Westministenders: Danger of "accidental" Brexit (whoops !) ?

[BigChocFrenzy]

i.e. Brexit without a deal - NOT intentionally so - due to UK govt incompetence and mutual UK/EU misunderstandings

The govt is proceeding from abysmal ignorance on a Brexit journey which may blunder into disaster.

Prominent Leave campaigner Richard North:

"The UK Government's narrative seems to rest on the belief that the EU will cave in under pressure, and is thus giving every sign that it is prepared to push negotiations to the wire.

If, on the other hand, the EU are determined not to budge, especially as, with their own White Paper on "The Future of Europe" triggering internal discussions unrelated to Brexit, they are not necessarily fully focused on the "British problem".

As a result, we could end up with an "accidental Brexit",
where the UK negotiators overplay their hand, ending up in the UK leaving without an agreement, forcing it to rely on WTO rules.

Most likely, it will take very little to convince the EU that Mrs May is bluffing – as the effect of the WTO option is likely to be disastrous for the UK economy.

We could thus have each side misreading each other, making the accidental Brexit all the more likely."

www.eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=86395

medium.com/@chrishanretty/did-the-supreme-courts-article-50-decision-matter-857c240217bd
Did the Supreme Court's Article 50 decision matter?
People (mostly Remainers) were more likely to support parliamentary involvement after the decision

Article by Chris Hanretty (he who worked out the Remain Leave percentages by constituency)

www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/funding_hate_and_finding_hypocrisy_advertisers_and_extremist_content_1_4950869?platform=hootsuite
Funding hate and finding hypocrisy: advertisers and extremist content

New European Article

Red those leaflets are fascinating, and show how far the Leave campaign has backtracked on their promises.

how far the Leave campaign has backtracked on their promises.

Promises they were never in a position to keep. In itself a reason to question the intelligence of people who voted on that basis.

Lurking Well, quite! Also, there is sufficient variation here (from potholes to NHS to immigrants) to allow very different people to vote Leave. Very clever, in retrospect.

twitter.com/bbclaurak More
hearing Brexiteers 'politely' walked out of Brexit Cttee, claim Benn put forward 155 page report 'so gloomy it couldn't be allowed to stand'

Apologies for incompetent twittering

Not at all surprised having watched them castigating Khan for not highlighting all the Brexit "opportunities" for London and ignoring the feedback from the financial, education, tech, science , knowledge economy and creative sectors.........

Why do they remind me of this?

Another attempt as the comebacks are good twitter.com/bbclaurak/status/846662250861645824

"they can't handle evidence-based policy-making -- it needs to be loud and unsubstantiated and jingoistic"

So if I don't like the truth I can ignore it. How fucking infantile of them

Smacks of dictatorial values

If May leaves that election too long they will pay for their lies with their seats

Meanwhile in Brussels Khan is being thrown up (I may be becoming a fan, woolly liberal though I am)

Now is the time to be confident in the European Union. And to act with confidence. There’s no need – as some have suggested - for the EU to send a message – or to instil fear – by punishing the UK. Because a proud, optimistic and confident institution does not secure its future through fear ...

The truth is that London will always remain a key partner for Brussels and every European nation long after Brexit is resolved.

My city is not only the beating heart of Britain’s economy, but the single most important organ for growth across Europe. I say this with friendship and all due respect – but a bad Brexit deal that hurts London would hurt the European Union too.

He also said that he was confident that the EU would survive long after Brexit, and that London and the EU would continue to have a good relationship.

The EU has been criticised in recent times, with increasing calls for major reform. But we mustn’t forget the extent to which it’s been a force for good in the world. How much it’s achieved and how it’s transformed the face of Europe. The EU stands as a symbol for how different people – and different nations – are stronger together than they are apart ...

I’m optimistic that London, the UK and the EU have bright futures ahead of us. And that the historic bonds we’ve established over many years can – and will – endure. The UK might be leaving the union, but in London we’ll always consider ourselves part of the European family.

