No.39 - A Thunderbolt Strikes!

Dear James,

The thunderbolt came out of the blue - or rather out of the black storm currently enveloping Westminster.  Was it Zeus? Was it Mars? Or was it merely the diminutive figure of Common’s Speaker, John Bercow, physically most unlike Zeus but giving a passable vocal impression of this ancient deity as he boomed his announcement. “I wish to make a statement to the House…’. It was the first flash of lightning forewarning of danger to come. Thunder then roiled through the House as he quoted Erskine May, that bible of parliamentary procedures. “A motion or an amendment which is the same, in substance, as a question which has been decided during a session may not be brought forward again during that same session.” Mrs May’s fantasy castle was in mortal danger. In fact it had been dead for weeks. It was just the fantasy bubble that had burst. The Front Bench quaked, spluttered and only just managed to suppress its venom against this grandstanding upstart. 

Today the newspapers all feature front page pictures of Bercow with the usual range accusations.  But the evidence is on Mr Bercow’s side. While Mrs May’s faction claims sabotage, Erskine May states that such a ruling had been asserted by four different Speakers since its first appearance in 1604 under James 1sst , but, according to Chris Bryant, more notably in 1864, 1870, 1882, 1891 and 1912. It was designed precisely to stop governments from wearing down opposition to a bill when nothing has changed substantively within them. Mrs May’s friendless Withdrawal Agreement is a prime example of such a bill. 

Such is the power of Bercow’s bolt from the sky that it has been enough to temporarily unite Brexiteers and  Remainers. The ERG thinks that it it opens up the way to a no deal exit next week but, as another MP said, ‘I wonder what they’re smoking?’  On the other hand, others see it as a way of letting air into the debate. Your faction James, Mrs May band of fast diminishing loyal troops, is left stranded between these two alternatives.  

But lets stand back for a moment from this deadlock in Parliament. What has really happened is that Parliament, despite its determination to ‘take back control’ has ceded the decision about Brexit to the EU. It is they who will decide what offer to make to us. How long the extension will be is in their hands to deliver. But most of all they will want to see a clear purpose for the extension. After almost three years of fruitless argument, they won’t want to see just more endless squabbling. They will want to see a way towards a final result. And the only way to achieve that is through a public ratification of whatever deals are put before the voters. 

So James, you can continue to hang on to the coat tails of Mrs May or you can start to carve out your own independent view of the way out of our crisis. I noted that the other day you took on Boris Johnson. I was pleased. Your finer instincts are showing through. You still have a long way to go however.

The quickest route to the inevitable and fair conclusion to this failure of Parliament is to support a motion to give the final vote back to the electorate. This could be through the Wylie-Wilson Amendment or it could be part of an agreement to extend by the EU. Your choice James. 

Zeus, Mars or merely Mr Bercow, god certainly works in mysterious ways James. 

Kind regards,  

BH - Your Concerned Constituent