September & Early October Overview of all the main Political Stories

ThePoliticsView has had a short hiatus during the months of September and October. The reasons being the editor took time off to amend personal matters.

This blog should provide an overview of the main political stories that have occurred since the last published article, when Diane James was appointed the new UKIP leader back in early September.

Speaking of which, she has ended up stepping down from the UKIP leadership role just 18 days after being elected. She reportedly felt hard done by as leader, meaning she couldn’t coney her opinions freely within the party. Nigel Farage has stood in as temporary leader until a new leader is elected over the coming weeks.

The favourite Steven Woolfe has recently been out into hospital after a psychical altercation with another party MEP in Strasbourg. An investigation is now underway to deal with the issue, but Mr Woolfe has now been sent home from the hospital and is recovering well. He’s still considering running for UKIP leadership status as well as MEP Bill Etheridge who came 3rd behind Lisa Duffy and Diane James respectively in the last UKIP leadership election.

Theresa May and her new UK government have solidified the promised Brexit outcome from June’s referendum result by announcing article 50 will be triggered by early next March in 2017. All parties held their respective conferences over the past few months, and during the Conservative’s conference, she outlined her plans for brexit to occur and negotiations will continue to proceed towards structuring the UK’s plans for leaving the EU.

She also states that MP’s will not have a vote on the Tory’s outlined plans for triggering Article 50, and it will go ahead under the Conservatives ideals. This however, only means the negotiations will not be affected by MP’s, but they may have the final say upon the ‘final’ deal in place before the UK triggers article 50. More to come on that.

Jeremy Corbyn has retained his spot as Labour leader after beating his fellow competitor Owen Smith, winning just over 60% of the vote (61.8%). He has also since re-shaped Labours shadow cabinet and he wants to be a pivotal part of the brexit negotiations, as well as challenging the tories in the 2020 general election.

Finally, the last ‘major story’ over the past few weeks delves into the American Presidential race between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democrat candidate Hilary Clinton. They have held the first few hustings, gaining millions of viewers worldwide, which have provided some interesting outcomes.

It’s reported that neither of them are winning outright in each hustings, but many feel Hilary Clinton is just edging them slightly over her rival Trump. Trump hasn’t been short of controversy in his debating skills, bringing up sexism, racism and prejudism into the fray through is ‘normalised’ bigoted views. Hilary herself has also been scrutinised for her deleted emails, ill well-being and behind the scenes issues by Trump, so both candidates are under heavy fire whilst trying to become president. The polls still have them neck and neck come November 8th (the date of the election) so more to come on that in the next few weeks.

What do you make of these major political stories over the past few weeks?

Is UKIP going to recover soon? Who will be their new leader? Will brexit be a success? Has Theresa May shown enough ambition fro Britain? Will Jeremy Corbyn be a success as Labour leader? Can they compete with the tories in 2020? Who do you think will be the next American President and why?

Comment below your views on any of the respective stories below

Labour Leadership Candidate Owen Smith states he would ‘consider rejoining the EU’ if Prime Minister

SOURCE: BBC

Owen Smith, one of two Labour leadership hopefuls, the other being the current leader Jeremy Corbyn,  has told Andrew Marr – host of the Andrew Marr show, that he would “consider applying to rejoin the EU if he became prime minister”, when the UK had already left.

It was stated by Mr Smith with reasoning that he “could support the move if the UK was in recession or the NHS was on its knees”.

It is publicly known that he has previously called for the public to ‘have a say’ on the terms of the UK’s Brexit deal.

Furthermore, Mr Smith has also promised to fight towards a general election happening, making a “really strong case for us to stay” in the EU.

However, if the current Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggers Brexit using Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty next year, it means the UK will have inevitably left the bloc before the next scheduled general election in 2020.

Also speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Mr Smith – who is openly emphasising himself as ‘more pro-EU’ than current Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – said it “was hard to answer a ‘hypothetical question’ about what he would do if he took over with the UK already outside the EU.”

However, he said if the “price of staying out” would cause something as catastrophic as a recession or damage to the NHS – “then I think the sensible and responsible thing for a Labour government to do is to say we are better off in the European Union”.

Despite the 23rd June referendum result to leave the EU, Mr Smith predicted “we will be telling a very different story to the British people” sometime in the future, if people’s well-beings and lives are suffering as a result of brexit.

He finally reiterated his open calls for a second referendum or a snap general election – to formally take place before the UK leaves the EU – on the terms agreed for Brexit.

What do you make of Owen Smiths comments on the possibility of him processing a UK re-entrance into the EU, if elected as PM?

