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AIBU?

to think that this is the best ever Brexit comment left on a newspaper website?

34 replies

Girlwithnotattoos · 25/06/2016 23:12

Fantastic analysis and insight plus beautifully written.


From the guardians comments section:

If Boris Johnson looked downbeat yesterday, that is because he realises that he has lost.

Perhaps many Brexiters do not realise it yet, but they have actually lost, and it is all down to one man: David Cameron.

With one fell swoop yesterday at 9:15 am, Cameron effectively annulled the referendum result, and simultaneously destroyed the political careers of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and leading Brexiters who cost him so much anguish, not to mention his premiership.

How?

Throughout the campaign, Cameron had repeatedly said that a vote for leave would lead to triggering Article 50 straight away. Whether implicitly or explicitly, the image was clear: he would be giving that notice under Article 50 the morning after a vote to leave. Whether that was scaremongering or not is a bit moot now but, in the midst of the sentimental nautical references of his speech yesterday, he quietly abandoned that position and handed the responsibility over to his successor.

And as the day wore on, the enormity of that step started to sink in: the markets, Sterling, Scotland, the Irish border, the Gibraltar border, the frontier at Calais, the need to continue compliance with all EU regulations for a free market, re-issuing passports, Brits abroad, EU citizens in Britain, the mountain of legistlation to be torn up and rewritten ... the list grew and grew.

The referendum result is not binding. It is advisory. Parliament is not bound to commit itself in that same direction.

The Conservative party election that Cameron triggered will now have one question looming over it: will you, if elected as party leader, trigger the notice under Article 50?

Who will want to have the responsibility of all those ramifications and consequences on his/her head and shoulders?

Boris Johnson knew this yesterday, when he emerged subdued from his home and was even more subdued at the press conference. He has been out-maneouvered and check-mated.

If he runs for leadership of the party, and then fails to follow through on triggering Article 50, then he is finished. If he does not run and effectively abandons the field, then he is finished. If he runs, wins and pulls the UK out of the EU, then it will all be over - Scotland will break away, there will be upheaval in Ireland, a recession ... broken trade agreements. Then he is also finished. Boris Johnson knows all of this. When he acts like the dumb blond it is just that: an act.

The Brexit leaders now have a result that they cannot use. For them, leadership of the Tory party has become a poison chalice.

When Boris Johnson said there was no need to trigger Article 50 straight away, what he really meant to say was "never". When Michael Gove went on and on about "informal negotiations" ... why? why not the formal ones straight away? ... he also meant not triggering the formal departure. They both know what a formal demarche would mean: an irreversible step that neither of them is prepared to take.

All that remains is for someone to have the guts to stand up and say that Brexit is unachievable in reality without an enormous amount of pain and destruction, that cannot be borne. And David Cameron has put the onus of making that statement on the heads of the people who led the Brexit campaign.

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peachpudding · 25/06/2016 23:14

too long didn't read. summary?

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buffalogrumble · 25/06/2016 23:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Out2pasture · 25/06/2016 23:17

Second time this is showing up on the mn newsfeed...can't be bothered to link

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7Days · 25/06/2016 23:19

It's a good analysis.
Johnson is raging that the ref passed. His plan was to loose by a whisper and be the voice of the disgruntles without actually having to change anything. He was hoping to get the kudos due the mouthy opposition while at the same time having actual power.
Now whatever goes wrong will be his fault, and the Tories generally. They'll be voted out, Labour in. Then whatever happens over the next few years will be laid at their door.
It's an absolute shambles all this has been unleashed to further the careers of these guys.

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Misnomer · 25/06/2016 23:20

God, I hope this is true.

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TanTanNubuck · 25/06/2016 23:21

With one fell swoop yesterday at 9:15 am,

I stopped reading here. I'm pretty certain it happened at 8.15am.

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Boogers · 25/06/2016 23:21

Girlwithnotattos I think that's a very well put analysis. What article was it in response to?

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TanTanNubuck · 25/06/2016 23:21

Grin buffalo

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ny20005 · 25/06/2016 23:22

Exactly ! Boris acts the clown as it suits him, but he never expected this - thought we'd remain but he'd become PM & keep all brexit voters on his side. He knows there's no possible way out of this 😂

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ConfuciousSayWhat · 25/06/2016 23:22

I just read this on reddit

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GhostofFrankGrimes · 25/06/2016 23:23

Tory shit storm!

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joangray38 · 25/06/2016 23:31

Boris has the attention span of a toddler but that may be insulting to toddlers. He wants a shiny new toy - mayor of London/ PMship he goes for it, doesn't think of the consequences and loses interest. What will be his next shiny toy he wants to destroy, the UN?

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Girlwithnotattoos · 25/06/2016 23:31

I think it was a response to one of the numerous Brexit stories, just the thought of boris being in this situation check mated by Cameron out smarted by the former friend he sold don the river.

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Permanentlyexhausted · 25/06/2016 23:37
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Out2pasture · 25/06/2016 23:43
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Kummerspeck · 25/06/2016 23:44

The problem is that if we don't Brexit now we will be pushed into ever increasing union, more financial responsibilities and a Europe even worse than the one the people of this country have just rejected

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eyebrowse · 25/06/2016 23:46

Sounds good from the westminster bubble but some people who voted leave will be very unhappy the will of the people is being ignored. They voted to stop immigration so they will expect immigration to be curtailed by leaving the EU.

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Leta86 · 25/06/2016 23:46

I find the analysis correct in all points save one... if they do push gor Brexit anyway, Scotland will leave and bury any hope for a Labour government in the foreseeable future. With noone else strong enough, it won't matter what the Tories do, don't or fumble about, they WILL be the only option anyway, God help us all...

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KateBeckett · 25/06/2016 23:54

They voted to stop immigration so they will expect immigration to be curtailed by leaving the EU.

Even though leaving the EU won't necessarily curtail immigration at all?

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Just5minswithDacre · 25/06/2016 23:56

Summary: Conspiracy theory lizards woo homeopathy Islington custard cream

Grin Grin Grin

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Just5minswithDacre · 25/06/2016 23:58

but some people who voted leave will be very unhappy the will of the people is being ignored. They voted to stop immigration so they will expect immigration to be curtailed by leaving the EU.

No they didn't.

The majority voted to leave the EU, so that is what must happen.

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Oliviaerinpope · 26/06/2016 00:00

It is excellent.

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DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease · 26/06/2016 00:01

Well yes, because... negotiation, Canada, BMW, GREAT Britain.

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DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease · 26/06/2016 00:02

Respose to: They voted to stop immigration so they will expect immigration to be curtailed by leaving the EU.

Even though leaving the EU won't necessarily curtail immigration at all?

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