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Sorry if a bit long, but do read this: From a Labour MP
"I am a Labour MP who voted Remain, representing a constituency that voted heavily to Leave. I’m torn in two. I want to be accountable, I want to be involved, but I sit uselessly and helplessly, trapped in a Commons that’s falling to pieces at a time of national crisis. This diary is my silent scream.
"I’m one of the 650. We’ll all get the blame when the ship sinks, but in truth you might as well have put a dead cat in there instead of me; it would have had as much of a role as I’ve had in the Brexit discussions. Want to know what that feels like? It’s embarrassing, humiliating and hugely, overwhelmingly frustrating.
"At a time of looming disaster, there’s this awful feeling of paralysis. The regional whip told me at the weekend that I’d need to be in Westminster all this week. We don’t know when the votes are coming, what the votes will be or what our position is, but we know we need you there. In other words, we know nothing. But for yet another week, all my constituency engagements have been cancelled.
"We’re not alone. Most Tory MPs know nothing. Right now it feels like most of the cabinet knows nothing. It’s all about one woman, the prime minister, and she’s in a bunker so deep that no one can reach her.
"I sought out some Tory mates last week. They’re very senior in the party. I wanted them to tell me that despite appearances to the contrary, Theresa May was actually a fantastic poker player, that great minds were being consulted and the country was in safe hands. Back came no reassurance whatsoever. Her master plan, it seems, is to survive until the next day. If that doesn’t fill you with terror, nothing will.
"Where’s Labour in all this? It has no voice and no seat at the table. If we were a strong opposition, we’d be challenging a lot more effectively and we probably wouldn’t have tumbled into this black hole quite so quickly. We’d have seen it coming and done something about it.
"We’re not strong on this because we’re so divided. Jeremy’s completely ambivalent. Len McCluskey is really, really against a second referendum but most of the shadow cabinet are Londoners and want a People’s Vote. Jeremy tries to appease both sides, so we’ve never really had a clear position, nor been open about what that is. Keir Starmer’s doing a fabulous job but he’s not in the party’s top tier of decision-making, so the door gets shut on him as much as it does on everyone else.
"You end up with the absurdity of a government with the lowest approval rating for years that’s still neck and neck with Labour in the opinion polls. When you’re chatting with Tories they’ll say, “It’s amazing, we just do one f***-up after another. This government’s a total disaster and yet every time we screw up you lot save us by coming out and doing something worse.” It’s extraordinary, but it’s true.
"When I set off for the Commons today, it felt a bit like leaving for war or the funeral of a close relative. Friends texted to wish me luck. People at the station came up and said I should keep going, that this is survivable. I’m not so sure. I feel darkness and impotence and dread.
"And it’s all so utterly exhausting, which is really weird because physically, obviously, you’re not doing anything, and intellectually you’re not doing anything because you’re not involved in any of the negotiations. It’s more a spiritual weariness and it comes from a sense of foreboding, guilt and helplessness.
"What’s so frustrating is that I know I could contribute. If they let me, I could work on this. If they gave me a role, I’d work until I dropped down dead to try to get the best outcome for this country. Instead you sit there, waiting, in a constant state of anxiety. Because any moment now, something else might go wrong and make things even worse. It’s on my watch but what can I do? Bugger all.
"The terrifying truth is that the democratic structures we all put our faith in have turned out to be made of sand. Yes, I’m an MP. There are hundreds of us here this week. We’re supposed to be taking decisions that will affect our country for generations to come but you know what? Right now I don’t even feel like a tiny cog in this machine. Most of us here are as bewildered as everyone outside the Commons. That’s truly frightening."
Huw Spanner MP
.
Parliament was obliged to note the result of the advisory referendum, which it did.
For almost three years the government has bent over backwards to try to deliver the undeliverable promises made by the liars of the leave campaign and they have now proved categorically that it is impossible to square that circle.
Blinko
why can't they simply vote the way their constituency did
If they did then the result would be what the people (those who bothered to vote) wanted.
But then that was never the intention of parliament, was it.
www.spannermedia.com/
A possibly more legible version.
Huw Spanner
Our MPs are representatives, not delegates. They are under no obligation to vote the way their constituents tell them to. They are under an obligation to use their own judgement and to vote in the best interests of their constituents and the country as a whole. Their prime responsibility is never to vote for any measure which will harm the country, as any kind of brexit is likely to do, and a no-deal brexit most certainly would.
Yes Luckygirl that's what I thought too, MPs feel powerless, the public feels powerless, meanwhile the dog and pony show continues unabated. Not only do the backbench Mps have to put up with this type of bullying and nonsense, they also face the threats of deselection from the most vociferous members of their local party, just because they are on the 'other side'. As far as I am aware, this applies to both sides of the Brexit chasm, although I think those Labour MPs who voted to Remain may be having a harder time from the thugs of momentum, and as for the comment in the piece about Len McCluskey....what the hell has it got to do with him? When did anyone ever vote him into Parliament?
It is just a bit of imaginative journalism - but I am guessing he does reflect the true picture on the aspect of MPs feeling powerless and frustrated with this mess.
In light of the current omnishambles, why can't they simply vote the way their constituencies did? Then at least they would be representing the views of the majority of the people they purport to represent.
As it stands, no one seems to be representing anything, and there are up to 650 differing perspectives on the way out of this mess.
Parliament seems to be unfit for this particular purpose.
I think the fact they couldn't agree on anything last night shows that, no matter who was in charge of the negotiations, there would be no consensus. I no longer respect any of our politicians, from either side of the political divide.
But they've all had votes haven't they? 
But can you imagine the scene if all of them were allowed a say in it? Mind boggles. Especially as they are most likely to be no better than the ones at the front.
No, not a party political Gill. Soz.
I can imagine that these feelings are true for many MPs. The MP where I was living at the time of the referendum is a Labour Remainer in a very strongly Remain constituency but her party does not support Remain so she cannot represent her constituents or her own views.
The MP where I live now is a Tory Brexiter in a Remain area. He is not representing his constituents or his PM as he wants no deal.
Why has Andy become lutongranny?
Pasted. Sorry for sloppy editing but I thought the gist of the article was interesting and illustrates the frustrations of the many backbenchers who are not being interviewed on the news or Newsnight.
pogs. My mistake when I cut and oasted
2 days
hhhmmmm no
2 days
So when he said he was a Labour MP and signed off Huw Spanner MP it was obvious he was not a Labour MP?
I think this can be assumed to be a work of fiction unless there is a named MP who is genuinely wrote the what letter?
He is a writer, and was I believe quoting an anonymous Labour MP, sorry if that was not clear.
....but you said that Huw Spanner was an MP Gill 
Not a party political broadcast, picked it up from The Times and thought I would share it Gonegirl as I think it probably sums up the frustrations of the mass of backbench MPs.
Huw Spanner is a journalist!
I don't support any of them. As far as I'm concerned I don't recognise politics or politicians in this country any more.
It's not even a country I recognise any more !
Barry Gardner stated clearly today 'Labour is NOT a remain party'- so where is that 'long game' and all the fence sitting- until the very last minute. I so hope Keir Starmer and other Remain Labour MPs will have the guts to resign and joint the Independents asap.
Some here have again and again supported Jeremy Corbyn - even though they are remainers. Hope that see the light now.
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