Another one bite the dust
Interesting that she has apparently resigned and not been sacked. Iād have thought that even May would have had no choice but to sack her, but maybe Patel thought resignation would look better. Or maybe May was scared of upsetting the more rabidly Europhobe side of the parliamentary party by sacking one of their own.
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Not really a great epilogue for the 100 year ācelebrationā of Balfour, is it?
Iād like to see three things emerge from Patelās resignation, and I think all three are achievable.
First, Iād like to see the fall of the government. Priti was far from the only senior Tory in hot water. Damian Green is under investigation, and whatever Boris might have said in his defence, his comments were mentioned specifically and prominently by the Iranian prosecutor. Heās a fucking liability and has to go. The social media guns will point tāward him next.
Second, Iād like to see a root to branch examination of lobbying interests in Parliament, with no fear or favour, that examines how the democracy we pay for, and vote for, is subverted.
Finally, I think Sir Alan Duncan would be the perfect replacement for Patel in the circumstances. Proven to be targeted by the Israeli Embassy, they wanted to use his status as an openly gay politician to discredit him.
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I think youāre in dreamland if you think this will precipitate the fall of the government.
At the start of this month, I said that government would be doing fucking well if it lasted until the end of this month.
Their first week report card is not stellar, and I honestly donāt see how theyāre going to make the grade.
They do not know where the next crisis is coming from, or when, except soon, probably. Even the most polished media in the world is going to have trouble presenting this turd of a government as anything but without losing whatever credibility it has left.
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May clearly was unable to sack her because Patel, and her sponsors, are calling the shots. Patel had 12 meetings with high powered Israelis, up to and including the PM, on a 13 day holiday. Accompanied by the President of the Conservative Friends of Israel, who facillitated the meetings. If anyone seriously believes that MI5/MI6 and No 10 didnāt know about this visit they must surely be terminally naive. The idea that Patel is plowing her own furrow is ridiculous. There is a massive cover up going on here. The bottom line is that we have a government minister, using that position to work in the interests of a foreign power. Priti Patel visited Israeli military hospitals, set up in the Golan Heights, which the UK, the UN and the rest of the international community recognize are illegally occupied by Israel. It is well documented that these hospitals are treating Al Nusra and Al Qaeda affiliated fighters who are fighting to overthrow the legitimate Syrian government, supported by the West. They are patched up and sent back on the front line. Nothing to do with treating refugees. This is a dirty game being played out here. These fighters are from the same persuasion as the Manchester arena bombers, Borough Market, London Bridge etc. Yet Priti Patel wants us to donate some of our tax revenue to assist these people in their terrorist attacks in Syria. It is afact that there are more gas and oil deposits in the Golan Heights than in Saudi Arabia so i guess the ends justify the means.
In all of the furore about Patel over the last 24 hours, one thing is striking. There have been no questions about the role played by Israel, no criticism, indeed no mention of Israeli lobbyists. More than 80% of Conservative MPs, and 40% of Labour are members of āFriends of Israelā. They have a majority in Parliament. Just imagine if these figures translated to āFriends of Russiaā, and a Labour Shadow Minister was caught doing as Patel did with Russian counterparts? It doesnāt bear thinking about. And there will be no criticism because immediately probing questions get asked about the insidious role these Friends of Israel play in undermining our Parliamentary democracy, the cry will go up, āAnti Semitismā. Eric Pickles, (Chairman, Parliamentary CFI), has already fired the first shots. This afternoon he declared that if it was any other country but Israel nothing would be said. In other words, Israel is being picked on, itās anti semitism, shut down the argument.
It is no secret that Israel and Saudi Arabia are looking for a war with Lebanon, Hezbolla and Iran. They desperately want our support, US support can be taken for granted. The people of this country would not support this, just as they didnāt support the Iraq war, the bombing of Syria and all the rest. Sadly, real politick will dictate that the Interests of a foreign state, albeit by any standards a rogue one, a flouter of international laws and oppressor on a grand scale, will trump the interests of the people of this country in the eyes of our elected so called leaders. Our role will not be so much a military one, our role is to give this rogue nation legitimacy. It shames us all.
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Post of the year Nottarf.
I saw a comment that says this leaves the door open for a return to the cabinet. Why FFS!!!
A few thoughts
Resigned v Sacked - well she deserved the latter and did the former to avoid the latter. The fact she was publically summons from an overseas trip with half of fleet street on the plane tracker playing āWhereās Pritiā would have been a humiliating experience. What would rubbing her nose in it have acheived, except for the Opposition crowing that the government has followed their advice. I would have taken the resignation. She has gone.
Do we need this department - can we merge it into the foreign office and cut the budget. They have Ā£13bn a year, cut it to Ā£9bn and give the Ā£4bn to the NHS. That would still put us in the top 10 countries as a % of GDP.
I seriously donāt get this friends of Israel bullshit - Why are the all signed up. Is it one of those clubs that you have to be in to get on in Parliament?
As for her return to fronline politics - this is something that happens all the time. How many shots did Mandleson get? They even enobled that arsehole to get him into the cabinet the last time. Patel fucked up and got her come uppance. Arguably her biggest cock up wasnāt the meeting, it was the fact she didnt give full disclosure earlier in the week and further shit came out. If you going to get beat, get beat once. If she does return hopefully enough time will pass and she will deserve it on merit. Second chances and all that.
The grace and poise of a wardrobe full of bricks wearing a swimsuit.
I donāt recall grace and poise being required by politicians: I actually thought it was necessary to have none.
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How could May SACK her @cb-saint ?
After all she KNEW about it and no doubt deep down sanctioned it. The ONLY reason this happened is because it leaked. Sacking her would have simply made things even worse than it already is
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The Friends of Israel thing has been on my radar for years. A school mate of ours directed Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East. One year, he revealed that 10m UKP was spent on getting pro-Israel peeps selected as candidates.
āWe got no moneyā, I remember him saying afterward.
The whole enterprise is about covering up the ongoing crimes against humanity and illegal settlements, or at the very least, trying to present both sides as peers in an equally contested struggle.
It is not, and when I hear people saying that Hamas fire rockets into Israel,canāt help feeling like itās like a burglar moaning because the resident of the house heās robbing has a shooter.
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I like the analogy. Reminds of the burglars who decide to turn over Duncan Fergasons gaff and discovered that Duncan was still at home.
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Any the winner isā¦
The flying wardrobe
Whatās this weekendās lottery numbers please?
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