After the resignation of three of her MPs earlier this week, Theresa May had an exercise in 'reaching out' to remainers (HERE) having, it is said, ignored requests previously for meetings with the moderates - being too preoccupied with the hard line ERG gang. I noticed when they came out the reaction seemed to be that she 'listened' which is what she always does. The problem is nobody knows what she is thinking - she is sphinx like.
Anyway, this clearly wasn't too successful because this morning the BBC (HERE) report that another group of normally loyal Tory MPs from the remain side are warning her that dozens of their colleagues could rebel and back alternative plans to avoid a no deal Brexit.
What a bizarre situation we are in. It seems the whole of Europe at the moment is transfixed by the convoluted and mysterious mental processes of a scatty woman in No 10 Downing Street. Anyone see signs of a decision? Apparently not. On the one hand she is supposed to be leading us yet we see daily the lack of direction, control or even a coherent plan. Amazing.
From Brussels (HERE) comes some first early hints of signs of cautious optimism that some green shoots might possibly be appearing to suggest that the two sides are very slowly reaching a compromise that could, possibly, allow the government to say a deal is a bit closer. Phew!
The problem for the PM is that the two sides are locked in talks like maniacal blacksmiths furiously hammering away trying to square innumerable circles. The focus at the moment is on some ingeniously crafted wording of a legal codicil to the WA that will appear to say the backstop, which will apply unless and until alternative arrangements are in place, is actually only temporary and will not apply even if no alternative arrangements are ever found. It's an attempt to have a treaty that says two totally opposite things, but never mind it's only designed to pull the wool over the ERG's eyes.
Good luck with that one. They're a terribly suspicious lot, like sullen teenagers gone wrong.
Good luck with that one. They're a terribly suspicious lot, like sullen teenagers gone wrong.
There is no chance of this codicil idea succeeding without some equally strong legal commitment on our part that we will remain in the customs union and maintain regulatory alignment with the EU in Northern Ireland.
And there is no chance of this ever getting the approval of the ERG or the DUP (HERE) either, with the deputy leader Nigel Dodds claiming the EU is closing down the options - which is strange since I thought that was the idea, otherwise you would never get a treaty signed. I think he means the EU are closing down the delusional thinking and the have-cake-and-eat-it options.
By the way as a sort of vicarious insight into Mrs May, I saw Anna Soubry on Newsnight on Wednesday and in the interview with Kirsty Wark she said she had had meetings with the prime minister and told her that she could easily get the Withdrawal Agreement through the House provided she kept us in the single market and the customs union. I know this might be obvious to you but bear with me a minute. Soubry told the PM that:
- Precisely what business wanted
- A simple solution to the Irish backstop, rendering it unnecessary
- Something that the HoC would accept
She might also have said it would be acceptable to the EU, respect the referendum result and would probably be acceptable to most remainers and many leave voters and would therefore have a unifying effect on the country. In other words it is the obvious solution.
Yet the PM did not accept it and insisted her way was right even though it would not achieve the three key objectives Soubry had listed. Ms Soubry thought it was all related to having to keep freedom of movement as part of the single market. The PM and former Home Secretary seems utterly obsessed with immigration and prepared to sacrifice everything to give us a fraction more control. It's madness.
The interview was also picked up by others and they have written an interesting piece about it at PoliticsmeansPolitics (HERE). Soubry is quoted from the programme:
"What worries me about Theresa [May] - and she has a history at the Home Office that supports this - I think she's got a problem with immigration. I really do"
They then list some of the stuff she did at the HO to make the UK a 'hostile environment' for illegal immigrants. Perhaps we do know a bit of what goes on underneath that well lacquered grey crop. And it may not be that pleasant.
