Westministenders: Deadline Day #1

[RedToothBrush]

We have hit another Deadline Day.

As it stands, the EU are looking for more progress. May is digging in her heels by suggesting there is new a requirement for backstop to a backstop. The backstop to all intents and purposes is the GFA. So May is saying in effect, that the EU are forcing her to put in provisions to protect an international agreement we are signed up to, and if we breech it we risk peace in NI.

After lots of noise it seems that the Cabinet have decided to stick by May. For now.

The EU look like they are talking as if their meeting next month will exclude the UK and just go straight to No Deal planning.

There is also other talk of alternatives to allow the UK to stay in the customs union. But theres not much to that and it still doesn't solve the ERG and the DUP problem.

May is vastly unestimating how much the ERG and the DUP want to break the GFA. Which is a huge misjudgment.

There is also talk of the final final Deadline Day actually being Dec 13. For various reasons its not. Thats 29th March.

So Wednesday is Deadline Day #1. Expect more.

Institute for Govt:
What the govt needs to do to prepare for Brexit

A very detailled - and alarming - chart of what needs to be done and what hasn't been:

The "further engagement required" column could be renamed "we're screwed here"

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/charts/what-government-needs-do-prepare-no-deal-brexit

"he’s 74 and the perfect Leaver demographic of white, male, wealthy and older."

Purely anecdotal but, I know several stubborn Leavers, who still believe in Brexit:

3 are foreign born (Pakistan, India, Iraq), 2 have foreign parentage (Italian, Indian), one who is white English and one Danish woman who couldn't vote but would have voted leave if she had been allowed to .

What they ALL have in common: all of them own at least one property outright and several own and rent out additional properties. They are all very well off. Strange isn't it?

What they also have in common is fear of foreigners. Those who are originally from Asia have expressed negative feeling toward Eastern Europeans, the Danish and half Italian leave voters 'fear' that there are too many low-skilled immigrants in the UK. Ironic, isn't it?

What this leads me to conclude is that the right wing, anti-immigrant rhetoric in the media is influencing many segments, including people who are immigrants themselves.

The white english leave voter I know is the least xenophobic and nicest out of the group above. For her it's purely about local identity: the right to feel and be proudly English. It's all very confusing to me.

If you are serious about prepping, where's the electricity for the freezer coming from

I know DGR I think I’m going to do both. Have some camping style Spaghetti Bols and curry’s. I’ve got a camping stove that might last me for a month if I’m lucky.

I’ll stock up the freezer too though, I’m really hopeful the power won’t go out.

If you do have a genny, make sure no one else knows. (Although how you keep it a secret when it's running will be a challenge).

Obviously stockpiling fuel needs some thought ...

How proud to be English is she feeling now? Does she think Brexit is enhancing the world's view of us or diminishing it?

Purely anecdotal but, I know several stubborn Leavers, who still believe in Brexit

I seriously struggle to understand some Leavers. I have an ex colleague who loathes the bureaucracy of the EU. Voted leave and carried out her long term plan of living in Spain. I just don’t get it.

I think a lot of Leavers just want to yell “you’re not the boss of me” It seems to be an authoritarian very individualistic reaction.

Sorry that was to @WoodenCupCake

Thanks again, Red. They're coming thick and fast now!

Let's hope Saturday's demo fills a whole thread on its own.

If you do have a genny, make sure no one else knows

Wood burner only. I don’t think I’ll go the genny route. If the power goes I think I could middle through for a week. I store the wood outside though. I am wondering if I will have to lug it all inside or it might all get nicked.

The French drafting laws preparing for a no deal..

twitter.com/kimwillsher1/status/1052469712343486465?s=19

That French draft law is brutal for UK citz. We all knew this was coming but it is horrible to see.

KennDodd i don't know I haven't seen her in a while. I also wonder how she feels about this cluster f* and if she feels it will all be worth it.

We are starting to prep a little but it's so expensive to buy lots of cupboard foods, so it's all sitting in my online basket. I can't quite make myself to complete the order without buying lots of tin foil as well as doing so feels as if I am catastrophising and a bit unreasonable. Not sure if that makes sense.

This morning I had a conversation with DH where we said that if there is more than 4 weeks of food shortages during which we may be able to feed our family but not with a balanced, healthy diet, we (or at least the kids and I) will pack up and leave the country, if thats possible. I will not let the dc to experience food poverty if I can at all help it.

We were also discussing to change some of our little savings into foreign currency, not sure whether we should do dollars or Euros. Probably Euro as we'd move to the EU.

Adding tinned olives to my stash.

I think to be fair on the French, that "draft bill" is merely highlighting the current legal consequences of a No-deal Brexit and identifying areas where new laws/regulations will be required.

But as the replies point out, they will expect reciprocity from the UK before they go to that effort.

The UK can generate just about enough electricity on it's own so IF it could not source the remainder from the EU (essentially France) due to politics/deals then technically the UK can run but might need power saving measures, so without strikes or other action the could be rationing but it would not need to be off indefinitely so careful management of fridges/freezers would let them stay cold for a 12 hour cut for example. You could possibly turn the thermostat down (make it colder) and make sure the freezer is full, either food or pots of water (as you eat the food) so that when you open the door it does not loose the cold air.

Bruno Waterfield @BrunoBrussels
On deadlines, an EU ambo from a country with strong trade links with UK
"There is a point of no return, it is between November and December, from then it will be necessary to implement no-deal preparations. And once activated, you can not go back."

"If you are serious about prepping, where's the electricity for the freezer coming from ?"
@DGRossetti , I actually pressure can, water bath can and dehydrate my stuff including meat so power loss to the freezer isn't an issue for me. However, a lot of non-preppers get freaked out by taking it to that level so I encourage people to put extra in the freezer. It's better than nothing and easier to get family members on board.

@SkyNewsBreak
The Court of Appeal has freed three anti-fracking activists who were jailed for a protest at Cuadrilla's Preston New Road site in Lancashire

@prettybird The hardliners would make sure the UK did that, no? FOM is gone after all.

We had Jezza Vine on in the office hosting the chairman of Leave Means Leave. If that is the intellectual calibre of the Beleavers.... dear God.

What is an unjustified food standard?![faints] Are these people for real?

We will never enjoy the status of a US state. If you want a look at the future look at Puerto Rico... or Chile...