Westminstenders: Boom. The Brexit Backlash starts to hit.

[RedToothBrush]

So it turns out that immigration figures that stated students overstayed were wrong. The home office knew this. And sat on it. Since 2015. Under Theresa.

That smells a bit doesn't it?

Imagine it: "Let's do lunch Paul. I'll cover up and give you a nice immigration story for your front page. In return, crown me PM."

Then tonight BOOM. Labour look like they have made a move. Soft very swishy Brexit. Even less brexity than the Beano Brexit that the Tories have been trying to announce on the quiet over the summer whilst Brexiteers are on holiday.

amp.theguardian.com/global/2017/aug/26/labour-calls-for-lengthy-transitional-period-post-brexit
Labour makes dramatic shift on Brexit and single market
Party opens clear divide with Tories, with support for free movement and paying into EU budgets for up to four years

Labour is to announce a dramatic policy shift by backing continued membership of the EU single market beyond March 2019, when Britain leaves the EU, establishing a clear dividing line with the Tories on Brexit for the first time.

In a move that positions it decisively as the party of “soft Brexit”, Labour will support full participation in the single market and customs union during a lengthy “transitional period” that it believes could last between two and four years after the day of departure, it is to announce on Sunday.

This will mean that under a Labour government the UK would continue to abide by the EU’s free movement rules, accept the jurisdiction of the European court of justice on trade and economic issues, and pay into the EU budget for a period of years after Brexit, in the hope of lessening the shock of leaving to the UK economy. In a further move that will delight many pro-EU Labour backers, Jeremy Corbyn’s party will also leave open the option of the UK remaining a member of the customs union and single market for good, beyond the end of the transitional period.

Why would Labour suddenly do this? It's not just because of the youth vote. What about their leave voters?

Faisal Islam on the subject:
2. On Labour Leavers is very very interesting and involves quite the psephological judgement re the election....
...the calculation appears to be that Labour Leave voters had the chance to vote for Theresa May's brand of Brexit, and bar 5 seats, said No
Was that because Lableave voters were already signalled "hard Brexit"? Or many millions such voters much more concerned about other things?

Have Labour been polling their voters on this?

Theresa has also apparently set her sell by date: Friday 30th August 2019.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/theresa-sets-date-shell-quit-11061894.amp
Theresa May sets date she'll quit as Prime Minister - giving herself time to see Britain through Brexit

The longer the transition and the squishier it gets, the more the more you wonder.

Mr Barnier will enjoy his coffee and newspapers tomorrow as he prepares for round two of Brexit talks starting next week.

The question on his mind most: Will David Davis remember to bring his notes this time?

BTW If Scotland and Wales voted for independence I would wish them well. Similarly, if Northern Ireland voted for reunification with Ireland. You wouldn't see me ignoring THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

Why is it always Bulgaria out of the whole EU that gets picked out as especially alien probably the same crib sheet I know it is getting dangerously close to being expert but I spend much of my time engaging with the culture gap between Europe and Asia. Much as I enjoy, possibly even prefer some aspects of Asian culture I can assure you that the UK has so much more in common with Bulgaria, and the benefit of it not being on the other side of the world.....

Thank Ron you've reminded me.

Obviously 'THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE' applies more to some people than others. Theresa May and chums are more than happy to ignore the will of the Scots and Northern Irish, who voted Remain remember. As for Gibraltar, which is not part of the UK, but had a vote in the Referendum, and voted overwhelmingly to Remain part of the EU - with something like 96% - the answer so far has been? Well, what exactly? They haven't the foggiest idea what to do about Gibraltar. The answer seems to be, forget about it, and hope the problem goes away.

Peregrina if you have such hatred and disdain for the UK and its history, why do you live here?

Thats attitude - a lack of recognition that we (at least in Scotland - but the same applies to differing extents in Wales and NI) do have different cultures, heritage, legal systems, education and yes, some of speak a different language to that of England - is exactly why support for Scottish Independence has grown.

A knowledge and understanding the UKs own history and the many cultures that exist within it isn't disdain. Assuming them all to be all the same is at best just ignorant.

Peregrina In the case of thick as mince no notes Davis there is nothing there to forget..... I am sure he is entirely ignorant of any aspect of Northern Ireland, Scotland or Gibralters interests, given he knows nothing of England's either......

Being mindful of the history of the UK is not hatred and disdain. It is the greatest pity that those in Government seem unaware of history.

Keep up the silly nonsense though - all you do is show yourself up.

Well in that case, Peregrina, you should be overjoyed. Scotland will become independent from the UK, join the Euro and rejoice in the long term success of its economy relying on oil. All tickety-boo for you then.

