Westminstenders: Extension or No Extension

[RedToothBrush]

Johnson has sent a letter he said he never would asking for an extension.

We now wait to see what the EU come back with.

It's likely to be a technical extension. At best.

France are really not happy with the idea of an extension and Macron is flexing his muscles with the EU at the moment. He has been prepared to upset all the other EU countries as he proved with blocking progress on accession to the EU for Northern Macedonia and Albania this week. Macron is fighting his own domestic battles.

It looks as if Johnson now has a majority for a deal. What that deal will ultimately look like will be dictated by the Withdrawal Agreement Bill which sets out implementation of the Withdrawal Act.

However, with the DUP firmly offside the chances of a vote of no confidence go up. As do the chances of an election.

And its also worth pointing out that whilst the WAB is legally binding if we have an election and Johnson gets a majority, then there can always be changes made to domestic law. (implementation of the WA rather than the agreement principles of the WA agreed with the EU).

Thus any 'assurances' over workers rights and regulatory standards are only as good as long as this parliament...

This shows Merkel's thinking, as he is a close & loyal ally
He wants the EU to allow time for a PV

However, can she persuade Macron and some other leaders who also just want the UK out asap ?
Maybe if she promises to ban Brexit discussion in EUCO until the Uk have decided - but that may never happen

Norbert Röttgenn@n*_roettgen

#Johnson sent the letter, asking EU leaders for another #Brexitt^ #extensionn^.

Euco should now grant a final long one,
giving the UK time to sort itself out & to prepare for all possible resolutions
including a #SecondReferendumum^.*

Meanwhile EU could deal with other pressing issues.

Pretzels. Thankyou for going on this March. Thankyou too for the feedback.

I'm sorry that you had that horrible experience with that nasty bully on the way back. And I'm sorry he got off in Doncaster too. Not all northerners behave or think like him. I for one. Very glad that you found what finally kept him at bay and , importantly you 3 stayed safe

I just watched Keir Starmer discussing the WA. His level of technical knowledge and analysis is excellent. The government front bench (Barclay and Gove) did not engage, explain or even attempt to defend. In fact all the government could do was half-arsed insults.

I have thought he was great since I found out he helped those two people in the Macdonald's libel case.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=4K2d8Y5L3Mc

I love Keir Starmer (even though he sounds rather like he’s got a permanent cold!). Keir for Lab leader!

I love Keir too! Labour needs to consider its next move re leadership sharpish.

Is there any small chance BJ won’t get this deal through? Feel very depressed today

In the Mail today (so dh tells me, found out via Twitter via a Tom Peck tweet asking who is the stupidest MP a crowded field ): Andrea Jenkins wants any MP who talks to foreign like-minded counterparts in support of an extension to be jailed

....but of course, Daniel K who lobbied Poland for a veto is OK

Not all northerners behave or think like him

Don't worry grooviegazelloo I know not all Northerners - I was heading further north than he was (I'm from Leeds).

And he wasn't even northern! He was from London - he moved north because of all the immigration in London. He was in a Tottenham football shirt - they drew yesterday with Watford when they were supposed to win. No wonder he was in a bad mood, bless him.

pretzels I have no words and

DS's school is also preparing the children for Brexit: they are learning to play the Ode to Joy and reading books written by refugees. We are in the North as well.

Listening

Labour has got a clear policy on Brexit. Unfortunately, because it's not a soundbite Leave or Remain people insist it's too difficult to explain to voters.

JC is not a Brexiteer (loathsome word) - he is a lifelong Eurosceptic, a viewpoint I have a lot of sympathy with, but has compromised on that to state that the party will campaign to remain. I admire that in him. If the sainted Tony Benn was here he would have the same struggle with his conscience.

Yes Keir would be an excellent replacement for JC, he has authority, intelligence and calm to show up Bozo for the infantile idiot he is (for any voters who haven't already noticed!)

