Brexit

[vandermolen]

There's a feeling around that by giving
I don't imagine Boris Johnson cares very much. There's a feeling around that by giving Liz Truss the Brexit role, he's handing her a poisoned chalice to annul a political rival. It being Boris, I find that very easy to believe. Putting his own political needs ahead of those of the country seems to come naturally to him.

Like vandermolen, I've never known anyone less suited to the role he's in. He was able to campaign because it's about self-promotion, but when it comes to the real stuff he's like a two-dimensional object trying to fill a three-dimensional space, utterly hopeless.

Yes, Johnson wanted to become PM and wants to have been PM (so that he can appear on chat shows, make lots of money, write books etc) but he doesn't want the bit in the middle (having to do the work). I've thought that from the start.

[Iota]

It's an impossible position for Boris...

He has let Brexit hardliners stoke conflict with the EU to deflect from the fall out from a "failed" Brexit - which is an odd term since Brexit has delivered exactly what was to be expected.

Now he is stuck in a deadlock with the EU: moving forward would make the hole he has dug for his govt even deeper, moving backward is admitting failure and defeat.

The normal response to such impasses has been more can-kicking, so more might be expected I suppose. Liz Truss might at least be more problem-solving than problem-finding, than Frost was.

If the kicked can eventually fell apart and a cornered Johnson went sort of nuclear, triggering a full Article 16, and subsequently provoking the EU into ripping up the whole deal, there are enough disgruntled Brexiteers that he might get a sudden surge of support conceivably. Though I hope that's a very improbable notion.

Yes, Johnson wanted to become PM and wants to have been PM (so that he can appear on chat shows, make lots of money, write books etc) but he doesn't want the bit in the middle (having to do the work). I've thought that from the start.

Ditto.

[Madiel]

If the kicked can eventually fell apart and a cornered Johnson went sort of nuclear, triggering a full Article 16, and subsequently provoking the EU into ripping up the whole deal, there are enough disgruntled Brexiteers that he might get a sudden surge of support conceivably. Though I hope that's a very improbable notion.

There's nothing that quite encapsulates the problem like the way that politicians prioritise what is in their own interest rather than what is in the interest of the country.

The world needs more people who are interested in governing rather than politics. The two should really go hand-in-hand, but they don't. We encourage people to be really good at winning a popularity contest, and then whichever collective of people managed to win more popularity contests are rewarded by being given government. Something that has very little at all to do with being liked.

[71 dB]

Don't Laugh! Donald Trump's Scottish golf resorts are hit by Brexit staff shortages and prices have increased from additional freight and import duty charges.

I guess these are the great Brexit business opportunities Trump praised as the president?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Don't Laugh! Donald Trump's Scottish golf resorts are hit by Brexit staff shortages and prices have increased from additional freight and import duty charges.

I guess these are the great Brexit business opportunities Trump praised as the president?

Aw, poor Mr. Trump.

PD

[Que]

The NI Protocol row keeps dragging on, but at least it seems that the issue is in safe hands...

[71 dB]

The NI Protocol row keeps dragging on, but at least it seems that the issue is in safe hands...

Turns out when you believe in nothing, the only purpose in life is advocating for yourself. 

[Madiel]

Turns out when you believe in nothing, the only purpose in life is advocating for yourself. 

Turns out that one person is not a government, or any other kind of organisation for that matter.  I'm impressed that you've never ever been in a situation where you advocate one position personally but then your workplace makes a different decision.

I mean heck, I was involved in a debate on a particular point at work maybe 5 years ago, and I lost that debate. I'm occasionally reminded by circumstances about it, and I still hold to the view that I had at the time. Do I implement my view? No, because I know damn well what the policy of my office is, and that the editors (and maybe even the computer system) would mark my work as incorrect if I didn't follow the policy.

I also remember a decision on some point at least 10 years ago, and a colleague at the time muttering under his breath next to me about how he was going to ignore the decision and do something different that he wanted. I remember because the urge to slap him was almost overwhelming. Not least because the office was going through a position where it had a weak leader and problems were being caused by branch heads ignoring the leader and doing their own thing, and people lower down having to work out who to listen to.

