The Brexit Arms: Are We Nearly There Yet? 🇬🇧🚗↩️🇪🇺

[SingingLily]

No, not yet, but soon. Just 24 more sleeps until we legally leave the EU at 11pm on 31 January and finally enter the transition period after what seems like centuries of argument, dither and delay. We do so with hope, optimism and a determination to be a good friend and neighbour to the EU, but for now, no one said it better than Winston Churchill.

“This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, this is just perhaps the end of the beginning.”

The Pub Rule is the same as it always was: all welcome but only if you leave goadery outside. The first drink is on the house.

👋Afternoon all

Popping in with absolutely nothing of any substance to add (I seem to be making that a 'thing' since Xmas , political mojo has deserted me at the mo)

I've just recently emerged, (relatively unscathed), from the pre 16 stage with my youngest. I've no doubt there will be something round the corner post 16 that I will be expected to fully embrace😉 - suspect it will be the stuff of my nightmares .......driving🚘.

Going off now to download "17m F**k Offs"

Singing you're right about jezza....he did get more f...k offs than Brexit.

Just donated to the "go fund me Big Ben" page.
It has raised nearly £100,000 since last night.
Only 15 more sleeps.

The go fund me does need to raise the 500k by the weekend or their wont be time to get Big Ben ready to Bong. But with 100k+ in less than a day it does seem to be possible.

Thank you SO much for that song, I really needed that today! 😂

As I am travelling up to London the day before for WPUK on the Saturday I will be able to go to the Parliament Square shenanigans on the Friday night
I suspect I might be one of a very small number who will be attending both!

So Momentum has officially come out in favour of Rebecca Wrong-Bailey, no surprise their.
But am I right that she is a strict Catholic and has a problem with our abortion laws?

How are farmers going to cope with competition from cheaper imports at lower standards? How are consumers going to be impacted?
A new bill on food security post brexit won't include protection of standards. I'm concerned about that especially as I think it will negatively impact school dinners (among other things):

Missing from the bill is a binding commitment to prevent trade deals allowing the import of food produced to lower standards than those to which British farmers must adhere. This has been a key demand of farmers concerned that after Brexit they will be undercut by cheap imports from the US and Asia, with lower food safety and animal welfare regulations.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/16/food-security-brexit-biggest-shake-uk-farming-40-years-agriculture-bill

On the subject of celebrations, I genuinely think it's very premature. The divide is too fresh and celebrating now will let resentment fester on. Yes remainers are quiet nowadays but that's not to say they're happy.
I know leavers have complained of name calling etc., but remainers have had their fair share: remoaners, traitors, doom mongers, citizens of nowwhere, the constant you-lost-get-over-it etc.
It's been very tough.
This isn't the end of a war against a common external enemy, we are talking about people from the same nation.
Best celebrate when real success has been achieved and not get drunk right at the start of the long journey...

totally agree songs. Celebration on a national level seems premature when there are so many (almost half, remember?) who will not celebrate at all... OK, so 'you lot' won - that 's great, get on with it, make it work and maybe try to bring the rest of us with you? Then, only then, can the nation start to be less divided.

a large and some pork scratchings please!

I'll join you with another large yolo.

MrsSnippy

Sadly, I feel the need to say keep safe for both events.

What a world 🤷🏻‍♀️

Reading her comments it sounds like her views are similar to JRM which should neutralise the claims that RC=right wing nutter as promulgated by Anna Soubry etc. I think Tim Farron holds similar views as an Evangelical so this is not just Catholicism.

I would far rather people were honest in their beliefs and in separating personal morality and public policy. Otherwise we will very soon be in a position where only atheists need apply and there is no tolerance for any religion. I am glad this is being raised as an issue and that she is prepared to defend her position.

The Guardian is reporting a specific concern regarding different treatment in the case of disability. I agree with RLB's view that disability should not be a "special case" when setting an abortion limit.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/16/long-bailey-says-abortion-limit-should-not-be-different-for-disability

I dont really care if Big Ben rings on the 31st. But if people want to raise the money for it to happen then I am all for that.

So why have parliamentary authorities came out today and said they dont care how much money is raised they will not allow big Ben to celebrate us leaving the EU.

There is something sinister going on.

Not bothered about the bongs on Jan 31, so I won't be contributing. Watching with interest but no opinions strong enough in this moment to outline here. Watching and waiting, with a .

walkngdead presumably because Big Ben is still mid-restoration and every time 'they' decide to go for bongs it holds up the restoration and costs money? I dont think its sinister at all, practical seems more likely.

it holds up the restoration and costs money?
And if crowdfunding pays for it all, then it costs ZERO for tax payers. still not heard a reason to stop it happening.

Because it's crass and provoking. Good enough reason?

Help we are being infiltrated by flashers!

Walkingdead “ So why have parliamentary authorities came out today and said they dont care how much money is raised they will not allow big Ben to celebrate us leaving the EU. ”

I think it’s because it delays restoration work. I’ve often thought it must be annoying for them on New Year as well.

Help we are being infiltrated by flashers!

That's very insightful

Walking also if there’s any demos etc going on at the time, the optics would be dreadful.

Now where’s Dusty to come and sing my favourite line? 😂

the 'optics' of seeing people who don't agree with Brexit and who don't want a crass and massively premature celebration would certainly be dreadful. I expect Boris is very disappointed not to have a party but Dominic has a few more brain cells at his disposal.

I'm sure you know it off by heart by now Howabout, everyone else does

I think it’s because it delays restoration work

Just popping in to tidy up behind the bar. Autumn has it right. The restoration work would have to stop while they build the temporary floor and reassemble everything, then take it all apart again just for one moment in time. It would throw the schedule back weeks, if not months.

I just don't think it's practical. But then I don't have strong feelings about this anyway.

NiceGuyNeddie, I see you are not only new to the Arms but new to MN. Please go back to the opening post and read the Pub Rule. There's only one. I would ask you to abide by it.

If you don't like the rule, then take it outside, chuck.

Lily “one moment in time”

Uh oh

Whitney Houston ear worm.

Maybe you can sing that at your posh dinner Lily 😂

DD3's aural exercise today was working out Big Ben's Bong on her xylophone. Steve Bray and co take note.