[Closed] The going rate for an MP's vote is now £100 million

HOL select committee report on Barnett Formula:

[i]‘Formula Bypass’ since 1997
42. Notwithstanding the fact that the Formula has been applied more rigidly since 1999, there have been significant increases in funding for the devolved administrations outside the application of the Formula. For Northern Ireland, the Reform and Reinvestment Initiative was introduced in 2002, and provided for borrowing powers, a fund for capital investment in infrastructure, and a strategic investment board to manage infrastructure improvements. In addition, Northern Ireland benefited from additional funding from the Treasury to support European Union (EU) funding as well as under the ‘PEACE 2’ programme. Wales also secured additional funding to support use of EU Objective 1 monies (and subsequently Convergence Fund monies, as the successor to Objective 1). Such funds are transferred outside the scope of the Barnett Formula, so in that sense constitute ‘Formula Bypass’.36 Decisions about whether they should be granted or not have been taken by the United Kingdom Government to date, after representations by the devolved administrations but without, so far, involving the JMC formal machinery.37 Another issue which may have to be similarly dealt with is the future funding of policing in Northern Ireland.[/i]

So, looks like it's perfectly acceptable for funding to be made outside Barnett criteria without affecting payments to other regions - sorry TJ.

Magic money tree sprouting extra branches all over the shop, what with that 1.5bn & triple lock and winter fuel payments being kept too. It's bungs for the OAPS & DUPs...

Plus the Tories have now allied themselves with the most bigoted anachronistic party in the UK (UKIP not a real party, obvs)

That'll go down well with the younger voters Corbyn has managed to engage.

The Tories new theme tune?

Brexshit hasn't really even hit the fan yet, but at least the Tories are doing a good job of smearing themselves in faeces

So, looks like it's perfectly acceptable for funding to be made outside Barnett criteria without affecting payments to other regions - sorry TJ.

Yes 100% acceptable if you live in NI for sure, for the rest of austerity Britain, it's looking like a fat juicy bribe with taxpayers money, that's exactly what all those Tory voters were after, I'm sure 😉

Colonel Ruthless D. has said Barnett doesn't apply.

Fluffy Mundell said it does.

Given the Scottish Tories existing cosy relationship with the Orange Order, why would anything in the DUP deal bother Ruth?

Ruth Davidson doesn't seem that bothered.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-40406346

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson argued it was "absurd" to criticise UK government spending on top of Barnett in Northern Ireland, when "the exact same thing happens in Scotland".

David Mundell on the other hand.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell has previously said he would not support funding which "deliberately sought to subvert the Barnett rules".

Speaking to BBC Scotland last week, he added: "We have clear rules about funding of different parts of the United Kingdom.
"If the funding falls within Barnett consequentials, it should come to Scotland."
Mr Mundell was also quoted in newspapers over the weekend as saying that he would block any "back door funding" for Northern Ireland if it meant the other devolved nations missing out.

I'm sure he'll do a u-turn soon enough.

scotroutes - Member
Colonel Ruthless D. has said Barnett doesn't apply.

Fluffy Mundell said it does.

Given the Scottish Tories existing cosy relationship with the Orange Order, why would anything in the DUP deal bother Ruth?

I'd also think any idea that Ruth and her dirty bakers dozen will be anything other than subservient to London herarchy is laughable.

Given the Scottish Tories existing cosy relationship with the Orange Order,

I know, the way it's all going anyone would think that they were some sort of conservative [u]and[/u] unionist party wouldn't they?

Exactly. That's why I goggle at the surprise some are showing.

Of course she can always feign disgust at their stance on LGBT rights as long as she doesn't let that get in the way of her ambition.

The Conservative & Unionist* party,

*LGBTs, kaffliks, climate change advocates and believers in dinosaurs need not apply! 😆

5 billion please. Enough to dual the A9 and a nice pay rise for the public sector

Christ, you must be a barrel of laughs TJ! 5 Billion and you'd buy a [i]road[/i]? 😆

A9 is fine as it is btw, spend it on bike park Scotland!

I think Davidson will extract a real price from May. Things like the fisheries and agriculture decision making coming back from the EU will go to Holyrood not Westminster. Maybe a nice chunk of funding for rural development.

The real issue will come if the DUP force a vote on something she just couldn't stomach - like an "conscience clause" for registrars so they don't have to conduct gay marriage.

I think she unlike many is an honest politician with a real social conscience. She has looked very uncomfortable at times defending Westminster policy on things she does not like. She also has a very strong and solid power base in Scotland.

I could see her splitting the scots tories off from the english - IIRC the parties are much more separate than the Labour party so would be fairly easy to do.