Will this be undemocratic on his behalf to do considering the EU referendum result to leave winning by 3.8%? Will he ever be the PM? Will he beat Jeremy Corbyn to become Labours new leader?

Comment your views on Owen Smith’s ideas and chances of being PM or Labour leader below

UKIP Leadership Race: Steven Woolfe Excluded From The Race After Late Application

SOURCE: BBC

By September, there will be leadership elections for Labour, The Greens and UKIP after the backlash of the EU Referendum sparked resignations and inner party conflicts (apart from the Greens who’s leader Natalie Bennett decided to step down before the EU Referendum).

The Conservatives also were expected to have a new leader in September, however one of the two in the Tory race Andrea Leadsom stood down from the race, meaning Theresa May became the new Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader.

The article specifically delves upon UKIP’s race, a growing story after being shadowed by the recent Labour Party feuds effecting Jeremy Corbyn as leader, with votes of no confidence given to him by his own MP’s after their public disapproval over his Referendum performance was clearly shown.

Ms Angela Eagle, the former Shadow Business Secretary prompted the backlash through announcing her bid to become Labour Leader. Owen Smith, the current and only person challenging Corbyn to become Labour Leader, then shortly stepped up to the chase in being the new Labour Leader.

However, Angela Eagle stood down from the race, leaving only Owen Smith and Jeremy Corbyn, the current leader, to battle it out for Labour Leadership Status.

So now the Tory race it well and truly over, and the labour leadership race has quietened down slightly, UKIP have no become the news/public eye for leadership races.

Recently, the main UKIP leadership hopeful Steven Woolfe has been ruled ‘ineligible’ to stand in the contest to replace Nigel Farage – after he submitted his papers late. It was reported to be around 17 minutes late. 

This is big news, because according to the BBC, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) said it had voted by a ‘clear majority’ to exclude Mr Woolfe – previously seen as the frontrunner.

The MEP said he was ‘extremely disappointed’ by the decision, and three NEC members have quit in protest.

So here are the list of people who are on the UKIP ballot:

• Jonathan Arnott
• Bill Etheridge
• Diane James
• Lisa Duffy
• Phillip Broughton
• Elizabeth Jones

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Woolfe said he believed the NEC had ‘their own reasons’ for excluding him from the ballot, but implied it could have been linked to the fact he was committed to abolishing the executive.

The winner of the leadership contest – which was sparked by Mr Farage’s decision to stand down after the UK voted to leave the EU – is scheduled to be announced on 15 September.

Finally, In a statement announcing the final line-up, the party said: “By a clear majority of NEC members Steven Woolfe MEP’s application was considered to be ineligible as a result of a late submission and as such he did not meet the eligibility criteria.”

What do you make of the recent UKIP leadership movements?

Should Steven Woolfe have been accepted as a candidate, despite handing his application in late? What do you make of the current nominations list? Who do you think will win the UKIP leadership race?

Comment below your views on the UKIP leadership race

Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘Ballot Challenge’ Rejected

SOURCE: BBC

A call for Jeremy Corbyn to be taken off the ballot papers for the upcoming labour leadership elections has been rejected by court judges. The challenge was towards Labour’s decision to allow Jeremy Corbyn to automatically stand for re-election as leader.

Labour donor and ex-parliamentary candidate Michael Foster was the man challenging Mr Corbyn’s inclusion without having to get MPs’ nominations.

Mr Corbyn called the court case a “waste of time and resources”.

Mr Foster said he would not be challenging the decision: “We wanted the courts to adjudicate… they have.”

The rejected notion means the leadership contest – between Mr Corbyn and challenger Owen Smith, a former work and pensions spokesman – will continue as planned, with the outcome due on 24 September.

Due to the party’s rules, Mr Smith had to win the support of 20% of its MPs and MEPs to trigger a contest. In the end, he secured 162 nominations after the other potential challenger Angela Eagle, who also initially passed the threshold for nominations, withdrew from the race.

According to the BBC, whilst in a recently ‘highly-charged’ meeting earlier in the month, Labour’s National Executive Committee decided that, as an incumbent, Mr Corbyn was entitled to a place on the ballot paper without having to go through the same process.

Furthermore, the BBC say that ”Mr Corbyn lost a motion of no confidence in his leadership last month. In the vote, which was not binding on him, 172 out of Labour’s 231 MPs opposed Mr Corbyn while 40 voted in his favour.”

What’s your views of this challenge towards Mr Corbyn?

Should this have happened? Was it a ‘waste of time’ as Jeremy Corbyn calls it? Who do you think will win the Labour leadership race?

