Brexit Arms - Out with the old and in with the new

[time4chocolate]

It’s time again for another Brexit Arms thread to see us into Christmas and beyond.

Well what a week it’s been!!

Boris has now completed his first week and he’s been busy. New conservatives have been sworn in, the Queens Speech yesterday shows promise (aware that the proof of the (Xmas) pudding is in the eating) and Boris’ Deal is going to be voted on today with the results being around 3pm I believe.

Meanwhile, on the other side all four wheels have definitely fallen off the red bus and were very nearly joined by a garden gate and a car door. Oh dear!!

Anyway, I have added a few more Christmas decs to the pub and popped the fairy back on the tree (it took a nasty tumble)

We are now good to go.
Cheers all 🍷🍷

Ps. If anyone wants to volunteer for outside catering that would be👍🏻

Morning All.

Not much to add yet, just here for the breakfast. Where’s my Pimms Lily? 😉

😁 The entire bar menu is open to you, Epic.

How could anyone mistake my friendly offer of a complimentary Pimms for a covert signal to the regulars?

They've been reading too many spy novels.

“How could anyone mistake my friendly offer of a complimentary Pimms for a covert signal to the regulars?”

IKR? We just deploy the glitterball for the worst offenders. We are quite simple in response here really, defo no covert “yah british” alcoholic beverages required.

I've found a lovely Pimms sign which I'm going to ask Time4Chocolate, our esteemed Landlady, if she would hang over the bar.

I do love me a #ClassicDmitri though. Shaken AND stirred. 🍸

Shaken AND stirred.

Which is, I think, an accurate description of the effect he has already had on the Civil Service.

Unashamedly tangential here, but, did anyone see Ricky Gervais’ Opening Monologue at the Golden Globes last night?

He put sanctimonious, hypocritical hollywood right back into its box. It was brilliant. Genius actually.

I hope british celebs were paying attention too...

This is a sound only link, but still worth a listen!

You spoil us Lily. Catching up with admin all morning so just dropping by for the famous Arms breakfast now.

Dh's theory Xing is that so much of Belgian life is heavily rules based with what you can't do, that the only place a Belgian can truly express themselves is behind the wheel, hence driving like maniacs.

This is not helped by no points on your licence if you transgress...you just get fined, which is seen as a normal motoring cost. If you are really bad, then it goes to court, and you may lose your licence for a set period, which can be when you are on holiday, so you are not inconvenienced by not being able to drive.....

afternoon all
I sort of liked Ricky Gervais’ speech but it would have been better coming from someone a bit less judgemental themselves.

hence driving like maniacs.

That made me laugh, Scary. I often wonder what the Swiss do to let off steam and express themselves as individuals. Some friends lived there a long time and the rules, particularly around community living, were entirely sensible from an objective point of view but also quite repressive from a personal one.

My friends delighted in hanging out washing overnight once they were back in the UK - just because they could. It was a blow for personal freedom.

Wait, it’s illegal to get washing darked on in some places?!

It's nearly that time, fellow Armers.

Time for someone to get ready to step up as the new Landlady. We will need a new thread before the day is out.

If you haven't had a turn but would like to give it a go, now's your chance.

Come on, you know you want to...

Actually, I got that wrong, Autumn. Here are some things you can't do, depending on which canton you live in.

• You can't ruin the life of your child with a ridiculous name. ...
• You can't urinate standing up after 10pm. ...
• You can't flush the toilet after 10pm. ...
• You have to pay a tax for your dog. ...
• You must have a buddy for your pets. ...
• You can't recycle on Sundays. ...
• You can't cut your grass on Sundays. ...
• You can't hang out your laundry on Sundays

There are others.

My friends had to maintain a secure room, fully stocked with tinned food and bottled water, in case of nuclear attack. Yes, the authorities carried out spot-checks from time to time. My friends were told off for (a) not ensuring the tins and bottles were still in date, and (b) hiding the kids' Christmas presents in there. Well, it was a locked and unused room so it seemed ideal.

👋 everyone, well that's Christmas/New Year done for another year and normal service resumes with a vengeance (going to feel like a long week me thinks).

Plenty going on politically this week when MPs get back to business tomorrow , we will hear what BJ has to say in Parliament with regard to ME situation, we should also find out the runners and riders in the Labour Party leadership stakes (and how the vote will be undertaken!) plus we have the first UK visit from Ursula von der Leyen this week to start the initial discussions on Trade.

I also should apologise to you all as I have been woefully neglectful in my landlady duties this time around so a big thanks goes out to singing for holding things together in the 'Arms' for me, the food and service in my absence has been first class.

Happy to hand over the reins to A N Other - I have set the bar quite low so don't be shy😊.

Lily wow, I thought I would set strange rules 😂

Some of you will know how I hate all terms referring to me, particularly when there’s no need - and there’s usually no need - to reference a person's racial history. So I was interested to see this Tweet today. Good to find a prominent person who is also sick of it.

twitter.com/kwamekweiarmah/status/1213221347691765767

I like his take on this - a global majority.

An update from Jess Phillips on her "fight to join the EU" vote winner.

She now says that of course the Labour Party must respect the referendum and move on. Whether that will persuade Labour Leaver members to vote for her remains to be seen. However, she also believes TWAW and that the spousal exit clause should be removed. That should give Labour women and others pause for thought.

What exactly does Jess believe in? Apart from Jess, of course.

She's beginning to resemble a cushion.

Thanks Lily

Is that a formal update? Yesterday I got the impression Jess had fallen for the “say anything but say it quickly” tactic and I wasn’t sure she understood some of her own remarks.

It was in an article she wrote for the Independent and published today. Mind you, I'm not certain when she actually wrote the article - whether it was before or after the Marr interview.

and I wasn’t sure she understood some of her own remarks.

That's a pretty fair assessment, Autumn. I'm getting the distinct impression that Jess subscribes to the Groucho Marx view of principles: "Those are my principles and if you don't like them, well, I have others!"

Sorry to lower the tone but I’ve just seen Brad Pitt on the news < phwoar >

dirty I see your Brad Pitt and raise you....Andrew Scott.

Re Jess, like my local MP, the word salad of the original GRA seems to have caused confusion but now I see Jess was one of the people looking into changes, so she should have got her salad properly presented by now.

Morning, all,

Parliament reconvenes today. The Labour Party has set the leadership rules and will announce the winner on 4 April - 63 days after we legally leave the EU - and so until then, it will be up to Jezza to continue his merciless grilling of the government at PMQs, while the leadership hopefuls watch and learn.

Today’s complimentary breakfast tray offers cheese or cheese and ham toasties - just the thing for a dark January morning. Please help yourselves.

Kettle’s on ☕️☕️☕️