politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The real problem for TMay from last night’s vote could be when the Brexit bill goes to the Lords
James Forsyth’s latest Spectator podcast makes a very good point about one consequence of last night’s Commons rebellion – it will make it much harder for the bill to get through the Upper House unamended.
That's true, but the very fact that there will be a Commons vote will ensure that May comes back a soft Brexit deal that is acceptable to the vast majority of MPs, who recognise the need to respect the EU-ref but in a way that doesn't trash the economy.
Then, once the deal is passed by the HoC, the Tory headbangers will just have to suck it up, and shut up (at long last).
It's the best way forward all considered.
Or May calls their bluff because if they reject the deal it'll be no-deal Brexit.
You forget that May is a Remainer!
Ah, she's been lying about it all along.
She campaigned for Remain IIRC
I'm talking about all the speeches she's given since the referendum. Abundantly clear that she's not aiming for a soft Brexit.
The trick she is trying to pull off is talk hard Brexit and walk soft.
Yes, you are spot on.
She has to ultimately go soft to get it through the Commons (and it's the least risk economically) - but as you say she must talk pretty hard to keep the hard Brexiteers on side - or at least enough to prevent them going off side.
Whether 48 MPs go for a vote of no confidence who knows, but May should win such a vote easily because:
1) Majority of Con MPs support Remain so want soft Brexit
2) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a hard Brexiteer winning
3) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a less voter friendly winner
I agree with all that.
And that is why I think it's increasingly likely she'll lead the Tories into the next GE. The question you have to ask is, assuming she doesn't voluntarily step down, when is the optimum time to attempt to oust her?
Between now and March 2019? Not likely, barring an unforeseen disaster.
During Transition? On what grounds if a sensible (dare I say popular) Brexit deal has been secured?
After Transition but before the next GE? Not unless the polls show Labour well ahead.
The middle option on the grounds a new leader for a new time, that she secured the transition and now it's time for a new leader to bring all together.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
People who can't be arsed to vote don't have any say in the matter.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
That's true, but the very fact that there will be a Commons vote will ensure that May comes back a soft Brexit deal that is acceptable to the vast majority of MPs, who recognise the need to respect the EU-ref but in a way that doesn't trash the economy.
Then, once the deal is passed by the HoC, the Tory headbangers will just have to suck it up, and shut up (at long last).
It's the best way forward all considered.
Or May calls their bluff because if they reject the deal it'll be no-deal Brexit.
You forget that May is a Remainer!
Ah, she's been lying about it all along.
She campaigned for Remain IIRC
I'm talking about all the speeches she's given since the referendum. Abundantly clear that she's not aiming for a soft Brexit.
The trick she is trying to pull off is talk hard Brexit and walk soft.
Yes, you are spot on.
She has to ultimately go soft to get it through the Commons (and it's the least risk economically) - but as you say she must talk pretty hard to keep the hard Brexiteers on side - or at least enough to prevent them going off side.
Whether 48 MPs go for a vote of no confidence who knows, but May should win such a vote easily because:
1) Majority of Con MPs support Remain so want soft Brexit
2) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a hard Brexiteer winning
3) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a less voter friendly winner
I agree with all that.
And that is why I think it's increasingly likely she'll lead the Tories into the next GE. The question you have to ask is, assuming she doesn't voluntarily step down, when is the optimum time to attempt to oust her?
Between now and March 2019? Not likely, barring an unforeseen disaster.
During Transition? On what grounds if a sensible (dare I say popular) Brexit deal has been secured?
After Transition but before the next GE? Not unless the polls show Labour well ahead.
The middle option on the grounds a new leader for a new time, that she secured the transition and now it's time for a new leader to bring all together.
Guff, of course, but relatively credible
Yes, if she's willing to step down but much harder if she digs her heels in.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
People who can't be arsed to vote don't have any say in the matter.
Yes I agree. It was 'mischievous' of me to use those figures
By the way, it is possible to be chievous as the opposite to mischievous?
That's true, but the very fact that there will be a Commons vote will ensure that May comes back a soft Brexit deal that is acceptable to the vast majority of MPs, who recognise the need to respect the EU-ref but in a way that doesn't trash the economy.
Then, once the deal is passed by the HoC, the Tory headbangers will just have to suck it up, and shut up (at long last).
It's the best way forward all considered.
Or May calls their bluff because if they reject the deal it'll be no-deal Brexit.
You forget that May is a Remainer!
Ah, she's been lying about it all along.
She campaigned for Remain IIRC
I'm talking about all the speeches she's given since the referendum. Abundantly clear that she's not aiming for a soft Brexit.
The trick she is trying to pull off is talk hard Brexit and walk soft.
Yes, you are spot on.
