On prorogation

Let me be clear, settling a political dispute in the courts is never going to be satisfactory. But when the Executive suspends Parliament to avoid scrutiny, based on something that has up to this point in time relied on convention, something needs to be done.

But it can't be done in the political arena because, Johnson is suspending Parliament.

Prorogation takes place between sessions of Parliament, so to make arrangements for the visit of the Queen for the state opening ceremony and the reading out of the speech. In no way does such arrangements take 34 days to conclude. Most years this period is a few days or a week. In 2014 it was 20 days, but this was to allow MPs to campaign in the European Elections.

Thing is, if there is no law against what Johnson has done, why stop at 34 days? Why not 34 weeks? Or 34 months?

Today, the High Court ruled in Johnson's favour, but it has been appealed and that will be heard on the 17th.

But the Cherry case is continuing, and that might supersede.

I mean, this is crazy, and Parliament might sit for the last time in 5 weeks on Monday.

A point to make here is the distinction between prorogation and a recess. In a recess, just The Commons stops business. The Lords and all the other committees and parts of Parliament continue as normal. Prorogation means it all stops. Nothing will happen at Westminster for 34 days. A literal suspension of democracy.

But Johnson has bigger problems. He is totally unsuited to being a PM. He has no real grasp of facts and figures, or details. His bluster and bumbling is an act, partly, and is great on the after dinner ciruit and in conference fringe events. But in the Commons during PMQs or giving speeches on live TV, he is dreadful.

But then again, most people don't watch his actual performances, I mean I don't either, and the BBC just reporting his point about "rather being dead in a ditch than postponing the UK's exit date beyond the 31st October". Facts don't really matter.

Johnson couldn't get Parliament to agree on an election, but the press and BBC reported it was Corbyn being chicken. That Johnson failed to persuade Parliament his motives were pure failed to convince some of his own MPs let along the hundred or so opposition ones he also needed. Sometimes, being a serial liar makes getting agreements very difficult, if not impossible, in that others will not believe you.

Why would they?

And neither will the EU.

Because he is already going back on what he agreed to when as part of May's Cabinet he agreed on the WA.

In order to get any legislation through the Commons, Johnson needs the support of members of other parties. A many of them. As well as both wings of his own.

Without those, he will fail. And keep on failing.

In an interesting twist, it was reported last night that Sinn Féin are open to pacts with other parties to stop no deal. Not sure if this means actually taking their seats in the Commons. So far they have failed to do so as it means taking an oath of loyalty to the Queen, but then stranger things have happened.