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...

Ds1 is currently studying animal farm.....

www.theregister.co.uk/2017/09/08/european_court_must_rule_on_legality_of_uks_mass_surveillance_tribunal_says/

wtf ?

I know that friends who work in the industry (lots of technical and legal friends in telecoms/ISP companies from when I worked in telecoms) who had/still have grave concerns about this bulk data collection on a number of grounds - both Human Rights/right to privacy and practicality.

Their comments include the point that we are increasing our risk by gathering data indiscriminately. We've just increased the size of the haystack significantly and reduced the size of the needle.

IPSA is in on the attempt to get names of members of ERG. Labour is also pushing for names of members of ERG. Channel 4 news producer tried to get names of members of ERG.

European Research Group.^

www.ft.com/content/266e996a-948f-11e7-a9e6-11d2f0ebb7f0
Theresa May to lay out Brexit transition plan in Europe speech
UK prime minister will then deliver tougher message to Conservative party conference

Theresa May, UK prime minister, is planning to use a major speech in Europe this month to set out her proposals for a “no cliff-edge” Brexit transition deal, with ministers saying any interim agreement must be “as close as possible” to current relations.

While that message will resonate well with business and Brussels, Mrs May will deliver a much tougher missive to the Conservative party conference a few days later, promising Eurosceptics that her end goal is still to deliver a “clean” Brexit.

Ian Dunt‏*@IanDunt*
This is hilarious. May to promise close transition in Brussels speech, then clean Brexit in Tory conference speech
Just as well no-one's invented TV yet, Theresa, or your idea would make no sense.
"They saw it on the TV?? FUCK. We've been fucking rumbled"

Ephraim Gadsby‏*@sobanoodle*

Maybe this is a blind alley. Seriously, though, how can anyone sentient not sympathise with Barnier right now? He's dealing with morons.

What was that in the Conservative Home Review of the Election campaign where there's a quote from a Tory MP who said that no sentient being would response to the canvasing script sent by CCHQ?

May insists she is not robotic but time and again doesn't treat the electorate as sentient.

Andrew Lilico‏*@andrew*_lilico
Remember folks: Any restriction UK floats for EU=Wicked & unconscionable; Any restriction EU says for UK=Justifed & inevitable given Brexit

Pete North‏*@PeteNorth303*

1. This is a perfect example of why Brexiteers cannot get to grips with the exit process. It's a conceptual misapprehension (thread)
2. Restrictions that the UK float are fine if they are not in direct contradiction with reality - and most of them are so far.
3. Just about every UK proposal is blissfully unaware of the EU's political, but more importantly, legal & technical constraints.
4. EU restrictions are more to do with matters of EU and international law and systems compatibility.
5. The EU is not in a position to make concessions that will set wholly new precedents or show preferential treatment.
6. It cannot do anything that will substantially threaten the integrity of single market systems or fall foul of WTO/EU rules.
7. If concessions require changes to the EU constitution then that can only be done with a new treaty. Not gonna happen.
8. Even if the EU wanted to rewrite its own DNA for the sole benefit of the UK, the member states wouldn't oblige. The system is what it is.

10. So really any UK proposals have to be mindful of how they sit in the stack of rules, laws and systems - and the consequences therein. 11. There are intractable dilemmas that the Brexiteers are ignoring assuming that the EU can and will back down at the last minute. 12. They think it is simply the EU being inflexible and unwilling to negotiate. That is to misunderstand the process entirely. 13. There is every reason to expect that the EU will be entirely flexible if a proposal is technically achievable and realistic. 14. But proposals that require the EU to break its rules and grant unprecedented exemptions cannot be taken seriously at all. 15. The EU has a system for the treatment of third countries and anything more than that carries certain obligations and commitments. 16. The Brexiteers, however, are demanding all the rights and none of the responsibilities - and they want it all for free. 17. Which is ironic in that this is exactly what Conservatives preach about to others regarding their conduct. 18. This all explains the EU's present state of bewilderment and exasperation - which is now turning to outright mockery 19. The Tories have so completely misconceptualised the process that they haven't a hope of presenting a workable strategy. 20. This is because they treat the EU with suspicion and have demonised it as the playground bully looking to fleece Britain. 21. If that were true, the Tory approach would make a lot of sense. But it isn't, so it doesn't - and so here we are. Getting nowhere at all

