(Image courtesy of John Hart – for more, go here)
Humiliated again by the EU, thanks to their doormat, our PM Ms May! How long must we bear this? How long must we bear Remainers in Whitehall and Parliament destroying Brexit?
Let’s summarise what happened yesterday: Ms May went to Brussels to submit her plea for an extension to Article 50. Shortly before 5pm, this draft agreement was released:
“The draft conclusions of the summit, below, confirm that the EU will allow a short extension if the deal passes the Commons.: The European Council commits to agreeing to an extension until 22 May 2019, provided the Withdrawal Agreement is approved by the House of Commons next week.” (link, paywalled)
… and immediately all hell broke lose! Twitter went into overdrive thanks to ‘Brussels correspondents’ because suddenly the EU members were called back in, doors were closed and the draft was shredded. It took the EU another five hours (!) before, shortly after 10pm, the actual agreement had been worked out:
“If the Commons passes the Brexit deal next week, Brexit is delayed until May 22. If the deal falls, again, which is likely, then the EU grants an extension until April 12, at which point the UK needs to indicate what it plans to do next.” (link, paywalled)
The inevitable press statements followed – you can read Ms May’s statement here, if you really really want to – with more snide remarks from Mr Tusk and this interpretation:
“After nearly seven hours of wrangling the 27 leaders agreed to give Mrs May an unconditional extension until April 12 to “indicate a way forward”. If her deal is passed, Brussels will give the government until May 22 to pass the legislation that would implement Brexit. If the deal is not agreed by the April deadline, however, Britain will be forced to choose between a no-deal Brexit or agreeing to hold European elections in return for a longer extension to the Article 50 process.The UK government will still have a choice of a deal, no-deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50,” Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, said. (paywalled link)
The EU attitude to Brexit has therefore not changed at all! Also interestingly, the EU apparently recognised that Ms Mays’ days may be numbered:
“An aide to a European leader said that the unconditional extension until April gave the EU and Britain time to deal with the potential resignation of Mrs May if she loses a third meaningful vote. “Instead of three days until March 29 to deal with her resignation we have 15 days to prepare,” he said.”(paywalled link)
That Twitter ‘storm’ was caused by our ‘Brussels Correspondents’ and hacks who were twitching like sprinters in their starting blocks after false starts and more false starts. They inadvertently showed us that the mighty EU, presented as monolithic bloc during the years of negotiation, are in fact a conglomeration of horsetraders – no disrespect to actual horsetraders!
The EU grandees are as much driven by Project Fear ‘predictions’ as our Remain establishment. M Macron fought in the frontline while others wanted to allow Ms May her delay until June 30th. Sadly, there are those dratted EU Parliamentary elections coming up, thus the weird dates – April 12th, May 22nd – in the final EU Agreement.
The Brexit wrangle yesterday was breathtaking: the twitter meltdown, the fear amongst Remainer MPs who bemoaned the fact that ordinary voters don’t like them and ‘harass’ them, that luvvies’ ‘Petition’ – read all about it here – which had crashed the Petitions site earlier but was, within hours, again up with 2 million (!) signatures. Never mind that votes came from as far away as North Korea, nor that even Adolf Hitler signed it – Hugh Grant has spoken, and that’s that … Frankly, it’s like running in a hamster wheel!
So now what? Shenanigans in the HoC for certain! Be prepared for more blame and exhortations coming from No 10 (see e.g.here).
The inevitable Sir John Redwood wrote last night:
“The government should not try to delay an answer until 12 April. It would require difficult Parliamentary processes for no obvious gain. Why would MPs vote for the Agreement after March 29 when they have not been willing to vote for it before March 29?” (here)
Just so! And in the diary entry early this morning, he describes the situation in a nutshell:
“The government is proceeding as if there will be a third vote on the Withdrawal Agreement on Monday. They will of course need to persuade the Speaker that something meaningful has changed from the previous version they put to the Commons, which lost by 149 votes. The government approach to get MPs to vote for the Agreement depends on which MP they are talking to. Leave supporting MPs I hear are told there will be a long delay to Brexit or no Brexit if they do not vote for the Agreement. Remain voting MPs are told there would be a no deal Brexit on 29 March. As all this has appeared in the press, the two sides can see that at least one side is not getting the truth. The danger for the government is both sides may choose not to believe the government, knowing it faces different ways. (here)
Keep this analysis in mind when we go into next week, and when you ponder the following interesting information.
