Mrs May writes a letter, MPs rage, Pound falls.

Mrs May writes a letter to Donald Tusk (The Love Letter, early 1770s by Jean Honore Fragonard)

Nine days to go till Brexit Day and Mrs May has written to Donald Tusk asking for an extension to the end of June at the latest, to be considered at a meeting of EU leaders tomorrow. His immediate response is , that it could be possible, if Britain votes for her deal. A difficult proposition with Parliament polarised.

Another obstacle, John Bercow, the Speaker, has stated that a centuries old parliamentary precedent means she cannot bring back the same deal, unaltered, for a third vote after the past two defeats.

The opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, after repeatedly asking for the Prime Minister to open her door to him for talks because Britain is in crisis, walks into a meeting with her and straight out again, because the centrist Chukka Ummuna had also been invited. Very statesmanlike!

And the pound, which had been rising, begins to fall again.

Tick tock, tick tock.

No real progress in a stormy Brexit

Under The Wave off Kanagawa, Katzushika Hokusai, Art Institute Chigago

Just over a fortnight to Brexit Day and we have been treated to a turbulent theatre of Westminster posturing. Nothing has really changed, chaos remains. The ship of government has made no progress and is still in peril of sinking, though the captain May be thrown overboard (or not).

To future readers - this is what actually happened (you couldn't make it up!)

1. Tuesday: Theresa May's Deal with the EU was resoundingly defeated for a second time in the Commons. 
2. Wednesday: The Commons voted to avoid leaving the EU without a Deal.
3. Thursday, the votes were:
1. Against a second referendum.
2. Against handing control of Brexit to Parliament.
3. For delaying Brexit for an (unspecified) time

What we expect to see in the future is therefore:

1. The Prime Minister will ask the EU for a delay in Brexit.
2. The Prime minister will submit her deal to Parliament AGAIN.
3. Parliament may wrest back control later.
4. A referendum could still happen after all.
5. A Hard Brexit could still happen.

That's not another fine mess we're in, it's still the same one.