She has to ultimately go soft to get it through the Commons (and it's the least risk economically) - but as you say she must talk pretty hard to keep the hard Brexiteers on side - or at least enough to prevent them going off side.
Whether 48 MPs go for a vote of no confidence who knows, but May should win such a vote easily because:
1) Majority of Con MPs support Remain so want soft Brexit
2) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a hard Brexiteer winning
3) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a less voter friendly winner
I agree with all that.
And that is why I think it's increasingly likely she'll lead the Tories into the next GE. The question you have to ask is, assuming she doesn't voluntarily step down, when is the optimum time to attempt to oust her?
Between now and March 2019? Not likely, barring an unforeseen disaster.
During Transition? On what grounds if a sensible (dare I say popular) Brexit deal has been secured?
After Transition but before the next GE? Not unless the polls show Labour well ahead.
I agree with you too!
All I would say is that if it goes to 2022 then she'll have already been in power 6 years and had a very demanding and stressful term of office due to Brexit. She has also already visibly aged - and that's after just 18 months as PM.
So I think a voluntary step down in 2021 would still be most likely - I can't see her wanting to attempt to be a 10 year PM - which would take her up to 70.
That's true, but the very fact that there will be a Commons vote will ensure that May comes back a soft Brexit deal that is acceptable to the vast majority of MPs, who recognise the need to respect the EU-ref but in a way that doesn't trash the economy.
Then, once the deal is passed by the HoC, the Tory headbangers will just have to suck it up, and shut up (at long last).
It's the best way forward all considered.
Or May calls their bluff because if they reject the deal it'll be no-deal Brexit.
You forget that May is a Remainer!
Ah, she's been lying about it all along.
She campaigned for Remain IIRC
I'm talking about all the speeches she's given since the referendum. Abundantly clear that she's not aiming for a soft Brexit.
The trick she is trying to pull off is talk hard Brexit and walk soft.
Yes, you are spot on.
She has to ultimately go soft to get it through the Commons (and it's the least risk economically) - but as you say she must talk pretty hard to keep the hard Brexiteers on side - or at least enough to prevent them going off side.
Whether 48 MPs go for a vote of no confidence who knows, but May should win such a vote easily because:
1) Majority of Con MPs support Remain so want soft Brexit
2) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a hard Brexiteer winning
3) Majority of Con MPs won't want to risk a less voter friendly winner
I agree with all that.
And that is why I think it's increasingly likely she'll lead the Tories into the next GE. The question you have to ask is, assuming she doesn't voluntarily step down, when is the optimum time to attempt to oust her?
Between now and March 2019? Not likely, barring an unforeseen disaster.
During Transition? On what grounds if a sensible (dare I say popular) Brexit deal has been secured?
After Transition but before the next GE? Not unless the polls show Labour well ahead.
I agree with you too!
All I would say is that if it goes to 2022 then she'll have already been in power 6 years and had a very demanding and stressful term of office due to Brexit. She has also already visibly aged - and that's after just 18 months as PM.
So I think a voluntary step down in 2021 would still be most likely - I can't see her wanting to attempt to be a 10 year PM - which would take her up to 70.
When do we get the report into the Treasury prediction of an immediate recession after a Leave vote ?
The same Treasury which in March 2008 failed to predict a recession.
Curious how Treasury predictions tend to be exactly what the Chancellor requires isn't it.
I think you're being unfair on the Treasury team
With official reports they provide a range of outcomes and assumptions to the Chancellor and try to guide him in the right direction.
But ultimately which assumptions to use are the Chancellor's decisions
That's an explanation to defend 1.5% growth instead of 2.5% growth but not to defend failing to predict a recession in March 2008 and predicting an immediate recession after a Leave vote.
Plaid's AM Steffan Lewis, at 33 the youngest AM and their Brexit spokesperson in the Welsh Assembly has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Terrible news for his family just at Xmas. Must hope he receives the best treatment as soon as possible
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
The ballot paper option just said "Leave the European Union". Nothing about the Customs Union, Single Market or FoM.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
Nah, 65.3% didn't vote to remain in the EU.
See how disingenuous the remainers are. They take those who chose not to vote and decide to allocate them to the remain camp.
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
The ballot paper option just said "Leave the European Union". Nothing about the Customs Union, Single Market or FoM.
It's funny. The BBC showed clips of the referedum campaign including Cameron, Osborne, Gove, Johnson and many others saying leave means leaving the single market and customs union. There was no prevarification and at the time it swayed my vote to remain
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side. Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be: "...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
People who can't be arsed to vote don't have any say in the matter.
They were being asked to vote on a meaningless question. Would you get out of bed on a cold summer`s morning to do that, still less go down to the polling station?
When do we get the report into the Treasury prediction of an immediate recession after a Leave vote ?
