Thread by @IanDunt

Fucking hell Desmond Swayne is weird.

Also I think Bercow has stopped saying words now and is just making low growling sounds to call MPs.

God please let them call recess soon none of us can take much more of this shit.

Commons increasingly exasperated by Mark Francois. After he whines from the backbenches, transport secretary shoots back: "The rt hon gentleman is doing an awful lot of chuntering away using fairly robust language as he normally does - or has taken to recently anyway".

Leadsom confirms House will go into recess at the end of the day for Easter. Cheers in Commons.

May up telling MPs about the extension.

"In the end what was agreed between the UK and the EU was a compromise lasting until the end of October". Er no mate. They told you what it was and you accepted it. D

Don't try and dress up this humiliation as a fucking bilateral negotiation.

Good slap down to Mogg etc though: "The UK plays a responsible and constructive role on the world stage and we always will - that is the kind of country we are."

"Let's use the opportunity of the recess to reflect on the decisions which will have to be made swiftly after the recess."

I mean, that's quite right. But her intention that she thinks she can still dodge European elections is turgid and irresponsible.

Corbyn good so far, much better than usual. Says it has been just three weeks since she told the Commons she wouldn't extend past June.

"Second extension in the space of a fortnight represents not only a diplomatic failure but is another milestone in the govt's mishandling of the entire Brexit process."

Points out one third of her party voted against seeking the delay and several ministers abstained.

Corbyn brands Tory attempts to lower standards etc "dystopian". Quite cute.

That was one of the best responses I've seen from Corbyn to a prime ministerial statement. It was adequate.

May now gibbering away total bullshit. The intellectual equivalent of flies swarming out her mouth.

Ken Clarke being reasonable as usual, saying we need customs union, some alignment on regulation, and to put it in legislation, but it sounds increasingly plaintive.

Kind of silly to read anything into a politician's expression, esp with someone like May, but she looks increasingly nervous every time the SNP's Ian Blackford mentions a second referendum.

Hilary Benn calls for May to "put her deal to the British people". Has he come out for a People's Vote before? I thought he was reticent.

Good question from Cooper (obvs) probing May's capacity for compromise. Asks if she would be willing to consider a common external tariff with the EU, or does she rule it out?

"On a customs union I think there is more agreement than is often given credit for when different language is used." She wants "the benefits of the customs union" but for the UK to have an independent trade policy.

Quite an interesting answer. Well, everything's relative, but the tone was interesting.

Quite a lot could be done there if the govt was prepared to insist it could have an independent trade policy in the squeaky wriggle room available under a Turkey style-arrangement.

That seems to be the kind of middle ground May hoping for. A joint myth-making exercise in which Britain is simultaneously in and out of a customs union by virtue of the special magic language it is wrapped in.

A week of not having to watch this shit is going to be such blessed relief.

Just recess it now, for the love of God. Is there a magic bell or something. Someone ring it.

Interesting. May says "in practice" Turkey is unable to have an independent trade policy. I mean, obvs. But use of the word 'practice' quite intriguing.