She is still young and has time on her side. She won't want to be tory leader in Westminster now - but in ten years?

she unlike many is an honest politician with a real social conscience. She has looked very uncomfortable at times defending Westminster policy on things she does not like

The reality is she will not press the nuclear option of taking the scottish tories out of westminster ones - she is a unionist after all- so all she has is some pretty stern tutting to do coupled with more principled support for policies she does not like.

tjagain - Member
I think Davidson will extract a real price from May.

We shall see. She has her own powerbase and she is in a very strong position. Would be very good for her politically to be able to say - "this is what you get if you vote tory in Scotland - a nice branch of the magic money tree"

I am more worried about the risk of the IRA remobilising than the 1Billion of extra spending (over 2 years)

TJ - are you on something? What on earth is causing your Davidson love-in. She's done u-turn after u-turn (line in the sand?) and is plainly only interested in her own ambitions. She'll do nothing to rock the boat and has already dismissed any notion of a breakaway Scottish Tory party.

I read her very differently scotroutes. Thats all. See her tweet about the DUP for one example.

We will see ho is right in the fullness of time. I think she will do a fair amount of arm twisting behind the scenes given her position of relative power right now. She won't bring a tory government down of course under any circumstances but I can see her extracting stuff from Westminster like fisheries and agriculture to come to holyrood not westminster then claiming this as a good reason to vote tory in Scotland.

I ain't tribal in my politics - not that I would ever vote tory in any form.

Yeah we're always skint unless the Tories want to spend the money.

Balls. All of it.

So if the NI money is dependant on both parties adhering to commitments in the Good Friday Agreement, doesnt that include a return to power sharing? Havent Sinn Fien vowed not to form a power sharing government with Arlene Foster in it, and also isnt Gerry Adams vehemently anti brexit? Be interesting to see if Sinn Fien take the money or decide to kick up a fuss.

She won't bring a tory government down of course under any circumstances

which if true (and believed to be true by May), makes her utterly powerless.

as i said all she will do is tut

May knows this in fact everyone seems to know it but you

What did she say about going separate with the Scottish tories
"bollocks"

We shall see. she is in a very strong position in some ways and is far more able than anyone at Westminster.

don't let hatred of the tories blind you.

Should be enough cash in the NI kitty now to resurrect the renewable heating scheme for a few more years...

tjagain - Member
We shall see. she is in a very strong position

Within the tory westminster party she has no more power than any other random grouping of 13 mps. And tbh, even in that context, she isn't the one with any power. I'd doubt even if those 13 MPs will view her as their ultimate authority, once most find their feet.

tbh last week, I thought the same as yourself that she'll have some power, but when you think about it, nah not really. I'd doubt the rest of the party will even take her all that seriously unless she got a seat in westminster.

Well Gideon's having fun with the Tory own goal
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Be interesting to see if Sinn Fien take the money or decide to kick up a fuss

They had no problem taking the Northern Bank caiish

Should be enough cash in the NI kitty now to resurrect the renewable heating scheme for a few more years...

Nah some new roads and a few bigger drums for the Shankill Proddy Boys flute band

[quote=tjagain ]We shall see. she is in a very strong position in some ways her choices are
!, agree with PM
2. threaten the union and the tory govt by forming a second party
She has said she wont pick option 2 so what is her strong position exactly?

and is far more able than anyone at Westminster.

don't let hatred of the tories blind you.

Stolen from Theresa May's Leaving Drinks

"I used to look at my payslip and wonder what NI contributions meant, now I know"

"I used to look at my payslip and wonder what NI contributions meant, now I know"

😆

Maybot is doing a brilliant job of dragging the Tories down

Looking shiny Maybot
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The Tories poll ratings must be doing well 😉

Junkyard - the sort of thing I mean is things like Davidson got May to agree that the means testing of winter fuel payments would not be implemented in Scotland - of course its now dropped entirely but that was before the election and now Davidsons position is stronger giving her more leverage.

Fisheries and agriculture that now is a EU matter and May wants these to go to Westminster in the great repeal bill but Davidson will push for them will instead go to holyrood.

the tory party is riven with factions and infighting and although Davidson will not bring the tory government down Davidson becomes and important player in the internal fighting - and to support May in that I think she will extract a price.

Its just my judgement based on davidsons public pronouncements and actions to date. she has said she expects "her" MPs to act in Scotlands interests. she has total control over the party in Scotland

I've just wasted 5 mins watching that snake,Ian Duncan Smith,explaining that it's not 1 billion,and it's not a bribe.Poor man,he always gets the shitty jobs. 😯

she's not really, you expecting her to threaten to bring down the government? What other power does she have beyond that? <snip>
Within the tory westminster party she has no more power than any other random grouping of 13 mps. And tbh, even in that context, she isn't the one with any power. I'd doubt even if those 13 MPs will view her as their ultimate authority, once most find their feet.<snip>
I'd doubt the rest of the party will even take her all that seriously unless she got a seat in westminster.

