There are two possible explanations for the Speaker’s decision to abandon long-standing convention. First, he did it to assist his former party leader get out of a bind. Secondly, as he says, he did it in a misguided attempt to protect certain Labour MPs from the intimidation…
A thoughtful, wise and statesmanlike decision by Boris Johnson to withdraw, reflecting the qualities that made so many of us originally put our faith in him 3 years ago. Putting the country and the party first.
I have been truly privileged to have served as Attorney General during the recent turbulent political times. I am now leaving the Government at the PM’s request. I shall continue to represent and stand up strongly for the interests of Torridge and West Devon.
If Professor Mark Elliott - and I emphasise the word “if”- had said the moon was made of cheese - then he would have fundamentally failed to understand the geological structure of the moon- and cheese.
It was a great privilege to serve as Her Majesty’s Attorney General and Advocate General of Northern Ireland, particularly at a time so critical to the nation’s future, and I am honoured to receive a knighthood for that service. May I wish everyone a very Happy New Year.
I’ve been asked to record a children's bedtime story for while we are cooped up in CV confinement. This is a Chinese fairy tale entitled, "The Stone Monkey", told by H A Giles in a beautiful little pamphlet of tales published in 1911. I hope you enjoy it.
Today marks the beginning of the end of three years of deadlock, delay, obstruction and obfuscation over Brexit. Thank you to the British people who issued their decisive verdict on that period.
All the groups and individuals who have been working hard behind the scenes to create a new future for Appledore Shipyard will come together for a summit meeting at No 10 Downing Street tomorrow. A vital step as we move towards the reopening of the yard.
I am privileged to be asked by the Prime Minister to continue as AG and chief legal adviser to the Govt. at a time when respect for the rule of law and independent, objective and accurate legal advice have never been more critical to its mission and to our country’s reputation.
The DT reporting of the last 24 hours consists of misunderstood fag ends dressed up as facts. Some of it is accurate, much more of it isn’t and what is not is far more significant than what is. Complex and detailed negotiations cannot be conducted in public.
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I shall be supporting the Prime Minister this evening. This is no time for the self indulgent spasm of a leadership election. Nothing fundamental will be altered by it. This is a time to show loyalty and discipline in supporting the PM in discharging the duties of government.
There is no precedent in history for Parliament seeking so to fetter a government in the negotiation of a treaty as the so called meaningful vote. For good reason. As Bevan said, it would send Britain’s negotiators “naked into the conference chamber”.
A very well done to my successor who I am sure will uphold the very best traditions of the office. One of the greatest privileges any member of the bar could aspire to!
Honoured to have been sworn in as Queen’s Counsel and Attorney General yesterday at the Royal Courts of Justice. Thank you to the Lord Chief Justice for the warm welcome.
I shall be supporting Rishi Sunak who is now the best suited to manage the peculiar demands of these times and the best qualified to produce the credible and coherent government this country needs. It is time to get back to serious government.
The United Kingdom is a great country but we face a profound economic crisis.
That’s why I am standing to be Leader of the Conservative Party and your next Prime Minister.
I want to fix our economy, unite our Party and deliver for our country.
Delighted that we can now confirm shipbuilding is back at Appledore. Pleased for our communities, the workforce and the great tradition of English shipbuilding on the Torridge.
I would like to wish my constituents in Torridge and West Devon a very happy Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. I recorded this reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" for the Daily Telegraph and hope you enjoy it!
'April is the cruellest month' -
@Geoffrey_Cox
recites T. S. Eliot's 'The Waste Land' . The Attorney General explains why he's using poetry to get through Brexit
🎧 Political Thinking with
@BBCNickRobinson
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Delighted to meet constituents from Bideford to discuss climate change and the need to plant millions more trees. I will be planting this English Oak tree in Devon this weekend.
#ReforestEarth
If we are to get through the crisis then
@Geoffrey_Cox
needs to increase his output, doesn't he? More children's stories. But also patriotic poems. Also, we are in Holy Week. He's a fan of the King James Bible and the BCP. Yet where are the readings? The old boy needs to buck up.
Delighted to be discussing the the proposed contract for the construction at Appledore Shipyard of a new fishing fleet for the Faroe Islands with the UK Govt Taskforce and the Prime Minister and the PM of the Faroes, Bárður á Steig Nielsen.
All hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use must now close. It is vital that everyone now stays at home.
#StayAtHomeSaveLives
The Secretary of State’s reply to John Redwood MP’s letter to me in which he accurately corrects its many potentially misleading errors of interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement.
I welcome the PM’s statement in the HC that extreme circumstances constituting a manifest breach by the EU of its duty of good faith would be required and the remedies in the protocol would be engaged if use of powers in the Bill were contemplated.
@Peston
@theresa_may
Odd comment from
@Peston
. I have been saying exactly the same thing in speech after speech in the House of Commons for the 9 months I have been in govt. I said it quite loudly. Wasn’t he listening?
I am very grateful indeed for the warm support of the dozens of local people who took the trouble to come up to speak in Tavistock this morning. It has been a privilege to be your MP.
New hospital for Barnstaple as government pledges billions towards hospital projects | Barnstaple, Bideford and Ilfracombe News | North Devon Gazette | North Devon Gazette
“This country’s planted thick with laws from coast to coast – man’s laws, not God’s – and, if you cut them down d’you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I’d give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety’s sake”
Crowds gathering for the official
#Conservatives
campaign launch in Exeter for this evening. Time for a real change and a new and optimistic future for Exeter with the superb
#johngray4exeter
@JohnJCrace
I don’t have a cat. But I do have Lily. She is particularly keen on my rendering of “howl, howl, howl, howl. O you are men of stones”! But she prefers comedies.
Backing the wonderful Rebecca Smith on the doorsteps in Plymouth Sutton & Devonport today as the only candidate to Get Brexit Done and ensure the future of Devonport dockyard.
I hope that further developments to make clear the government’s intention to act lawfully and consistently with our treaty obligations will enable my support in the coming days.
Canvassing on the doorsteps and talking to local people in Winkleigh, Ashreigney, High Bickington and Dolton today about the need for a Conservative majority Government to break the deadlock in parliament and Get Brexit Done.
The reopening of Appledore Shipyard yesterday is superb news for our communities and I was glad to arrange for the PM to carry out the reopening ceremony after his commitment at our No 10 “summit” last year to back the yard’s future. The first employees will be hired within days.
444,104 additional vaccine doses administered in England alone in one day yesterday (443,330 1st doses, 774 2nd doses). A record number. Thanks to all those concerned in this huge national effort.
Working on despite Corona Virus but safely. About to start 2 hours of online and telephone surgeries. Get in touch if you are a constituent and want to find out the next date!
Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.
I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.
Together we will beat this.
#StayHomeSaveLives
Whatever political disagreements one might have with Lord Pannick, the suggestion that he possessed any conflict of interest or that he is to be identified with the views and conduct of his client is absurd and dangerous.
@JoshuaRozenberg
Congratulations to Angela Blackman for gaining a seat from the Lib Dems in Bere Ferrers today and with it Conservative control of the West Devon Council. Well done to all other candidates on their campaigns also.
@Geoffrey_Cox
Having listened again to the relevant clip, I'm afraid I got this wrong; the Attorney General was in fact making the distinction between private communications which in any way touched on prorogation, and that which related to official business. >
Congratulations not only to all my Conservative County Council colleagues elected and re-elected yesterday in a superb clean sweep in Torridge and West Devon but also to all those candidates who stood in the election.
“For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice.” Geoffrey Cox’s Onward speech – ‘if I can raise any humour tonight it’s going to be gallows humour’ | Coffee House
Wonderful to help open the new slipway in baking sunshine at Westward Ho! beach today and while we were at it christen Philupa, the plastic eating fish!
“It will require us to relearn strategies, tactics and virtues at odds with the hyper-emotional performative stupidity and instant gratification of the Twitter era. Our elites will need to reprogramme themselves psychologically, economically and militarily, read some history,
Just finished online meeting with Devon CCG and Director of Public Health. Good news that cases continue to decline and now only 2 people in hospital in all Devon with Covid-19. Good system in place to monitor test and trace. It’s time to get our local economy moving.
Delighted well over 100
@TWDCA1
members came to Holsworthy on Friday to discuss the leadership, local and national matters and hear why I am backing Boris. My thanks to them for their overwhelming support.
#BackBoris