Amazingly some rebel Tory MPs claim to be trying to open talks with the EU over the heads of Davis and the PM (HERE). This is apparently to try and ensure that when Mrs May tells the House she has either got no deal or got the best that she can, MPs can be sure we have not deliberately walked away from a better one. Such is the level of mistrust, not only in the Conservative party but in parliament generally.
The EU have already met and I assume created channels to the Labour party but now they have back channels to rebels among the Tories! Nicola Sturgeon has also had meetings with the EU and again, probably has some communication channels open. So now Barnier seems to be negotiating with the government, rebels in the governing party, the opposition party and the Scottish government.
What must this look like from inside the EU? They must think they are dealing with a madhouse.
The Tory rebels have already warned David Davis they are "deadly serious" (HERE) and perhaps this talk of plots involving prominent rebels speaking directly to Barnier and Juncker is a sign of just how serious they are.
Europeans in general think taking a hard line with the UK is the right thing to do (HERE) so the government's attempt at weakening the united stance of the EU27 look like foundering. The Observer (HERE) reported yesterday that UK lobbying of the other EU states at the recent summit in Brussels had the opposite effect to the one intended and resulted in a planned softening of the wording of the final communique, to indicate the 27 would take account of the UK's position papers, being dropped.
Meanwhile, The Independent claims that "many" cabinet ministers are "demoralised" by having to prepare policies that are either damaging or unworkable (HERE). I can believe this.
What an absolute shambles! Those of us who feared Brexit would actually happen can rest easy I think. The Brexiteers are destroying Brexit all by themselves. There is no need for any saboteurs when the people in charge cannot get anything to the point where it might be sabotaged. 514 days to go!
What must this look like from inside the EU? They must think they are dealing with a madhouse.
The Tory rebels have already warned David Davis they are "deadly serious" (HERE) and perhaps this talk of plots involving prominent rebels speaking directly to Barnier and Juncker is a sign of just how serious they are.
Europeans in general think taking a hard line with the UK is the right thing to do (HERE) so the government's attempt at weakening the united stance of the EU27 look like foundering. The Observer (HERE) reported yesterday that UK lobbying of the other EU states at the recent summit in Brussels had the opposite effect to the one intended and resulted in a planned softening of the wording of the final communique, to indicate the 27 would take account of the UK's position papers, being dropped.
Meanwhile, The Independent claims that "many" cabinet ministers are "demoralised" by having to prepare policies that are either damaging or unworkable (HERE). I can believe this.
What an absolute shambles! Those of us who feared Brexit would actually happen can rest easy I think. The Brexiteers are destroying Brexit all by themselves. There is no need for any saboteurs when the people in charge cannot get anything to the point where it might be sabotaged. 514 days to go!
