This is the Bulgarian viewpoint and really made me laugh 😂
https://twitter.com/julianpopov/status/1185664196178042880?s=21
that's genuinely funny!
Hmmm....BBC explains why no impact assessments have been published
That is the fundamental strategic choice, made by this government, to pursue unfettered free trade deals with the US and others, at the expense of extra trade barriers with our biggest trade partner - the EU.
Clearly, the game has moved on since the Summer. We now realise that the EU won't open it's markets to us to cost effectively dump our non-compliant tat so we're trying to forge a transatlantic alliance by offering closer regulatory alignment.
The madness of completely shutting the door on exports that are barely 25 miles from our shore notwithstanding, it's clear that the government are more than happy to destroy what's left of industry:
It promised to align regulations with the EU in many sectors, and adopted a series of legally binding "level playing field" arrangements covering the environment, employment, and competition.
But it also limited the ambition in other free trade deals with, for example, the US and other partners. By implicitly aligning tariff rates with the EU and sharing regulatory standards in many areas, Theresa May went out of her way to promise alignment to industries - such as automotive, aerospace & pharmaceuticals - at the expense of freedom over other deals with partners who would prefer a more flexible approach.
I love "flexible approach". Not.
And this doozy:
There are two reasons why there is no economic impact assessment being published. First, it would take longer than a few days to do one. And second, because the assessment would almost certainly show that the medium term trade off for the UK is negative for growth.
So we do indeed get Mr Javid's "lost decade" and no doubt the the resulting job losses will be blamed on an intractable European Union - cunningly missing the point that we helped write the Single Market legislation.
The flip side is that a more expansive free trade policy, with the US and others, will create some winners too - perhaps in some parts of financial services, tech, elements of cutting edge medical research, and in small businesses that do not rely on trade with the EU. Most of the bigger positive impacts will take longer to be realised.
Ah, those sunlit uplands!
So it is practically no deal in all but name, we'll be desperate for trade treaties and will be "flexible" to adopt those stipulated by China, India, et al who'll have far greater economic clout than us.
Have you ever stopped to wonder why no-one is mooting "sovereignty" anymore?
https://politics-punked.com/2019/10/07/brexitannia-the-british-identity-crisis/
If only that article could be written on the side of a bus....
Ah, those sunlit uplands!
I’m still waiting for an answer to what fabulous things you can do after Brexit that you can’t do now.
Are they even bothering to sale sunlit uplands now seems that ‘getting Brexit done’ is more important than er what it offers.
Remember kids don’t let a good slogan get in the way of reality.
So for Boris to get his election, does he have to call and win a vote of no confidence in himself?
how-can-boris-johnson-get-a-general-election-before-january
He hasn’t the numbers to call a general election but can do a 1 line bill but then it’ll get amended.
I’m hoping he’ll do something interesting but for all the bluster he does seem to be very careful with things that place him in legal jeopardy.
Ie no witness statement for the poroguing and a carefully written letter to try to not ask for an extension.
Of course you could also argue why would he give up the job he’s always wanted, May managed to sit it out for 3 years spinning plates.
He could sit it out for a few years complaining bitterly how they’re stopping him.
It’s a shite job but there’s free b&b an good WiFi an a car going with it.
He hasn’t the numbers to call a general election but can do a 1 line bill but then it’ll get amended.
But he can ensure an amended bill doesn't pass, not ideal but manageable. Preference will be to get Labour to vote under FTPA, Corbyn apparently doesn't think they can continually duck it - probably correctly - many of his MPs supposedly disagree.
So Johnson has manufactured, much to my surprise, decent options, albeit none without risks.
I heard about Ken Clarke threatening to throw in a lowering of voting age and proportional representation, I put that down to twitterstyria if you will.
I can see why a lower voting age should be chosen for a referendum but any change for a GE should be a permanent one - and affect voting for all elections. Would there even be time to get all the 16-17 year olds registered?
PR? generally in favour but surely shouldn't be rushed.
The whole thing has just become the most pathetic I've ever seen.
Practicalities are seemingly irrelevant and it's all about a few MPs saving face, what little face they have left.
Speak to anyone outside the UK and the attitude is basically 'wtf lol, why?'
Both labour leadership & Tory leadership are internally divided over when's best to go for an election
Good argument to hold it in mid winter as older folks less lily to turn out & help Tories
At the same time if its not until then will Johnson be able to blame Corbyn for delaying?
