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.

Thank you red

More on the train track incidents.

@Danny ShawBBC
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.Danny Shaw added,

Extreme right wing terrorist not facing re trial

Jack Renshaw: Neo-Nazi paedophile will not face retrial over National Action membership

Renshaw admitted plotting to kill his local MP and threatening to kill a police officer who questioned him on child sex offences

news.sky.com/story/jack-renshaw-neo-nazi-paedophile-will-not-face-retrial-over-national-action-membership-11682227

Ex UK gov spokesman who revealed a lot about ' brexit' 2 years ago, now unable to be in his home.

‏*@jameschappers*
No. Not at home though because of Brexiteer death threats

Ouch I just had a read through the school run dress thread. Such invective! Maybe the bots got misdirected. I particularly liked the insult “irritating wasp”.

Thanks, red 💐
You must be worn out writing new threads every day !

Both Corbyn and the EU need to insist that May whips to legislate for EP elections
AND
that she asks for a long enough extension for proper discussion with Corbyn & Starmer

If so, I'd expect the EU to agree to an extension

They would probably be delighted if she is at last going for a cross-party Brexit resolution:

• it's in the tradition of European politics to find broad consensus for major issues

• it means that there is a much better chance of the UK actually sticking to what is agreed,

not beingdependent on one party

Obviously the ERG - and those 160 No Deal Tories - will go beserk at a long extension, EP elections and discussions with their favourite bogeyman

However, if May doesn't have the courage & strength to go for that, then she is not serious about talks with Corbyn

I sincerely hope I can look forward to voting in the EU elections, as I have done ever since I was old enough to vote, unlike the propagandists who say the EU is undemocratic.

Me too Yaralie

Corbyn should take to his bed with a fictional mystery virus and just send Keir. She's banking on Corbyn getting offended over something and walking out. It would blindside her if Keir turned up with Tom Watson as deputy leader and a sick note from Corbyn.

@iandunt says: "We know the trick with May now. Deep textual analysis. Find the sentence that's doing the heavy lifting, see if there is any wriggle room in it."

Referring to this:
"We would want to agree a timetable for this bill to ensure it is passed before the 22nd of May, so the UK need not take part in European parliamentary elections."

Dunt goes on:
"Sounds simple, but it isn't. It has two potential meanings and the difference between them could mean everything to Brexit endgame.

In the best case scenario, it means she will ask for a long extension, possibly to the end of the year, pass the domestic legislation to take part in the European elections by April 12th, and then try to get the deal through before May 22nd so we can leave before the election actually takes place. That would be fine. It would simply be a political ambition, rather than a legal trap.

There is some evidence she might intend this. De-facto deputy prime minister David Lidington yesterday wrote to the Electoral Commission instructing them to prepare for the election as a contingency measure.

But there is a worst case scenario too. She could be planning to only request an extension of Article 50 to May 22nd. This would take the EU's deal timetable offer and apply it to her no-deal circumstance. All the talk of working with Jeremy Corbyn and an indicative votes back-up mechanism would, in this interpretation, not really be meaningful. It would simply be there to convince the EU to extend their offer without the UK having to pass legislation to take part in the elections.

This strategy would be intended to get the UK into the danger zone - that window of time between April 12th and May 22nd when no further extension of Article 50 are possible. Then she could do what she has always wanted to do and force MPs to pick between her deal and no-deal.

There is evidence for this too. Just look at her proposal for the first extension of Article 50, in which she outlined two time periods, but then only asked the EU for the shorter one. You would, let's be frank, be mad to trust her.

The decency and acceptability of May's strategy hinges on the meaning of that sentence. If she requests a long extension but intends to get the deal done quickly, it is perfectly honourable, truthful and sensible. If she only requests the extension until May 22nd, it is a trap. Neither MPs nor Brussels should allow her to spring it."

woman Shameful that fascist Brexit terrorism receives very little publicity, compared to what would happen if it were Islamic terrorism

and certainly the frequent links with the far right and paedophiles doesn't get the attention it should.

Yes I'm looking forward to the EP elections. I have always voted in them anyway but I will enjoy it more this time.

Wonder if the Tories whipped against Clarke’s CU as well - my backbench MP voted against it first time, last night she abstained.

Yes can’t someone lock him in his shed on the allotment, I reckon she would spontaneously combust if Keir & Tom turned up.

