October 19th wasn't "seared" into our memories, at least not for the reasons I feared yesterday. Johnson withdrew his own European Withdrawal Act after Oliver Letwin's amendment was passed by a surprisingly large 16 votes (322-306). I must say this cheered us up no end as we stood somewhere along the route of the Final Say march in London. So what was was billed as "Super Saturday" turned out to be just another bizarre day in the ongoing Brexit saga that has absorbed half the world for three and a half years and continues to give the impression we have all gone mad on these islands.
The Kyle amendment calling for a confirmatory vote wasn't even tested so we still don't know how things will pan out.
I am told by those who watched the three hour debate that idea of a second referendum did not seem to come over as having majority support - but that's not to say it will not pass. We teetered on the edge yesterday and came back so there is always hope.
Andrew Rawnsley, writing in The Observer, says yesterday turned into a farce of Johnson's own making. Rawnsley wrote this even before it was revealed Johnson had written two letters to Donald Tusk, the first asking for a delay and childishly left unsigned, and a second carrying his signature saying he didn't want one. It was pathetic.
It is being reported that Johnson has called Tusk to say the first letter is parliament's and any extension beyond October 31st would be "deeply corrosive"
The entire crazy episode of requiring MPs to vote on a treaty, within 48 hours of it being published, that few of them have read fully and probably none of them understand was so that he can avoid 'breaking his word' to the British people, as some would have it. This might be believable if his word was actually worth anything. In truth it was smashed and sent to landfill thirty years ago when he went to Brussels as The Times' European correspondent.
What is deeply corrosive is Johnson's flimsy, even non-existent, connection with the truth.
Next week will be fascinating once again. The government will bring back the bill apparently but will parliament be prepared to pass it now the letter asking for a delay has been sent? Does anyone trust Boris Johnson? Will parliamentarians demand the delay is legally in place before allowing the bill to be approved? What seems 100% guaranteed is that we will still be a member of the EU on November 1st.
There is much more of the Brexit saga to run. Anybody who thinks we are close to closure should think again. If it was a boxing match, we have just about entered the ring. The next year will reveal just what a mess we have got ourselves into.
