I think we're all scratching for some shreds of hope here - but if there's one thing this government doesn't do, it's underpromise and overdeliver, quite the reverse in fact.
So the actual situation is that we declared war on Belgium on Wednesday night.
If the floppy haired **** does bail out in Jan then the tory party might also explode as it would be interesting seeing the erg accept a brown person as pm (likely sunak).
Plus he at least appears pragmatic.
So the actual situation is that we declared war on Belgium on Wednesday night.
Talking about war, now would be a great time for the Argentinians to re invade las malvinas. On the theory that stomping on a man's head is best done when he's lying unconscious on the floor
No international outcry now that we re a rogue state although I'd suspect fatboy would love another chance to wrap himself in the flag
Plus they'd find a way to conscript labour voters or remainers to send over in the first wave
I still remember the feelings of waking up on that morning in 2016 and seeing the result. Shock, confusion, unease, despair. Always knew it was going to be a close run thing but I thought Remain would nudge it.
Over the previous four years as things rumbled on and not a lot happened it waxed and waned a bit but now, standing here looking into the abyss, I can't see any shred of hope or positivity at all. 🙁
I'm pretty sure Boris would actually pay the Argentinians to invade the Falklands so he could go over there and do some biffing.
Unfortunately it would then turn out that Boris had forgotten we don't have any aircraft carriers with actual aircraft and therefore no ability to take them back.
Smacks of Forsyth’s Wife, Alegra Stratton who also happens to be Johnsons press Secretary telling us how impossible it will be, but laying the ground for a great Johnson victory when he snatches a deal at the last moment
+1
This has been Political theatre for months now.
Johnson needs to placate the ERG nobbers whilst getting a deal that won't wipe out our economy - This will be 'agreed' at the last possible moment, portraying Johnson as the plucky hero who outsmarted the shifty foreigners.
Whatever happens his days are numbered - at some point in the near future Graham Brady will hit the delete button and Boris will be gone.
At the moment he is the perfect fall-guy to blame for the shocking COVID management and BREXIT Sh*tstorm.
Parity on Monday, poverty on Tuesday. Ten years in the economic wilderness. The pound bought 1.32 euros the week before the referendum. It bought 1.08 a few hours ago. I didn't vote to be 18% poorer.
Pilot light must have gone out on that oven Boris mentioned.
Johnson needs to placate the ERG nobbers whilst getting a deal that won’t wipe out our economy – This will be ‘agreed’ at the last possible moment, portraying Johnson as the plucky hero who outsmarted the shifty foreigners.
He wants to go down in history as the man that liberated us from Europe. He will do it at any cost I reckon and we are about to see just what cost that is. The narrative will be about liberation. COVID mismanagement will be forgotten as we were first with the vaccine and as a result are the "best" country.
AlexSimon
Full MemberJesus Christ! I didn’t know that import VAT rules were changing (from outside EU).
It took an email from Wish – ikr – of all people to inform me or regulatory changes – **** Wish!
It's not that ironic really since brexit is like buying something off Wish. If it arrives at all it won't be what you were promised and it'll end up costing you way more than you thought.
tjagain
Full MemberCromolly – thats been obvious for a long time. Its why they will not sign up to a level playing feild
And yet, there's still people who believe that they're resisting the "level playing field" because it stops us doing state aid and bringing back british industry. (the Mail was claiming the other day that the reason the EU wants the "level playing field" is so that <they> can do state aid but also so that <we> can't, which is quite an exciting interpretation of level, even if it weren't all complete mad fantasy.
I desperately hope there can be something positive come next week, but doubt it.
So...for those who voted either way in 2016 - assuming you did vote - would you vote the same way again?
I would. I'm happy to be part of a united country and bigger block upon which we rely on so for so much business which supports relative economic prosperity.
It is an absolute shame that the energy - typically displayed by those who are desperately trying to mitigate against potential and known risks - could have been much better deployed to develop stronger relationships with our closest partners and also further improve what felt like a nice stable foundation etc.
There appears to have been no achievable Plan A, let alone a Plan B or Plan C.
Regardless - ultimately what we need is for a clear vision of what future prosperity looks like for this country and a plan detailing what actions are going to be taken to actually get there. HS2, etc - complete BS. Rather than simple theatrical sound-bites delivered by what appear to be cretins.
For those who did not want to remain in the EU, what were the primary reasons for that view? Are they still valid? Could they have been addressed by less radical means?
I've been angry about Brexit for the last 4 years or so but this week is really getting to me (as I try to encourage my elderly father to panic buy staples as my wife, daughter and I - his only family - are no longer allowed to live in the same country as him)
Yesterday on the newswires:
The former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said a no-deal exit would be a “failure of statecraft”, but he laid the blame on the EU for failing to understand the UK position. “I still think that the Europeans are overestimating the political space that Boris Johnson has on this,” he said. “That’s why I think it’s a very perilous situation.”
