Remain Parties Unite for the Wales By Election

Lib Dems get Remain Parties support in PM's first by-election test.

By Jon James

With a hard right, No Deal Brexit Government about to hit the public with a publicly funded 'Leave' information campaign evoking the war time spirit and aimed at convincing us to get ready to 'fight on the beaches' against the evil that sits across the channel, De Pfeffel Johnson is already out on the stump making promises to marginal seats he probably doesn't intend to keep. One can only hope that his new Chancellor is keeping tabs on his funding promises or the supposed Tory war chest will soon evaporate, let alone the £39bn owing to the EU that he intends to pocket.

Far from making any attempt to unite a divided country, he has 'phoned his 'chlorine marinated chicken salesman' friend across the pond for some tips and intends to dismiss, insult. misrepresent and categorise anyone who opposes his 'vision' as unpatriotic and defeatist. His old Leave mentor, Dominic Cummings, currently trialing hundreds of facebook messages is apparently seeking to turn the forthcoming Tory Conference into a four day Brexit Rally which should make fascinating viewing as the baying delegates from the shires are encouraged to chant 'No Deal - Now' and 'secure the ports'. As the finger is pointed at the Remainers in Parliament for obstructing No Deal and the 'will of the people' preventing the UK from Leaving and the Europeans are stubbornly failing re-negotiate, his party will be into a 'Back Boris' General Election, a gamble that he has already convinced himself he can win against what he perceives to be a divided opposition.

The honeymoon will hopefully be short and receive its first test this coming Thursday when the farming community in mid Wales will have an opportunity to reflect on their futures under a NO Deal Brexit. In what could be a model for future by-elections and an early General Election, the by-election for the Brecon & Radnorshire seat has broken through some tribal barriers. In the seat, held until 2015 by the Lib Dems and subsequently held by a recalled Tory*; Plaid Cymru, Green Party, Change UK and the Renew party agreed to stand down and support Jane Dodds the Lib Dem candidate. Needless to say the Labour Party leadership is neither united nor able to fully commit to Remain and contests this election. One can only hope that they will see sense before it is too late for the country.

Independent MP's Heidi Allen and Angela Smith have however both been campaigning alongside Jane and the well rehearsed Lib Dem by-election campaign machine is now into its final four days having spread the message across this large, beautiful rural constituency. East Suffolk party members have visited the constituency and taken to the phones, calling Brecon & Radnorshire voters who go to the polls on Thursday 1st August.

Finally, Brexit party's Farage is quoted as describing his party's organisation in Brecon & Radnorshire as threadbare which seems to borne out by his party's unsuitable mode of transport for the constituency. Locked down and going nowhere - the Brexit bus on the A470 road to Brecon.

*In February 2019, Tory MP Davies was charged with claiming false expenses, pursuant to the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009.He pleaded guilty in March and, in April, was sentenced to a community order of 50 hours unpaid work and a £1,500 fine.Under the Recall of MPs Act 2015, this conviction triggered a recall petition. After receiving notice from the sentencing court, the Speaker of the House of Commons indicated on 24 April 2019 that he would be instructing the constituency's petition officer to begin the recall process. The petition opened on 9 May and remained open for signatures until 20 June 2019. It required 5,303 signatures (10% of eligible voters) to be successful. The Conservative Party were officially registered as campaigners for the petition's failure whilst the Liberal Democrats, Labour and Plaid Cymru campaigned for its success. This petition was successful, receiving 10,005 signatures (19%), significantly in excess of the 10% of constituents required.

END

Pob lwc JANE