The usually so leak-prone Tory MPs have been quietly putting the thumbscrews on Ms May during this week, en coulisse, with nothing coming out. Now, faced with another farce of a MVIII (will the Speaker even allow it?) we suddenly hear that her days could be numbered – just as that EU aide (see above) surmised:
“Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of Tory MPs, visited the Prime Minister in Downing Street on Monday afternoon and made clear that a growing number of Tories believe she has to go. […] The Prime Minister is facing a mounting backlash from both Eurosceptic and Remain ministers amid stark warnings from Cabinet ministers that her Premiership could be over within a week.” (paywalled link)
The outlook for Brexit in the next days and perhaps weeks is therefore stormy. With so many players, from the EU ‘grandees’ all the way down to our luvvies being frightened silly by the prospect of a ‘No Deal’, expect more ‘exciting’ shenanigans in the HoC. Meanwhile the LML March proceeds towards Parliament Square on the 29th of March, and there’s another lot of Brexiteers getting ready to roll – check this out!
We Brexit foot soldiers must keep doing what we’re doing. The Remainers are on the run. Tell your MP that he or she has seen nothing yet if they vote to destroy Brexit, and that they assuredly should not want to evoke the ire of the people of Britain who will most assuredly speak!
Some videos you may want to watch reference the Newport West by-election being held tomorrow 4th April 2019
Gerard Batten assisting Neil Hamilton in the Newport West by election
https://youtu.be/0lqWbW3quAo
Neil Hamilton AM Campaigns in Newport West by election
https://youtu.be/CtVNuI7sx24
Gerard Batten & Neil Hamilton canvassing in Newport West
https://youtu.be/yVq68QXlw8w
Neil Hamilton & Stuart Agnew Newport Wales March 30th 2019
https://youtu.be/8EsXEaxLCGQ
Neil Hamilton Newport West by election 2019
https://youtu.be/yuEuLTDs6iE
Gareth Bennett Newport West by election 2019
https://youtu.be/m_a5UBRHjqg
David Rowlands Newport South Wales
https://youtu.be/Y4PkFsqt20Q
Neil Hamilton canvassing in Newport West
https://youtu.be/r_qLNt7dgis
Neil Hamilton speaking to the people in Newport West
https://youtu.be/iFK-hpfvIrE
Richard Ford Interviews a LEAVE supporter in Newport West
Richard Ford Interviews Collin Simmonds a Labour supporter in Newport West
https://youtu.be/xqex6D-Ne1g
Brian Cooke UKIP Stroud
Have you seen this BS in the Telegraph? Unbeleivable, the machinations that politicians are going to, to thwart Brexit.
“Brexit latest news: Downing Street draws up plan which could lead to soft Brexit as it gives ‘multiple choice’ test to MPs”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/22/brexit-latest-news-rebel-mps-urge-colleagues-defy-whip-bring/
The same tactic that would be used if we were forced into a second referendum. The democratic process continues to fail us – what next? We face some hard choices.
As far as I can see this is a game of bluff. Why?
The EU is a stage to world government and the surrender of the nation state idea. If Britain leaves their game is over as all the others will want to leave too.
So when it was a question of the EU’s WA (they drafted it) or no Deal their bluff was called and they HAD to give us another extension. They are hoping that there are enough lily-livered yellow belly politicians to vote for their trap WA and we are stuff -ed for ever. The last thing they want is for us to leave on NO Deal. Then their game is up.
You journalists can write all the yardage you like you like to justify your existence.
Garden paths come by the yard too. Up along you all go.
