What are our MPs doing?
With the Commons still not sitting, some of our elected representatives could think of nothing more important than the "last bongs" of Big Ben, gathering outside Parliament to shed a tear and perhaps start a protest group. |
| Stephen Pound MP - lead protester |
Refurbishment of the Elizabeth Tower, which houses the clock and bells, is already "delayed" and "cannot be delayed" further until the equally late restoration and refurbishment programme for the whole Palace of Westminster begins, according to the FAQ paper published by the parliamentary authorities.
Some MPs are still muttering about having to leave the asbestos-ridden and vermin-infested palace when the real work starts. For now a sudden attachment to the bongs is a symbolic statement of just the kind of ridiculous attitude to their jobs that contributes to their low public status. And it's so important to them that they've demanded a rethink:
"UPDATE:
When Parliament returns, in light of concerns expressed by a number of MPs, the House of Commons Commission will consider the length of time that the bells will fall silent. Of course, any discussion will focus on undertaking the work efficiently, protecting the health and safety of those involved, and seeking to ensure resumption of normal service as soon as is practicable given those requirements."
What is our government doing?
In advance of round three of the Brexit talks which start on bank holiday Monday, the answer seems to be "mostly media management", as the Financial Times legal commentator observes.Official Brexit documents should just be published to the public as and when available. No privileged prior 'embargoed' access to media.— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) August 22, 2017
A sequence of documents (specific position papers to inform the withdrawal negotiations and more nebulous "future partnership papers" to feed debate on later options) has emerged over the last few days. Each is embargoed - barred from full discussion before the overnight and morning news media have reported the government press statements and interviewed the supplied ministers. The ministers disappear when the actual document is "released". And most of the media have simply played along.
Round 1 of the Brexit talks began when we had no operational government. MPs had just about finished taking their oaths of office for the parliament elected on 8 June when David Davis and his team travelled to Brussels for the first formal session with Michel Barnier. But the queen's speech, setting out May's approach for her somewhat diminished government only came two days later, and the deal with the DUP, which guaranteed May's majority (for now at least) at the beginning of the following week.
Then after four short weeks of minor legislation and general debates they were off on holiday, which is where we are now. There are no Commons select committees (though the chairs have been chosen) to keep an eye on what ministers do. The Brexit committee (still to be chaired by Hilary Benn) took a long time to come together in the last parliament and I expect it to be among the last in this. Couple that with the fact that David Davis doesn't intend to give evidence to the House of Lords EU select committee until October, and he basically has a free ride.
After a brief return, during which they'll spend a couple of days on the monstrous (in scale and constitutional impact) EU Withdrawal Bill, they're all off for the conference recess, returning on the day the fifth round of Brexit talks begin and less than two four-day weeks before May toddles off to Brussels in the hope that "sufficient progress" has been made by then to get the EU Council to agree to instruct Barnier to talk trade.
Great Brexit Bake Off
After all the cake symbolism of recent months, from Boris Johnson's original "have your cake and eat it" model of Brexit to today's "Get yourself a cake, eat it, and see if it's still there" from Poland's former foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorsky on Radio 4's World At One, we have a contribution from Ireland:
Quote of Sunday - Irish MEP Mairead McGuinness: UK's Brexit proposal for Northern Ireland "is an attempt to have its cake and eat ours".— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) August 20, 2017
