If we just cancelled Brexit....

[GraceGrape]

...do you think there would really be that much fuss?

I posted on the id card thread that it would be much less hassle if we could just cancel Brexit. It got me wishful thinking that this could actually be possible!

Even the most ardent leavers are starting to downplay its likelihood of success. Key figures like Gisela Stuart have admitted it's all been handled disastrously. The economy is starting to look a bit shit before we've even left. According to the pro- leave camp, we all apparently knew there would be a recession but it would still be "worth it" if you're independently wealthy like Garage, IDS or Bojo maybe.

Anyway, I think it would be typically British if we just harrumphed a bit and said "Well, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. The referendum was only advisory y'know."

As a nation, we don't tend to like big changes so I think a lot of people would be secretly relieved. There might be a bit of grumbling, and maybe Farage would leave the country in disgust as an added bonus. We could then sweep it under the carpet and pretend it never happened, as the Brits tend to do with some of the more unsavoury parts of our history anyway. It would also save us the humiliation of seeing David Davis try to do any more negotiating.

"Why did nobody draw attention to that before the referendum?"
Actually given me a good laugh this one. Or a rueful laugh.

People want to have their cake and eat it.

We can all look forward to our blue passports, though.

That'll make up for our children (and indeed, ourselves) losing the right to live, work or study in 27 other countries.

People want to have their cake and eat it

I think a lot of Leavers really thought this would happen and that we would pic n' mix the bits of the EU we wanted. They didn't expect the EU to take us at our word, hence all the stuff about how the German car industry needs us more than we need them.

Faith is very obviously pulling your legs.

If I were the EU negotiators, I would be tempted to sit and twiddle my thumbs while the clock ticks down.UK conceded it needs to pay something to EU to leave, waste time arguing the toss over that, get some dosh and then leave us to the Hard Brexit we voted for.
Remainer here, in case you hadn't guessed.

I was pulling your leg, in direct response to the oft trotted out notion that people didn't realise it went both ways.

However, I feel a bit rubbish as I was answered so nicely by LurkingDad & others.

So, genuine apologies for being facetious.

Lurking, I am embarrassed to admit that my own DH is one of those you refer to who voted leave and doesn't seem to think that loss of FoM will apply both ways.

I voted remain. I keep telling him we cannot cherry pick the EU, but he thinks that as we have been such fabulous neighbours we should be allowed to. He does live in la-la land.

The idiotic thing is that when DH retires he wants to buy a holiday home in the Mediterranean, to live there for the winter months. The idiot refuses to understand that the Leave vote has probably jeopardised that, as it will restrict our own freedom of movement.

I think we'll end up in the EEA for a "transitional period" which then becomes semi-permanent. There is no other solution that respects the vote but also avoids economic catastrophe. I would obviously still much rather stay in the EU, but this suits me fine for now as (a) we'll still have to follow EU regulations on e.g. environment, food standards, and workers rights, but (b) the UK won't be able to block new regulations as we've been doing until now. Also, it means we'll stay be able to work elsewhere in the EU easily, and EU students will still be able to come here.

David Davis has said No to a lot of things that the answer ended up being Yes to.

If I were the EU negotiators, I would be tempted to sit and twiddle my thumbs while the clock ticks down.UK conceded it needs to pay something to EU to leave, waste time arguing the toss over that, get some dosh and then leave us to the Hard Brexit we voted for.

That kind of approach works if you're negotiating with a rational party. The problem is that the closer it gets to zero hour the more the EU would be worried that things could get very chaotic on our side with the possibility of a lose-lose increasing. There's a risk the nutters on our side would get control who'd go for a "fuck you all" Brexit.

At the moment the UK negotiating approach has something in common with a man holding a gun to his head saying "do as I say or I'll shoot!"

Yes that would be great. We can still change our minds. That has been made clear, article 50 can be rescinded. We could have another referendum to decide

Here is John Redwood with a really sensible idea:

twitter.com/johnredwood/status/879993483548819456

Of course, if we impose massive tariffs on EU made cars those same tariffs will be imposed on Nissan cars that we export. So both sides lose. Except of course that Nissan will simply moveto an EU country, EU citizens continue to buy tariff-free Nissans and we in UK have no choice but to buy EU made cars with a hefty tariff on them.

I love Brexit!!

HPFA I was very much enjoying the replies to Redwood's tweet !

Elements The replies are indeed superb! Basically pointing out that Redwood's "solution" is actually illegal under WTO rules and even if not would result in massive price rises for British consumers.

Our Brexiteer friens will assure us that people will be happy to pay 25% more for their food to re-gain our independence. Yeah, right!!

There is a perverse logic to what Redwood is suggesting:

1. increase the cost of imported food significantly,
2. limit EU agricultural workers,
3. food becomes much more expensive so UK farmers can ratchet up their prices significantly and attract local workers,
4. the population starts to see what Brexit means (a huge immediate jump in food prices with more to come) and then hate it,
5. the Tories get annihilated in the next General Election in 2019.

More good Brexit news, luckily for me my father was Irish which apparently makes me officially an Irish citizen

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/29/ireland-says-dozen-london-based-banks-to-relocate-to-dublin-over-brexit

The idiotic thing is that when DH retires he wants to buy a holiday home in the Mediterranean, to live there for the winter months. The idiot refuses to understand that the Leave vote has probably jeopardised that, as it will restrict our own freedom of movement

I know a couple who voted leave. They plan to retire to Spain in 5 years time. I can't get my head round their choices.

people will be happy to pay 25% more for their food to re-gain our independence

To be fair, isn't that what some posters on this thread have kind of said? The whole "priceless freedom from the grubby corrupt hands of foreigners" thing?

Sometimes the cost is the only thing and other times the cost is nothing. It's hard to keep up once you've stepped through the looking glass.

Theresa May should just step up to the plate, hold one of those mega-serious press conferences outside Downing St, and say,;
"Look, everyone, we know you asked us to try and leave the EU, but we've been struggling with this for a year and there's no way to do it that doesn't involve totally fucking the country over. Frankly, it's a complete waste of time, effort, and money that could be better spent unfucking the UK. Cameron resigned because he knew this, and I'm resigning now.

Fuck you and goodnight."

WhenShe, exactly.

I can't understand it either. DH doesn't get why I think he has voted against his own wishes for his own future in the name of "taking back control" and "regaining sovereignty".

Obviously I get that Brexit negotiations are still at a very early stage, but if it transpires that we would only be able to spend a very short amount of time each year in Europe then it will not be worthwhile blowing tens of thousands of euros on a property that we may not be able to freely use. I won't sanction it either. It is perfectly possible.