Westminstenders: The May Compromise

[RedToothBrush]

After a marathon cabinet meeting, which no one seems to have resigned from, May has had another podium moment.

This time instead of blaming everyone but herself, she's gone for the 'let's compromise approach' to Corbyn.

This comes after Nick Boles crossed the floor saying his side wasn't prepared to compromise on anything after May secretly whipped on a 'free' vote against him.

May also said she we needed more of an extension to the 22nd May but without promise of EU elections this means No Deal inevitable if May can't pass the WA by then. Provided EU allow an extension until then without EU elections.

She also hinted at respecting a majority idea over indicative votes, if she and Corbyn fail to agree - remembering she tried successfully to sabotage that last night.

Already many are saying this is a trap to ensnare others into the mess that is Brexit in the blame game. With no deal ultimately the end goal.

The idea that May can find a compromise with Corbyn seems a fantasy.

And the EU might have every reason to refuse a longer extension under the circumstances.

For May to compromise she surely would have to break the Tories to do it as Labour will only go for a soft option which is unacceptable to the ERG. Unless her idea of compromise is simply its the WA or No deal which it seems hard to conceive Labour going near with the realistic prospect of the next PM being a hardliner.

All in all it seems more likely to be a framing exercise in damage limitation rather than something which has more substance and a realistic prospect of working. And if that's really the case, it certainly would explain why no one's resigned yet.

Indicative Votes 3 and a pretty dodgy Cooper Amendment designed to be a last ditch attempt to prevent no deal are both scheduled.

Its desparation stakes and the EU more or less have us down as a failed state. And the pro Brexit bombs don't really add much optimist to the mood.

Just heard JRM on Today interviewed by the awfully nice and polite Mishal Hussain. His mask slipped, shall we say.

The mask is slipping on a few of them.

We are getting a look behind the great and powerful Oz's curtain and it ain't pretty.

Quite Peregrina. But surely the No Deal they are advocating would lead to that break up? Not so bothered about being blamed in that scenario. Presumably because the benefits to them great enough?

Chuka Umunna has tweeted 'Vote Jeremy Corbyn, get Theresa May's Brexit'. The Tigs are looking as stubborn and uncompromising as the ERG, not helpful at all.

Well, here's what I wrote. Feel free to use if it helps

Dear ,

I am bypassing the usual channel of "WriteToThem" (which I use to help
create statistics for public use) as a matter of time sensitivity.

As reported on the news, following her execrable handling of delivering
what we now know to be an illegal referendum result, the Prime Minister
has suggested discussions with the Leader of the Opposition and Labour
Party, Jeremy Corbyn.

Putting aside the fact this is over two years too late, and a nakedly
cynical attempt to drag others down with them, I appreciate Mr. Corbyn
would feel bound to respond as positively as is possible under the
circumstances.

Given your own feelings, and stated Labour party policy, might I urge
you to communicate to Mr. Corbyn that whatever may emerge from any
meaningful discussions, that it be subject to a Peoples Vote ? This
would allow Mr Corbyn to hold to the conference decision of 2018, and
the Prime Minister the chance to secure popular support for her
handling of Brexit.

kind regards

I can't see it as being unreasonable if he insists on a PV as the price for support

Yorkshire says 'Yes'

Jo Cox would've been proud.

🇪🇺@PeoplesvoteSWY
Fantastic to see @TracyBrabin (Batley & Spen) supporting a confirmatory #FinalSay on Monday! Thank you so much Tracy, this is the leadership MPs need to show through this #BrexitShambles. Put the people first & ask if it's what we still want. (Please contact Tracy to say thanks!)

PVSWY performing their adaptation of "On Ilkley Moor Baht'at" outside HOC on Monday, with brass band?

spot).twitter.com/NYorksEurope/status/111308449145366528

twitter.com/Anthony_M_Kelly/status/1112842316878921729

This is a gamble for TM and JC. Hate both of them, particularly him.

Surprising /suspicious if there are no Cabinet resignations.

News about gagging orders...

The Department for Transport (DfT) told us it had 79 separate NDAs by the end of February.

The Department of Health and Social Care revealed it had taken out 26 gagging orders, while the Department for Exiting the European Union confirmed it had taken out seven.

...the Home Office has taken out at least 100 gagging orders, simply in relation to ports. It is unclear how many gagging orders it has in relation to the rest of its work.

The Food and Drink Federation said: "One of our frustrations throughout the process of no-deal planning has been an inconsistent approach to confidentiality across government. Documents are often shown to us, but we're then told we cannot take them away from meetings and share them with members and more widely. This limits our ability to provide high-quality feedback. Where NDAs have been employed this clearly creates a two-tier relationship with industry, with some businesses being insiders and others kept out of the loop. Quite apart from the practical consequences, it is no way to build trust."

Rod McKenzie, managing director of the Road Haulage Association, said that the use of non-disclosure agreements had "hindered and frustrated" his industry. He said: "NDAs have been used far, far too much. It is not fair and it is simply wrong to use them in this way. They are gagging trade associations like ours from telling our members about the effect of Brexit. I understand that government doesn't want its plans for a no-deal Brexit to end up in newspapers, but there comes a point when we have to tell our members what is actually going on, and we have been gagged from doing that on a continual basis."

