ONASANYA'S PRISON 'ORDEAL'

Disgraced former MP Fiona Onasanya has decided to cash in on her short stay at Her Majesty's pleasure.  Following her conviction for perverting the course of justice she became the first ever MP to be removed from office by way of a recall petition.  She spent 28 days of a three month sentence inside HMP Bronzefield, but has now published a book bemoaning the hardships of prison.  The book, titled Snakes & Adders, does not refer to the recall petition that saw her thrown out of Parliament or the criminal act that led to it.  However, she does liken constituents and colleagues to venomous snakes in the introduction...

"Adders are Britain's only venomous snake but in the world of politics, I think there are two types which comes disguised as what I will call constituents and comrades!!  I am referring to constituents as those people who share your ideals and support your vision but do not necessarily support you.  Neither group should be considered confidants anymore than Adders should be considered ladders!"

(Fiona Onasanya)

In a damning review of the book, the Cambridge News likened the 122-page memoir to "a child's school essay" and noted that every chapter is punctuated with multiple exclamation marks.  Onasanya recalls the finest details and one excerpt is described by the reviewer as "so boring it's practically a work of art".  The final half a dozen chapters cover her short prison stay, during which she was treated to unimaginable horrors such as a lack of dairy alternatives and having to eat "measly meals like spaghetti hoops".  Did she think it was going to be like a bed and breakfast?  Her naive expectations were mocked accordingly by one inmate who ridiculed her request for almond milk or "soya if there's no alternative".  "This ain't Costa" her fellow convict shouted across.

Asides from the lack of quality food, Onasanya complains she rarely got a decent night's sleep and was shocked to witness another inmate dancing naked in the showers.  Oh, the horror.  It should also be noted that she continued to draw an MP's salary during her prison stay, raking in around £7,000.  Her refusal to resign also cost taxpayers an estimated £500,000 according to Peterborough City Council.  This was the cost of the recall process that ultimately led to her being sacked.

In addition to her removal as an MP she was also struck off as a solicitor, but is now embarking on a new career as a motivational speaker.  Let's hope she doesn't shock her classes too much with those horrendous tales of spaghetti hoops and lack of soy!

Further reading

Onasanya Is Sacked

The House Of Shame

COUNCILLOR HITS OUT AT "TORY PIGS"

Cllr McCusker pictured with Rebecca Long-Bailey

A senior Labour councillor on Salford City Council is under investigation after posting an offensive message on a Conservative Facebook page.  Cllr Mike McCusker represents the Eccles ward, but is also a cabinet member responsible for planning, housing and development.  He wrote the post in response to a Conservative appeal for candidates in the forthcoming local elections.  Boundary changes mean that all 60 seats on the council are up for re-election in May.

Salford's Tory group lodged a complaint over McCusker's comments.  He has since apologised, but said the post was taken out of context.  He told the Manchester Evening News that he posted the comment in response to another that read:  "In Salford a pig sporting a red rosette will be elected".  That comment was posted by a member of the public and referred to the fact Salford has always been a solid Labour council.  Going into the local elections Labour hold 51 of the 60 council seats, the Tories are currently on eight.

The news broke the day after hard left journalist/activist Ash Sarkar appeared on the BBC's Question Time.  Discussing the death of Caroline Flack she attacked the mainstream media, something that her old adversary Piers Morgan was quick to exploit...

UPDATE 25.02.20

Cllr McCusker is now under a second investigation after another social media outburst in which he lashed out at Irish party Fine Gael.  He posted a picture of Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar with the caption 'Bye' and then underneath remarked:  "I may have offended Fine Gail [sic] and Leo Varadkar with this post.  That was my intention you Blue Shirt bastards.  No apologies to you twats".  What an angry man!

KHAN HECKLED AT THE MOSQUE

Sadiq Khan was at Regent's Park Mosque today to reassure worshippers following yesterday's (non-fatal) stabbing.  The visit backfired when one member of the congregation reacted furiously to his presence.  "What has he done for us" the man shouts as Khan is hustled away.