Hashi Grexit, Italian banks, Bulgaria, Will of the people (extra for shouty bold and CAPITALS) disdain for U.K. and its history (extra for straw man) Bingo?

Nothing like Leaver Bingo is it Ron?

I can never understand why an interest in and an ability to a. acquaint yourself with history b. offer a critique of a present situation is jumped on (predominantly by Leavers) as some kind of ... what? Lack of patriotism? It's clearly the opposite. It speaks of a deeply embedded engagedness and signifies a long term involvement.

There is such an overlap between the discourses of those who espouse a strong Leave rhetoric and those who clearly do not have the UK's interests as their dominant determinant that I would have thought the swift recourse to the rhetorical strategy of accusing those who critique of some vague anti-patriotism (and the whole invocation of a simplistic and rather vacuous nativisim) would have been thoroughlly discredited by now.

It certainly rings hollow to my ears. Perhaps that's just me, though?

I do wonder how those discourses are sounding in the wider reaches of social media.

To me, the second someone says: "Perhaps you should leave", I start thinking of nativism, and how that's been playing out in France and Germany (where fear of the rise of nativist and far-right agendas has clearly incentivised people to consciously secure power away from these people). I wonder if that is happening here?

Ron dammit. Beat me. Here's the
Heads down for round two

Cat there's a massive difference between patriotism and nationalism. Unfortunately nationalists can't see it so if you aren't a nationalist you aren't a patriot. Which is of course complete bollocks.

Whatwouldrondo It is interesting (the Leaver Bingo thing) how the discourse hasn't really changed and evolved, isn't it? It sounds like a script, now - but one that has been performed over and over again, so that one can almost speak the lines along with the performer.

Why hasn't it evolved? I find that a genuinely interesting question.

Obviously, in RL, prominent Leavers are fracturing as disparate demands become impossible to hold together and/or be realised. But this discourse doesn't evolve to show that. You would expect a political discourse to evolve as it subtly alters to accommodate a changing political reality. But this one doesn't.

Peregrina
Being mindful of the history of the UK is not hatred and disdain.

When it comes to history, why is it that Remainers seem more keen to remind us on the Highland Clearance, the Irish Famine, beating children for speaking Welsh etc etc...But yet strangely quiet on, I don't know, more recent history.....I don't know, let me think...
The Holocaust of 6 million Jews
Collaboration and collusion of the French with the Third Reich
Deportation of thousands of Jews from the Netherlands to the death camps of Poland

Anyway, back to reality.

I'm wondering what George Osbourne is going to make of the Labour position on Brexit. Any guesses?

And for light-hearted relief, i was wondering if we could play: "What's Alan Partridge going to do/say?", whereby we can think of little episodes that might come up in the new "Alan Partridge: The Voice of the People"* series.

• I know it's not called that. In fact, I'm wondering what his BBC show will be called.

"[Scotland] relying on oil" . There's whisky, gin, tourism, water, renewable energy, call centres, banking, biotechnology, forestry, food, fishing..... to name a few other contributors to the Scottish economy off the top of my head.

And it says something about our wonderful UK government's competency and strategic thinking that over the recent year's of low oil prices, Norway has made millions from its oil, while the UK has paid out millions to the oil industry. and let's not get even started by the lack of a Sovereign Wealth Fund

As I've said before, it's an indictment of 300 years of the "Union" if a country with Scotland's natural resources is deemed unable to survive on its own. I can understand other arguments (indeed, I've used them myself in the past), such as wanting to be part of the UK (in the same way that 48% not taken in by the lies wanted to be part of the EU for all its faults) for all its faults but the economic one, I don't accept.

Because the only person here trying to ignore the existence of different cultures and histories is you that

The rest of us have no problem acknowledging and accepting other cultures exist within countries.

But if you really want to go back a few posts you'll find a few discussions on the disparate cultures within Germany at least.

It hasn't evolved because it was based on a flawed premise that even it's leaders didn't think would happen. They overplayed their hand (by making promises they can't keep) and now we're stuck in some bizarre groundhog day. Except it's going to be a ground hog 50 years.

Thats has just proven how ignorant unaware he/she really is.

The atrocities he/she mentions are exactly why increased cooperation are a good thing and helped drive the setting up of the EEC and its development into the EU - and why the UK's arrogance, thinking it is above all that, is a bad thing

I can assure you that the UK has so much more in common with Bulgaria, and the benefit of it not being on the other side of the world..

But nobody is suggesting we become a single unified nation with those countries of Asia - just trade with them.

Bingo

Prettybird
If the people of Scotland vote for independence, they would have my very best wishes for a prosperous future.