The same Treasury which in March 2008 failed to predict a recession.
Curious how Treasury predictions tend to be exactly what the Chancellor requires isn't it.
I think you're being unfair on the Treasury team
With official reports they provide a range of outcomes and assumptions to the Chancellor and try to guide him in the right direction.
But ultimately which assumptions to use are the Chancellor's decisions
That's an explanation to defend 1.5% growth instead of 2.5% growth but not to defend failing to predict a recession in March 2008 and predicting an immediate recession after a Leave vote.
The Chancellor can choose whatever assumptions he wants - he's the boss. He just needs to be able to defend it in the Commons
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
The ballot paper option just said "Leave the European Union". Nothing about the Customs Union, Single Market or FoM.
It's funny. The BBC showed clips of the referedum campaign including Cameron, Osborne, Gove, Johnson and many others saying leave means leaving the single market and customs union. There was no prevarification and at the time it swayed my vote to remain
Ministerial or campaign statements do not change what the question was, nor are binding. Another reason the Gov lost the a50 case as comments about the ref being binding were not law.
Now, whether it would meet the spirit of the leave vote, and whether even if it wasn't if a majority were happy to stay in the singlecmarket, whether that would a good idea is a political issue.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side. Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be: "...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
People who can't be arsed to vote don't have any say in the matter.
They were being asked to vote on a meaningless question. Would you get out of bed on a cold summer`s morning to do that, still less go down to the polling station?
A lot of activity going on for a meaningless question.
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
The ballot paper option just said "Leave the European Union". Nothing about the Customs Union, Single Market or FoM.
It's funny. The BBC showed clips of the referedum campaign including Cameron, Osborne, Gove, Johnson and many others saying leave means leaving the single market and customs union. There was no prevarification and at the time it swayed my vote to remain
Ministerial or campaign statements do not change what the question was, nor are binding. Another reason the Gov lost the a50 case as comments about the ref being binding were not law.
Now, whether it would meet the spirit of the leave vote, and whether even if it wasn't if a majority were happy to stay in the singlecmarket, whether that would a good idea is a political issue.
That's like saying a vote for Labour/Tory at the ballot box can't be interpreted as a vote for them to implement their manifesto.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
Nah, 65.3% didn't vote to remain in the EU.
See how disingenuous the remainers are. They take those who chose not to vote and decide to allocate them to the remain camp.
There is a case, with major constitutional changes, for the argument that a majority of registered voters need to vote for it... after all if you can't be arsed to vote, you do not really feel strongly about the need for change.
But it's all academic as far as Brexit is concerned - too late now. And at least this way Farage becomes an irrelevance!
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
Nah, 65.3% didn't vote to remain in the EU.
See how disingenuous the remainers are. They take those who chose not to vote and decide to allocate them to the remain camp.
There is a case, with major constitutional changes, for the argument that a majority of registered voters need to vote for it... after all if you can't be arsed to vote, you do not really feel strongly about the need for change.
But it's all academic as far as Brexit is concerned - too late now. And at least this way Farage becomes an irrelevance!
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
The ballot paper option just said "Leave the European Union". Nothing about the Customs Union, Single Market or FoM.
It's funny. The BBC showed clips of the referedum campaign including Cameron, Osborne, Gove, Johnson and many others saying leave means leaving the single market and customs union. There was no prevarification and at the time it swayed my vote to remain
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
The ballot paper option just said "Leave the European Union". Nothing about the Customs Union, Single Market or FoM.
It's funny. The BBC showed clips of the referedum campaign including Cameron, Osborne, Gove, Johnson and many others saying leave means leaving the single market and customs union. There was no prevarification and at the time it swayed my vote to remain
Ministerial or campaign statements do not change what the question was, nor are binding. Another reason the Gov lost the a50 case as comments about the ref being binding were not law.
Now, whether it would meet the spirit of the leave vote, and whether even if it wasn't if a majority were happy to stay in the singlecmarket, whether that would a good idea is a political issue.
That's like saying a vote for Labour/Tory at the ballot box can't be interpreted as a vote for them to implement their manifesto.
The difference being there are published Labour/Tory manifestos. When was the Leave manifesto published?
World-class trolling from Mike, ignoring the facts that the holding of the referendum had an overwhelming majority in the Commons and was agreed by the Lords, that everyone on both sides of the argument agreed that the decision of voters in the referendum was going to be respected even if wasn't legally binding, and - most important of all - that parliament has already, by an overwhelming majority, agreed to trigger Article 50 and therefore has already, overwhelmingly, reaffirmed the democratic legitimacy of the decision to leave the EU.
