Forum Topic

Is A Brexit Deal Imminent?

Well Varadkar is smiling. That's a first!😸Could this be IT at long last!?Irish PM Leo Varadkar 'now absolutely convinced' Boris Johnson wants Brexit deal after talks:http://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-and-irish-pm-meet-in-wedding-venue-for-last-ditch-brexit-talks-11832073 🤝UK negotiators propose 'pared-down' free trade agreement to end Brexit stalemate:http://news.sky.com/story/uk-negotiators-propose-pared-down-free-trade-agreement-to-end-brexit-stalemate-11832385?Everything crossed. 🙏🏻

Sue Hammond ● 2589d82 Comments

@Sue Unfortunately even if a deal is agreed with Ireland and the EU, I fear the Remain parliament will still vote it down, because too many MPs want to block Brexit come what May.

Paul Game ● 2589d

I was under the impression both of you wanted no deal?

Matt Palmer ● 2588d

The so-called Remain Parliament was one we all voted for well after the referendum. Both major parties promised to honour the result but - crucially - not at any cost. MPs are doing their job in trying to save us from a chaotic exit, or indeed any exit which will damage the economy and our international standing. A majority may now have concluded that no form of Brexit is in our country’s long term interests. What should they do?  Acquiesce and support a government with no majority and committed to a truly damaging course of action?I’m just back from Dublin. Believe me, even at that short distance from home the UK (well, England really) looks much diminished and deluded. It’s a tragedy in the making unless parliament can save us from ourselves.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2588d

A major reason for supporting "No Deal" is that the EU has dictated that we can not negotiate a free trade deal until we have left. It is not a requirement of the Lisbon Treaty so why May agreed to it tells us all we need to know.

Roland Willis Gilmore ● 2588d

I just want Brexit to happen Matt, deal or no deal.

Sue Hammond ● 2588d

"The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want". Michael Gove, 9 April 2016 "I just want Brexit to happen Matt, deal or no deal." (Sue)Dream and reality.

David Ainsworth ● 2588d

Back then some folk must have believed the duplicitous Gove.  I know I didn't.The leave / don't leave divide seems to boil down to balancing the political cost against the financial cost.  The former is a cost the Tories see in electoral terms (to themselves) while there seems to be no pain barrier that might deter the extremists.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2588d

It’s always worth looking at the Irish press to get better detail of what’s going on. ‘Mr Varadkar said: “There are of course, issues yet to be fully resolved. The first of the issue of consent, of democracy - ensuring that any long-term arrangement that applies to Northern Ireland has the consent of the people of Northern Ireland.’The Good Friday Agreement was fully consented to, as the proposed end state was delivered to every eligible voter at the time. We still have no idea what the end state of any form of Brexit would look like, as all the current negotiations are purely for the withdrawal agreement period. Interesting times indeed. https://www.independent.ie/business/brexit/i-think-it-is-possible-for-us-to-reach-brexit-deal-by-end-of-october-varadkar-upbeat-after-johnson-meeting-38582575.html

Clare Noeken ● 2588d

David, I didn't base my vote on what any politician said prior to the referendum. Neither did a slogan on the side of a bus or what was shown  on a poster influence my decision. Farage is the only person I take notice off because he's very anti EU and so am I.

Sue Hammond ● 2588d

The Irish Times in a typically thoughtful opinion piece thinks the DUP must be helped out of the corner they have painted themselves into. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/the-irish-times-view-on-the-brexit-endgame-seize-the-opportunity-1.4047861The DUP represent a minority of Brexit opinion in Northern Ireland but the abstentionist Sinn Fein have kept out of the Brexit debate so they’ve had a free run.  The Irish Times is, like some of its readers I met recently, already worrying about how those fundamentalist Presbyterians are going to fit into a united Ireland.  I am beginning to suspect that Johnson is edging towards cutting them adrift in the hope that enough Labour MPs will vote his deal through. They have done nothing to help themselves and they are losing the support of the farming and business communities by refusing to compromise. The next few days are going to be very interesting indeed!

