SNP to become opposition party ?

[intexasatthe moment]

From BBC news

"Scottish National Party will today ask to be declared the official Oppositon at Westminster.

They say their leader Angus Robertson enjoys more support than Jeremy Corbyn.

There are 56 SNP MPs - but only 40 Labour MPs have expressed support for Mr Corbyn.

They also say they are able to fill all the relevant shadow posts to the government, unlike Mr Corbyn.

They point to Parliamentary rules which say the official Opposition must be "prepared to assume power."

A source said: "We have looked at Erskine May (the Parliamentary rule book) and will put it to the Speaker that the Labour Party no longer meet obligations to remain as the official Opposition.""

[Jenny1]

I don't want to see the UK broken up. But they're not stupid, the SNP, are they? They're showing more political competence than any other party at the moment.

[jaywalker]

Probably this is ultimately quite a serious issue for the labour party. If Corbyn-Momentum is re-elected leader after today's challenge then he will only have 40 supporters in Parliament. No way he can be official Leader of the Opposition (a post that has some constitutional significance). An adversarial system (benches facing each other) requires opposition. So what do the majority of Labour mps then do? They would have to form a new party - it would be their leader who became the new leader of the opposition. Not a gang of 4, a gang of 180. At least it would give them a chance to break their links with the unions and reinstate the rule that leaders are chosen to lead their party's representatives in parliament. The Tories have a similar problem by the way - it is not yet very visible but it will be when the last 2 contenders go to the membership for selection.

[Jenny1]

Hi jaywalker. I agree that logically we now need to see established parties splitting and re-forming to create a new political landscape. I just hope there are personalities involved who have the wit to get on with it quickly. The lesson they should learn from Nicola Sturgeon is that we are going through rapid, seismic change and failing to respond to that could simply leave them (and more importantly us) buried under the rubble.

[Robert Poste's Child]

How about an SNP-LibDem alliance?

[Jenny1]

Hi Robert Poste's Child. I had the same thought on another thread. Would Simon Hughes be the best person to write to about this do you think?

[Robert Poste's Child]

No idea. Isn't James Barber LibDem? Could be worth asking him.

Though with both major parties in disarray and fighting among themselves, if the LibDems had any political ambition left they would surely have leapt on this opportunity rather than remaining silent.

Worrying how self-absorbed the leading political figures continue to be; maybe Boris wouldn't have been an ideal PM but in the last week his speeches did try to reassure the general population and build confidence in the future. The rest just seem to be empire-building or stabbing someone else in the back. Still can't believe how quick Cameron was to jump rather than do his job. And for a Tory PM to have broken up the UK in the same month as the Queen's 90th isn't going to look good in the history books, is it. If he gets a title after this I'll join the Socialist Workers, never mind the LibDems.

[Townleygreen]

The LibDems havent been silent! They have had over 9,000 new members join them since the referendum. They appear to be silent because - having only 8 MPs - they only get very limited airtime from broadcasters - eg before their debacle at the 2015 election they'd be on Question Time every week. Nowadays it's maybe every 3rd week as SNP has replaced them as the 3rd biggest party, and thus SNP are on every week instead.

[Loz]

They have a remain policy - they should be shouting this from the rooftops to get support from disaffected remainers. I've seen Clegg in the news more than Farron.

They need a leader with some ooomph.

[Robert Poste's Child]

They shouldn't be waiting for broadcast time. This is what social media's for.

[Townleygreen]

Well, I've seen lots of posts on FB and Twitter about this from LibDems.

They're not waiting for broadcast time - that was to indicate why you may not have seen anything much on TV or radio.

[Townleygreen]

Here's Farron's on twitter:

https://twitter.com/search?q=tim%20farron%20stop%20brexit&src=tyah

[Townleygreen]

This was in the Indy

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-referendum-result-lib-dems-remain-liberal-democrats-live-policy-stay-leave-a7103186.html

[Loz]

Townleygreen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Here's Farron's on twitter:

>

> https://twitter.com/search?q=tim%20farron%20stop%20brexit&src=tyah

Looks like an average of about 2 tweets a day. Wow...

[Townleygreen]

Look, do a search on twitter. So critical. Why?

[Jenny1]

Would you favour an SNP/Lib Dem alliance at this point Townleygreen? I'd certainly welcome it.

[Townleygreen]

Maybe, they agree on Remain if nothing else!