Thatcher

Brian Mawhinney, former MP for Peterborough (1979-1997) and North West Cambridgeshire (1997-2005), has died aged 79. Minister of State for Health (1992-1994), Secretary of State for Transport (1994-1995) and Conservative Party Chairman (1995-1997), as well as serving as the Chairman of the Football League for a while. Edit: Daily Mail, The Sun, BBC obituaries

Dead aged 85. Edit: Metro, Daily Mirror, BBC obituaries.

Dead.

Indeed. The Government may be up shit creek, but the public and voting intentions don't seem to care.

Some polls out this today, with fieldwork done from the 4th-6th which is after the legislation went through the House of Commons, after the purge of Tory MPs and after the opposition parties ran scared from a general election. YouGov: Conservative - 35% (-) Labour - 21% (-4%) Lib Dem - 19% (+3%) Brexit Party - 12% (+1%) Opinium: Conservative - 35% (+3%) Labour - 25% (-1%) Lib Dem - 17% (+2%) Brexit Party - 13% (-3%) Panelbase: Conservative - 31% (+10%) Labour - 28% (-3%) Lib Dem - 19% (+6%) Brexit Party - 15% (-4%) Greens - 2% (-3%) Regardless of how much of a catastrophe this week has been for Boris, the public appears to like his hardened Brexit stance. Incredible given all what's gone on really, but I think when the inevitable election comes it will be a shocker - even more so if as some newspapers are reporting the Tories and Brexit Party are touching base about an electoral pact. If the Government is really falling apart and it's all such a damned disgrace as they claim, then instead of moaning about it why doesn't Corbyn & Co. do something about it and vote for an election?

Bobby Dillon, defensive back for the Green Bay Packers from 1952-1959, has died aged 89. He was the Packers all time interceptions leader with 52.

Blanca Fernández Ochoa, a Spanish skier who won Bronze in the Women's Alpine Skiing at the 1992 Albertville Olympics, has been found dead aged 56. She had been missing since 23rd August and the BBC was covering the story. Blanca was Spain's first female Winter Olympic medallist. Edit: Daily Mail and BBC obituaries.

After you said if he didn't he'd get held in contempt of Parliament, I've repeatedly asked you and then what? You are yet to produce an answer. Theresa May's Government was held in contempt of Parliament and there was no consequence. If the consequence is simply a VoNC, then it gives Johnson exactly what he wants? With the added bonus of appearing to stand up to the Remainers and EU. Picture this: the beginning of an election campaign and you're honestly expecting Johnson to play ball and go over to the EU and beg for an extension? Or he'll just not bother and play hardball to win over the Brexit supporters whilst gearing up for an campaign? Corbyn and Co. can never again trot (geddit?) out the line 'I've spent my whole life opposing the Tories!' and 'This Tory Government is causing misery and harm' because they are now responsible for keeping the Tories in power. The public are not dim and will see through this crap. Corbyn is really making a tit of himself. As I mentioned last night, this whole thing is a pointless charade and finally Westminster is waking up to that.

LaShawn Daniels, Grammy award winning songwriter, has died aged 41. He contributed to songs such as Say My Name by Destiny's Child and He Wasn't Man Enough by Toni Braxton. Edit: The Independent, Daily Mirror, Daily Star, The Sun, BBC obituaries.

Peter Lindbergh, German fashion photographer, has died aged 74. Edit: BBC, The Independent, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, The Telegraph obituaries.

What's Royal Assent got to do with it? No Parliament can bind the hands of a successor. It can easily be repealed, tight timetable or not. If Boris did get a majority, it wouldn't even matter if it was repealed or not - he wouldn't need to go and ask for an extension. As I repeatedly said before, he's held in contempt of Parliament (although he wouldn't be because the arithmetic of Parliament would have changed). What next? P.S. We established you were the dumbass when you were claiming Labour had the policy of sort out no deal legislation and then campaign for general election rather than just go for general election for the past two years, as I hope you have realised now is not the case at all.

Yet another critical blunder from Corbyn. Not only will Labour get a battering for being a full up remain/referendum party now, but after whingeing for an election for so long he rejects the chance to go to the people. And what for? To pass urgent no-deal legislation. Legislation which requires the Prime Minister of the day to go to the EU and request an extension. But obviously, having an election on the 15th October means that should Boris get in with a majority he can repeal that legislation straight away and not even bother asking for any extension, crack on with no-deal and make Corbyn look like an idiotic coward who faffed around for no reason at all. Quite the gamble.

There was a threat of no deal at that point because as of yet it hasn't been taken of the table. You should then accept that Labour's position has changed since 2017. You also didn't mention what happens once Boris is held in contempt of Parliament as you suggested. When Theresa May's Government was I fail to remember any consequence at all so perhaps you can enlighten me.

You said Labour's position has always been since 2017 that they're happy with an election once legislation about no deal goes through. Don't chat shit. Here's Corbyn in May after Theresa resigned and he doesn't mention blocking a no deal before demanding an election. The circumstances have only just changed in the past weeks. You're honestly either deluded, misunderstanding the situation, misrepresenting the facts or a mixture of all three. I'm not disputing that the process and calculations amongst Labour have changed because of the threat of no deal, but don't say they've had this exact position since 2017 because it's straight up bullshit.

That's just a blatant mistruth. As soon as Boris was elected they demanded an immediate election with no preconditions about no deal.

He gets held in contempt of Parliament. What next? Remind me what happened when Theresa May's Government was held in contempt of Parliament? And you think Boris will be arsed about it? Yes, the Bill would be subject to amendments. But honestly, Labour and the other opposition parties have spent the past two years standing at the despatch box demanding an election, talking about 'unelected' PMs (when in a parliamentary democracy none of our PMs are actually elected), mouthing off about coups and being general whingey twats. Now, a Government who has lost their majority goes for an election and they back off because they're cowards? A fantastic look. Not just illogical but showing them up for the democracy despisers they really are. "Take it to the people" they moaned for the past two years. They are about to be given their chance on a plate and they turn their nose up at it? Pathetic.

If legislated for and Boris is mandated to do so, he could always go to the meeting on 17th October to request an extension, then since the UK remains a member of the EU, the government could use their veto to block our own request for an extension. There is also an easier way around calling an election. If the Government fails to get the 2/3 supermajority for an election, they can do a simple 'notwithstanding FTPA' Bill which would require a simple majority.

Laurent Sinclair, founding member and keyboardist of Taxi Girl, est aussi mort aged 58.

Although in the photos released she looks relatively well, she wasn't too steady on her feet today when visiting Downing Street and it took her quite a while to get around. Then again, she is 82.

Clora Bryant, American jazz trumpeter, has died aged 92.

Leslie H. Gelb, former columnist and correspondent for the NYT and the President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, has died aged 82.

Antoine Hubert, French racing driver and champion of the GP3 Series in 2018, has died aged 22 following a crash at the F2. Edit: Daily Mirror, The Sun, BBC.

Lila Cockrell, Mayor of San Antonio from 1975-1981 then again from 1989-1991, has died aged 97. Often she is quoted as being the first female Mayor of a major US metropolis. However, as her wikipedia article recognises, Bertha Knight Landes was in fact Mayor of Seattle in the 1920s. Nevertheless, Lila still holds the honour of being the first female Mayor of a one of America's 10 largest cities.

Nancy Holloway, American jazz singer popular in France during the 1960s, has died aged 86.

Larry Taylor, bassist for Canned Heat, has reportedly died aged 77.