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.

This "gentleman's agreement" fits in with what I posted earlier, that the Guardian Brussels corresp heard suggested

katya adler@BBCkatyaadler

Some EU countries still pursuing idea of getting some kind of gentleman’s (.. gentlewoman’s??) understanding from PM

that UK will fulfill obligations as EU member state until the time it leaves -

eg pay budget contributions, not block EU decision-making

BUT /4

EU also working out alternative plans eg if UK were to try to block new EU budget
** - due for approval in coming months.

I’m told the 27 remaining EU leaders can sign off on that budget and wait till UK leaves to ratify it «

Not ideal but do-able » according to EU source /5

< bloody hell, they really don't trust us / have been reading cunnings plans of JRM & others >

If we ever do end up Revoking, the UK will need to make HUGE effort to rebuild lost trust & influence that the other E27 feel

I do think that not leaving on 29th March has killed a part of the leaver doggedness.

And then some !!!!!! Leading up, the posts and postings I've seen where it was stated AS A FACT that the UK would be out by the 30th - we won get over it etc etc.

There really is no rowing back from that. Blame who you like. Gather as many hundreds as you can into Parliament Square until the pubs open. But it's a gaping wound that can be picked at again and again.

bloody hell, they really don't trust us / have been reading cunnings plans of JRM & others

Bit underhand though ? I mean he only tweets in English in the UK. Who's been leaking stuff to them ?

Louisecollins I've posted before that I think at least one section of voters

• those most affected by austerity -

had then at least, no particular feelings about the EU,

.... but saw a big red button labelled "Fuck Cameron" and pressed it

.... but saw a big red button labelled "Fuck Cameron" and pressed it

Camerons gone - job done ....

TL;DR, but might be of interest to some ...

Seems Facebook has some sort of inbuilt bias in advertising ... how does this translate to political ads ? (Hopefully it shows that Lynton has spunked a shed load of money for nothing ... we live in hope)

Discrimination through optimization:How Facebook’s ad delivery can lead to skewed outcomes

arxiv.org/pdf/1904.02095.pdf

I'm 58 (at least, I will be tomorrow ) and I learnt my times tables by rote at primary school - up to 12x12. Easy for me as I am a good rote learner (stood me in good stead a few years later when I had to learn Latin in 6 months for my "O" Grade after coming back to Scotland 6 months before the "O" grades )

Dh (2 years old than me) tells the story of one of the boys who went to his secondary school (Grant Aided Selective when Scotland still had such things ) whose primary school had taught them up to 20 x 20 They were all very impressed - but it didn't mean he was any better at Maths than them.

bloody hell, they really don't trust us / have been reading cunnings plans of JRM & others

I think they probably understand the difference between JRM and the likes of Nicola Sturgeon, Caroline Lucas or Kier Starner. Admittedly they can't guarantee they won't have to deal with an ERG government, but are probably hoping the pendulum will swing back the other way a bit.

They probably see someone like David Lidington and think all is not lost. I can never understand why David Davis was so crap given he'd worked at the EU.

Happy birthday for tomorrow pretty

Thanks for answering the maths without numbers question people, I've been on school drop off.

but saw a big red button labelled "Fuck Cameron" and pressed it
Maybe now people will see a similar button labelled "Fuck JRM"

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

Yes I'd hope that they all would. Except Gisela Stuart and my mum's Brexit-voting German neighbour (though I guess both are British citizens, actually).

Interesting article on Led by Donkeys and billboards - some key points which I suspect will be popping up in future ...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47801288

They probably see someone like David Lidington and think all is not lost. I can never understand why David Davis was so crap given he'd worked at the EU.

Is it too much to suggest that he might have been crap wherever he was ?

Happy Birthday for tomorrow Pretty [whisky]

I think Katya has called it spot on this time. However if the EU insist on all sorts of conditions and long extension then would give TM and co excuse to punt "Take back control" by unilaterally Revoking.

I may have admitted to the F U Cameron / Osborne motivation many many moons ago. Also reckon Brexit vote is one of the things blocking the return of Blairism which suits me.

DGR I thought the Hannah Fry programme was excellent, and I say that as someone who watches such things just to keep DH company. Following on from BBC4 docu this week I now want to ask her why: nature doesn't use right angles?

When do we expect a response from the EU?

As late as possible, I'd hope and certainly at their convenience. If it were I (maybe lucky it isn't ?) I'd simply say that I'm looking forward to a nice weekend walking, and cooking, and will get back later Monday.

Sorry, but after the past two years, the UK deserves what it gets.

Failure to plan on your part does not constitute a crisis on mine ... rings a bell ...

Howabout I wonder if Gove is still reacting to the culture shock and feelings of inadequacy from transfer to private school from a "trade" rather than "professional" family.

Indeed. and for all those in England who have had to suffer from his chip on the shoulder

DGR I thought the Hannah Fry programme was excellent, and I say that as someone who watches such things just to keep DH company. Following on from BBC4 docu this week I now want to ask her why: nature doesn't use right angles?

There's always "The Curious Cases" .

if you really want your mind blown, and can't get hold of the relevant pharmaceuticals you could try Jim al-Khalilis BBC4 progs on Quantum Physics when they come around again ....

First reaction from Macron's office
to May's request for extension to June 30th
and Tusk proposal to "flextend" by up to one year

"Speaking of a report is a bit premature
.......while the 27 have set a clear condition for such a request to be justified by a clear plan"
....--
"An extension is a tool, not an end in itself"
.....
"We are therefore waiting for a credible plan until the April 10th meeting, and the request will be studied on that day"

Happy Birthday tomorrow, pretty 💐 🎂

Just had the misfortune to hear JRM on the world at one. Apparently delaying leaving the EU will lead to a surge in votes for UKIP and Tommy Robinson and other far right groups, which will be bad for the UK.

My eyes nearly rolled out of my head. This is the man who has met with Steve Bannon and who is UKIP personified, with a blue Tory wrapper.

"I think they probably understand the difference between JRM and the likes of Nicola Sturgeon, Caroline Lucas or Kier Starner. "

The EU must consider the high chance that May will be topped during a long extension and replaced by Boris or similar

(If the EU are cheeky, they could limit the extension to 364 days after her last leadership challenge, so that she could stay on the entire extension - so that's about 12 Dec 2019 iirc)

Plus a fair chance that a GE would return a Tory govt with a working majority and no need to listen to Labour

Guy Verhofstadt yesterday:^

"We cannot risk giving the keys of the EU’s future to a Boris Johnson, or a Michael Gove, the architects of this Brexit disaster.

A long extension would do exactly that."

When do we expect a response from the EU?

Next week sometime? After we’ve explained why we want an extension and what we’re going to do with it.

(“Your lack of planning is not my emergency” as my former French boss used to say to the people in R&D who simply couldn’t understand that our deadlines were hard deadlines).

{"An extension is a tool, not an end in itself"}

Or in Brexit speak, 'May is a tool and is bringing the UK to an end'.

Meanwhile, I just remember particular numbers to serve me. -129.6 being one such.