A Week Is A Long Time In Politics

Tuesday 9th July

And a day is even longer – it would seem.  Within the space of 24 hours we had two Cabinet Ministers, and not just any old ministers either, resigning, along with a handful of Junior advisors.  Yesterday I posted about Brexit being a roller-coaster ride, but even I was gobsmacked by the days unfolding events.

We went from relative calm, as it appeared that Theresa may had kept her fractious Cabinet together on the ‘awayday’ at Chequers on Friday.  Then David Davis resigned very late on Sunday evening (too late for most of the papers morning editions).  By lunchtime No. 10 had announced that Dominic Raab, a pretty nasty piece of work, had got the job of Brexit Secretary.  Mrs. May was preparing to speak to Parliament at three.  Then Downing Street announced that Boris had resigned as Foreign Secretary.  Apparently, he hadn’t even officially resigned as yet; so this was more a sacking than anything.

But, in the way of these things, the Tories sort-of rallied round, and May escaped a direct challenge.  By this morning it was all sunny uplands again.

But of course, this is not the end of things at all.  The biggest question for me is why on earth did Mrs may appoint Boris and Davis (and Liam Fox and snake Gove) in the first place.  They have been trouble all along, and have delayed a ‘sensible’ Brexit (mind you that sentence is nonsense – sensible and Brexit in the same sentence….durghhh)

And now they wont just go away and sulk.  They will jibe from the sidelines, especially as when the Eu begin to unravel May’s new Customs Arrangement compromises will have to be made.  I still think a ‘planned’ walk-out is a strong possibility.  And then Boris will strike….