The establishment appears to be more excited and serious about a few million signatures on a petition to stop Brexit than they were about the democratic votes of 17.4 million to Leave the EU. What a surprise.
There should be an investigation into why NO-ONE apparently is insensed the fact that the petition in question is BOGUS. Signatures from Antarctica, Afganistan etc. gimme break!!
Not sure I approve of Pro-Brexit Traffic hold-ups – as they risk alienating people – esp. in Leave areas.
Perhaps focus on the 50 Postcodes reported as 90% Remain – and where many Broadcasters live.
Namely the centres of London, Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge.
.
The march is due to end at Westminster next Friday. There’ll be a lot of people there …
Gerard has just announced he’ll be there.
But is he taking his little helper?
Unfortunately, probably. His missive, if you haven’t yet seen it, says: “This event is a UKIP event, and it is kindly sponsored by Tommy Robinson and his TR News service.” That rather put me off, but I think times are such now that I’m going to have to swallow hard and bite the bullet (if that’s not mixing my metaphores).
I’m not generally interested in any missive coming from “Tommy Robinson’s” warm-up man. However, I note that Debbie appears to be saying that the Leave Means Leave march is a UKIP event, sponsored by $$$$-stirrers-R-us. I don’t think that can be right.
As for times being hard so we better buddy up with a lot Cointelpro operatives and gangsters – that’s taking the bullet, not biting it. Batten knew what he was doing.
Two million votes including Adolf Hitler, right.
Yawn, wake me up when they get to 18 million.
And also kim Jong and Alexander the Great and Alexandr Nevski and Voltaire and Netanyahoo and uncle Tom , Dick heading the list.
Not to mention Edward Heath, Harold Wilson, and all the other political zombies we have had the misfortune to be lumbered with.
At least their stupid names are soooo obvious.
Its interesting that only by looking at the JSON data can you get an idea where all these votes are coming from.
2 Brits in Tajikstan
4 Brits in British Antarctic Territory
10 Brits in Palestine
3 Brits in Guyana (is Gina Miller one of them? 😀 )
We really do get all over the world don’t we? 🙂
Actually I suspect that teachers and lecturers are wasting school time to push the agenda among kids and using kids . And you can bet that half a million are civil servants who do not know their place
Quite a fun wheeze chaps.
Has any one done :- Project Terror. The future under the EU : ?
I know its late in the day but I just had this from Campaign for Independent Britain: “May has been signing up to military and EU initiatives, while by- passing HoC Scrutiny reserve resolution 17/11/98, (referring to Title 5 of Treaty of EU). Has this been challenged?” Does anyone know if anything was done about this?
Brexit if we ever get it must, obviously, include getting back total control of military and security. but this has been going on under the noses of most MPs without them knowing aboiut it till recently. Brian Gerrish of UK Colmn done a you tube about this.has
No. This is why Remain voters were misled in the Referendum. The dangers of remaining in the EU; loss of sovereignty, economic and social problems, mass immigration, the Euro, etc, etc, have hardly been considered by most media and politicians. They assume the EU will be the same in the future as it is now. It clearly won’t. The push for a European army and the United States of Europe clearly demonstrate this.
I’m waiting to see what the evil one comes up with to prevent our leaving on the 29th as scheduled.
Thank you Vivian. A little bit of sanity in a crazy world. Just subscribed to the newsletter. My mood is permanently up, down, up down as each new twist and turn emerges. It’s exhausting. Whatever happens they will not be forgiven for this drawn out torture although I am sure they believe we will forgive and forget as we did with the expenses. Not going to happen this time.
Welcome, Hez.
Thanks, Hez – both for your kind words and for subscribing to our Newsletter. No, we’ll not forget this time, and we most certainly will not let them forget either.
Local elections in May should be very interesting …
Petition to ask parliament to approve ‘no deal ‘ without further delay.
Click this link to sign the petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/247721/sponsors/new?token=IK3Cv7k5Xzzuaw7d9rO
My petition:
We ask Parliament to approve a No Deal exit the EU without any further delay.
