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Brexit

Westministenders: Stalling for Time

963 replies

RedToothBrush · 12/05/2018 14:32

After 14 defeats, the Withdrawal Bill exited the Lords. In much worse condition than anyone dared to predicted.

Now we have those who were viciously against Lords reform, all of a sudden shouting about how much we desperately need it. Well fancy that. Tradition isn't so attractive if you aren't getting your own way.

Daniel Hannan has suddenly admitted that Brexit is not 'going to plan' (there was one?) and Johnson is still his weekly resignation threat.

It now throws things back into Corbyn's court. The Tory Rebel Forces think that they have the numbers to stay in the Single Market, but are blocked by Corbyn's opposition to it.

The decision on the customs union has effectively been pushed back to the Autumn by May, but we have to make a decision about the Irish border by June or trade talks won't go ahead as planned.

The trouble is that the Cabinet can not decide on which option they want to take, but neither is particularly viable anyway. Max Fac means a border in the Irish Sea which the DUP won't like and the Customs Partnership isn't acceptable to the Empire Tories. In any case it seems unlikely that either option could get through the Commons in their current form due to the growing number of Tory Rebel Forces.

May also has a problem with the grass roots. It is more or less impossible for her to deliver the Brexit they desire whatever she tries.

The growing backlash about the hostile environment also undermines the point of Brexit in reducing immigration. Its is growing apparent, WHY we need immigration and that the people who are being targeted for deportation are simply the easiest to pick off and not the ones that people see as 'a problem'. Indeed you have to wonder about how many immigrants ARE a problem. The idea to control immigration after Brexit was not through the border but through the hostile environment, yet this seems now to be something that will be impossible to continue with politically.

Leave.EU have now been referred to the police for breaking Electoral Law. It also turns out that they found numerous ways to beat the spending limit legally. The female data controller has also been found to have data protection law. Meanwhile Banks and Wigmore as well as Nix (CA and SCL), Cummings (Vote Leave) and Silvester (AIQ) have all been summoned to appear because the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. Zuckerberg also does not appear to have completed his answers to the committee as Facebook have had their homework deadline extended to Monday (and has been asked to appear by the 24th May whilst he is in Europe).

Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Dates
Electoral Commission - Tuesday 15th May
Silvester - Wednesday 16th May
Cummings / Nix - Summoned to appear Tuesday 22nd May
Banks / Wigmore - Tuesday 16th June

Also in parliament in next weeks is and interesting looking ten minute rule bill named 'Representation of the People (Gibraltar)' - Tuesday 15th May

Anyway, we are all set for the predictable 'who blinks first' brinkmanship with the UK aware that if the EU don't blink we go over the cliff and parliament aware that if May delays long enough she bypasses parliamentary democracy or put it in a position with a gun to its head.

Who is looking forward to this year's 'row of the summer'?
It could be a long, hot summer.

Anyway, I want France to win Eurovision and the UK to get some points and not come last. Its not going to happen is it?

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BigChocFrenzy · 01/06/2018 16:40

7 June could be a big day for NI women - fingers crossed for that decision goes the NIHRC way - and then that Arlene doesn't block it, or delay forever.
Most NI people are in favour of some abortion liberalisation, just the politicians holding them back.

RedToothBrush · 01/06/2018 16:46

Spain's PM has been forced to resign in a corruption scandal.

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DGRossetti · 01/06/2018 16:48

Spain's PM has been forced to resign in a corruption scandal.

And Italy appears to have got a new government ....

BigChocFrenzy · 01/06/2018 19:26

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-29/eu-said-to-mull-tougher-warning-on-no-deal-brexit-if-talks-stall

The European Union is weighing a much stronger warning on the risk of Brexit talks collapsing without a deal if the U.K. fails to lay out its position in more detail next month,
said a person familiar with the matter.

BigChocFrenzy · 01/06/2018 19:27

German news:

European regulators are aware that preparations for Brexit “demand considerable expenses, resources, time and effort,”
and may require the modification of millions of contracts,

German Deputy Finance Minister Joerg Kukies said at a conference in Frankfurt.

BigChocFrenzy · 01/06/2018 20:33

Brexiters are talking rubbish (as usual) about a Swiss-type Brexit (Quelle Surprise)

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/eu-negotiations_would-the-swiss-model-suit-a-post-brexit-britain/42128110

Around 55% of Swiss exports head to the EU (6% of EU exports go to Switzerland),
but the Swiss government has itself admitted
that “the existing barriers to market access place Switzerland at an economic disadvantage”

“With no legal certainty on EU market access, the cross-border activities of Swiss banks are in a (legally) grey area,
i.e. Swiss financial intermediaries can only expand their EU business by way of subsidiaries in the EU,
which means that Switzerland loses out in terms of jobs, value creation and tax receipts.

This also makes it difficult to obtain economies of scale and thus a more cost-effective handling of financial services,”
it said in 2009.

“Moreover, financial intermediaries incur substantial extra costs when they have to use subsidiaries.

Finally, there are also restrictions with respect to the selling of products.
Even the foreign branches of Swiss institutions are affected by this and are restricted in sales and distribution of financial products developed in Switzerland.”

