Stories of the week 7 March 2019
This week it seems there was only one major theme with a thousand subplots – Brexit.
In rapidly growing concerns about the rise of white right-wing terrorism, pro-Brexiters left suspicious devices to disrupt the rail network. Just what Brexit needs, delays to transport to add to the threat of lengthy customs checks.
Theresa May was accused by Tories of reaping disaster on the party for doing what should have been started nearly three years ago, and opening cross-party talks with Jeremy Corbyn. After three days, Labour says nothing has changed as May refuses to budge whilst there are other reports that Corbyn and May are trying to make any agreement water-tight against a future Brexiter Tory leader, say, for example, someone like Boris Johnson.
It’s official, Conservative divisions throughout the Brexit negotiations have made the UK a source of ridicule and pity for the rest of the world.
The Press also point out Gove’s and Johnson’s connection to the illegal Leave referendum campaign and wonder why such illegality and fraud is going without further review and action. It seems Brexiters have cheated their way to victory but nobody is willing to take action.
The Press ask ‘is Brexit over’ as a Labour leave constituency votes in a Remain Labour MP. MP’s have taken back control with a series of indicative votes as Conservative peers try to filibuster their way through preventing No Deal being taken off the table.
The Cabinet is split. The Conservative Party is divided but one way or another, like it or not, Article 50 is going to be extended. The question is for how long. Europe want either no extension or a long one whilst the Tories want a short extension to try and get through their deal.
The option of a 2nd referendum grows closer every day. New polls suggest the majority of the public want to have another say. Pressure is piling onto Jeremy Corbyn from Labour MPs to have another vote. Pressure is piling onto Theresa May from Conservative MPs to do the exact opposite and not give the people the final say.
In more dire No Deal Brexit warnings, Brexit has directly cost £66bn to date which doesn’t take into account the £900 billion that has already left the country. The mighty UK Services Sector has shrunk for the first time since the Brexit vote and more than 10,000 riot police are put on standby for No Deal civil turmoil.
