The headlines read that the Brexit deal is done but of course that’s not the truth. The leaders of the EU have agreed a structure which comprises a ‘withdrawal agreement’ (in which we stay fettered to EU rule) and a political declaration, which says everything will be fine. As the past 18 months have shown, political declarations are a grandiose name for ‘promises’, which from a politician’s mouth is a synonym for ‘lies’.
No, what we have is the demonstration of the abject failure of our government to deliver anything resembling the simple, clear instruction that it got from the electorate – leave the EU.
This travesty of an agreement now goes before Parliament. There, guided procedurally by the intellectual pygmy that is John Bercow (who has already managed to compromise his impartiality on this issue), the 649 other MPs whom we collectively selected make the final decision. And, as is the way with the farce that masquerades as a system of government, each of them will be balancing the interests of party, themselves and country (not necessarily in that order). And as is the way of our political bubble (to which I guess I am a minor contributor), many will speculate about the possible outcomes.
It’s pretty Boolean: vote in favour and we end up stuck in the EU with no representation. That is not what any sane person would consider Brexit. Vote against and the good news is that we avoid May’s dog’s dinner. But we then either leave with no deal, go back to negotiate a better deal in three months or extend the process – possibly with a second referendum, that is we kick the can down the road.
Which is, of course, what the EU wants as it delays the disaster (for the EU) of the UK leaving. It’s what the establishment wants, because it maintains the status quo that put them at the top of the tree. But it is most definitely not what I voted for, nor is it what any of the many Out voters I know voted for.
So MPs have to choose. Support the PM and you implement the deal that no one outside Downing Street wants.
Or vote it down. Which may or may not cause a general election (which may or may not result in Corbyn winning), may or may not trigger a no-deal (or ‘clean’) Brexit and may or may not lead to a second referendum, all of which may or may not do some economic damage to the UK.
But, and it’s a huge but, voting against the deal you would also be voting to maintain the United Kingdom and to maintain the sovereignty of Parliament – which is what you were sent to Parliament to do.