Pretty much agree with all of your post. Plus 'her' seats will probably be lost shortly when avoiding a Indyref2 becomes a less pressing issue.

However, the Tories currently have no obvious vote winner to take over from May. Davidson *is* a vote winner. So Davidson is a shoe in for Tory leader within this parliament, *except* that she'd need to be parachuted into a safe seat and it would be a bit odd if she took a non-Scottish seat.

If the Tories can overcome that technical problem, Davidson could have a vast amount of power within the Party in a very short period of time.

Davisdson is far to smart to take the westminster leadership now. In the future yes after this lot get further discredited probably but she is too astute a politician to not wait until they have been in opposition a while

Would she remain true to herself or is there some dark force that bends you to the "Tory way"?
I should imagine all her skeletons are out in the open so no blackmailing from Murdoch?
What are Ebola Mays true feelings on brexit? You can't be passionate one way them equally passionate the other just because it's your job. Surely you must have some principles.
You could make me manger of Chelsea and I'd still be a West Ham fan.

Davisdson is far to smart to take the westminster leadership now.

If she thought the future of the Tory party depended on her stepping up to the mark she might.

Would she remain true to herself or is there some dark force that bends you to the "Tory way"?

She'd have the same budget constraints as any other PM and she'd have to make a shed load of unpopular decisions just like any other PM.

If Davidson is as principled as some here would believe, looking out for ordinary people instead of screwing them over, then what makes you think any of the big main tory donaters are going to back and fund her?

Oh don't get me wrong. She is a tory thru and thru. However she is the sort of Tory we don't see much anymore. A "one nation" or "wet"

She'd have the same budget constraints as any other PM

Unless she needs to buy some votes, in which case a magic money tree will be found.

If Davidson is as principled as some here would believe, looking out for ordinary people instead of screwing them over, then what makes you think any of the big main tory donaters are going to back and fund her?

The NI bribe, doesn't help Davidson though, she's meekly accepted that there should be no extra cash for Scotland via Barnett.

Looks very much like the Scottish Tories have less power to help Scotland than the DUP bigots who were able to get a cool 1bn, to stash in the bank with all that green energy scheme cash & mysterious (russian?) donations for Brexshit adverts.

On the plus side, Scottish Labour seem to have suddenly remembered that they're supposed to be against the Tories not with them, that's good. Bit late.

Why is this thread about Theresa May's bribe using the magic money tree all about Ruth Davidson's integrity? Is it just that Edinburgh's the closest possible place to London that's worth even looking for a Tory with integrity?

just when you think 'how can they get any more shambolic?' they make a strong lurch to the stupid.

and the arguments for seem to be only 'yeah, but it's what labour would do'

the strong and stable leader has proven to be weak and reactionary.

I think it's just interesting to point out that with this bribe May is able to tarnish the one half decent looking Tory MP!

However, the Tories currently have no obvious vote winner to take over from May. Davidson *is* a vote winner. So Davidson is a shoe in for Tory leader within this parliament, *except* that she'd need to be parachuted into a safe seat and it would be a bit odd if she took a non-Scottish seat.

If the Tories can overcome that technical problem, Davidson could have a vast amount of power within the Party in a very short period of time.

Yip, that's the conumndrum for her. If she abandoms holyrood it'll just look like a careerist move, which I doubt will play well in scotland.

just when you think 'how can they get any more shambolic?' they make a strong lurch to the stupid.

Indeed

So she's the leader* of a party with no majority.

There is only one issue in this parliament... Brexit. The Queens Speech made that pretty clear.

So over half of that parliamentary party was pro-remain and remains pro-Europe on account of not being complete idiots. The other lot are a bunch of foaming-at-the-mouth, reactionary right-wing nutjobs. Both of these sides despise each other, but have managed to hold an uneasy truce during what to be proved an utter disaster of a campaign. So to make thing more 'strong and stable, what to do........?

Hmmmmmmm

I know..... let's bring in a bunch to prop us up, who are so mental that they make our existing lot of foaming-at-the-mouth, reactionary right-wing nutjobs look like a socialist book club.

The chances of these lot not declaring war on each other, and setting about each other like rats in a sack, as the Brexit negotiations inevitably collapse into a total shambles?

Nil!

My bet on there being a general election before the year's out is looking safer by the day

IMHO opinion she's expanded all this time, money and effort to cobble together a 'coalition' that won't struggle on into 2018. Yet more proof, if any more were needed, that she's completely out of her depth, and generally absolutely effing useless

* The word is used figuratively in this instance, and no actual leadership skills are implied