We’re now all playing ‘Blind Man’s Buff’, according to a headline in a German paper. The author is a former German Ambassador to GB. It shows devastatingly how little our colleagues on the Continent have really understood about Brexit and about Britain.
Our own Remain MSM report the consternation in Brussels and about the hardening of the fronts.There won’t be any negotiations after last night’s defeat. See e.g. here
“EU sources told the BBC’s Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming the bloc has “ruled] out a special summit or the reopening of the Withdrawal Agreement in the strongest terms this evening.”
Or see e.g. here:
“EU boss Donald Tusk last night warned that Brexit could be cancelled after Theresa May suffered the biggest defeat in British political history. The President of the European Council slammed the UK’s indecision and said a deal was now “impossible” just moments after the Prime Minister’s plan for leaving the EU was crushed by 432 votes to 202.”
Another piece of information comes from a German paper, reporting that Juncker went to Brussels yesterday in the hope that Ms May’s defeat wouldn’t be too big so that he could then offer an extension to Article 50, to convince the ‘doubters’ – but that option was null and void after the crushing defeat. (source, in German)
The appalling proposal by Mr Tusk, to cancel Brexit, says more about the way EU politicians think about democracy than any long analysis!
I believe that the EU have boxed themselves into a corner by insisting that there won’t be any negotiations. From Juncker down, they simply have not understood why we, the people and our representatives, simply do not, cannot, accept the ‘Backstop’, and do not trust their honeyed words. Here are some more remarks by M Juncker illustrating this nicely:
“I take note with regret of the outcome of the vote in the House of Commons this evening. […] The Withdrawal Agreement is a fair compromise and the best possible deal. It reduces the damage caused by Brexit for citizens and businesses across Europe. It is the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.The European Commission, and notably our Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier, has invested enormous time and effort to negotiate the Withdrawal Agreement. We have shown creativity and flexibility throughout. I, together with President Tusk, have demonstrated goodwill again by offering additional clarifications and reassurances in an exchange of letters with Prime Minister May earlier this week.” (Source) (my bold).
Sorry to be flippant, but one can only say ‘boo-hoo’ when reading this!
Juncker thus set the tone for the continental papers’ reports this morning, copied by our MSM, in an endless play of ping-pong. Some expressions, such as the EU having to help us and rescue us from Brexit, have been used before, e.g. by Mr Verhofstadt. Others, like ‘unorderly Brexit’ and ‘crashing out’, come from our own ‘friends’.
Moreover, looking at the comments by both journalists and ordinary posters in German papers, it is obvious that their MSM are all for Remain, thanks to their London correspondents who get their information from our Remain MSM. For nearly 2 ½ years they keep asking why we Brits always want something extra, some ‘special treatment’, and why we cannot make proper proposals.
It seems to have escaped their notice that negotiations take place between two sides, that we didn’t dictate to Barnier and the EU what ‘treaty’ to accept!
None have made the effort to hear the Brexit arguments, unless it’s to sneer at them. Even those who profess to ‘love us Brits, really’, even those who have lived or live in London, like that former German Ambassador, have failed to understand that Great Britain is not like France or Germany, only with more rain and fog. The reams of paper and hordes of pixels having been written about our totally different Constitution and Laws, from Magna Carta down, seem to have passed them by completely.
However, one would have assumed that at least M Barnier, if not M Tusk and Juncker, would’ve been cognisant of the point made by British lawyers, from the Attorney General to the redoubtable Mr Martin Howe QC, that the ‘reassurances’ from Brussels about the Backstop are not legally binding whereas the Backstop in the WA is, with all that implies for the status of the Union.
Here’s a flavour of the tone now adopted, the tone we can look forward to, treating us, people and politician alike, like hapless idiots:
“Attention, Brussels: your hour is coming. Since the Brits obviously cannot help themselves, another saviour must come – and that can only be the partner on the other side of the channel, with the motto ‘do you want to let the Brits escape the EU without deal, to the political and especially economical detriment of the whole EU?” (my translation, source).
The author, Mr Kielinger, was perhaps trying a bit too hard for ‘British Irony’ (it misfired!), but he is serious: there won’t be negotiations, the WA deal it is, the Backstop it is, to protect the ‘Irish Partner’ – because that’s what has been negotiated, he writes.
Conveniently overlooked by him is the little fact that the WA Deal needed to be agreed to in Parliament. Didn’t they all celebrate that there would have to be a ‘meaningful vote’? But in good old EU manner, a vote is only meaningful when it goes along with EU proposals. The next quote shows this nicely:
“The top of the EU doesn’t trust the predictability of British politics, and every accommodation is accompanied by the suspicion that it will get voted down in Parliament anyway.” (my translation, same source)”
Accordingly, the only way out is a 2nd referendum, and that is what the combined forces of Brussels and EU member states, Germany first and foremost, will now push onto us.
They haven’t understood what we Brits are all about, that our Parliament is not there to pass Government and EU legislation as and when told to.