Jonathan Callaway ● 2588d

@David, We have found out since 2016 that many liberal lefties are anti-democratic and that's fine. Each to their own. People have to live with their own conscience.Just a reminder of all the other anti-democrats we have in Parliament if u previously missed the link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPcmebRH904Also David, Why would people take a 2nd referendum seriously when the first one wasn't?

Paul Game ● 2588d

*Why would people take a 2nd referendum seriously when the first one wasn't?*Because we know more about what Brexit entails now than we did  prior to June 2016. Therefore voters are better informed than they were then.

Lucille Grant ● 2588d

Did you vote to reduce immigration, or did you vote to have your freedom of movement taken away from you?Did you vote for more money for the NHS, or for reciprocal healthcare for retired ‘ex-pats’ in Spain to be removed?Did you vote to take back control, or for food shortages?Did you vote to save £350m a week, or for 420k people to lose their job?Did you vote to be in control of our borders, or to not have access to the very many crime fighting agencies that help us do just that?Nobody voted for what’s happening now. That referendum was over 3 years ago, with a more recent ‘mandate’ being a hung parliament.

Clare Noeken ● 2588d

"We have found out since 2016 that many liberal lefties are anti-democratic""Liberal lefties" have not been in power, so what anti-democratic acts have they been able to commit? Thought-crime? "Why would people take a 2nd referendum seriously when the first one wasn't?"Really, then what has been happening for the last three and a half years? Looked to be being taken pretty seriously to me.

David Ainsworth ● 2588d

Feel free to boycott any second referendum if you disapprove. I will be at the front of the queue to register my vote though

Sean Hodges ● 2584d

Me too Sean. If the government after 3 and a half years still can't work out what's in the best interests of the British people now all the facts of leaving are known, put the whole damn thing back to us. If people boycott a second referendum that of course is their right.

Lucille Grant ● 2584d

JRM speaking to NF on LBC this morning. He was of the opinion that a deal is imminent, and the Government has the numbers (across the parties) to get it passed on Saturday.  He also said it could be finalised with the EU by 31st October as Boris has promised.  Lucille, your angst could soon be over ...

Sue Hammond ● 2584d

I hope so Sue, but I'm convinced the vast majority Remain MP's are still going to try to block Brexit come what May.If I were Boris and the MP's vote down his deal (If he gets one) I would just keep delaying Brexit until there is a forced GE.After the GE he will easily gain his majority and the Remain MP's in Brexit voting constituencies will all lose their seats. Democracy has to win.The Reversers and Blockers have to lose.So no 2nd vote until the first vote is implemented.

Paul Game ● 2584d

Bloomberg are reporting that sources in Brussels are saying that a draft deal will be ready by the end of today. EU negotiations going to the wire, as per usual.🙄

Sue Hammond ● 2584d

EU negotiations going to the wire because they stuck to their principles while Bozo gradually moved closer and closer to their position. Tories could have taken us out ages ago if the ERG had been more willing to face reality

Sean Hodges ● 2584d

Not sure that’s entirely true Sean,  Mays deal was basically to move to a position where we would have to rejoin as we would de facto be trapped in the customs union by the backstop.BoJos approach effectively will likely do that for N Ireland but have a destination of a more concrete brexit as we become independent ((hopefully) and move more to a regular trade deal.Whilst the remainers in here will claim that is terrible of course it would be more in line with what those who voted brexit wanted, ie independence from the SM (and thus ECJ) and CU and the associated level playing field and stage aid regulations etc.Quite what we get of course who knows, and I think why Brexiteers moved to a position favouring a no deal exit is over concerns of last minute concessions keeping us tied to EU jurisdiction.Either way we shall see what happens.

