No doubt this is fake news, anyhow this surely proves the blip is only short / medium term, if you're a Bowhead Whale.

With less than a fortnight to the vote, I really haven't a clue what the outcome is going to be - interesting times!

I'm not sure what options we actually have.
It seems that accepting the deal leaves us worse off and not necessarily out of the EU (although it would still be possible) or no deal, which gets us out of the EU but will hit our pockets even harder, although we would have "control" (whatever that actually is).
A second referendum, even if it were possible, would just keep us all spinning on the Brexit merry go round and remaining in the EU would be to drive a bus through the democratic process.

I hope that Mr Farage's family are truly proud of him because what we seem to be facing wasn't mentioned by anyone.

Brave new world ? my .

I can understand that argument but the best comparison I have heard is likening it to going to Switzerland to Dignitas for assisted suicide as you have a fatal illness. When you get there you discover it is not terminal after all but you go through with it anyway.

I actually agree with you but, just because you and I think that "leaving" is a nightmare and should be avoided, doesnt mean that we should avoid it.

The majority that could be bothered to vote, wanted us out and in a cruel twist of irony, those who this decision will affect most/for longest, will indeed get to pay for their apathy.

The fall back position is that the world willl keep turning and we will be worse off by degrees, it's not quite life or death and straight forward ecconomic decisions will shape our financial future more than Brexit itself.

At the moment nobody knows if the outcome will be beneficial or not. Everything at the moment seems ok. It may change dramatically in the next few months.It may be several years before anybody can draw any firm conclusions from our leaving.
On the other hand if Teresa May somehow mages to win the vote we won’t be leaving the EU. As someone remarked it will be BINO (brexit in name only). British business will love that, the stock market will boom so farage and Johnson will have too shut up. As someone on here remarked interesting times indeed. Looking back the remain campaign was woeful, negative and doom mongers. Some of the EU benefits which are now being highlighted were hardly mentioned in the campaign to remain.

Well May's Project Fear has been unleaded with a Chancellor and supposedly independent BoE Governor saying the same things at the same time! A rerun of the doom laden Remain referendum campaign.

This thing is set to run on. If May somehow gets this ridiculous sell out through the HoC there will be a general election as dissenters and DUP will stop supporting the government (unless of course Labour's luvvie wing or LimpDems step in to save May).

Interesting times ahead.

I think that's still a possibility - there are no depths to which the Blairite wing of the Labour party won't sink to scupper Corbyn, so whilst it would undoubtedly be their last act prior to being deselected by their CLP's, they may still roll over; and after Mr Clegg accepted a role as Cameron's fag in his desperate desire for a ministerial car, one never knows what the otherwise irrelevant LibDem's will do.

I note with interest that JC moved his position slightly yesterday; if the deal does not get through, Labour will call for a vote of no confidence in the government, which would trigger a GE - and if that's not successful, a PV may be the only option - so he could still save us from this madness after all, given that the much-touted "will of the people" has clearly changed in the 2 years since the referendum. Meanwhile, the planet-sized brain of Kier Starmer is busy on manoeuvres, securing a contempt of Parliament motion if they don't publish the full legal impact analysis - which would be devastating for the government.

It's all unravelling for Mrs May and by extension, the Tory party, which is nice.

Labour have been drip-feeding their General Election agenda for a few weeks now. Someone at Labour HQ has clearly had a brainwave and decided this is their best strategy.

For the sake of forcing a General Election Labour are willing to land us with no deal. Think about that. Ignore your constituents, and push us into the worst possible scenario. Disgraceful.

Similarly, hard Remainers and Brexiteers in all parties are willing to vote against May's deal to support their agendas - although attitudes do seem to be softening as the reality hits home - it's May's deal or nothing. All their talk of 'securing a better option' is dangerous rhetoric and simply not possible. I've always said political games would be the most significant hurdle in getting a reasonable deal, and that is proving to be the case.

It's far from perfect but that was always going to be the case. And yes (as I've said for 2 years), we'll take a hit but in the long term we'll be better off, and that's before even considering the other reasons for leaving.

That said, murmurs from Labour HQ that JC is in fact in favour of May's deal...who knows...