Peers might not like it. LibDems don't like it. Many MPs don't like it. For that matter, I don't like it; but the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU, perfectly democratically whether your metric is the popular vote or the proceedings of parliament. There is no getting away from this, and the argument that the poor benighted voters were misled won't wash: so far, the most surprising piece of new information is that the economic damage caused by Brexit uncertainty has been less that most observers (including me) expected. So you can't even argue that the facts have changed so much as to invalidate the referendum result.
As for the latest development, Lord only knows what mess we would get into if parliament starts trying to undo or block an agreement between the UK government and the EU. It hardly bears thinking about; the off-chance that such a disaster might happen (with the added twist that it might put John McDonnell into No 11) is a good reason for pessimism, and for keeping your pension fund as diversified away from dependence on the UK economy as you can.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side. Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be: "...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
People who can't be arsed to vote don't have any say in the matter.
They were being asked to vote on a meaningless question. Would you get out of bed on a cold summer`s morning to do that, still less go down to the polling station?
Plaid's AM Steffan Lewis, at 33 the youngest AM and their Brexit spokesperson in the Welsh Assembly has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Terrible news for his family just at Xmas. Must hope he receives the best treatment as soon as possible
World-class trolling from Mike, ignoring the facts that the holding of the referendum had an overwhelming majority in the Commons and was agreed by the Lords, that everyone on both sides of the argument agreed that the decision of voters in the referendum was going to be respected even if wasn't legally binding, and - most important of all - that parliament has already, by an overwhelming majority, agreed to trigger Article 50 and therefore has already, overwhelmingly, reaffirmed the democratic legitimacy of the decision to leave the EU.
Peers might not like it. LibDems don't like it. Many MPs don't like it. For that matter, I don't like it; but the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU, perfectly democratically whether your metric is the popular vote or the proceedings of parliament. There is no getting away from this, and the argument that the poor benighted voters were misled won't wash: so far, the most surprising piece of new information is that the economic damage caused by Brexit uncertainty has been less that most observers (including me) expected. So you can't even argue that the facts have changed so much as to invalidate the referendum result.
As for the latest development, Lord only knows what mess we would get into if parliament starts trying to undo or block an agreement between the UK government and the EU. It hardly bears thinking about; the off-chance that such a disaster might happen (with the added twist that it might put John McDonnell into No 11) is a good reason for pessimism, and for keeping your pension fund as diversified away from dependence on the UK economy as you can..
Good post. I was with you until the last sentence - move your funds out of Blighty?! What a traitor!
When do we get the report into the Treasury prediction of an immediate recession after a Leave vote ?
The same Treasury which in March 2008 failed to predict a recession.
Curious how Treasury predictions tend to be exactly what the Chancellor requires isn't it.
I think you're being unfair on the Treasury team
With official reports they provide a range of outcomes and assumptions to the Chancellor and try to guide him in the right direction.
But ultimately which assumptions to use are the Chancellor's decisions
That's an explanation to defend 1.5% growth instead of 2.5% growth but not to defend failing to predict a recession in March 2008 and predicting an immediate recession after a Leave vote.
The Chancellor can choose whatever assumptions he wants - he's the boss. He just needs to be able to defend it in the Commons
And does it say in those Treasury predictions 'Calculated on the basis of assumptions made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer' ?
Winston Churchill once said when it was pointed out that his election victory was very narrow, said "One's enough"..
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
The ballot paper option just said "Leave the European Union". Nothing about the Customs Union, Single Market or FoM.
It's funny. The BBC showed clips of the referedum campaign including Cameron, Osborne, Gove, Johnson and many others saying leave means leaving the single market and customs union. There was no prevarification and at the time it swayed my vote to remain
Ministerial or campaign statements do not change what the question was, nor are binding. Another reason the Gov lost the a50 case as comments about the ref being binding were not law.
Now, whether it would meet the spirit of the leave vote, and whether even if it wasn't if a majority were happy to stay in the singlecmarket, whether that would a good idea is a political issue.
That's like saying a vote for Labour/Tory at the ballot box can't be interpreted as a vote for them to implement their manifesto.
Which oppositions do all the time of course, saying policy x or y is not supported In any case as leave could mean many things and not all in the government were on the same side, statements on what an option woukd mean were not meaningless but would not be iron clad either. So it's not the same as a GE.
Additionally manifestos aren't always implemented, sometimes commitments are even reversed and it doesn't invalidate a vote. Even if people believed option a means x cannot happen, it doesn't mean x will not happen. The Brexit question was open ended and parliament was free to determine what it should mean. Had they decided that meant staying in the single market that might have been unwise given the comments beforehand and the expectations of many, but it was up to them to decide if the wanted to face that consequence.
Right, got a pre-Christmas cold so I'm off to bed. Hopefully some from the evening lefty/remainer shift will be on soon to keep the red flag flying here in this sea of blue!
