Crisis? What crisis? – The only 12 comments you need to read on the Government’s “Contempt of Parliament”
Next week, Parliament will vote on whether to accept Theresa May’s negotiated Brexit deal or – well, nobody really knows how that sentence ends. As part of the debate, the Government is supposed to have released the legal advice it was given regarding the deal – but it hasn’t.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
She's making a list
She's checking it twice
She's not gonna share
the Brexit legal advice… pic.twitter.com/qgTOQZKHMK— The Poke (@ThePoke) December 3, 2018
When they followed through on their threat, all six opposition parties joined together to write a letter to the Speaker to ask him to investigate whether the Government is in contempt of Parliament.
The Government has failed to publish the Attorney General’s full and final legal advice on the Brexit deal, as was ordered by Parliament.
We have been left with no option but to write to the Speaker of the House of Commons to ask him to launch proceedings of contempt. pic.twitter.com/LNfUmHg7Tb
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 3, 2018
These 12 comments express the general view extremely well.
1.
https://twitter.com/davidschneider/status/1069362887683174401
2.
https://twitter.com/amateuradam/status/1069376598191812608
3.
“What shall we call it, Attorney General? Advice?”
– No
“Summary of advice”
– No, avoid “advice”
“Legal analysis”
– No
“Legal comment”
– No
“Legal description”
– No, avoid “legal” too
“Essay crisis copy-and-paste job?”
– It’s not even that
“Position”
– Ok, just about
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) December 3, 2018
4.
Number 10 responds to calls to publish Brexit deal legal advice: pic.twitter.com/mYpIYe5SIC
— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) December 3, 2018
5.
Brexit update: The DUP (who provide votes to prop up the government) have signed a letter holding the government in contempt for refusing to publish advice on the legality of the government’s Brexit deal.
Yep, really.— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) December 3, 2018
6.
if the government is found in contempt of parliament I will eat a whole tower of profiteroles live on national tv
— Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) December 3, 2018
7.
I am publishing my legal advice on the Withdrawal Agreement pic.twitter.com/oXOZ5xXlY0
— The Irish Border (@BorderIrish) December 3, 2018
8.
https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1069669077726171142
9.
Love that when the history books are written about now there’ll be paragraph on strong and stable, flip forward one page and the government is being held in contempt of parliament. https://t.co/epDiNC3FVn
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) December 3, 2018
10.
It’s the year 2452. Kids chant “Remember, remember, the 3rd of December” as bonfires are lit to commemorate Theresa May’s plot to hold Parliament in contempt.
The backstop is still in place.— David Schneider (@davidschneider) December 3, 2018
11.
That Brexit legal advice in full. pic.twitter.com/uhqcVHRAGL
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) December 3, 2018
12.
https://twitter.com/SarahHarkin2/status/1069723216644661256
One Twitter user considered one of the repercussions:
Contempt of Parliament can mean an MP being suspended or even expelled from the Chamber. Imagine if Theresa May was barred from the Commons.
— Otto English (@Otto_English) December 3, 2018
Is it considered crass to get the popcorn out as democracy crumbles?