'No way to build trust...' Hmmm. You could say that about the last three years of government. This is no way to run a happy country.

news.sky.com/story/brexit-hundreds-of-gagging-orders-taken-out-by-government-11671933

Good idea DGR

These sideline swipers are pita

All for personal shots at power rather than getting something over the line

DGR No point writing to my Labour MP. She has even defied the whip to vote against PV.

Chuka Umunna has tweeted 'Vote Jeremy Corbyn, get Theresa May's Brexit'. The Tigs are looking as stubborn and uncompromising as the ERG, not helpful at all.

part of the mess we're in is due to "compromise" rather than principle ? I cannot state the depths of my opposition the the death penalty (for example). There is no compromise I could do with any political party that could see me accept capital punishment. Not even if it's just for buskers.

So political factions holding fast isn't inherently bad.

Not really sure how such a situation is resolved, but one thing I suspect is a lot of "compromises" made by individuals - and factions - over the years has been nothing of the kind. It's simply been a mood music to dazzle people who actually believe in compromise.

As we can see, there's no compromise with the ERG. How the fuck did those guys end up in a political party that was officially happy to be a member of the EU ? It's a little akin to a bunch of vegans deciding they really want to be members of the local hunt

Lurking for many many threads and thanks to all for their contributions. I am a Brit abroad and just horrified with what is going on. We use ‘Filmon’ to watch TV and I see that there is space saved for ‘party political broadcasts’. Anyone think a GE is imminent??

No point writing to my Labour MP.

Not the message from my student days ... every letter, email, tweet - they all count.

I may be cynical, but not defeatist. Don't give up on yourself !!!!

(after Brexit I'll be available for motivational speechs, weddings, bar mitzvahs ... )

Anyone think a GE is imminent
EU and Local Gov elections next month?

Don't give up on yourself
Apparently invincible (and May and Trump's bestie) nationalist Erdogan has just come a cropper in local elections in Ankara and Istanbul.

Every little counts.

Election or no election...whichever party tries to do Brexit will be destroyed by it from the inside, even without the opposition attacking.

^^

part of the mess we're in is due to "compromise" rather than principle ? I cannot state the depths of my opposition the the death penalty (for example). There is no compromise I could do with any political party that could see me accept capital punishment. Not even if it's just for buskers.

For me it's about knowing when to stick to your principles and when to be pragmatic.

Thus comparing to the death penalty is a very different prospect. Its not a time sensitive issue. It's a straight issue on morality. Brexit is a time limited process in which what you believe can be two sided. I am pro remain however I am also anti-no deal.

And you do have to ask questions a week out from no deal in this sense. It's gambling with other people's lives.

No easy answer and to demonise others who might compromise at this stage is deeply unpleasant, regardless of the history. That rhetoric doesn't just affect Corbyn its those MPs who are really struggling over what they feel is the best course of action.

I understand there are a number of MPs really suffering with their mental health at the moment as a direct result of Brexit.

You can make the point you disagree but you can manage your tone at the same time. Time and place.

If TM dumps the DUP, doesn't she have to call a GE? I thought the only reason she was able to form a Government was because she could claim a Conservative/DUP arrangement. Doesn't the Government fall if the arrangement breaks down?

PrincessGeorge - there have been periodic party political broadcasts over the last few months anyway. I don't think too much can be read into that.

I agree, Red. Now is the time that pragmatism and common sense have to take over.

It would be grossly negligent of Parliament to tip us into no deal when it can be avoided, so something, somewhere, has to give for the sake of the nation.

I understand there are a number of MPs really suffering with their mental health at the moment as a direct result of Brexit

@SimonFRCox
So UK is heading for European Parl elections. Clear leadership by @ElectoralCommUK & police is needed to guard against the law breaking we saw in EUref & spreading intimidation our MPs are facing.

More on the neo nazi NA plot, and the perpetrator. The West Lancs MP, Rosie Cooper, was not the initial target. It was a synagogue.

twitter.com/hopenothate/status/1113050873465393152

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-47693525

Many MPs deserve our gratitude for continuing to work for us under these conditions.

Should also point out that there are no elections currently planned in Scotland until 2021 (Scottish Parliament elections) - yet I've still seen a PPB for the SNP relatively recently.

Meanwhile, is Brunei one of the countries the UK is gagging to get into a deal with ?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-47769964

Whatever your views on the death penalty (apparently in the US it doesn't have to be painless after www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-execution/death-row-inmates-not-guaranteed-a-painless-death-supreme-court-rules-idUSKCN1RD2J5) surely stoning to death is pretty inefficient. Isn't Brunei a modern country ?

If TM dumps the DUP, doesn't she have to call a GE? I thought the only reason she was able to form a Government was because she could claim a Conservative/DUP arrangement. Doesn't the Government fall if the arrangement breaks down?

No.

We've had minority governments before. Its not essential to have a majority to form a government. Just to have 'the confidence of the house' by demonstrating you can pass the Queens speech by a majority.

If the current situation had happened in the past, its more likely that government would have collapsed as it was much easier to collapse the government.

But then 2010 happened and in order to try and make the government more stable and prevent hardliners holding the coalition to ransom they brought in the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

Which in different circumstances has had effects which have been quite the oppose to which they were intended. Its created political instability in a different way.