Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[mongers]

I think he doesn't care whether the EU caves or not. The important thing is that he gets all the brexiteer votes in the next election; he can get these by getting the EU to back down or by blaming no-deal on their putative intransigence.

Indeed.

[The Brain]

Amazing how many Brits seem to think that Parliament has to approve No Deal.

[crazy canuck]

Amazing how many Brits seem to think that Parliament has to approve No Deal.

It will one way or another.  If the UK exits without a deal it will be because Parliament allowed it to happen either through a formal vote or because it took no action and failed to toss the government who was going to bring it about.

[The Brain]

Amazing how many Brits seem to think that Parliament has to approve No Deal.

It will one way or another.  If the UK exits without a deal it will be because Parliament allowed it to happen either through a formal vote or because it took no action and failed to toss the government who was going to bring it about.

I meant in the situation as it exists today. Obviously Parliament has already voted for A50 in which No Deal is the default.

[Iormlund]

I find even more amazing that so many Brits think No Deal is the end of the process.

They don't seem to understand that right after that happens and the next PM goes to the EU asking for a FTA they will put the Withdrawal Agreement on the table for him to sign as precondition.

[The Brain]

Well at least they have a can-do attitude. This will help them make do in the stormy days ahead.

[The Brain]

And Jesus, why did the UK think it was a good idea to make a notorious liar and buffoon PM in these trying times? Septic isle indeed.

[crazy canuck]

And Jesus, why did the UK think it was a good idea to make a notorious liar and buffoon PM in these trying times? Septic isle indeed.

same reason the US thought it was a good idea I guess.  But one correction.  It was not the UK.  It was the Conservative party.

[Admiral Yi]

Nancy Pelosi said that if there is no Irish back stop a US-UK trade deal will not get through the House.

Which is kind of an odd position to take.

[Valmy]

Nancy Pelosi said that if there is no Irish back stop a US-UK trade deal will not get through the House.

Which is kind of an odd position to take.

Is that a threat or is she just stating a fact?

[Admiral Yi]

Is that a threat or is she just stating a fact?

Threat.

[Valmy]

Weird. A bit of unusual personally diplomacy from the House.

Does she have strong feelings about Ireland? Pelosi sounds Italian to me.

[Barrister]

Weird. A bit of unusual personally diplomacy from the House.

Does she have strong feelings about Ireland? Pelosi sounds Italian to me.

Irish-Americans have long held n outsized role in establishing American policy with respect to Ireland.

[chipwich]

I'm not convinced that is still true. Especially with Massachusetts no longer being a swing state.

[Zanza]

I find even more amazing that so many Brits think No Deal is the end of the process.

They don't seem to understand that right after that happens and the next PM goes to the EU asking for a FTA they will put the Withdrawal Agreement on the table for him to sign as precondition.

The WA needs a qualified majority in EU Council and a majority in the European Parliament. Any treaty with similar scope as the WA with what is then a third country needs to be approved by each member states' parliament. It will get much harder to get anything close to the WA passed later.

Britain got to cherry pick customs union membership and basically single market membership without freedom of movement in the WA, but they considered that not an astonishing diplomatic success, but failure. They will never get such a deal again. It only gets worse now...