A vote of "no confidence".

[cromwell]

As far as Covid goes we are in a dictatorship, or at least a one party state. Because our alleged opposition party goes along with every restriction the Conservatives put in place, and indeed complain that the restrictions aren't severe enough.

[Workingman]

Shame we can't have a mid-term vote of no confidence in the opposition.

[cromwell]

I've emailed my MP today and asked him why the Labour party is consistently supporting the government's Covid19 policy.
I don't expect an answer but at least he might realise that at least some of the natives are getting restless.

[Suff]

Maggie's challenges were because she was hard to get on with and all roads appeared to be easy routes to success with the chaos of the 70's far behind, the miners strike crushed and the Falklands long over.

The budget was well balanced and the economy was in no real danger.

The main issue was those out of work but they had successfully hidden 5m of them, so when civil unrest over the community charge happened and with lawson resigning over her refusal to enter the ERM, left an opportunity to be exploited in benign times.

Right now there is still covid to deal with, post brexit moves to be made and finances are in chaos because of the impact of furlough and lockdowns.

This is not a fertile breeding ground for competent replacements and the 1922 commission know it well.

The Tories will have been in government for nearly 15 years come the next election. The pressures of Brexit will be over and the aftermath of Covid in full swing.

Chances of the Tories winning the next election? Not good. This being the case, only wannabee dreamers are likely to put themselves up and they are not good news.

[Workingman]

The 1922 C have no say in who or when a challenge can be made, that's up to the MPs.

For the moment Mr Mop-head has lost large sections of the media. That rarely bodes well. Even the Fail, Depress and Torygraph have been running critical and questioning articles.

Today's Covid vote(s) and Shropshire tomorrow will be good temperature checks.

[cromwell]

They are criticising him but not giving his authoritarianism the abuse that it deserves.
From my point of view it's the policy that's the problem.
There isn't much point in giving Johnson the elbow if he's replaced by someone who locks the country down because someone coughed in Matabeleland.

[Suff]

They are criticising him because he won't lock down. Right now that is not a vote loser.

Today they removed the last 11 countries from the red list.

Numbers today, just under 60k new cases, 150 deaths and still 900 serious in hospital.

Or, put another way, no real change on the numbers that count. On an evidence based reaction, this is not the data for more lockdown.

The press keeps gabbing about closed pubs and restaurants for Christmas and New Year. Totally without evidence. This is because that would be a news bonanza for them.

But Boris refuses to pony up the lockdown (or even say it is coming), therefore they are running him down.

[Workingman]

As expected the government won all four votes tonight.

However, on the two contentious motions, Covid passports and compulsory vaccinations for NHS and health care workers, there were massive rebellions of about 100 Con MPs.

Johnson's personal plea to a packed meeting of backbenchers late this afternoon failed miserably.

Tomorrow's Shropshire by-election will now come under the spotlight as never before. Tonight's showing might swing a few votes. It has never voted for anyone other than Tory so a loss (very unlikely) would have the sky falling in. Even a much reduced majority than the over 23,000 of today would have chunks of it hitting many Tory MPs on their heads. A couple of rebel MPs interviewed on Sky told Beth Rigby that he, Johnson, had to change style. The warnings are being made public.

A space to watch.

[cromwell]

The policy is the thing.
If Johnson goes and is replaced by someone worse - and it could happen - we've gone backwards.
Btw I think the Conservatives will lose tomorrow and all the media will blame Tory sleaze. There's a bit more to it than that.

[Workingman]

One of the talking heads, Ayesha Hazarika, a political commentator and former political adviser to Labour said that if new restrictions were needed then Johnson would have to come back to parliament at which point Labour would not feel compelled to support the government. It could collectively abstain, offer a free vote to its MPs, or even whip to vote against.

If omicron keeps going as it has for the past few days that scenario could play out in the not too distant future.