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EU referendum provokes hyperactive inertia in Westminster EU referendum provokes hyperactive inertia in Westminster
(about 1 hour later)
Madness. Hysteria. Paralysis. Call it what you like, but the EU referendum has driven Westminster into a hyperactive inertia, an oxymoronic state in which everyone expends a great deal of energy getting almost nothing done. To all intents and purposes, the business of government has come to a standstill as politicians rush around like headless chickens to display their EU credentials. Madness. Hysteria. Paralysis. Call it what you like, but the EU referendum has driven Westminster into a hyperactive inertia, an oxymoronic state in which everyone expends a great deal of energy getting almost nothing done. To all intents and purposes, the business of government has come to a standstill as politicians rush around like headless chickens to scratch out their stance on Europe.
A morning’s snapshot. In the blue corner, Boris Johnson. Having spent the previous day seething at No 10’s interference in the sacking of the British Chambers of Commerce boss, John Longworth, the London mayor was forced into a reverse ferret after it was revealed his own officials had tried to muzzle any City Hall staff who held views different to their boss.A morning’s snapshot. In the blue corner, Boris Johnson. Having spent the previous day seething at No 10’s interference in the sacking of the British Chambers of Commerce boss, John Longworth, the London mayor was forced into a reverse ferret after it was revealed his own officials had tried to muzzle any City Hall staff who held views different to their boss.
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In the bluer corner, Priti Patel. The employment minister used International Women’s Day to make a speech in which she declared that any woman who voted to leave the EU would be a new suffragette. Even by Patel’s normal dizzy Siobhan Sharpe heights, this was obviously complete nonsense; her newfound C-list celebrity status as a Brexit face is making her even less inclined than usual to think before she speaks. Much more of this and the employment minister will become the unemployed minister.In the bluer corner, Priti Patel. The employment minister used International Women’s Day to make a speech in which she declared that any woman who voted to leave the EU would be a new suffragette. Even by Patel’s normal dizzy Siobhan Sharpe heights, this was obviously complete nonsense; her newfound C-list celebrity status as a Brexit face is making her even less inclined than usual to think before she speaks. Much more of this and the employment minister will become the unemployed minister.
Over in the Commons, Michael Gove was answering justice questions. Or rather, not answering them. As the justice minister doesn’t agree with the government position on the EU, Gove was forced to sit out any questions that were raised about it. So when Labour’s Bill Esterson asked whether the minister agreed with Sir Hugh Orde’s assessment that Britain would be a more dangerous place if it left the EU, it was up to junior minister Sailesh Varah to agree that was the government’s stated position. Gove did at least have the decency to look embarrassed. Pro-Eu Tory Jonathan Djanogly then asked whether he believed that leaving the EU would disadvantage British legal firms. A loud cry of “bollocks” came from the Tory benches. Gove’s ventriloquism skills are coming on a treat. Over in the Commons, Michael Gove was answering justice questions. Or rather, not answering them. As the justice minister doesn’t agree with the government position on the EU, he was forced to sit out any questions that were raised about it. So when Labour’s Bill Esterson asked whether the minister agreed with Sir Hugh Orde’s assessment that Britain would be a more dangerous place if it left the EU, it was up to junior minister Shailesh Vara to agree that was the government’s stated position. Gove did at least have the decency to look embarrassed. Pro-Eu Tory Jonathan Djanogly then asked whether he believed that leaving the EU would disadvantage British legal firms. A loud cry of “bollocks” came from the Tory benches. Gove’s ventriloquism skills are coming on a treat.
Normally the Treasury select committee is a rare breath of sanity, a Westminster backwater where some of parliament’s sharper minds – Tory Steve Baker is an outlier here – dispassionately examine the chancellor’s efforts to run the economy. But even that is a partisan bear-pit now that EU membership is at stake, as its membership is evenly split between the leave and remain camps. Only Labour’s John Mann has yet to declare his affiliation. As so often with the angriest man in Westminster, Mann is merely waiting to decide which position makes him the most furious and then assume it.Normally the Treasury select committee is a rare breath of sanity, a Westminster backwater where some of parliament’s sharper minds – Tory Steve Baker is an outlier here – dispassionately examine the chancellor’s efforts to run the economy. But even that is a partisan bear-pit now that EU membership is at stake, as its membership is evenly split between the leave and remain camps. Only Labour’s John Mann has yet to declare his affiliation. As so often with the angriest man in Westminster, Mann is merely waiting to decide which position makes him the most furious and then assume it.
