Be Excellent To Each Other

Got to. As soon as the reality of the folly hits home.

Ok, so odds of us never leaving now must be shortening right? Or is that wishful thinking?

Got to. As soon as the reality of the folly hits home.

So, the EU has done a free trade deal with Japan. That's good news for Sunderland and Swindon, isn't it?

Boris Johnson has suggested European leaders can “go whistle” if they expect Britain to pay a divorce bill for withdrawing from the European Union.

Speaking in the House of Commons, the foreign secretary also told MPs that the government had “no plan for no deal” because of its confidence in securing a strong Brexit settlement with the bloc.

He went on to say the sums demanded by Brussels as a price for a deal were “extortionate” and signalled that the UK would refuse to pay.

Britain has for the first time explicitly acknowledged it has financial obligations to the EU after Brexit, a move that is likely to avert a full-scale clash over the exit bill in talks next week.

In a written statement to parliament touching on a “financial settlement”, the government recognised on Thursday “that the UK has obligations to the EU . . . that will survive the UK’s withdrawal — and that these need to be resolved”.

The text, released by Joyce Anelay, a Brexit minister, was immediately seen by Brussels as a potentially important development. EU diplomats say the wording “goes further” than Theresa May’s previous reference to Britain being willing to reach a “fair settlement” of unspecified obligations.

It's glorious. A glorious shitshow. I love it.

It's all fun and games until Sunderland's car workers are lining up on the dole.

I don't think it'll get that far. It's becoming too ludicrous of an escapade now to reach that stage.

follow through

Yeah, I'm now seeing a glimmer of hope that it is becoming too visibly and publically disastrous to actually follow through with - which I didn't expect.

The only possible silver lining here is that a massively fucked Brexit might swell appetite for Scottish independence then you can all come and live in our glorious socialist utopia.

I'm mostly joking there of course. Mostly.

There are however two other elements of democracy worth mentioning – and they are related. One is the role of truth. The other is the right of people to change their mind. And partly because the public now has a clear sense not only that they were lied to during the referendum, but that they are now being fed a different set of lies about how pain-free Brexit will be, they are beginning to doubt the good sense of exiting the EU, and moving to the idea that the country may need to take another look at this.

What are the likes of the sun/mail saying?

Yeah, I'm now seeing a glimmer of hope that it is becoming too visibly and publically disastrous to actually follow through with - which I didn't expect.

That's sort of what I mean. A succession of stories about how disastrous the outcome is likely to be is slowly finally moving public perception to the point where government might be able to backtrack from the vote. Moving the Overton window or whatever it's called.

It is of course in some part wishful thinking, but I think it's getting more likely based on recent coverage as we get into the detail of negotiation. The line is shifting, whether it will be enough remains to be seen.

BA BA BAAAA BAAAA BAAAA BA BA BAAAA BAAAA BAAAA BA BA BAAAA BAA BAA BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The impression we got so far is that the UK is not ready for these talks.”

A Labour government would leave the single market because it is “dependent on membership of the EU” but seek a trade deal that mirrored the free trade benefits, Jeremy Corbyn has said.

The UK does not have its own capacity to do things like certify maintenance facilities if it leaves the European Aviation Safety Agency. Yes, you heard that right. The UK won’t be able to certify the people that fix the planes. As with so many of these issues, the UK will either have to negotiate to remain in the Agency (which is within the dreaded European Court of Justice’s jurisdiction), or establish its own capacity to replace what it does from a standing start in only 20 months.

The American farming industry insists any free trade deal must include agriculture – and Britain must allow in US chlorine-washed chicken, hormone-fed beef and genetically modified crops, all banned here and in the EU. The Telegraph reports Fox sources, backed by Boris Johnson, saying “the Americans have been eating it perfectly safely for years” and it’s 21% cheaper than our chicken. Trade is supposed to mean cheaper imports. But, with echoes of the old Corn Law wars, Gove and Leadsom jump to defend British farmers, expressing “serious concerns”. Not only will UK farmers lose market share, but lowering standards bars us from exporting our food to the EU. Fox dismissed food obsession as media trivia. Maybe the food is safe – but his eagerness to lower standards shows how a supplicant UK will take whatever terms a super-power desires.

It’s infuriating to watch Brexiteers only now finding out basic truths that “experts” told them years ago. Trade with New Zealand? That will wipe out our sheep farming. Trade with India? The price will be a huge increase in visas for Indians, breaking Theresa May’s already impossible net immigration target of “tens of thousands”. What about that “frictionless trade” at the border? Michel Barnier has now absolutely ruled it out: “I have heard some people in the UK argue that one can leave the single market and the customs union to achieve ‘frictionless trade’ but that is not possible.”

Post brexit, the national dish will be chlorination chicken

If the UK realises that any deal would be far inferior to full membership and inflict significant political costs on the UK, there could even be a reconsideration of the UK’s decision to leave. But a re-remain decision would not necessarily be met with enthusiasm on the other side of the channel. The way the UK has conducted these negotiations has burned many bridges and there are precious few allies and friends left. And the longer this approach prevails, the harder will it be to turn the situation around.

Post brexit, the national dish will be chlorination chicken

We're so fucked. And all for what?