The heckler should be honoured by Khan's presence.  Over the past four years, as violent crime and murder continues to spiral, the Mayor has been repeatedly criticised for failing to show enough support for victims (let alone offering anything constructive to stem the crimewave).  The victim of yesterday's stabbing is already out of hospital and giving media interviews, unlike the hundreds of murder victims whose families and communities have rarely enjoyed the Mayor's presence.  Meanwhile, over the same period he is seemingly ever present at events aimed at minority groups (and, of course, every single anti-Brexit protest).  His constant placard holding, selfies and virtue signalling is undoubtedly one of the key reasons he was heckled today.

Khan's display of liberal values and public courting of gays, trans-things, Jews and other non-Muslims is not something that's going to sit well with the average Muslim worshipper.  The truth is that Khan has strayed very far from his roots.

Khan's virtue signalling does not appeal to all communities

FLINT'S RED WALL AWARD

This was a lovely gesture and we wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment.  While Caroline backed Remain in 2016, she stood by the result and persistently backed Brexit during last year's Parliamentary shenanigans.  Unfortunately, while many of her Brexit-blocking colleagues survived the Tory onslaught, she paid the price for the sins of her party.  Her 5,000 vote majority in Don Valley was wiped out and for the first time in its 101 year history the seat turned blue.  Flint blamed her defeat on "Corbynistas and uber Remainers".  The hard left had sought to petition for her de-selection prior to the election, but her status as a long-standing popular MP sent them packing.

Flint was probably the one Labour MP who stood on December 12th that we would have been happy to see returned to Parliament.  While some Labour MPs sluggishly moved to halfheartedly back Brexit in the occasional vote (Onn, Smeeth, Champion etc), Flint was consistent.  They did so out of self-interest, sensing the punishment that was coming from their Leave-voting constituents.  Flint was genuine about her commitment to Brexit and only yesterday she criticised Tony Blair for ignoring it during his big headline grabbing speech:  "Dying in a ditch over Remain was not the centre-ground of British politics" she scoffed.

Her cryptic message at the end of her red brick tweet could be taken as a suggestion that she could return one day.  There's little chance of that happening next time round if Long-Bailey wins the leadership, but with Starmer (or Nandy) at the helm another punt at Don Valley is a good shout.  Now that Brexit is finally getting done there's a question mark over what will happen to those crucial 6,000 Don Valley Brexit Party voters, particularly seeing as they were overwhelmingly former Labour voters...

Don Valley 2019 general election

Nick Fletcher (Con) 19,609 (43.2%) +1.4%
Caroline Flint (Lab) 15,979 (35.2%) -14.8%
Paul Whitehurst (Brexit) 6,247 (13.7%) New
Mark Alcock (Lib Dem) 1,907 (4.2%) +2.3%
Kate Needham (Green) 872 (1.9%) New
Chris Holmes (Yorks) 823 (1.8%) -1.7%

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 20.02.20

Just the one last night, a Conservative-held seat in Yorkshire.  Last time round this seat was contested by just two parties, but the field was considerably bigger this time.  The Tories held easily, while the Labour vote plummeted, with more than half of it being mopped up by the Lib Dem newcomer.

Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough Council

Con: 689 (49.0%) -0.1%

Lab: 279 (19.9%) -31.0%

Lib Dem: 259 (18.4%) New

Ind: 90 (6.4%) New

Ind: 88 (6.3%) New

Con HOLD

POLICY ACHIEVEMENTS!

Jeremy Corbyn says he'd be happy to serve in a shadow cabinet were he to be asked.  He also spoke of his pride in leading the party, growth in membership and "policy achievements".  He certainly made his mark on policy, but policy did not make a mark on the electorate.

Sad and deluded, one hopes he does stay on the front benches.  That will surely mean that Labour will have committed itself to the same failed ideology and, as a consequence, committed suicide.

BURNT SULTANA

Zarah Sultana pictured at a Long-Bailey campaign gathering

Newly elected MP Zarah Sultana is keen to make a name for herself.  The hard left Corbynista made a splash with her maiden speech last month and has been on the campaign trail with continuity Corbyn candidates Long-Bailey and Burgon.  She is also speaking at next week's 'Rally for Socialism'.  Last night she was with her idol and mentor, proudly tweeting a picture of her giving a speech to his local constituency party (that has just backed Keir Starmer for the leadership, titter).

