Emily Maitlis sums up the pointlessness of the vote forced by the SNP on Syria last night with help from a confused Mark Lancaster:
Maitlis: “Mark Lancaster, would you like to appear on Newsnight tonight?”
Lancaster: “Well, I’m on Newsnight tonight…”
Maitlis: “Right, so it was a pointless question. In other words, you’re here. You’ve decided. That’s what’s happened all afternoon.”
Not sure Burgon got it…
Labour Shadow DEFRA minister David Drew thought he had a canny written question for the MoD:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to support Albania’s application to join NATO.”
The minister’s reply?
“Albania became a full member of NATO on 1 April 2009.”
Doh!
The latest round of reshuffle appointments has seen Alistair Burt, Alok Sharma, Mark Field and Mark Lancaster promoted to Minister of State level. All of them Remainers…
The penny has dropped this afternoon that the PM’s new chief of staff Gavin Barwell has been slotting in Remainers where ever he can. The replacement of fervent Brexiteer David Jones as Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union was remarkable. Guido understands that Jones – who led the Welsh arm of the Vote Leave campaign – was replaced by Baroness Anelay without reference to his boss David Davis. That raised eyebrows…
Insiders grumble that the charming Barwell, an arch-Remainer, blames the loss of his Croydon seat on Brexit, London being a Remain stronghold. He is taking the opportunity of being restored to the centre of power to put pro-Remain allies into positions of influence. Barwell is also being blamed for the clumsy “end to austerity” spin. Hardly anyone on the Tory backbenches thinks that the loss of a 24 point lead in a 7 week election was due to voters changing their views on fiscal prudence. Britain was not suddenly converted to the merits of harvesting magic money trees…
Late night singing action in the Commons… as Tory MP @JamesCleverly gives a rendition of part of the US anthem pic.twitter.com/gPdFFug3dq
— Richard Wheeler (@richard_kaputt) July 4, 2016
Guido thinks James Cleverly’s excuse for singing – in breach of parliamentary etiquette – lines from the Star Spangled Banner had something to do with the rockets referenced in the anthem being Congreve Rockets of the oyal Artillery. The House was acknowledging the 300th Anniversary of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and Corps of Royal Engineers. Cleverly still serves as a Lieutenant colonel in the Royal Artillery reserves and Mark Lancaster holds the same rank in the Royal Engineers reserves. Lancaster’s response was less melodic…