Mike Warman ● 2584d

I think Johnson is beginning to get concerned, if not panicking. It may have dawned on him that a no deal Brexit could be a disaster: taking an affluent, prosperous nation into what could be an economic disaster with a plunging currency, food and medicine shortages (and expensive prices), unemployment, farmers and fishermen going broke, queues at international ports; setting the scene for the breakup of the Union, and possible trouble in NI. Ok, it may not be that bad but why risk it? Trouble is it's all last minute, let's hope the DUP and ERG are willing to accept his last minute compromises. If not, he might be pleased of the Benn Act: then he can say "it wasn't my fault, I had to obey the law"; who knows, he might deliver a deal that everyone's happy with - those porcine aviators are getting ready to start flapping!

Michael Ixer ● 2584d

Yes well blah,blah, but as he said, you CANNOT negotiate anything if you are toothless and cannot stand by your ground of no deal.The EU know this and do want a deal, but they are being as hard line as Boris, actually more so imo.

Bunny Payne ● 2584d

Nadine Dorries has just said on her twitter account that a Labour MP has just advised her that Labour MP's have been warned not to vote for the deal irrespective of how good it is for the country.Pretty much sums up the current Labour party.https://twitter.com/NadineDorries/status/1184163018705424387

Paul Game ● 2584d

"Nadine Dorries has just said on her twitter account that a Labour MP has just advised her that Labour MP's have been warned not to vote for the deal irrespective of how good it is for the country."Yes, I am sure that Ms Dorries is quoting the actual words of a Labour MP there. Not spun at all.

David Ainsworth ● 2584d

Talking of tweets, Andrea Leadsom MP, Secretary of State for business, energy and industrial strategy tweeted this the other day. It contains 11 ‘explainer’ videos for ‘after Brexit’. No downsides, only considerable upsides? Less red tape? The politicians lied. There are no benefits to leaving the EU, even if there was a viable alternative, which there isn’t. We already have the best deal. Let’s take back control, and make this insanity go away. Stop Brexit. https://mobile.twitter.com/andrealeadsom/status/1181948315895771138

Clare Noeken ● 2584d

By the way, if you have waterwings or can swim, Mr Game, there may be a job opening up for you in HMRC:-"It is understood that the negotiating teams have agreed in principle that there will be a customs border down the Irish Sea. A similar arrangement was rejected by Theresa May as a deal that no British prime minister could accept." (Guardian)There will have to be manned customs posts on that border, won't there?

David Ainsworth ● 2584d

What I find bizarre about this....So to most of the Brexiteers on the forum the TM deal was totally unacceptable and they were in favour of no deal.Now Boris is literally conceding things left right and centre to the EU in a desperate attempt to get a deal and yet suddenly that's acceptable?

Matt Palmer ● 2583d

"What I find bizarre about this....So to most of the Brexiteers on the forum the TM deal was totally unacceptable and they were in favour of no deal.Now Boris is literally conceding things left right and centre to the EU in a desperate attempt to get a deal and yet suddenly that's acceptable?"You cannot apply rationality to what is ultimately faith-based.

David Ainsworth ● 2583d

While  full details  have yet to be shared with the general public Brexiteers are being very quiet on the Boris deal that appears worse than the one May presented to Parliament and got voted down three times. Meanwhile there are reports that once again the DUP is being offered monetary bribes to vote with the Government. You couldn't make it up.

Lucille Grant ● 2583d

whilst it's great to hear all opinions, i'd love to hear what people like Sue/Paul think of all this.

Matt Palmer ● 2583d

That's what I meant in my first sentence Matt! No doubt they will soon come up with some flannel or other.

Lucille Grant ● 2583d

Listening to the news, it's mainly speculation, but sounds like it's regressed to the point where the DUP previously stopped May's fudge, I mean deal, that resulted in the infamous backstop being created. I understand Ms Foster of the DUP indicated last night that she did not trust Mr Johnson; amazing, the leader of the DUP and I agree on something.Sadly, more reports of the damage Brexit is and will be doing:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50044659Before anyone says it's  the liberal BBC, it corresponds to what I hear when going to various science and technology conferences and seminars, and was predictable, which is why the majority of people concerned about science and technology voted to remain. I heard stories the other night that the home office system for vetting overseas science research candidates is appalling in that it will accept the researchers but reject their spouses/partners; surely, only a moron would design a system that doesn't link and consider the application for residency as a joint one? Oh, I forgot: May Rudd, Patel have run the home office at various times ...

