To wonder whether Johnson has broken the law with his ridiculous three letters to the EU, and to wonder what will happen now

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Johnson has sent a letter to the EU, three letters in fact, asking for an extension. One saying he is complying with the law, one reproducing part of the Benn Act but not signing it as he is supposed to, and one telling the EU that he doesn’t actually want an extension or words to that effect.

Childish, arrogant and idiotic - IMO yes. Has he broken the law and WTF will the rest of the EU make of this?

The Cambridge Analytica situation is the future for all elections, and we don't have a way of handling this yet.

This wasn't an isolated thing done by some of the Leave campaigns. The same techniques were used by the Russians during the 2016 US election – and are probably being used there now in the lead up to their 2020 elections.

The personalised media landscape at the moment is ideal for anyone with the dosh and the will to sweep in and "nudge" us this way or that with tailor-made emotional manipulation.

Not even 51.89% of the people, but 51.9% of those who had the right to vote on that day and exercised it. We will no doubt hear that they forfeited their right to a say by choosing not to vote, but that doesn't mean it can simply be assumed that they can be ignored with no comeback. And the further away we get, the more different the composition of the electorate looks.

If leave wins another referendum, what then?

I’d hope that if there was another referendum, it wouldn’t be a case of leave or stay, it would be a question of “leave with this deal, knowing the facts; or remain in the EU”

At least if leave won then, I could be happy in the knowledge (hopefully) that it was voted for on facts and everyone knew what they were getting themselves in for.

My worry is that a lot of people would vote leave regardless of the deal - a lot of people don’t actually understand what the detail involves - they just want to get out of the EU at all costs.

Johnson is one of those peop,e who uses big words and classical references to try and hide the fact the is talking bollocks. Sadly some are impressed by this, God knows why.

'You were really rude to Francesca, so you are going to write her a letter of apology'

Kid writes a letter saying 'Sorry if you felt it was rude to tell you you're ugly'.

Kid refuses to sign it, and just for extra impact, tells her publicly 'I'm not sorry really and you smell, ner-ner-ne-ner-ner'.

That's the mental level of Johnson. That of an overindulged eight year old.

When Johnson and his gang are banging on about The Will Of The People™️ they seem to conveniently forget that it is only the will of 51.89% of the people and they risk massively alienating the other 48.11%. They don't forget. It's the way of politics at the moment - choose a phrase encapsulating whatever untruth you are trying to establish as "fact", and you and your side repeat it at every opportunity until it's accepted as truth.

The laws governing international agreements run alongside similar lines to contract law in terms of what makes an agreement legally binding. Looks like BJs already been taken to court the exact reasons I laid out upthread:

“Judges are set to decide whether the unsigned letter sent by Boris Johnson asking for a Brexit extension from the EU complied with the Benn Act, or if the Prime Minister is in contempt of court.

Although Mr Johnson sent a letter to the EU requesting an extension, as required by the so-called Benn Act, he did not sign it and also sent a second letter – which he signed – that said a delay would be a mistake.

A hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh by Scotland’s most senior judge Lord Carloway, and two other judges, was postponed until after the deadline for the extension letter to be sent under the terms of the Benn Act.

Now that the deadline has passed, the hearing is set to resume on Monday but the Prime Minister’s attempts to avoid requesting an extension raises questions about whether the court views the unsigned letter – and second contradictory letter – as obeying the law.”

Not to mention the total weirdness of asking the 'evil, anti-democratic' EU to help undermine the Parliamentary vote... y'know, Parliament whose sovereignty needs to be re-established over the evil, anti-democratic EU...

Now the EU are the good guys? So we don't need to leave?

Yes, it was announced quite soon after the second letter was sent that Jo Maugham and co were going to the Scottish courts about it. Think we touched on this upthread. I donated to some of their previous crowdfunders and have a lot of appreciation for what they've done, but think this one is ill advised.

In terms of the legally binding status or otherwise of the letter, it's interesting that the No Deal lot aren't trying to go to the courts on that point.