Westminstenders: For Whom the Bell Tolls

[RedToothBrush]

Although another round of Indicative Votes is scheduled, arguably the chance for a soft Brexit has gone for two reasons.

Parliament was unable to show a majority because those on the opposition benches were too busy saying 'I want this but only on these terms' or still being too unwilling to compromise. Thus the opportunity and point for a third round starts to look weak.

The second is that Tory MPs were resolute in an opposition to a soft Brexit.

Unless May decides to be the next Robert Peel and go for a soft Brexit on the back of opposition vote its not going to happen.

This leaves May's deal as it stands or no deal.

May seems to have actually lost a few supporters of her deal since Friday, and given the performance of the opposition tonight and the prospect of round 3 of indicative votes they will still be unwilling to go for May's deal.

Which leaves no deal.

There is talk of a managed no deal. There is no such thing. The EU plan for that is essentially to push us into the deal in order to get a trading relationship.

And that will push us closer to the us. Which is what many torys want. And what polling seems to suggest they will have surprising support for.

Sorry folks but it don't look great tonight.

The opposition benches may look back on tonight and think they screwed it. I hope I'm wrong. But I fear tonight might have sealed our fate.

Tomorrow may has a 5hr cabinet. And a secret document dmfor the cabinet to study first.

It's going to get bumpy from here on in...

I thought the cabinet meeting had already broken up?

I think so

Conversation

Beth Rigby
@BethRigby
Cabinet still locked in nearly an hour after cars lined up to take them away. They also haven’t had phones back (I can tell from WhatsApp). Reminds of last Nov when May locked cabinet in No 10 & announced she’d secured their backing for her Brexit deal (Raab/McVey then quit)

It's not exactly stopping leaks is it??!

What time is the statement supposed to start?

We'll bring Britain to a standstill"

Er we know. That's the problem.

This is no way to run a PTA, let alone a country!

Theo Usherwood@theousherwood
When can we refer to the cabinet being corralled into a room and barred from leaving whilst the PM writes her latest Brexit statement a hostage situation?

So Eddie was right then!

Looks like TM is taking Mervyn King's advice, which was to extend by 6 months to allow time to prepare for No Deal. He didn't explain why 1) 6 months is long enough, or 2) the EU would agree.

This is no way to run a PTA, let alone a country!

That’s given me the first laugh of the day!

Both devices had notes attached to them - looped around them. One note said "Leave means leave". The other said words to the effect: "We'll bring Britain to a standstill" - that's why @BTP believes the incidents are Brexit related.”

Fascist losers want to start a civil war? Let's treat them with the contempt they deserve.
They're a stain on this country.

{How delightfully patriotic}
Waving a flag on Friday caused more disruption.

My email lobbying labour MP via link above.

(Yes there may be spelling and grammatical errors but anyway...)

--

It was amazing to see a million people from all around the country attend the People’s Vote March and I am sorry you couldn't attend. It’s brilliant to see their voices being heard in Parliament and heard by Donald Tusk. I feel Mr Tusk is working hard for all Europeans and making the effort for the UK to still feel welcome as a member despite the global community witnessing the chaos of the UK's making. His grace in dealing with this brexit crisis has been endless and I hope MPs feel the same.

I used to vote labour but due to the party's lax a daisy attitude towards brexit and particularly no deal Labour no longer has my support. However you can change this.

Like many MPs I doubt you've had the time to understand the impact on medications in the event of no deal. Please see the supply chain of KETITOFEN and how it's unavilable in America to get a quick over view as to what patients are up against.

I do not think the Government should be able to force a Brexit deal on the nation without at least letting the people have the final say.

There is hope, if you feel you can't Revoke then pushing for a Deal to be put to the people will help ease off this chaos.

Many thanks for your time, I am available for correspondence via email if you wish to reach out.

Yours sincerely

So was Penny Morduant let out to go to another meeting without her phone?

RG I think you posted earlier about working backwards from what they say they can't do - eg GE.
I suspect they caught wind the EU won't enable a long extension.

Dana clearly didn't get the memo that no one thinks it is Project Fear anymore. Too many people working in healthcare, food chains, farmers, environment and business in general have already had the scare about 'preparing' for No Deal last month, so that cat is out of the bag and rampantly running about scratching anyone who looks at it on the face.
Sorry. not sorry

Tonsils

Only explanation would be to be able to blame the EU when they say no.

Belinda you are not the only one, I thought he was talking to Lorraine Kelly as well😳 I think I have actually lost it now.

Apparently Tory whips trying to keep Parliament open by getting MPs to ask questions on whatever debate is going on this afternoon. This is to allow time for a motion to be tabled for tomorrow.

According to LBC.

Redwood was annoying me until I realised that he's making a fool of himself.

Trying to imply that manifestos are set in stone for all time - even the manifestos of losing parties (let alone parties who didn't win a majority )

I wonder why the Conservative Party manifesto pledges to remain part of the Single Market (including in the 2015 election) don't count

Jon Craig
I’d say Govt is planning to table Brexit motion in the Commons tonight, since there are dozens of interventions from Tory MPs in Geoffrey Clifton-Brown’s adjournment debate on business rates reform, clearly to keep it going until 7-7.30pm to allow time for a motion to be tabled.

Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar
Bell has gone. No more new motions tonight.

Faisal Islam@faisalislam
So whatever is coming out of Cabinet appears to be heading for the Commons...

If my learned colleague @joncraig is correct then this is the Government benches chatting amongst themselves with @MelJStride about business rates reform in order to allow a new Brexit motion to be tabled after Cabinet

Well if that was the plan, hasn’t worked. House has risen...
Photo of the mace being removed.

^....unless it was tabled in time...
For now Cabinet over... But Cabinet currently still in Downing St without their phones as we await some sort of high level communication of the Cabinet decision^

Something big brewing...

They either fucked the timing, we're trying to prevent opposition motions or got the motion tabled in time.

Either way, sounds important for them to filibuster like that.

Apparently Tory whips trying to keep Parliament open by getting MPs to ask questions on whatever debate is going on this afternoon. This is to allow time for a motion to be tabled for tomorrow.

I don’t understand this-how does it work? Why stall for time by asking questions, can’t they just table a motion for tomorrow now?

It is getting very James Bondy

Rosa Kleb May has them all locked in and she's going to feed them to the piranhas in the 10DS Garden pond unless they agree to her brilliant plan.

Sam Coates reported that the bell has tolled for the day so nothing else can be tabled tonight

Maybe that’s what Mordaunt was doing?

Paul Waugh @paulwaugh
CABINET MINISTER has ESCAPED the No.10 hostage room!

Penny Mordaunt tweeted a photo of herself with students on a tour at the HoC 10mins ago.