Scepticism is always a healthy attitude – but the spin being pumped out this weekend merits even more than normal.
“It is incumbent on us, and it is our duty, to recover our sense of proportion and restore some dignity, reason, and calm to this debate.”
Jim Fitzpatrick acknowledges that May has run down the clock, but argues that alternatives to the deal are increasingly impractical regardless.
“I am a serial loyalist. I have never rebelled against the Government… and I do so with a heavy heart, but with a clear head.”
“I served in Northern Ireland, and I lost good colleagues – to protect the Union. I will not vote for anything that doesn’t protect the Union.”
The Speaker defied all precedent to allow an amendment which forces the Prime Minister to present the Commons with a ‘Plan B’ much sooner than planned.
The Commons takes a short break from the furore over the Speaker’s latest actions to hear the Labour leader accuse the Prime Minister of “holding the country to ransom”.
Philip Sagar warns that it “has already reignited the calls for [the MP’s] deselection from party members” and could amount to “an act of personal political suicide”.
The Labour leader accuses the Government of playing for time, whilst the Prime Minister denounces his “meaningless position”.
Tory MPs were elected on a manifesto which affirmed that “…we continue to believe that no deal is better than a bad deal for the UK.”
“It is very…bad, unacceptable that we should be waiting almost a month before we have a meaningful vote.” May watched on.
…and therefore, not bringing a no confidence motion to the House.
“They’re not going to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement…but how do you operate it in a way that’s acceptable to both sides?”
There are four steps she must take, successfully and in short order, to be in with any chance of seeing it fly.