But "in the long term" is such a fuzzy concept, that those people who will have to live through the "taking a hit" years are waking up to the fact that they've been taking enough hits for the past 8 years, and they're a bit sick of it - which is why public opinion has changed in my view; it actually wasn't the EU or immigrants - it was Tory austerity - and we've had enough thanks very much.

I admire Corbyn's approach to this - he was always playing a long game, and it appears to be paying off; because contrary to Mrs May's lies about her deal or no deal, there are other options. Meanwhile, a GE will sweep Labour into power, and a PV would see us Remain in the EU - which would be a win/win, and not the divisive two's up to democracy that many claim - as polling clearly shows now that the will of the people has changed.

I am aware from your many previous posts that economics was barely on your list of reasons for leaving.
However, please explain where the "long term we'll be better off" comes from ?

There isn't a single forecast to indicate any economic advantage for being outside the EU (even in the long term), the guff spouted by Farage and Gove doesn't count. Could you please provide a link to ANY independent prediction of prosperity.

As for the "May" deal, just how far away from your hopes and expectations is it ?

You're snowflake faux outrage noted. Interesting though that you seem to be offended by a political party attempting to end 8 years of austerity - untold misery for millions, destruction of health & education services in the name of warped ideology - but accepting & supportive of the perpetrators of that misery.

Your definition of 'it' is flawed. 'It' was being tired of towns and cities and communities changing at an unrealistically rapid rate under the weight of a seemingly never-ending influx of immigrants. 'It' was paying in billions more than we get out. 'It' was the simply unsustainable numbers game: too many, too quickly. 'It' was any criticism of immigration being shouted down amid rabid accusations of racism. 'It' was being governed by unelected, unaccountable and unremovable bodies in Brussels, all with the same agenda. 'It' was the attitude of the EU leaders to the UK's criticism of their project. 'It' was the point-blank refusal of the EU to even consider reform in the face of serious concerns expressed by the 2nd largest contributor and one of their most important members. 'It' was the flawed idea that centralised power can work across 28 economically and socially unequal nations. 'It' was the flawed idea that centralised economic policy and rules can work across 28 economically and socially unequal nations. 'It' was seeing what the Euro project has done to the Mediterranean nations. 'It' was looking ahead and not liking where the EU wants to take their project. 'It' was seeing how the EU has failed time after time when things get critical. 'It' was watching the disasters of the Common Fisheries and Common Agriculture policies. The list could go on but that's a reasonable start.

Austerity, despite being the current Remainer catchphrase, was never 'it'.

I can see you've jumped on Labour's General Election strategy. So you think it's worth voting down the deal, landing us with no deal and forcing a GE? After years of reading your strong criticism of 'stupid Brexiteers' and the 'unacceptable' economic damage of Brexit, you'd willingly take the UK down the worst possible economic option. Hypocrite much?

Bear in mind Labour are very far from guaranteed to win a GE.

So, what are these 'other options' you speak of?

*Your

Offended? A strange choice of word, although certainly a word preferred by people of a particular mindset. FYI, I don't get offended. Or outraged for that matter. I'm a calm chap.

No, I'm dismayed by the blatant hypocrisy of a political party that, for years, has predicted an earth-shattering economic disaster in the event of a no deal - and now wants to take us precisely in that direction by voting down the deal on the table.

The May deal isn't perfect, but it'll do a job. I've said all along we won't get the perfect deal - the EU isn't going to let a nation leave and give them the same benefits - but as long as we can continue to work with them we'll be fine.

Economies adapt, and the UK economy is resilient - indeed it has performed far better than most experts predicted post-referendum. Economies already adapt as markets boom and bust, as recessions come and go. The EU share of UK and global trade has been diminishing for decades while non-EU has boomed and indeed surpassed the EU from the UK's perspective. We now go out and seize that business without the restraints of the EU, whilst still trading with the EU. Any potential decrease in EU trade (likely to be marginal) can be offset by growth in non-EU trade.

The EU, meanwhile, can carry on with its political turmoil and growing dissatisfaction of many member nations, political parties and huge swathes of the populace, including the growth of far-right sentiment driven largely by their own policies. The UK will have made its decision and be in a stable place, able to reach decisions far more quickly and to trade independently.