Brexit latest

Downing Street’s feebleness was perfectly illustrated on Tuesday when the government was found to be in contempt of Parliament for refusing to publish the attorney general’s advice on the 599-page withdrawal deal. Then yesterday, chief whip Julian Smith exposed his utter desperation to get the agreement through the Commons, begging Eurosceptic Tories to support the prime minister in front of television cameras.

The amateurishness of the government has been broadcast loud and clear by the bizarre decision to have ITV filming the chief whip plying his trade, a traditionally secretive and often post-watershed operation. He was seen getting nowhere with Philip Davies MP for the simple reason Davies, a member of the European Research Group, believes no-deal is better than a bad deal, and that’s because it is. You don’t have to be a dyed-in-the-wool Brexiteer to believe that.

Neither Parliament nor the people are ignorant to the facts. We are already perfectly aware that, under the terms of the agreement, the United Kingdom will be trapped in the backstop and subject to the EU’s whim on whether we ever get out of it.

The only leverage we have left to influence matters is to hand over our fishing waters and yet more payments on an annual basis – and what’s to bet against the follow-up deal including no right to a unilateral breakout either? Cox admitted as such at the dispatch box after being placed there as a proxy for his legal advice demanded by MPs.

The government’s unsatisfactory response to those demands placed it on a constant rear-guard action. Cox’s appearance triggered the ruling of contempt which only served to further highlight what a rotten deal has been settled with Brussels and why MPs must not vote for it.

“It’s just balls. Is she really seriously saying that Parliament would be able to default on Britain’s international obligations?” Complained one bitter Tory Brexiteer.

Meanwhile, Dominic Grieve, who struck a gentleman’s agreement in the dying hours of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill for MPs to have more of say if May’s deal fails first time around, decided to put the pressure up a notch with a non-binding amendment to the same effect. Grieve’s real purpose is to thwart a no deal.

On a positive note, numerous MPs showed their commitment a true Brexit during this week’s debate in the Commons over the meaningful vote. People voted in 2016 “to take back control of our laws, our money and our borders. They voted to reclaim the lost sovereignty of the United Kingdom electorate” argued John Redwood. Boris Johnson, Bernard Jenkin, Johnny Mercer (pictured above) and Owen Patterson made similarly noble appeals to democracy and sovereignty.

Tellingly Letwin was doing the media rounds this week, talking up EFTA plus – the plus by his own admission being, unlike Norway and Switzerland, Britain would remain in the Customs Union. There is only one arrangement worse than Mrs May’s and it’s this. Unfortunately, it is popular in both Brussels and Westminster, if nowhere else. We must therefore look upon the prospect of this charade being dragged on with the utmost prejudice.

David Davis begs to differ, speaking to The House magazine, the ever-optimistic former Brexit secretary continues to view a “Canada++” with elements from other existing EU trade deals, notably South Korea and New Zealand as a realistic prospect.

Let’s hope he’s right.

Kind regards,
The Leave.EU Team