Gone but not gone

So, this morning May announced she was standing down.

Hustings begin for her successor on 19th June, but she will stay in place until there is a suitable replacement.

And that is the rub.

As the eventual winner of the Conservative Party leadership contest will not be automatically become the new PM. To be PM it has to be clear that the winner could command a majority in the House.

And until the winner can command such a majority, May will remain as PM, as there has to be a PM. So, we could have a new Tory leader and a different, May, PM.

Strange times.

All contenders, including Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee are throwing their hats into the ring, and each when they speak, will not be for the consumption of the EU, the rest of UK or Parliament, but to the few thousand members of the party who will vote.

So, there will be strong talk, very strong talk, raising expectations of some kind of miracle in which the EU sees Boris, or some other new PM, and caves in. In reality the EU will be polite, let Boris speak, and make his pitch and say "non".

Boris has said today that the UK will leave the EU on 31st October deal or no deal, which kind of nails his colours to the mast

Reality will not change. No deal will be a disaster, and all know it, though not all acknowledge it, and whoever is PM when they take us over the cliff will carry the can. Will Boris want that? Will one of the multitude of skeletons in his cupboards be brought out to wreck his leadership bid, or would it be better just to let him bluster his way into Number 10.

What doesn't change is the numbers in the House and Lords, meaning that it is impossible to see how no deal could be allowed through, but who knows.

It will be interesting, bumpy, but will be pretty expensive to the national wealth.