Michael Ixer ● 2583d

It surprised me the other day when reading that Rees-Mogg had said "I might have to eat my words and vote for a similar deal to Theresa May's [deal]".  Published in the Daily Mail, Mirror and Sky News some three days ago. I am puzzled by this - if the press reports are true. 

Ivonne Holliday ● 2583d

I will only be happy with a clean cut Brexit.This is what we were promised in 2016.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPcmebRH904The 48% are claiming they want a soft Brexit compromise to take them into account, but had the result been the other way around what compromises would there have been for Brexiteers?None is the answer. Further integration, keep giving away further powers until there are none left and finally the House of Commons turned  into a museum.Sorry I don't want Brexit in name only.Lets get our Sovereignty back before we hand it all away.

Paul Game ● 2583d

Meanwhile the cost of Brexit keeps rising - and we haven’t even left yet. https://www.cer.eu/insights/cost-brexit-june-2019That free trade agreement will take years too - the Led By Donkeys crew have a spoof ad featuring Gove saying “We’ve had enough of exports”.  Tell the Nissan workers that one. On the Deal Johnston may come up with, I think Brexiteers are now coming round to the view that any sort of exit will do just so they can put two fingers up to the Remainers.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2583d

If we have to put a hard border up then so be it.Look how beautiful Hadrian's Wall has turned out to be.It's a tourist attraction bringing in millions of pounds to the economy.

Paul Game ● 2583d

Looks like we'll need Hadrians wall for when the Scots go alone. Hope they have a border solution if they then re apply to Join the EU.

Andy Pike ● 2583d

@PaulSo, "If we have to put a hard border up then so be it." - You're happy to risk peace in Ireland? We'll presumably have to put troops back to stop the destruction of any hard border by local Lara militaries? "had the result been the other way around what compromises would there have been for Brexiteers" I'd be happy to support negotiations to improve EU institutions and mechanisms. I've always said EU corruption should be rooted out and efficiency improved.

Michael Ixer ● 2583d

An Irish friend who lives in Belfast has said that it isn't the Irish talking about the troubles flaring up again, it's the Remainers!The Remainers are using every trick in the book to come up with reasons why we should reverse Brexit.We were told in 2016 by Cameron, Blair and Major it was a once in a generation vote, an in/out vote, no 2nd chance.Cameron said if we vote out we come out. If there is no deal after 2 years we come out without a deal.A few weeks after the Brexit result the Remainers changed tactic and suddenly started to say that the Brexiteers didn't know what they voted for and we should have a 2nd vote.So condescending and disingenuous.Please Remainers, take your anger out on Cameron for offering the choice and not the people that voted.

Paul Game ● 2583d

Don't worry. My venom for Cameron knows no bounds and he's screwed any chance of this lifelong Tory voter ever voting for his moronic party ever again.Regarding your friend's statement regarding the Irish and troubles, he's must be an ostrich. Try this on for size: https://www.joe.co.uk/news/saoradh-republicans-brexit-border-violence-238831

Freddie Francis ● 2583d

Michael - please find me anywhere that isn't rooted in corruption. I am a cynic, after all.

Lucille Grant ● 2583d

Article written by a Remainer by any chance Freddie?Funny that lol

Paul Game ● 2583d

Fair comment Lucille. Nothing wrong with some cynicism 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 2583d

@Paul. I'm not sure Lyra McKee's partner, friends and relatives would share your friends complacency. If it's that easy why aren't all the NI parties agreeing on a Brexit solution?

Michael Ixer ● 2583d

We can go on all day...he said...she said.Remainer reports saying one thing, and Brexiteer reports saying another.It boils down to the fact we had the biggest democratic vote in our lifetime and the outcome was Brexit.The ones that want to cancel and reverse the result have to live with their conscience and whether this is the decent thing to do.For me it tells me a lot about someone's character, someone who won't accept the democratic vote.