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
Nah, 65.3% didn't vote to remain in the EU.
See how disingenuous the remainers are. They take those who chose not to vote and decide to allocate them to the remain camp.
There is a case, with major constitutional changes, for the argument that a majority of registered voters need to vote for it... after all if you can't be arsed to vote, you do not really feel strongly about the need for change.
But it's all academic as far as Brexit is concerned - too late now. And at least this way Farage becomes an irrelevance!
Personally I think turnout thresholds, even a victory threshold other than simple majority, are not inherently bad ideas, though determine what things require them and what the thresholds should be are trickier questions. Given we've done without them for some really big decisions, it's harder to make the case nowm
Sky reporting tonight is all so negative for TM. Hope Disney puts it out of it's misery
Do your blood pressure a favour ans switch off SkyNews
Do you know, over the last three months I have had a pre op medical, bi lateral hernia operation, blood tests, prick tests, ECG's (4), chest x rays, and all kind of monitoring but my blood pressure has been excellent , even when I was diagnosed with a suspect heart attack that did not happen.
Sky news and BBC are on most of the time but all I ask from Sky is balance which BBC is reasonable good at
World-class trolling from Mike, ignoring the facts that the holding of the referendum had an overwhelming majority in the Commons and was agreed by the Lords, that everyone on both sides of the argument agreed that the decision of voters in the referendum was going to be respected even if wasn't legally binding, and - most important of all - that parliament has already, by an overwhelming majority, agreed to trigger Article 50 and therefore has already, overwhelmingly, reaffirmed the democratic legitimacy of the decision to leave the EU.
Peers might not like it. LibDems don't like it. Many MPs don't like it. For that matter, I don't like it; but the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU, perfectly democratically whether your metric is the popular vote or the proceedings of parliament. There is no getting away from this, and the argument that the poor benighted voters were misled won't wash: so far, the most surprising piece of new information is that the economic damage caused by Brexit uncertainty has been less that most observers (including me) expected. So you can't even argue that the facts have changed so much as to invalidate the referendum result.
As for the latest development, Lord only knows what mess we would get into if parliament starts trying to undo or block an agreement between the UK government and the EU. It hardly bears thinking about; the off-chance that such a disaster might happen (with the added twist that it might put John McDonnell into No 11) is a good reason for pessimism, and for keeping your pension fund as diversified away from dependence on the UK economy as you can..
Good post. I was with you until the last sentence - move your funds out of Blighty?! What a traitor!
+1 (assuming the traitor bit is a joke - this is why emojis exist people )
World-class trolling from Mike, ignoring the facts that the holding of the referendum had an overwhelming majority in the Commons and was agreed by the Lords, that everyone on both sides of the argument agreed that the decision of voters in the referendum was going to be respected even if wasn't legally binding, and - most important of all - that parliament has already, by an overwhelming majority, agreed to trigger Article 50 and therefore has already, overwhelmingly, reaffirmed the democratic legitimacy of the decision to leave the EU.
Peers might not like it. LibDems don't like it. Many MPs don't like it. For that matter, I don't like it; but the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU, perfectly democratically whether your metric is the popular vote or the proceedings of parliament. There is no getting away from this, and the argument that the poor benighted voters were misled won't wash: so far, the most surprising piece of new information is that the economic damage caused by Brexit uncertainty has been less that most observers (including me) expected. So you can't even argue that the facts have changed so much as to invalidate the referendum result.
As for the latest development, Lord only knows what mess we would get into if parliament starts trying to undo or block an agreement between the UK government and the EU. It hardly bears thinking about; the off-chance that such a disaster might happen (with the added twist that it might put John McDonnell into No 11) is a good reason for pessimism, and for keeping your pension fund as diversified away from dependence on the UK economy as you can..
Good post. I was with you until the last sentence - move your funds out of Blighty?! What a traitor!
+1 (assuming the traitor bit is a joke - this is why emojis exist people )
Sky reporting tonight is all so negative for TM. Hope Disney puts it out of it's misery
Do your blood pressure a favour ans switch off SkyNews
Do you know, over the last three months I have had a pre op medical, bi lateral hernia operation, blood tests, prick tests, ECG's (4), chest x rays, and all kind of monitoring but my blood pressure has been excellent , even when I was diagnosed with a suspect heart attack that did not happen.
Sky news and BBC are on most of the time but all I ask from Sky is balance which BBC is reasonable good at
No offense, merely that watching the news is rarely good for BP!
No - all the conservative party accept we are leaving the EU - non of the rebels will support a remain proposition
Not even Clarke or Soubry?
Clarke and Soubry both said today we are leaving the EU in live interviews
I think tbh most Remainers accept we are leaving. I certainly do (sadly).
