{"id":44409,"date":"2019-02-27T07:15:41","date_gmt":"2019-02-27T07:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=44409"},"modified":"2019-02-27T07:15:41","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T07:15:41","slug":"brexit-mps-sink-to-a-new-collective-low-of-incompetent-acquiescence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2019\/02\/27\/brexit-mps-sink-to-a-new-collective-low-of-incompetent-acquiescence\/","title":{"rendered":"Brexit: MPs sink to a new collective low of incompetent acquiescence"},"content":{"rendered":"

I sat, open-mouthed and incredulous when watching the news that MPs welcomed Theresa May's announcement<\/a>\u00a0of new votes on Brexit on March 12, 13 and 14 as if these were to be welcomed and were, in some way, a major step forward.<\/p>\n

May is offering another vote on her deal. It has already been resoundingly rejected.<\/p>\n

Then she is offering MPs the chance to vote on No Deal, which the government estimates will cost 9% of GDP per annum in the long run, and cause social and economic mayhem in the short term, as if this is something MPs might actually want.<\/p>\n

Finally, she is offering a three-month Brexit extension, which is not within her gift. The EU has to decide whether\u00a0Article 50 can be extended. All we can do is revoke it without their consent. And the chance that the EU will offer a three-month extension is\u00a0very low indeed, for three reasons.<\/p>\n

First, there is no logic to three months: nothing can be resolved in that period. There could not, for example, be another\u00a0referendum and there is no sign that parliament has any way of resolving\u00a0Brexit without one.\u00a0 The EU is discussing 21 months to allow appropriate time to resolve matters. That would make sense.<\/p>\n

Second, extending to June ignores the fact that the EU moves into limbo in April until a new Commission is appointed and a new parliament is elected. There is no EU to negotiate with during these three months, in effect. May must know that. Some MPs are apparently daft enough not to do so.<\/p>\n

And third, the EU will say no because\u00a0May asked for it. Why should\u00a0they let her dictate terms right now? I am sure they will not. A counter-proposal is inevitable. But many MPs also seem unaware of that.<\/p>\n

I despair.<\/p>\n

I have despaired before, I know. But the impression that we now have active connivance from those supposed to be opposing Brexit in the process that delivers No Deal by default seems very high, simply because they have no ability to appraise risks, seems extraordinarily high.<\/p>\n

How did we reach this point?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I sat, open-mouthed and incredulous when watching the news that MPs welcomed Theresa May’s announcement\u00a0of new votes on Brexit on March 12, 13 and 14
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