Westministenders: The One Where We Finally Get A Leadership Challenge?

[RedToothBrush]

Tick tick tick.

What do we think?

Yes? No?

Another week of wtf-ing at British politics.

I honestly can't see the way out of this. Except crashing out, and then eating humble pie and asking to be let back in again, in maybe 10 years time.By which time a significant number of the Brexit loons will have shuffled off this earth, and new people will be able to vote.

I could see a way out if a new Government asked for A50 to be paused or withdrew it, and then really looked to tackle what the problems of the country are.

The WA gives more time for the public to pressure the govt to change its mind
and it is the govt that is the problem, whether before the WA or after in transition

If you think the govt won't change its mind during transition before July 2022, why the hell do you expect it to do so in the next few months ?

Voting down the WA, without a clear FEASIBLE plan for an alternative,
is like playing Russian Roulette with 5 cartridges loaded .... and the gun is pointing at the heads of people dependent on meds

This quote tonight is just embarrassing

Jessica elgot @jessicaelgot
A cheerful Labour backbencher tonight: “Even our fucking useless coup went better than the ERG’s has.”

peregina We could still vote to Rejoin if those10 years are after a WA
Why add maximum punishment by crashing out

Also, Junkers / Tusk have said before that if the UK chooses to Rejoin during a transition period,
then we would not have to go through the full A49 accession process, but would have a very speeded up route

and while the details are being fixed, they would probably stop the clock, so we remained in transition until the Rejoin.

With this degree of Labour incompetence, May doesn't need the bloody DUP !

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
4. Here’s how that vote went: the minority Govt (Tories alone) still narrowly won it, versus every other party in the Commons. This is more than embarrassing for Labour’s chief whip.

Ayes
287 labour
33 snp
11 ld
8 dup
4 plaid
3 ind
1 green

Nos
292 con

A reminder of the general election result*

Tory 317
Labour 262
LD 12
DuP 10
Snp 35
Other 14

*some lab MPs have since been suspended from the whip or become independent.
**also don't forget the speaker and tellers don't vote.

Sorry the above for Ayes should read total of 287 with 227 Labour votes

BigChoc You keep saying that only Theresa May can revoke the A50 notification, and that parliament can do nothing to stop a “no deal” Brexit. However, I don’t think there is consensus on this. It’s basically uncharted constitutional waters. From the Institute for Government guide to what happens next:

“there is no obvious answer to the question of what “no” vote to “no deal” would mean. That would depend on what constitutes a revocation of an Article 50 notice in UK law, and whether unilateral revocation is possible in EU law. Both of those questions are unanswered”

I think we need to wait and see, at least until after the A50 ECJ case is heard.

The DUP didn't abstain - they actually voted with Labour
... and Labour still couldn't get all its own MPs through the correct lobby

Looks like a minority Tory govt can indeed continue to pass bills, with this abysmal quality of opposition

and some people still think that Labour - if Corbyn ever changes his mind - could somehow organise a vote for Revoke or PV or whatever ?

BigChoc - I would dearly love you to be right.

Then I would dearly love to see a Government which believes that all citizens matter, not just their own chums.

The list of absent MPs tonight is going to be very interesting.

Leaving needs to happen partly to show that 'democracy still exists' but maybe eventually when the disadvantages of leaving become 'project reality' a significant number may well change their mind. It will be a hell of a push to get new trade, new employment, improved NHS and a free unicorn to everyone.

The 'almost WA' paper gives existing EU companies chance to check the way the wind is blowing and either jump or stay in the UK, with 'least damage' for a while.

The boss of Nissan Carlos Ghosh has been arrested for financial misconduct, and is expected to be sacked by his board.

I wonder if that will have any knock on effects for Nissan in Sunderland?

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
Excl: Revealed - Theresa May’s secret plan to scrap the Irish backstop to win round angry Brexiteers. EU has agreed to allow “alternative arrangements” to keep the border open IF she can prove max fac works (it’s a big if).

www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/7779921/theresa-may-groundbreaking-technology-irish-border/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
TECH A CHANCE ON MAY Theresa May draws up secret plans to scrap the Irish border backstop to win back angry Brexiteers
Groundbreaking new technology that could be used to keep the border invisible is now being studied afresh in No10 as one option to meet the new aim

DH is laughing at this as we speak.

www.peoples-vote.uk/survey?fbclid=IwAR38DNo0gW7XT6ugv19b35tH-IY3nmq1I4_PIDKhyKwCes3zBSF2x1GTNag

{New analysis will be published by the government comparing the "costs and benefits" of Brexit with the UK remaining in the EU. }
From Sky news.

{Groundbreaking new technology that could be used to keep the border invisible}
Have they been chatting to J K Rowling?
Vision (?) of burley HMRC bods with a 'cloak of invisibility' over them, secretly checking lorries.

MissMoon There is a very clear route to either the WA or to No Deal, which is the default if nothing else happens

There is no plan or known route for the HoC to revoke A50 against the wishes of the PM
It is currently just wishful thinking
If anyone ever proposes a plan, then we can evaluate it.

iirc, May has not promised a vote specifically on No Deal, just on the final deal - which is the WA
I expect any promise can be diluted to be meaningless anyway

Currently, it looks like May will present the WA, but if it is voted down then she can either run down the clock, or present her WA again
The ERG and the DUP would both support any move to run down the clock until Brexit Day

Parliament can remove May if they have a majority of MPs
That means several Tories joining with the Opposition - v v unlikely

Going through the list of labour MPs who did not vote tonight. The first name absent is one J Corbyn.

Going through the list of labour MPs who did not vote tonight. The first name absent is one J Corbyn.

He is a twat of epic proportions.

I literally have no clue how anyone can defend his actions.

red I'm not sure what's changed:
iirc, The EU always said they'd allow a tech solution if it could be proven to actually work on the NI border

Problem is: the unicorn doesn't look like hatching a magic tech egg this decade or next

mother Why on earth can't we rejoin later ?
The reasons for doing so would be the same reasons as we originally joined in 1972 and confimed in 1975

The Leavers never quit when they lost, so why should we if Brexit happens

Of course I'd rather Remain, but if we Brexit, then I'm sure the campaign to Rejoin starts the next day
I just don't want to do it the Blair way, with maximum misery and casualties

Bloody Corbyn

Unless he is ill - or paired - there is no excuse for missing vital votes,
missing a chance to hammer the government
... and bring that GE a little closer

Maybe that's the problem:
He doesn't really want a GE
because then he'd actually risk being elected PM and have to work, instead of swanning around being the student agitator he's never grown out of