WHAT’S in a word? When it comes to Westminster, actually, quite a lot.
Remarkably[or not,] Jezza decided, after the most crushing day for a sitting government in living memory, he would refrain from mentioning the subject of its agony: Brexit.
While his chosen subject of fighting poverty was undoubtedly a commendable one, it was hard not to think that the chief comrade, nice chap that he is, does not have the capacity to go for the political jugular.
Just hours after the head girl’s humiliation, one could almost hear Labour eyes rolling in their owners' heads as their chief banged on about…Universal Credit.
Of course, missing an open goal provides an opportunity for the Nat-in-Chief to punt the ball in the back of the Tory net.
Adopting his best Disappointed Dad stance – you’ve let me down, you’ve let yourself down, you’ve let the whole family down – Ian Blackford focused on the release of the Government’s legal advice. And that’s when things got interesting.
The Highland champion quoted the legal advice, saying: “'Despite statements in the protocol that it is not intended to be permanent...in international law the protocol would endure indefinitely.’”
Endure indefinitely; legalese for forever.
The Nat-in-Chief then raised Conservative hackles by suggesting Mother Theresa had been “misleading the House, inadvertently or otherwise,” given Thezza had repeatedly insisted that any Irish backstop would be temporary,
Tory MPs shouted: “Withdraw!” as the chamber erupted.
The Speaker rose to point out firmly to the member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber that there could be “no suggestion of ‘otherwise’" and urged him to make it clear he was not accusing the PM of deliberately misleading the House; a no-no in parliamentary terms given everyone is honourable.
The SNP’s Disappointed Dad rose again to repeat the word “inadvertently” but shifted to the edge of parliamentary protocol by suggesting the PM had mislead the House “perhaps inadvertently”.
Oh dear. Tory hackles rose even further as the chamber erupted again with louder cries of “withdraw!”
John Bercow jumped up again, telling Mr B: “There can be no imputation of dishonour.”
He suggested the head Nat had inserted the word “perhaps” to keep his options open. “The option of imputing dishonour does not exist,” declared the Speaker, adding: “That word must now be removed. Please rephrase, continue and complete.”
One could almost see the Highlander momentarily thinking: should I walk out again and take my troops with me? But he didn’t, telling MPs: “I say again: inadvertently.”
The word “perhaps” excised, the Speaker allowed him to carry on.
It is noticeable how so far Mr B’s promised “maximum disruption” strategy has not occurred.
As we near next Tuesday’s moment of truth it might, at last, make an appearance. Perhaps.
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