BREXIT! BREXIT! BREXIT!

[Brian Peacock]

I don't know. I wonder how many would have voted against the government if they hadn't been pressured with deselection(?) And it shouldn't be forgetton that the Eurosceptic wing of the Tory party who are now in the Cabinet consistently defied their government on Europe during the 90s and under Cameron.

[Hermit]

We have that person In the form of Jeremy Corbyn, the most upright and dare I say honest leading politician to be on the scene for a decade or more. Unfortunately he comes over as a procrastinator, with poor leadership skills and I don’t think anyone much sees him as PM material.

Corbyn is in a bit of a bind, for he actually favours a Brexit, albeit not the "no deal" flavoured one. He is basically trying to sit between two chairs, neither on the side of the remainers nor the no-dealers. I think this is what makes him look like a procrastinator with poor leadership skills.

[JimC]

In the UK today, there seems to be multiple lines of schism and disagreement over Brexit, which often go at right angles to traditional party lines. It appears to create an atmosphere of both chaos and paralysis...

[JimC]

So, parliament has done two things. They have passed a motion effective forbidding a no-deal Brexit (by asking the EU for a delay), and they have voted against a snap election. What happens next, will the EU grant the delay, and can Boris hang on to the top job, or will he be dumped?

[Rum]

In the UK today, there seems to be multiple lines of schism and disagreement over Brexit, which often go at right angles to traditional party lines. It appears to create an atmosphere of both chaos and paralysis...

You got it in one.

[Brian Peacock]

The no-deal bill obliges the Prime Minister to seek a deal with the EU and to report back at regular intervals while also providing the Brexit committee with bi-weekly updates on the government's preparedness. If no deal is forthcoming by 21 Oct the Prime Minister has to ask the EU for a three month extension to 1 Jan 2020 and to continue the negotiating/reporting process. The motion forwarded by the government under the Fixed Term Parliament Act was defeated. If that had passed by a 2/3rd majority Boris could have called the election immediately and set the date of the ballot for whenever he wanted. MPs didn't trust him to act responsibly and set a date well before B-Day. The announcement of an election automatically suspends parliament and puts civil servants and local authorities into purdah (unable to initiate or carry out policies or schemes that may appear to dis/favour candidates and parties) and so would have effectively given Boris, who remains PM, a free hand to do whatever he likes until B-Day without oversight.

[JimC]

So, is there anything Boris can do to counteract parliament's decisions?

[Brian Peacock]

Not at the moment, but he'll be making a 'People vs Parliament' narrative a feature of the election when it comes - with the Tories on the side of the People of course. Whoddathunkit, the party of Capital, landlords, millionaires, stock options, The Austerity, hedge fund managers and Russian oligarch donations, now on the side of the People eh? We do indeed live in interesting times.

[rainbow]

So, parliament has done two things. They have passed a motion effective forbidding a no-deal Brexit (by asking the EU for a delay), and they have voted against a snap election. What happens next, will the EU grant the delay, and can Boris hang on to the top job, or will he be dumped?

He may jump, now that he's painted himself into a corner.
...or lock him in his office with a loaded revolver, and a bottle of Scotch?

[JimC]

Waste of good Scotch...

[rainbow]

Waste of good Scotch...

The end justifies the means

[pErvinalia]

I hope he becomes one of the shortest serving PMs. Would be a fitting effort for such a stupid buffoon.

[Scot Dutchy]

Here is a Guardian analyse for a bit of clarity:

Commons chaos: is no deal blocked? Is an election happening?

[Scot Dutchy]

The Blond Scrotum receives his orders from the Orange Scrotum:

12.15pm: Johnson holds talks with the US vice-president, Mike Pence, in Downing Street.

[Brian Peacock]

As one commentator put it, Pence has just 'shat on the carpet' in Ireland. I'm sure Johnson will sooth and encourage Pence as well as assure his boss that he's doing everything he can to break up the EU like they agreed.