The date was set today of an earlier date of tomorrow week, Tuesday 15th Jan for the postponed meaningful vote.

Following the revelation last week that a ferry company which doesn’t own any ships has been appointed by the government in the preparation for Brexit, a trial run was conducted this morning of lorries heading to the port of Dover. Leavers claim that this is a necessary part of serious planning for a “No Deal” Brexit, remainers claim this is a waste of money on a trial for something which shouldn’t even be under consideration.

Meanwhile the pro remain Channel 4 has tonight aired a film called Brexit an Uncivil War.

The drama provided an insight into how the referendum had been won through data analytics.

Today was also the day that Sky News launched a new cover logo which was simply depicting Brexit Crisis – which surely also has a tendency to focus minds.

PS. The suggestion of a delay to the triggering of article 50 has tonight been mooted for the first time

Anyone wondering if the Brexiteers had gone soft over the Christmas break got their answer this morning – many of them coming out of the woodwork to draw out their battle lines.

This article [click link below] is from the Mail on Sunday

The most significant comments of the day are:

• Prime Minister – Theresa May:  “If the deal is not voted on at this vote that is coming up, then actually we are going to be in uncharted territory”. Calls on all MPs opposed to the deal – from Tory Brexiteers to arch-Remainers hoping for a second referendum – “to study their consciences”.
• Michael Gove – LEAVE would win a second referendum by an even bigger margin
• Jean-Claude Junker – ‘My appeal to the United Kingdom is this – get your act together’
• Barry Gardiner – Labour Shadow International Trade secretary – Labour could campaign on a promise to negotiate a better Brexit deal than that secured by Theresa May

All of  which amounts to what can only be described as a monumental game of political chicken – who will blink first?

In the next 2 weeks, we will know whether the main theme of this blog is to have any immediate significance or – whether this particular political [can], will again be kicked down the road.

We’re just out of Christmas at the end of 2018 [beginning of 2019] and Westminster has not yet returned from it’s Christmas break. Having finished out the old year with a highly anticipated, but ultimately postponed vote on Theresa May’s deal with the EU 27, then followed by a failed vote of no confidence in her as leader called by the hard-line Tory Brexiters , everyone wonders and perhaps worries where this can all go next.

A case of life more fascinating than art (fiction) – and all borne out of an accident of politics which has brought the whole of Europe to this historical juncture. The mainstream media has even taken a break from the topic for Christmas, such is the apoplexy and weariness with it all.

Meanwhile, before the resumption of proceedings in London next week, a lucky suggestion has brought my attention to a recording which inadvertently points me to comparisons with the Home Rule crisis early in the last century. These recordings of lectures by historian Michael Laffan provide a hugely interesting historical backdrop to the next most fascinating Brexit episode to come in the next fortnight –  far too interesting for me to not draw attention to it here – click image below to hear more.

Most of us watching the recent drama unfolding in London toward the end of 2018 might have believed such a saga to be uniquely possible only now in the 21st Century politics. Not so it seems. The Home Rule Crisis of 1912-14 provided a strikingly similar precedent with a whole set of examples of for instance a Prime Minister running down the clock, Ulster Unionists collaborating with hard line Tories and many MP’s believing the whole debate taking up too much parliamentary time. All completely familiar to this Brexit crisis. And from an Irish perspective, how both of these historic crises have such grave implications for Irish politics and stability. To think that in 2011, when Michael Laffan was making these recordings, Brexit was not even in prospect.

At any rate, it was in listening to his tapes that I realised the importance of noting things down – for the record. No commentator that I have heard so far, has drawn this comparison in 2019 to what happened in 1912. Why? Because as fascinating as it may be – it is not sensational enough to sell newspapers or hold popular attention. Perhaps in another 100 years, people might wonder then about Brexit just as much as I do now about the Home Rule Crisis, what it was like to have actually lived through a significant political drama of this magnitude. Maybe this blog can give them some of that insight to future readers.