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Brexit

Westminstenders: Break it or make it.

971 replies

RedToothBrush · 23/11/2018 11:43

We have a deal on the table. In reality it does not answer the question the result of the referendum posed: what type of deal do we want? The progress we have actually made in 2 years is to say, 'we want to leave' but nothing more. Or as its been termed: 'Blind Brexit' in which we exit but without knowing what comes next.

Even this is controversial. There are apparently some 88 Conservative back bench MPs (or half the Conservative back bench MPs) who are intending to vote against approving the deal. Some are remainers and some are hard leavers. Each side believing there is still everything to play for; whether that be no deal or no brexit. We are still as divided as ever.

The stumbling block, as ever, is largely the NI backstop. With many still arguing that it should be time limited. This fails to understand that the backstop is the GFA to all intents and purposes. And this is why Ireland and the EU will never agree to have a time limited backstop.

And once again we have this fundamental misunderstanding that the withdrawal agreement is anything more than merely the mechanism to leave, not the final deal, which is hampering all discussion of the subject.

There is talk that May will try to push the deal through and if she fails she will try for a second time. This might work, if this wasn't being anticipated. The trouble is the element of surprise is gone. This has now been denied by a No10 spokesperson. And has the possibility of a second referendum. Though the door on that, seems to be more open than less, with May's official declaration of a Blind Brexit. The whole effectiveness of a TARP style situation and a second vote on the deal in the HoC is the guilotine effect, where MPs look over the cliff and go 'shiiiiiitttt'. If the hope is alive for another way out for either the ERG or Remainers, then the plan is dead anyway. The a50 ECJ case is also still on; the latest government appeal to kill it was blocked.

Not only this, but there is the first tangable rumblings of discontent within the EU towards the deal. Spain has talked about voting the deal down. Whether this is anymore than talk, remains to be seen. Spain can not veto the deal at this stage anyway - but it might be able to cause trouble further down the line and thats the danger.

Meanwhile Labour are still promising unicorns and a total renegotition of the deal. This still focuses on the backstop.

Sunday's EU summit does still seem to be on though, despite Merkel suggesting that she wouldn't turn up.

And remember, as it stands, on 29th March we will leave the EU without a deal. The power to stop this lies with the Government and EU as far as we know at present, pending the outcome of the ECJ case.

May still has everything to do to make a deal happen and there are so many forces and people working to break it. We have still not made any real progress to Brexit, apart from get closer to it, through the mere ticking of the clock.

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frumpety · 23/11/2018 15:26

Marvellous , so we have been put in a situation where potentially there are only two options available, instead of three. ( I liked option 3 , it was always the best option)

  1. Mays WA and whatever deal we eventually manage to scrape together, no say , still same number of rules.
  2. No deal and regardless of what Wholly and their ilk would like us to think, a whole host of undesirable but predicted consequences. And still be a rule taker.
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OhYouBadBadKitten · 23/11/2018 15:31

Thanks RTB.

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missmoon · 23/11/2018 15:32

Jo Maugham has suggested that one outcome of the A50 case could be the ECJ rules that it is revocable, but attach some conditions (eg, it can’t be done repeatedly, it must be done in good faith, it must follow a significance change in government, etc.).

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 15:47

Yes, I've heard conditions such as having to pay back all the billions the EU has spent on prepping - much more than the UK !

One possibility is a v high penalty, e.g. €50 billion, if the UK calls A50 again - a country cannot be stopped from withdrawing from any agreement, but specified financial penalties if this happens are legally binding.

I also suspect they might want an NI backstop even with Remain, as the BorderIrish (!) said - it no longer trusts what the UK might dream up next

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 15:50

red I also suspect we might have a PV in transition - or even before - if the UK govt decision-making disintegrates completely
and the Opposition keeps deliberately letting them sink, along with the country.

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1tisILeClerc · 23/11/2018 15:51

On the basis that everyone has to accept rules from someone in many ways I would prefer to take rules from the EU which produces the rules based on 27/28 countries chucking in two penn'oth over a Tory (and probably Labour) government with some of the pretty extreme views and attitudes. We have witnessed the manipulation possible in the UK government, but this would be much harder to get through with diverse views from Germany to Portugal. Higher taxes, used intelligently* to improve the lives of all seem good to me.

  • I think I spot a flaw in this plan in UKs case.
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OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 23/11/2018 15:54

"There is no Irish border problem and never was"

In a lot of respects thats true, because as Andrew Maxwell so spectacularly pointed out: it's not the Irish border, it's the British border in Ireland. The Irish border is the beach.

