What's happening to the lablour party ?

[EternalOptimist]

another day, another fiasco

now the shadow defence secretary is giving the finger to Corbyn


'But she appeared to back Sir Nicholas, telling Andrew Marr: "I understand the point that he is making. It is the point that I made myself when Jeremy said what he said."

She defended the right of Britain's most senior military figure to speak out on such a politically sensitive issue.

"I don't think there is anything wrong with him expressing himself in those terms," she said.

She indicated she could resign if there was any change to the party's current position in favour of renewing the Trident submarine fleet.

"I am not a unilateral nuclear disarmer. I don't believe that that works.

"I think I would find it difficult [to continue in the shadow cabinet] but we are not there yet. We have got a big process to go through," she said.'

[MicrosoftBob]

It's a symptom of the weirdness of UK politics now, it's the first time I've thought I'd vote for none of the above rather than just against a particular party

[NickFitz]

Apart from anything else, she's wrong to think there isn't anything wrong with what he said. Queen's Regulations for the Army (1975) [pdf, 2.5MB] state (J12.020) that "Exceptionally, some Service personnel will have a general authorization from D News personally to speak to the news media, which must be recorded in their agreed formal job descriptions or terms of reference... they are to avoid comment on issues of a politically controversial nature." They further state (Annex A(J)/12) that "Normally, permission to express views on politically controversial issues will be refused. For any exception to this rule, the DGMC will seek the prior approval of the Secretary of State for Defence."

So unless he had permission from the Secretary of State, which would itself open up a whole other political can of worms concerning the use of Remembrance Sunday for party political ends, he was in breach of regulations.

(Just to be clear: a footnote states that "A politically controversial topic is one which is, has been, or is clearly about to be, a matter of controversy between political parties in this country", so I think we can safely assume that the above regulations apply to the subject of the nuclear deterrent. Oh, and the "J" in the numbering means that these regulations are also included in the regulations for the RAF and Royal Navy, though of course this was an Army General.)

[AtW]

Professionals whose job it is to deal with the defense of the Realm should have full right to express their professional view in regards to defense.

I think it's high time for Queen's Regulations for the Politicians (2016) - "Those politicians who have no personal in-depth experience in subject should STFU and listen to professional who have"

Maybe after this future Minister for Defense will actually be ex-Military, and Chancellor of the Exchequer will actually be somebody who had more real life experience than being an intern in party's HQ.

As long as those rules don't apply to CUK General posters...

[MarillionFan]

Professionals whose job it is to deal with the defense of the Realm should have full right to express their professional view in regards to defense.

I think it's high time for Queen's Regulations for the Politicians (2016) - "Those politicians who have no personal in-depth experience in subject should STFU and listen to professional who have"

Maybe after this future Minister for Defense will actually be ex-Military, and Chancellor of the Exchequer will actually be somebody who had more real life experience than being an intern in party's HQ.

As long as those rules don't apply to CUK General posters...

Still awake and on to the SKA California office no doubt.

[AtW]

Still awake and on to the SKA California office no doubt.

Who needs rainy California when you can have sunny Birmingham?

[NotAllThere]

It's a symptom of the weirdness of UK politics now, it's the first time I've thought I'd vote for none of the above rather than just against a particular party

It's absolutely fascinating. I'm just glad I get to watch it from the relative safety of a different country.

[administrator]

Those North Korean missiles look a bit shabby. They could easily fall a few hundred miles short, NAT

[FatLazyContractor]

Those North Korean missiles look a bit shabby. They could easily fall a few hundred miles short, NAT

Wishful thinking.

[minestrone]

It's hardly politically sensitive what he said, the Conservatives want to keep trident as do Labour. Probably 90% of MPs want to keep trident.

Corbyn claims that he "intervened directly in issues of political dispute" there is no political dispute, only some senile leftist trying to act tough to get some credibility.