To ask what you think about a British government openly declaring that it will break international law?

[Pepperwort]

This is regarding Johnson’s government’s new stated dislike of the Withdrawal agreement, which Johnson turfed May out over, negotiated, and signed.

For those not watching the news (living under rocks as it’s the top headline), the new Internal Market Bill they are presenting has a clause to the effect that any international law or court can be ignored at will. There are severe repercussions for the GFA and NI. The government have openly confirmed they will break the Withdrawal Agreement and any international law they don’t like. The EU has of course objected, and Gove has confirmed the government does not care. Not only could this scupper talks with the EU, but with the US, who have always been broadly supportive of Northern Ireland. It damages our international reputation in general and risks us being seen as a rogue state. This is beyond political posturing, just as it is beyond the old remain/ leave arguments, because we have already left. A former Tory leader and lord has spoken against it.

For voting, let’s say it’s aimed at the government. So YABU - Britain should not start its independent existence as a sovereign state by breaking laws. YANBU - go ahead, international laws are there for the breaking.

Britain should not start its independent existence as a sovereign state by breaking laws.

I do like your Freudian slip there. Doing this is a surefire way of UK being reduced to GB in the very near future.

Our government is sickening: disgraceful, self-serving and shameless.

I am embarrassed, ashamed & livid that our government is behaving like this. I am dismayed that so many people are ok with it.

Setting aside all moral considerations (why not, the "government" does), it's an appallingly stupid and short-sighted thing to do at a time when we need to reach trade agreements with other countries.

Doing this is a surefire way of UK being reduced to GB in the very near future.

This.

There are strong arguments against the dissolution of the union. Lots of them. Good reasons. However if Westminster continue to look like loose cannon they could push on-the-fence voters the wrong way.

I do like your Freudian slip there. Doing this is a surefire way of UK being reduced to GB in the very near future.

It’ll probably be reduced to more than that. However, sorry for the slip.

@Pepperwort - I lost you at:

For those not watching the news (living under rocks as it’s the top headline),

Very patronising. I follow the news thank you I don't need your summary. I also think that people who don't, won't be interested in your post anyway.

Reduced to less, by more. My brain isn’t working.

We should all be surprised and shocked that our government would do something so underhand.

Is anyone shocked?

I'm not, just another reason to hate the lot of them and feel embarrassed that they represent us.

I don't understand why there isn't widespread shock at this. Why are our politicians happy to be associated with this government? Everyone seems to just shrug and go "aw, Brexit, yawn".

If it had been the other way round (the EU announcing their intention to ignore a signed international agreement) we would never hear the end of it.

@MythicalBiologicalFennel

I don't understand why there isn't widespread shock at this. Why are our politicians happy to be associated with this government? Everyone seems to just shrug and go "aw, Brexit, yawn".

If it had been the other way round (the EU announcing their intention to ignore a signed international agreement) we would never hear the end of it.

Can you imagine Nigel Farage if the EU did this? His head would explode (which would be an added bonus in my book)

It hasn't actually been much reported at all. The BBC seems to have lost it within five minutes. Its a top headline in the FT, which is not exactly the opium of the masses. Anyway, it's shocking and short sighted, but most people will shrug because they don't realise what it means. I should probably move to somewhere where the government doesn't pick and choose its powers.

luckylavender I originally put a smiley face after that bit and deleted it as not an appropriate subject for jokey comments. The whole lot should have gone with the delete too but as I said I’m on a brain freeze. Is that really your main concern with this news going on though?

I didn't like the current Government anyway and this hasn't helped. Why don't the MP's make more of a fuss? What has Boris got over them that they just roll over for all of his crap ideas that make us look bad to the rest of the world?

I always thought Boris wasn't up to the job of PM, he just proves it more every day.

@MythicalBiologicalFennel

I don't understand why there isn't widespread shock at this. Why are our politicians happy to be associated with this government? Everyone seems to just shrug and go "aw, Brexit, yawn".

If it had been the other way round (the EU announcing their intention to ignore a signed international agreement) we would never hear the end of it.

This is what worries me about the union, it feels like we are in a surreal parallel universe, and disengaged from reality a bit right now. Who knows how people would vote in that circumstance. There has also been a rise in English nationalism in the years since Indyref which won't help either.

Not a surprise.
Johnson and co will just lie though, stir up a bit of racism and get away with it.

At least weve been spared a government that wanted to invest in social housing, the NHS and internet for all now we've discovered these things are of no value, eh? Phew!

There will be justice. The EU and US have made absolutely clear they’ll hold us to account for this.

We won’t get away with it.

It’s such an aggressive move I can only assume it’s a deliberate way of getting to no deal, but the US may cause ramifications much worse than they’d expected.

go ahead, international laws are there for the breaking

The EU are in the process of ratifying a free trade deal with Canada - however;

"Dec 2019 A year after legalization, Canada remains in flagrant violation of UN drug treaties that it signed—an uncomfortable situation for a country that likes to see itself as a stickler for international laws and treaties."

www.cbc.ca/news/politics/un-united-nations-canada-marijuana-cannabis-drugs-1.5400112

"Nov 2018 Experts in international law say legalized recreational use of cannabis could spell political trouble on the international stage for Canada as it is going against three United Nations drug-control treaties."

www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/general/international-law-experts-say-legal-cannabis-defies-canadas-un-treaty-obligations/275627

I'm horrified that the government are behaving in this way. I'm equally horrified that lots of people don't care. There's more outrage about covid marshalls than this.

It's basically sending a message to the world: "whatever agreement you think you've made with us, we reserve the right to break unilaterally at any time, because SOVEREIGNTY"
... And in the same breath "hey, anyone up for a juicy trade deal?"...

It’s been a good week to bury bad news.

There must be a reason they are doing this.
They would know the reaction.

Cummings is a fan of the Art of War. What is he trying to do here?

Is he trying to trap Starmer? If people watched PMQs, you'll have seen Johnson give a Brexit rant when there was no question about Brexit.

Personally, if your enemy is eating itself, it's better to watch rather than attack.

I'm all for breaking laws if the law is wrong so I'm ok with Canada in that respect.

Haven’t they also basically charged an NI woman £45k (her legal costs - and wanted her to pay theirs ) in order to access the right to dual nationality (Irish/British) already outlined in the GFA?

I agree re surrealness of current times, if I woke from a coma today I wouldn’t be sure I had woken up, it would seem too much like a fever nightmare dream.