If anyone is worried because they don't know what govt policy is on Brexit:
Don't worry, the govt don't know either

..... um hang on, I think we should really all worry about that

Someone upthread mentioned an interview with old Rompy when he said the UK could have whatever they wanted if they paid enough money
< now we know DD has been listening to a fellow idiot >

OK, now we know Trompy's a whore
but before DD starts negotiating his price for the UK to have a quick shag, remember Rompy is a retired old whore and like many retired civil servants can now express his personal opoinions.
He doesn't represent any significant EU opinion, certainly not anyone with power to influence negotiations.

People rarely talk about Brexit here, but when they do, nearly all the concern has been for the UK & E27 expats, a little on trade and none on the bill.
Recently, people have realised the NI border issue, so there is great sympathy for Ireland as a whole and a determination to prioritise maintaining the peace there

Ooh what's this?
FT EMBARGO ALERT Attention Newsdesks #tomorrowspaperstoday

Neil Henderson‏Verified account
@hendopolis
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FT EMBARGO ALERT Attention Newsdesks #tomorrowspaperstoday

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-monica-poletti/eu-referendum-conservative-voters_b_17924942.html
Blue Grassroots: Conservative Party Members In The Aftermath Of The Brexit Referendum

Some cracking figures here.

44% of members over 65.
6% aged 18 - 25.

A bad winter could decimate the Tory party membership.....

reaction.life/brexit-boris-fired-can-rise/
Is Brexit Boris about to be fired or can he rise again?
By Iain Martin Times Columnist.

You can't kill the undead with the flu.

😂

Let's swamp social media with messages like #Corbyn4FluVaccinations
Should dent Tory party numbers after winter

Well, that Krishnan Guru Murthy interview with Suella Fernandez made her look like a complete idiot or/and a bit dodgy.

She said that the European Research Group were supporting the Gov't in Brexit. That it had been in place for a long time (Hmm, what was it up to before the ref supporting the gov't in Brexit). The members were on record, the record of the ERG, that is. KGM asked where were the records and shouldn't we all know the names as it is funded by public money. It really did sound like a secret society. These 40 MP's ruling the country behind the scenes.

Suella Fernandes makes me want to mute the tv.

A little bit more on the ERG. And CRC.

www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/james-cusick-adam-ramsay-crina-boros/revealed-tory-mps-using-taxpayers-cash-to-fund-sec

Krishnan has been playing a blinder recently. But, what is terrifying is that C4News do seem to be the only news channel challenging Brexiters.

I'd put money on my MP being involved with ERG. Good to know this is how he uses public funds whilst all our local services are shutting down.

Am I right in remembering that you are in Philip Davies' constituency Bolshy ? He was certainly one of the parliamentarian co-signatories of an ERG letter, which does somewhat suggest that he is a member. (Someone posted either a link to it or a photo of it earlier in this thread)

The embargoed bit of FT front page was presumably the EU's plan to tax US tech giants' revenues

twitter.com/FT/status/906291841229877252 (sorry, the computer is not playing ball, so I can't post the image - you'll have to go to the tweet)

It couldn't possibly be May's attempt to woo young voters because no one would take that seriously

Someone was trying to crowd source a list of erg members. Sam Coates Times has link on his timeline to spreadsheet of names.

It's a whos who of the usual suspects. I bet you could easily think of 10 - 20 names you think would be on it and are.

It's not exactly a list that will make you shocked at any name on it.

It's all the people who would quite happily put women in the kitchen, remove birth control and ban abortion, bring back workhouses, institutionalise the disabled, bring back the death penalty, end the NHS, remove all benefit, criminalise unions, remove all rights and reintroduce slavery without any shame or idea of why progress has been a good thing.

Basically if it's a MP into any of these, the are in ERG to a man.

It might be like a secret society but its a club of the biggest political arseholes and unpleasant MPs you can think of. And there's no secret about that.