Looks like Corbyn hung on her every word!

Sultana also spends a lot of time sniping at Tories and Zionists on Twitter.  She's had to delete a lot of old tweets since her election, but we can still marvel at the gifts she provides on a daily basis, like the one below.

Feel the burn!

A QUESTION TIME WORTH WATCHING?

Following weeks of dreadfully dull line-ups, tonight's BBC Question Time may provide something worth watching.  Unusually there are just two MPs in the line-up, neither of which we are particularly excited about, although Alison McGovern looks like she is about to cry in that photo.  Of greater interest is the presence of Novara Media's Ash Sarkar, the girl most famous for her spat with Piers Morgan in which she declared she was "literally a communist".  Her presence alongside a banker (Howard Davies) and ex-Tory minister Portillo should be enough to spice things up.

Migration is almost certainly going to be on the agenda and with any luck Portillo can give us a repeat of his evisceration of Owen Jones on that subject...

COUNCILLOR EJECTED FROM MEETING

A Labour councillor was interrupted mid flow and told to leave a full council meeting in Flintshire earlier this week.  Cllr Derek Butler, who represents Broughton South on Flintshire County Council, was addressing the meeting when the chair took exception to a jibe directed towards an independent councillor.

Butler clearly sees himself as a bit of a comedian, but his jokes are in very poor taste.  He began by making a pun about the floods (that have cost five lives and caused misery for thousands), followed by a shameful dig at Cllr Tony Sharps.  Butler's reference to JD Wetherspoon drew groans from the chamber because Cllr Sharps had earlier paid tribute to a late colleague and told how the pair would often meet at the pub chain.  The low blow was exacerbated by the fact the colleague in question had been a long-standing and well-respected Labour councillor.  Ken Iball died earlier this month.

The remark was a step too far for the chairwoman and she asked Butler to take it back.  He responded by telling her there's "no need for you to get precious about this" before trying to continue with his speech.  Cllr Marion Bateman was having none of it and stopped him again:  "I asked you to take something back, are you going to take it back?"  When Butler refused she told him to leave.  Watch the full exchange below.

EX-MEP RINSED OVER MIGRATION TWEET

Former Lib Dem MEP Caroline Voaden

Outrage over the government's point-based immigration system is not limited to Labour politicians.  Both the Lib Dems and SNP have both condemned the move, but it was the reaction of one former Lib Dem MEP that drew the attention of many Twitter users.

The sneering attitude and lack of self awareness is astonishing.  It seems that in Caroline Voaden's mind this is all that foreigners are good for, a point so succinctly put by whoever is running the @labourleave account these days.

Brendan Chilton, a Labour councillor and prominent Brexiteer is possibly the man behind the Labour Leave account.  He tweeted his own response to Voaden, as did comedian Geoff Norcott.

Julia Hartley-Brewer lashed out at Voaden's condescending attitude.

Caroline Voaden is a former Reuters journalist and EU fanatic who joined the Lib Dems the day after the EU referendum.  She considers herself European rather than British, the country of her birth.  And yet Voaden resides in lush rural south Devon, far from the urban landscapes most affected by mass immigration.  South Devon's demography is 94 per cent white British.  Funny that.

Voaden was elected to the European Parliament last May and briefly led the Lib Dems in Brussels from November up to Britain's departure last month.  As she did not serve a full year as an MEP she will not be entitled to draw an EU pension when she turns 63.  Such a shame.

SEPARATIST SHAME

When Sinn Fein pulled off a shock result in the Irish elections recently it surely raised the spirits of hordes of Brit-hating leftists in the UK.  The Marxist party's success will have pleased the likes of Corbynistas, but will also have been relished by the separatists of Plaid Cymru and the SNP.  All these parties have two things in common - they're all left-wing and want to break apart the United Kingdom.  Therefore, success for one party weakens the Union and gives hope to the others - divided we fall.

When the SNP's Joanna Cherry appeared on BBC Question Time recently she was exceptionally smug about the success of Sinn Fein and happily predicted that Northern Ireland would break away before Scotland did.  Never mind the fact that Sinn Fein's armed wing murdered hundreds of Scottish descendants during the Troubles - people who made Ulster their home, but have been forsaken by the SNP and their fanatical drive for a socialist state.  We must not neglect to mention the sacrifice of Scottish members of the British Army either.  Again, their spilt blood on the streets of Northern Ireland is meaningless to the fake nationalists of the SNP.

