Simon Flett

"When a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents...is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity", warned Alexander Hamilton in 1792, " it may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may 'ride the storm and direct the whirlwind"'.

Who else prefers the Spanish brand of US "special relationship" to the British version ?

This 👇 is what sovereignty looks like.

Prime Minister Sanchez and Foreign Minister Albares can exercise real sovereignty, in part because Spain is a sovereign nation EU member state.

(Additional parts include their respect for international rule of law, & possession of some cojones).

The #Brexit "sovrinty" Keir Starmer claims to exercise, earns him only further derision from Washington.

#RejoinEU

In 1306 Simon de Paris, humbly born but risen to be an alderman and sheriff of London, returned to his family's home in Necton, Norfolk, where he was arrested by the Lord's bailiff as a runaway villein - a feudal serf. The justice agreed with the lord, but the jury did not, and Simon was released. The right of juries to disregard unjust directions of Judges is ancient & precious & has been under assault of late. Labour was not elected to chisel away at the foundations of freedom of citizens.

Why is this #Labour Government appealing to try to enforce a repressive #Tory Law from 2019 directed at placards?

Do they not foresee that this will inevitably stoke contest after contest over a succession of flashpoints, for years to come?

How extraordinarily dim did you have to be, to have been appointed to the Organ McWeeney cabinet?

#Starmer could still mitigate the Labour loss by intervening. His apparent paralysis is indicative of nervous breakdown.

#RejoinEU

Just weeks ago UK Home Secretary Shabana #Mahmood had her specially-sharpened knives out for a British Chief Constable for his exercise of professional judgment & discretion in an operational policing matter.

This week, may it be her turn. Let her disloyalty & scapegoating be repaid to her in like coin.

The officer had the grace to resign.
The Home Secretary, as ambitious as she is treacherous, will need to be levered out.

Do your thing NPCC & Labour Tribune Group of Backbenchers.

#RejoinEU

The Ministers of the UK Labour Government Home Office, by their unlawful orders to Police Forces up and down the United Kingdom, have brought British policing into disrepute, at home and abroad. Public confidence has been severely undermined, police men & women forced to perform oppressive acts and the principle of policing by consent badly damaged.

THESE are resigning issues, and both Yvette Cooper MP and Shabana Mahmood MP should apologise to the British public, & to the police, and resign.

Today's High Court judgment may have been released to Home Office lawyers for sense-checking some days ago, but "embargoed". Such would be normal in many cases. If it was not, Mahmood 's declared decision today to appeal would be before having studied the legal reasoning & all the more regrettable. Ministers declining to heed the Judiciary, do not understand separation of powers between executive, legislature & judiciary, & display arrogance, & contempt for principles of democracy.
#RejoinEU

[Nostalgia warning].

In former times, the stock statement put out on behalf of Ministers whose policy has just been struck down the the UK Courts went something like:

"The Government is considering the detail of the Judgment."

With (optionally) "The Minister is disappointed in this ruling but continues to have fullest respect for the Court".

Or even (optionally) "The Minister is disappointed but will obey the ruling".

Dignity in defeat died under 14 yrs of #Tory

#ruleoflaw
#RejoinEU

This ruling was Mahmood's opportunity gracefully to disown the #proscription . After all, she inherited it from Yvette C.

But no, she champions it still.

At least her declared intent to appeal has the merit of ruling her out as a Prime Ministerial succesor candidate, (for who, indeed would vote for a candidate so objectively impetuous & obstinate?)

The sad truth is #Starmer stacked his cabinet with (mostly) dimwits. The talent is to be found on the backbenches.

#shabanamahmood

There will be plenty who continue to argue "but but but wot about the criminal damage?"

The criminal damage was capable of being punished under the existing criminal law.

That's the point.

Proscription was excessive, performative, and ill-considered because it snared even those making peaceful protest with placards.

These things were blindingly obvious to all who cared to consider them closely. So why were they not blindingly obvious to professed Human Rights lawyer Starmer ?

#proscription

The knives are out for # Starmer, & he has brought it on himself. He has attempted to Govern for the newspaper barons, & earned himself the accolade "worst Labour Prime minister ever," even from those who lent him their vote to be rid of the worst #Tory reign ever. When he looks back, may he reflect that it was because he closed his ears & his mind. Not least, by his dismissive & patronising "not in my lifetime" blob. #RejoinEU