Westminstenders: A vote too far?

[RedToothBrush]

The ECJ have ruled that the UK can unilaterally revoke A50.

There maybe lots of other news today, but that's the big one.

May has her big vote tomorrow. Or does she.

Will she survive until the end of the week?

Haha BigChoc I did say this morning I thought our best option was to revoke and remain until we F* off everyone else off so much they are paying us to leave and bribing us with market access and all sorts.

DH's French relatives are not overly impressed with Macron atm so I'll take your assessment of the UK laughing stock situation with a BIG pinch of salt.

Has the Lesser Spotted Corbyn been seen or heard today?

Laura Kuennsberg @bbclaurak
PM to say govt looking closely at new ways of 'empowering' the Commons to ensure that backstop has 'democratic legitimacy'

Hmmmm....

Why do I also feel slightly comforted by the French Airforce practicing low level flying this afternoon.

Omg this is even more farcial

Esther Webber @estwebber
Labour Lords leader Baroness Smith says the opposition offered to change today's business and govt refused, meaning peers are left debating a deal which seems dead in the water

Govt chief whip Lord Taylor says it's "appropriate" for today's debate to continue because some are waiting for answers from the minister and others have waited ages to speak

The Beeb are saying that the PM will make a statement "in the next hour" to tell Parliament that tomorrow's vote will be "postponed"

My no deal o meter has just went wildly up!

HowAbout People may be thoroughly unimpressed by their own leaders, but that doesn't compare to the worldwide laughing stock that is the UK.

I live in Germany, where even the local AfD describe the Uk as ludicrous and nothing to do with their ideas.

I have daily contact with colleagues from India, S Korea, China, Morocco, Canada as well as frequent contact with Spain, Italy, France, Greece, USA
The common opinion is that noone knows what the hell the Uk is doing, but everyone is laughing themsellves silly about it

An Indian colleague gleefully told me that the Brexit fiasco, whatvere happens next, marks the end of the Uk as a serious power

It's when you've massively screwed up and are sliding faster & faster downhill, that all the countries you've pissed on over the years can take the chance to administer a good kicking.

Rob Parsons @RobParsonsYP
Yorkshire's Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker is at Downing Street today. She'll sort this out.

(Pic by PA)

Dr who has been to Downing Street today!!!

Sam Coates Times @samcoatestimes
Around 60 Tory MPs were just in the Theresa May. She thanked those who were supportive. She confirmed deal vote delayed, but emphasised she wasn't abandoning deal and stressed Jan 21 deadline

That's all that can save us from a stonking national humiliation:

A Tardis to take us back to before the bloody referendum, so we can change our decision in time

No word on the illegality hearing/courtcase/sorry-i-am-tired ruling? I've been refreshing twitter and live news feeds for over an hr!

Arlene "Just finished a call with the Prime Minister. My message was clear. The backstop must go. Too much time has been wasted. Need a better deal. Disappointed it has taken so long for Prime Minister to listen."

So dictating the back stop is determined by a party with :

292,316 Votes
10 MPs and
0.9 Vote share

I have said this before but why aren't supreme diplomatic efforts being put in to restore an NI assembly first?

Yes, BigChoc, no matter what happens now, the UK’s standing in the world has taken a battering.

Davide Sands @ davidesands
there's no longer a Jan 21 deadline. See @HouseofCommons

UK House of Commons @ houseofcommons
Now the Government has made a statement that political agreement on withdrawal agreement & future framework has been reached, the requirements for the Government to make a statement to the House by 21 Jan on ‘no deal’ has been superseded. (1/2) #AskTheCommons

In practice the latest date would be 28 March as matters stand. (2/2) #askthecommons

If this is accurate no prizes for guessing what this could well mean in practice. The political binding of Grieve III would be worthless - or means a straight deal or no deal situation on March 28th...

Thats spooked me.

Make no mistake, the DUP want a hard Brexit and legal contravention of the GFA. They would be delighted.

Never mind...rejected

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-high-court-case-legal-challenge-referendum-vote-leave-spending-theresa-may-eu-a8676226.html

Hazard I've got to rush out now, but this is the result of that case - another win for Jo Maugham's team:

Jo Maugham QC@JolyonMaugham

Here is the decision of the High Court in our successful challenge of the Electoral Commission's mismanagement of the referendum

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2018/2414.rtf

That's all because there would be no time to do anything else (including challenge points of order for the HoC or a legal challenge or a political challenge)

I think.

Here we go....

Oops, I misunderstood the Tweet
The transcript too seemed to agree with the case - I shouldn't skim legal docs !

Alex Wickham@alexwickham
Extreme concern among senior Brexiters that May will now delay the vote until January, at which point she will present a meaningless form of words on the backstop that changes nothing. All the while no deal prep not properly taking place. Talk of removing her to prevent this...

Tom Newton Dunn@tnewtondunn
Latest: I am told the PM will tell MPs she will not dump the backstop or reopen the Withdrawal Agreement, but instead seek legal assurances from the EU that it will not last indefinitely (1)

PM will also say the meaningful vote will be suspended, indefinitely, until that happens. So, could well be not vote until after Xmas. Even if May succeeds, will it be enough to win over the DUP and ERG? (2)

The UK has gone from 'ruling' nearly half the planet 150 years ago, to being at the top table of one of the richest trading blocks and is now heading rapidly for obscurity being an island that is demonstrating racial 'hatred' as a policy at government level.