Insert Enthusiastic Title Here
Having started writing and started again (three times) I've decided it's impossible to write succinctly about the current situation with Theresa May, the Commons and the position the UK finds itself in.
Mrs May's third go at getting her deal through failed and barring a miracle today with the indicative votes being held in the Commons it seems highly unlikely that any way forward will present itself, because Ken Clarke's idea for a Customs Union and single market might seem popular on the surface, but it breaks Labour's six tests so therefore can't be officially supported.
This then means that we crash out, or go for a long dated extension - but the reason for that extension would be unclear, because a change of tact isn't on the government's agenda (it can't be, because the Tory party will implode if it goes hard in one direction or the other) a general election isn't going to be brought forward by the House, because there aren't enough votes from opposition parties and if Tories were Turkeys they wouldn't be voting for Christmas. Which leaves us with a very uncomfortable two weeks whilst we count down to April 12th, which is the new March 29th.
On the European side, Angela Merkel has had words with Ireland over their lack of preparation for a hard Brexit. We're not sure what more Ireland can do, short of amassing troops on the border, but apparently they're not recognising the seriousness of the situation. Bloomberg has more.
In Turkey, local elections have seen president Erdogan's party lose their control over Ankara and might also have lost Istanbul. this would be a major setback for President Erdogan who has had an increasingly strong grip on the country during his 16 years in power.
The New York Times has an interesting article on Russia's military advance towards NATO - via Africa. Moscow are buying up deeply discounted mining rights in the Central African Republic in return for arms and military training. It's a great read.
In the US, Trump has again threatened to close the southern border with Mexico this week - and it's been said that it would take something dramatic to convince the President to change his mind. There will be significant economic consequences if he does shut the border with farmers and auto manufacturers the first to hurt. Farmers in the US are already suffering with farms in nine major grain producing states under water following a "bomb cyclone" which has left a million acres under water. The Washington Post has more on the border, Reuters has the bomb cyclone story.
Today's calendar is fairly busy, with European and UK manufacturing numbers getting us out of the gates, then it's over to parliament for afternoon fun and games.
Have a great day.