Paul Game ● 2583d

Matt It is often mistakenly thought that Brexiteers wanted a no deal  We didn't  what we wanted was a complete break from the EU  If the EU insists on the single market etc then very many people want NO DEAL and fast.

Barbara Shillabeer ● 2583d

Paul, go to Belfast and see for yourself.  Also, read more mainstream press where there has been some very considered analysis (by journos on both sides of the divide, the Brexit divide I mean, not the nationalist/unionists divide in NI).  The crux is that security services and police have been briefing Johnson about the real and present danger of a revival of civil unrest or worse in the north.  The loyalists are already sabre-rattling and the Real IRA if not others are becoming more active.It's way too serious to dismiss all these worries as Remainers trying to stymie the referendum result.  I have been to both Dublin and Belfast in the last few months and there are two huge concerns locally about Brexit - the effect on intra-Ireland trade and security concerns, which the Dublin government worries about too - after all it would destabilise areas on both sides of the border.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2583d

At any cost?

Jonathan Callaway ● 2583d

It's a sing of my age Michael!

Lucille Grant ● 2583d

*sign* not sing ;-)

Lucille Grant ● 2583d

"Brexiteers wanted a no deal  We didn't" "many people want NO DEAL and fast"You sound confused.

Freddie Francis ● 2583d

thanks for the clarification Barbara and Paul. So presumably you're not too impressed with Boris then?

Matt Palmer ● 2583d

Well, Paul, I have a clear conscience. I didn't mislead anyone and say how easy it would be to negotiate a great Brexit deal for the UK then fail to deliver over a period of over three years. I'm just saying the politicians have failed to deliver, let's go back and ask the question again, perhaps the 28% who didn't vote before would have a view after seeing what's happened? I never made any promise about not having another referendum, particularly in the event of failure. (In fact the proiblems causing the failure are ones foreseen by some of us.) Comparing it to a company with an IT system implementation failure: one doesn't plough on and wreck the company; you halt, take stock of losses, and have a rethink, then plan a new approach: it's common sense. Promises are irrelevant in the event of failure. If something impossible was promised then be realistic, apologise for being wrong and start again. National sovereignly is restricted by all international agreements; another good example is the case of the US woman who left the country after the fatal road accident: she had immunity because of the Vienna diplomatic agreement where the UK limited its sovereignty over foreign nationals. That's a reality of 21 century life.

Michael Ixer ● 2583d

Lucille. Glad I'm not the only one suffering  from typos. Must admit my cynicism seemed to come at an early age but it has increased with time ... 

Michael Ixer ● 2583d

@Matt Let's see what deal Boris gets but so far I have been impressed with him.Remember the EU have only started renegotiating because Boris threatened them with no deal and withdrawing the £39 billion.Only a few weeks ago, the EU said that the Teresa May deal was the only and final offer.Well obviously it wasn't, because the goal posts have now shifted and they are talking to us again.It just goes to show, this Remain parliament that want to take no deal off the table haven't got a clue how business and negotiation works.In talks, you need the threat of no deal.You need to be able to walk away, but taking it off the table leaves us in such a weak position to negotiate.I have listened to several businessmen talking about this online and they can't believe the Remain parliament is trying to take our negotiating tool off the table.Hope they all lose their seats at the next election.

Paul Game ● 2583d

@Jonathan Do you accept democracy at any cost or shall we pick and choose the bits we like and don't like?

Paul Game ● 2583d

Paul, surely something like competency of the government (which translates into complexity) is something you considered and factored in when you voted?

John Gorst ● 2583d

@Paulok but now i'm really confused. You want no deal and you weren't happy with Theresa Mays deal, yet Boris is actually giving away more than she did.....