It is time for the 17.4 million people who voted to Leave the EU in 2016 to make their voice heard again We urge Parliament to again reject the EU Withdrawal Agreement whenever called upon to vote upon it, and to approve a No Deal exit on WTO terms from the EU without any further delay.
This should be live now started this morning, if you agree please share with others , don’t really like petitions but it’s better than doing nothing while Hugh Grant, Annie Lennox and the luvvies get all the publicity.
All I see with that link is:
“Sign Leonard Harris’s petition”
No detail and a search cannot find it either.
I’m getting:
>>
This petition is gathering support
Please try again in a few days
<<
The petition needs 5 supporters to trigger it.
its not allowing you to sign is this remoaners at work ?
We need to get this up and running.
Wouldn’t put it past them. Just like saying the anti-Brexit petition will be open for six months. Nine months later it’s still open.
There is a similar petition up and running.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/243319
Already signed that one Ken.
This is what comes up when you try to sign.
‘This petition is gathering support
Leonard Harris’s petition needs 5 supporters before we will check that it meets the petition standards and publish it.
Please try again in a few days.’
You cannot sign but the petition is gathering support?
It needs 5 supporters before checking commences, but you cannot sign?
You have to wait days before this can be checked to meet petition standards?
Usual civil service inefficiency or deliberate obstruction?
These petitions are basically a waste of time. If they weren’t they would never have agreed to set up the petitions website in the first place. The only worthwhile way of making your mark is on a ballot paper for any party other than the LabLibConSnpGrnPlaidEtc.
Done. Almost half a million supporters already.
Now we know what Trump is up against as he undertakes to drain the American swamp. We have our swamp to drain too – the mother of all swamps.
I do believe that the collateral damage of draining the US swamp will be a sharp lowering of the level of ours!
Let us Pray.
You’ll like this video but too much common sense for most MPs and the HOLs.
“BREXIT BETRAYAL!! LORD PEARSON CUTS THROUGH THE BREXIT BS!!!”
https://youtu.be/TfIehMg7nX4
Love it! Particularly the last bit about taking no more than fortnight.
The remainers apparently have been silenced for far to long according to Margaret Anne Georgiadou, who started the petition, who told the BBC: ‘I became like every other Remainer – very frustrated that we’ve been silenced and ignored for so long. This has to be the quote of the year from the DM. And responding to the petition to revoke A.50 signed by Hugh Grant and Anne Lennox among others.
‘Theresa May’s deputy official spokesman said the Government had said ‘12,000 times’ it would not revoke Article 50, adding: ‘It is not something that she is prepared to do.’
Yes Quite!
“May welcomes delay, says MPs now have a clear choice” The Telegraph
MPs have always had a clear choice and Theresa May is still continuing with this line that identifies her as the worst Prime Minister in history and a failure as a leader and negotiator: she really needs to go, resign or just fired doesn’t matter as long as she goes.
The EU may have offered an extension but I think that for now, legally march 29th is still our leaving date, it’ll be a travesty of justice if this is changed at this late stage because of May’s incompetence or just plain treachery and dishonesty.
It’s unbelievable that people that because they can act a bit feel that they have the right to try and undermine the greatest vote in our history and the will of the British people, this is arrogance beyond reason.
You are right. She has to get an extension through the HoC.
This will show up who has guts and who hasn’t
Not if they use a statutory instrument to change the date apparent,y K.B
I see. Funny that.
I am no expert, but I don’t believe that secondary leglislation such as Statutory Instruments can be used to modify, change, alter or whatever, Primary legislation (Acts of Parliament) unless the Primary legislation contained a provision enabling it to do so.
In the current context if the Primary legislation said ’29 March 2019 at 23.00 or such date and time as may be blah blah blah’ then that would be possible but it would also mean that the civil service alone (without recourse to Parliament) would then have the power to keep us in the EU indefinitely by making SI’s with whatever date they desired, or until the Primary legislation was repealed or superseded.
There are others better qualified than I to comment on this I’m sure.