Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

The EU referendum bill goes to the committee stage on 16 June, then there is the report stage and the 3rd reading and then its off to the Lords. There is no opposition at all so far. It should be law very soon.

Hays - do you think that ministers should be unshackled from "follow the leader" once the referendum campaigns start?

It is difficult as there is the ministerial code involving collective cabinet responsibility. The convention is that if you publicly speak against cabinet policy then you have to leave. After any new concessions from the EU, the government will choose which side it is on and campaign for that view. That will become the official government position and the cabinet will therefore have to support it. Of course, we know right now that the view will be to stay in. I would like to see ministers free to choose sides for themselves, but I can't see it happening. It was the same situation on the previous referendum on Europe. The government campaigned actively pro Europe.

it didn't need the preamble :-)

as this is a countrywide free vote - aka a referendum - then i think any mp has the right to speak as he feels

however, if a minister decides he wants to campaign against the gov't's stance, then he should have the courage of his convictions and resign from cabinet
less tautologically - on reflection, i also think the cabinet needs to campaign as an entity

The preamble was for the benefit of people who don't know about the ministerial code convention.

cyners - 10 Jun 2015 12:42 - 60737 of 60738
it didn't need the preamble :-)

Assuredly. Why do the words pot, kettle and black spring to mind?

it is now is coming to light of fifa fixing football matches .
with players

quite right hils ..... i've actually been a bit preoccupied today so was not my usual succinct self :-)

You are rambling as per usual!

I reckon you should get an invite to cynics place for Christmas Fred ..

Jb,

Please don't write such things, I already have enough nightmares.

8-)

we always go away just in case fred turns up uninvited :-)

Which day do you go.

I will take a look around.

-[8-)

Fred's house

One for cynic

What you have all been suspecting!

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/10/raheem-kassam-ukip-nigel-farage-rag-tag-unprofessional-embarrassing-people

Raheem Kassam: Ukip full of 'rag-tag, unprofessional, embarrassing people'

Former closest adviser to Nigel Farage says Ukip leader’s election campaign was let down by party being ‘in a mess because there’s no discipline’

Nigel Farage’s election campaign was hampered by a party which is in a mess and full of “rag-tag, unprofessional, embarrassing people”, according his closest adviser in the election campaign.

Raheem Kassam, who left Ukip during a bout of bitter infighting after the election, warned the party itself is in a “mess because there’s no discipline” and came near to being completely broke after throwing everything at the general election campaign. Ukip is now in the process of moving from its Mayfair office and downsizing to a much smaller location in Westminster.

The Farage adviser said he looked back on many people within Ukip as “a bunch of rag-tag, unprofessional, embarrassing people who let Nigel down at every juncture.

- Described Ukip’s headquarters as “like a fucking playground”, where he and another aide would show journalists around and “have to lock certain doors because the people behind those doors were too embarrassing to be seen”.

That last paragraph sounds like Fred's place. Signed photographs of Neil Kinnock falling arse over tit into the sea. Gordon Brown smiling over the fireplace. And Michael Foot in his donkey jacket dishing out Tetley T Bags in the kitchen. :0)