This is how the real world works, mister. It's got precisely nothing to do with a lack of belief, and everything to do with understanding that when you're part of ANY form of organisation - a government, a parliament, an entire fucking country - you give up part of your individual autonomy and ability to just do whatever the hell you want. Half the problem with the internet is that people completely forget that this is how life actually works. You've got a platform for expressing views, and forget that outside of cyberspace life doesn't consist simply of expressing views.

[J.A.W.]

More problems on the way:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60237565

[Irons]

More problems on the way:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60237565

Manna from heaven for Boris Johnson. Anything to move on from partygate!

[Que]

Absolutely brilliant news! 


Jacob Rees-Mogg made Brexit opportunities minister as PM reshuffles team


Opportunities?    I'm holding my breath for the great things to come...

A prime example is that the UK govt. is curently "considering" ditching new EU car safety standards.

Fun facts:
1. These safety standards were actually introduced for a good reason - the improvement of safety  (obviously... but just pointing this out..)
2. The UK played a large role in developing these improved standards
3. Cars produced in the UK that will not meet these standards cannot be sold in the EU. Will UK car manufacturers design and manufacture different cars for the UK market and countries outside the EU? No, of course not...

But it will allow Brits to buy and drive cars that don't meet these standards from, for instance, the US. Hurray! 

[The new erato]

It takes an opportunist to recognize opportunities.

[Que]

It takes an opportunistic to recognize opportunities.

They are completely delusional....

I'm still waiting for the first UK politician of influence to advocate rejoing the Internal Market (not the EU).

[Mandryka]

[Que]

The upside is that after Rees-Mogg has had a go, nobody can claim that Brexit failed because it hasn't been done "properly"...

Few are still interested in what law professors have to say, but for those who still do - here is an interesting analysis on two recent reports on the aftermath of Brexit: Benefits of Brexit and Doing things differently?

http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/02/hunting-benefits-of-brexit.html

[Madiel]

The upside is that after Rees-Mogg has had a go, nobody can claim that Brexit failed because it hasn't been done "properly"...

Few are still interested in what law professors have to say, but for those who still do - here is an interesting analysis on two recent reports on the aftermath of Brexit: Benefits of Brexit and Doing things differently?

http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/02/hunting-benefits-of-brexit.html

Sigh. You can witness pretty much the same furphys about law without the EU being involved at all. I seem them regularly in my job. People who go on campaigns about what they want the law to be very frequently don't know what the law currently is, and consequently have no awareness of whether the law already does what they want, and/or whether the law they're aiming at is even relevant to the issue.

Even for the instructors I work within government, there are sometimes conversations to the effect of "you can do that already, you don't need me to change a law, don't make life more complicated for yourself". But at least within government people will usually listen when you point these things out. It's out in the course of public debate that you really see just how often people debate the law without having actually read it.

[Que]

Absolutely brilliant news! 


Jacob Rees-Mogg made Brexit opportunities minister as PM reshuffles team


Opportunities?    I'm holding my breath for the great things to come...

Rees-Mogg is off to a flying start - lying through his teeth:

Jacob Rees-Mogg says little evidence Brexit hit trade

"I think Brexit has been extremely beneficial for the country. I think the evidence that Brexit has caused trade drops is few and far between."


Even for the BBC this is too rich as they present all the counter evidence...

[J.A.W.]

Rees-Mogg is off to a flying start - lying through his teeth:

Jacob Rees-Mogg says little evidence Brexit hit trade

"I think Brexit has been extremely beneficial for the country. I think the evidence that Brexit has caused trade drops is few and far between."


Even for the BBC this is too rich as they present all the counter evidence...

The link doesn't work on my computer.

[Que]

The link doesn't work on my computer.

My bad... Fixed - it now takes you to the BBC.

BTW If denial is going (remaining) the Bexit strategy, Tory Brexiteers are going to run out of road pretty soon.

[Que]

And now Labour is digging a hole for itself as well...

Starmer: Labour will partner with private sector and take advantage of Brexit

I guess that even a change of govt will not offer the UK a reprieve from Brexit. The collective delusion is now complete!