Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[The Larch]

Three government ministers, including the business minister resigned last night so they could vote for the MPs 'taking control' option.

Tomorrow, Wednesday it's rumoured up to Nineteen are prepared to resign from the 'government' in order to be able to vote freely in the day's extended ballot of options.   

Jesus Christ, how many ministers are there in a British cabinet?

They are the juniors. Secretaries are the leaders of departments.

So the secretary is the boss and the minister is the 2nd in command? Why does the UK have to do everything in reverse to the rest of the world?

[garbon]

Three government ministers, including the business minister resigned last night so they could vote for the MPs 'taking control' option.

Tomorrow, Wednesday it's rumoured up to Nineteen are prepared to resign from the 'government' in order to be able to vote freely in the day's extended ballot of options.   

Jesus Christ, how many ministers are there in a British cabinet?

They are the juniors. Secretaries are the leaders of departments.

So the secretary is the boss and the minister is the 2nd in command? Why does the UK have to do everything in reverse to the rest of the world?

While I can't say anything about ministers, it isn't only in the UK where secretaries can be heads/bosses (e.g. Secretary of State, Secretary-General of the United Nations).

[Solmyr]

General Secretary of the CPSU. 

[Syt]

Colbert about Uri Geller's letter to Theresa May: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTt1i1uuGI8

[Syt]

[Tamas]

Ok, Bercow is going too far for my tastes.

He has declared that he will not allow the government to push Meaningful Vote 3 through a "notwithsanding" motion (this means that they say "yeah normally we couldn't do this but lets vote to allow us in this one case". So he has ruled that out.

But as I read, today's business motion (regarding these indicative votes) has such a "notwithstanding" element:
"notwithstanding the practice of the house, any motion on matters that have been the subject of a prior decision of the house in the current session may be the subject of a decision"

So he was fine with THAT but he is not ok with having the same exception-seeking in another motion.

From a Times journalist on Twitter:

One clerk just texted me, unsolicited: "Why even have procedure anymore, apparently we're making it up as we go along"

[garbon]

May has announced she will resign once a withdrawal agreement is signed.

[Zanza]

So, never?

[garbon]

I think it was her play to get them to support her deal.

[Josquius]

And it seems to be working.
Fingers crossed.

[Razgovory]

He's a comedian with a fake newscast act, but still:
https://youtu.be/-IL2XwSkFJQ?t=1

I don't know that much about British politics, but it is clear to me simply by the results of Brexit that the British government is dysfunctional.  I don't mean the dysfunctional as in coming up with policy I don't agree with, I mean dysfunctional as in not coming up with policy at all.  How did it get this way?

[Valmy]

It all started when David Cameron decided to ignore centuries of constitutional tradition and go to direct democracy. A major constitutional innovation like that is naturally going to have big repercussions.

[Tamas]

It all started when David Cameron decided to ignore centuries of constitutional tradition and go to direct democracy. A major constitutional innovation like that is naturally going to have big repercussions.

Yeah I agree. He was a reckless gambler. He barely got away with in case of Scotland, and his luck ran out with the Brexit referendum.

[Zanza]

Tusk said: "Let me make one personal remark to the members of this parliament. Before the European council, I said that we should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UK's participation in the European parliament elections. And then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you.

Let me be clear: such thinking is unacceptable. You cannot betray the 6 million people who signed the petition to revoke article 50, the 1 million people who marched for a people's vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union.

They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by the UK parliament, but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber. Because they are Europeans.

[crazy canuck]

May's promise is reminiscent of a pledge Prime Minister Chretien made in his last election as Liberal party leader in which he promised that if elected, he would resign before the next election - iirc.