Interesting point. Neither have any of the true spokespersons of the will of the people because none of them had the courage to stand to put themselves forward to take on the so-called "traitorous weak bitch". JRM may or may not be an elected head of a fringe group. DD and BJ were government ministers who have chosen to do nothing until they left and then constantly snipe from the sidelines without putting anything forward that offers a solution apart from saying we should stand firm but without quite ever telling us that a 'NO DEAL' option is the best alternative. How can anyone take them seriously when they sell it in such underwhelming terms?Bercow has (1) broken the procedural rules against the advice of his clerks creating a dangerous precedent for future speakers, and (2) has shown himself not to be impartial. That's like a referee stating before he blows the whistle to start a Cardiff v Man City match that he wants Man City to win. It damages that referee, and it damages all referees.
It looks as though Bollocks-to-Brexit-Bercow will now try to take it on himself to frustrate an elected government over Brexit, despite the fact that he, like the bureaucrats in Brussels, haven't been voted in. He's giving himself more powers than the Queen. This kind of scullduggery is truly shocking in my opinion.
Interesting you posted this...we have to do whatever the young people want
its their future after all
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Interesting point. Neither have any of the true spokespersons of the will of the people because none of them had the courage to stand to put themselves forward to take on the so-called "traitorous weak bitch". JRM may or may not be an elected head of a fringe group. DD and BJ were government ministers who have chosen to do nothing until they left and then constantly snipe from the sidelines without putting anything forward that offers a solution apart from saying we should stand firm but without quite ever telling us that a 'NO DEAL' option is the best alternative. How can anyone take them seriously when they sell it in such underwhelming terms?
Also you've missed the point. It is an elected government which had a mandate albeit by a very slight majority. However following last years' shenanigans which established conclusively that it is a matter for Parliamentary approval and the elected government having failed to put forward a deal to be voted upon in 21 months time is now of the essence for the executive to do it's constitutional duty to put forward its proposal to Parliament to deliver on that mandate. That leaves three options for the government surely.
1 Stand by what TM (alone apparently) sees to be the way forward but be prepared to take consequences of failure to deliver on its mandate.
2 Adopt a more pragmatic approach and see what concessions can be made to her vision to guarantee that she can get enough cross party support to get her deal over the line. This is what the current noises form Westminster suggest to be what is happening. Pity that it's taken this long.
3 Accept that she has failed and resign but that will inevitably lead to an extension of time by consent of the EU and either a general election or a second referendum with a clearer better defined number of options and method of calculating what the will of the people actually is


Interesting point. Neither have any of the true spokespersons of the will of the people because none of them had the courage to stand to put themselves forward to take on the so-called "traitorous weak bitch". JRM may or may not be an elected head of a fringe group. DD and BJ were government ministers who have chosen to do nothing until they left and then constantly snipe from the sidelines without putting anything forward that offers a solution apart from saying we should stand firm but without quite ever telling us that a 'NO DEAL' option is the best alternative. How can anyone take them seriously when they sell it in such underwhelming terms?
Also you've missed the point. It is an elected government which had a mandate albeit by a very slight majority. However following last years' shenanigans which established conclusively that it is a matter for Parliamentary approval and the elected government having failed to put forward a deal to be voted upon in 21 months time is now of the essence for the executive to do it's constitutional duty to put forward its proposal to Parliament to deliver on that mandate. That leaves three options for the government surely.
1 Stand by what TM (alone apparently) sees to be the way forward but be prepared to take consequences of failure to deliver on its mandate.
2 Adopt a more pragmatic approach and see what concessions can be made to her vision to guarantee that she can get enough cross party support to get her deal over the line. This is what the current noises form Westminster suggest to be what is happening. Pity that it's taken this long.
3 Accept that she has failed and resign but that will inevitably lead to an extension of time by consent of the EU and either a general election or a second referendum with a clearer better defined number of options and method of calculating what the will of the people actually is
As that great Tory parliamentarian 'Sir' Christopher Chope acknowledged, it was Bercow going against convention in 2013 by allowing an extra amendment to the Queen's Speech, that paved the way for the EU referendum in the first place. Bercow isn't standing in the way of the Government delivering Brexit, it's its own incompetence.
Have you just made that up about Chope, Strolls?! First time I've heard anyone state we owe Brexit to Bercow!
Theresa May has indeed made a pig's ear of the negotiations. But if Bercow stands in the way of resolving this mess in order to reverse the referendum result and keep us in the EU, I predict big trouble...
Lammy is the only bloke I am listening to in the commons nowadays
It reminds me of the culture around British Leyand when they seriously thought the Mini Metro was a match for the VW Golf
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Lammy is a good man and speaks the truth.
Lammy is a good man and speaks the truth.
Absolutely true about Bercow allowing an amendment, against convention, that paved the way for the EU referendum. Chope (who is a complete ****, by the way) commended him for it in the face of the furore over his allowing the Grieve amendment. Bercow, a Tory lest it be forgotten, is a decent man doing a very good job in almost impossible circumstances, in my opinion.
I'll take your word on all of that...except that Bercow is a decent man. He's a known bully and there's plenty of evidence. He was giving out orders today, and people are already starting to say, why should I comply when he breaks rules with abandon?
Decent man!Bercow, a Tory lest it be forgotten, is a decent man doing a very good job in almost impossible circumstances, in my opinion.

Pity, I expected more. You've glossed over the first point entirely. Is that a concession? The point you missed (by a country mile) is that the executive is not entitled to mess everyone about in Parliament. It is for them to propose deals which lead to legislation and for Parliament to vote on it, within the time frame it has set for itself. On a subject as contentious as this and a working majority which she has unravelled completely she should have adopted a more conciliatory approach to the task required of her. The Speaker is a servant of Parliament not the lackey of the executiveCan't see what point I missed. May is putting her deal before Parliament on Tuesday, which deals with your second para. Of you numbering, 1 looks dead meat. May will not get her deal through - it's crap. I can't see her resigning or agreeing to a general election. She'll go back to Brussels and say - told you so. Brussels will have to decide whether the EU can offer something more to be put to Parliament, and yes, May will continue to seek cross party support. If Brussels won't do that, they may offer an extension predicated on a second referendum. Hopefully that will be turned down flat by the UK. Then it's no-deal, and in managing it, the UK would work with Brussels to get the best arrangement for all parties.
Pity, I expected more. You've glossed over the first point entirely. Is that a concession? The point you missed (by a country mile) is that the executive is not entitled to mess everyone about in Parliament. It is for them to propose deals which lead to legislation and for Parliament to vote on it, within the time frame it has set for itself. On a subject as contentious as this and a working majority which she has unravelled completely she should have adopted a more conciliatory approach to the task required of her. The Speaker is a servant of Parliament not the lackey of the executive
I do agree that no1 looks almost impossible but until this week she has shown little evidence of doing the listening to contrary opinions she had promised before she won her vote of confidence. If she fails to agree an acceptable number of proposals, the more conventional approach surely would be for any honourable politician to take it to the people. Why do you think she won't? Stupidity, lack of honour or appreciation of the correct course of action or fear of the realisation that she might have buried her party or Brexit entirely by the ineptness of her leadership to date?
Your fourth option is clearly your hope but there is precious little evidence that the EU has had to shift its ground much at all so far in order to win the negotiations hands down.