The Columnist@Sime0nStylites
- Some brief thoughts about the Letwin amendment tomorrow.
TLDR - It is very important indeed.
It will very likely pass (just look at the signatories).
- The effect of its passage would be to:
i. Effectively defer approval of the Deal until after the related legislation has been passed
ii. As a consequence require the PM to send the extension request letter per the Benn Act
- The amendment has three important benefits (IMO).
i) It closes a possible no deal loop hole in the Benn Act
ii) It provides more time for Parliamentary scrutiny of the Deal
Given the complexity and importance of the deal, this is unequivocally a good thing.
- iii) It may provide opportunities for Parliament to seek to amend the Deal.
This is, I think, the most important potential consequence of the amendment.
- The Deal has elements that Parliament might now have the space to consider.
Incl:
the possibility of a WTO exit at the end of trans;
the new direction of the future arrangement (ie more distant);
the strength of the LPF commitments;
and, the pros/cons of the NI ‘frontstop’.
- Of course, this all depends on whether or not the EU is willing to provide another extension.
- Although I appreciate the fatigue point, it would be surprising if the EU had not already considered there was a high likelihood of another extension given the Johnson government’s lack of a majority.
- More importantly, there is virtually no circumstance in which a better informed decision by the UK does not lead to a more durable outcome for the EU.
- This is grown-up politics.
All MPs should vote for the Letwin amendment.
/ends.