Comment below your views on the labour leadership race and Mr Corbyn being challenged as a ballot vote

Angela Eagle has dropped out of the Labour Leadership Race

SOURCE: BBC

It has just been announced that one of the two Labour contenders to become the parties new leader, Angela Eagle, has just stepped down from the race to become the next Labour leader.

She was up against the other hopeful Owen Smith, who is now the sole challenger towards the current leader Jeremy Corbyn to be called ‘Labour leader’.

The ex-shadow business secretary said she was dropping out ‘in the interests of the party’ and would back Mr Smith ‘with all her might and enthusiasm’, according to the BBC.

The critics of Mr Corbyn want a single challenger to take him on during the process.

The news came as details of how many nominations the two challengers had received from MPs was to be published.

Mr Smith will now go head-to-head with the current Leader Jeremy Corbyn, in which will be a tough challenge for him, due to a reported rise in support from labour members towards Mr Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn has come under much scrutiny from the majority of his Labour MP’s, but stood firm to not resign as labour leader, and also won a fight to be named as a nominee on the ballot papers for the labour parties leadership election.

Ms Eagle resigned after it was reported, both Ms Eagle and Mr Smith were to step down from the race, whichever of the two them had the less support from other labour MPs.

What do you make of Angela Eagles decision to step down from the Labour leadership race?

Was it the right decision on her behalf? Should she have fought on further? Who do you think will become the new Labour leader, and who would be a better choice in your view?

Comment below your views on Angela Eagles decision to step down form the race and your view on who would make a better Labour leader out of Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith. 

Labour leadership hopeful Owen Smith: “Only one MP should challenge Corbyn”

SOURCE: BBC

It was announced recently that Labour MP Owen Smith is to join the race for Labour leadership. Just day’s after he announced he was going to run for the lead-opposition party role as head of Labour, he now wants just two MP’s in the running for the lead seat.

Owen Smith has further said there was a ‘widespread view’ among MPs that there should only be one challenger, but that he was not sure how they should be chosen.

He suggested the party’s deputy leader, MPs or executive committee could choose between him and Angela Eagle to challenge Mr Corbyn.

Angela Eagle, who has already secured 51 nominations from MPs, announced she was running for the Labour leadership last week. 

The leadership contest is under way due too most Labour MPs signing a vote of no confidence in Mr Corbyn, after his questioned EU Referendum campaigning. Mr Corbyn has rejected their calls to stand down and won a battle to be automatically included on the ballot to be put to members.

His candidacy has sparked fears among Mr Corbyn’s critics that he could split the vote from members opposed to the leader.

Mr Smith told Sunday Politics: “I think there’s a widespread view in the parliamentary Labour Party, and indeed amongst many of the members, that probably there should only be one challenger.”

When asked how that challenger should be determined, he said: “I’m not sure yet. I think it’s not really for me to determine how we get there as one of the challengers, but I am prepared to submit to whatever mechanism – whether it’s the deputy leader of the party, or the parliamentary leadership of the party, or the NEC (National Executive Committee) come up with, or the PLP itself.”

Mr Smith also repeated his call for a second EU referendum, claiming voters had been ‘sold a pup’ by the Leave campaign. He said the poll should be held once the terms of the UK’s Brexit negotiations are clear.

What’s your views on Owen Smiths offering to become the new Labour leader?

Will he do a good job? Is he a stronger candidate than Angela Eagle? Will Corbyn prevail and win against the ‘rebels’ to retain his seat? Will this hit labour hard, considering all of the inner-party conflict?

Comment below YOUR views on Jeremy Corbyn, Angela Eagle, Owen Smith and the Labour leadership race

Angela Eagle launches bid to become Labour leader and ‘heal party’

SOURCE: BBC

The former shadow business secretary Angela Eagle has set out her challenge to become the new Labour leader through a bid to “heal the party” after the turmoil Labour has had in recent weeks. The current leader Jeremy Corbyn urged her to ‘think again’.

Ms Eagle has said “this isn’t about splitting, this is about reuniting our party”.

Mr Corbyn, was elected by Labour members but opposed by many of his own MPs, said he was ‘disappointed’ but would fight the challenge in which he feels little pressure over.

Labour’s ruling National Executive will decide whether Mr Corbyn must seek MPs’ nominations to run again.

Here are the rules in how to become Labour Leader.

Will Corbyn be on the labour ballot papers? Mr Corbyn has told BBC One’s Andrew Marr in an interview that the legal advice he had been given was that he would ‘automatically be on the ballot paper’ in the leadership contest, without having to seek the backing of MPs – the majority of whom oppose his leadership.

Ms Eagle denied to say whether she thought Mr Corbyn should automatically be in the contest – saying that was up to the National Executive.