There is, however, a British border in Ireland problem.

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RosaPalma · 23/11/2018 16:03

Placemarking with this extraordinary interview between Sean O'Rourke (RTE) and John Redwood earlier today where he throws a hissy fit and hangs up when it is clear that his understanding of trade deals and WTO terms is at the same level as his grasp of English . He really does not like being questioned Grin.

www.rte.ie/radio1/today-with-sean-o-rourke/

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EtVoilaBrexit · 23/11/2018 16:08

Struggling to follow atm.
Can someone tell me what PV stands for please?

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1tisILeClerc · 23/11/2018 16:12

Peoples Vote

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missmoon · 23/11/2018 16:25

I would prefer to take rules from the EU which produces the rules based on 27/28 countries chucking in two penn'oth over a Tory (and probably Labour) government with some of the pretty extreme views

I agree 100%! I would be happy with an EFTA/EEA arrangement for precisely this reason.

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1tisILeClerc · 23/11/2018 16:28

That John Redwood clip. Absolutely astounding!

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 16:40

Something that confuses me at the moment is the idea that everyone will be happy to have a customs/single market border within Ireland as long as it is managed by technology and there is no physical evidence that it exists.

People are using examples like the congestion charge zone (nothing to do with what you carry inside your vehicle and ease of payment does not mean that people are happy to pay) and Switzerland and Norway (Not controversial to say that these are completely different countries, and they have agreements with the EU that enable them to participate in the Single Market in ways that Brexiters have ruled out).

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frumpety · 23/11/2018 16:41

Wish I could listen to the Redwood clip, cant get it to play, did he throw a hissy fit because someone wouldn't let him get away with soundbites and untruths ? Must have been most discombobulating for him if so Grin

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RedToothBrush · 23/11/2018 16:45

Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn
Fancy that. No10 has, out of the blue, just given long standing eurosceptic Tory MP John Hayes a knighthood. Two unrelated facts: he didn't sign a no confidence letter, and hasn't yet said he'll vote down the Brexit deal.


Nick Cohen @NickCohen4
How cheap. He should have hung out for an earldom

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1tisILeClerc · 23/11/2018 16:47

Not so much a hissy fit but a whole string of bollocks about WTO and saying people that don't agree are fools.
When the interviewer came back to challenge Redwood he had gone.

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prettybird · 23/11/2018 16:52

frumpety - if you go to the Podcasts tab, you can then download it and play it. That's how I'm listening to it now - just waiting to get to the hissy fit bit Wink. It's called "Make or Break Brexit".

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RedToothBrush · 23/11/2018 16:53

Alex Wickham @alexwickham
John Hayes knighted. A Brexiteer who has been trying to persuade colleagues to back May on behalf of No10. Almost gotta admire it.

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 16:54

For comparison, Technology made it easier to cross the Second Severn Crossing with a TAG and presumably it would have been possible to move to a number plate recognition charge system for everyone, but the charge is still being scrapped.

The Welsh secretary said:

"The principle of paying to come in to Wales is something that has irritated us for 50 years"

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45467656

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 16:55

and saying people that don't agree are fools

That is pretty much the ERG strategy in a nutshell.

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RedToothBrush · 23/11/2018 16:59

Tim Shipman @ShippersUnbound
Exhibit A: The Sunday Times, Oct 14
Exhibit B: Downing Street press release, Nov 23

Westminstenders: Break it or make it.
Westminstenders: Break it or make it.
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1tisILeClerc · 23/11/2018 17:01

Number plate recognition is used when you nip between EU countries.
The upside is that if you report it stolen they know which part of Europe it is in!

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DGRossetti · 23/11/2018 17:09

"The principle of paying to come in to Wales is something that has irritated us for 50 years"

Might have been a lot worse if you had to pay to leave Wales ....

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RedToothBrush · 23/11/2018 17:09

This is going to go well...

Heather Stewart @GuardianHeather
Next step in the Brexit comms blitz - Number 10 has launched the snappily-titled BREXIT FACTS blog, to rebut negative coverage...

brexitfacts.blog.gov.uk/
Brexit Facts
Organisations: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street

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DGRossetti · 23/11/2018 17:10

Number plate recognition is used when you nip between EU countries.

Except for motorbikes - which is why they are exempt from the Congestion Charge.

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