EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

I think it was his paranoid side :)

I'm quite a fan of democracy but I see real problems with a second referendum. Mainly what should the question be and if there are three or four options how do we calculate the result?
If they happen, the next European elections for MEPs may provide a peoples vote, even a vote for Europe. If every candidate was encouraged (forced?) to state their personal position on Brexit (no deal, this deal, that deal, remain etc) we may get a revised view of the will of the people.
This scheme is complicated by the party list PR election system in GB. Does anyone know how the preselection process works?

Vote for one of the following:

1. Dammit to be King
   
2. Remain in the European Union
   

Vote for one of the following:

Dammit to be King
Remain in the European Union

My liege.....

As king, would you leave or remain?

Weighted best of 4 options could work. And you can use MEPs to pick their options then run STV on their views (see Northern Irish Stormont elections)

So WA / Remain / Customs Union / CU/SM, put favourite in box 1, then next in 2...

Then if nothing has a majority (it won't) count the 2s...and so on.

But the WA needs to pass before cu or cu/SM are on the table (other options just ain't on with Northern Ireland and Gibraltar) so maybe two referendums needs to be ran.

I agree it's... complicated. Canning article 50 is the easy way out. But you know "will of the people" :/

If only this was considered in 2016... :(

I'm quite a fan of democracy but I see real problems with a second referendum.

Nothing stopping them from spending lots of money promoting Brexit breaking the law.

And it's being non-binding, nothing stopping the government from obliging the referendum result.

I agree it's... complicated. Canning article 50 is the easy way out. But you know "will of the people" :/

Of course, the illegal spending enough to push the change the result.

A swing of just 634,751 would have been enough for Remain to go on top.

If you wanted to be really cynical, TM's apparent incompetence could be a massively thick skinned facade to run the clock down and just crash out without it ever looking like a set up. If she will not put her deal forward this week, then what ? A long extension seems out of the question according to her, nothing moe can be negotiated on a short extension. So...?

I think the selection process for candidates works differently in different parties - some have a system where local membership can decide, and some have a closed list.

Meanwhile, settled status is really going to be windrush V2 for vulnerable people that don't know they need to register.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/mar/18/thousands-of-children-could-become-undocumented-after-brexit-new-windrush-generation

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brexit-france-theresa-may-deal-nathalie-loiseau-cat-a8828026.html

These march for leavers sound special:
“My main reason for doing this is we’ve got a democracy and parliament is overthrowing democracy,” he said, on his first ever political rally. “I don’t want my grandchildren being conscripted by an EU army likely led by the Germans.”

And there was me thinking that the only reason this was a shambles is that the result of a binary referendum is being fed into a 300 year old system of representative democracy.

Bercow puts the cat amongst the pigeons.

I'm not clear on what he's said. Has he outright said that she can't vote again on her deal?

Some Brits are just epic.

if its 'substantially the same'

Had TM told the ERG that if they vote for her deal the fox hunting ban can be revoked ? That ought to do the trick I should think.

Wonder how she can change it enough, given they're currently looking at rewording some legal advice / paying the DUP off....

The EU aren't going to change the deal on which they are voting...

I'm pleased, but surprised. I thought there was enough in the concept of the goal posts having shifted around the motion, which would be enough to allow it to come back for MV3 (and possibly 4).

Ironic (but delicious) that arch upholder of ancient parliamentary protocol, JRM, will be fuming. (Edit - he seems quite pleased - but I'd have thought this made a long extension more likely...I'm lost on all this now...)

That is unless he and his chums can persuade a member-state to veto the extension and force No Deal...

Very much enjoyed Bercow throwing huge amounts of shade at the government front bench - He reminded them how she pulled the vote after loads of speeches and then reminded them the vote was lost by a record. All while eyeballing the government front bench.

Love it. That could be the end of Brexit.

I still think (pray) parliament won't allow no deal...

If that happens, I think a majority could form around revoke A50...maybe, but maybe not....

Man this is getting really messy - Bercow has just gone further and said he wouldn't allow another vote unless the deal is substantively changed - that is not going to happen.

And also from a No. 10 spokesperson ...

The Speaker didn’t give forewarning as of the content, or indeed the fact he was making one

World class bants from Bercow.

Sounds like people in Brussels enjoyed it...

https://twitter.com/SamuelStolton/status/1107672086888226816?s=19