revoke

Yesterday provided another evening of crazy scenes from Westminster. Twiki Maybot's blown logic circuits don't help.

The correct response now is to revoke Article 50.

From Bad to Worse, ignoring the Good.
We know now that 'no deal/crashing' out is worse than a 'bad deal/The Withdrawal Agreement'. We know that a bad deal can’t be disguised by a thin wrapper of codicils.

That, fundamentally, the EU have done what they said they would and ensured that the UK leaving the EU could not be better than staying with it.

No Plan and no future
It is almost 1,000 days since the Referendum result. Despite thoughts of last minute salvation, there’s nothing new being added to the polemic by two heavily squabbling parties, fractured by their own internal troubles.

It’s not even the main game
The Withdrawal Agreement isn’t even the main negotiation. There’s the entire multi-year Political Declaration to be negotiated. That’s where the real terms emerge and yet it receives only minor airplay and discussion. After agreeing the Withdrawal Agreement, we would be locked into a further cycle of negotiations with the EU, seeking to determine the nature of our future relationship. We lose the default of EU membership, instead reverting to unreconcilable backstop provisions.

Don’t get it over the line at any cost
Mrs May just wants to get Brexit over the line, although her Government’s vision of Brexit is not able to command sufficient support. It is a Government that is not up to the task. It weaponised its interpretation of the will of the people.

There was no real attempt to build consensus, not in Westminster, not with the devolved assemblies, not with the public. Instead Mrs May’s approach has sought to marginalise Parliament. It has demonised opposition.

Avoid the worst of all worlds
The results of the Government's efforts are far short of the Brexit claims of 2016. The situation is far worse than any of the promises and far worse than choosing to remain.

Revoke.
Now is the time to bite the bullet. Parliament should feel under no obligation to accept the Withdrawal Agreement. It can legitimately vote to revoke Article 50, and retain the UK’s status as an EU Member State.

There’s only a few days left. The current default is still to crash out. Mrs May wants a third attempt to pass the sealed 585 page Withdrawal Agreement. The same document that has been voted down twice by Parliament and defined as unchangeable by the EU.

Current sleight of hand moves a cynical alternative towards a short extension of Article 50. Farage, Banks and others are trying to prevent this via stealthily approaching some of the EU bloc to get any such request quashed.

A short extension solves nothing, it just gives Mrs May more time to re-present the same storyline as last November. Whether short or long, ironically the UK would be caught up in the next round of EU elections.

Revoke. Revoke.
The better approach is to show statesmanship. Revoke Article 50. Remove all of the time pressures. Reset everything and take a year or two to rebuild a stable and stronger position. Regain some control of what is happening: In Parliament, in the streets, in business, in people’s homes. Continue to pay the net £9 billion per annum to the EU, instead of a £39 billion settlement as well as, no doubt, extra fees during any extended transition period.

Focus Parliament's energies on the UK people instead of an endless hamster wheel of Brexit.

Revoking Article 50 doesn’t have to mean it is the end for Brexit. Instead a restart could be considered in the future, based upon the knowledge of the current attempt.

Personally, I can’t see merit in restarting, but being able to offer it might provide a palatable route through the current mayhem.

Revoke. Revoke. Revoke.

13:21 Footnote: I see Amendments (c) from the LibDems and (h) from a cross party group which were proposed for today's vote were rejected by The Speaker, John Bercow. Their purpose: to revoke Article 50. Even the voting options are messed up.