Westminstenders: Summer Season

[RedToothBrush]

No its not the weather making your brain rot and stop thinking.

Thats just Brexit.

It feels so surreal
If I wasn't collateral, I'd have a sneaking admiration for how effectively they've managed and are managing to pull this thing off. Almost perfectly executed.

frankiestein401 Thanks for that link. Definitely worthy of a thread in AIBU I would have thought.

Agree OYBBK. I expected MSM to analyse the notices in detail, tear them apart and "digest" them for the public i.e. explain what the impact would be and what the government should be doing. Instead they are tittering about Raab's sweaty forehead

I don't think there is a conspiracy to silence anything - it's not needed. I have to come to the conclusion that our media lacks knowledge, intelligence, critical thinking and guts. What have we done to deserve this government and this press?

Here’s one response on the BBC:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/science-environment-45303280

The beeb has utterly failed in it's mission as public broadcaster. The DCs and I used to watch it a lot. Not anymore. I've already paid the license fee for this year but won't next year unless they start doing journalism again.

Thanks Frankie. It is a sunny afternoon so I will browse later.
From a European point of view Brexit is hardly happening for the vast majority. OK, sales folks are probably redoubling their efforts and going to places other than the UK. Ports, airports and Eurostar infrastructure is being expanded. Companies with facilities in the UK are probably beavering away with their plans. I think this is the perfect opportunity to use the 'Gallic shrug'.
'Come with a hoop, come with a ball, come with a goodwill or not at all'. So that will be a UK 'fail' then.

From a European point of view Brexit is hardly happening for the vast majority.

European: "So, this Brexit. How much effect will it have on my daily living ?"
EU experts: "Hard to say exactly, but the EU is committed to ensuring it's as negligible as possible."
European: "Oh, OK then. On with life."

Sums up the situation, I think. Certainly what friends and family say. Unless anyone knows any different ?

I think Lille and Paris are having major building works (although some was planned years ago before the vote). There was a report with the manager of Rotterdam port saying he was having to expand the customs clearance area. Calais has a MASSIVE expanse being turned into a lorry part to the North/East of the port.
I believe a MNetter reported some traffic cones on the M20, which sums the situation up perfectly!

Any infrastructure expansion on the EU side is for their benefit. Not ours.

Not sure I understand why the Europeans having to spend many millions 'unnecessarily', due to Mr Cameron/Tory Gov being an arse should be a benefit to them. I presume they will submit the bill to the UK Gov at some point as I think I read somewhere that 'expenses due to leaving' are the responsibility of the country actually leaving.
Eurotunnel doesn't quite come out at Calais where the port is.
I could see the works on Google Earth.

Not sure I understand why the Europeans having to spend many millions 'unnecessarily', due to Mr Cameron/Tory Gov being an arse should be a benefit to them.

If they do it right, no reason not to. Bottom line is all the shipping and trade that goes through the UK could go into Europe directly.

I know it's hard for some folk to imagine, but not all governments operate like the UKs does. Some are actually quite good at forward planning and joined up thinking.

Facebook page Brexit Job Losses...

The German businesses that I know with UK component suppliers, started alternate sourcing right after the ref, so long before no-deal was a likely Brexit.

Not all E27 businesses were prepared to sit & wait for the terms of the deal, even back then - business hates uncertainty.
(much of UK business just closes its eyes and goes la la la)

The German tech firms in my field have already prepped by swapping from UK suppliers and also expanding sales efforts to non-EU countries to replace the expected drop in sales to the UK.

They've grabbed quite a few scientists & techies from the UK suppliers & unis, so brain drain is ramping up.

E27 countries have already invested billions, so no-deal is gaining momentum.

Both Barnier and then Selmayr gave prettty clear warnings over the last couple of months that EU businesses should start prepping

All this doesn't rule out a few key deals on issues already settled - without a Withdrawal Agreement,
e.g. essential medicines, expat rights - both issues that are worrying several of us here.

Depends how vengeful / stubborn / incompetent the UK govt is, whether such deals happen.

However, trade and transport of non-essential goods - i.e. the UK economy - depend on a WA and that requires agreement on NI border.

Prepping to help the RoI, the most vulnerable of the E27:

Those new massive ro-ro ferries I've posted about, the largest in the world, that have been switched to a service connecting the RoI with mainland Europe.
New port & motorway infrastructure being built in the RoI, with some EU budget support

Investing in infrastructure. Certainly not the English way.

There are exceptions however. Mr Bazlegette with his sewer system for London is still in use. Much of the old railway network was built to last, with the obvious naming of the trackbed being the 'Permanent Way'.
Quite a bit of the Victorian 'hardware' is still around, and the 'software' within Westminster too.

Yes, we are living to a surprising extent on what the Victorians built

• were they the only UK generations to seriously plan & build infrastucture to last since the Romans ?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-no-deal-blocked-conservative-party-nick-boles-a8507561.html

In summary
Rumoured 40 Tory MPs to oppose a no deal in parliament with a "humble address" i dont know what that is but whatever
This could force the goverment to extend negotiations.

I'm on the fence with this. I don't want an extension, the pound is falling, I want to call the whole thing off. But at the same time whaahey! DP can still get his meds in an extension.

Even if the Tory rebels finally pluck up courage to actually do something, instead of backing down as usual, they can't really force a deal:

• they can't force the govt to make the concessions necessary for a Withdrawal Agreement, primarily on the NI border

• even if they win a vote to order the govt to apply for an A50 extension, I'm not sure how binding that is

• and it certainly won't be binding on the E27: all 27 members have to unanimously agree to an extension and they probably won't unless they believe the UK genuinely intends to concede on NI.

• an uncooperative govt would continue to faff about doing nothing until the time runs out, including any extension

What the HoC could do:

Demand the UK agree emergency backstop / side deals on at least essential medicines and expats rights
in case no deal happens

The EU certainly would agree to this - although the UK may be holding expat rights as hostage / leverage -
and it would save time after Brexit, since this govt is likely to be equally incompetent after Brexit as before

At least if Barnier / Selmayr plan essential medicines, then that should be one emergency plan that actually works, unlike those plans that the UK govt tries to do on its own

Well this seems significant

@tom_watson
Today I called on the government to confirm the National Crime Agency is investigating Russian links to Leave.EU . If not, we need a public inquiry. It is time the British people were told whether the EU referendum result was stolen by the Russian state. #BylineFest