Votes just in

El Guradino has the results of the 'indicative votes' gathered last night after 'Parliament seized control' for the day under Prime Minister (temporary, self-appointed) Sir O Letwin. It was multiple choice. There might be another move on Monday to offer the most popular options, maybe with a transferable vote, of all ironies. Letwin apparently thinks MPs will finally compromise and choose the least worst one. He then intends to pass legislation requiring the Government to implement it!

As expected, no single alternative emerged with a majority although soggy stuff came closest: 'customs union' -- Commitment to negotiate a “permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU” in any Brexit deal came within 9 votes; the strangely vague and ill-disguised PV mk x, 'confirmatory public votes' -- "Require a public vote to confirm any Brexit deal passed by parliament before its ratification" -- came up 28 votes short of majority. The least popular two were:

'Calls for the government to seek to agree preferential trade arrangements with the EU' (139/422) and 'Remain within the EEA and rejoin Efta but outside a customs union with the EU' (65/377). Remainer press has been supporting both of those 'Norway options'.

The proposals advocated constantly by C4 and the Grunida -- PV, GNU, lengthy extension-- were not selected for voting.

Other features of note: no deal was third from bottom ( 60/400), although a Brexiter said this does not mean it is dead because MPs know it is still the default position. Most alarmingly, though, 184 MPs voted to revoke Article 50 (184/293). Who the fark do these people think they are? Apart from anything else, they are particualrly vulnerable to the Toynbee Argument -- as most of them won't be MPs for much longer, why should their decisions now bind future generations?

Manwhile, the Graun offers an 'agony aunt' service to its readership ( and hopes to get some free copy):

The Brexit process is frankly exhausting in its uncertainty...What’s more the stress of it all is raising daily personal dilemmas. Is it OK to book a holiday? What do I do with all my newly acquired knowledge about arcane parliamentary procedure? Is there any way to get through a family gathering without screaming at the cousin who thinks Jacob Rees-Mogg is a “legend”?..If you have a Brexit-related dilemma you would like our Brexit agony aunt to help with send us your problems for consideration.