Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[The Brain]

Presumably they would attempt to form a new government, ask the EU for an extension or revoke article 50, and return to the negotiating table.

Yeah. I was about to say. Parliament is sovereign.

No deal is what happens automatically if the UK and EU don't agree on a deal. Parliament cannot unilaterally find a deal, so it's not in their power to block no deal.

[Syt]

Now that we know what the British don't want, it will be interesting to see how the British government plans to find out what they want instead.

Any moment now ...

[Tamas]

Presumably they would attempt to form a new government, ask the EU for an extension or revoke article 50, and return to the negotiating table.

Yeah. I was about to say. Parliament is sovereign.

No deal is what happens automatically if the UK and EU don't agree on a deal. Parliament cannot unilaterally find a deal, so it's not in their power to block no deal.

Well yes but with every scenario spun around in endless debates in the UK, they -wilfully or otherwise- ignore the fact that here the UK negotiates with the EU, not the different British political factions with each other.

They do give the impression like they are entirely engrossed in their own little world of British intrigue, and are genuinely incapable of grasping the big picture. I think most of them actually enjoys this chaos.

[mongers]

Presumably they would attempt to form a new government, ask the EU for an extension or revoke article 50, and return to the negotiating table.

Yeah. I was about to say. Parliament is sovereign.

No deal is what happens automatically if the UK and EU don't agree on a deal. Parliament cannot unilaterally find a deal, so it's not in their power to block no deal.

Well yes but with every scenario spun around in endless debates in the UK, they -wilfully or otherwise- ignore the fact that here the UK negotiates with the EU, not the different British political factions with each other.

They do give the impression like they are entirely engrossed in their own little world of British intrigue, and are genuinely incapable of grasping the big picture. I think most of them actually enjoys this chaos.

Yes dispiriting isn't it.

Johnson and the brexit opportunists - looking to use the crisis to become PM and furthering their own careers.

Corbyn and the 'new' old labour party - chance to bring down the government, fight a GE and win power. Then they'll decide their position on brexit.

Tory extreme right - looking to bring in full blown trumpism to the UK and throw in our lot with Trump, whilst painting the EU as future 'enemy'

SNP - seeing this as an excuse for a 2nd Indy referendum and chance to break up the UK.

DUP - milking the opportunity for all it's worth, whilst furling themselves in the union jack.

Welsh nationalist -  too small to matter, though perhaps if it really goes tits up they'll march on Cardiff bay demanding independence?

The Lib Dems? - again probably too small to count now, but their opposition to Brexit has been clear from the start. Though perhaps it hasn't been entirely a matter of high principle, but just looks that way given the surprisingly low return of voters to their cause. 


I should add there have been a notable number of Tory MPs who've stood their ground against the enveloping madness, but are now being viciously targeted by extreme brexiters and the odious Aaron Banks et al.

[Tonitrus]

Presumably they would attempt to form a new government, ask the EU for an extension or revoke article 50, and return to the negotiating table.

Yeah. I was about to say. Parliament is sovereign.

No deal is what happens automatically if the UK and EU don't agree on a deal. Parliament cannot unilaterally find a deal, so it's not in their power to block no deal.

I can carry both tea, and no tea, at the same time.

[Maladict]

The Lib Dems? - again probably too small to count now, but their opposition to Brexit has been clear from the start. Though perhaps it hasn't been entirely a matter of high principle, but just looks that way given the surprisingly low return of voters to their cause. 

I don't get that, why aren't they riding high in the polls as the only party to back Remain?

[Admiral Yi]

FWIW our foreign minister has said we're close to a deal on Gibraltar, although that's not the biggest rock on the way to an overall deal.

[celedhring]

The Spanish minister used the very same pun 

[The Minsky Moment]

The Spanish minister used the very same pun 

This is no matter to monkey around with.

[mongers]

The Lib Dems? - again probably too small to count now, but their opposition to Brexit has been clear from the start. Though perhaps it hasn't been entirely a matter of high principle, but just looks that way given the surprisingly low return of voters to their cause. 

I don't get that, why aren't they riding high in the polls as the only party to back Remain?

I looked it up for your, rather than just replying on my straw in the wind poll, lastest I could find is this:

Headline voting intentions are CON 41%, LAB 37%, LDEM 8%, UKIP 6%.
Fieldwork was Thursday and Friday and the full tables are here.

The four point lead echoes the YouGov poll that came out on Thursday, which had toplines of CON 41%, LAB 37%, LDEM 9%, UKIP 4% (tabs.

Full article here, with opinion poll about Brexit outcomes/options:
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

[Maladict]

Full article here, with opinion poll about Brexit outcomes/options:
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

The poll also asked what should happen next if there is no deal, or Parliament does not approve a deal. In the event of no deal at all, 14% think there should be a general election, 23% a new referendum, 13% an extension in order to continue negotiations, and 32% that Britain should just leave without a deal. In the event that a deal is struck, but Parliament rejects it, 12% think there should be a general election, 10% a deal vs no deal referendum, 20% a deal vs remain referendum, 14% that the government should return to negotiations, 25% that Britain should just leave without a deal.

I guess nobody needs to take the blame for a no-deal Brexit, the public wills it.

[mongers]

Full article here, with opinion poll about Brexit outcomes/options:
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

The poll also asked what should happen next if there is no deal, or Parliament does not approve a deal. In the event of no deal at all, 14% think there should be a general election, 23% a new referendum, 13% an extension in order to continue negotiations, and 32% that Britain should just leave without a deal. In the event that a deal is struck, but Parliament rejects it, 12% think there should be a general election, 10% a deal vs no deal referendum, 20% a deal vs remain referendum, 14% that the government should return to negotiations, 25% that Britain should just leave without a deal.

I guess nobody needs to take the blame for a no-deal Brexit, the public wills it.

Sadly true, though it's still a vociferous minority, only 1/3 of voters.

[Zanza]

Now that we know what the British don't want, it will be interesting to see how the British government plans to find out what they want instead.

Any moment now ...

A lot of the post referendum predictions have come true...

[Tamas]

Now that we know what the British don't want, it will be interesting to see how the British government plans to find out what they want instead.

Any moment now ...

That's fairly easy. They want to maintain the status quo while also totally eliminating it.

[Tamas]

This is what the prime minister's spokesman said about the cabinet meeting.

[May] said we have made progress on a huge number of issues in the negotiations but there remain sticking points in two key areas. The PM said it is not possible for her or any UK prime minister to sign up to an agreement that would lead to a customs border down the Irish Sea. She said we also need to ensure that we do not have a situation where the UK can be kept indefinitely in the backstop against our will ...

The cabinet strongly supported the prime minister over the importance of maintaining the integrity of the union. The cabinet also agreed that we must be able to ensure that we cannot be kept in the backstop arrangement indefinitely.

The PM said there will no doubt be challenging moments ahead. That is in the nature of negotiations. She said she is committed to securing a Brexit that delivers on the referendum result, safeguards jobs and security and which preserves our union.

Ok so the cabinet agreed to stubbornly push for something that is not acceptable for the EU, and goes against the preliminary agreement signed in December.

Great progress! Jolly good! Now we can get on with it!