I have no (pleasant) words to describe the emotions I feel over this.
It is apparent that the current circus feels it necessary to approach the event with a “please can we leave” attitude. The correct approach is “we are leaving, let’s talk about the relationships we will have after the fact”.
Sometimes it is glaringly apparent that negotiating is an absent skill in the UK government.
I do think the EU are on the run now - this from DUP today
“Until yesterday, the EU was saying very clearly that unless there was a credible plan for an election or a referendum, or a prospect of getting the withdrawal agreement through soon, it would not grant an extension, and that if it did, there would be stringent conditions. In fact, it held to neither of those statements. When it was faced with the unpalatable choice of a no deal, it backed down. Will the Prime Minister learn the lesson of that? She continues to reiterate what the EU has said about the withdrawal agreement, and to praise her withdrawal agreement, but she, and the rest of the Government Front Bench, voted for changes to the backstop and the withdrawal agreement, and the Attorney General, in his devastating critique of it, said that it had not changed the fundamentals of what had been agreed. Will she please examine where she is going with all this, learn the lessons, and come back with something that can actually secure a majority in the House?”
That’s a continuity deal, not the same thing as opening up a trade deal. And unfortunately, we can’t even get Japan and Canada et al to sign on to a continuity deal. They think they can get a better deal when we’re desperate, and they’re right.
Though obviously even if we managed to get every continuity deal we could, the lions share of our trade is still with the EU, and the negotiations for any new trade deals (such as with the US) can only start if/when we crash out. They typically take years to negotiate at the best of times.
Mmmmm. There is trying hard and there is being completely unrealistic to try and look like you’re being principled.
I think the EU knows if it gives parliament and the UK Govt enough time to continue to demonstrate their incompetence, we’ll eventually hold another referendum and stay.
We simply can’t get our shit together, and nobody can blame the EU for that.
I don’t know why any Brexiteers would have faith in the UK parliament to steer us into an economic success story post-Brexit given what has happened over the past two years.
There is no Bismarck or Machiavelli waiting in the wings, if you think they’re a bunch of fuckups now just wait until there’s real pressure and stakes, because the article 50 process is the easy part.
Not so. The ratifying, or instantiation, of a trade deal can only occur after Brexit.
Now that notice to leave has been given all forms of talks with other nations are plausible.
It’s not legally settled afaik, but the EU insists that we aren’t currently able to do that. We’d probably have to fight it in court.
In the meantime, other nations are unlikely to risk pissing off the EU given they’d have more to lose from them than gain with us. At least until it;'s legally settled, which would probably come so late as to be pointless.
This is a very disingenuous framing that is directly from the sad remainers aiming to stoke up fears. The country on a bureaucratic level is ready to leave the EU. Not having a deal is not ‘crashing out’ and this tiresome forced meme isn’t working on anyone. Crashing out of the EU without paying them 39 billion and chaining ourselves to the customs union doesn’t sound like much of a crash to me.
And whose fault is that? I refer you to my previous comment.
You’re just wrong on this.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, announced on Twitter that the UK had “agreed in principle” a free trade agreement with Israel. A trade conference between the two countries will be held in London in the “coming months”, added Dr. Fox.
However the Department for International Trade has not published further details on what the exact nature of the Israel agreement will be.
South Africa has said it is close to signing a trade deal, but nothing has so far been formally agreed.
The UK has already signed deals with Australia and New Zealand, but these are in areas known as mutual recognition agreements and not free trade agreements.
The deal replicates all aspects of the current EU agreements and allows for a continuing acceptance of product standards, such as the labelling and certifying of wine.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionThe government says the mutual recognition agreement will allow around £250m of Australian wine to continue to enter the UK.
‘Challenging’
In his update to MPs, Mr Hollingbery conceded that rolling over some EU trade agreements would be “challenging”, adding that “one or two” would be “close to impossible”.
Cue up to 2:41
I think you underestimate the power behind the govt - I could be wrong but I cannot believe TPTB are as incompetent as they appear to be.
It seems we can’t leave so maybe staying and collapsing the EU from within is a better option anyway, meaning we won’t need to leave bc it won’t exist?
Mag she hasn’t played a blinder. We should be out and fuck what happens to the EU. The government aren’t incompetent they have done exactly what TPTB wanted them to do. Make this process seem so difficult and drawn out that the majority of people have just switched off and will be happy for it to go away if we just agree to stay in and make BREXIT a distant memory.
She ran the clock down but not for a no deal, I hate to say but I told you so.
Supposedly all member states had to agree to the extension from the 29th March to 12th April, then again from 12th April to 31st Oct but I haven’t heard not a jot about if they even had a vote. It was cut and dried from the biggest bunch of a wankers in Europe.
Maybe Stu, but I still don’t believe the Tories would commit political suicide and that is what will happen unless something changes,
I may be wrong and must admit I am beginning to question my theory but think its too early to throw in the towel.
May is the fall guy who will get the blame when the Tories finally get their shit together - hopefully before 2022
Just imagine what would happen if she lost a no confidence vote - JRM takes over and gives EU the middle finger - I can dream can’t I? LOL
The UK will never leave the EU. It’s tantamount to secession in the US. The powers-that-be will centralize authority and not relinquish that authority without conflict.
As stated in the OP, the situation could degrade to one similar to what’s happening in France. France is hiring mercenaries with no ties to the people protesting, to put the protests down. Protesters are losing limbs and getting their eyes shot out. Yet barely a whisper about it in US press.
The UK has rapidly become a totalitarian state. The ONLY thing saving the US at present is wide private ownership of firearms. Freedom of speech is nearly dead.
How do your firearms fare against tanks?
Depends on the “tank.”
A couple hundred small arms rounds easily converts into an Explosively Formed Projectile.
Our government would have no chance against our citizens unless it intends to nuke everything they lose.
Don’t believe me? Ask an inbred farmer.
Who said I had firearms?
Bullies don’t tend to focus their aggression on those that can fight back. While a deer rifle may not be of much use against an armored vehicle, the state is vastly outnumbered and would suffer mass casualties from an armed civilian population.
One thing is for sure, it would be a massive bloodbath. I don’t think it would deter the agenda though, of those sitting in the ivory towers hiring mercenaries. Here in France, it us a lot worse than we get to hear about. They really are in deep shit and neither side is giving. 24 police have committed suicide in the last 4 months. I can see us heading that way too, unless the Tories can figure out a way of getting rid of May and installing a leader who can deliver on their promise.
The state will not relinquish authority without conflict. The entire reason for the state’s existence is to control a geographic region and control it’s population. Western society has advanced far in this regard.
A “bloodbath” would be on the state… war is expensive and only states that can print money out of thin air can afford it.
Are you back skiing Jen or maybe going for French naturalisation 
for when the U.K. falls off that cliff they are threatening us with 
2022 !!! What? !! 
They can’t have another no confidence vote until 12 months post the last vote I think ?
Bill Cash has joined in the legal challenge now and old Queenie doesn’t seemed too concerned her loyal subjects have been fucked over by parliament. She should at least put a couple of heads on spikes but then perhaps the pull of German ancestry is just too strong and goals are almost reached.
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