At one stage in my career I used to advise Betfair on the precise market rules for its political markets. These are critically important because an exchange like Betfair stands in between those who are laying bets and those who are backing and needs to have something to fall back on should there be a disagreement. So anytime you want to make a political bet it is important for your own protection to check the market rules.
Comments
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46271021
In any case, the indications are that either no VONC will take place, or that Theresa May will win it. So I've laid 2018.
"It is also hard to trust Downing Street to want or be able to deliver on its supposedly desired outcome, or improve on the backstop from such a weak position. Meanwhile, it is also asking us to believe that in the next phase of negotiations it can secure an agreement that ends free movement, exits the customs union, leaves the jurisdiction of the ECJ, controls our fisheries, exits the common agricultural policy and ends payments to the EU budget. Based on the track record of the negotiations, this is wishful thinking. The future treaty will also require approval by 27 member states in accordance with their parliamentary structures at a time when we have already handed over £39 billion and we are bound to a backstop that delivers the EU’s preferred solution to the Irish border...... Leave voters no longer believe that Downing Street can keep its word, and no longer trust the EU to negotiate in good faith. The next stage of negotiations are full of risk that what we were promised will disappear."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/11/20/government-wants-us-trust-brexit-given-us-no-reason-do/
i) No VoNC before the year end
ii) May wins VoNC before year end
iii) May loses VoNC or resigns before year end but the timetable takes her over the line as PM/leader till after year end.
Ways the bet loses
i) May loses VoNC or resigns before year end and an immediate interim replacement is found and made PM whilst the contest for leadership goes on
ii) May loses VoNC or resigns before year end and a successor is in place before year end.
Those are the probabilities to weigh up.
"If the ERG plotters get their 48 letters today..."
ERG = Piss and Wind so they won't get the 48 letters...
"ii) May loses VoNC or resigns before year end and a successor is in place before year end." making the bet lose.
Fools!
Interesting as our relationship with the EU looks very much like a very soft Turkey+ if the deal goes through.
If you don't think any preparations are necessary then what exactly are you worried about with no deal? Sounds like you believe it will run very smoothly.
lolololol
However the long term deal, which will replace the backstop, is something else. Presumably it is similar to the Canadian trade deal or the Ukrainian association agreement in terms of the process of ratification?
Does this mean that a national Parliament, or even a sub-national Parliament like the Belgium German one, could block a future trade deal and thus enforce the backstop?
They have no awareness of just how bad that photo looks
Besides, the Conservative Party needs the debate, to see where it stands. It is 13 years since a contested election after all.
Are they radical free market proponents? Or not? More privatisation, or less Carillion?
Are they comfortable with societal changes of recent years? Willing to live and let live? Or not? Personal responsibility or Nanny State?
What is their education policy? It was grammar schools. Now it isn't. What is it?
Are they fighting the War on Drugs? Crime in general. Either you believe in more Police or not.
Do they believe in more devolution? In England as well.
Do they have a transport policy? Or is Grayling to stay in post?
Environment and agriculture. Does the market take the lead, or are subsidies and incentives and regulations the way forward?
These are some of the questions off the top of my head for a leadership contest.
Oh, and Brexit.
If there's no deal, then No, it won't run smoothly, I just want to know what the UK can do, unilaterally (which by definition is what we are talking about if there's no deal) to prevent disruption on those headings. If you find this too hard a question, how about the first one - how we unilaterally maintain medical exports to the EU in the absence of a deal.
You actually damage your argument against them by making that point.
Take educational and childhood upbringing. David Davis's backstory is very diverse to Rees Mogg's.
(Although if the deal gets through only because of the votes of Labour MPs, I can't see that being great for her longevity as PM either.)
Beware of underestimating your opponents' capabilities and intelligence. If JRM were really a "fool" there would probably already be widely acknowledged examples of his foolish actions, as there are for example for Nicholas Soames. Even those who agree with Soames politically would agree he's an intellectually challenged oaf. Sometimes it's sensible to act slowly, to encircle in fog and at night. The choreography of JRM's "look Theresa May right in the eye" speech, with Graham Brady sitting behind him, was masterful. But when you've got 8 members of the cabinet in your party-in-all-but-name, sending in letters to Graham isn't the only string to your bow.
You could ask a similar question about Chuka Umunna and Anna Soubry and the "successful" push for the government to release economic forecasts for May's WA, WTO, and Remain. Why on earth get them published only a few days before the meaningful vote? Many a slip! I wouldn't be jigging for joy if I were Umunna and Soubry. Something could go wham and blow the forecasts out of the water.
As for a Tory party membership vote taking months after the PCP has NCed Theresa May and whittled down the candidates to two, I think this is fantasy.
Instead they made no planning for this eventuality at all and came up with the current dog's dinner that no one wants.
Out of curiosity, what happens if the draft deal is rejected by EU ministers (France and Spain seem unhappy?)
But we could have made arrangements for stuff we can control. Medical imports, agricultural imports, avoiding delays at Dover etc
Once we have looked after ourselves we aren't so vulnerable when negotiating a deal going forwards.
I don't know why people are pretending it wasn't possible.
If the EU wishes to block medical exports (because of standards/paperwork?) then I can't see that there's anything we can unilaterally do about that in the immediate term. But why would they wish to do that - harm their own people?