Same here. And I wish the leavers would get on with leaving without all this melodrama.
Unfortunately some politicians (who have a lot more influence on matters than either you or I) do not believe that and are willing to do almost anything to make sure we don't leave. The most recent example being Andrew Adonis today.
Benpointer - “There is a case, with major constitutional changes, for the argument that a majority of registered voters need to vote for it... after all if you can't be arsed to vote, you do not really feel strongly about the need for change”.
Yes there is a case. I’d certainly have been happy had that been the threshold for the Maastrict Treaty. Europhiles weren’t interested in voter opinion then though.
World-class trolling from Mike, ignoring the facts that the holding of the referendum had an overwhelming majority in the Commons and was agreed by the Lords, that everyone on both sides of the argument agreed that the decision of voters in the referendum was going to be respected even if wasn't legally binding, and - most important of all - that parliament has already, by an overwhelming majority, agreed to trigger Article 50 and therefore has already, overwhelmingly, reaffirmed the democratic legitimacy of the decision to leave the EU.
Peers might not like it. LibDems don't like it. Many MPs don't like it. For that matter, I don't like it; but the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU, perfectly democratically whether your metric is the popular vote or the proceedings of parliament. There is no getting away from this, and the argument that the poor benighted voters were misled won't wash: so far, the most surprising piece of new information is that the economic damage caused by Brexit uncertainty has been less that most observers (including me) expected. So you can't even argue that the facts have changed so much as to invalidate the referendum result.
As for the latest development, Lord only knows what mess we would get into if parliament starts trying to undo or block an agreement between the UK government and the EU. It hardly bears thinking about; the off-chance that such a disaster might happen (with the added twist that it might put John McDonnell into No 11) is a good reason for pessimism, and for keeping your pension fund as diversified away from dependence on the UK economy as you can.
The object of the amendment is to use the threat of a Commons veto as leverage over HMG negotiating team to ensure it takes into account demands of the Remainer rebels.
Similar to what Verhofstadht is trying to do with the EU27 and Barnier.
Benpointer - “There is a case, with major constitutional changes, for the argument that a majority of registered voters need to vote for it... after all if you can't be arsed to vote, you do not really feel strongly about the need for change”.
Yes there is a case. I’d certainly have been happy had that been the threshold for the Maastrict Treaty. Europhiles weren’t interested in voter opinion then though.
Right, got a pre-Christmas cold so I'm off to bed. Hopefully some from the evening lefty/remainer shift will be on soon to keep the red flag flying here in this sea of blue!
Look after yourself Ben. My wife, daughter and I have all had this winter coughing bug and it is very debilitating
Sky reporting tonight is all so negative for TM. Hope Disney puts it out of it's misery
Do your blood pressure a favour ans switch off SkyNews
Do you know, over the last three months I have had a pre op medical, bi lateral hernia operation, blood tests, prick tests, ECG's (4), chest x rays, and all kind of monitoring but my blood pressure has been excellent , even when I was diagnosed with a suspect heart attack that did not happen.
Sky news and BBC are on most of the time but all I ask from Sky is balance which BBC is reasonable good at
No offense, merely that watching the news is rarely good for BP!
I know you meant no offence and I am just pleased that in the end I came out with a good bill of health for a 74 year old
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
Nah, 65.3% didn't vote to remain in the EU.
See how disingenuous the remainers are. They take those who chose not to vote and decide to allocate them to the remain camp.
There is a case, with major constitutional changes, for the argument that a majority of registered voters need to vote for it... after all if you can't be arsed to vote, you do not really feel strongly about the need for change.
But it's all academic as far as Brexit is concerned - too late now. And at least this way Farage becomes an irrelevance!
I am afraid I am firmly of the opinion that if you can't be bothered to get out and vote you don't deserve to have your non-vote counted.
If these start to be upheld then you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, by 1.9% above the 50% threshold, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested.
However TM did fight the election on a Leave manifesto.
No - all the conservative party accept we are leaving the EU - non of the rebels will support a remain proposition
Not even Clarke or Soubry?
Clarke and Soubry both said today we are leaving the EU in live interviews
I think tbh most Remainers accept we are leaving. I certainly do (sadly).
Same here. And I wish the leavers would get on with leaving without all this melodrama.
Unfortunately some politicians (who have a lot more influence on matters than either you or I) do not believe that and are willing to do almost anything to make sure we don't leave. The most recent example being Andrew Adonis today.
Yes , I was surprised at Andrew Adonis , always seemed a sensible diligent minister.On another point why did the government not make the referendum legally binding ?
No - all the conservative party accept we are leaving the EU - non of the rebels will support a remain proposition
Not even Clarke or Soubry?
Clarke and Soubry both said today we are leaving the EU in live interviews
I think tbh most Remainers accept we are leaving. I certainly do (sadly).
