Wake to strong winds and rain. We’re supposed to meet Maggi for coffee, but unkeen on walking to the café, which is over a mile away, in this weather. And, in fact doesn’t actually have inside seating. Fortunately she’s not enthusiastic either, so rain cheque - our place tomorrow.
The drama of the day is the British vote on Theresa May’s Brexit plan, which comes shortly after nine pm our time. No serious suggestion it would not be defeated, but anticlimax avoided by the unprecedented size of the defeat - 432-202. Not only unprecedented, but nothing even close, and many news watchers are left googling Ramsay McDonald, the 95 intervening years putting his shaky government’s 1924 defeats well out of memory for most. As the no votes represent both those who wish a much harder Brexit as well as those who would prefer to remain in the EU - as well as various other positions - the future isn’t much clearer.
And this is not technically a no confidence vote, despite the overwhelming lack of confidence displayed. That is tabled by Jeremy Corbyn within minutes and will take place tomorrow. And, oddly enough, the government will probably survive, its minority propped up by the rather unpleasant Northern Irish DUP. The DUP MPs voted against May’s plan but don’t intend to vote against the government’s and their own survival, their position in a «supply and confidence » alliance having involved significant bribery.