Blame SNP if Corbyn gets a taxi to Palace

IT IS A prospect that chills the blood. Some time next month, Marxist Shadow Chancellor John Mcdonnell steps into the autumn sunshine in Westminster and hails a cab. Having loaded long-time pal and confessed anti-monarchist Jeremy Corbyn into the back, he instructs the driver to head to Buckingham Palace.

Once there, Mr Corbyn – who has said he sees little point in continuing with the monarchy – seeks an audience with the Queen and informs her that as Boris Johnson has lost a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons, he will be forming a government, albeit with this nightmarish scenario only being made possible with the fulsome support of the SNP.

To get to this point, according to Comrade Mcdonnell, Labour could have agreed to referendums in both Scotland and Northern Ireland. They would also have had to promise the Lib Dems a second referendum on leaving the EU.

So there you have it: a mismatched marriage of convenience to allow Labour to finally grab the reins of power with the cost being the possible break-up of the United Kingdom as well as another Brexit vote, which means the biggest mandate in this nation’s history can simply be ignored.

This is the reality of two crucial factors: time and tactics.

As the clock ticks down to October 31, the date by which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed Britain will have left the EU, the possibility of a no-confidence motion being tabled against the Government increases. Should Johnson and his team fail to get a new deal or even a meaningful tweak or two on the current one, the likelihood he will lose also increases.

This plunges the country into unknown territory, but one Labour is desperate to seize. If defeated, under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act there

is a 14-day period in which MPS can run through as many fanciful connotations as they wish as they strive to form a government. And that’s when Labour is prepared to promise almost anything, it would appear.

To get the SNP on board, by the way, it has been suggested Labour would reverse its long-standing policy against another Scottish referendum.this would be in the face of opposition from – among others – Scottish Labour leader Richard ■ Leonard, and without any reference to party members.

The constitutional position seems unclear, although historian David Starkey is unequivocal. Last week he said: “I’m afraid Mr Corbyn would be arrested.the disguise has come off John Mcdonnell, he’s a revolutionary communist.” Former Conservative leader Ian Duncan-smith is equally dismissive: “They will effectively arrive toting their guns. It’s basically a coup and then the break-up of the ■

YOU don’t need to be an Islamic scholar to be aware of the extreme sensitivities around making a documentary at a Syrian refugee camp that could house “Jihadi brides” or IS supporters. Presenter Stacey Dooley, an accomplished TV performer and winner of lastyear’s Strictly Come Dancing, was the face of one such Panorama show that aired last week.

The trouble was Stacey, 32, “waltzed” into a whole world of pain when she confused a traditional Islamic prayer gesture with an IS salute. A hasty re-edit was ordered following a deluge of complaints when a promotional clip was aired a couple of days ahead of broadcast, but blame should not be directed at Ms Dooley, who admits she’s no expert on this religion.

Rather it should go to the veritable army of BBC executives who supposedly toil away in the news division and who never thought to provide crucial advice or help. Just what do they actually do all day? United Kingdom.” These are opinions, but the facts cannot be ignored. Although the Conservatives are in power only due to a hasty £1billion deal with the DUP, they still have 311 seats to Labour’s 241. Having promised everything to all and sundry, Labour would crawl into power despite polls showing just 18 per cent support.

Their hard-left, high-tax, enterprisecurtailing prospectus would not have been tested by anyone in a general election.

This outrage will have been made possible with the connivance of SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and would mean the 15,287 people who voted for her in Glasgow Southside had effectively taken control of the entire country.

Wonder if that might stop their perennial moaning about not having control of their destiny as a result of the Brexit referendum?

If the Scots sign up, they need not worry about another independence referendum. The rest of the country will turn its back on them.

STANDOUT OFFICER: Controversial DCC Rachel Swann MUCH debate over the appearance of Derbyshire Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann, the senior officer in charge of the evacuation and policing of the partial collapse of the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir at Whaley Bridge. Most of it was not about her policing abilities, which are clearly commendable as she has risen to such a high post in her force. Rather the chat was about the appropriateness – or lack of – her distinctive, streaked, presumably highly gelled hair. Former officers openly castigated the DCC, pointing out this would never have been tolerated back in their day. Fair point. As is the counter argument that she should be judged by her abilities, not her hairstyle. Again, a fair observation. But here’s a nagging truth. National police guidelines state, quite clearly, that officers cannot have their hair dyed in conspicuous colours. Therefore, you can’t help but assume that had this been a junior female PC, she’d have been told to wash it out. Sharpish. By the way, DCC Swann chose to lecture some residents who refused to leave their homes when instructed. Here’s a thought: if the senior officer involved didn’t look like a cross between Cruella de Vil and Jedward, perhaps folk might have been more prepared to heed her advice?