Brexit deal

[SydneyRover]

Sources have dismissed Theresa May’s plea for more time to deliver a form of Brexit she and parliament can live with as “90 minutes of nothing”. My colleagues, Daniel Boffey, Heather Stewart and Jennifer Rankin, report that, according to a source, the prime minister “dismally” failed to offer any answers as to what she would do if the deal was blocked by MPs again

madame tussauds is said to be the location for the next meeting.

[DonnyOsmond]

Petition should be at 2 million in the next half hour.

[SydneyRover]

How can the EU agree to an extension of A50 provided May's deal is accepted when she can't take it to the HoC?

[SydneyRover]

 2,002,343 signatures

[Glyn_Wigley]

How can the EU agree to an extension of A50 provided May's deal is accepted when she can't take it to the HoC?

They can't offer an extension without a good reason.

They asked May what her Plan B is should her deal not get ratified by Parliament..

She kept refusing to answer that question, instead parroting her phrase 'Plan A will succeed'.

I can't blame them making that stipulation, just to stop her attempting the kick the can down the road some more, can you? It's them saying 'it's your problem, not ours, so get it sorted or feck off and stop wasting our time'.

[Glyn_Wigley]

LBC reporting that, following discussions with the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady has told May she has to go. No confirmation so far.

EDIT: According to this, she was told on Monday. So she knew this before PMQs and that statement last night.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/21/exclusive-theresa-may-told-chairman-1922-committee-tory-mps/

[BillyStubbsTears]

Glyn

Taking a decision to ask the EU for a long term extension of A50, after May's Govt has been brought down would be the biggest political call in a century. It's not just keeping Govt ticking over.

I'd be astonished if any civil servant would feel empowered to do that.

[DonnyOsmond]

How can the EU agree to an extension of A50 provided May's deal is accepted when she can't take it to the HoC?

They can't offer an extension without a good reason.

They asked May what her Plan B is should her deal not get ratified by Parliament..

She kept refusing to answer that question, instead parroting her phrase 'Plan A will succeed'.

I can't blame them making that stipulation, just to stop her attempting the kick the can down the road some more, can you? It's them saying 'it's your problem, not ours, so get it sorted or feck off and stop wasting our time'.

Can't believe Brexiteers have more faith in our own parliament then the EU's, just look at this shambles.

[SydneyRover]

The European Council agrees to an extension until 22 May 2019, provided the withdrawal agreement is approved by the House of Commons next week. If the withdrawal agreement is not approved by the House of Commons next week, the European Council agrees to an extension until 12 April 2019 and expects the United Kingdom to indicate a way forward before this date for consideration by the European Council.

The European Council reiterates that there can be no opening of the withdrawal agreement that was agreed between the [European] Union and the United Kingdom in November 2018. Any unilateral commitment, statement or other act should be compatible with the letter and the spirit of the withdrawal agreement.

The European Council calls for work to be continued on preparedness and contingency at all levels for the consequences of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal, taking into account all possible outcomes.

She still has to go Glyn, she is hopeless personified.

[BillyStubbsTears]

She was called to a 1922 Committee meeting last night and pointedly refused to go.

Just a thought. Now that she's having a full on nervous breakdown in front of our eyes. I do hope someone's keeping the Trident launch codes safely under lock and key.

[DonnyOsmond]

2,002,343 signatures

It doesn't seem to be refreshing as fast this evening.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Glyn

Taking a decision to ask the EU for a long term extension of A50, after May's Govt has been brought down would be the biggest political call in a century. It's not just keeping Govt ticking over.

I'd be astonished if any civil servant would feel empowered to do that.

Who said anything about a long-term extension? They'd probably only get one till after the election result is known plus a bit for the new government to talk to them.

[Glyn_Wigley]

The European Council agrees to an extension until 22 May 2019, provided the withdrawal agreement is approved by the House of Commons next week. If the withdrawal agreement is not approved by the House of Commons next week, the European Council agrees to an extension until 12 April 2019 and expects the United Kingdom to indicate a way forward before this date for consideration by the European Council.

The European Council reiterates that there can be no opening of the withdrawal agreement that was agreed between the [European] Union and the United Kingdom in November 2018. Any unilateral commitment, statement or other act should be compatible with the letter and the spirit of the withdrawal agreement.

The European Council calls for work to be continued on preparedness and contingency at all levels for the consequences of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal, taking into account all possible outcomes.

She still has to go Glyn, she is hopeless personified.

It's looking like she's more and more isolated, not just from her MPs but even amongst her Cabinet and the Whips Office. If she was an animal she'd have been put down by now to stop the suffering.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Glyn

Taking a decision to ask the EU for a long term extension of A50, after May's Govt has been brought down would be the biggest political call in a century. It's not just keeping Govt ticking over.

