Westminstenders: The wrong homework

[HashiAsLarry]

I'm no rtb but I'll give it a shot, though her efforts deserve much more than me.

The August negotiation round has, well, fizzled out in much the same way as any other. It's taken over a year to get to written position papers and there's still no clue as to a direction from the UK government.

Japan, meanwhile, is about to sign off on a deal with the EU. A deal we want to copy.

@faisalislam
^but if post brexit britain's trade deal with third biggest economy in world is to be based on Brussels' deal, what about rest? TTIP? Canada?
...when PM signs off statements like this on primacy of EU-third party deals, one wonders how temporary the temporary customs union will be^

The NHS is now launching a drive to recruit foreign GPs, like the ones that have left thanks to Brexit. It's a good job they'll be £350m a week better off now. Oh hang on...

bigly I apologise for the poor art, but this is now how I imagine your parents

(paywall) Theresa May secretly agrees £50bn Brexit bill

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/theresa-may-secretly-agrees-50bn-brexit-bill-7ttbnc239

Theresa May is set to approve a politically explosive Brexit bill of up to £50bn
after the Conservative Party conference in October
in an effort to kickstart trade talks with the European Union.

Under plans being drawn up in Whitehall,
Britain would pay between £7bn and £17bn a year to Brussels for three years after Brexit
before ending sizeable direct payments into EU coffers in time for the 2022 general election.
< the UK's future trade to be dependent on Tory GE plans >

But May and her Brexit secretary, David Davis, risk accusations that they are keeping their intentions secret to protect the prime minister from attacks by Eurosceptics
at a conference where she will fight to re-establish credibility.

...... senior Tories say Britain will open with a bid of £20bn-£30bn after May’s conference speech on October 4,
to try to strike a deal in the two-week window before an EU summit in Brussels on October 19.

A close ally of May has privately admitted that the final bill could rise by £20bn because the UK’s negotiating position was weakened when the prime minister lost her majority at the general election.
“We were looking at a final bill of £20bn to £30bn, now it will be nearer £50bn,” the source said.

By staggering the final bill over three years,
ministers hope to argue that the payments are about the same level as the current annual payment of £13.1bn after the UK’s rebate has been applied.
....
While the final bill would not be agreed until the end of negotiations,
thrashing out the broad terms would allow the chief EU negotiator, Michel Barnier, to authorise the start of substantive talks on the UK’s trading relationship with Brussels in October.

Thanks everyone for the tips on taking children, starting at Green Park might work (the youngest is three).

missmoon
Plus, it's quite a nice park, with a lovely princess di fountain bit, you could have play time as part of the deal
www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/green-park

Hashi

It would make a lovely placard Hashi

It's not in German, but this can count towards my LH diet of 1 EU27 article a day. Merkel called out racism from Afd

A leading candidate for the party, Alexander Gauland, drew fire this week after he insulted Merkel’s integration minister, Aydan Ozoguz, over an op-ed she wrote questioning the nature of German culture. Ozoguz, 50, a Hamburg-born German citizen with Turkish roots, should be “dumped in Anatolia,” Gauland told a rally. The 76-year-old, who quit Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union for the AfD, later expressed regret for his choice of language

This statement about Minister Ozoguz is racist,” Merkel said. “You just can’t do that. And you have to say that this attempt to do it according to the same model every time first a provocation and then backing off a little bit speaks for itself and shows what kind of spirit is behind the authors of such smear tactics

A number of Merkel’s campaign appearances have been disrupted by protesters from the AfD, which has gained support by denouncing Merkel’s open-border refugee policy, especially in the former communist east

You have to live with it,” Merkel said of the protests. “It’s democracy.

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-29/behind-merkel-s-100-minutes-of-platitudes-lie-clues-to-strategy

Debate tonight and she's on 17 point lead.

One of the best things about the last march was the gathering in Parliament Square and the speakers, The labour "he's lying" MEP -sorry forget his name- Campbell, Lammy and Clegg all spoke sense to massive cheers, it was so reassuring to be with so many who shared those feelings. The Police really appreciated the atmosphere of respect towards them and to their fallen colleague after the Westminster attack.

For those worried about taking children, this was as we passed Downing Street, someone had "All You need is love" on a loudspeaker.

Sadly I can't make this one as I will be being embarrassed to be British in Asia again......

Re the partition article,

I have heard it said that a neat way to solve a lot of problems would be for England and Wales to secede from the UK (and leave the EU) and for NI and Scotland to be the UK and remain in the EU.

Would solve the NI / Ireland border issue and shut up those rebellious Scots

ron I remember someone on a balcony on Whitehall playing 'All you need is love'. It just felt so apt.
LH I believe I may actually have seen you and Mrs LH.
I agree about bringing children. London is actually very child friendly on the whole.
What felt really important to me is that there were lots of EU visitors who could witness that many of us don't agree with Brexshit.
To anyone outside London who is anxious about coming, I'm more than happy to meet you somewhere, just PM me.

Yes good idea, ItsAll.

The March march (!) must have been very easy to police. It was so placid and good-natured.

I have heard it said that a neat way to solve a lot of problems would be for England and Wales to secede from the UK (and leave the EU) and for NI and Scotland to be the UK and remain in the EU.

Noooooo!!! Then I would need to move to Scotland. I do love Scotland, but I don't think I could cope with the dark winters.

Now I'm not saying the protest is pointless, far from it, but one needs to be realistic in one's expectations.

We have seen how ignoring those protest marches caused Labour credibility to be poisoned for a long time. In fact I would argue the only reason Corbyn did so well is because he's not tainted by "nu-labour" and Iraq. Lots of anti-Brexit protests put the conservatives, especially remain and lukewarm leavers, in an awkward position.

It was a lovely atmosphere in March . Happy to be a pushchair assistant too.

German debate is astonishing. Both candidates arguing about how best to accommodate vulnerable refugees. I should be a Schultz person, but want the strongest to win, still hoping that's Merkel. Shultz is good on attacking Erdogan, haven't heard that from the tories.

Live in English here.
www.dw.com/en/media-center/live-tv/s-100825

I agree Quentin ignoring the protests got 'awkward'.

German debate is astonishing. Both candidates arguing about how best to accommodate vulnerable refugees.

I was just reading up on Shultz and feeling very jealous. Just imagine being in a situation where you are actually choosing the best candidate rather than the least worst.

bigly Watching this debate is like watching a science fiction programme set in a distant galaxy, where both candidates are arguing for equal opportunities, pension rights and how to deal with fascists.

And they look and sound normal, and aren't inciting racial hatred.

It's weird.

Worth noting: we’ve now moved on from foreign policy, and this is how many times Brexit has been mentioned: null The Guardian.

Sorry for quick thread de-rail , but has anyone else seen the He-man/Skeletor dirty dancing ad ? Please tell me it was a British ad agency so I can feel proud !

LH I believe I may actually have seen you and Mrs LH.

Whose hair was longer ...

www.farminguk.com/News/British-agriculture-could-be-sacrificed-in-interest-of-free-trade-report-states_47294.html

woman I'm enjoying a GE where both main candidates are respected and highly qualified for office;
they discuss policies intelligently without pandering to Murdoch, without demonising immigrants or those on benefits

I'll be happy whoever wins

The system here means there will be leisurely coalition talks afterwards, to agree policy, then a new govt will be formed around December

Minford, the Brexiters economist, blithely expects UK farming and also manufacturing to disappear

I was surprised that didn't upset Leave voters
All worth it for Sunny Uplands / Britain Unchained ?

So if UK farming disappears who is going to look after the countryside?