An EU Rethink?

It has emerged that such is Theresa May's negotiating skill that she actually managed to get the EU Heads of Government to give her a shorter extension than they decided to before they spoke to her.  I have had some sympathy for her in the past, largely because her colleagues appear to be delusional, disloyal and just nasty.  Or a combination of all three, but she surely has to concede now that she is part of the problem.

It is also hard to disagree with Donald Tusk when he points out that it may well be that the majority in the UK wish to remain in the European Union.  John Curtice certainly thinks that is quite possible.  In these circumstances I see very little legitimacy in politicians who claim that rerunning the vote is unacceptable, not least given they are quite capable of rerunning votes themselves or in terms of this Parliament simply ignoring them.

It is also hard to regard the Tory and Labour manifestos as absolutely binding.  Firstly, there is good case law from the famous Fares Fair decision that is not the case.  Secondly, both the Tories and Labour actually lost the last General Election.  Whereas a government winning and seeking to implement its manifesto usually has some moral force behind, can the same be said of a manifesto rejected by the voters.  Third both Party Leaders have records of rejecting their previous manifesto promises.  Jeremy Corbyn famous voted against the Labour whip more than five hundred times including many of the Labour Party's manifesto promises, and appears to have dumped some of the parts of the manifesto he disliked.  Theresa May started ripping up her manifesto promises during the campaign itself. 

Meanwhile, thanks to Alexandre Alfonso, is a rather impressive infographic showing the pattern of the MPs indicative votes.