PMK thank you as always everyone pretzels you had great courage💐
Yy Kier Starmer, he always comes across as so astute calm & reasoned makes me feel so depressed at the lost opportunities if he was labour leader fedup I feel the same today extremely depressed & the juggernaut analogy sums it up well.

Peter Foster@pmdfoster
Funny, after @DominicRaab calling me “pro-EU” seeing how people see you. For record, I am:

- pro May’s deal.
- pro protecting jobs
- pro the Union

And...

- agin no deal
- agin return of hard border in Ireland
- agin 2nd referendum

Interesting...

You always have beautiful flowers callmelen

Pretzels - I'm 58. My Dad is 82. He was 3 when the war started. I highly doubt that the twat's dad flew Lancaster bombers in the war (and if he did and had truly experienced the horrors of war and losing friends who were shot down, I doubt he would have been favour of Leave - very few of that generation are, for good reason ).

If your parents fought in the war, you are the same generation as the Beatles. Macca is 77, Ringo is 79. And as for your parents....

Bruno Waterfield @BrunoBrussels
The most likely option, I am told is for EU to decide the Benn act’s three months extension is “technical” as long as early WAB votes go smoothly

My mum is 69 and her dad fought in the war.

And a friend of mine who's 42 had a Dambuster as his dad (but his dad was REALLY old when he was born and died many years' ago). I would think he's an outlier, however!

There aren't many war veterans still living. Probably why we're in this mess.

prettybird I’m scared of cats so no cat photos, & Dh buys me flowers every week they make me happy thank you😀

I'm 58. My Dad is 82. He was 3 when the war started. I highly doubt that the twat's dad flew Lancaster bombers in the war

Yeah - that was the maths we did as well. My mum is 62, her dad was 10 at the outbreak of the war. If twat man's dad flew Lancaster Bombers than he must have been over 50 when he fathered twat man (and how very proud he must be!) not impossible but ... unlikely.

My other granddad though was on the beaches at D-Day. It's neither here nor there is it? what my dead grandfather would or wouldn't think of the EU has got nothing to do with whether or not it's alright to hurl abuse at strangers on trains ... they are a funny lot these leavers, they make the strangest connections in their minds, but can't join up the simple dots that tell them they are being lied to.

The other lady's father had been a conscientious objector - she didn't tell him that in case his head exploded

Icant, you dealt with him so very well. Kudos and to you, your mum and the other woman.

If Keir Starmer did not realise he is supposed to be our next PM before he stepped foot on that stage, following the Letwin vote, then he certainly left that stage knowing it.
Was discussing Keir earlier with my DP. I doubt he'll ever be Labour leader, sadly, although he'd be a good one.

If your parents fought in the war, you are the same generation as the Beatles. Macca is 77, Ringo is 79. And as for your parents...

I am 47 and my father fought in the war. He would have been 96 if he were still alive. (my father voted UKIP by the way, it doesn't always follow that WW2 veterans were pro-EU, his argument was always we joined a common market not a political union - he died just after the referendum and wasn't fit enough to vote in it).

My mother, who is a lot younger, is solidly remain.

Arsedarkly
Labour has got a clear policy on Brexit. Unfortunately, because it's not a soundbite Leave or Remain people insist it's too difficult to explain to voters.
A policy that cannot be explained to voters
is a waste of time
therefore a new policy and a new leader are needed

I'm 63 and my late father joined the forces in the late 1930s, fought at Dunkirk and through the entire WW2

they are a funny lot these leavers, they make the strangest connections in their minds, but can't join up the simple dots that tell them they are being lied to.

That's what bothers me about my mother. She used to be so astute and cynical about all sides of the political spectrum. But she absolutely refuses to countenance that BoZo has ever lied. It's baffling. It's all the 'Remoaners blah blah blah' and how badly Bercow has acted as Speaker. It drives me insane! She's so full of how intelligent BoZo is and how hard he's tried to get a deal. 🤷‍♀️

BCF, my gramp was sunk twice at Dunkirk. Once in his ship, then his rescue boat was sunk too. He had to recover from his near-drowning / shrapnel in his knee, then served for the rest of the war.

PMK