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Good read
There is almost uniformly negative reaction to Mrs May’s white paper. Amusingly, the most vicious critics in the HoC were all Tories. This is a really good first stab at dissecting what is wrong with the proposal:
If TL;DR, the synopsis is: Everything.
This is also very good:
Edited to include image.
I used to think drones entirely dangerous, but now it’s proving useful tool for keeping an eye on how the super-rich are spending our money.
Apart from the total bollocks about the Anglican Church.
(Which made me question some of the other stuff that I had no knowledge of).
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Worst threat ever
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I can’t wait to leave the EU, I’ve had enough of this continental weather. Need to take back control of our clouds 
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Robert Preston an hour ago;
When an influential centre-right Tory, who has served in May’s cabinet, says that the prime ministers’ Brexit plan is the “worst of both worlds” and a “fudge I cannot support”, it is clear beyond doubt that the PM’s most important policy is in trouble.
For Justine Greening, the proposal to follow EU rules for the production and consumption of goods and food, and to collect tariffs for the EU, is neither properly leaving the EU or a rational “softer” Brexit.
What she says she fears, in an article for the Times, is parliament rejecting May’s plan, but finding it completely impossible to force through a more satisfactory relationship with the EU.
So - and this is something of a shock - she has come round to the idea that there should be a further referendum.
And importantly she thinks there should be three choices on the ballot paper, May’s package, Brexit with “no deal” or remaining in the EU.
That would necessitate all of us being asked to pick our first and second preferences out of the three, and the result probably being decided on second preferences.
The theory is this would settle this nation-sundering question once and for all. Which could be a naive hope, but may be worth the risk for Tory MPs if the alternative is the collapse of their government.
Greening is convinced that her position will seem the only sensible one perhaps as early as close of play tomorrow, after the Brexiters of the European Research Group have attempted to frustrate May’s Chequers compromise with their amendments to the Trade Bill.
So for many, Greening’s promotion of a tripod plebiscite will be seductive. The former education secretary believes she already has support from disappointed Remainer Tory MPs, like herself, and disappointed Brexiter MPs.
Greening may have lit a fuse. There’s only once certainty - Theresa May will be furiously trying to blow it out.
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Wishful thinking.
Is it not more likely that one of the stalking pricks in the Tory party will oust May and try to force a hard Brexit through parliament, aided by Corbyns inaction and cowardice?
Possibly, but trying to force a hard Brexit through in the face of insufficient support for such a policy in the HoC is doomed to failure. The parliamentary mathematics, let alone the Tory divisions make that outcome unlikely, whatever the issues with Labour.
The best solution to deadlock is a carefully negotiated agreement that addresses the positions of all parties. As the various positions are diametrically opposed we can almost certainly rule this outcome out. The more likely outcome is the thundering fudge that kicks the can down the road so this whole mess rumbles on for another forty years if May survives. If she is removed by the Brexiters then the smart money is on the imposition of the CU by amendment.
The second referendum outcome strikes me as the ultimate denial of responsibility by our elected representatives and has the potential to be massively divisive (and for further massive cheating and manipulation).
It may offer the inept government a further ‘This is the true will of the people’ get out of jail card.
I didn’t say it would succeed, I was just saying that it was a more likely scenario to unfold. It’s almost impossible to predict what we’ll actually end up with given how polarised the positions are, and a ‘compromise’ being championed by a PM with little clue as to just how naive she is being.
I think that a second referendum, with more than two choices and single transferable vote, is the only rational choice.
I’m a bit torn, because in some ways I see May’s deal as great for getting power away from our crap parliament and into Europe, but I still have this vain hope for a rational, reasonable UK government one day.
What would we say, if we finally voted after all this time to remain? “Oh yeah, sorry about that, our bad”?
… by the way, it is OK for us to keep Maggie’s rebate isn’t it ? And our opt-outs on Schengen, economic and monetary union and the EU Charter on Human Rights ?
VB
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