The EGM vote for the Qatar APPG chairmanship – sparked following the death of Sir David Amess – turned into a Scotland vs Wales nail-biter, with former secretary of state Alun Cairns beating former secretary of state David Mundell by just one vote at 46-45. The tally took quite a long time to count up as many of the 91 MPs attempting to vote didn’t know how to update to the latest version of Zoom. Apparently leading to dozens of confused Members sending in their votes via frenzied WhatsApps and emails…
What’s surprising is just how many MPs actually showed up to the vote. Usually an APPG AGM would struggle to attract one to two dozen MPs – 91 turning up for the Qatar group’s is extraordinary. As one MP wryly observed, it’s almost as if there’s a World Cup in Qatar coming up this winter…
Oliver Mundell was expelled from the Scottish Parliament this afternoon after accusing Nicola Sturgeon of lying to the chamber over the Alex Salmond enquiry. Mundell was given two opportunities to withdraw the comment and refused to on both counts. As entertaining a scene as Holyrood could hope of mustering…
David Mundell tells The Times…
“I expect Christmas to take place.”
EXCLUSIVE: Watch @DavidMundellDCT hit out at @DominicRaab's resignation, calling him a "carpet bagger" and says he himself won't resign. pic.twitter.com/IMEXIYJPHZ
— Representing Border (@ITVBorderRB) November 15, 2018
Punchy from the Scotland Secretary, calling Raab a “carpet bagger”. Can safely lower odds on Mundell resigning…
Theresa May’s Brexit headache has got another notch worse with the arrival of a letter from all thirteen Scottish Tory MPs, including Scottish Secretary David Mundell, explicitly reaffirming their red lines on UK fishing rights post Brexit. It includes a stark warning against “becoming an independent coastal state in name only“, and makes clear that Scottish Tory MPs “could not support an agreement with the EU that would prevent the UK from independently negotiating access and quota shares.” Not a good sign for Downing Street that Mundell, a Cabinet minister who has had access to the actual text, has signed it…
Read the full text below:
Tory conference finally saw the energy and passion it has been lacking this week courtesy of the InHouse Communications karaoke night. Partygoers witnessed peak Matt Hancock as he took to the stage to sing Happy Birthday to himself, before performing a high octane duet of Don’t Stop Me Now with Therese Coffey (watch above). James Cleverly and Kelly Tolhurst attempted Don’t Go Breaking My Heart before Clevz redeemed himself with a more impressive rendition of Twist and Shout, complete with memorable hip action. Will Quince demonstrated surprising depth as he had the room hand-waving to My Way. Nigel Evans gave us Delilah, David Mundell just about made his way through 500 Miles and a Brexit-backing cross-party trio of Paul Scully, Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Ian Paisley Jnr had the room rocking to Sweet Caroline. Then it was the turn of the Lobby…
Faisal Islam took great pleasure in adapting the lyrics of Don’t Look Back in Anger to belt out “So, Boris can wait” – just the latest MSM smear. Dan Hodges and Glen Owen teamed up with Number 10 Sunday Lobby specialist Kirsty Buchanan to murder Mr Brightside. An emotional David Wooding, one arm raised aloft, sang You’ll Never Walk Alone, the only time he’ll be able to do that in Manchester. The night ended with Number 10’s Richard “Tricky” Jackson nailing You Raise Me Up. Hic…
