Brexit

[barney]

Most of the ERG and the Dup still won't swing it. They need some Labour coming over as well. The maths don't add up. Maybe a general election under a new brexit Tory leader will swing it. It would put Labour on the spot with their manifesto as Jezza is clearly a leaver as well. Meanwhile, get ready for EU elections.

[anniec]

Most of the ERG and the Dup still won't swing it. They need some Labour coming over as well. The maths don't add up. Maybe a general election under a new brexit Tory leader will swing it. It would put Labour on the spot with their manifesto as Jezza is clearly a leaver as well. Meanwhile, get ready for EU elections.

Oh lord - brace yourself, Brenda from Bristol.

[barney]

It would certainly be interesting Annie. We know that Gill's MP in Medway is a staunch leaver. Could she bring herself to vote for him again. We don't know where Jack lives but maybe his MP is also a leaver MP. Could Jack vote for him or her in an election? Would any staunch remainer vote for a leave MP and visa verca?

[anniec]

It would certainly be interesting Annie. We know that Gill's MP in Medway is a staunch leaver. Could she bring herself to vote for him again. We don't know where Jack lives but maybe his MP is also a leaver MP. Could Jack vote for him or her in an election? Would any staunch remainer vote for a leave MP and visa verca?

That's already on the agenda for discussion at Anniec Towers. Perhaps Gill would like to swap my MP (a Tory remainer) for hers? If it takes place, it looks likely to be a leave vs remain election rather than Conservative vs Labour (other parties are available).

[anniec]

Following a chat with a friend, more observant than I, does anyone have a theory on why TM, who must have thousands of the things, is now wearing the same coat day after day (the light blue one with strange sleeves)?

The friend believes it to be stab and bullet-proof. I am not convinced.

NB - if it's her lucky coat, someone needs to tell her it's not working

[barney]

Therein lies the problem Annie. Research into the revoke A50 petition online has shown that the lowest amount of clicks came from Midlands and Northern Labour areas. It appears that the Labour Metros are out of step with their heartland. Ref the coat, Mrs B owns ladies fashion shops and she said she would never stock that.

[Manoverboard]

Everything else is packed ready for a quick get-a-way … perhaps

[Gill W]

It would certainly be interesting Annie. We know that Gill's MP in Medway is a staunch leaver. Could she bring herself to vote for him again. We don't know where Jack lives but maybe his MP is also a leaver MP. Could Jack vote for him or her in an election? Would any staunch remainer vote for a leave MP and visa verca?

It's Gillingham, not Medway, but, no, as things stand today, I wouldn't vote for him.

However, I'd make a decision on who to vote for when there is a general election.

[Gill W]

Following a chat with a friend, more observant than I, does anyone have a theory on why TM, who must have thousands of the things, is now wearing the same coat day after day (the light blue one with strange sleeves)?

The friend believes it to be stab and bullet-proof. I am not convinced.

NB - if it's her lucky coat, someone needs to tell her it's not working

I've noticed the coat as well. It looks a bit to casual to be a 'business coat'. It is odd that she's wearing it all the time

[Gill W]

It would certainly be interesting Annie. We know that Gill's MP in Medway is a staunch leaver. Could she bring herself to vote for him again. We don't know where Jack lives but maybe his MP is also a leaver MP. Could Jack vote for him or her in an election? Would any staunch remainer vote for a leave MP and visa verca?

That's already on the agenda for discussion at Anniec Towers. Perhaps Gill would like to swap my MP (a Tory remainer) for hers? If it takes place, it looks likely to be a leave vs remain election rather than Conservative vs Labour (other parties are available).

This is a 'leave' area, so I doubt if your MP would willingly swop.

I think there has been a shift in politics, and Leave/Remain is now more significant than the old Labour/Conservative split.

[barney]

Exactly Gill. Should there be a need for a GE, brexit will define it more than anything. We can maybe accept that The Tories will stand on a leave manifesto. What will Labour stand on? Chuck on that Farage is ready to launch his Brexit Party if necessary. Chaos? You ain't seen nothing yet

[Manoverboard]

There is a growing resentment of Politian's for sure but the old divides will remain stay … the Labour strongholds of the North wouldn't vote for a Tory candidate even if their lives depended on it. Younger voters may one day buck the trend if they can be arsed bothered to go to the Polling Station. Brexit is equally defining and I cannot see many folk changing their original vote if a second referendum goes ahead.

[Ray Scully]

Exactly Gill. Should there be a need for a GE, brexit will define it more than anything. We can maybe accept that The Tories will stand on a leave manifesto. What will Labour stand on? Chuck on that Farage is ready to launch his Brexit Party if necessary. Chaos? You ain't seen nothing yet

Well, Barney perhaps the best resolution would be to crash out, only then will we know if your vision is a reality or illusionary. But get it wrong and a whole lot of folks are going to suffer.

[barney]

Crash out is very emotive. Leave and operate as a normal country is more like it. The risk is massively overstated as is the Irish border issue. Just more project fear in my opinion and we all know what happened with the original one, don't we? Millions of jobs lost? Nope. Crash of the house market? Nope. Emergency budget? Nope. I could go in.

