Brexit.

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

What's the point in asking for renegotiations? I guess to show Boris Johnson and his fan base once and for all that this idea, which they are so keen about and Johnson brags about, is not working by putting that claim to the test.

 

[Sid]

If the EU gives wiggle room even for a point or comma in the deal itself at this stage, this will only lead to further delays and demands from all sides and flavors in Westminster IMHO. Maybe there is room for a few pages of clarifications, but that really should be it.
Brussels has bend over to far already as it is.

 

[detrius]

Maybe May just wants to negotiate for asylum?

 

[Tigger]

I'd probably hide in my car too.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

What does she hope to gain - is it purely the symbolism of "well, look, I tried! This really is the absolute best we can do"? If so, that mightn't be a bad thing, although I imagine there'll still be plenty of Leavers adopting the No True Brexiteer mindset that if only they had been given the opportunity to negotiate..

I think she's probably hoping to return with written assurances that the backstop is intended to be as temporary as possible and, if it comes into effect, then everyone will use their best efforts to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible.

If (when?) that fails to persuade parliament, then she'll have to fall back on a referendum on Remain vs Accept the Agreement, since that seems the only way to break the impasse caused by the fact there's no majority in parliament at the moment doing anything. So I would imagine at the same time she will also be discussing extending the A50 period while a referendum is arranged, though obviously those discussions, if they're taking place, will be confidential.

So I agree with you -- this is primarily theatre. The EU leaders will realise this, too -- she's not being deliberately difficult but everyone has to go through this performance to get to the end of the process (whatever the end turns out to be).

 

[Kara Spengler]

I assume he was trying to make some sort of point/protest, but I've no idea what.

"I am taking my toys and going home"?

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Govi]

I am falling in love with John Bercow. The virtues of intelligence, education, and speaking ability have seldom been more apparent.

.​

 

[Essence Lumin]

Theresa May gets locked inside her car as she attempts to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel

 

[Kara Spengler]

I am falling in love with John Bercow. The virtues of intelligence, education, and speaking ability have seldom been more apparent.

.​

I think this one was posted earlier. On one series of vids I have been watching he manages to work the word incorrigible into describing someone with a smile. The world needs more people like that running our legislatures.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

The House of Commons should be glad that he was never able to achieve his dream career of being a tennis teacher. By the way in October this year he announced, that he plans to retire in Summer 2019.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

What does she hope to gain

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.

.

 

[Sid]

The EU is moving into full no-deal mode | The Guardian

The EU is moving into full no-deal mode, after Theresa May’s shock decision to pull Tuesday’s vote on her Brexit deal prompted Brussels’ chief negotiator Michel Barnier to warn privately of a sudden escalation of risk.

As she shuttled between EU capitals on a whistlestop diplomatic tour aimed at salvaging her deal, the prime minister also said a hastily-scheduled cabinet meeting on Wednesday would discuss what further steps the government needed to take in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

“We have already stepped up the no-deal preparations. That has been happening in recent days. But cabinet will be discussing what is the sensible thing for government to do, which is to make sure that those contingency arrangements for no-deal preparations are in place,” the prime minister said in Brussels.

It seems a new referendum is not in her book.

Can the British parliament vote down the brexit deal and then vote for no brexit at all or is that last decision exclusively on the plate of the cabinet in the UK?

 

[Tigger]

May seems to be working hard to prevent anyone from getting a vote on anything.

 

[Tigger]

Also Theresa May may not have a job to come back to after being told to sod off by all of europe.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

UK government really confuses me.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Even more funny when you are listening to it:

 

[Innula Zenovka]

The EU is moving into full no-deal mode | The Guardian



It seems a new referendum is not in her book.

Can the British parliament vote down the brexit deal and then vote for no brexit at all or is that last decision exclusively on the plate of the cabinet in the UK?

A snap election in 2017 wasn't in her book until suddenly it was. Calling off the vote on the Withdrawal Agreement wasn't in her book until suddenly it was. So I don't think her ruling out a second referendum means it's not going to happen. This is all theatre, designed to show her backbenchers that she's done absolutely everything she can and it really, truely, is the case that the EU27 aren't going to budge.

At that point, the only way to resolve the problem is to leave with no deal (which I can't believe she'd allow to happen) or to accept this deal or to cancel A50 and remain. There's no way to get either this deal or cancel A50 through parliament at the moment. A general election won't help, and I think the only way forward is to cut the Gordian Knot with a second referendum.

I think, from her point of view, she wants to demonstrate she and her government did everything in their power to deliver the result of the first referendum but was nevertheless forced, very reluctantly, to put the withdrawal agreement to a second referendum so, if that referendum results in a conclusive "Remain" vote (which it almost certainly will, if the options are Remain vs Ratify, rather than Remain vs Leave on fantasy terms), she and her government can't be accused of sabotaging things in order to frustrate the will of the people, as expressed in the first referendum.

As to what parliament can do and what the cabinet have to do, the position is that, as a matter of EU and UK law, Britain leaves the EU, either with no deal or whatever deal has been agreed, on March 29, unless something happens to stop that. That "something" involves Parliament passing a new act to cancel (or suspend) the European Union (Withdrawal) Act, which would need Government support, and the PM either withdrawing the A50 notification unilaterally and permanently (very unlikely) or (far more likely) asking the EU to agree to extend the A50 deadline to give time for a referendum to be arranged.

So, parliament can vote the deal down, certainly, if it's given the chance to. But I don't see how it can prevent a "hard Brexit" if it does, unless not only the British government but also the EU27 agree to take steps to prevent a hard Brexit if it does vote down the deal.