A couple of days ago a poll was released that somewhat undermined Joanna Cherry's cocky prediction.  The detailed poll appeared in the Belfast Telegraph, with the headline grabber that just 29 per cent of those asked would support the secession of Northern Ireland.  This compared to a whopping 52 per cent that backed the status quo.

This was not an isolated response either.  Of the last ten polls conducted on the issue, only two returned a separatist majority and it was a negligible lead - one per cent (Sept 2019) and three per cent (December 2017).  The other polls returned a majority for the UK ranging from three per cent (May 2018) to 33 per cent (June 2018).

Regardless of opinion polls, Joanna Cherry's confidence in Sinn Fein to deliver a united Ireland is misplaced.  Even if Sinn Fein manage to form a coalition government, it will be in Dublin - not Belfast.  The Irish Republic has no jurisdiction in the affairs of the United Kingdom, let alone the power to force a border poll.  Sorry Joanna, but Northern Ireland is not going anywhere.

Coalition talks in Dublin have stalled

FAR LEFT RATTLED

With Keir Starmer odds on leadership favourite, no sign of a surge for continuity Corbyn and voting set to open on Friday, the far left have organised a rally in London next week.  The imaginatively titled 'Rally for Socialism' will feature the headline speakers of McDonnell, Abbott, Burgon and Lavery.  What a line-up!  If this is the best they've got to offer no wonder the Tories are laughing.

Guest speakers include four of the new intake of hard left Corbynista MPs - all of which are backing Long-Bailey and Burgon in the leadership contests, naturally.  Sadly for Leicester East's MP, whoever designed the poster spelled her name wrong.  It's Webbe, not Webb.  More special guests are to be confirmed, presumably they are waiting to see if Billy Bragg can make it across from his lush Dorset pad.  It's free entry, but comrades are urged to make a £20 donation.  Does it go towards Dickie Burgon's leaflet fund?

DOG-WHISTLE DIANE SLAMS MIGRATION PLAN

News that the government is going to introduce a points-based immigration system has brought predictable howls of anguish from the open borders enthusiasts of Labour.  Leading the charge was the Shadow Home Secretary, naturally.  While Diane has precisely nothing to say about Muslim grooming gangs, out of control crime or Islamist terrorism, she can be guaranteed to throw herself into the cause of migrants.

Doing the rounds on breakfast TV this morning she told the BBC's Charlie Stayt that a requirement for migrants to speak English was "dog-whistle politics".  She refused to answer when asked if she wanted to reduce immigration.  This reluctance to publicly declare Labour's penchant for unlimited migration suggests that even she is self aware enough to realise it would not be universally popular.

Abbott also appeared on Sky News and was given a much tougher time by Kay Burley.  In this hilarious exchange she is humiliated by Burley when given the facts...

Curiously none of the leadership contenders have publicly responded to the government's plan.  Perhaps they too are aware of how tricky it is to confront a popular policy.

WHITTOME LASHES OUT

Labour MP Nadia Whittome was embroiled in a public spat with a Labour member on Twitter last night.  Paul Embery, a columnist with Unherd, took exception to Whittome's stance on the trans issue currently wreaking havoc in the party.  Whittome is backing the controversial trans pledge sheet and has tweeted that the party should "educate those who are ignorant... and if they don't respond to education, they should be expelled".  Embery quite rightly pointed out the communistic undertones in her tweet, but also struck out at the MP's relative youth (she is 23, the youngest MP in Parliament).  Whittome retweeted his remarks with an ageist dig of her own.

Embery describes himself as 'blue Labour' and was a senior trades union officer until recently.  After speaking at a pro-Brexit rally last year he was expelled by the Fire Brigades Union (see video, below).  Not sure what Whittome is referring to when she says his 'red-brown alliance' was rejected, but what we do know is that Corbyn's red-red ideals were decisively rejected on December the 12th.  The Nottingham East MP initially backed hard left Clive Lewis for the leadership.  When he was eliminated, she backed Emily Thornberry.  Oh dear.  Talk about irrelevance?

