So how is that working out for Switzerland these days?

Not sure what you mean. I do know they have a lot of referendums, some on pretty mundane topics I imagine.

SJB:

 

Not sure what you mean. I do know they have a lot of referendums, some on pretty mundane topics I imagine.

 

What I mean is you cited Switzerland as a positive example of a referendum system, but then say you have changed your mind about referendums because of social media influences. So does that mean that referendums are no longer working for Switzerland? That country is just as susceptible to social media influences as any other, so if the referendum system is still working well for them, that kind of suggests that the connection you are making is not correct.

I wasn't referring to them positively or negatively. Just as a country that I knew had a lot of referendums and I've no idea if they are working or not working for them. You would probably need to ask the Swiss themselves to find out (damn that means a referendum).

I was simply stating my opinion on social media, referendums and parliamentary terms.

OK, fair enough. It sounded to me like you were saying you were initially in favour of referendums because of the Swiss example. Actually, so am I, though I also agree with your social media comments. But if the Swiss are making it work in spite of social media, that might be worth taking a closer look at.

BBC News - PM 'a model of restraint' amid Parliament language row

today

Boris Johnson says he has been "a model of restraint" when it comes to language around the Brexit debate.

 

The PM was accused of dismissing abuse fears of female MPs as "humbug" during a heated Commons debate this week.

 

Mr Johnson said there had been a "misunderstanding" over his intention - which he apologised for.

 

But he claimed there was a "cloud of indignation" around the use of terms like "surrender" to distract from MPs' desire to frustrate Brexit. ...

 

First published on politico.eu, Belgium, August 24, 2019

BBC NEWS -  Brexit: Opposition parties 'will not yet push for confidence vote'

today

Opposition parties will not call for a vote of no confidence in the government to topple the PM this week. ...

 

Mr Corbyn, Mr Blackford, Ms Lucas, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts, and Independent Group for Change leader Anna Soubry met in the Labour leader's Westminster office.

 

The Labour leader said the parties were "absolutely clear we will do all we can within a Parliamentary scenario and within our own parties to prevent this country crashing out on the 31st October without a deal - that is what is our agreed position".

 

Mr Corbyn said there were "huge political differences" between the parties, "but we have come behind this point to stop a no-deal Brexit". ...

 

PS   for those of you not familiar with vintage UK food adverts ...

DS9: Cowards... They know they would lose the general election.

It's more than that; my understanding is that if a no-confidence vote succeeds then the process is that first, the Tories are invited to put forward another PM candidate who believes he or she can form a government. If that fails, then the largest opposition party (Labour) is invited, then a general call for an MP, and only then can the Queen dissolve parliament and call for an election. At that point Johnson, as the care-taker PM (since no other PM has been confirmed) can just move the election date to after October 31st and it's check mate.

In the interim of course the clock is ticking, and there is now less than a month for that process to play out, and everybody knows that it will be an uphill battle for anyone who wants to try their hand at forming a government to get all the agreements in place so as to have the majority with which to do so.

In other words, it's now basically too late for no-confidence to save them.

DS9: Parliament wants to revoke article 50, or at very least to enact the Norway model which has always been the remainers 'compromise', that doesn't adhere to the in/out that was offered though.

BBC News - Brexit: Government to reveal detailed plan for EU negotiations

today

The government has prepared the legal text of an updated Brexit deal, government sources have told the BBC.

 

It is expected to make more of the plans public in the next few days, a senior government figure says.

 

The government has suggested creating "customs clearance zones" in Northern Ireland and Irish Republic, as part of the proposals put to the EU.

 

Proposals for reaching a Brexit deal had been expected ahead of a crucial EU summit on 17 October.

 

The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson says this will happen whether or not there is a new deal with Brussels. ...

 

[BUT]

 

... MPs have passed a law requiring Mr Johnson to seek an extension to the deadline from the bloc if he is unable to pass a deal in Parliament, or get MPs to approve a no-deal Brexit, by 19 October. ...

 

Promises, promises ...   😕

Eventually Boris will ask for an extension but he has until the last minute do that, and may very well be planning to use the EU's inability to respond in a timely way against them. He may also be counting on a further extension being blocked by someone in the EU and then he gets to make them out to be the bad guy. He's not sunk yet. 

GV27:

 

Eventually Boris will ask for an extension but he has until the last minute do that, and may very well be planning to use the EU's inability to respond in a timely way against them. He may also be counting on a further extension being blocked by someone in the EU and then he gets to make them out to be the bad guy. He's not sunk yet. 

 

Actually looks like he's already presenting a deal that he knows they'll reject, then he'll probably try to avoid jail by asking for a short extension that he hopes they'll grant on the basis that he was acting in good faith and will come back to the table, but he'll call a GE and campaign based on them being "unreasonable"  about his "great deal" thus justifying a no-deal position to take to the polls.

That would confirm that Boris' position is all about Boris being PM - that he believes his own delusional narcissistic vision of a future Great Britain united under the greatest leader they've ever had.