Matt Palmer ● 2583d

Of course I accept democracy and if the country and the government is absolutely determined to leave the EU at any cost I would obviously have to go along with it.But the cost of Brexit is now so high, higher indeed than much of the pre referendum warnings, that in a properly functioning democracy you would think it obvious that going back to the people to be sure this is still what they want is the right way forward.  We know so much more now than we did 3 1/2 years ago.  Maybe most people will stick with their original decision but let's just check before we head on a path that will make us all poorer (a few hedge fund managers excepted).By the way, did you believe the warning that Turkey was about to join the EU and flood us with 70 million of their citizens?  That swung more than a few voters by all accounts.The threat of them sending us 4 million Syrian refugees is of course still with us but even then not many would make it past Dover unless we wanted to let them in - that was the case before the referendum and will continue to be the case whatever happens in the coming days and weeks.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2583d

Smoking too much weed last week Matt?I made my views on Boris VERY clear.I'm IMPRESSED that Boris has got the EU back round the negotiating table after they told Teresa the appeaser a few months ago that it was their FINAL offer and there would be no more negotiating.Lets see what deal Boris gets as so far we can only speculate.

Paul Game ● 2583d

BarbaraWhat exactly do you mean by a complete break wth the EU?  No Deal would involve years and years of negotiations over trade etc.

Jane Carter ● 2583d

Yeah but Paul they havent actually given anything away... so far Boris has blustered and rolled over....I cant think of one concession from the EU but free to tell me one if you know of it.

Matt Palmer ● 2583d

‘we had the biggest democratic vote in our lifetime and the outcome was Brexit’.Not true:In 1975, 64.62% of the electorate turned out, with 40,086,677 votes cast.  Joining the EEC won 67.23% of the vote (17,378,581) , representing 43.44% of the electorate.In 1992, 77.67% of the electorate turned out, with 33,614,074 votes cast.  The conservatives won 41.9% of the vote (14,093,007), representing 32.54 of the electorate.In 2016, 72.21% of the electorate turned out, with 33,577,342 votes cast.  Leave won 51.89% of the vote (17,410,742), representing 37.47% of the electorate.So no, the Brexit referendum is not the biggest democratic vote in our lifetime.  It also did not meet the (at least) 40% of the electorate threshold that would have been set, for a change to be made to our existing circumstances, if it had been legally binding. 

Clare Noeken ● 2583d

Jane I don't think many Brexiteers  have a clue about the  years of negotiations needed post Brexit.

Lucille Grant ● 2583d

So DUP turned  it down? Didn't  Boris offer them enough dosh frm the money tree?https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7578553/Boris-Johnson-scrambles-win-DUP-Tory-hardliner-Spartans-Brexit-deal.html

Lucille Grant ● 2583d

Maybe the DUP can't be bought on this? An idea Johnson and his ilk might struggle with? He seems to be going through similar territory to that Mrs May trudged through ...

Michael Ixer ● 2583d

Listening to Radio 2 now and they are reporting that a deal has been agreed?

Sue Hammond ● 2582d

Boris Johnson declares a Brexit agreement in place - 'We've got great new deal'http://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-declares-a-brexit-agreement-in-place-weve-got-great-new-deal-11837542

