Brexit intensifies

[andrewducker]

So, today the only government ever to be found in contempt of parliament lost a vote by the largest margin ever suffered by a British government, losing by 230 votes (previous "winner" was Ramsay Macdonald's minority Labour government, losing by 166 votes).

Immediately afterwards, Corbyn lodged a vote of no confidence in the government. The DUP have said they will back the Conservatives, which almost certainly means that the vote will fail*.

The EU wants us to make our mind up, and has now repeatedly said that the withdrawal deal is not open for renegotiation. Which greatly reduces the options we have remaining. So once we the no confidence fails I can't see what else Labour can do but move towards a second referendum.

Which is, according to all recent polls, what the people want. (46% to 28% last I checked).

*It's _possible_ that a few Conservatives will rebel. But incredibly unlikely.

Comments

[alithea]

I agree that another ref is more likely to be helpful than an election. But I fear that a) remain won't be in the options or b) remain will lose again because a lot of people have apparently decided that changing their minds is antidemocratic :(

[danieldwilliam]

That may be the case but we would at least have certainty.

If Remain lose again then, it's pretty clear that the majority of electors in Britain want us to leave the EU even if the withdrawal deal and future arrangements are sub-optimal.

We'd then spend the next 20 years quietly blaming Brexiteers for every ill in the country. Or rather, we (you and I and Andy) would spend 20 years paying not attention to the English whilst they did that whilst enjoying life in the People's European Socialist Democratic Republic of South Scandinavia.)

[alithea]

The only fly in that ointment is that I think a substantial minority of indy supporters don't want to be in the EU either. Mind you, if we crash out with no deal I expect the resulting chaos will soon make more or less everyone in Scotland decide they're done with being ruled from Westminster!