The Grieve amendment was reinstated by the House of Lords yesterday, by a majority of 354 to 235, even larger than the first time (HERE). It returns to the Commons tomorrow. All the comment in the press is about the parliamentary ping-pong and the prospect of May being defeated but I think the bigger issue is why the government is prepared to die in a ditch over something that on the surface is quite a remote possibility.
David Davis, it is claimed, has threatened to resign over the issue. The amendment is about the role of parliament in the event of a no deal outcome, something the government has said is extremely unlikely anyway. Indeed it is so catastrophic that one cannot imagine any sentient human being (that excludes Rees-Mogg and a few other Brexiteers) thinking it is even a possibility.
Yet the government is mustering everything it can to prevent the amendment getting on the statute book, claiming it would "tie their hands". It would only do so by removing from them the sole right to decide the fate of the nation, in the event we don't get an agreement, without any reference to parliament.
If it is so vital to the government, we can only assume it is part of the May/Davis strategy at some point to walk away from the negotiations. This would be brinkmanship of the highest order and will only increase the abject humiliation of Brexit when we are forced to climb down. I cannot imagine the EU bending in those circumstances and conceding whatever it is that we are demanding. Brexit may be painful for them but even more painful for us.
Some of the things we are asking for as a third country will require treaty changes and Cameron couldn't get this when we were a member of the club so how we expect it to happen now we're leaving is a mystery.
Wednesday will be crucial and no doubt the whips office, presumably including our local Brexiteer MP Nigel Adams, who is listed as a whip as well as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary, will be busy twisting arms and threatening. Let us hope they fail.
