Westministenders: Money, money, money

[RedToothBrush]

The big developments are that the government have signalled they are prepared to pay more and to involve the ECJ when it comes to citizens rights on condition that we move to talk of trade. But no apparent progress on NI. Which is significant with Ireland threatening to veto.

The EU has not changed its stance at all. Since Day 1.

There is always a worrying omission and lack of commitment to retain the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The bonfire begins.

Talk is of Green still going in a reshuffle, possibly with Gove replacing him as Deputy PM.

Coalition talks in Germany have broken down, and the British have got excited about it, whilst the German response have largely been a slight shrug.

Its been a much quieter week, despite the budget. Thank goodness. There are lots of outstanding issues that are lurking in the background like the Green one though.

The main message coming from the budget, has not been any new policy, but the dreadful economic forecast for the next few years.

@usuallydormant

Agree with that assessment.

@Motheroffourdragons

Why would the UK fall apart if NI were say an special economic zone inside the SM/CU?

Is it because Scotland would demand the same, leading to INDYREF2 and a near certainty of a Scottish Leave vote in that instance?

I think special treatment for NI is a dumb idea BTW. Just asking why you think this.

My entry: South Africa 2035

I'm hoping by that point Scotland will be independent, a member or candidate member of the EU or a member of EFTA and therefore any such free trade deals will not be relevant for us it may however mean a hard border with the England, something which wasn't expected during the Indyref campaign

East Coast rail 'bailout' could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions

Unions and Labour criticise government as Virgin Trains East Coast’s contract is terminated three years early
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/29/east-coast-rail-franchise-terminated-three-years-early-virgin-trains

I can't believe this! After the last renationalisation of the franchise in 2009, the East Coast mainline worked brilliantly. Then the Tories decided that despite local resistance, it needs to be a franchise. And there it is, it needs bailing out again. What a shower these Tories are!

Why would the UK fall apart if NI were say an special economic zone inside the SM/CU?

Because inconveniently, NI is part of the U K (tries hard to surppress bitter laugh)

The only way you could have NI inside it's own SM/CU bubble is to remove it (or allow it to secede) from the U K. Something at least one political party - the D U P was constituted to specifically prevent/avoid.

If nothing else, the horror of a DUP run NI with no Westminster oversight might be the spark which starts a full fledged Irish reunion.

Many, many years ago, out drinking, I was introduced to a cousin of my housemate, who had travelled over from somewhere in the Republic. He was quite fun, and we had some craic, and I was described as "not bad for a proddy dog" as I recall. My housemate made a joke about my knowing the 6 counties, and the cousin asked if I'd like to learn the counties of the South. I said I would, and he said:

"Well, take the six you know, and add Cork, Kerry ....", before cracking up with laughter.

Lovely guy. But it was interesting to note how some people felt, bearing in mind he's my generation.

Also I was told "Derry", not "Londonderry" ...

Pauline Watson has lived in UK for over 50yrs

Another heartbreaking story caused by May's "hostile environment".

Yet May has the gall to parade how she is the daughter of a vicar at every turn. I do wonder if her Bible has big chunks of the gospels missing - the bits about welcoming strangers, feeding the hungry etc.

If the common travel area/CU/SM is to continue in Ireland and NI, then a hard sea border would mean that there would be restrictions on the movement of UK citizens within the UK.

I don't think NI would be part of the UK in that situation. It would be some sort of weird enclave like the Belgian/French/Dutch have. Or the Isle of Man ? (which I never really understood ....)

If NI is run from Westminster, it will have to follow whatever the rest of the UK has to suck up.

@Motheroffourdragons

Logical conclusion which I share in a rational realm.

But this clusterfuck called Brexshit has nothing rational about it. So anything seems possible.

The cleanest solution is simply a cancellation after the British people revolt. That's what I'm hoping for: the 33% of Leavers who are not hardcore changing their minds and an opportunistic Labour party that gets behind the trend.

I do wonder if her Bible has big chunks of the gospels missing

The most overblown book in history. Tens of books, hundreds of pages thousands of words just to say:

Be nice to each other

And it seems she can't even get that right.

My entry for the trade deal sweepstake:

Saudi Arabia - tomorrow

Well, those Yemenis won't bomb themselves.

And of course if NI was no longer part of the Uk there would have to be some kind of vote on that

Have to ?

If we've learned one thing this past year, it's how to avoid voting.

Posted too soon ... wanted to add the comment that the whole point of Brexit was to regain parliamentary sovereignty.

What better demonstration can there be than telling NI to fuck off irrespective of what they might want. After all, the UK has done it before, as any tourist to Diego Garcia would tell you. If there were any.

Hasenstein I think you have won the sweepstakes.

Hopefully now the "Brexit Bill" parameters are being agreed the finer details on citizens rights can be settled and agreement to roll final Irish border trade settlement into trade talks can be made and a lot of the uncertainty will end.

We need considerably more than hope, howabout. May for a start needs a crash course in history. Then she needs to get over to Belfast and get stuck in to discussing with the people there, instead of running off to Saudi Arabia, to sell them weapons with which to slaughter more Yeminis.

Beth Rigby‏
@BethRigby

PM spokesperson on Trump tweet; “Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddles lies and stokes tensions. The British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudice of BF that is the antithesis of the values of our country”

Beth Rigby
@BethRigby

NEW: PM spokesperson on Trump Britain First tweet: “It is wrong for the president to have done this”

Oh but plans for state visit remain in place

Its a shambles

Probably the manchild in me, but if whoever it is that accepts new words into the dictionary, like "omnishambles", announced in 2018 that the word for 2017 was "Brexit" with a spectacularly unflattering description, it would be a (poor) consolation.

I love the idea that any enormous, predicted but initiated clusterfuck is forever going to be called "a Brexit".

Hey ! Marty. Whatever happened when you went fishing on the ice with dynamite ?

Hell, Bill. You know, it was a real Brexit