The Europeans are overestimating the political space Boris has?!!!
Lots of chatter about who is at fault for this mess but the fact that 4 years later someone in government has suggested (with long words and pointed in the wrong direction) that the Prime Minister has no scope to agree ANYTHING is proof positive that there was never mandate to leave with a vote won on the strength of a temporarily duped 2% margin.
My ire is directed at everyone who said 'Right, that's it. 50%+1 is enough to burn everything to the ground and work it out later and if you disagree you hate democracy'
It was so Fu(#ing obvious that it was going to play out like this that I still cannot fathom how we started on this path (Corbyn)
I still remember the feelings of waking up on that morning in 2016 and seeing the result. Shock, confusion, unease, despair. Always knew it was going to be a close run thing but I thought Remain would nudge it.
Over the previous four years as things rumbled on and not a lot happened it waxed and waned a bit but now, standing here looking into the abyss, I can’t see any shred of hope or positivity at all. 🙁
Absolutely +1 - June 2016 will be our generation's "everyone remembers where they were when they heard about JFK".
My pro-Brexit mate on Facebook posted a story this morning saying something like "nice to have some good news!" It was a link to the BBC's story about European bison making a comeback, but contrasted with 31 other species now believed extinct. I think that's an accurate reflection of his investigative skills...
There are no sensible words or deeds that can cure this plastic patriot Brexit mentality. The harder and faster people and their families get smashed by the blast, the better.
There is, for me, an analogue with the German civilian experience in the First and Second world war.
First World War: Heil the Kaiser. Hardly any military incursion into heartland Germany, Civilian hardship but not suffering under military attack - 20 years later - ready for another squarego.
Second world war: The master race. Heartland Germany invaded and occupied, civilians BATTERED by ground forces and massive devastation from the air: Not kicked off for 75 years and counting. Lesson learnt.
Second world war: The master race. Heartland Germany invaded and occupied, civilians BATTERED by ground forces and massive devastation from the air: Not kicked off for 75 years and counting. Lesson learnt.
and their leaders either shot, hung or committed suicide 🙂
There are no sensible words or deeds that can cure this plastic patriot Brexit mentality. The harder and faster people and their families get smashed by the blast, the better.
I'm with you on this except it'll take out everyone else with it.
The equivalent of burning your house to the ground to get rid of the dry rot.
I am truly hoping, praying, that Johnson (please don't call him Boris, that's his act and fake persona, don't play to it) get something late doors. I mean, I don't see how it'll happen, but one has to has hope.
Saying that, it's 2020, so the chances of anything good happening are negligible...
I still remember the feelings of waking up on that morning in 2016 and seeing the result. Shock, confusion, unease, despair. Always knew it was going to be a close run thing but I thought Remain would nudge it.
I distinctly remember waking up and Mrs Binners just looking at me and the look on her face said it all. She didn't even have to say anything. I remember uttering 'You're ****ing joking?' It was horrible. Watching Arran banks and Farage and their coterie of nasty little racists popping the champagne corks was utterly depressing and since then it's been a never-ending shitstorm towards where we somewhat inevitably are now... the worst conceivable outcome. No Deal was always their destination
This country has changed immeasurably since June 2016. All for the worse. And that decline will become a freefall in January. Nothing good can ever come of something as stupid as this
speccyguy
Free MemberMy ire is directed at everyone who said ‘Right, that’s it. 50%+1 is enough to burn everything to the ground and work it out later and if you disagree you hate democracy’
The real trick- the genius of the thing really- was to promise 50 different brexits, many of which were impossible, most of which were contradictory, but then to claim every vote for all of those different brexits as being a vote for whatever brexit actually arrives. Which, as it turns out, wasn't one of the 50 brexits promised at all. So literally nobody gets what they want- but it turns out that when nobody's getting what they voted for, that is a mandate for politicians to just do whatever they want. Like, the thing you ordered off the menu isn't available tonight (in fact, it's never available) so you're now obliged to eat whatever the chef offers as an example, and it's literally just a shit on a plate. Not even in a sandwich.
Followed by a general election which was won by a "majority" of 43.6% which gives you 56% of seats, while the next 2 parties get almost exactly the same number of votes but only 32% of the seats, and in which all of the winning party's main promises turned out to be total bullshit but that apparently just gives you a mandate- with your "majority" and all- to do what you want as long as it uses some of the same words as the broken promises.
Moxy!
pondo
Full MemberAbsolutely +1 – June 2016 will be our generation’s “everyone remembers where they were when they heard about JFK”.