Sue Hammond ● 2582d

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50079385 - 20 minutes ago'A Brexit deal has been agreed between UK and EU negotiating teams before a meeting of European leaders in Brussels.Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "We've got a great new deal that takes back control."The two sides have been working on the legal text of a deal, but it will still need the approval of both the UK and European parliaments.The DUP has cast doubt on its success, saying they still cannot support it.The Northern Irish party earlier released a statement saying they could not back proposals "as things stand", and - after the PM's announcement - said their statement "still stands".Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the deal sounded "even worse" than what was negotiated by the PM's predecessor, Theresa May, and "should be rejected" by MPs.But European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it was a "fair and balanced agreement".In a letter recommending the deal to European Council President Donald Tusk, he wrote: "It is high time to complete the withdrawal process and move on, as swiftly as possible, to the negotiation on the European Union's future partnership with the United Kingdom."Both he and Mr Johnson have urged their respective parliaments to back the deal.The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier told a press conference in Brussels: "We have arrived at an agreement with the British government on an ordered withdrawal of the United Kingdom and the European Union and also on the framework for our future relationship.He added that the text should provide "the legal certainty in every area where Brexit, like any separation, creates uncertainty and in particular, and first and foremost, for citizens".Mr Johnson's proposals for a new Brexit deal hinged on getting rid of the controversial backstop - the solution negotiated between Theresa May and the EU to solve issues around the Irish border after the UK leaves.By removing it, he hoped to secure the support of Brexiteers in his own party and the DUP - which could hold the key to getting the numbers for a successful vote in the Commons.Mr Juncker's letter confirmed both the border plans and the political declaration on the future relationship after Brexit had been revised, and agreed by both him and Mr Johnson.However, it is understood the new plan would see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK - something the DUP, among others, has great concerns about.The DUP has been in a confidence and supply agreement with the Conservative Party since the 2017 election, which, in the past, gave the government a working majority.But after resignations and the removal of the party whip from more than 20 Tory MPs in recent weeks, Mr Johnson now could face a tough battle to get his deal through Parliament.There are a lot of MPs who will be unhappy that he is rushing Parliament into a vote when they haven't had the text to study what they're voting for.There's another emerging battle too ... the Labour Party is increasingly likely to back a so-called confirmatory referendum - meaning they would only approve the deal if it was put to a referendum.'

Lucille Grant ● 2582d

The hand-wringing and knashing of teeth begins ...😬

Sue Hammond ● 2582d

Quote just now from Farage on BBC 24 news "It's just not Brexit ... it should be rejected ... " 

Michael Ixer ● 2582d

@Sue the only hope of getting a deal through this Remain parliament is if some of the Labour MP's go against Corbyn's directive of voting against it.I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see any deal getting through parliament as a majority of MP's mainly still want to CANCEL Brexit.Please God I hope I'm wrong.

Paul Game ● 2582d

"Quote just now from Farage on BBC 24 news "It's just not Brexit ... it should be rejected ... " "Attaboy Nige!

David Ainsworth ● 2582d

Wonder how Nigel's pals in the ERG will vote on Saturday?

Lucille Grant ● 2582d

"Please God I hope I'm wrong."He is not listening. He is a Remainer. Obviously.And He supports XR:-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christogram#/media/File:Simple_Labarum.svg

David Ainsworth ● 2582d

So we're going to have a boarder down the Irish Sea where goods will be checked on entry to the island of Ireland, rather than across a border on the island.A plan with no flaws!  What could possibly go wrong with that arrangement?

John Gorst ● 2582d

"What could possibly go wrong with that arrangement?"Bl@@dy difficult to waterproof a cow for shipment, I'd think!

David Ainsworth ● 2582d

Yes that is what Boris Johnson has said.However, Nigel Farage says it is just not Brexit:"On the deal, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage says: “It’s just not Brexit.“If this was to be agreed, we then enter into years more negotiations for the prize of a free trade agreement which we already know we will not get.. unless we stay in regulatory alignment in the European Union.”He says this then means “we will not be making our own laws in our own country” and says the treaty “binds us in to other commitments on foreign policy, military policy - a list as long as your arm”.“I frankly think it should be rejected,” he says. “The best way out would be simply to have a clean break.”He says that he thinks it will be “very difficult to get the DUP on board”.Mr Farage adds: "Would I rather accept a new EU treaty that is frankly very bad for us? Or would I prefer to have an extension and a general election? I will always go for the latter option." 

Ivonne Holliday ● 2582d

I think 2 things will happen, firstly, the vote will be lost, secondly, the EU will NOT grant an extension. At that point we leave with no deal.

Adam Tripp ● 2582d

I guess there is a possibilty that one of the EU 27 will say they have had enough of brexit and will veto an extension request thus putting huge pressure on parliament to vote for the deal

Adam Tripp ● 2582d

No doubt that's what Farage is hoping.

Lucille Grant ● 2582d