Ta red

Let's lobby, lobby, lobby! (Said like Mr Blobby)

www.libdems.org.uk/brexit-mp-78

MPs are going to vote on how we should end this Brexit mess. This is our best chance to give the people the final say on Brexit and the chance the stay in the EU.

We need these key MPs to get behind a People's Vote. Will you help persuade Paula Sherriff?

You'll get the best response if you make your message more personal. Remember to be polite, we're trying to persuade the MP to change their position.

I made it personal personal including revoke and sometimes asking MPs if they want to make friends. No I haven't been drinking.

For weeks plenty of posters on here have been critisising TM for not moving an inch, sticking to her deal after you have decided it was dead. So now she does move, pledging to involve the opposition and agree a posiiton, and she’s still being critisied left, right and centre!

Pmk

It is a trap all right

There is an additional risk:
the UK could Revoke after 12 April - as a wrecking tactic, to get a WA with cake - and the EP is again buggered

So the EU almost certainly won't risk letting the UK extend even to 22 May, unless the EP legislation has passed by about 10 April, when the EU council meet to discuss Brexit.

They'd have to accept being blamed for No Deal - so I expect they'll put out more statements to warn in advance that EP elections are required

• and also that they won't renegotiate the WA duing any extension

PMK thank you

Sometimes the pictures from the app don't show up for a while if at all so here it is Flowerpower - posted via the laptop .

On reflection, it is probably more of a dormouse cat

Pmk

Just wanted to say welcome to the delurkers.

I agree that this is a mess but why does everyone, media, MPs, and online commentators go on about TM being intransegent.

Everybody is. Nobody wants to give way. Remainers, Soft Brexiters, the lets just crash out. Thats why the indicative votes never pass.

And dont forget the biggest group of intransegents the EU. What is going on in Westminister now is like rearranging the deck chairs whilst the Titantic is sinking. And that started when MPs agreed to holding a referendum. They effectively gave up their right to say what should or shouldn't happen. they agreed that the electorate would tell them.

Now they are indulging in a self aggrandising big ego trip with MPs dashing round as though they are the heros of some political drama fed by a malicious misogynistic press whose level of reporting is more suited to a celebrity show than porviding actual facts that relate to a decision about the future of the UK.

It is in the interest of the MRAs in the Tory party, the lets just sit on the fence while the country crumbles Labour, and the media who never challenged the lies in the referendum campaign but promoted them, to blame it all on one person. The amount of loathsome personal attacks on TM as a woman is just grotesque.

She got the short straw when all the tory men ran away. And up against the far more coherent group of 27 EU countries probably got the best deal they (and they have the upper hand) were ever going to allow the UK. It just seems rather than saying the EU is putting the boot into the reality of the referendum result everybody is saying its all one woman's fault.

(Just for the sake of clarity I voted remain and am not a tory.)

Louise - she has said/promised this before and nothing came from it

She has not said/demonstrated anything to suggest that her basic attitude has changed and that anything has really hanged except for the ticking clock

Louisecollins We suspect it's just a trick,
because May has consistently used tricks and reneged on promises, both to her own MPs and to the EU

If she genuinely wants to agree a cross-party Brexit deal with Corbyn, then personally I would welcome this very late conversion to common sense

I will only believe it, though, if she first whips for EP elections ....

because she can't expect to reach an agreement with Corbyn,
plus have the EU legal team draft draft a new PD,
all in time for the 10 April EU Council meeting that would decide an extension

I doubt if this can be done by 22 May either, so she should ask for a long extension, say EOY

Of course the UK would not hold EP elections if Brexit happens on 22 May
and would exit before EOY if a deal has been approved earlier by all sides

Already??!! PMK still got an hour of the old thread to catch up on.
I was optimistic at first after my initial ffs but now worried that it is indeed a trap but holding on to the patience of Tusk and hoping the EU27 save the day. I'm allowed a unicorn if TM is!

What lonely said.

hello somerville nice to see you earlier.

There was a nice cat moment on Sky news earlier prettybirdwhen either Gladstone or Palmerston, the foreign office cat sauntered past Kay Burley and Beth Rigby. (much more interesting than the political stuff) No sight of Larry, though..........

Happy looking cat Flowerpower

Flipping heck, I had a long chat with my Dad and find she’s been on the podium again. Am a bit behind and trying to understand why this is different from when she said she was going to talk to Corbyn before.