Well, I have spent part of the last ten hours going through the new documents in great depth (about 30 seconds in total). None the wiser, but two things did occur to me.
Why do Labour and the ERG/ DUP mob have so little faith in their own arguments?
Kier Starmer has just said that Labour’s objection is to the Political Declaration (the non binding general UK/EU general statement about the shape of the ultimate agreement/trade treaty) because it doesn’t include a Customs Union. Why not vote for the Withdrawal Agreement then use the next two years of the transition period making the case, safe in the knowledge that the Tories will be hopelessly split and tearing themselves to pieces, to the extent that an election is very likely sooner rather than later?
The ERG says that there are technical and other measures that can be put in place which would keep the Irish border friction free, making the backstop unnecessary. And, though they don’t like lots of the Withdrawal Agreement, it’s the backstop which is the critical issue. Well then, why not vote to leave (roughly) on time, get these things in place over the transition period, and remove the jeopardy of the backstop, plus showing faith in their party to negotiate a great trade agreement during the time available (can’t find an ironic smirking emoji). Aren’t these blokes the ones who really want to get out of the EU, even though they are currently pursuing a path which will keep us in for longer?*
Mixture of cowardice, intellectual weakness and inconsistency, and fear for their own political futures is my guess.
The straight remainers and total no dealers retain their ideological purity, not that they really matter any more.
* Rees Mogg just been on the wireless, saying that if Cox, the DUP, and the ERGs own group of lawyers (including Dominic Raab, who is such a brilliant legal mind he only narrowly missed out on being asked to draft the Magna Carta, the US Constitution and the South African Truth and Reconciliation process, preferring to stay as a junior legal advisor in the Foreign Office) all agree that the unilateral UK government statement gives us the ability to leave the backstop on our own terms in certain circumstances, he will vote for the deal. Now let’s spend a few hours pondering the inbuilt bias’ of Cox, the DUP and the ERG.