Same here. And I wish the leavers would get on with leaving without all this melodrama.
Unfortunately some politicians (who have a lot more influence on matters than either you or I) do not believe that and are willing to do almost anything to make sure we don't leave. The most recent example being Andrew Adonis today.
Yes , I was surprised at Andrew Adonis , always seemed a sensible diligent minister.On another point why did the government not make the referendum legally binding ?
I would suggest arrogance. They never for a moment thought they were going to lose.
Living in Scotland, apparently. Sky News were interviewing people working for a fish packing company some of whom live in England and some who live in Scotland.
If these start to be upheld then you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, by 1.9% above the 50% threshold, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested.
There is an awful lot I love about this site but it's impossible to take any thread header by Mike regarding Brexit seriously nowadays.
No - all the conservative party accept we are leaving the EU - non of the rebels will support a remain proposition
Not even Clarke or Soubry?
Clarke and Soubry both said today we are leaving the EU in live interviews
I think tbh most Remainers accept we are leaving. I certainly do (sadly).
Same here. And I wish the leavers would get on with leaving without all this melodrama.
Unfortunately some politicians (who have a lot more influence on matters than either you or I) do not believe that and are willing to do almost anything to make sure we don't leave. The most recent example being Andrew Adonis today.
Yes , I was surprised at Andrew Adonis , always seemed a sensible diligent minister.On another point why did the government not make the referendum legally binding ?
I would suggest arrogance. They never for a moment thought they were going to lose.
Living in Scotland, apparently. Sky News were interviewing people working for a fish packing company some of whom live in England and some who live in Scotland.
So a complication of the tax system which will be a minor disincentive to employ people.
No - all the conservative party accept we are leaving the EU - non of the rebels will support a remain proposition
Not even Clarke or Soubry?
Clarke and Soubry both said today we are leaving the EU in live interviews
I think tbh most Remainers accept we are leaving. I certainly do (sadly).
Same here. And I wish the leavers would get on with leaving without all this melodrama.
Unfortunately some politicians (who have a lot more influence on matters than either you or I) do not believe that and are willing to do almost anything to make sure we don't leave. The most recent example being Andrew Adonis today.
Yes , I was surprised at Andrew Adonis , always seemed a sensible diligent minister.On another point why did the government not make the referendum legally binding ?
I would suggest arrogance. They never for a moment thought they were going to lose.
I would suggest simple lack of carein drafting that it was needed. The Gov even tried arguing in the A50 case at one point that it was basically binding since why woukd parliament ask the people unless it was handing the decision to them, but as a non lawyer that just sounded dumb, iirc the av ref act did set out the result would be implemented
Living in Scotland, apparently. Sky News were interviewing people working for a fish packing company some of whom live in England and some who live in Scotland.
The interview was from Eyemouth with one worker, living in Eyemouth and the other in Berwick. The Eyemouth worker and the boss were not impressed
Nicky Morgan getting flayed alive on QT. Delicious.
QT is all about confirmation bias. If someone you agree with gets booed it's proof that the audience is full of lefties/fascists. If someone you disagree with gets booed then the audience is full of right thinking sensible types.
Living in Scotland, apparently. Sky News were interviewing people working for a fish packing company some of whom live in England and some who live in Scotland.
The interview was from Eyemouth with one worker, living in Eyemouth and the other in Berwick. The Eyemouth worker and the boss were not impressed
Well they voted for devolution as did the Welsh.You have to accept the result of the referendum.
"1.9% above the 50% threshold" - so that would be 3.8% ahead of the other side.
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
Nah. Mischievous spinning would be:
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
People who can't be arsed to vote don't have any say in the matter.
Yes I agree. It was 'mischievous' of me to use those figures
By the way, it is possible to be chievous as the opposite to mischievous?
It is not mis as in an opposite, but a corruption of Mes old French =bad and Chever =happen. Glad to be of service.
Comments
Very mischievous spinning of the numbers by OGH!
No. Unless both the deal and no deal are so horrific that the public overwelmingly seek to reverse Brexit, that's a non starter.
The same Treasury which in March 2008 failed to predict a recession.
Curious how Treasury predictions tend to be exactly what the Chancellor requires isn't it.
Guff, of course, but relatively credible
"...you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, which only 37.5% of registered voters supported, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested."
The predictions of 2016 and 2008 were only notable for the magnitude of their inaccuracy.
By the way, it is possible to be chievous as the opposite to mischievous?
With official reports they provide a range of outcomes and assumptions to the Chancellor and try to guide him in the right direction.
But ultimately which assumptions to use are the Chancellor's decisions
All I would say is that if it goes to 2022 then she'll have already been in power 6 years and had a very demanding and stressful term of office due to Brexit. She has also already visibly aged - and that's after just 18 months as PM.