Polls look bad for Corbyn, but they did in 2017
After or just before a confirmed Brexit day would be what Johnson most wants
Peter Oborne isn't always right, bit he's bang on with this
https://twitter.com/Sillyshib/status/1187088250932023298?s=19
What if they plan an election for December and it snows? That'll slash turnout in certain areas, and damage credibility. Is there legislation about this? Can there be an emergency postponement?
I can see the "Boris wrecks school nativity" stories in the local paper already.
Most school halls, church halls, school etc are in good and regular use all through December already.
Our local polling station is our daughters primary school. They have to shut it when it's a polling day, so potentially you'd be forcing a good number of parents to take a day of their already expended annual leave in the run up to Christmas.
Kimbers- Peter Obourne is absolutely bang on. It’s been winding me up watching the BBC (in particular, as they should know better) quote ‘a source at number 10’ as if it’s a disgruntled civil servant leaking information, when they know full-well it’s Dominic Cummings (in his official capacity as the PM’s chief strategist)
While Johnson was on his feet in parliament the other day saying one thing, the ‘source at number 10’ was saying something completely different.
This technique of deliberate misinformation- of the executive saying 2 completely contradictory things at the same time, so as to keep everyone guessing - is one developed and used very effectively by one Mr V Putin.
I heard about Ken Clarke threatening to throw in a lowering of voting age
Having 16 and 17 olds voting is not going to help Tories much so why would they propose that?
There is something seriously wrong with a teenager who would choose to vote Tory. How could someone be so bitter and selfish at that age?
is one developed and used very effectively by one Mr V Putin.
Yep reminds me of Adam Curtis talking about non-linear war, in hypernormalisation
I can't wait for the Adam Curtis about this catastro**** to come out in a few years
Having 16 and 17 olds voting is not going to help Tories much so why would they propose that?
I don't think Ken Clarke is really trying to help the current leadership of the Tory party.
What if they plan an election for December and it snows?
Old people don't vote, Tories lose.
What's not to like?
I don’t think Ken Clarke is really trying to help the current leadership of the Tory party.
But he would presumably still prefer a Tory party to one led by the evil communist Corbyn.
Maybe. Or, maybe he'd prefer Britain to not have a catastrophic Brexit.
only Conservative MP to vote against the triggering of Article 50
But he would presumably still prefer a Tory party to one led by the evil communist Corbyn.
Why ?
Assuming Corbyn can even be elected he can only do so much damage from a Ken Clarke view to the UK in a single term.
I doubt Ken Clarke believes the Corbyn utopia would survive after that ... I also dare say if he's wrong we still have a functional company and if there is no first class rail travel* he can live with that.
*Just randomly
Why ?
Because he's a tory, and an old school one at that, which means his single motivation is protecting the power and wealth of those who currently hold it.
Peter Oborne isn’t always right, bit he’s bang on with this
Have a listen to Jeremy Vine from an hour in yesterday - Amol Rajan was presenting and had Oborne on, it was a distinctly unpleasant ad hom that got really rather spicy. I quite liked Amol, but that was one of the least objective pieces I think I've ever heard on the Beeb.
Because he’s a tory, and an old school one at that, which means his single motivation is protecting the power and wealth of those who currently hold it
Did you ever imagine, at the height of Fatcherism, that we'd arrive at a point where her hatchet men like Clarke and Heseltine would be considered liberal lefties by the leadership of the Tory Party?
Thats just how mental this country now is. The architects of the original free-market fundamentalism are now considered to be almost socialists.
It'd be fascinating to hear what their hero, Fatcha herself, would make of all this. Personally I think she'd look at the present tory party front bench and be absolutely horrified
Have a listen to Jeremy Vine from an hour in yesterday – Amol Rajan was presenting and had Oborne on, it was a distinctly unpleasant ad hom that got really rather spicy. I quite liked Amol, but that was one of the least objective pieces I think I’ve ever heard on the Beeb.
I listened to it live. Neither of them came out of it looking good. There were no winners.
It’d be fascinating to hear what their hero, Fatcha herself, would make of all this.
She'd be so disgusted that she'd spit out a mouthful of the child's blood she'd been drinking from a golden goblet.
As horrific and twisted as they might have been, at least she had principles and the integrity to stick to them.
I listened to it live. Neither of them came out of it looking good. There were no winners.
