Steerpike

In a dramatic move earlier this evening, the MP Phillip Lee crossed the House of Commons floor to join the Liberal Democrats, in protest at Boris Johnson's Brexit strategy. The MP, who represents Bracknell (a constituency that voted Leave in 2016), blasted the government in a statement for ‘using political manipulation, bullying and lies’ to achieve its agenda. But Mr S wonders if perhaps Lee should look a little closer to home before he criticises others... Back in 2016, before the EU referendum, Lee spoke at the Frontline Club and emphatically promised the audience and his constituents that ‘if the country votes to leave I will represent the public’s view and vote accordingly.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?

It's all out war in the Conservative party this morning, after the former Tory Prime Minister John Major announced that he was joining a legal action (started by the Remain campaigner Gina Miller) which will argue that Boris Johnson's prorogation of parliament was unlawful. In his statement Major grandly stated that: 'I promised to that, if the Prime Minister prorogued parliament in order to prevent Members from opposing his Brexit plans, I would seek judicial review of his action.' And went on to add that his experience of having 'served in government as a minister and prime minister' would allow him to assist the legal action.

There were howls of outrage yesterday when Boris Johnson announced that he was calling for a Queen's Speech on 14 October, and suspending parliament for several weeks beforehand. MPs, Remainer commentators and even the Speaker of the House of Commons chimed in to label the move a 'constitutional outrage', and accused the government of politicising the Queen by requesting prorogation for political purposes. In response, the government sent out their own constitutional expert this morning to do a broadcast round, and to defend its decision.

Boris Johnson announced this morning that he will attempt to schedule a Queen's speech on 14 October, and will suspend parliament for several weeks in September to do so – cutting down the amount of time MPs have in parliament to prevent a no-deal Brexit. It's entirely normal for a new government to schedule a Queen's speech on taking power, and will usually suspend parliament beforehand (though not normally for this length of time). Boris Johnson's decision will also bring an end to one of the longest parliamentary sessions in history, and will not close parliament during the actual Brexit date, as many anti no-dealers initially feared.

To the G7 summit in Biarritz where Boris Johnson has held his first meeting with Donald Trump since becoming Prime Minister. The two blondes used the breakfast meet to talk up trade, with President Trump saying the UK leaving the EU will be like losing 'an anchor round the ankle'. A more jolly affair than the President's interactions with the previous prime minister, Trump praised Johnson as 'the right man' to deliver Brexit. The start of a new chapter in the special relationship? Captions in the comments.

Mr S was curious to spy a puzzling email sent out by CCHQ to their prospective parliamentary candidates today. The message asked would-be Tory runners to send in their CVs so that the party can select candidates for the next general election. Recipients were told that anyone selected as a parliamentary contender would cease to be a candidate if 'an existing MP exercises an incumbency right over it'. The email reads: The Board of the Conservative Party has decided to proceed with selections in constituencies that would be affected by Major Boundary changes under the Parliamentary Boundary Review.

Boris Johnson's critics predicted that he would be something of a disaster on the world stage, but his debut as Prime Minister in Berlin has got off to a good start. Firstly, he avoided the fate of Theresa May, who managed to get locked into her car when she arrived to meet Angela Merkel. And Boris has also cracked the famously difficult German sense of humour. During a press conference with the German chancellor, Boris turned to Brexit and said that he was optimistic that a Brexit deal could be done. He then borrowed Merkel's own phrase, 'Wir schaffen das' – or we can do this – which she famously used at the height of the 2015 migrant crisis. His comment went down well with the audience in Berlin. But Mr S wonders whether Merkel also saw the funny side...

Corbynistas are out to get Jo Swinson again after the Lib Dem leader accused Jeremy Corbyn of being a Brexiteer. 'Jeremy Corbyn didn't fight to remain in 2016, and he won't fight for remain now', said Swinson. It wasn't long before the usual suspects leapt to the Labour leader's defence. Step forward, Owen Jones: 'This is a direct lie. It's a matter of public record that Jeremy Corbyn campaigned for Remain,' according to the Guardian columnist. But Mr S isn't so sure. In the weeks before the 2016 referendum, Corbyn was asked 'how passionate are you about staying in the EU?'. Corbyn's response? 'Oh I’d put myself in the upper half of the ten, so we’re looking at seven, seven-and-a-half. Maybe seven...' Hardly a ringing endorsement.

'Poetry makes nothing happen,' a famous poet once said. But Mr S is still disappointed to hear that the nation's official poet won't be penning some lines to mark Britain's departure from the EU. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage said he has 'no plans' to commemorate Brexit day on 31 October. Whatever does he do for his annual stipend of £5,750 and the traditional 600-odd bottles of sherry he gets as payment? Then again, maybe Leavers should breathe a sigh of relief that Armitage has chosen to deny us a Brexit-themed ballad.