Monte Cecceri

Had a walk around Monte Cecceri inbetween berating our politicians on Twitter. I'm @FergusMMurray.

The weather is turning and snow is forecast tomorrow. Very soft light today with fog thickening in the valleys.

I hope May survives - which is an odd sentiment for me. Her deal would discharge the mandate of the 2016 ref - hard though that is to stomach - and we might then get on working out a better way to decide how to move forward.

I would hope for an eventual re-entry into the EU. It's all ruinously expensive (there'd be no rebate currently worth £5bn a year) but the people were asked to vote and they did.

And clearly something needs to be done about the discontent underlying that vote - more spending in the most deprived left behind areas, a fund for areas with high rates of inward migration, and the better management of the consequences and impacts of migration rather than stopping the Freedom of Movement.  Plus an agreed way forward within the EU.

No Deal is not yet dead and each day brings it closer. The figures for a second vote still look unconvincing and outcome would very much depend on the question. And clearly flies in the face of the mandate of the 2016 ref. A second ref would take at least six months notwithstanding the  current lack of a majority in parliament for one.

I personally don't have a problem with the backstop. Britain has done enough to Ireland to last a lifetime. The deal is humbling and a due acknowledgement of our obligations. But done well it keeps doors open and our relationship with the EU close and strong.

Of course, I'd rather just stay. But we lost that option back in 2016.

It looks like a second indy vote will become more and more likely. I think I'd probably go along with that provided the case could be made that it would not be less damaging economically than staying in the Union.