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Later today, MPs will vote on the revised Withdrawal Agreement Bill. (*First ever* vote for many!)

Bill is 106 pages of legalese. Related docs include:
- 92 pages of delegated powers notes
- 123 pages of explanatory notes
- 168 pages of other references
gov.uk/government/pub…
In total, that's 489 pages of documents (many of which concern complex international treaties) that MPs will have to read, digest, understand, analyse and interrogate, all in the space of a few hours.

Basically the UK is about to sleepwalk into Brexit with zero real scrutiny!
NOTE
Don't mix up the Withdrawal Agreement (deal thrashed out with the EU) and the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (domestic legislation to implement the WA). Naming scheme is infinitely confusing, but they're not the same. The EU has to agree the WA. Only the UK has to agree the WAB.
Added: back in October, I tore apart the original WAB picking out the hidden pitfalls and landmines buried in it. Although the revised version has been changed (for the worse) my comments then should largely still apply to the version being voted on today.
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Edwin Hayward ('Slaying Brexit Unicorns' author)
@uk_domain_names
"The BBC is considering restricting its journalists’ use of Twitter. If the plan is approved, top correspondents will be told to move away from using online platforms to break stories or offer instant analysis." So rather than fix actual problem, hide it. theguardian.com/media/2019/dec…
I discussed the underlying problem in more depth in my book. See tweet below...
Not to mention that they are spinning it as being about the abuse journalists receive.

It's true: they are subject to some truly vile abuse. There's no denying that many people go way, way too far in attacking them (and make it personal rather than focus on the stories).
Read 5 tweets
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Edwin Hayward ('Slaying Brexit Unicorns' author)
@uk_domain_names
If they can bring Nicky Morgan back from the political dead in a day, who else will we be seeing again that we thought we'd seen the back of? Boris Johnson's at the helm of a well-oiled peerage machine, if he decides to crank it up...
My money's on Jo Johnson, after a suitable period of dignified consideration. Probably won't happen this side of Christmas.
BTW you may have missed the news, but several sources including @Peston suggest that Zac Goldsmith has been made a peer too...
Read 3 tweets
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Edwin Hayward ('Slaying Brexit Unicorns' author)
@uk_domain_names
"Downing Street is threatening the future of the BBC by insisting it is seriously considering decriminalising non-payment of the licence fee, while boycotting Radio 4’s Today programme over the broadcaster’s supposed anti-Tory bias." It's starting. theguardian.com/media/2019/dec…
"Abolishing the Department for International Development (DfID) and merging its aid functions into the Foreign Office, which has long been his ambition." It's starting.
theguardian.com/politics/2019/…
And it's only been 48 hours or so... Imagine 5 years of this wrecking!
Read 3 tweets

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Piet Eeckhout
@PietEeckhout
Today's Brexit news is that the Government will exclude an extension of the transition period, and enshrine this in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. This is not a good-faith implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement. 1/
Why? The Bill is the vehicle through which the UK expresses its consent to the Agreement. It's a precondition for the UK's ratification. Yet through the Bill the UK would kill the scope for an extension, which may benefit the EU as much as the UK. 2/
Everyone always looks at the extension as something the UK may want to ask for. But the Agreement is neutral: the EU may want to ask for this as well: see Art 132(1). Who says the EU has never had this in mind when negotiating the Agreement? 3/
Read 10 tweets
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Ian Dunt
@IanDunt
Right. It's going to be the longest day of parliamentary drama you have ever experienced. And it kicks off now.
The Speaker, John Bercow, is currently deciding what to do about the election for the new Speaker, given it is now ramming right up against the election debate.
Basically it comes down to: Do they hold the Speaker's election before or after the election? Bercow said he was standing down on October 31st. But some want him to hold out for after the election.
Read 188 tweets
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Michael Dougan
@mdouganlpool
Ludicrous that HMG expects Parliament to approve revised withdrawal package & adopt such complex legislation in such short time: mockery of democratic accountability. My first read through Withdrawal Agreement Bill + here are a few comments / queries to assist with its scrutiny:
Certainly not purporting to be comprehensive / definitive! After all, doing this sort of job properly would normally take several days of intensive work just to become familiar with scheme and details of proposed legislation. But even a rough start is better than nothing, so…
1) Bill largely provides for necessary domestic implementation of revised Withdrawal Agreement. So if you support Agreement, you’ll not mind those parts of Bill. But if you oppose Agreement (divorce payments, NI Protocol etc) you’ll obviously oppose those parts of Bill too!
Read 15 tweets
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Steve Peers
@StevePeers
It's finally arrived!

The ugliest baby ever: the EU withdrawal agreement bill.
services.parliament.uk/Bills/2019-20/…
First thoughts...
The bill runs to 115 pages, with 40 clauses and six schedules. It includes parts on citizens rights, the transition period, and Northern Ireland.
First: the bill switches off both the specific rules for approval of the withdrawal agreement in the EU Withdrawal Act, and the general rules for approval of international treaties in CRAGA.

Tl;dr: as soon as the bill is passed, the govt can ratify the withdrawal agreement.
Read 26 tweets
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FL Education Assn
@FloridaEA
Later today, the Florida House will take up #SB7070 a bill to expand voucher programs. Those who support the bill will talk about the need to eliminate "waitlists" and how the vouchers over the past decade have helped to "expand opportunity." 1/6
It's worth examining that claim to see just how much opportunity expansion there actually has been.
In 2005, private school enrollment comprised 11.6% of total public and private school enrollment.
Since that time billions of dollars have been spent on vouchers. 2/6
Guess what?

In 2017-18, private school enrollment is still at 11.6% of total public and private school enrollment. 3/6
Read 7 tweets
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Mona
@Monaheart1229
This is a good article, talking about problems that we have to, that the GOP won't and that we CAN fix! But first, just #Vote damnit!
#SundayMotivation
The Myth of the Lazy Nonvoter
nyti.ms/2CvoRaT
2/"If history is any indicator, only around 40 percent of eligible voters will vote in the midterm elections. Most people assume that voter turnout remains this low because Americans are apathetic and simply don’t want to vote. But it’s more likely that most Americans do want to
3/"vote, and one of the root causes of low turnout is this country’s framework of restrictive voting laws. The United States is unique in allowing state laws to largely govern voting in federal elections. Ever since key federal protections were dismantled by the Supreme Court in
Read 41 tweets

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