Call my bluff

Yesterday, a delegation from the UK Government met one from the EU to discuss where both were on Brexit.

The EU has concluded there is no basis for further negotiation, as the UK's position has not changed. Johnson is set on a course for a hard if not no deal Brexit.

The EU further said that preparations were complete as best could be for no deal.

The question remains, is Johnson bluffing?

I mean, he would have to be bluffing everyone, and because of his background and history of literally making things us, the EU would not trust anything he said if an offer to conspire to kill or delay Brexit off.

At some point, Johnson is going to have to let one side down or another, and at that point chaos will reign.

Rumour has it that there will be an election the week before Brexit, with the date being set at the beginning of September before the conference season begins, meaning that all parties will go in without a clear position. For Labour then, this would be no change.

The election would be a referendum on Brexit, but to be honest, there would have to be a clear choice in each constituency, Leave (Government and Conservative party, and Brexit Party). And Remain (libDems, Plaid, SNP, Greens). The question is what will Labour do? Under Corbyn they would campaign against the Government, but in favour of Brexit.

For Remain to win, or the Remain parties to win, they would have to agree to put up one Remain candidate in each constituency, like what worked in lat week's by-election. Saying that, the Leave vote could be spit between the Tories and BP, so who knows? It is just as likely an election will make nothing any clearer.

If there is no election, and there is a vote of no confidence in Johnson, convention says he should resign. Or resigns when someone who has the confidence of the House can take over. What happens if he refuses to go, what can be done?

Probably little, other than he refusing to leave office, the Queen inviting someone else to be PM and form a Government.

Convention is a tradition, not a law. The law is clear on a fixed term Parliament, or when one can be dissolved, but not a Prime Minister, who is merely "invited" by the PM to form a Government if it is clear they would have the confidence of Parliament. A vote of no confidence in the Government would have to be clearly worded to say that, and if no alternative leader to be PM can be found, an election would be called.

This is going to be exciting, as exciting as constitutional law has been in over three centuries.

This will all play out while the country goes to hell in a handcart.

Which is not nice.