So I think a voluntary step down in 2021 would still be most likely - I can't see her wanting to attempt to be a 10 year PM - which would take her up to 70.
There is more to life than raw politics
THE meaningful vote regarding the EU was in June 2016, the referendum, and a majority voted to leave, and despite the disingenuousness of some of the remainers, it was a vote against freedom of movement, and a vote to leave ALL the EU. (including the single market which if we remained in it would mean we were members in all but name, still under EU control)
Last night's vote makes no difference. If MPs or the unelected Lords try to frustrate Brexit, or try to impose a form of Brexit which means we are still under EU control, or with freedom of movement, then it will be frustrating the will of a majority of the People, and I think the consequences of that would be dire.
https://twitter.com/Jacob_Rees_Mogg/status/940293189495410688
"...he red lines have been repainted..." In the same place to reinforce them? Or does he mean they have moved?
Though perhaps Putin would still be elected even if he wasn't alive.
Now, whether it would meet the spirit of the leave vote, and whether even if it wasn't if a majority were happy to stay in the singlecmarket, whether that would a good idea is a political issue.
She is the one to take us through this
But it's all academic as far as Brexit is concerned - too late now. And at least this way Farage becomes an irrelevance!
Peers might not like it. LibDems don't like it. Many MPs don't like it. For that matter, I don't like it; but the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU, perfectly democratically whether your metric is the popular vote or the proceedings of parliament. There is no getting away from this, and the argument that the poor benighted voters were misled won't wash: so far, the most surprising piece of new information is that the economic damage caused by Brexit uncertainty has been less that most observers (including me) expected. So you can't even argue that the facts have changed so much as to invalidate the referendum result.
As for the latest development, Lord only knows what mess we would get into if parliament starts trying to undo or block an agreement between the UK government and the EU. It hardly bears thinking about; the off-chance that such a disaster might happen (with the added twist that it might put John McDonnell into No 11) is a good reason for pessimism, and for keeping your pension fund as diversified away from dependence on the UK economy as you can.
Blimey Faisal Islam confirmed TM received applause from her fellow leaders.
Makes a change
Perhaps you could point out where.
Additionally manifestos aren't always implemented, sometimes commitments are even reversed and it doesn't invalidate a vote. Even if people believed option a means x cannot happen, it doesn't mean x will not happen. The Brexit question was open ended and parliament was free to determine what it should mean. Had they decided that meant staying in the single market that might have been unwise given the comments beforehand and the expectations of many, but it was up to them to decide if the wanted to face that consequence.
Apparently, the BBC do a news channel too! Do you know, over the last three months I have had a pre op medical, bi lateral hernia operation, blood tests, prick tests, ECG's (4), chest x rays, and all kind of monitoring but my blood pressure has been excellent , even when I was diagnosed with a suspect heart attack that did not happen.
Sky news and BBC are on most of the time but all I ask from Sky is balance which BBC is reasonable good at
Is this what the Remainer die-hards are turning to now the polls aren't moving in their favour anymore?
Pathetic.
Sky news and BBC are on most of the time but all I ask from Sky is balance which BBC is reasonable good at
No offense, merely that watching the news is rarely good for BP!
Yes there is a case. I’d certainly have been happy had that been the threshold for the Maastrict Treaty. Europhiles weren’t interested in voter opinion then though.
Similar to what Verhofstadht is trying to do with the EU27 and Barnier.
You're not due on until 11pm. Wait until the father of the chapel hears about this.
But, I have failed to call anyone a traitor yet.
So I might lose my job..
Sky news and BBC are on most of the time but all I ask from Sky is balance which BBC is reasonable good at
No offense, merely that watching the news is rarely good for BP!
I know you meant no offence and I am just pleased that in the end I came out with a good bill of health for a 74 year old
That's the proportion of the electorate that voted to remain in 1975. Clearly the experiment had failed and we should have left then.
If these start to be upheld then you can hear the argument developing that the Leave victory, by 1.9% above the 50% threshold, does not have the same democratic legitimacy as has been suggested.
However TM did fight the election on a Leave manifesto.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-42358527
There is an awful lot I love about this site but it's impossible to take any thread header by Mike regarding Brexit seriously nowadays.
https://tinyurl.com/yac8z986
'We have two small children who I have to put first and unfortunately at the end of the day I'm the one who's being f**ked around here'
Audience had their thumbs down to Ms Morgan
https://twitter.com/bbcquestiontime/status/941440590998368258
Glad to be of service.
There is an expectation of something very notable dropping before Christmas as regards the whole Russia-related investigation.
Lab 601
Con 183
LD 125
Greens 72
Ind 55
Lab hold