Government of National Unity, late 2019

[jamesg]

Last year, during the seemingly unending Brexit drama, a Government of National Unity was talked about.
There would be a vote of no confidence in Parliament, the narrative ran, with Johnson deposed and a GONU formed between Labour, the SNP, the Lib-Dems, independent Conservatives and anyone else who fancied coming along for the ride. Corbyn would delay Brexit and hold an election at a time chosen by the GONU.
Events didn't turn out that way.

My thinking at the time was that that was impossible because while those Conservative rebels were opposed to Brexit, they hated the idea of Corbyn in power too. In addition, Swinson was said to be refusing to see Corbyn in Downing Street either. Ideas were floated that perhaps another Labour MP would be a temporary PM instead. That too seemed impossible because it was my understanding that Labour party rules said that the elected leader must be the one to be Prime Minister.

But... let us suppose that all of these obstructions were removed somehow. How does the make-up of a GONU go?
PM: Corbyn
Chancellor: McDonnell
And... who else where?
Once in Downing Street, comfortable there, does Corbyn then not call an election until 2022 - as the then current parliament was meant to run to - with somehow gaining support for that? Or does he go for election?
Another route sees Harriet Harman as Prime Minister: how does her GONU look?

[carlton43]

Feb 7, 2020 20:23:51 GMT jamesg said:

Last year, during the seemingly unending Brexit drama, a Government of National Unity was talked about.
There would be a vote of no confidence in Parliament, the narrative ran, with Johnson deposed and a GONU formed between Labour, the SNP, the Lib-Dems, independent Conservatives and anyone else who fancied coming along for the ride. Corbyn would delay Brexit and hold an election at a time chosen by the GONU.
Events didn't turn out that way.

My thinking at the time was that that was impossible because while those Conservative rebels were opposed to Brexit, they hated the idea of Corbyn in power too. In addition, Swinson was said to be refusing to see Corbyn in Downing Street either. Ideas were floated that perhaps another Labour MP would be a temporary PM instead. That too seemed impossible because it was my understanding that Labour party rules said that the elected leader must be the one to be Prime Minister.

But... let us suppose that all of these obstructions were removed somehow. How does the make-up of a GONU go?
PM: Corbyn
Chancellor: McDonnell
And... who else where?
Once in Downing Street, comfortable there, does Corbyn then not call an election until 2022 - as the then current parliament was meant to run to - with somehow gaining support for that? Or does he go for election?
Another route sees Harriet Harman as Prime Minister: how does her GONU look?

It wasn't "... no confidence in parliament ..." at all; it was quite the opposite old chap.

It was to be No Confidence in the Government and the 'triumph of Parliament over Government.

Fuckwit idea by fuckwit MPs and came to nothing like anything organised by the fuckwit LDs.

Not worth discussing.

[johnloony]

It wouldn't have happened, of course, but if it did: Corbyn would not have been PM. The PM would have been a random like Margaret Beckett or Yvette Cooper or even Ken Clarke. The whole premise of the GNU would have been to hold a referendum in order to sabotage Brexit - with the options being May's deal or Remain, but with no proper leave option. After the referendum, there would have been nothing substantial to hold the government together and no possibility of the general election waiting until 2022.

(Edited to correct a typo/autocorrect thingy)

[jacoblamsden]

I still can't believe how often the GoNU term was used to describe something quite the opposite. I don't think there was a single Brexiteer in favour of it.