Westministenders: Groundhog Day

[RedToothBrush]

Groundhog day is 2nd Feb.

Its also today. And yesterday. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before. And the day before.

We have all turned into Bill Murray.

That's Brexit in the UK.

The only progress seems to be linguistic gymnastics not policy.

No action has been implemented, we are still on words going nowhere.

Tick tock, tick tock.

That's rather good. I must check out the Chris Grey blog.

Very good also:

http://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.de/2018/02/britains-brexit-self-punishment.html

… Brexiters are now locked into an endless tricycling around three different modes of conduct.

There’s the Pollyannaish naivety of ‘it will all get sorted out by German car makers’;
the bullish aggression of ‘no deal’ Ultras;
and the outraged self-pity of ‘punishment’.

Sometimes all three modes are on display at the same time.
What is never on display from the Brexiters is any kind of practical plan to deliver what they want.

That is fundamentally because what they want is undeliverable – in essence, undiluted political nationalism as well as undiluted economic globalism
…
Whilst Brexiters keep going through the same old loops the rest of the world is trying, as forcefully as it can, to get them to realise this.

Michel Barnier professes himself mystified that Britain will not make (and apparently doesn’t understand) the choices it needs to make.

This is the nearest that diplomacy-speak can come to telling the government of another country that it appears to have gone completely round the twist. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thanks for the new thread Red.

BigChoc no need to apologise for being grumpy - just seeing BJ makes me grumpy and I have no crutches.

I keep wondering if maybe I really am just a really sore loser remainer (just been listening to a Brexiteer on the radio). Then see something else about the negotiation or come on here and realise it's a rational response.

What happens if there is no transition deal ?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/14/dover-could-suffer-20-mile-permanent-traffic-jam-after-brexit

David Dingle, the chairman of Maritime UK, said
lorry drivers could be stuck on the main approach roads to Dover for up to two days if there was no deal for a transition.

Referring to police procedures put in place to prevent gridlock on Kent’s roads, Dingle said:
“You could have a permanent Operation Stackk* for 20 miles, it [the traffic] will just sit there.

Saw this comment on a friend's timeline about the shooting last night:

I've just been reading comments from Americans on the subject saying things like, "Why does this keep happening to us?", "Why only in America?", "What on earth can we do to stop this?"

The solution is literally kicking their faces in and they still can't see it.

Nothing will change, more "thoughts", more "prayers", and in a month's time tens of thousands of gun mad crackpots will be crying that it was fake news created by Obama to discredit the NRA.

Soooo many parallels with the self-delusion of the Brexiters and their blaming of others for the entirely foreseen negative consequences

sing I have always been impatient with stupidity, especially in high places
Brexit is taking us to realms of stupidity that I hadn't realised existed

Placemat king

Still following despite numerous name change...

I think this letter is a spoof (or is it?) - anyway I was wondering if I should post it to the Fantasies Solutions thread :

www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/14/reintroduce-national-service-to-get-the-crops-in

The recent difficulties of British farmers – migrant workers no longer wish to work in low-paid temporary jobs far from home, because a drop in the value of pound removes the only advantage – are not going to disappear

But there is an answer to this supply problem: national service. All students in tertiary education could be required to register for work in seasonal agriculture. Universities should organise their term times and vacations in accordance with the needs of the nearest agricultural areas.

Hmm, reads a bit like one of Viz's Top Tips to me but assuming it's genuine, why would young people who are overwhelmingly opposed to Brexit and also have to find summer jobs to fund their degree courses be willing to take part in "national service"?

The ERG say they exist to help educate any MP on the EU. So if they have a question they can ask them. Which smacks of feeding MPs propaganda to me. And also doesn't seem to have helped Nadine Dorries that much.

Like an externally funded anti-EU brainwashing group within parliament

When you say externally funded you actually mean funded by the taxpayer - this is “research” paid for out of the expenses which in turn is paid by us.

I wish that there was a way of educating politicians of all colours. Afterall Corbyn said at a meeting with labour mps that you can't be in the single market if you don't agree to be in the EU. Which is news to Norway.

The ERG education program would fail an Ofsted inspection.

The long summer vacs were originally designed just for that purpose, so that students could go back to the family farms to help get the crops in.

given JRM et al desire for a Singapore model, perhaps the national service is a consequence - I've always liked their model - you have the choice of armed services, police or civil defence(ambulance, fire, rescue)

Of course the rest of the world is asking itself ... If the British can't manage Brexit (which they said would be a doddle) then how will they manage anything more complex ?

Not that Brexiteers would know (or care) but the reintegration of Germany back in the 90s was an impressive political, economic and cultural masterpiece and left the rest of the world thinking ... those Germans certainly know what they are doing !

Article on the DUP and NI.

Of course, the Cons May acted with no responsibility either. In this carefully balanced situation, they make the DUP kingmakers.

"Why sit in Stormont making unpopular decisions about budgets and tedious policy decisions about those schools and hospitals when you can instead concentrate on Westminster? There, at least, you don’t have to share anything with Sinn Féin. And from there you can keep the whole of Europe waiting for you to give a limp thumbs up to Theresa May’s Brexit deal."

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/15/dup-responsibility-government-northern-ireland

Until 2011, Germany also had conscription - for young men only, not women.

The options were a short period of military service, iirc 1 year, or a longer service in Civil Protection: disaster relief, backup ambulance, fire staff etc

"given JRM et al desire for a Singapore model,"

How does that work? We cut the taxes and kill anyone earning under £50k to reduce net demand on social services?

DUP on Brexit: All bluster, no plan
So that fits in well with govt ministers

Sammy Wilson MPP @eastantrimmp*
The blackmailing burghers from Brussels and the cheap political opportunists in Dublin must meet a tough UK Government response.
In these negotiations, if the gloves are off, it is time we went into the fray with a no surrender attitude.

Hot off the press from YouGov ... it would be childish to suggest that the balance swung from Hope to Fear after Boris spoke (now there's an 80s revival for you .... to the tune of "When Smokey Sings" .... When Boris Speaks ... )

Drilling into the stats the most fearful are London based young Labour voters.

In a nod to MN, women appear to be more fearful than men ...

linky for the nerds ...

Londonmum The Ultras cutting dream of Singapore on Thames:

For Workers:
Cut rights: health & safety, working hours limits, paid holidays, unfair dismissal, the right to join unions
Cut out sick pay, maternity pay & leave
Cut wages
Cut work contracts: all go ZHC
Cut public services: nhs again, transport

For big business and the 1%
Cut taxes
Cut regulations: wrt workers rights, environment, product safety /consumer rights
Cut rights of shareholders to withhold bonuses from underperforming CEOs

Jo Maugham QC‏Verified account
@JolyonMaugham
We have a date for our appeal in the Inner House of the Court of Session in our case to establish that we are legally entitled to revoke Article 50: 21 February.