If we revoke we stay in

The you can't withdraw the Art 50 notice just to re-issue it a little ways down the line. That's a clear abuse of the process (contrary to public international law principles of good faith) and it would utterly destroy our relationship with the EU (such that it is) and so would risk cementing a No Deal scenario.

More likely is a jointly agreed extension to the Art 50 process by 12 months or up to the end of 2020, to give time for whatever Plan B/C/D etc is.

Quite why a break right to the backstop wasn't agreed in negotiations is beyond me - Art 50 doesn't have a backstop, so you'd have thought a reciprocal 2 year notice period would have resolved that one, with each side knowing that in practice neither side is ever going to exercise it as neither side would want a hard border. May would have her deal, but for that point.

Posted By: CWC, Dec 10, 12:55:21