Westminstenders: Compromise is a difficult word

[RedToothBrush]

Today the HoC had a water leak. It closed the house for the day. This isn't without consequence; any hope for the opportunity of Indicative Votes on Monday had cold water poured on it.

Meanwhile talks between talks between May and Corbyn were about as productive as you'd imagine. But apparently they had nice tea and biscuits.

The Cooper Bill, the last minute lock on May getting a extension to prevent no deal, has been in the Lords today. I say it's been in the Lords but Tories have filibuster Ed on procedure for over 6 hours to prevent the chance of it passing the house. Tory whips are timetabled until 6am but the opposition benches have vowed to go to 7.30am. So far the votes to ruin the procedure have failed comfortably so the opposition have the number. Its just a question of time.

The trouble is with the Lords not sitting tomorrow that means the bill won't get passed until Monday and there are fears it won't get royal assent until Tuesday.

The bill doesn't prevent accidental no deal but it would be a barrier to May.

It therefore looks like May's gambit with the EU to get an extension is to say her plan is ongoing talks with Labour for a cross party solution. It won't wash.

No deal looks more and more likely.

I'm feeling much more optimistic about European elections now. I hope everyone posting and lurking on this thread will vote

Yes.

There was a very funny April Fool about productivity in the UK. I post it here for light relief: workplaceinsight.net/overwhelming-majority-of-uk-workers-entirely-unproductive-claims-report/

DGR I think there are two groups of people who are good at maths: people would good verbal reasoning skills (it's just logic innit) but who have no special affinity with numbers - this is my DD (and me) - and people who have good reasoning skills but who also have a special affinity with numbers because they like order and patterns.

My DD is in the first group - she was rubbish at primary school arithmetic (couldn't see the point, didn't like learning stuff by heart, and she's not a people pleaser) - but top of her maths class in sixth form. She is not really that interested in maths except insofar as it's something she finds it easy to get good marks in.

The second type is the archetypal "maths kid" like my DS, who has always liked numbers and patterns, taught himself to program computers in primary school, and is now heavily into music theory.

LeClerc

We're back on 14th, so potential regime change while we're still away. Just a (very) minor example of the complications No Deal will involve.

Anyway, don't want to derail the thread on petty issues (I'm just fed up of phonong the insurers - I know Greensleeves off by heart now )

Lots of maths has no numbers, DS is in his first year of a maths degree and says he 'ain't seen a number in a while'😁

I'm feeling much more optimistic about European elections now. I hope everyone posting and lurking on this thread will vote

Against the low turnout at Newport, I'd suggest that's unlikely ...

And thank you for asking after the dog.

General anaesthetic and stitches, £450 vet bill. Poor love wouldn't harm a fly.

Much of my maths at uni and in nearly 40 years of working life involves symbols & equations, as much as numbers

Against the low turnout at Newport, I'd suggest that's unlikely ...

I think the turnout will be very low in leave-voting areas. The Brexit process will definitely have killed political engagement in people who voted leave because they wanted change.

It might be quite high in remain voting areas, though. In some strongly remain constituencies 40% of the electorate have signed the A50 petition. I think if the tiggers, LDs and greens can field enough candidates they could do well in those areas.

Lots of maths has no numbers,

Geometry ....

Oh, poor MileDog
I hope he recovers quickly and also regains his confidence 🦴🦴

So glad your dog is ok. Worrying for you waiting for the recovery from the general anaesthetic though.

Maths stuff really interesting..and I think an evolving flexit will take much of the heat and a lot of interest away....

DG Some of my work: Tensor calculus, matrix algebra, simultaneus equations with millions of variables ...

I think the turnout will be very low in leave-voting areas. The Brexit process will definitely have killed political engagement in people who voted leave because they wanted change.

I know it's sailing dangerously close to the sneering arrogance that Remainers are tarred with, but I struggle to comprehend why people - whose grumble was that apparently they were ignored by politicians - somehow decided en masse that voting for politicians was going to fix their lives ?

DG Some of my work: Tensor calculus, matrix algebra, simultaneus equations with millions of variables ...

