For us Brexit Battle observers, this morning looks rather strange: no news, no leaks … Is this the calm before the Brexit Storm? Are the prominent Brexiteers and Remainers suddenly all playing possum? Are they perhaps  preparing for a show-down in today’s PMQ, the spectacle performed every Wednesday at noon in the HoC? After all, Ms May must reveal her hand …

We’ve been told that she’s writing a letter to the EU, asking for an extension. She ought to have sent it yesterday, but after a ‘stormy session’ in Cabinet, she didn’t. Apparently Cabinet ministers told her that they and indeed the Tory party would not stand for an extension longer than three months as opposed to the nine months she was going to ask for. Read this report to get the full flavour of the confusion prevailing. There are other, paywalled reports here and here.

The main question remains unanswered: how it is possible that Ms May, her sidekick Mr Olly Robbins, the cabinet or indeed the HoC (and never mind the Remain MSM) are ignorant of what the EU, in the form of M Barnier, keeps telling them? Do they still not understand that there will either be another big fat ‘No, Non, Nein’, or that Ms May will be told yet again that she has to accept the EU diktat? Here’s a summary in the (paywalled) Times:

“Mrs May’s letter to Donald Tusk, the European Council president, spelling out the exact extension request was held back by a nervous No 10 last night. Senior ministers said that she appeared undecided whether to ask for a longer extension and anger Tory Brexiteers or risk the humiliation of having terms imposed on her.

In what appeared to be a co-ordinated effort to limit her options, EU leaders set a series of conditions before tomorrow’s summit, the last before Britain is scheduled to leave.

Michel Barnier, Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator, said that if the prime minister failed to get backing for the withdrawal agreement in the coming week she would have to commit to a change in political direction. […] In a meeting with EU foreign and European affairs ministers Mr Barnier said that only a change to the government’s red lines, a general election or a referendum would justify a long delay, according to a diplomatic note.”

Eagle-eyed readers will of course have spotted the interesting fact that 10 Downing Street is scared of leaks to us, the people, but that the EU always seems to know beforehand what Ms May will say … The alleged close relationship between Mr Olly Robbins and M Barnier’s German sidekick, Ms Weyand, is of course purely coincidental …

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the Chamber, Mr Corbyn held talks with other opposition leaders where he made clear that he is not keen on a 2nd referendum (paywalled, here). Indeed not – what he and Labour want is a GE which they believe they’ll win: Corbyn for PM!

The Brexit omnishambles, from the PM all the way down is due to one single fact only: they all put Ego before Party before Country. This is now no longer hidden behind lofty words, a shibboleth of our horrible, hardcore Brexit conspiracists’ imagination – it’s out in the open, for all to see.

Then there’s the constant, breathless drip-drip-drip of our TV ‘reporters’ grabbing any MP they can get hold of for their on-air harassment. Just look at the many little reports in The Express … even the discredited Tony Blair gets a – thankfully brief – airing. Why the mainly lady TV presenters think they know better than certain MPs is beyond me …There’s one video report though I recommend you watch: an interview with Sir John Redwood.

Expect to see more of the same talking heads in this morning’s run-up to PMQ and in the aftermath. It will be populated by the same talking heads giving us their unchanged opinions, boring us to tears.

Nothing could illustrate better the decline of our Parliament, the emasculation of this once proud institution after 40 years in the EU! MPs and indeed the PM can talk all they want – they cannot make decisions without the EU! It’s Juncker, Tusk, Barnier who tell them what they can and cannot do and what they must vote for. Why the blood of our craven MPs isn’t boiling I don’t know!

Next to the EU there’s one other entity which has been driving these negotiations: Big Business. Their role, except when coming up with ‘Project Fear’ scenarios, has been left mostly unexamined. Their pronunciations have been taken on trust by all the Remainers, but Remain Big Business is now also very upset:

“Business executives attacked “dithering, debating and political games” in Westminster as they prepared to tear up contingency plans based on Britain leaving the EU next Friday. Industry leaders have branded the millions of pounds spent on stockpiling for the days and weeks after March 29 “the price of avoiding a no-deal Brexit”. Companies are reporting spiralling costs in the face of uncertainty. […] “This delay will cost members money, but will be the price of avoiding a no-deal Brexit on March 29. For most people, that would be preferable.” (paywalled source)

“Most people”? Or just the CBI? It must be galling to be hoist with their own petard  …

In these final days before Brexit Day, the Brexit enemies are now daily revealing themselves, the faces of the real conspiracists in the Remain establishment longer hidden.

Let’s remind ourselves: we bloody (excuse my French) well did know why we voted to Leave! It’s the Government, the HoC and of course Whitehall who hadn’t and still have no clue. Sadly, one can count those MPs who actually do get it on the fingers of one hand: Sir Bill Cash, Sir John Redwood, Peter Bone, Kate Hoey, Graham Stringer … if you think of some others, do add their names in the comments.

This whole despicable, preventable mess has brought forth one good thing though: everybody now knows that our representatives do not represent us and hold us in contempt. Both main parties will have our reckoning presented to them at the next elections, be it a GE or be it the Local ones in May. Meanwhile – keep fighting!

 

9 days to Brexit

KBO!

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