I've known Mat for the best part of 20 years, unlike you he's not even remotely dim.

Indeed she did. But even so, the question remains why 'No Deal' was not the default option from the start? This is what I have struggled with from the very beginning. What logic is there is starting any negotiating if you do make it obvious from the get-go that you are not only willing to stand up and walk away but that you have the cab waiting in the street for you to do so?

It is why I puzzle about this current farce. This deal is simply not fit for purpose. No sovereign nation can hand over the right to a foreign power to veto its future which is what that back-stop option is and she must have been painfully aware that the DUP, let alone the people like Rees Mogg and co, would never back it in a million years.

The most fragile, and based on nothing more than a desperate hope that has no basis in any logical analysis, possible outcome (and I am embarrassed ot even put it in writing )is that this is all a cunning ruse, based on a reality that if a General Election can be fought on the basis of a Tory Party supporting 'No Deal' against a Labour Party effectively committed to BINO or even keeping us in, can be won with a working majority given Labours own very real Brexit fault lines.

Otherwise it is an act of reckless stupidity, wasting Parliamentary time on debating what is the worst of all possible worlds with no hope of passing.

However, if we are still in the EU on April 1st, then all bets are off. And it scares me. It really does. I have zero issues in admitting that because even now, the self-same people who told us that Leave never stood a chance or that Trump's chances of beating Hillary were non-existent are the same ones writing off the possibility of serious civil unrest if Brexit is betrayed.

It is as though we have an entire class of both politicians and the wider commentariat, and their attendant followers and fanboys, incapable of accepting that they have no idea of what is going on outside of their progressive echo chambers despite glaring evidence to the contrary along with plenty of examples of where their expertise has proved wrong. That their think tanks and polling experts still have credibility.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

so you go into a negotiation to do a deal telling them that you don't want a deal? Hmm

You're sound like you're in the John Redwood camp of just leave under a cloud

Maybe you don't care how damaging this would be for our business and economy?, the throw your toys out and walk off option doesn't help or suit anyone

Paua oouaarancì Irà chiyeah Ishé galé ma ba oo ah

We shouldn't have gone into the negotiations saying that we wanted to do a deal as we should have said right at the outset that we were leaving the EU and if they wanted to do a deal to soften the blow for them we would consider it as long as it was in the UK's best interests

Do you play poker?

Bring back Brolin

Not sure what you are getting at, do you win poker by walking away?

Paua oouaarancì Irà chiyeah Ishé galé ma ba oo ah