Kemi Badenoch MP (North West Essex/Conservatives) said the Chancellor is walking back on her budget, which she said was called a “once in a Parliament reset”. The Prime Minister retorted that his eight months so far after “absolute failure” by the Tories has already improved the situation, so clearly he disagrees.
The fall of Assad is constructive for him, and for tensions in the UK.
The relief shown on the streets is emulated somewhat in the chamber, but they’re going to be disagreements about it. The politics of the Middle East, after all, is fraught with worries and fears.
In this context, Foreign Secretary David Lammy MP (Tottenham/Labour), calls the Commons “one of the great democratic chambers in the world”, which is true but only due to the day you’re in it.
A pop into the Lords. It’s a sitting game, watching the old ducks at play, and their discussions are heavy on detail. I find it’s usually more difficult to follow because usually there’s a lot more to it. At least, it’s what it sounds like. It’s a harder nut to crack than most parts to Parliament.
It’s to the Lords, again, and Syria comes up in the course of debates. It’s used to hearing takes on the world’s greatest news stories, and there’s a lot of experience in there.
It’s only a shame some show less of it, as a rumour around Parliament suggests a Baroness made an inappropriate comment to another. It’s just a case of love thy neighbour.
It’s a busy day in Parliament, as usual. There are lots of debates, if you care to listen. At one point it ranged from defence spending, railways, to rural affairs. It’s a lot to cover, but both sides of the house and their counterparts in the smaller parties try it aptly. At times they draw guffaws, and at others support (from their bedfellows, of course).
I think political football is a professional sport in Westminster and some are very good at playing it. It happened today during PMQ’s neither the Prime Minister nor the new leader of the official opposition scored a goal against the other. It was back and forth, and ended in a draw.
It’s still a war zone in the Middle East and the subject is unlikely to not come up in the House of Commons. The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy MP (Tottenham/Labour), bravely took questions from either side, ranging from claims to genocide to a repudiation of a direct interventionist tendency. It’s amicable, but there are clear tensions in the House over this issue.
It’s budget day, and accordingly the House is full. It’s also raucous as the leader of the opposition, Rishi Sunak MP (Richmond and Northallerton/Conservatives), gives his response to the Chancellor’s budget. He’s not impressed, and makes it clear in his rousing rhetorical flourishes, joined by members behind him.
The debates continue on the budget from yesterday. There are precious few Conservative MP’s in the Commons. They have their own reasons for it. It may be most Tories don’t care anymore, since their hammering at the polls. It’s unlikely they’re going to put up a sufficient fight in any event. They best be glad it’s not such a punishing budget.
In a quirk of recent Parliamentary activity it appears on record Reform UK are finding it hard to agree with the House.
In every vote since 4 July each of its MP’s have drawn the shorter straw.
It shows a maverick course so far and bodes an interesting way ahead in terms of further issues to raise.