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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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RedToothBrush · 23/11/2018 18:22

Coal fires.

My dad used to talk about coal fires and the days before central heating.

I think it's more likely to be wood burning stoves in the absence of coal and electricity.

Not that we have one of those. Although we do at least live in a house with modern day insulation and no draughts.

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:23

Brexit is 2 years of watching your dippy old grandpa haggle on prices with the scanning machine at a Tesco check-out

then walk out beaming with his success
having forgotten half the shopping list and having fallen for BOGOFFs that the family didn't want any of.

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:26

DG You're thinking of software & engineering projects

When it comes to stopping smuggling / illegal across borders, the proportions are very different
because many of the variables are unquantifiable / unknown and some are out of our control and even actively working against bus

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:26

us < dunno where that bus came from >

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1tisILeClerc · 23/11/2018 18:28

A good comprehensive and cooks who could cook, no problem.

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:29

red I grew up in houses with only coal heating, long before CH was normal
Also before even double glazing

So the joys of waking up in winter to see your breath visible,
scraping the ice of the inside of the window
going downstairs to help clean the grates and fetch in the coal, while my parents laid the fires and lit them

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:30

CH = Central Heating

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RedToothBrush · 23/11/2018 18:35

Fun fact: The economist has stockpiled 30 tonnes of paper which they print their covers on, in case of No Deal.

I know that most paper in the UK is imported. Very little is made here.

It'd be fun to know how The Telegraph is preparing for no deal.

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:35

Barnier and the EU would really like to say:

"Your PM and negotiators are tantrumming toddlers; please send us new ones"

Problem is, they know we've only got worse replacements

So, with the UK red lines, they did the best they could
and settled for a WA that they hope would give us time to replace the current idiots with people who could actually negotiate like adults

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:38

No Deal Fallback - even for the Economist if that lasted long enough - is to go online only
Some might never be able to switch back
Or indeed survive as online alone

Unfortunately, those behind the tabloids have deeper pockets to weather a long drought

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 18:40

I'm still not understanding how numberplate recognition tells you what is inside a van crossing a border.

I can see that the contents of the van could be linked to a number plate and a van with that number plate could be pre-cleared to cross a border. I just don't understand how you tell what is inside all the other vans.

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SillyPsychicAcid · 23/11/2018 18:43

It’d be fun to know how the Telegraph is preparing for No Deal

By lurching (even further) to the Right.

Since the Mail went anti-Hard Brexit it’s become a total cesspit. Especially the comments.

One guy trying to argue Hitler was a loony lefty today.

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 18:43

Manchester tart

I used to dread seeing this on the lunch menu in assembly. I knew I would be forced to eat it.

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1tisILeClerc · 23/11/2018 18:44

BCF, you are describing my house now although exchange coal for wood.

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:47

David Allen Greenn@davidallengreen

The question is: what exceptional thing can now plausibly happen to avert this cold hard outcome?

And beware of mistaking wishful thinking for plausibility.
...
Brexit by Timetable cont.

The European Council will endorse the withdrawal agreement; it will then be ratified by the European Parliament.
And then the EU will wait for the UK to sign it.

And unless something exceptional happens, that is what the UK will eventually have to do.
...
Replying to
@davidallengreen*


The EU have been fairly clear that, absent regime change, this is it.
There have been some rumblings about possibilities following regime change.

But basically, any even remotely plausible scenario involves a political crisis.
And the outcome of that is hard to predict.
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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:49

Merry That's one of the big problems that are glossed over:
no tech exists to check that contents of a van are what is claimed, that it fulfills all the standards

That's why Boris & co are talking delusional crap / lies - as usual

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:52

Good news for our nerves ?

Whatever else 2018 holds, it can no longer hold a GE:

25 working days are legally required between dissolving Parliament and having a GE
25 working days from today is January 2nd.

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 18:53

no tech exists to check that contents of a van are what is claimed, that it fulfills all the standards

And if it did, wouldn't that involve massive breaches of privacy? Perhaps an acceptable cost if you want to cross a border with another country, less easy to accept if you don't think the border shouldn't exist at all.

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BestIsWest · 23/11/2018 18:54

I adore Manchester tart.

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 18:55

I am prepared to accept that Manchester Tart doesn't always resemble whatever it was I was being served at school in 1976.

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 18:57

Tony Connelly@tconnellyRTE

Latest on Brexit: the Sherpa meeting has concluded in Brussels and the Political Declaration text is now “closed”. Member states are keen to conclude the Gibraltar issue and that will take the form of a separate declaration or instrument...
...
Poland also came with a late in the day demand that it wouldn’t have to pick up any of the climate change burden caused by the UK leaving. Warsaw was reassured that wouldn’t happen.
...
So, both the WA and the PD are now closed and ready for adoption by the EU27 on Sunday. < let's wait & see >
Don’t expect any balloons or champagne corks popping.
It will be a “sober” occasion, acc to one EU source.

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merrymouse · 23/11/2018 18:59

(less easy to accept if you don't think the border SHOULD exist at all.)

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BigChocFrenzy · 23/11/2018 19:01

Comment on the blatant bung of a knighthood for eurosceptic Tory MP John Hayes

Michael Crickk@MichaelLCrick*

Normally MPs would have to wait til the next honours list for such things, but in the present circumstances, Hayes presumably knew Theresa May couldn't guarantee how long she'd be around to make good of such a promise. < snigger >
So it's payment now.

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prettybird · 23/11/2018 19:03

What is Manchester Tart? Confused

My favourite memory of school dinners is caramel tart - covered with chocolate sprinkles. Of course, it's not allowed nowadays - far too much sugar Shock (And yet we had lower levels of childhood obesity Confused)

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WhatWouldScoobyDoo · 23/11/2018 19:13

I once vomited up part of a meal, but was made to eat it
bigchoc this happened to me too. It was spam with salad cream. I had to sit the rest of the day in the headmaster’s office with the plate in front of me.

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