But the former shadow business secretary told BBC Radio 5 live’s Pienaar’s Politics: “I’m launching my leadership bid… I think we need someone who can heal the party.”

“Look at what’s happening with the Conservative Party. They are going to have a woman running. I’m a woman with strong northern working class roots. I’m a gay woman… I think I’m the right person for this job.”

This launched bid from Ms Eagle came about through a vote of no confidence in Mr Corbyn by Labour MPs last month was passed by 172 votes to 40. But in last year’s leadership election Mr Corbyn was elected by the wider membership on the first ballot with almost 60% of the vote.

What’s your view of the labour leadership challenges?

Who will be the labour leader come the end of the year? Will a change of leadership help Labour improve? Will Angela Eagle be a good leader? Will Jeremy Corbyn win the leadership vote again?

Comment below YOUR view on Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour leadership race 

Brexit: What happens now the UK has voted for Independence from the EU?

Source: BBC

As is now known, the UK has voted to leave the EU – and has formulated a process that has come to be known as Brexit. Here is what is likely to happen next over the next few years.

• A New Prime Minister is Needed Imminently:

As announced in a statement outside Downing Street, David Cameron has said the government would respect the result and carry out the instructions of the British people, reassuring the 2.9 million EU citizens in the UK that they will not be adversely affected.

Although his responsibility was to remain in No 10 to “steady the ship”, he announced he would step down in the autumn as he was not the right “captain to steer the country to its next destination”.

A new Conservative leader and prime minister is expected to be elected by 9 September.

• A Possible New Labour Leader?

Its widely reported that the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has come under huge pressure from within his own party to consider his position, however he has insisted he will not step down.

Labour MPs have passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Corbyn, mainly due to there opinion of his weak leadership during the referendum campaign. As stated in the linked article above by ThePoliticsView, he is trying to fill gaps in his shadow cabinet following a wave of resignations.

Please note, this is not a formal mechanism for removing Mr Corbyn and he could survive even if the vote, should it take place, went against him.

• Steady the Markets:

Market reaction to the referendum result was immediate and dramatic.

The BBC have announced that the FTSE 100 index of leading shares fell 8% after opening in London on Friday. Furthermore, there was a big sell-off of bank shares and house builders, with Barclays and RBS at one point down by more than 30%. By the end of trading, the index had bounced back, closing 2.8% down. The FTSE 250 index closed down 7% on Friday.

The value of the pound has also been hit hard on the foreign exchange markets, tumbling to lows not seen since 1985. At one stage, it hit $1.3305, a fall of more than 10%, although it too slightly recovered to close down 9% at $1.36.

The BBC have also written that the Chancellor George Osborne ”made a statement before the UK stock market opened on Monday in a bid to calm the markets. He said the UK was ready to face the future “from a position of strength” and indicated there would be no immediate emergency Budget.”

• See how the EU leaders respond:

All EU leaders wanted the UK to stay in the bloc and a Leave vote has been met with disappointment and dismay across the Channel.

The BBC have said that ”hastily-convened meetings are taking place in Brussels and across foreign capitals on how to deal with the fallout of the UK’s decision, with the leaders of Germany, France and Italy meeting on Monday ahead of a wider EU summit later this week.”

European Council President Donald Tusk has appealed for unity among the EU’s 27 other members, saying the vote is historic but “not a moment for hysterical reactions”. German leader Angela Merkel said the vote was “regrettable” and a “watershed moment” for the EU.

• Trigger Article 50:

There is a formal legal process for withdrawing from the EU – enshrined in Article 50 of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty – although it has never been invoked before.

Mr Cameron has said it should be up to his successor to decide when to activate Article 50 by notifying the European Council. Once this happens, the UK is cut out of EU decision-making at the highest level and there will be no way back unless by unanimous consent from all other member states.

Parliament and the BBC have said that ”quitting the EU is not an automatic process – it has to be negotiated with the remaining 27 members and ultimately approved by them by qualified majority.”

Leave campaigners such as Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have said there ”is no need to trigger Article 50 immediately, suggesting that first there should be a period of informal discussions with other EU members and the European Commission to iron out the main issues and a feasible timetable.”

• Negotiate the UK’s Exit:

The main certain  question at the moment is who will do the negotiating for Britain? Who is strong enough to trigger article 50?

It’s good to consider that most of the senior members of the government – such as David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Home Secretary Theresa May – are all Remain supporters and some of them may choose to depart when the PM stands down.

The BBC have said that during the campaign, the Leave side are ”happy for existing ministers and senior civil servants – including cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood – to lead the negotiations although they would expect senior Leave figures to play a very prominent role, as well as figures from other parties, business, law and civil society.”

