Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Josquius]

Yes and no. AFAIK there are 3 problems with reverting to WTO:

• The UK now falls under the EU Schedule. Once it is out it has to negotiate a new Schedule with ALL WTO members. This can take easily a decade or two. IIRC in the interim it can still use the EU's, but other members can initiate actions against it.
• Even inheriting the EU's Schedule would not be that great. For one thing, it was designed for the EU needs, not those of the UK.
  
• In the absence of free trade agreements the rules have to apply to all trade equally. So the UK cannot eliminate tariffs on, say, EU car components bound for Jaguar and Nissan without doing the same for those sent from China.

There's the potential issue not just that the EU schedule is designed for the EU's needs but it is also designed for what the EU can offer.
Seems very dubious to me that the UK, a very different and much weaker beast than the EU, can get the same trade arrangements by default.

I haven't heard of the UK being allowed to keep using the UKs one but certainly the draft UK one that has been submitted (iirc just this month?) is basically a copy of the EU one.
No way will it be accepted just like that. Even if all nations in the world were welcoming the UK in good faith.
As it stands there are several nations who would love to make things awkward for the UK due to past grievances or just because.
And many of these no deal brexit sociopaths want us to fuck over the EU on the owed money too. Because shitting on trade deals is a great way to announce yourself to the world as a new trading power. What's another 27 nations blocking our entry (plus the EU itself)?

[HisMajestyBOB]

Eh, there will be a negotiated muddle. Will be a bit bumpy especially since it will be done on the fly.

Alternatively the Royal Navy could seize the Canaries in a surprise amphibious assault to create more leverage. 

Aren't their current carriers unable to actually launch any planes?

[Maladict]

Eh, there will be a negotiated muddle. Will be a bit bumpy especially since it will be done on the fly.

Alternatively the Royal Navy could seize the Canaries in a surprise amphibious assault to create more leverage. 

Aren't their current carriers unable to actually launch any planes?

Hence the amphibious assault, nobody expects them to beach a carrier.

[Zanza]

  20th anniversary of the Euro currency today!

[Maladict]

20th anniversary of the Euro currency today!

I remember getting the complimentary set in the mail. Being a poor student at the time, I spent it the same day 

[The Minsky Moment]

Eh, there will be a negotiated muddle. Will be a bit bumpy especially since it will be done on the fly.

The traditional British skill at muddling through does not appear to have carried over to the present generation of politicians. Brexit was doomed early on when the process was taken out of the hands of the civil service. That took out of the equation the only people who could negotiate with European counterparts on the basis of mutal understanding and respect, and put into the equation people whose idea of governance is making sure you get the more favorable headlines from the tabloids.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Entertainingly, failing Grayling has handed out a contract worth £14m to a company with no ships to provide ferry capacity in the event of a no-deal brexit :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46735303

If Labour had a decent leadership they would be 20% ahead in the polls; as it is they have Corbyn.

[Josquius]

It so perfectly underlines the worst of the tories too. Private contract to a shady company with possible Conservative donor connections and no experience in the work they're hired for.

In contrast to Ireland whose government just bought  a ship.

[Maladict]

It so perfectly underlines the worst of the tories too. Private contract to a shady company with possible Conservative donor connections and no experience in the work they're hired for.

In contrast to Ireland whose government just bought  a ship.

Paraphrasing Frankie Boyle, how satisfying would it be for the Irish to see a British famine?

[The Minsky Moment]

The Tories will succeed where Napoleon failed: imposing the Continental System.

[garbon]

An interesting take on a recruitment drive by the British army:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/03/uk-army-recruitment-ads-target-snowflake-millennials

[celedhring]

Is mocking your target audience the best way to convince them to join your organization? 

[Maladict]

Is mocking your target audience the best way to convince them to join your organization? 

I don't think anything else will, so you might as well try.

[Grinning_Colossus]

Bring back conscription, I say. We must instill in our youth the martial virtues!

[Richard Hakluyt]

It looks patronising and insulting to me; but I'm an old git and not their target audience