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If I had to pick a single pivotal moment in British politics, this would be it.
Parliament was paralysed, Labour were voting everything down, Tories couldn't get anything through.
A last ditch attempt to find a quorum: indicative votes on who would support what type of brexit:
Parliament was paralysed, Labour were voting everything down, Tories couldn't get anything through.
A last ditch attempt to find a quorum: indicative votes on who would support what type of brexit:
The most 'in the middle' form of brexit is right there. A customs union. Solves many of the issues with Ireland and opens up many possibilities for single market access.
The Lib Dems and Lib Dems calling themselves TIG refused to back anything but a 2nd referendum.
The Lib Dems and Lib Dems calling themselves TIG refused to back anything but a 2nd referendum.
Had 4 Lib Dems, SNP or Independent Group 'anti brexiters' decided to back a customs union instead of voting against it, we would now have a customs union, close single market relationship (probably all freedoms) and Johnson/Cummings wouldn't be anywhere near power. Slow clap 
Here's a perfect example of how badly the Lib Dems got it wrong.
I watched every brexit debate. There was not at all a reality that it was no deal or 2nd ref. It was just the same 3 MPs getting laughed at every time they mentioned a "people's vote" https://twitter.com/DrPhillipLee/status/1335541389514452993?s=19
I watched every brexit debate. There was not at all a reality that it was no deal or 2nd ref. It was just the same 3 MPs getting laughed at every time they mentioned a "people's vote" https://twitter.com/DrPhillipLee/status/1335541389514452993?s=19
A 2nd referendum was just not going to happen. 2/3 of Labour MPs were in leave seats and were already uneasy about backing pro-EU votes but were very effectively whipped. Every time Caroline Lucas mentioned people's vote there was an audible groan. Parliament didn't want it.
It's quite clear that contrary to what Dr Lee is claiming, the reality was that it was going to have to be soft brexit or a GE. The indicative votes were to find a consensus on who would support what before calling a GE.
May also knew at the time that the ERG were gathering support in the 1922 to remove her. She needed parliament to coalesce around a solution. If the soft brexit options that the LDs rejected while chasing unicorns got a majority, we had a way forward.
To be still claiming that a 2nd referendum was the way forward just beggars belief.
