Westminstenders: Red Squirrels are British. Groundhogs are not.

[RedToothBrush]

Well the good news is we haven't got a GE yet, and it looks unlike one will be called this week. Purely because we haven't got a crisis point looming this week.

May has officially confirmed plan A is plan B. But says she will try and get more on the backstop whilst working with the DUP. Barnier and Ireland have said 'no'

We now prepare for the Meaningful Vote II.

And a week of speculation about amendments.

Here's a quick summary of likely ones:
Guardian Article on possible amendments

I think the Labour one will struggle to gain Tory support. The big thing about it is leans the party line firmly towards a customs union.

The Grieve one is handicapped by talk of a minority of 300 taking control of Parliament. Otherwise it might have support.

The two most interesting are:

The Benn 'Indicative Vote' as its reflective of the Brexit Select Committee recommendations.

The Cooper-Boles Block No Deal amendment which is cross party and seeks to place a final date on May passing her deal by 26th Feb, after which Parliament will take control. This I believe is being supported by Labour as a whole.

Bercow of course gets to say which amendments are debated and voted on but Benn and Cooper-Boles have broad support so are unlikely to be ignored by him. The two together seem to compliment each other.

The rest of this week is likely to be lobbying on this but otherwise fairly calm. Though someone is bound to throw a few curveball in there with leaks.

The only other thing to watch out for is talk of up to 40 ministers quitting if they are not allowed a free vote on some sort of indicative vote motion. This seems to be being lead by Amber Rudd. But I don't expect this to come to a head until the weekend at the earliest.

In other words, we have a couple of days of calm before the storm. Expect it to ramp up again at the weekend in craziness.

Welcome MeOldChina

Contrary to some people's perception, positive and constructive comments on both sides are welcome as long as they can be backed up

We also don't like Mansplaining and "We won, suck it up" attitudes are not tolerated (we have some very good gardening tips, baking advice and cat pictures to fall back on if we get an invasion ).

Hi meoldchina welcome hope you find the thread useful

{We also don't like Mansplaining }
Trying to work out if I am offended for not having been called out for 'mansplaining' and am now wondering whether it is a 'process of discussion' rather than the fact a 'man' says it. Since many on this thread use a similar approach to discussion, are 'you/they' honorary men?
No it doesn't need discussion!
We do other animals too although cats are my 'fave' particularly black and white and tabbys with short hair.
Meanwhile meoldchina I'm the village idiot.

Ah LeClerc, you're not.

Sorry LeClerc you don't meet the criteria

mansplaining
/ˈmanspleɪnɪŋ/Submit
nounINFORMAL
the explanation of something by a man, typically to a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing.

But I am happy to pretend call you out on it, if you not mansplaining is causing you to feel emasculated

All Mansplainers are men but not all men are Mansplainers

So you're ok 1tisLeClerc - as is DGR

I'm not going to increase his already inflated sense of superiority by name checking him, but when we get subjected to the "wisdom" of one particular visitor, we know the Brexiters are rattled - but there again, he usually shits dumps and runs and doesn't actually engage. We're supposed to be impressed and awed by his superior intellect but we're not, we just laugh

Just had a read of the Site Stuff.

Its frustrating, but on the other hand it does mean that Westminstenders can focus on things rather than being invaded by people trying to cause trouble.

Whilst on the one hand I'd like as many people as possible to use the thread and to learn about what is going on, and to try and understand a little more about how politics works on the other hand things are currently so active, I admit to be currently struggling a little to keep up with it myself.

I am also aware that I think its only going to get worse in the next few weeks as we hit that final crunch point and THE decisive moment.

On top of that I see Westminstenders as having a purpose as something of a week by week diary. It is interesting to read back and see how things have progressed and what we ourselves were thinking just a few months back, and how things have shifted.

