Westminstenders: Screaming at the TV.

[RedToothBrush]

Theresa May has asked for a short extension until 30th June, after Cabinet Brexiteers stopped her asking for a longer extension.

She has not stated the purpose of the extension beyond 'to pass her deal'. Which does not have a majority, because if it did May would be overturn the standing order Bercow invoked to block MVIII.

The EU have not reacted well to the request. Noises from France sound negative.

That doesn't mean we won't get one, but its not looking good. If we do it looks unlikely to go beyond May 23rd and EU elections.

We do not expect a response from the EU until Monday.

May has therefore in practice reinstated the possibility of no deal next Friday. Or at the end of any extension we do get.

She is due to give a speech on a podum at 6pm tonight.

Parliament has called an emergency debate on the extension to try and take control of debate. It, so far, looks like no more that the Brexit Secretary filibusting. Its going round and round in circles going no where.

Meanwhile rumours that Operation Yellowhammer will kick in on Monday are in the air. That's the first steps to martial law to manage no deal. This is very bad.

9 days to go.

I propose a vote of thanks to red toothbrush

Seconded!

And pmk.

User some people realise that you have to walk the line between giving out information and paying the mortgage. Its a sad state of affairs that you have to even think like that in the UK in 2019.

29th of March is payday for an awful lot of the UK, any issues with getting money into accounts or out of cashpoints if data is offshored ? I know I keep bringing the issue of offshored data and no deal up, I just can't quite settle the niggle in my mind that this is going to have an impact somewhere really important ?

I just thought not even the most ardent Leave rewriter of history will be able to spin the nasty EU line- not giving us what we wanted.

Because.we.never.said.what.we.wanted.

Out I too wondered about a resignation but have concluded that's just wishful thinking.

To be fair to user she may have signed the official secrets act.

Corbyn is apparently making an TV appearance too.

On the questions about how May can hold another WA vote after Bercow's pronouncement, I think the plan was that the extension would be added to the WA vote making it a different vote than the ones already done, thereby getting around the Bercow business. The other way is that they vote to suspend the rule stopping the vote which if she has the majority for the WA shouldn't be a problem.

I am reading the EU saying they won't give an extension before the WA passing as showing that the EU don't really believe that the WA can pass and aren't prepared to give an extension and then the WA get voted down again. They also are aware that if there really was support for the vote it could be done and aren't prepared to listen to empty promises anymore.

Hmmmm.

5live just bought us the update:- it's still not confirmed

Had to turn off because Daniel Kawczyski came on

I expect May will just do more of the usual "...blah..blah...brexit means brexit....will of the people...blah...my deal or no deal...blah ...blah..."

Should she suddenly decide to do something dramatic I think it'll be a PV over resignation.

As for Corbyn...well...I just don't think I give a shit what he had to say tbh.

Susan
Bon courage.

because a boy in her class keeps getting detention because his mum can't afford them

Susan, are the school aware that this is the reason? You've done a very kind thing, and the school really should be doing it - it's a good use of pupil premium funds, for example. I know schools are struggling, but regardless of whether or not the school has the money to provide them, giving detention for being poor is fucking awful.

This is what is pissing me off so much about Brexit. It's a massive distraction when the country as a whole is facing massive issues - school funding, universal credit, pip etc.

PMK.

I'm not joking my normally mild mannered cat just sort of lunged at me falling off the table. He reached out as he did so and slashed my wrist drawing quite a lot of blood.

He has never done this before. Then he lunged at DH tripping him up on the stairs. The cat is trying to put us out of our misery.

Cats know stuff.

Thanks a lot for the info tobee. Though, don't know how to watch it if it's not in parliament. If anyone has any suggestions about any internet sites that broadcast live ... ?

Pmk

This is what is pissing me off so much about Brexit. It's a massive distraction when the country as a whole is facing massive issues - school funding, universal credit, pip etc.

THIS X 1,000,000

Vicki Young playing the pm statement down

@User76765 , I'm guessing Official Secrets Act/security clearances issues. Thank you for saying what you could.

GroovieGazelloo the Guardian website usually has a live video feed at crucial moments, here
www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/mar/20/brexit-latest-news-letter-article-50-extension-pmqs-theresa-may-bends-to-pressure-from-tory-brexiters-and-rules-out-asking-for-long-article-extension-politics-live

Our cats have also been behaving very oddly. I think they do sense stress/anxiety. They're still lazy fuckers though.

Am I wrong to have a sense of foreboding about this 8.15pm speech? 'Addressing the nation' doesn't sound good to me. The atmosphere in the Commons was pretty poisonous this afternoon/evening.

I don't think she's going to say anything much. She's totally deaf to criticism.

It’ll probably be the same old sound bites and vague statements - she’s yet to make a solid announcement that moves us on