johnson has a working majority of zero and is highly liable to lose a confidence vote.

In a statement, Dr Lee said:'>>>

https://www.ft.com/content/bb56885f-d109-3d54-844b-ed0a0d2f8ed2

[Johnny2X2X]

5. This means Boris will call an election right?

He will call an election to try to expand his power.

[Recursion]

7. He needs 2/3 of the Commons and they won't vote to give him one

Remainers and dealers both fear he'll schedule an election after October 31st. They're going to have to do a vote of no confidence.

[Johnny2X2X]

8. What does this mean?

Will he lose power or not be able to pull out of the EU?

[Recursion]

11. Nobody's sure. They're operating under a new law that's never been contested

Before 2011 this just means the government would fall, but in 2011 they changed how the whole process works and unfortunately this is precisely the part where it's very vague.

[brooklynite]

14. Upon a vote of no confidence...

...the Queen will normally call on the opposition leader to see if a new Government can be formed. If not, a new election will be called.

[Johnny2X2X]

21. New election will benefit Johnson though I thought.

Isn't he expected to gain power from a new election?

[FakeNoose]

6. All it took was one vote to possibly change the course

I hope Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are paying attention.

[DURHAM D]

9. Really???

I hope Republicans are paying attention.

[chowder66]

16. This! nt

[Act_of_Reparation]

20. They weren't.

Maybe invest your hopes in more realistic stocks.

[marble falls]

10. Good. How about a vote of confidence?

[OnDoutside]

12. Priority No 1 is to stop a No Deal Brexit.

[marble falls]

15. Isn't it arguable that the majority of the British do not even want a Brexit at this point?

[Ligyron]

22. Kind of like us with Trump, eh?

Unfortunately, it will be easier for them to get rid of Brexit than it will be for us to get rid of that orange jackass.

[LisaM]

27. But if they DO get rid of Brexit (and I hope that happens)

It will send international signals, and perhaps help other countries stem this minority right-wing madness that's infecting a lot of first-world countries (and help reverse Russia's influence).

I see it as a real positive. We were in a cab in Ireland early in August and the cab driver, of all people, knew and was heartened by Nancy Pelosi's position on the Irish backstop (which is probably than most Americans - not here at DU, but in general - can say).

[OnDoutside]

23. Entirely, which is why the Brexiters don't want a second referendum. Otherwise they'd have gone

for it.

Today wasn't the best day for Bonking Boris !

[calimary]

28. Heck, most of 'em didn't even want it after the election that okay'd it.

As I recall, many had a rude awakening on the morning after, so certain it wouldn’t pass that it wouldn’t matter if they did vote for it.

From what I’ve read about it, they thought they’d just “send a message!” and vote their “I just wanna blow it all up/burn it all down” outrage. But then they woke up the next morning to one helluva political “hangover.”

Kind of like the vote for trump. Meh, it won’t matter so go ahead and vote for him. He’s not gonna win so it’ll be okay.”

What could possibly go wrong?

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. The timing of an election after a vote of no confidence now is complicated

If one were to pass tomorrow (convention says you need a day's debate, so you'd hold it near the end of tomorrow, even if called for right now), then Johnson has 2 weeks to form an alternative government. if that fails, parliament has to be dissolved, with 5 weeks notice until the election. But if the timing of that is "Johnson goes to the queen on Thursday morning of 19th Sept, and says we must hold an election, so please dissolve parliament", then parliament is dissolved at the end of Thursday. Which means the 5 weeks are up at the end of Thursday Oct 24th. British elections are traditionally held on a Thursday, which means the first day to hold it would be Thursday 31st - the day we leave (at 11pm, GMT - when votes would still be getting counted).

Even if Johnson could be persuaded to say "since it's urgent, we'll hold the election the first possible day, ignoring recent convention", that's Friday Oct 25th - after the last EU summit (17th Oct). There would have to be a mad scramble to form a coalition (realistically, Labour will not get a majority on its own, but a coalition with the SNP, Lib Dems and maybe Plaid Cymru and the Greens might reach a majority - see https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tories-would-lose-6-seats-in-a-snap-election-new-focal-data-poll-analysis-shows_uk_5d6d8e61e4b0cdfe05745b9f ) and then they'd have to persuade the EU leaders to give an extension and pass the law in the UK, all within a few days.

Johnson has been talking of an election on Oct 14th (he thinks he'll win it), which he can schedule if Labour agrees, but Corbyn has said "no election if it means No Exit can happen even if the Tories lose".

[marble falls]

18. Jebus. Sounds like an American game show elimination series rules ...

The systems sounds as powerless as the US is about doing something about Trumps emolument problem.

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. The rules aren't that bad, they just weren't designed to work with a deadline

The law expresses them in about as many words as I used - if the confidence vote is lost, then a government has 2 weeks to win a new confidence vote. If that doesn't happen, then a new election is called, which must have 25 working days' notice.

But when that was written, people weren't thinking of international or legal deadlines, or parliament having its usual recess at precisely the time when you'd need to have the vote of no confidence (today is the first day back from the summer recess). It was just a question of "how long should you need to replace a failed government, and how much notice should you have for reasonable selection of candidates and campaigning".

[EveHammond13]

24. what does his mean for Boris Johnson? is he hamstrung?

[TeamPooka]

25. good. fuck that guy.

[Maine-i-acs]

26. he's the Scaramucci of Parliament then. nt

(further subtext unneeded)

[calimary]

29. He's a'gonna have to do the fandango...