Eigenvectors, Fourier transforms, and enough probability and entropy to last n-lifetimes

_ France slams as 'clumsy', 'premature' talks of Brexit delay_

Don't count your Poulets before they are hatched ....

The EU Commission & EP are clearly trying to pressure the E27 heads of govt into granting an extension,
with public statements, but some countries are pushing back, France publicly

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-brexit/france-slams-as-clumsy-premature-talks-of-brexit-delay-source-idUSKCN1RH0R5

PARIS (Reuters) - France considers as premature talks of granting Britain another extension to the Brexit negotiation period,

a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.

The French diplomatic source slammed as “clumsy” comments by an EU official mentioning a “flexible extension”
of the date of the country’s exit from the European Union of up to one year.
.....
“It is premature to talk of an extension despite the fact the
27 had set a clear pre-condition: the need for a credible alternative plan justifying this request.

We’re not there today,” the source told Reuters.

“Rumors about this extension are a clumsy trial balloon,
the different options will be discussed on April 10 and nothing has been decided,”
the source added.

“In any case, we need a clear plan from London by Tuesday,”

The good thing about the European elections is that EU citizens in the UK actually do have the right to vote! I can choose which country I want to cast my vote in, so I’ll make sure I’m registered to vote here. The more EU citizens vote in the UK, the better.

German far-right MP 'could be absolutely controlled by Russia'

A German politician could become an "absolutely controlled" MP in the Bundestag, according to Russian documents seen by BBC Newsnight.

The politician, Markus Frohnmaier, is a member of the German parliament from the far-right AfD party.
.....
Mr Frohnmaier has frequently spoken out against EU sanctions on Russia,
and made trips to Crimea, the Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014,
as well as parts of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

oops, needs

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47822835

katya adler@BBCkatyaadler

You can almost hear the sound of combined eye-rolling across 27 European capitals .. < 🤦🏻‍♀️ 😱 >

as the PM requests a #Brexit extension-time (till 30th June) that Brussels has already repeatedly rejected /1

PM knows EU will likely insist on longer extension with option to end earlier as soon as parliament has ratified #Brexit deal
(see: Donald Tusk’s proposed ‘flextension’)
BUT
by asking for shorter extension she avoids further flak from ERG-ites à la “Brussels forced my hand!” /2

EU leans toward longer extension to avoid being constantly approached by the PM for a rolling series of short extensions with threat of no deal always round the corner.

Message from EU
“Dear Theresa, Enough of the drama already!

We have other non #Brexit issues on our plate.” /3

Interesting thread elsewhere from a supposed Labour voter bewailing they can't now vote for anyone, as Leave is (allegedly) more important. (Just not quite important enough to vote Tory thought )

Anyways ...

France slams as 'clumsy', 'premature' talks of Brexit delay

Which sets up a "triumph for the UK" subtext to the ongoing situation should the extension be agreed. Which would mollify a few Leavers . It also adds to JRMs rather ill-judged tweet that delaying Brexit could be viewed as a win for the UK ??????

Considering how it seems we've been stuck in ice for two years, the past few hours seem to have signalled a creaking noise outside.

Something is up .....

.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your point DGR.
One of the powerful things for me is the 2016 referendum wasn't a vote for politicians, it was vote making a decision. Some might claim that it was a vote against politicians (or one in particular - DCam)

DGR - I'm not sure many people saw Farage as a politician which I think helped their cause no end. He's never been entrusted with tax for a solo project and made noises against "the establishment".

Why they voted for Gove/Boris - the two masters of showing how not to be a politician...anyone's guess.

I do think that not leaving on 29th March has killed a part of the leaver doggedness. They clearly felt a very real threat albeit from things that weren't on the horizon so the idea that we didn't leave and things carry on with no change, with the background as Brexit is going to cause chaos, has shown the status quo up as relatively stable.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your point DGR.

I wasn't referring to the referendum directly. More the upswell of UKIP support that led to it ...

DGR - I'm not sure many people saw Farage as a politician

Which (as DM would have said) is their lookout ...