Westminstenders: The English Gentleman and Martial Law

[RedToothBrush]

Ahead of Tuesday's vote, let's have a quick look at the week's developments.

The Cooper-Boles Amendment seems to be in trouble. The amendment is designed to force government to extend A50 if the WA fails to pass parliament in order to prevent No Deal.

It's in trouble in several ways.

After lots of loud noises from Labour about supporting it, they have made no formal move to. Thus there is no requirement for Labour MPs to vote for it. The noise was just for Remain ears whilst trying to keep leavers on board.

The amendment is struggling for numbers; many of the former Labour MPs are extremely unreliable at votes and haven't turned up even for important ones of late. In addition to this, Tory rebels are backing away from it out of fear from a backlash from their grassroots who believe they are trying to stop Brexit. There was talk of up to 20 ministers resigning to back it, including Amber Rudd, yet as Sunday has dawned there's no sign yet and its usually the day for such political statements. Though there is time yet.

And finally there is the prospect of Murrison II. Now also backed by 1922 heavyweights Graham Brady and Damien Green this seeks to remove the backstop from the WA on our side.

Except the EU has said that this would not be the WA if it does not contain the backstop. And they would not ratify it.

Yet rumours are May is close to a majority to get the WA through with Murrison II.

There has been much speculation over what would happen to the Irish border in a no deal with Farage sticking his oar in saying "nothing". Whilst Barnier states that there would, but the Irish government are avoiding the subject. We have now had the comment that it would mean the return of Irish soldiers to the border...

We could have a looming situation where parliament passes Murrison II AND Cooper-Boles. But Cooper-Boles deemed invalid cos the WA has been passed by Parliament but in effect isn't worth the paper (or goat skin) it's written on. Thus no deal could still happen by 'accident'.

There's been talk of Murrison II not being picked by Bercow, and how this would provoke a walkout by government. It seems that since he's done it once it would be difficult to ignore.

And whilst all this is going on we now have the mainstream newspapers saying that there are plans for martial law, 'forward purchasing' of food, fuel and ammunition. Talk of travel bans and property seizure. And just general plans for the collapse of free society and the supply of basic essentials for continuous of life. And many ERG MPs are tweeting things which seem to be rather fond and happy with the idea.

Do not forget: What happens when May is gone? Who replaces her, and what are their views on liberal society and freedom. Cos that all looks rather 'troubling' in an authoritarian state kind of way. What power would they wield?

Just what are we sleep walking into?

"How soon before we can rejoin the EU if we leave on the 29/3??"

The day after. But say goodbye to all the rebates and opt-outs. You'll be paying £350m a week....

Place marking.

I always knew Brexit would be bad, but this bad?

{When oh when is the U.K. going to realise it isn’t the big boss of the world?}
About 24 hours after it crashes out would be my guess. The true implications will take a while to filter through however.
With a 'WA' then it will take a few months to gradually unravel and there will be a vaseline shortage.

There are some really good lines in it

I particularly like

Wee sleekit, cow’rin tim’rous beastie
O what a panic’s in May’s breastie
If she would start awa sae hasty
Wi bickerin’ brattle so deranged
With chorus all of
Nothing’s Changed.

JSmitty
I'll have that as Mr. Farridge will still be out of his job

Great Brexit Burns!

Danger to others, which Dr is going to come forward?

It sounds as if this morning Yvette might be putting the nail in the coffin of her amendment

Steven Swinford @steven_swinford
Yvette Cooper says that under her bill it will be 'for Parliament to decide' how long Article 50 should be extended for.

This is difficult for both Jeremy Corbyn & the PM. MPs could vote to extend Article 50 for years if they so wished...

Bit of an own goal contained in here, but I think it highlights how the amendment is struggling with support anyway.

The time has come,' the Walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of Cooper — Boles— and Murrison —
Of plaices, mats — and kings.

PMK with another poetry adaption -but it's so fucking, mind -blowingly depressing I don't feel like Lewis Carroll or anything tbh.

What is the point of unilaterally approving an " agree" ment. I'm going to draw up an agreement to buy the nice gothic Victorian mansion with a big garden I regularly drive past for £22.50. I'll get my fam to vote to approve it. Then when the owners refuse to sell, I'll say it's all their fault.

Brexit Burns was genius.

Many thanks to RTB and BCF for continuing these threads.
I don’t get chance to read everything, so I apologise if this has been asked/answered already.
Could Bercow choose to not allow
the Murrison amendment to be debated because it’s ultra vires?

www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/101401/labours-angela-rayner-says-public-dont-want-article-50
Labour's Angela Rayner says public 'don't want' Article 50 extension as she rubbishes second referendum

The British public "don't want" an extension to Article 50, a key Labour frontbencher has said.

And another nail

My local Brexiteers are having a good chortle at the 1 in 20 don't believe the holocaust happened headlines. I'm not 100% sure I get the joke but it seems to flip flop between more newspaper Project Fear made up stuff snd 'the french are worse' swiftly followed by some 'we won the war while they collaborated' stuff.

Can't really work out what point they're trying to make, but, no change there.

I actually found myself pondering this morning, whether relatives in other countries- Australia, Greece, a couple of others - could get us in. Then worried about who would look after my elderly dogs.

Then I felt sick and thought, how has it even come to this?

Am I right in thinking the next deciding event is on Tuesday?

^Could Bercow choose to not allow
the Murrison amendment to be debated because it’s ultra vires?^

Yes. But we may be into constitutional crisis space as there are threats of a government walk out in that event.

Thanks. Aren’t we already in constitutional crisis?

.

I am so angry with The Corbyn group. They have a lot to answer for.

Ironically, I see signs of support for him crumbling in people I know.

I say ironic because it's too late: they have a stranglehold on the Party. And the age done to opposition to Brexit/Hard Brexit is immeasurable.

Thanks for the new thread!
Yes Leclerc, some people are stockpiling. I'd still say only half of the remainers I know though. The rest have totally switched off from politics altogether.

Either way, weirdly the Martial Law makes me feel safer...what a contradiction! The idea we would have leavers raiding farms and smashing shops and burglarising homes for food was quite terrifying. I haven't booked a holiday, so travel bans don't bother me. I am prepared to hunker down. Thus I don't think it is us this should be aimed at if it is meant to sway opinion - we are in the bag.

Damage. Not age.

Anyone else catch Val McDermid on referendums on radio 4 this morning? I though it was very interesting.

twitter.com/uk_domain_names/status/1089469530114527232?s=19

Nicola Sturgeon (talking about having met Theresa May to discuss her Brexit plan): "I don't think she has much of a clue where she is going herself, if I can put it as bluntly as that." #marr

What does Philip May want?

The idea of martial law shouldn't be making you feel safer. 😳

You should be looking back to five years ago where, if someone had told you the UK would be considering martial law in 2018, you'd think they were out of their minds.

This is why Sarah Kendzior says you need to keep a diary: because there is a steady erosion of boundaries, of what you put up with, of what you see as normal.

This.is.not.normal.