Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Zanza]

I expect them to continue to promise unicorns from hard Brexit. And then blame May for the lack of unicorns in reality. That's easy if you don't have to deliver.

[Razgovory]

Jacob Rees-Mogg

He has an ... eclectic taste in children's names (from Wiki):

Peter Theodore Alphege Rees-Mogg (b. 2007)
Mary Anne Charlotte Emma Rees-Mogg (b. 2008)
Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan Rees-Mogg (b. 2010)
Anselm Charles Fitzwilliam Rees-Mogg (b. 2012)
Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius Rees-Mogg (b. 22 February 2016)
Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher Rees-Mogg (b. July 2017)

Sounds very Catholic.

[Gups]

I'm more and more convinced that the Commission won't accept any deal for frictionless trade which doesn't require adherence to the for freedoms, one of which is simply politically impossible to deliver for the U.K. I  reckon it's going to be a hard Brexit whatever.

The referendum question merely said leaving the EU. Not stopping free movement.

Since our politicians are insisting on this silliness though; What could be workable is something akin agreement the Swiss got after their "stop free movement" referendum. Basically free movement continues but there's some nonsense about employers having to prioritise local candidates.... which of course they do anyway. And then only in areas with an above average unemployment rate...So even less chance of foreigners being hired.

There's zero chance that anyone from either main party could get that through. By all accounts the Commission deeply regret the Swiss deal now.

[Gups]

I'm more and more convinced that the Commission won't accept any deal for frictionless trade which doesn't require adherence to the for freedoms, one of which is simply politically impossible to deliver for the U.K. I  reckon it's going to be a hard Brexit whatever.

The EU has early, clearly and very transparently stated which British red lines prohibit which scenario due to its own red lines. If Britain is flexible on its red lines, more options open up.

As the UK wants to change the status quo, it is on the UK to define what level of European integration they are willing to accept. The legal framework of the EU is rather intransigent and there is no particular interest by anybody to change it for the UK.



At least according to Theresa May, the UK has not given up on any of its red lines with the Chequers plan, so Canada is still the default option on offer.

If the UK can convince the EU that e.g. a "common rulebook" is giving up the regulatory autonomy red line, they would be willing to offer more.

Canada is not acceptable to anyone because it means a hard border either in Ireland or the Irish sea

[Tamas]

To think....he has so many kids...which means he had to have had sex on multiple occasions

Noooo, his wife had to have sex on multiple occasions.

[Richard Hakluyt]

To think....he has so many kids...which means he had to have had sex on multiple occasions

Noooo, his wife had to have sex on multiple occasions.

Poppycock!

Rees-Mogg and his wife have servants to do the sex for them.

[Josquius]

Theory I've heard - may is smarter than she seems.
Intentionally she threw the hard brexiters under the bus and left them there for 2 years making a complete hash of everything, then once brexit was suitably tainted she'd drag them out and start pursuing a sane approach.

If true... It bodes well. Though I fear she left it too late.

[Tamas]

Theory I've heard - may is smarter than she seems.
Intentionally she threw the hard brexiters under the bus and left them there for 2 years making a complete hash of everything, then once brexit was suitably tainted she'd drag them out and start pursuing a sane approach.

If true... It bodes well. Though I fear she left it too late.

yeah right

I don't see the Leavers as now exhausted and ready to lay down for a soft brexit.

[Josquius]

The leavers aren't.
The man on the street who was convinced to vote for brexit despite not understanding much about it though?

I think people are getting sick of this and just want it to go away.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Theory I've heard - may is smarter than she seems.
Intentionally she threw the hard brexiters under the bus and left them there for 2 years making a complete hash of everything, then once brexit was suitably tainted she'd drag them out and start pursuing a sane approach.

If true... It bodes well. Though I fear she left it too late.

Yes, that is one of my hypotheses.

Might just be wishful thinking though.

[Tamas]

Well, I think what was obvious when she started was that she included the prominent Brexiters in her government because she didn't want to give them the chance to be backseat drivers over the whole procedure, rolling in to the PM chair over her dead body after Brexit, on a caterpillar of I-told-you-so-s

And at the end of some kind of sane approach will prevail by necessity, as the EU will force it. It will leave British status and power diminished (possibly as the final step in the erosion of the Empire) but at least it won't be the chaos of a no deal crashout.

[The Brain]

If May had been sane she wouldn't have filed an article 50.

[Tamas]

The Donald slides in with both feet:

The UK, that's a situation that's been going on for a long time. I have Nato, I have the UK, which is in somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all, who would think? Who would think? But the UK certainly - they certainly have a lot of things going on.

Boris Johnson is a friend of mine, he's been very, very nice to me, very supportive. And I maybe will speak to him when I get over there. I like Boris Johnson, I've a;ways liked him.

[The Larch]

Opinion piece in the Telegraph. Is the British press going mental? 

Is Theresa May guilty of treason? Plenty of readers think so. Politicians would be wise to listen up

[Tamas]