I agree. Would have been nice if they'd actually discussed it, mind.
I'm off work sick and very, very bored. I just made the mistake of reading some of the utter shite that (exclusively old) people post on Brexit threads. I ****ing despair.
Did you ever imagine, at the height of Fatcherism, that we’d arrive at a point where her hatchet men like Clarke and Heseltine would be considered liberal lefties by the leadership of the Tory Party?
That's what they were considered at the time.
It was Heseltine who brought her premiership to an end, over Europe and some helicopter company.
Got one of our greeting card reps in at the moment.
The amount of shops she has lost is scary. I wish our so called leaders would listen to the people at the front.
Shit is happening and it can only get a lot lot worse .
dazh:
Because he’s a tory, and an old school one at that, which means his single motivation is protecting the power and wealth of those who currently hold it.
I'm pretty sure, if you look really carefully you will find that there is a human being not some lizard invader from planet Zogg.
if you look really carefully you will find that there is a human being
Most human beings have a strong sense of empathy and generosity towards others. I see little sign of those in the majority of tories.
I wish our so called leaders would listen to the people at the front.
The current leaders genuinely could not give less of a poo about the people at the front, the middle, or the back.
Unsurprisingly, this Tory Brexit project is an idealogical one designed to exclusively improve the lot of the 1% at the top. The rest of us don't even register.
To them, its all 'a price worth paying' because they're not the ones left picking up the tab.
That will be left to us mugs, same as with the banking crisis
When the car industry, pharma and god knows what else goes down the tubes, they'll adopt exactly the same casual, callous disinterest they showed to the miners and the steelworkers in the 80's
I see little sign of those in the majority of tories.
How many tories do you actually know?
Unsurprisingly, this Tory Brexit project is an idealogical one designed to exclusively improve the lot of the 1% at the top. The rest of us don’t even register.
Don't fall for those percentile tricks used by the rich to hide within the "slightly richer"
The majority of wealth (even declared) is in the top 0.01% ... which of course means they can point their fingers at the top 1%, 5% or 25% depending how you draw it.
The ideological part is that anyone can improve their lot... and many Tory's probably subscribe to this as the bottom 10% don't really exist to them and a fair number of them have come from modest backgrounds... but all of this draws the attention away from the top 0.01%..
The money behind the ideology of brexit is not from "millionaires" or "multi-millionaires" but the likes of Aaaron Banks...
Most human beings have a strong sense of empathy and generosity towards others. I see little sign of those in the majority of tories.
Perhaps you should take off your hate goggles?
Why do you think Kenneth Clarke or others have opposed the government/Tory line?
(Especially Kennth Clarke ... it's not like he's starting a career...)
and a fair number of them have come from modest backgrounds
Such as...?
I remember Iain Duncan Smith saying, as he introduced Universal Credit, that he empathised with the unemployed as he himself had been without a job when he left the army
Yes, Iain, but most people on benefits aren't married to members of the landed gentry who's parents gave you a house worth a few million quid to live in.
When I think of the Tory's who are driving this whole project, I think of him. A man utterly and completely devoid of the remotest shread of compassion, empathy or humanity. A man who's deliberate actions (also purely idealogical) have made the lives of the poorest and most disadvanted in this country immeasurably worse. A fact he clearly couldn't give a flying **** about!
Brexit will impact those same poor and disadvantaged people the hardest. They know this, full-well, and they couldn't care less
To be fair, dash did say "majority of" not "all".
How many tories do you actually know?
This is an interesting one. Do we gravitate towards people of similar political persuasions or is it that our position in society (work, leisure interests, etc.) mean we tend to rub shoulders with those of a similar view anyway?
Personally, I can't be totally sure but I think I know 2 tories and 2 maybe 3 brexiteers.
Perhaps you should take off your hate goggles?
Why would I do that? Ken Clarke, no matter what he does today, and what short memories people have, was part of the government which deliberately laid waste to huge parts of the country to take revenge for the miners strike. He may have been a tory wet, but he's still a tory, and those of us who witnessed the devastation of the 80s will never forget that.
Indeed. And he looks like Ghandi compared to this present lot
same as with the banking crisis
Which, IIRC, the country is now either at net zero or in credit for, for them there loans what propped up the banks, i.e. no mugs were required to support that. Just saying, like.
Are you suggesting that no one in the UK paid any kind of price for that over the past decade?