Now, however, it seems certain the next prime minister – whoever they may be – will take charge of the process.

•  Stable an unsettled Parliament:

The last process of extricating the UK from the EU, will ultimately involve rescinding the 1972 European Communities Act, the brief piece of legislation that brought the country into the European Economic Community, as it was then known, and which gives primacy to EU law in the UK.

It will also mean sifting through an estimated 80,000 pages of EU agreements, which have been enacted over the past five decades, to decide which will be repealed, amended or retained – a process which Parliament will want to oversee.

Parliament will ultimately have to ratify the treaty authorising UK withdrawal. Its good to consider that the majority of the UK’s 650 MPs were in favour of Britain staying in the EU and while they will have to respect the will of the British people, they will not be silent bystanders. This is where Brexit may be denied and stopped against the democracy of the UK. 

What do you make of Brexit? Will the UK be strong by the end of the process? Will the UK negotiate good deals and if so, under who? Will Brexit occur if parliaments MPs reject it?

Comment below YOUR views on Brexit and how the UK can be stronger outside the EU under a new leadership. 

Corbyn Rejects Resignation: Unveils new Labour Shadow Cabinet

Source: BBC

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has recently lost 12 members of his shadow cabinet on Sunday and five shadow ministers on Monday – with most criticising his ‘mute’ performance in the EU referendum.

Labour seems to be imploding, forcing the labour leader to announce a new cabinet following the wave of resignations in protest at his leadership and despite public calls for him to resign.

Mr Corbyn has according to the BBC that ”he regretted the walkouts but pledged to stand in any new leadership election.”

Labour MPs are due to discuss a no confidence motion against Mr Corbyn.

Here are the latest re-shuffles and appointments to the Labour shadow cabinet:

The new appointments include: (BBC 2016)

• Shadow foreign secretary – Emily Thornberry
• Shadow health secretary – Diane Abbott
• Shadow education secretary – Pat Glass
• Shadow transport secretary – Andy McDonald
• Shadow defence secretary – Clive Lewis
• Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury – Rebecca Long-Bailey
• Shadow international development secretary – Kate Osamor
• Shadow environment food and rural affairs secretary – Rachel Maskell
• Shadow voter engagement and youth affairs – Cat Smith
• Shadow Northern Ireland secretary – Dave Anderson

The latest frontbench resignations came on Monday, by shadow foreign minister Diana Johnson, shadow civil society minister Anna Turley, shadow defence minister Toby Perkins, Wayne David, the shadow Cabinet Office, Scotland and justice minister and shadow consumer affairs and science minister Yvonne Fovargue.

The mass resignations were consequently triggered by the sacking of shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, in the early hours of Sunday, after he told Mr Corbyn he had lost confidence in him.

What’s your view of the Labour resignations?

Should Corbyn have stepped down? Will the new cabinet be effective in the next few years and reshape labour for the next general election? What did you make of Corbyn’s EU Referendum Campaigning?

Comment below YOUR views on Corbyn, Labour and Labours Pro-EU Referendum campaigning. 

 

Stronger In: Voice YOUR views on Britain Stronger in Europe’s Campaign

Official Website: http://www.strongerin.co.uk/

This specific blog aims to allow you to simply voice your views about the Europhile Campaigners Britain Stronger in Europe. Stronger In are headed by individuals such as the UK Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservatives), Chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne (Conservatives) and Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn. 

Britain Stronger in Europe mainly argue the following key points as to why the UK should remain in the European Union.

• The EU allows for better security and citizen protection via its policies and working together with the other 27 EU states. It relates to boosting the UK defence industry. 
• The UK expenditure given to the EU allows the UK to access the EU’s Free Trade Market. This allows for a no tariff or taxation process to occur when importing, exchanging and transporting products to other EU states, which ultimately keeps prices low and reduces VAT. 
• Migration and Immigration allow the UK Economy to grow due to skilled workers and laboured jobs being filled and worked at efficiently.
• They argue over 200,000 UK businesses trade with the EU, so leaving would potentially effect the way these businesses are run and could see many close or go bankrupt.
• The last key point they have is the high number of economists who give warnings of a Brexit, due to the potential negative economic consequences of this occurring which includes the IMF. 

These are the main points from the Stronger In campaign as to why the UK should remain in the EU, which is mainly focussed upon the negative Economic consequences that  could occur if Britain were to leave the EU.

So what’s your view of the Stronger In campaigning and are their arguments valid and solid enough to sway you to vote for them?

Comment Below YOUR views on Britain Stronger in Europe’s campaigning and Remain arguments.