Westminstenders: The Last Rites

[RedToothBrush]

After May's disastrous speech to the nation, we've hit the impasse once and for all.

She managed to enrage everyone from Brexiteers to hard Remainers and everyone in between. It was so poorly judged it's difficult to know where to begin. It just feeds the division and anger in our society in all quarters.

It's also massively undermines her appeal to the EU for an extension. If France thought we were a political basket case they were well shot of, and didn't want more social contagion from before 8pm, then they certainly won't have changed their minds since.

May's speech was that of a would be dictator. After next Friday, she effectively has both the justification and the power to act upon those instincts. She has spoken out against parliamentary democracy and consistently disregarded the law.

It's hard to see any outcome but no deal with no extension at this point. We are no waiting on a miracle to save us and that's no more than a forlorn hope. Something we hold on to, until reality presents itself.

The Last Rites of British Democracy have been served this week.

And now we face the wait for what seems now inevitable.

Have now noticed BBC biased much more in this last week.

Will Bercow shock everyone and NOT allow WA111?

He's already ruled hasn't he ? If there is to be another vote, it has to be "substantially" different. One would presume that TM & gang have had some sort of discussion about what would count as "substantially" although on previous evidence it would have made no difference as she never listens. There's also the fact that it's not really the speakers job to assist in drafting motions (which seems to be an appropriate word for what May is dragging around).

That said, she'll probably try and crowbar whatever she brings back from Brussels (that is what they hand to her outside the room, from reporting) and claim that sticking that onto the WA makes it a new motion. In much the same way as fitting an ashtray to a motorbike helps make it be more like a car.

I signed the petition first thing this morning and have had the confirmation email yet.

Catherine Finnecy@cfinnecy

Parliament is able to stop her in many ways but it would probably involve needing both

An amenable Speaker ✔️

An amenable leader of the opposition to lay the required bill/motions ❌


Have now noticed BBC biased much more in this last week

Not sure that was possible ... is there still a Humphrie around ?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/article-50-petition-revoke-brexit-delay-theresa-may-deal-a8833681.html

2000 people were signing the petition every second when the website crashed.

2,000 people every second?!

If she accepts the EU extension to 23 May, then changing the Brexit date on which the WA would apply should be sufficient change

If she stamps her foot and insists on 30 June or bust .... then it's bust

No Deal, No Brexit, or No May?

Thank you icantreachthepretzels - I did use the link and sent it at lunch. Maybe it just hasn't come through yet (checked in Spam but nothing there either). I wonder if a lot of ppl who are signing the petition are also emailing TM

2,000 people every second?!

It's a UK newspaper. First thought is they've got it wrong. 2,000/s = 7,200,000 an hour.

Unless the nation decided to take "The Leadsom Challenge" ?

No Deal, No Brexit, or No May?

To reuse a slogan Let's make June the end of May

My friend just said she's traveling over from the EU country were we live to march on Saturday. It's the straw that broke the camels back. I sobbed on the potatoes FFS

Main hope is that the EU would probably offer a long extension when / if the WA is voted down next week

This is when we need Parliament to force her to accept it.

So, on the WA bill, MPs need to pass an amendment saying that if it is voted down, we have a long extension.

If she feels she has to resign, too bad
At that stage, it doesn't matter even if Boris or JRM get in, if the alternative is No Deal within 1-2 days.

Never ever talk about killing MPs or (even just not protecting them) even in jest.

Absolutely yes to this. We (as a country) need to learn from what happened to Jo Cox. MPs receive threats regularly and it is important that the people behind such things realise that the rest of us DO NOT agree with them.

HoC petitions twitter says nearly 2000 signatures per minute.

It's a UK newspaper. First thought is they've got it wrong. 2,000/s = 7,200,000 an hour.

Definitely. last night it was moving at a rate of about 200 every ten seconds to have increased 100 fold since then seems a little unlikely. And the figures certainly aren't moving that fast!

@GoldenSyrupLion - check your spam email box. If you haven't had a confirmation email in (I think) 24 hours, you can email them and ask them to add you manually.

It would be ice to think Plod would want to interview the people making death threats, or are they too busy?

So, on the WA bill, MPs need to pass an amendment saying that if it is voted down, we have a long extension.

Will the Kyle-Wilson amendment come back?

If she feels she has to resign

The only way to get that to happen is to demonstrate that if she doesn't the Tory party is toast. Otherwise she will plough on.

based on a rate of 2000 per minute we would get 2mil 880 thousand votes in a 24 our period. It would take 6 days to reach 17 million.

Andrea Leadsome has thrown down the gauntlet. We really should take her up on it.

Andrea Leadsome has thrown down the gauntlet. We really should take her up on it.

Indeed. Getting that to happen is going to be a challenge, but her comments have inspired me to share the petition even wider - to people who almost never sign petitions but might be inspired to make her eat her words.

based on a rate of 2000 per minute we would get 2mil 880 thousand votes in a 24 our period. It would take 6 days to reach 17 million.

That's an average rate - it would be fascinating (and I'm guessing our data-slurping government already know) to see what; if anything; the ups and downs correspond too. A bit like the old "power demand surges when the adverts come on" ...

Having overplayed their hand the Tory Backbenchers cannot depose her, and if they did they'd get Johnston.

So why not leave her as party leader but have a different PM?

It worked for Churchill, who became PM in May 1940 but not party leader until October.

It worked for Churchill, who became PM in May 1940 but not party leader until October.

Didn't the Tories have no formal leadership until the late 60s ? I'm pretty certain they introduced one after making the Queen chose a PM from candidates, rather than putting one forward ?

Will the Kyle-Wilson amendment come back?

Never been used in the first place. But May has ruled out EP elections which Kyle-Wilson entails...