May gave what for her was a reasonably substantial speech yesterday, meaning it wasn’t just “red, white and blue Brexit” said in a slightly different way 43 times but rather something that at least had the trappings of substance. She is going to have talks with Jeremy Corbyn to try and see what Labour can […]
After last night’s votes come up empty, the following scenarios are no longer science fiction
David Davis, speaking on the Today programme this morning, said this: “I would make one warning to the cabinet this morning. Don’t be sure every Conservative MP would vote for you if it was made a confidence vote. One or two have said already, I think there are probably twenty who would say [Brexit] is […]
Here’s the problem with the softer Brexit argument
This evening, MPs will vote on the second round of indicative votes. The essence is to find some alternative to the Brexit plan as put to the House by Theresa May and rejected by the Commons 2.5 times. The first round of indicative votes came up blank for a very simple reason – the real […]
After every indicative vote fails, this is where I think we are now with Brexit
Last night in the House, something novel took place. MPs were given ballot papers containing eight motions. They were to vote Aye or Nay to each of them; they could vote for or against as many as they wished. The results were then read out in the normal way. None of the motions managed a […]
Here’s how what seems to be the ultimate plan of the ERG could go foul
This evening, the House of Commons will vote on 16 different paths either to or out of Brexit (and which one falls into which category very much depends on your definition of what qualifies as Brexit or not). Rumours swirl that May’s deal will be brought back to the House tomorrow, as well as another, […]
It’s getting hard to see how we leave the EU from where we are now
In the summer of 2016, if you’d asked me how likely was the chance that in the end we wouldn’t leave the EU, I would have said very, very, very low. Like, asteroid hitting the Earth and wiping out all life in Earth in the next week level of statistically unlikely. The Leavers had won […]
Where Brexit lies at the end of a dark week in British politics
It’s getting hard to know what to say about all of this. I mean, there is so much going on, technically speaking, that there should just be so much to talk about. Strangely, no. Take Theresa May’s speech on Wednesday. It was awful, sure, yet it was no more awful, really, than any other speech […]
Your guide to another mad, mad week ahead in Brexitland
Theresa May might bring her Meaningful Vote back to the House of Commons for a third time on Tuesday. She will only do so if she thinks it’s going to pass – one barometer of this will be what the DUP intends to do. To that end, May met with them this weekend to discuss […]
Why Brexit has started to feel like the guy who sells everything he owns to become a hip hop sensation
The problem with Brexit is that it is undoable, say many Remainers. They are actually softening the blow when they say this; the truth is, Britain is unable to do Brexit because it simply isn’t up to it. I know, I know, this is the thing no one is supposed to mention. But look at […]
Will the EU’s last second “concession” be enough for May to get her deal through parliament?
Last night, Theresa May flew to Strasbourg to have a meeting with Juncker, this being the 11th hour so many Brexiters have predicted would be the moment of total EU capitulation. Both May and Juncker emerged triumphant at a press conference late last night, the British prime minister declaring that she’s got the deal now […]