NUGEE'S BEST BITS

Emily Thornberry is sadly no longer in the Labour leadership race, but Twitter user John Stammers has compiled a collection of her 'best bits', in the style of TV's Big Brother.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CHANGE UK?

The eleven Change UK founders
back row l-r: Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes
middle: Angela Smith, Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey
bottom: Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry, Joan Ryan

One year ago today a group of eleven MPs formed Change UK, a party whose primary objective was to overturn the EU referendum.  Despite leaving the parties for whom they were elected, all refused to fight by-elections under their new banner.  The party was crushed in the European elections and was dissolved following the general election, at which none were re-elected to Parliament.

So, who faced the electorate and who bottled it?

Chris Leslie 

Leslie was the Labour MP for Nottingham East from 1997, a 57% Remain seat.  He defended the seat and finished fourth, losing his deposit.

Nadia Whittome (Lab) 25,735 (64.3%) -7.1%
Victoria Stapleton (Con) 8,342 (20.9%) -0.8%
Robert Swift (Lib Dem) 1,954 (4.9%) +2.3%
Chris Leslie (Change) 1,447 (3.6%) New
Damian Smith (Brexit) 1,343 (3.4%) New
Michelle Vacciana (Green) 1,183 (3.0%) +1.2%

Gavin Shuker

Shuker was the Labour MP for Luton South from 2010, a 55% Leave seat.  He left Change UK in June, but stood as an independent, finishing third.

Rachel Hopkins (Lab) 21,787 (51.8%) -10.6%
Parvez Akhtar (Con) 13,031 (31.0%) -1.3%
Gavin Shuker (Ind) 3,893 (9.3%) New
Garry Warren (Brexit) 1,601 (3.8%) New
Ben Foley (Green) 995 (2.4%) +1.4%
Mohammed Ashraf (Ind) 489 (1.2%) New
John French (Luton) 268 (0.6%) New

Chuka Umunna

Umunna was the Labour MP for Streatham from 2010, a 79% Remain seat.  He left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems later the same month.  He stood for the party in the Cities of London &Westminster, but failed to win.

Nickie Aiken (Con) 17,049 (39.9%) -6.7%
Chuka Umunna (Lib Dem) 13,096 (30.7%) +19.6% 
Gordon Nardell (Lab) 11,624 (27.2%) -11.2%
Zack Polanski (Green) 728 (1.7%) -0.4%
Jill McLachlan (Christian) 125 (0.3%) New
Dirk van Heck (Lib) 101 (0.2%) New

Mike Gapes

Gapes was the Labour MP for Ilford South from 1992, a 57% Remain seat.  He defended the seat, but finished third.

Sam Tarry (Lab) 35,085 (65.6%) -10.2%
Ali Azeem (Con) 10,984 (20.5%) -0.4%
Mike Gapes (Change) 3,891 (7.3%) New
Ashburn Holder (Lib Dem) 1,795 (3.4%) +2.0%
Munish Sharma (Brexit) 1,008 (1.9%) New
Rosemary Warrington (Green) 714 (1.3%) +0.4%

Angela Smith

Smith was the Labour MP for Penistone & Stocksbridge from 2005, a 61% Leave seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in September.  She stood for the party in Altrincham & Sale West and finished third.

Graham Brady (Con) 26,311 (48.0%) -3.0%
Andrew Western (Lab) 20,172 (36.8%) -2.0%

Angela Smith (Lib Dem) 6,036 (11.0%) +3.3%
Geraldine Coggins (Green) 1,566 (2.9%) +1.0%
Neil Taylor (Lib) 454 (0.8%) +0.3%
Iram Kiani (Ind) 224 (0.4%) New

Luciana Berger

Berger was the Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree from 2010, a 65% Remain seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in September.  She stood for the party in Finchley & Golders Green, but failed to win.

Mike Freer (Con) 24,162 (43.8%) -3.1%
Luciana Berger (Lib Dem) 17,600 (31.9%) +25.3%
Ross Houston (Lab) 13,347 (24.2%) -19.6%

Ann Coffey

Coffey was the Labour MP for Stockport from 1992, a 53% Remain seat.  She stood down at the election.