At this turning point in European history – it’s time for us to be audacious and bold with our approach to Brexit. That means putting aside the animosity, differences and anger that many expect, and working together to find a solution that brings continued fortune and prosperity to us all.

GROWN UP I hope he doesn't get thrown up but if he does it won't have been him stirring the bad feeling.

On the topic of reasons to vote Leave. I have a friend who voted Leave because of all the Polish mothers and children at her Catholic school. She is Italian married to a Brit. It's almost slapstick.

• At her dc's Catholic School.

She also doesn't like the Irish families at her Catholic school .

I'm envisaging the London airlift ...

In a parliamentary committee, Andrew Tyrie also discussed that leaflet which was left in hospitals and looks very like an NHS leaflet. It really looked like the hospital and NHS was advocating a leave vote and was designed to mislead people.

He was fuming at the guy who was part of group that mocked them up. He was fuming anyway as the guy was absolutely contemptuous and it was very difficult to get him to appear before the committee. A Gove aficionado of some sort, if I remember correctly.

I believe in putting yourself into the mindset of those whose crap ideas you seek to overcome. So I propose that Lala and I recreate the shot (we both have legs so long no gusset has yet been woven to accommodate them, and obviously in this case length matters). May will give up the fight in shame and go back to her gold leather trousers for comfort forget all about Brexit and Article 50 and the will of the people.. Job done, and all that marching will have made a difference too....

You're on ron although I must insist that you do not post any of the resulting photographs. As we have learnt, such a "provacative and leggy display" (© The Daily Mail) might prove too much for male posters and the symbolism of what we are trying to achieve may be drowned out by lady posters squabbling over which of us has the nicest shoes...

And bags I be Nicola!

This will be interesting to watch and I wonder is an arms deal a part of the discussions.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39410075

and tucked down at the end.

"It is a lot to do with the policy the UK will take, but I think, knowing the UK market, I am very confident they will have a good future," Mr Al Emadi answered, saying that it was important that Britain was welcoming to high skilled foreign workers and students from Qatar and elsewhere.

Qatar are a trading partner for arms already. It seems there is a case in the high court about these arms exports.

"The high court ruling, expected in a couple of months, has potential implications for exports to Saudi Arabia and other members of the coalition, which include Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Qatar. Anything that threatens arms exports to these countries – several considered “priority markets” by UK Trade and Investment’s Defence and Security Organisation, the government body that promotes the defence industry – would be a setback for the UK’s commercial and geopolitical ambitions. Since 2011 the UK has sold weapons to many countries, including £40m of arms to Thailand, £490m to South Korea, £151m to Malaysia and £299m to Indonesia. But it is clear where it sees its future.

On her recent visit to the Gulf, May talked about how improved trade and security ties could help “embed international norms”. The prime minister said: “We in the UK are determined to continue to be your partner of choice. I am determined that the UK will be at the forefront of a wider western effort to step up our defence and security partnership.”

www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/12/british-arms-deals-with-saudi-arabia-high-court

Yep, smooching these guys.

Copying this from a facebook page, so some of you will have seen it already:

Reminder: The Notice due to be served on 29th March under article 50.2 is a Notification of INTENTION to withdraw. It is not a withdrawal. The act of withdrawal could only occur on signature of a withdrawal agreement. The notice is revocable, there is little doubt on that. There will be two years for pubic opinion to change, for political pressures to build up, for May to be replaced, for Corbyn to be replaced.. So please, keep up the PRESSURE and the CAMPAIGNING and never give up!

We do leave, unless article 50 is revocable, and parliament decides to revoke it.

I'd also like to know.

What I do know (from another thread on MN), is that if you cancel your direct debit on, say, a Vodafone account and try to waltz off without paying your cancellation fees and outstanding charges then your contract remains in effect and you get your arse kicked by the courts. Often with bailiffs and public humiliation thrown in for good measure. And of course a permanent smear on you credit record and integrity in general.

Maybe it's like that?