[Jack Staff]

Following a chat with a friend, more observant than I, does anyone have a theory on why TM, who must have thousands of the things, is now wearing the same coat day after day (the light blue one with strange sleeves)?

The friend believes it to be stab and bullet-proof. I am not convinced.

NB - if it's her lucky coat, someone needs to tell her it's not working

Mrs. Staff advises me it is by an Italian designer and costs £490. You can just buy it off the rack.
What it says about her judgement is another matter.

[anniec]

Mrs. Staff advises me it is by an Italian designer and costs £490. You can just buy it off the rack.
What it says about her judgement is another matter.

The Times says it's £920 and is still in stock. Wonder why.

[Ray Scully]

Crash out is very emotive. Leave and operate as a normal country is more like it. The risk is massively overstated as is the Irish border issue. Just more project fear in my opinion and we all know what happened with the original one, don't we? Millions of jobs lost? Nope. Crash of the house market? Nope. Emergency budget? Nope. I could go in.

Can't make my mind up Barney Is it confidence or arrogance you display

[Stephen]

Mrs. Staff advises me it is by an Italian designer and costs £490. You can just buy it off the rack.
What it says about her judgement is another matter.

The Times says it's £920 and is still in stock. Wonder why.

I'm sure I caught a glimpse of a Primark label the other day

[Gill W]

Exactly Gill. Should there be a need for a GE, brexit will define it more than anything. We can maybe accept that The Tories will stand on a leave manifesto. What will Labour stand on? Chuck on that Farage is ready to launch his Brexit Party if necessary. Chaos? You ain't seen nothing yet

Well, Barney perhaps the best resolution would be to crash out, only then will we know if your vision is a reality or illusionary. But get it wrong and a whole lot of folks are going to suffer.

Crash out is very emotive. Leave and operate as a normal country is more like it. The risk is massively overstated as is the Irish border issue. Just more project fear in my opinion and we all know what happened with the original one, don't we? Millions of jobs lost? Nope. Crash of the house market? Nope. Emergency budget? Nope. I could go in.

Can't make my mind up Barney Is it confidence or arrogance you display

I'm with you Ray.

I'm getting to the point where I believe the only way that Brexit will be resolved is to leave without a deal.
Leaving without a deal is anathema to me, as I believe it will be extremely harmful and damaging.

However, it is the only to find out what would actually happen.

I've said all along that I hope I'm wrong about what a no deal Brexit means. But I'd be very curious to find out how all the Leavers will react if it is them who are wrong - and Barney's tweets have potential to age very badly.

We could easily leave with no deal by accident. If MV3 happens and fails again, and they don't get any consensus view from these indicative votes, we'll start drifting again. Parliament breaks up for Easter at the end of next week, so there is so little time for this to be resolved.

[barney]

Crash out is very emotive. Leave and operate as a normal country is more like it. The risk is massively overstated as is the Irish border issue. Just more project fear in my opinion and we all know what happened with the original one, don't we? Millions of jobs lost? Nope. Crash of the house market? Nope. Emergency budget? Nope. I could go in.

Can't make my mind up Barney Is it confidence or arrogance you display

I'd like to think that I'm not arrogant Ray. I spent 20 plus years anylising data and information and am a bit tired of people stating their opinion as fact. Facts can only be confirmed after the event. So when these politicians say this will happen or that will happen, they cannot possibly know. History has shown, that they have been incorrect about many things. Actually, nearly everything so far. Should we ever actually leave, things will be different. That's because the majority voted for change. How different? Know one knows.

[Gill W]

Barney, you have repeatedly stated your opinions as facts.

[barney]

Barney, you have repeatedly stated your opinions as facts.

I beg to differ Gill. I like to proceed with I think or in my opinion. The only thing I would state as fact is the demise of democracy in this country should the result be overturned without implementation. I state this as a fact.... because it's a fact. Things will never be the same again in respect to voting.

[Manoverboard]

Eh, what … Barney deals in facts rather than Twitterette hyperbole virtually all of the time albeit from time to time he, just like the rest of us, puts forward his own opinion.

There are however Members who certainly do present opinion as fact … just saying

[Gill W]

Barney, you have repeatedly stated your opinions as facts.

I beg to differ Gill. I like to proceed with I think or in my opinion. The only thing I would state as fact is the demise of democracy in this country should the result be overturned without implementation. I state this as a fact.... because it's a fact. Things will never be the same again in respect to voting.

Barney, when you speak about the future of the EU, you present your opinions as facts - that’s how it comes across to me.

This thing about democracy being overturned if Brexit isn’t ‘implemented’ - this is also your opinion.

It was an advisory referendum ( even though it was ‘sold’ as something else). The Leave campaigns broke the law. The PMs QC has said in a court setting the the PM is aware that the referendum was tainted.

Furthermore, this is a representative democracy. We do not send delegates to parliament to do our bidding. We elect representatives to act in the best interests of the country.

What we are currently seeing is democracy in action. Parliament is sovereign, and our MPs are doing their job to find a course through this. Even if they decide not to proceed with Brexit - it will be the descision of our sovereign parliament - I.e democracy. We might not always like it, but it is what it is.

(NB some MPs may be acting in their own interests, but hopefully they’ll be weeded out at the next GE)

[barney]

Wow. You sound more like Jack Staff every day. Separated at birth by any chance