Sarah Wollaston

Wollaston was the Conservative MP for Totnes from 2010, a 54% Leave seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in August.  She defended her seat as a Lib Dem, but lost.

Anthony Mangnall (Con) 27,751 (53.2%) - 0.5%
Sarah Wollaston (Lib Dem) 15,027 (28.8%) +15.9%
Louise Webberley (Lab) 8,860 (17.0%) -9.9%
John Kitson (Ind) 544 (1.0%) New

Heidi Allen

Allen was the Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire from 2015, a 62% Remain seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in October.  She stood down at the election.

Anna Soubry

Soubry was the Conservative MP for Broxtowe from 2010, a 53% Leave seat.  She defended the seat, but finished third.

Darren Henry (Con) 26,602 (48.1%) +1.3%
Greg Marshall (Lab) 21,271 (38.5%) -6.8%
Anna Soubry (Change) 4,668 (8.5%) New
Kat Boettge (Green) 1,806 (3.3%) +2.0%
Amy Dalla Mura (Eng Dem) 432 (0.8%) New
Teck Khong (Ind) 321 (0.6%) New
David Bishop (Elvis) 172 (0.3%) New

Joan Ryan

Ryan was the Labour MP for Enfield North from 1997, a 51% Remain seat.  She stood down at the election.

COCKY DICKIE DEMANDS AIRTIME

Richard Burgon is full of beans at the moment and getting a wee bit carried away with himself.  It sounds like he's immersed himself in the same Twitter bubble that convinced Corbynistas they were going to win the election.  Remember that Burgon only just scraped into the second stage of the nomination process achieving the bare minimum 22 nominations from MPs.  He did much better in the next stage and his fat head has grown bigger by the day.  He not only wants to maintain Corbyn's hard left policies, but wants them written into the party constitution and has a few daft ideas of his own.  He followed up his laughable 'peace pledge' by calling for his idol Corbyn to be given a front bench position after the leadership election is finally over.  It's no wonder Momentum is backing Burgon.

Now our Dickie is demanding that TV bosses arrange a deputy leadership debate.  The problem is that most viewers are not fussed about the main leadership debates, never mind who takes over as deputy - a largely symbolic role that has little relevance or political clout anyway.  Can anyone recall a single thing that Tom Watson achieved in his role as deputy, other than to chase imaginary paedophile rings, call for a 'people's vote' and generally make things difficult for his leader?  Still, Dickie's undeterred in his quest for power, and airtime.  He's written an open letter to the "heads of political programming" - because he couldn't be bothered to look up their names - and has told them that his "bold socialist vision" will be backed by "wider society".  Is that the same society that decisively rejected socialism on December the 12th?  No matter ye cynics, for Burgon has warned broadcasters that such ideas should not be "effectively silenced"...

Click to enlarge

Lovely letterhead there, but don't you think 'Dickie for deputy' has a better ring to it?

"BORN WITHOUT SEX"

Labour is currently running rings around itself over the 'trans' issue, but thankfully Dawn Butler has come to the rescue with her astute input.  The deputy leadership candidate said genitalia were irrelevant at birth as "a child is born without sex".  Is that so Dawn?  Then how come 'sex' is clearly defined on our birth certificates?

What a muppet.

LATEST LEADERSHIP ODDS

Keir Starmer remains odds-on following last night's leadership debate on Channel 4, in fact his odds have not moved since our last update five days ago.  Long-Bailey's odds have shortened, while Nandy has drifted.

Latest leadership odds (Ladbrokes)

Keir Starmer 1/8
Rebecca Long-Bailey 7/1

Lisa Nandy 16/1

If last night's debate told us anything, it's that these three are basically competing as to who leads the party to defeat at the next election.  There is not a Prime Minister among them.  Starmer is like a robot and his dull monotonous tones are enough to send an insomniac to sleep.  It's difficult to assess what he says because no-one can hold attention long enough to find out what it is.  Long-Bailey would provide the status quo except she presents these woeful policies in an even less convincing manner than Corbyn.  Even the usually reliable Nandy is starting to let slip some daft comments and says that trans male convicts should be sent to women's prisons and she would support abolishing the monarchy.  Bear in mind that most people in the UK support the monarchy and more than one in three Labour voters according to YouGov.  Own goal Lisa.