QuestaVecchiaCasa · 01/06/2018 21:07

Kate Hoey facing mandatory reselection it seems:
twitter.com/nickdearden75/status/1002286480692215808

RedToothBrush · 01/06/2018 22:57

She's 71.

I doubt she cares.

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CardinalSin · 02/06/2018 00:46

Brilliant tweet from James O'Brien!

"David Davis seems to take every suggestion that things couldn’t possibly get worse as a personal challenge."

BigChocFrenzy · 02/06/2018 09:07

Grin ""David Davis seems to take every suggestion that things couldn’t possibly get worse as a personal challenge." Grin

BigChocFrenzy · 02/06/2018 09:25

Back to the drawing board as David Davis admits Irish border plan won't work

Baldric's latest plan sank without trace, about 12 hours after being floated

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/davis-u-turn-leaves-brexiteers-irish-border-plan-in-crisis-zvm2v792n

David Davis has conceded that surveillance technology cannot be used to police the Northern Ireland border
in a major climbdown that leaves Brexiteers’ favoured customs plan in disarray.

Pressure from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and concerns over civil liberties mean that
a key part of the Brexit secretary’s blueprint to deal with the border has had to go back to the drawing board
— with a crucial EU summit less than four weeks away.

Mr Davis is understood to have indicated this week that he would not push for solutions that involved monitoring or surveillance to track goods.
This could have included asking businesses that regularly trade across the UK border to install British government smartphone tracking apps
< Uk govt & smart apps - what could go wrong ? >

BigChocFrenzy · 02/06/2018 09:28

PSNI have been playing a very responsible role, refusing to accept policing the plans by Baldric.

lonelyplanetmum · 02/06/2018 10:08

Uk govt & smart apps - what could go wrong ?

Like the EU citizen registration app that only worked on a vintage Blackberry or something?

BigChocFrenzy · 02/06/2018 10:25

Well, it wouldn't work on Apple gadgets, now used by well over 50% of the population
iirc it would work on Samsung

Plonkysaurus · 02/06/2018 10:31

Labour consults on plan for major NHS restructuring

www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/02/labour-consults-on-plan-for-major-nhs-restructuring?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard

Not sure how I feel about this. NHS reforms do need to happen, clearly, and good to see some ambition/steps away from austerity. But is this Labour's big plan to get elected? What about reversing the massive elephant in the room? I can't see that the NHS could survive without addressing this other thing first...

HesterThrale · 02/06/2018 11:32

plonky I agree.
But is this Labour's big plan to get elected? What about reversing the massive elephant in the room? I can't see that the NHS could survive without addressing this other thing first...

The other massive elephant that needs to be addressed is JC. I sadly suspect they can't get elected with him as leader. If they could, surely they'd be riding much higher in the polls?

BigChocFrenzy · 02/06/2018 12:09

mobile.twitter.com/BorderIrish/status/1001754160021327872

"You cannot say ... we'd prefer to negotiate with a different type of EU than the one that's there.
It's the one that's there that you're trying to leave." 🤦🏻‍♀️

John Bruton (Taoiseach in the 1990s)

lonelyplanetmum · 02/06/2018 12:20

Why isn't the country in complete uproar about this...

in a major climbdown that leaves Brexiteers’ favoured customs plan in disarray

These are our elected representatives. Their persistent agitating in government caused the referendum in the first place.

Then they push and push and push for their preferred solution.

If they had their way that's what we'd all be spending billions to implement. Then in the 11 th hour they concede it won't work.

In any other job a group who caused trouble, got what they wanted and then couldn't make it work, would be subject to disciplinary proceedings and dismissal for incompetence.

DGRossetti · 02/06/2018 13:28

Anyone catch HIGNFY yesterday ?

Henning Wehns take on a 2nd referendum was sadly very persuasive ... suggesting that a 2nd referendum would simply deliver the same result.

That said, what would happen if remain wins 51/49 ?????

SwedishEdith · 02/06/2018 13:51

I kind of agree with Henning Wehn's point except he wasn't right about
attitudes to immigration. UK attitudes are becoming less anti-immigration (according to research by Rob Ford). But that could, of course, be because people who are pro-Brexit think immigration will lessen so are less concerned about it.

I'm not sure what I think about a 2nd ref but I agree with pushing for one as it, at least, shows resistance.

prettybird · 02/06/2018 13:55

That's pretty much what Ivan Rodgers said too Sad

SwedishEdith · 02/06/2018 13:59

Oh, and HW said that no-one would admit they'd changed their minds. Well, a) you don't have to "admit" anything in a secret ballot and b) it's the previous non-voters that either side wants to win over really.

lonelyplanetmum · 02/06/2018 14:02

attitudes to immigration. UK attitudes are becoming less anti-immigration (according to research by Rob Ford).

Except all it takes is a terrorist event usually from a home grown terrorist and illogically attitudes swing back like a pendulum.

Which is why decisions should be made based on the many economic expert reports showing the long term benefits of immigration and not based on popular sentiment and ignorance.

SwedishEdith · 02/06/2018 14:13

Here's a summary of his study. It's not swinging like a pendulum, it's a general trend.

medium.com/@robfordmancs/how-have-attitudes-to-immigration-changed-since-brexit-e37881f55530

lonelyplanetmum · 02/06/2018 15:00

That study is really interesting. Windrush helped the trend too I guess.