lol shock, horror, the champion of parliamentary sovereignty finds it completely consistent to not actually give a **** when it comes down to it. It's almost like brexit was never about returning power to the people, and all about an irrational hatred of euros stealing jobs and fish.

Just watched newsnight and feeling a little but more hopeful that Labour will refuse the election and let Boris stew - not convinced but maybe that will help.

If only parliament would pass a 2nd ref bill alongside a request for an extension (that's assuming that passes).

I'm back and want to see what you (we) are up to. As being a non-British citizen of the EU I unfortunately have limited resources to concentrate long times on Brexit, but the following week will be one of those periods. Hope you get it sorted out, wish you (us) luck!

I think you're underestimating how big a moron Corbyn is

I don't see it like that but it is very hard for him to turn down an election on, say, October 14th.

But if they manage to pass their bill today and then turn down a GE (and hold the line) then Boris's position starts to look very awkward. I wonder what Cummings' has in mind for this scenario. He hasn't got much parliamentary time - with a bit of luck he will get hoist by his own petard <bigger grin>

Remainers used the letter of the law to give the house a say in events. Johnson used it to avoid giving the house a say.

It is unsurprising that you are unable to see the difference.

This may be a bit slow pony, but a friend here in the U.S. sent me this rather gloomy assessment of where Britain appears to be headed.

https://www.nybooks.com/articles/201...ohnson-brexit/

A caveat: Although very enlightening, this is a longish read ...

Worth (well fun away) considering the tory party conference with Boris having lost on the extension bill and failed to force a GE.

Instead of his planned barnstorming election conference he gets one where he has to keep defending his promise not to ask for an extension while looking impotent. Meanwhile a sizable deselected group will no doubt be holding their own events.

it seems like they have even less of an idea of what theyre doing now than in the past. just pushing buttons and hoping something works

but so much of this is basic emotions. theresa may made leavers feel weak. that was the opposite of what they wanted from this whole thing. now theyre made to feel strong (while it lasts). that's want they wanted all along

Be a bad mistake to underestimate them (again).

But they can't do anything at all about the current parliamentary arithmetic so if the opposition can get it's act together we can still come out on top. At least until the GE

nah there are two different issues here.

in terms of popularity theyre probably doing well and you shouldnt underestimate how many people this appeals to.

in terms of actually governing they have no idea what theyre doing and you couldnt underestimate them even if you tried

Yeah I'm just talking in terms of brexit where if they get a GE, popularity is all.

I thought he looked flustered yesterday during his time addressing the plebs. It was also **** and pointless.

No, I'm going to have to stop you there. Referendums are advisory only, and carry no democratic compulsion whatsoever even if politicians say they'll act on the outcome, because as we know politicians make all sorts of promises before general elections and fail to carry them out once power has been won cf Clegg, Nicholas, and this dishonesty, reprehensible though it may be, has no bearing on on the definition of Britain's democracy.

No, this is not how it works. See above.

It was pretty much just a party political broadcast. Worse as I didn't know not to bother watching it.

Close eye needs to be kept on that. These announcements need to actually announce a significant event.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49570682

Working majority just gone

If this was a boxing match the towel would have been thrown in long ago. Hammond and Clarke have left him stumbling and now Benn is putting the boot in.

Gauke:

lol this echo chamber is funny

This development is getting reported here in the States, so it must be significant. The most interesting (and amusing) line to me was SNP leader Ian Blackford's quip that Dr. Lee's defection represented: "... the shortest-lived honeymoon period ever" for a new prime minister.

This begs the question ... If enough "rebel" Tory MPs defect to the Lib Dems, (and/or other parties), does that increase the possibility or likelihood that Boris Johnson could end up being the shortest serving British PM in British history? (I'm curious ... Which former British Prime Minister holds the dubious record for the shortest time serving as PM?)

Nobody can say that British politics is "dull" or uninteresting ...

Can we just call an election already, then I can vote for the Brexit Party, see them lose, then call everyone who voted for the winning party idiots who didn't know what they were voting for for the next three years? That's how it works, right?

How moronic is it that the same people who keep voting potential deals down now insist they must have a deal and not having a deal should be made illegal. Can we just sack the lot of them and get some competent adults in now please?

I agree, Boris and JRM should have been sacked months ago.