I'd be astonished if any civil servant would feel empowered to do that.

It's not about keeping the government ticking over. The convention is to maintain the status quo until the new government comes in.

[Filo]

So now theres an extension in place, how does that affect the law that was passed saying we leave on 29th March, that JRM was quick to point out after MV2 was kicked out

[Glyn_Wigley]

So now theres an extension in place, how does that affect the law that was passed saying we leave on 29th March, that JRM was quick to point out after MV2 was kicked out

The EU Withdrawal Act allowed for extensions to be applied for so now 29th March doesn't apply any more. Unless May's deal isn't ratified by Parliament.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Glyn

Taking a decision to ask the EU for a long term extension of A50, after May's Govt has been brought down would be the biggest political call in a century. It's not just keeping Govt ticking over.

I'd be astonished if any civil servant would feel empowered to do that.

Who said anything about a long-term extension? They'd probably only get one till after the election result is known plus a bit for the new government to talk to them.

OK.
Any term extension.

Can you imagine the way that would play? The swivel-eyed nutters on the far right are already up in arms about elected politicians making the decision to extend A50. Imagine a civil servant doing it.

What would his/her argument on authority be?

[Glyn_Wigley]

Glyn

Taking a decision to ask the EU for a long term extension of A50, after May's Govt has been brought down would be the biggest political call in a century. It's not just keeping Govt ticking over.

I'd be astonished if any civil servant would feel empowered to do that.

Who said anything about a long-term extension? They'd probably only get one till after the election result is known plus a bit for the new government to talk to them.

OK.
Any term extension.

Can you imagine the way that would play? The swivel-eyed nutters on the far right are already up in arms about elected politicians making the decision to extend A50. Imagine a civil servant doing it.

What would his/her argument on authority be?

As I said, the convention of maintaining the status quo. Even though the civil service aren't in the Legislature, they are just as much a part of the Executive as those who are and have authority of their own on that basis.

[SydneyRover]

2,002,343 signatures

It doesn't seem to be refreshing as fast this evening.

They have a bunch of people jamming the votes down a funnel but they can't keep up.

[SydneyRover]

7 minutes ago: She address an audience in Westminster, saying she understands MPs are frustrated. “We are now at the moment of decision,” she says and adds that she wants to leave with a deal

[BillyStubbsTears]

Glyn

Yes. But. The political reality...

[Filo]

And yet another press conference where she avoids answering any questions put to her ffs!

[Not Now Kato]

Apparently, our Prime Minister believes that people who voted leave voted for pain!
 
https://mobile.twitter.com/APHClarkson/status/1108852998774632449
 
Unhinged or what?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Speculation that May is going to speak to the Nation at 8pm, to say that she will bring her deal back next week, and if it's defeated she will call a General Election.

I'm sure someone posted that earlier.....

Speculation now that she will just take the opportunity to appeal to us, the great British public, to put pressure on our MP's to back her deal. This is the great British public of whom only 12% support it.

Useless fact. If she appears at a podium with the PM's crest on it - its a statement on behalf of the country and she is not resigning nor calling a GE. If there is no crest on the podium she is appearing as leader of the Tory party and will be calling a GE.

Wilts

Ta for that useless fact. I'd never heard that before. That may be the one useful thing to emerge from all this discussion.

Course, it's a bit like giving the numbers out before the Cup draw. It's f**ked the anticipation when a PM comes out to speak to the nation about...???

[BillyStubbsTears]

Apparently, our Prime Minister believes that people who voted leave voted for pain!
 
https://mobile.twitter.com/APHClarkson/status/1108852998774632449
 
Unhinged or what?

Not pain. "Pain". As in French bread. Crusty baguettes.

Yeah, alright. That's just f**king stupid and not even funny.

Meanwhile, out there, our PM is lighting the way for the country....

[BillyStubbsTears]

Last night a very smart person said...


Picture the scene. 29 March 2519. The UK Prime Minister teleports to Brussels to prostrate themselves in front of the President of Europe and beg for another one-year extension of Article 50.

No-one recalls what the original issue was, but everybody enjoys the pomp and theatre of the spectacle.

And it goes on...like this....forever.

[bpoolrover]

2,002,343 signatures

It doesn't seem to be refreshing as fast this evening.

They have a bunch of people jamming the votes down a funnel but they can't keep up.

there is no point in the petition thou, there are just loads of people from different countries signing it,unless I’m missing something?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bpool.

Are you saying that if people from other countries get involved with our democratic processes, then we should discount their effect?

[bpoolrover]

No mate all I’ve seen on fb is the link shared and people from Japan USA all over signing it when I would guess most don’t care, so getting 2 million people signing a petition means very little, on many of the posts there saying let’s make this the biggest petition ever so anyone and everyone is doing it

[BillyStubbsTears]

Phew.