Brexit.

[Kara Spengler]

However, in my opinion, Article 50 (Withdrawal from the EU) ought to be shortened to 2 sentences only:

If article 50 is changed I would want it to spell out in no uncertain terms the exit conditions so there is no bartering or people telling their followers they will get some deal they have no hope of getting. Obviously every case (not that there would be a lot of them hopefully) would be different but provide as concrete a framework as possible. Think of it as a prenup but with more at stake.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Should be a fun party this year...

 

[Porsupah Ree]

Thinking forward, I'd favor the EU's constitution (or whatever enshrines Article 50 and friends) being tweaked to require not merely a request for it to be triggered, but a requirement for a popular vote with some kind of supermajority involved, so nobody has to experience the ridiculous spectacle of 52-48 being hailed as some kind of mandate. If any country wishes to shoot itself in the head, there needs to be a genuine shift in public sentiment. Something at least 60-40, if not a US-style ⅔ majority.

 

[Porsupah Ree]

An interesting wrinkle in the VoNC:

A successor to Theresa May might not automatically become PM

A vote of confidence has been triggered in Theresa May as leader of the Conservative party. Many seem to assume that if a new leader was selected they would automatically become prime minister. But it's not necessarily true. For that to happen, the new leader would have to be called upon by the queen to form a government. That will not happen unless she is advised that they can 'command a majority in the House'. But this will be a very open question.

The problem arises from the fact that the Conservative party is currently a minority in the House of Commons, with only 317 MPs out of 650. They currently form the government with the formal support of the Democratic Unionist Party's ten MPs, giving them 327 votes.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

However, in my opinion, Article 50 (Withdrawal from the EU) ought to be shortened to 2 sentences only:

1. Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements, any time and unilaterally, for any reason or no reason at all.
2. If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in Article 49, it can rejoin unconditionally at any time.

I'd just like to take the opportunity to point out the fact again, that this A50 is indeed mostly a British design by Lord Kerr.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Meanwhile strange things are happening at Downing Street 10:

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Excellent thread explaining why there is no possibility of a trade deal with the EU (or anyone else) without Ireland's agreement, which won't be forthcoming without the backstop:

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Translation: We needed a few days to see if May would bribe enough of us to let her stay on as driver of the flaming bus as it plunges off a cliff into the North Sea....where there happens to be an oil spill....

 

[Khamon]

can has disappoint that the vote is being conducted in a closed session

eating requisite junk food with nothing to watch

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Erich Templar]

Quite frankly, I actually hope the no-confidence vote fails, because I can't see any outcome from its success that doesn't make things worse.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

May told before today's voting that she would step down before the next election - which would be in 2022.

 

[Tigger]

In my opinion, the EU would ONLY have democratic validity if it had been founded by the will of the people of Europe (for example by referendum), not by the will of some lobbyists and their muppets among the politicians. While I am not opposed to the idea of a United Europe - if that's the will of the majority of the European people, I'm absolutely against this lobbyist-dominated abomination that the EU has been since its existence.

Who were these lobbyists who's will brought the EU into existence?

 

[Veritable Quandry]

May survives, 200-117.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Theresa May won the confidence vote among Conservative MPs 200 -- 117.


This means the Conservative MPs can't have another no confidence vote for another year. Parliament can, of course, and she could be forced to resign by her Cabinet, but Jacob Rees-Mogg and his chums have to wait another 12 months before they get another shot.

 

[Tigger]

Theresa May won the confidence vote among Conservative MPs 200 -- 117.


This means the Conservative MPs can't have another no confidence vote for another year. Parliament can, of course, and she could be forced to resign by her Cabinet, but Jacob Rees-Mogg and his chums have to wait another 12 months before they get another shot.

I do like the number of replies of "you lost, get over it" and calling for the ERG to just get behind the winner and believe. Not to mention those pointing out that the Tories already got to vote 2 years ago and that having another just because the situation has changed is undemocratic.

 

[Free]

May survives, 200-117.

I won a bet. /me waves around her slightly grody $1 bill

 

[Sid]

I won a bet. /me waves around her slightly grody $1 bill

We demand our share for educating you on this subject.

 

[Khamon]

We have 13 parties with MP's in parliament at the moment. The government is formed by a coalition of 4 different parties.

I wish our House and Senate worked this way as well. We have two parties that typically stalemate or spend their time undoing the other's implementations. I'm really hoping the Trump debacle will at least prompt people to support other parties so that our government has to function by coalition.