I was in the Lake District on holiday- went into a pub which was entirely staffed by central europeans, the two I spoke to were lithuanians, and heard the landlady crowing about how we'd "taken back our country" and we'd "send them all home". The entire hospitality sector of the town, which is basically their entire economy, was running on european migrant labour. Except the chinese restaurant. Already we were getting people joking "can we come to Scotland with you?" And of course the Lakes had soaked up european money and is totally dependent on tourist income.
Start as you mean to continue eh...
Unfortunately it would then turn out that Boris had forgotten we don’t have any aircraft carriers with actual aircraft and therefore no ability to take them back.
I can't tell you how many there were but I can tell you that I didn't count any out and I didn't count any back in
I distinctly remember waking up and Mrs Binners just looking at me and the look on her face said it all. She didn’t even have to say anything. I remember uttering ‘You’re ****ing joking?’ It was horrible. Watching Arran banks and Farage and their coterie of nasty little racists popping the champagne corks was utterly depressing
I remember being sat on a train to work feeling thoroughly angry about the result when Farage comes on saying that of course the NHS won't get £350m. It was 7am. He'd admitted it was a scam before most people had woken in to the result.
Does anybody genuinely still think this is a good idea?
I’ve got no problem with parliamentary democracy giving ‘power’ to a not-majority as the whole system is designed to slow things down until there is actual support. Brexit A50 threw that out in an instant and a couple of people decided that we ‘had to’ leave. Why they couldn’t have had the idea that Hunt has just had now that they have never had the support for tough decisions I don’t know.
when Farage comes on saying that of course the NHS won’t get £350m
To be fair to Farage… that lie was the doing of the “other” campaign, the one led by the people who are now our government. There were two Leave campaigns… one majored on lying about the economy and NHS… the other focused on lying about migration from beyond the EU’s borders. Farage was part of the second. All part of what Northwind was talking about… multiple contradictory, and mostly impossible, versions of Brexit were campaigned for… none of which are being delivered.
The harder and faster people and their families get smashed by the blast, the better.
This. The hardest Brexit with the worst consequences. Failure is a better teacher than success. I don't want a part-lesson. Only abject failure will do.
Nothing good can ever come of something as stupid as this
The only thing I can see, or hope, is that people might start looking after each other better. I don't think it's rose tinted glasses, I remember my grandparents and their friends and neighbours helping each other when they needed it. They didn't wait for 'someone' to do 'something' they got on and did it.
If we can get a bit more of that, it won't be all bad and it might just get us through it.
What the brexiteers said about the ease of getting a deal:
There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside.
Gggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
There appears to have been no achievable Plan A, let alone a Plan B or Plan C.
People advocating Brexit had no more a plan for how they would actually leave the EU than a dog chasing a car has for driving it.
Does anybody genuinely still think this is a good idea?
I've referred to them a number of times on this thread but the two 'Lexiteers' I know still think this is brilliant! They're boomers (obviously), retired, very comfortably off and on most subjects their views are Corbyn-level socialist, but once you get onto the subject of the EU, you might as well be talking to Nigel himself. They'll bang on endlessly about federal superstates, Franco-German conspiracies, EU armies, fishing rights 'stolen' from us, the lot....
It's absolutely bizarre. They're educated, intelligent blokes, socially liberal on all other subjects, but their vitriolic hatred of the EU is unhinged. They believe (as so many property owners with gold-plated, triple-locked pensions, who no longer have to work for a living do) that ANYTHING is worth sacrificing to get out of the EU.
Obviously, they won't be sacrificing anything personally. Its my children's generation that is really going to cop the shit for this. The last act of supreme selfishness from the gilded generation
They didn’t wait for ‘someone’ to do ‘something’ they got on and did it.
Give us some dates. Otherwise this is just rose tinted nonsense. Friends, family and neighbours help each other today. I’ll bet that the biggest advances since whatever timeframe you are dreaming about came about by people developing sophisticated regional, national and intra-national cooperation… removing that will not increase our adhoc support for each other, especially between richer and poorer neighbourhoods, regions, countries, etc.
So...assuming a very sharp shock is coming to most (not all...as some have ensured their nests are well feathered and will be sufficiently removed that they won't actually suffer) which may actually make folks think and possibly revert to wanting to be part of a fine big trading block, what actions would have to happen to allow us start a move back into the EU and under what potential conditions?
Also, what actually needs to happen to ensure that elected politicians actually work on behalf of the country in the medium to longer term? Unfortunately, direct communication with our currently elected MP's seems to go unanswered...
For the UK, any chance that a response to potential negative impacts will be a true coalition working towards a common, positive, goal?
I can't think of anything in my lifetime (I'm 50) that has come close to Brexit for dividing people, not uniting them, and I include Thatcherism and the miner's strike in that. Not even close.
