[Malcolm Armsteen]

I believe that this is the sort of complaint that many MPs are faced with at times. Not non-disclosure, just a bit late.

[mattomac]

The only thing I’m finding particularly interesting in that is his book.

[davidjay]

I believe that this is the sort of complaint that many MPs are faced with at times. Not non-disclosure, just a bit late.

Yes but..... SAVILE!!! CURRY!!! BEER!!!

[Nigredo]

I believe that this is the sort of complaint that many MPs are faced with at times. Not non-disclosure, just a bit late.

Yes but..... SAVILE!!! CURRY!!! BEER!!!

And from the other end of the horse shoe, yebbut lying about why Magic Grandad got sacked and twenty points clear!

[Crabcakes]

Interesting that Starmer’s late declarations included a modest sum for actual work writing a book, whereas Johnson’s late declarations were to the tune of 50 grand for ‘stuff’.

[Nigredo]

Good line at PMQs from Starmer about 80s inflation, 70s stagnation and 60s wages.

[Youngian]

I’m assuming Starmer’s Love Island and Stars Wars references and weak jokes are aimed at voters who still inexplicably find Johnson funny. Has Thick of It’s Stewart Pearson joined the team?

[Nigredo]

Hopefully that'll stick with people more than the "Labour side with people traffickers" line that tle wet lettuce limp prick Hoyle let slip by completely unchallenged of course.

[Samanfur]

It was brought up as a Point of Order afterwards. Deputy Laing very pleadingly asked everyone to talk nicely to each other in future.

[Andy McDandy]

I also heard some Tory making a point of order about how Ed Davey had apparently cruelly misled everyone about rural fuel prices because her local petrol station in Devon got a discount, thus rendering his entire statement rubbish. There's that clever Oxbridge debating skillz in action again.

The feed cut out in the middle of her interjection. Hopefully it came to nothing.

Meanwhile Hoyle has decided that people think he's funny. God help us.

[Dalem Lake]

Hoyle has always had the gravitas of a bingo caller

[mattomac]

I’m assuming Starmer’s Love Island and Stars Wars references and weak jokes are aimed at voters who still inexplicably find Johnson funny. Has Thick of It’s Stewart Pearson joined the team?

Well after last weeks excellent approach led to the boring crap it’s probably what was expected. I did like the bingo calling of Backbench quotes mind.

[Tubby Isaacs]

In my view free fees is a typical Corbyn crap policy (seriously expensive, and not particularly progressive, but "populist") However, that's not quite the issue if you've also promised it yourself.

[The Weeping Angel]

What exactly does Keir have to lay his vision out even mean?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I've seen it suggested that Bridget Phillipson doesn't like free tuition fees. As well she might not, as an MP in Sunderland. I would guess the university there has some pretty severe funding pressures heading its way. If you're a "straight talking" rightwinger, you probably don't care about Sunderland University (ho, ho, ho) going bankrupt, but that's not a position for Labour. Post 1992 universities have been excellent at levelling up, in terms of the local jobs created and in the local students they often attract. It's quite the thing for that lots of people see them as bad. If student numbers are reduced because "we're sending too many to university" (ie other people's kids), kids from Sunderland are going to miss out.

Everything I see about HE is disaster coming down the tracks- redundancies, courses being cancelled, nice buildings to be paid, seriously underpaid staff. I wish we had the leader elected by MPs, maybe you wouldn't get "brave" promises like abolishing fees made in campaigns. But that's what Sir Keir did, and he's got a problem.

[Boiler]

A Marina Hyde article people probably won't be so keen to read.

Dear Keir, people say that after Johnson a bit of boring would be nice. Unfortunately, people lie.

Is it that the Labour leader can’t pull together a vision, or that he won’t? Or that he won’t because he can’t? Until he does, the best thing Keir Starmer has going for him is Boris Johnson, and the best thing Boris Johnson has going for him is Keir Starmer. What an unpromising symbiosis. If you wanted a tagline for prime minister’s questions, you could do worse than “the unwatchable v the unbearable”.

[The Weeping Angel]

Outrage

https://www.politicshome.com/news/artic ... il-strikes

Exclusive: Labour front benchers have been told by the party leadership that they are banned from picket lines this week amid rail strikes organised by the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers' union.

In a message sent today, shadow cabinet members were told to “expect severe disruption this week as the result of industrial action by the RMT”.

“We have robust lines. We do not want to see these strikes to go ahead with the resulting disruption to the public. The government have failed to engage in any negotiations,” the memo from the leader's office read.

But it added: “However, we also must show leadership and to that end, please be reminded that frontbenchers including [parliamentary private secretaries] should not be on picket lines.

“Please speak to all the members of your team to remind them of this and confirm with me that you have done so.”

[Tubby Isaacs]

That's long been the position for public or quasi public sector strikes, hasn't it? Apart from under Jez of course.

Better to keep the focus on the government.

[mattomac]

Have a guess what twitter is talking about…

So they are not banned just advised, expect very little action taken, of course RMT aren’t affiliated to Labour but that seems to have escaped most. I think it’s a bit crap but understandable.

However it’s not the story, the story is the government have done nothing to prevent the strikes and haven’t even gone down the route of speaking to the Unions, the problem is this won’t be the only lot striking so at what point do the government talk to them? The Sun proclaims it’s the 70s but at least you knew your government was getting around the table to talk even if it was futile.

They seem to think Labour have power in an non-affiliate Union, strike action is a failure but one the Government seems happy to go with. The Government might unintentionally walk into opposition as I actually believe they haven’t a clue on any of these positions however they think they know.

[The Weeping Angel]

Of course Labour should stand with the RMT because solidarity. Of course I'd expect nothing less from Sienna Rogers who has form for being a shit stirrer.