THE CLOUD CUCKOO LAND OF 'REJOIN'

There are thousands of posts on our Facebook page and each day thousands of new comments appear.  Keeping tabs can become a bit of a blur, but occasionally the eye is drawn to something that stands out.  It was the following comment on a Labour leadership meme that caught our eye over the weekend.

We'll gloss over the misspelled 'Kier', it's the naivety and ill-informed reference to rejoining the EU that made many people click the laugh out loud emoji.  No country, even with Keir Starmer at the helm, can instantaneously join (or rejoin) the EU.  The UK did not join the EC until 1973, ten years after it first applied for membership.  Some of the former Yugoslav republics have been waiting for years - Macedonia applied to join in 2004, Montenegro applied in 2008 and Serbia applied in 2009.  They're still waiting.  The last former Yugoslav republic to have its application accepted was Croatia, after a ten year wait.  Another applicant - Iceland - applied in 2009, but gave up four years later and suspended negotiations indefinitely.  An independent Scotland would have to jump through the same hoops, contrary to SNP claims.

So, what have we learnt from the Facebook comment?  It provides further evidence that despite appointing themselves the superior intellect in the Brexit debate, Remainers have plenty of idiots in their ranks.  The Centre for European Academic Research is actually a Facebook page.  Established in October 2018 it has just over a thousand followers.  The page displays such fanatical devotion to a federal Europe that it's as if Guy Verhoftwat himself is writing it.  This was one of their most recent posts.

The post refers to proposed legislation in the German state of Saxony, but the author here appears to suggest that it is already law throughout the continent!  Another post suggests that the controversial membership fee to vote in the Labour leadership election should be increased "in order to keep the little Englanders out".  If this is the calibre of support that Sir Keir Starmer has behind him then perhaps he will be about as 'effective' as Wrong-Daily.

BURGON THE (£79k) BEGGAR

An MP draws a £79,468 salary (not including the famously generous expenses).  This basic salary will rise to £81,931 in April.  Yet here is Dickie Burgon asking his supporters to "chip in" to raise a paltry £400 to pay for his campaign leaflets - a sum of money he earns in just two days.  While it's fair to say that in modern metropolitan middle class Labour many of his supporters will be on a similar wage to him, but of course many will not.  Shameless.

DEFUND THE BEEB

The news that Boris Johnson wants to scrap the TV licence has polarised opinion.  Yesterday the hashtag #SaveTheBBC was trending, today it's #DefundTheBBC.  Former Tory/UKIP MP Douglas Carswell spoke to the Sun's Steven Edginton yesterday and denounced the licence.

"It should be a subscription based service, you pay for it because you want to and if you don't pay it they cut you off... it cannot be right that it is a criminal matter for not paying for the BBC's output".

(Douglas Carswell)

Meanwhile, our Karl has come up with this humorous take on the BBC licence controversy...

COMPETING VALLEY SIGNALS

Several Welsh politicians have set up crowdfunding sites to raise money for those affected by the flooding in south Wales.  While it would be unfair to immediately dismiss such efforts as anything other than acts of selfless magnanimity, watching their exploits on Twitter suggests that self-promotion and virtue signalling is a key factor.

Take the exchange between Labour's Chris Bryant and Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood.  One represents Rhondda at Westminster, the other represents Rhondda at the Senedd.  Bryant set up a 'Go Fund Me' site yesterday lunchtime, but two hours later Rhondda Plaid Cymru set up an identical site, promoted by Wood on her Twitter page.  Bryant was clearly affronted and suggested that Leanne Wood had ripped off his idea.  Trying to maintain the moral high ground he said he would be happy to "pool the funds".

Half an hour later Wood responded, saying Bryant's proposal was "a great idea" and "no sense in duplicating".  Bryant gave her the thumbs up and the charade was over.  Naturally both campaigns are still up and running and neither side has bothered to act on their agreement.