And with what the Tories plan to do once 'free' of EU regulations, can you see them doing anything that will in any way reduce inequality in any way, shape or form
Like I said: nothing good can come of this. All it has done so far is glorify idiotic populist nationalism and fuel intolerance through legitimising things I thought we'd rid ourselves of decades ago
Not everyone who voted for Brexit was racist, but every single racist voted for Brexit
what actions would have to happen to allow us start a move back into the EU
That just isn’t happening. There is no way back to membership now. Closer cooperation in future will be on the cards however, but with more stringent constraints than we had as members. We can not be trusted, future deals and arrangements will have to take that into account.
On the subject of EU regulations getting binned from the get go, I see Monbiot has picked up on the NFU looking to allow damn right dodgy chemicals back into use.
Christ! Boris is off fuelling his Churchill fantasies again. The gammons will be wetting themselves over this
Four navy ships to help protect UK waters in case of no-deal Brexit
Four Royal Navy patrol ships will be ready from 1 January to help the UK protect its fishing waters in the event of a no-deal Brexit, in a deployment evoking memories of the “cod wars” in the 1970s.
The 80-metre-long armed vessels would have the power to halt, inspect and impound all EU fishing boats operating within the UK’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which can extend 200 miles from shore.
So this is the 'preparation' they've done for Brexit. No plans to give business any certainty but gunboats in the channel. Maybe Priti can get them to sink some refugee dinghies if they're not busy chasing off the bloody frogs
Just too dispiriting for words 🙁
On the subject of EU regulations getting binned from the get go, I see Monbiot has picked up on the NFU looking to allow damn right dodgy chemicals back into use.
I do find this mildly surprising as the NFU themselves were not pro-Brexit to my knowledge
I wanged on about this IT system on the “old” Brexit thread… (and the mistake of not also amending the old system to cope with us being a third county as a contingency measure) …and it is still not sorted…
https://twitter.com/sturdyalex/status/1337444826250407939?s=21
binners
Full MemberNot everyone who voted for Brexit was racist, but every single racist voted for Brexit
I know a racist who voted to remain for professional reasons, his business is totally dependent on foreigners, immigration and the EU and he hates them all. It's great.
If I ever found my self in a room with Boris or Gove I would kick the living crap outta them.
I normally a lover but christ this is depressing me and my mental health has taken a hit, its all just so pointless. they are even talking about how our eating habits will have to change ffs, thats just bat shit
Pilot light must have gone out on that oven Boris mentioned.
I wonder if it was ever on. Johnson level logic would dictate buying the oven cheap off a friend of a friend and sneaking it into the country - because that's what's enterprising Men of England do. Non of that reading the instruction book; that's for those continental types a real Man of the People would just crack and connect up. Everyone understands the rules of gas installation. Technically he might have an oven ready deal and he's probably got the gumption to take it out the packaging. Understanding the cooking instructions and installing a working cooker. Sadly I think that's just beyond him, so here we are with him trying to heat it by turning up the gaslight.
Brexit and Indy. Fully agree that nothing that I can remember has even come close to the open hostile division these have created.
What causes us to be such that at times it feels like an unevolved territorial response to anything not from within your own door. No different to 'having' to fight with folks from another street, school, village, town, etc, etc.
Looking at other, successful, countries, which have got the best model of governing? Being mindful of things you deem positive. Any chance the UK could get to that model?
I think Piers just offered a suggestion…
https://twitter.com/spittingcat/status/1337447235618037763?s=21
It all seems so hollow now.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2016/feb/21/boris-backs-brexit-video
Edit:
Yeah, you fought the man Nigel. The man is now leaving the UK.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2016/jun/24/nigel-farage-eu-referendum-this-victory-for-real-people-video
I still remember the feelings of waking up on that morning in 2016 and seeing the result. Shock, confusion, unease, despair.
I remember too, but what I really remember most is going into the office. The crowing from the thickos who did the stuff that really should have been replaced with a couple of macros was insufferable. Especially from the one who had managed to insult the girl of Asian background who she sat near by exclaiming "I'm not eating that muck" when a curry was mooted as Xmas night out 2015.
A couple of hours later she was on the phone to hubby telling him to get down the post office sharpish to get the Euros for their holiday to Spain because "you'll never believe what's happening to the pound". I actually walked out at that point with a stage whisper of "for ****'s sake" as I went.
It was utterly predictable who would be cheering.
It was utterly predictable who would be cheering.
I don't think anyone where I was working at the time was really "cheering" as such but there were definitely a few people there, fairly high up, who admitted to voting Leave. One said it was "because of all that money we sent to the EU".
This in a sports governing body that absolutely relied on freedom of movement to permit its athletes to attend training camps in Europe, race in European competitions, to maintain a European base of operations, to cross borders sometimes dozens of times a year, that was flying/driving support staff across Europe and that employed coaches and support staff from all over Europe.
Utterly ****ing insane.
