I have sympathy with our current MPs.
They are faced with what is probably the biggest decision Parliament has ever made.
First of all let's set the record straight.
In a democracy the winner takes all.
If you don't vote, don't whinge if you don't like the result.
So in the referendum a binary choice was on the slip IN or OUT for 46.5 million voters.
37% voted LEAVE
34% VOTED REMAIN
So 63% voted Remain; spoiled their ballot papers or for whatever reason didn't vote.
After three years of negotiation, it's pretty obvious that our team of top drawer Civil Servants, couldn't better the EU's team and come up with a deal which satisfies a majority in the House.
I don't presume to be totally conversant with all of the detail of the options on offer, but l am confident that by now, our MPs are pretty well sussed out.
I do realise now how little information was available when such an important decision was made in 2016.
Subsequent events have complicated the situation.
Teresa May called an election which caused loss of her majority.
The majority parties committed to Brexit in their manifestos
Mrs May set red lines, played her cards close to her chest and Joe Public and pretty much everyone in Parliament were kept in the dark throughout negotiation with the EU.
Parliament has made it clear that a No Deal Brexit is not an option.
The EU has institutional rules which contravene Britain's requirements for an orderly Brexit.
So any deal requires a compromise.
And, more importantly Joe Public has at last a clearer idea of what Brexit really means.
We have had three goes at the EU's acceptance of Teresa May's deal. All rejected.
Indicative voting has failed to discover an acceptable solution.
She has now agreed to a further extension to enable discussions with Labour.
She will not permit Joe Public, who now is much more aware of the consequences, a vote to confirm their views.
She cannot revoke article 50.
As it stands our MPs are forced to honour their Manifestos by agreeing to choose the least worse option. Whereas we should be directing them to select the best option.
And of course the usual suspects come to the fore.
General Election
Scottish Independence
Oust the PM...
.
They are faced with what is probably the biggest decision Parliament has ever made.
First of all let's set the record straight.
In a democracy the winner takes all.
If you don't vote, don't whinge if you don't like the result.
So in the referendum a binary choice was on the slip IN or OUT for 46.5 million voters.
37% voted LEAVE
34% VOTED REMAIN
So 63% voted Remain; spoiled their ballot papers or for whatever reason didn't vote.
After three years of negotiation, it's pretty obvious that our team of top drawer Civil Servants, couldn't better the EU's team and come up with a deal which satisfies a majority in the House.
I don't presume to be totally conversant with all of the detail of the options on offer, but l am confident that by now, our MPs are pretty well sussed out.
I do realise now how little information was available when such an important decision was made in 2016.
Subsequent events have complicated the situation.
Teresa May called an election which caused loss of her majority.
The majority parties committed to Brexit in their manifestos
Mrs May set red lines, played her cards close to her chest and Joe Public and pretty much everyone in Parliament were kept in the dark throughout negotiation with the EU.
Parliament has made it clear that a No Deal Brexit is not an option.
The EU has institutional rules which contravene Britain's requirements for an orderly Brexit.
So any deal requires a compromise.
And, more importantly Joe Public has at last a clearer idea of what Brexit really means.
We have had three goes at the EU's acceptance of Teresa May's deal. All rejected.
Indicative voting has failed to discover an acceptable solution.
She has now agreed to a further extension to enable discussions with Labour.
She will not permit Joe Public, who now is much more aware of the consequences, a vote to confirm their views.
She cannot revoke article 50.
As it stands our MPs are forced to honour their Manifestos by agreeing to choose the least worse option. Whereas we should be directing them to select the best option.
And of course the usual suspects come to the fore.
General Election
Scottish Independence
Oust the PM...
.
