It took the EU six minutes to reject MPs’ calls to scrap the backstop

Nothing like negotiating in good faith

It took the EU less than 10 minutes to reject a vote in the House of Commons calling for "alternative arrangements" to the Irish backstop. MPs supported the so-called Brady amendment late last night by 317 votes to 301, as the government saw off challenges by Remainers to delay the Article 50 process. Within six minutes of the result being announced, an EU spokesperson from the European Council said the backstop was "part of the withdrawal agreement, and the withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation. [caption id="attachment_217819" align="alignnone" width="5249"] President of the European Council Donald Tusk (Credit: Dan Kitwood)[/caption] "The withdrawal agreement is and remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. "The backstop is part of the withdrawal agreement, and the withdrawal agreement is not open for re-negotiation. The December European Council conclusions are very clear on this point." You'd be forgiven for wondering why MPs believe they can revisit the withdrawal agreement at all, especially when you consider Theresa May's remarks less than two months ago on December 4, when she told the Commons the withdrawal agreement "cannot be re-opened." https://twitter.com/PoliticsJOE_UK/status/1090362080929202176 As such, the EU requested the UK "clarify" its intentions "as soon as possible" and said a "reasoned request" to extend Article 50 would be considered. Brexiteers may be surprised to hear this kind of response from Brussels, particularly Dominic Raab, who said last night he expected the EU to "blink at the 11th hour." https://twitter.com/PoliticsJOE_UK/status/1090295025760681988