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.

Well that sounds reasonably sensible

Quite. And thus highly unlikely....

Grieve is having a right go at the PM

Gosh these threads are fast pmk

DG Freddy Laker was an early attempt at Ryanair, which flopped

For younger readers there's a bit more to it than that ...

Laker lauched a budget UK-US airline "SkyTrain" which went bust after BA mysteriously managed to undercut it on key routes.

A similar move was made against Beardy Branson in the 80s (90s) when he launched Virgin Atlantic. But proving he does have head for business, Branson (with Laker advising) immediately accused BA of anti-competition practices .... possibly in the US as well as UK. Eventually the case was settled .... out of court. But BA (and some US airlines) were guilty as sin. Or that's my memory.

Much as it's cool to dislike Branson, he also put his money where his mouth is when the lottery firm tried to bribe him - and won in court if my memory isn't too shabby.

(I'm guessing these threads need a bit of crosstalk to keep us all sane ?)

I'm still not sure about no deal (other than the timing of getting legislation through to change the exit day). No deal means a hard border in Ireland - exactly what the EU wants to avoid. I guess that is why they are behaving with such patience in the face of May's incompetence.

I was naive about this. When Cameron first announced his in-out referendum I was listening to the radio and said what are you doing that for - people will vote to leave. So the result wasn't a surprise, though it was still a shock.

I've been preparing for no deal but but when the deal was agreed in December (November?) it didn't occur to me that MPs would veto it. I had started planning life again. And then you have to stop again and don't know what you can and can't do. I am sick of these people playing chicken with our lives.

Quite. And thus highly unlikely....

Ha ha. Well you can only laugh.

Jim Pickard@PickardJE (FT)

one government figure says it's "entirely possible" May could tell MPs the choice is either "her deal or referendum" or "her deal or election":

"She's looking for ways to bounce people into her deal."

Essentially the EU have figured out that if the WA won’t pass a trade deal will never be agreed.

If the WA passes shotgun at this point, it would be the start of a 5-10 year Brexit nightmare. Many analysts think the UK-EU trade negotiations will be far worse and more bad tempered than the exit talks (and could easily break down completely at any point).

Not sure how a GE helps in this situation tbh. Unless May announces a significantly longer extension is being sought that she has asked for so far, there wouldn't be time to hold one would there? I guess in theory they could say GE on 2nd May when the local Council elections are held but could candidates even be selected in that time?

Thus they’re cutting to the chase now.

Good point - where are the tories?!

When Cameron first announced his in-out referendum I was listening to the radio and said what are you doing that for - people will vote to leave.

Leaving would not have been a problem if had been set out before asking people to put an X in a box. The one sympathy I have for anyone who voted Leave is that they have been educated - as have we all - about the sanctity of the ballot in our democracy. It is understandable they might have assumed the people who advocated "Leave" had a fucking clue.

Totally disfunctional Cabinet

Tom Newton Dunnn@tnewtondunn*

A significant amount of Leavist Cabinet ministers are meeting the PM in No10 now (eg Gove, Fox, Leadsom, Hunt etc)
- as many as 18, I'm told.

Remainists (Chx, Clarke, Rudd, Perry) not invited.

Are there two Cabinets now?

Incidentally, didn't the speaker have harsh words for ministers who announce items to the press outside the house ? Not that May gives a shit, of course, but it might help inform any speculation as to what (if anything) she might say behind a podium ????

I can't be arsed to watch tonight, I'm going to watch something lighthearted instead.

At least within the WA transition, this can be extended indefinitely, rather than make a decision
That means "Pay, No Say" and keeping FOM, agencies & trade etc as now

Yes, with this level of disfunctional, it would be better that we have no say in anything more than whether to serve croissants or choc brioche at EU Council meetings

I feel sick.

nothing to do with the pack of shortbread or dark choc I've scoffed from my brexshit stash

10 years on, there should be a good majority for Rejoin and since the transition terms are the same as now,
we could just slide back in

HR Guru
Posts: 12,970
Forum Member
✭✭
20/03/19 - 17:11
#529
Sky Data poll on this mess:

Which of the following, if any, do you think is most to blame for the UK government and the EU not being able to agree a Brexit deal MPs are willing to accept?

UK government 34%
MPs 26%
The EU 7%
All equally 24%
None of these 7%
Don't know 2%

Found this poll online ^^

I was going to have a break from alcohol for a few weeks. Feel like Lloyd Bridges in Airplane!

{I can't be arsed to watch tonight, I'm going to watch something lighthearted instead.}
So will that be Mad Max or something with zombies in it?

They forgot to give the option of The UK Electorate! Tatiana

Theo Usherwood@theousherwood (LBC)

Understand that if there is a statement later, the PM will not be resigning and she will not be triggering a general election.

Instead, she will attempt to go above the heads of MPs and appeal to the country to get behind her deal

< how ? This'll go well >

Instead, she will attempt to go above the heads of MPs and appeal to the country to get behind her deal

So, PV then ?