Another Tory Mp Resigns

[ichkeria]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37872899

Will that be the end of it?

[gulliver1]

GOOD!

[Old_Geezer]

"In last year's election, Mr Phillips won a majority of 24,115, with 56% of the vote. Labour finished second in the eurosceptic constituency, closely followed by UKIP."

Hmmm I reckon the Tories should leave the UKIP candidate to take the seat in any forthcoming by-election then. If they put up another Tory candidate and Phillips stands, they split the 'leaver' vote, and a eurosceptic constituency may just inadvertently elect a europhile Labour candidate.

[youngmafbog]

What is good?

Will it be the end of it? No, I doubt it.

[youngmafbog]

IDS has suggested he wants to get back to the bar.

Must be mates with Nigel.

[naomi24]

The end of what?

[gulliver1]

IS that why IDS always stood nearest the door at PMQs so he could be first to get back to the Bar?

[Khandro]

Sometimes they say they want to spend more time with their family some link it to an issue, unlikely that is all there is to it, and if he thinks something is wrong wouldn't remaining in the house be a better option for redress?

[jonty4]

Well said OG, this must be a chance for Nigel to fill the gap. I hope that this is the last of the uncommitted Tory MPs to resign. We do not need waverers doing their best to scupper or 'soften' the exit. If Teresa did call an election soon she should have a clear majority. On a related topic did anyone else feel patronised by the words of the 'lady' who led the challenge in the High Court? 'She was helping all those people who voted for Brexit on the basis of lies and deception by the Brexiteers. I thought we voted to get out of the EU and to get rid of Dave and his cronies!

[naomi24]

Don't get too excited. Bit like buses really. With a majority like that there'll be another one along shortly.

[ichkeria]

It's hard to see how the Tories could lose a by-election here: although this is the second resignation, it's very different to the first, and arguably more worrying for them as it's about Brexit unlike the Goldsmith one. And Mr Phillips is a Leaver as well! The predicted cracks are widening.
In the current climate many who question the direction of the government or what the referendum result means, are being shouted down. Some of the abuse (admittedly of the cowardly online sort) aimed at Gina Miller for example, has been pretty vile.

[naomi24]

The cracks are not widening, Goldsmith the Conservative will be back in the guise of an Independent until next time, and another Conservative will replace Phillips. Fuss over nothing.

[ichkeria]

The cracks are in the parliamentary party and who knows beyond, regardless of any by election results. Tho those by elections themselves have the potential to highlight further divisions. Not just over Brexit but the tax and spend stuff as well, tho I suspect that will be forgotten about.
I'd be surprised if May thinks this is a fuss over nothing. She'd be foolish to.

[naomi24]

You can hope.

[mikey4444]

An honourable man it would seem, one that is prepared to resign his safe seat on a point of honour.

[Khandro]

^^ yada, yada.

[jno]

insightful comment, Khandro, Brexit oratory at its finest.

Phillips has a point: Parliament is becoming sidelined. It's not just a Tory thing; Blair did the same. It means power becoming concentrated in the hands of a powerful prime minister and his/her friends and allies rather than simply in the hands of those elected by the public.

The Tories are unlikely to lose the seat but it seems a cause worth fighting for.

[jim360]

Maybe this will get lost in the back pages of history but all the same it should be obvious that things *could* get a lot worse for the Tory government. This resignation, and the legal defeat yesterday (and its follow-up in the Supreme Court in December or January), shows that May's approach to Brexit at the very least is likely to need serious changes. And honestly I don't think she looks very keen on making those changes. I wonder if she's trying to learn the lessons from Cameron's flip-flopping premiership and being as true to herself as possible, but that risks just being disastrously stubborn instead.

One way or another, though, it seems more than a little like anyone saying "this is fine" just has their head in the sand.

[mikey4444]

3 Tory MPs, in not many more months. I wonder if we are all still in this together ?

Its worth bearing in mined that this latest resignee, Mr Phillip voted to LEAVE in June !

[Gromit]

He says he can no longer support the Conservatives because they have turned into UKIP Lite. Quite a condemnation from one of their own.

[Khandro]

It was all about ego, not national politics,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/04/stephen-phillips-was-furious-over-lack-of-promotion-mps-suggest/