It also has a purpose as a community in its own right. Its true it might be something of a closed community, but I still that it has importance and this has a ripple effect in real life. What is shared here is being passed on to others. No it doesn't address the issue of 'talking to the other side', which I'd like to happen more. I am aware of the limitations of social media in this sense. In some ways Westminstenders is better as a resource for people to share knowledge else where including on the odd AIBU thread that touches on Brexity subjects. Certainly I think that in the coming weeks this will be invaluable as various issues relating to Brexit are going to start popping up all over MN, if things go south. I think Westminstenders have something of a role to play in participating in that. If we do indeed have No Deal MN are going to find it impossible to relegate everything to the Brexit section so they don't have to deal with it!!!

I don't know. I would prefer there wasn't censorship by stopping it from appearing on active, but I do think that there are reasons why that also works for the thread itself in some respects.

I am frustrated by the reason given for making it less visible - because of the number of reports. Westminstenders, has had very few deleted messages despite the sheer number of threads there have been, and this includes before changes seem to have been made to what appears in active. Even when we have had trolls, people have generally not taken the bait, and the person does tend to get bored very quickly.

I don't know. Its a sad reflection that MN is having to avoid politics on its site because they don't have the staff to manage conflict. It loses a certain amount of its own political power in doing so. And that is to the detriment of all women, who are not taken seriously as a political force. It comes back to 'how dare women be interested in politics and how dare they have an opinion' more than it should.

(And I include the men on the thread in that view, because of the perception of MN as just being inhabited by 'stupid mothers' which isn't reflective of users at all).

PMK

I am constanly logged out of this thread and have to log in practically every time I look at it. Was actually getting a bit paranoid about this at one point!

1tisI I have a beautiful black cat with white markings in the form of moustache, waistcoat and spats. Will have to get a photo

.

PMK.

I mostly lurk but you lot are always bobbing up in Active discussions, so you are easy enough to find when I’ve missed a thread change.

Finally pmk. Nit going to pretend I'm able to catch up!

I like to read about people's views on Brexit but I must say that sometimes I just don't have the headspace for it, which is quite ignorant of me. I'm the same with LBC too!

Hi RTB
Indeed an interesting set of points you raise. Could a 'parallel' version of Westminsterenders be of any use? Maybe in the future when things really hot up a bit with a 'host' perhaps other than yourself who can try and steer it alongside?
You will know I have long advocated a 'Brexit' button on the MN homepage and perhaps below that could be Preppers that I think Bellinisurge keeps a great handle on and I could envisage something to help those that are getting seriously concerned about meds, perhaps with a 'guest host' who is a bit closer to where decisions are taken than most.
It is a fine line between ignorance and panic that needs yo be followed and constant rebuttal of those who bounce in and say it is all bollocks without any justification and then leaving.
The fact it is commercially hosted is a concern for me as it distorts or has a possibility of distorting what is and is like to increasingly be an excellent Brexit discussion forum.

Tatiana and ScoobyDoo sounds like you have specific technical issues that you could contact MN about. Either direct or by the SiteStuff section.

{But I am happy to pretend call you out on it, if you not mansplaining is causing you to feel emasculated }
No that's fine, just say and I will go and get the kettle on and rustle up something in the kitchen.

Gotta love Kawczynski, the MP of Polish descent, who has written to the Polish government asking it to block extension.

Thanks dangermouse. Will see if it persists after this thread.

meoldchina don't worry, I'm really thick and a surprising number of the regulars learnt Latin at some point, it works out fine though I do skip some posts

If u haven't got loads of headspace but want to know what's going on its worth checking with Reds round up post at the beginning of every thread. She summaries really well and gives you the key points.

Hazard, no you're not.

Thick is not a good or accurate description of anybody.
I get most riled by those that can't find or state any supporting evidence for an assertion.
Even those who praise the work of Patrick Minford have a point, BUT it needs to be tempered by the very severe downside (to the majority in the UK) of following his plans.

re the Leaver MP plea to the Polish govt, to veto any possible UK request for an A50 extension:
(and why would they wish to hamstring their own govt during negotiations ? 🤯 )

Jakub Krupa@JakubKrupa

A Polish govt source shots this down immediately saying
Britain's withdrawal from the EU without an agreement is the worst possible scenario for Brexit

Adds Poland would evaluate any A50 motion if/when it comes from the UK govt, but would need to have a clear plan of what's next