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We must ensure no games here. Seems Johnson now wants bill in law ASAP so he can get his 15 Oct election after all. That will allow him both to claim MPs are blockers & to promise a 31 Oct crash-out. Labour must not do his bidding. Defeat him now, then defeat him after 31 Oct.
A 15 Oct election also gifts Johnson his favourite thing: having his cake and eating it. In practice we know early election means Tories want no-deal. They can’t renegotiate deal while parliament’s been dissolved, and even if they could, no time to ratify anything before 31 Oct.
But he’ll only nudge and wink at that during election campaign. Could try to do just enough to neutralise Farage with words about no-deal while lying to everyone else that we’ll magically get that deal after all. And he won’t have broken his main promise, not to extend A50.
So while Labour would argue in that campaign, entirely accurately, that a vote for Tories was a vote for no-deal, Johnson would simply point to the anti-no-deal legislation and call them liars - all the while committing to a deal which doesn’t and won’t exist.
I’ve always said that no-deal won’t happen and never once wavered from that conclusion. But if Johnson hoodwinks enough voters with promise of fantasy deal by 31 Oct, he could have numbers to repeal extension legislation after election and deliver a uniquely calamitous crash-out.
Bottom line: a 15 Oct election is only way we could still have no-deal.
If stopping no-deal is the most important thing, make sure that election is after European Council.
To guarantee it, while shattering BJ’s remaining credibility, make sure it’s after 31 Oct.
If stopping no-deal is the most important thing, make sure that election is after European Council.
To guarantee it, while shattering BJ’s remaining credibility, make sure it’s after 31 Oct.
Johnson said it was to be Brexit on 31 October, do or die. We have the power to choose which.
