In Parliament, Jeremy Corbyn's quoting the NIESR report at Theresa May, pointing out that the UK will be 3.9% poorer under her deal. Vigorous head-shaking from TM, but she doesn't exactly look confident.
JC: "Mr Speaker, in two weeks this house will begin voting on a legally binding Withdrawal Agreement, and a vague wishlist contained in the Political Declaration."
He's not wrong. More incredibly vigorous head-shaking. Hope she doesn't pull a muscle.
He's not wrong. More incredibly vigorous head-shaking. Hope she doesn't pull a muscle.
JC is pushing a comprehensive SM+CU deal. Not on the table yet, but it's certainly likely to attract more cross-party support than TM's frankendeal. Whether the EU would be up for it, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.
JC winds up: "But for the good of the nation, this House has very little choice but to reject this deal."
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TM: "I note that the Labour Party has never been able to stand up and say that actually it wants to bring an end to free movement once and for all. That's because they're not responding to the real needs & the real concerns of the British people."
That would be because they're not racist thugs fanning the flames of intolerance while pandering to the far-right of the Tory party.
TM is falling back on attacking Labour for having changed its stance on Brexit. Hardly a strong line given that we know a heck of a lot more about Brexit now than we did at referendum time.
TM: "We are clear that Gibraltar's sovereignty will not change. It has not changed. It will not change. And we are proud that Gibraltar is British."
Yes, but that's obfuscation because it doesn't mean that Gibraltar will be included in any future trade deal (the Spanish issue).
Yes, but that's obfuscation because it doesn't mean that Gibraltar will be included in any future trade deal (the Spanish issue).
IDS: "If the Government, heading down the road of the negotiation, is heading towards that point when the backstop will become invoked, does that not really genuinely mean that Mr Macron is right that we will come under almost intolerable pressure to agree almost anything
to avoid entry into what my Rt Honourable Friend rightly says is something we never want to be in?"
Good question. Very good question.
Good question. Very good question.
TM talks about theoretical alternatives to the backstop being in the WA. She then repeats that neither the UK nor the EU want to evoke the backstop.
Two complete non-answers.
Two complete non-answers.