Despite his uppity reaction to Wood's campaign, Bryant was not even the first to set up a crowdfunder for the flood victims.  Alex Davies-Jones, his Labour colleague in neighbouring Pontypridd, set up a site before either of them and what's more, she's so far managed to raise almost as much as the other two combined.  Perhaps if they spent more time sincerely gathering funds for those affected rather than squabbling over who takes the credit for it?

Further reading
Pigtroughery From Captain Underpants
Bryant Backs Bondage For Rhondda
Bryant's Office Targeted

LABOUR'S FUTURE BLEAK SAYS FALCONER

Labour peer Lord Falconer has told Nigel Farage that the way in which the party has been led over the past few years is "completely disgraceful" and if Rebecca Long-Bailey were to be elected leader the party would no longer "compete for power".  Falconer, who was created a life peer in 1997 and went on to serve in the Blair government, also said that the current state of the party "depressed" him.  Watch below.

MOST SHARED: WEEK 252

Nominations are in, the ballot papers are being printed and we'll find out who the next Labour leader is in seven weeks!  From start to finish the election process will have taken a mammoth four months to complete.  When the Conservatives elected Boris Johnson last year the process took just six weeks.

This BTLP original was shared 2,724 times via the Facebook page.

CORBYN "MADE MANY GAINS"

Hard left balloon head Richard Burgon spoke to Sophy Ridge this morning and was asked about his suggestion that Jeremy Corbyn could make a front bench comeback after the leadership election.  If you didn't know better, listening to Burgon's glowing tributes you'd think that Corbyn was the frontrunner to win the leadership and he was jostling for favour, but Corbyn is past tense.  Not in Burgon's daft head:  "It's not the end for Jeremy Corbyn, he's got a long political career ahead of him".  Jeremy's 71 in May.  Burgon also says Corbyn "made many gains in the Labour party".  Presumably he's referring to Momentum's battle to take control of the party, he can't surely be referring to electoral gains - Putney was the only seat Labour gained on December the 12th.

GRACIOUS NUGEE

Emily Thornberry released the following statement on Saturday in response to her failure to get on the Labour leadership ballot.

Click to enlarge

While Lady Nugee was very courteous towards the remaining candidates, only one of them paid tribute in return.  Lisa Nandy wrote on Twitter:  "Our leadership debate isn’t going to be as interesting, passionate or fun without Emily Thornberry.  She brought so much to this debate.  She’s a true fighter, a tough opponent, and a good friend".

Perhaps no great surprise to see any kind words from Long-Bailey after recent diatribes from Nugee during the campaign.

Further reading
Catfight In Nottingham
Nugee Feud Continues

TRANS FOR UNDER FIVES

Newham Council in London goes to more lengths than most to celebrate 'LGBT History Month'.  The rainbow flag can be seen all over the borough, flown from council buildings and even the zebra crossings are repainted in its colours.  Loads of free LGBT events are laid on for the public, including a series known as 'Drag Queen Story Time'.  Nothing wrong with that you might say, except that Drag Queen Story Time is presented to children under the age of five.

Is this appropriate?  On Newham Council's dedicated LGBT website the event is justified thus:  "By providing spaces in which kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions, Drag Queen Story Time allows children to imagine the world in which people can present as they wish".  There is nothing innocent about this story time, it's trans indoctrination of little children when they are at their most vulnerable and impressionable.

Newham Council is under complete control of the Labour party.  Since 2010 the party has won every single council seat - all 60 of them.  Labour-controlled Lambeth Council has also laid on a similar event.

THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 9-15 FEB 2020

09.02.20 - Bob Moran, Sunday Telegraph

09.02.20 - Patrick Blower, Mail on Sunday

10.02.20 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

10.02.20 - Dave Brown, Independent

11.02.20 - Morten Morland, The Times

12.02.20 - Graeme Keyes, Irish Daily Mail

12.02.20 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph

12.02.20 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

12.02.20 - Peter Brookes, The Times

12.02.20 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph

13.02.20 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph

14.02.20 - Dave Brown, Independent 

14.02.20 - Graeme Bandeira, Yorkshire Post

14.02.20 - Bob Moran, Daily Telegraph

14.02.20 - Peter Brookes, The Times

15.02.20 - Bob Moran, Daily Telegraph

15.02.20 - Morten Morland, The Spectator