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Mind you, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, hadn’t made things easier for himself by informing everyone the night before that the bank was preparing to release more cash in case all hell broke loose around the time of the referendum. There again, Mogadon Mark is so laid back he’d probably completely forgotten about his appearance before the select committee the following day. No one else in the room had, and the Eurosceptics were certain they had just discovered yet another government plot to scare people into remaining in the EU as Carney announced that a departure was the greatest financial risk the country faced. Mind you, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, hadn’t made things easier for himself by informing everyone the night before that the Bank was preparing to release more cash in case all hell broke loose around the time of the referendum. There again, Mogadon Mark is so laid back he’d probably completely forgotten about his appearance before the select committee the following day. No one else in the room had, and the Eurosceptics were certain they had just discovered yet another government plot to scare people into remaining in the EU as Carney announced that a departure was the greatest financial risk the country faced.
The committee chairman, Andrew Tyrie, merely prodded and probed gently every time Carney said something that could be interpreted as vaguely positive towards the EU, trying to get him to say something negative to neutralise the impact. Tyrie appeared to be regretting asking the bank to give its assessment of the risks of leaving. Objectivity was all well and good, but he could have done with Mogadon Mark being just a little more partial in his favour. “If I may say so, governor, you are choosing your words with the care of a bomb disposal officer,” Tyrie observed. Mogadon Mark was horrified. He would never dream of doing anything that hastily. The committee chairman, Andrew Tyrie, merely prodded and probed gently every time Carney said something that could be interpreted as vaguely positive towards the EU, trying to get him to say something negative to neutralise the impact. Tyrie appeared to be regretting asking the Bank to give its assessment of the risks of leaving. Objectivity was all well and good, but he could have done with Mogadon Mark being just a little more partial in his favour. “If I may say so, governor, you are choosing your words with the care of a bomb disposal officer,” Tyrie observed. Mogadon Mark was horrified. He would never dream of doing anything that hastily.
Jacob Rees-Mogg was rather less guarded – surprisingly so, given his usual evenhandedness; even he has fallen victim to the claim/counter-claim conspiracy virus that has infected Westminster. First he suggested it was “beneath the dignity of the Bank of England to be making speculative pro-EU comments”, then he went on to say Mogadon Mark had jeopardised the Bank’s “Olympian” detachment.Jacob Rees-Mogg was rather less guarded – surprisingly so, given his usual evenhandedness; even he has fallen victim to the claim/counter-claim conspiracy virus that has infected Westminster. First he suggested it was “beneath the dignity of the Bank of England to be making speculative pro-EU comments”, then he went on to say Mogadon Mark had jeopardised the Bank’s “Olympian” detachment.
For the first time in years, a flash of anger crossed the governor’s face. “And you are suffering from selective memory,” Mogadon Mark replied, his lids narrowing still further. There’s more to Mogadon Mark than meets the eyes. When you can see them.For the first time in years, a flash of anger crossed the governor’s face. “And you are suffering from selective memory,” Mogadon Mark replied, his lids narrowing still further. There’s more to Mogadon Mark than meets the eyes. When you can see them.
All this was lapped up by the pro-EU members on the committee who wanted Mogadon Mark to give more details about why the bank thought the economy would be in a complete mess. Housing price crash, consumer spending down, rise in unemployment. Bring them on. Why had Mogadon Mark chosen to announce the bank was preparing for a disaster scenario now? Because it would have caused even more panic to do it later. Boom boom. All this was lapped up by the pro-EU members on the committee who wanted Mogadon Mark to give more details about why the bank thought the economy would be in a complete mess. Housing price crash, consumer spending down, rise in unemployment. Bring them on. Why had Mogadon Mark chosen to announce the Bank was preparing for a disaster scenario now? Because it would have caused even more panic to do it later. Boom boom.
No one really wanted to listen to Mogadon Mark. They just wanted to listen to what they thought or wished he had said. Tumbleweed began to roll through the committee room as the impasse deepened. Everywhere you looked in Westminster, already closed minds were being closed just that little bit tighter.No one really wanted to listen to Mogadon Mark. They just wanted to listen to what they thought or wished he had said. Tumbleweed began to roll through the committee room as the impasse deepened. Everywhere you looked in Westminster, already closed minds were being closed just that little bit tighter.