That’s what yesterday’s vote showed in exemplary fashion. As Jacob Rees Mogg made clear: we have the legislation in place to leave the EU on March 29th. Since the EU is on record as not granting an extension, never mind renegotiate, and since they don’t trust us or our Parliament anyway, then out we go, clamours for a 2nd referendum notwithstanding.
The EU have made their own bed, they have been caught in their own trap.
We will Leave.
Generally ,the largest problem that the Real British People have is the sheer Ignorance and Arrogance of many of our elected and non elected representatives , they seem to exist in some sort of ,”Wishful Thinking Land”, The question we should be asking ourselves is , how do we shake them from their bubble of complacency and re-introduce them to the real world ….If that is even possible , without blood in the gutters
Why all the fuss about leaving the EU with no deal on WTO terms?
Since 1973 the UK balance of trade with the EEC/EU on EU terms to 2017 is a deficit of over £1.639 trillion.
Since 1973 the UK balance of trade on WTO terms with the rest of the world to 2017 is a surplus of £477 billion.
BRING ON LEAVING THE EU WTO TERMS!
Viv ” it is obvious that their MSM are all for Remain, thanks to their London correspondents who get their information from our Remain MSM.”
Yes and more, MSM throughout the EU is part of the ever-closer-union establishment with perhaps Italian media offering some unbiased coverage.
The EU is currently censuring the Polish Government for retiring cold war era judges and engaging in a process of sacking, interviewing and rehiring public broadcast presenters ONLY IF they can show they have been even handed in their reporting – imagine the horror of the BBC staff when that happens here!
Of course the standard argument is made about independence of judiciary or journalists fro governments, however who are such groups accountable actually accountable to?
A democratically elected and democratically removable government has voter accountability, so why are so-called “independent” bodies (and can include the Bank of England, Theresa May’s old employer, in this category) presented to us as so wonderful and necessary?
Perhaps as a long term project to undermine our confidence in democracy itself ie to encourage the view that politics is craven and corrupt so best leave governing to the “professionals” – hmm
I always thought it was rash and a failure to understand the fundamentals of the European Project, for Brexiteers to campaign on the line that the EU would be bound to give us a good deal because we are such a big market for their goods and their unemployed. To them, the Euro Project is ideologically more important to keep on track than any economic consideration. A bit like independence is for us. So far, this has proved to be correct, although after last night ‘s defeat for WA German business is pressuring Merkel to override Barmier and the Junckerites and speak to the British government direct. If and it’s a big IF, German business gets through, last night’s massive vote might prove beneficial for a reasonable. I am not keeping my legs crossed.
I still think WTO no deal is far the best deal for us.
See this:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/01/16/michel-barnier-admits-eu-has-never-afraid-no-deal-demands-uk/
“Michel Barnier […] admitted that Brussels had never been more afraid of a no deal Brexit.”
Good.
A Brexit on WTO terms is what we voted for, Barnier and the EU have only themselves to blame if this it what -hopefully- happens.
Surely the German economy is a real factor ?
Mrs Merkel has indicated that there is likely to be a better response to the defeat of the PM last evening !
It is understood that the German economy is in recession and heading towards a depression, a WTO exit for the UK would leave Germany without a trade deal with their biggest trading partner, but not for long ?
The UK/GB is not asking for special status, although what happened about 75 years ago, should be gratefully remembered by most Europeans ! Instead we are asking for an outbreak of common sense in the matter of trade. This would be to the benefit of all of us, in particular to two of the EU’s senior members ! Then there are the differences between our National systems and outlook, as we have tried to be Europeans, but failed. Hence it would follow that from an EU perspective, UK/GB leaving, should be to the advantage and wishes of the EU ! Clearly the only reason for the EU to want us to stay, or to leave but with unbreakable connects, is the money that we pay into the EU system, as well as a valuable market place !
If their attitude continues, the standing of the EU in financial and political strength will suffer. Right now the EU is dealing with the most pro EU Prime Minister that we have ever had. Mrs May is prepared to sacrifice her Conservative Party upon the alter of EU membership, with her MPs being too stupid to understand this, but for me personally, she has gone too far and my allegiance, such as it ever was, has turned to UKIP, and I don’t think I am alone in this. I feel that our PM’s days are numbered, and what will come as the next PM is any-ones guess ! Is the EU happy to take this gamble ? IT’S TIME FOR THE EU TO BE SENSIBLE !
The words “EU” and “sensible” in the same sentence …. surely they are contradictory?
😉
“Brexit could be cancelled”. That is the name of the game and, I now believe, has been the intent from the start. Too many of them have jumped on that bandwagon too quickly for it to be simple coincidence. They don’t seem to acknowledge their own rule that we are out on the 29 March, deal or not. May’s relationship with them has been far too cosy and plans such as military integration have proceeded, despite our vote, with little or no publicity.
When I look back, May’s actions have been those of a remainer from the start under the cover of gross incompetence. We will see what else she comes up with in the coming days in an attempt to frustrate our leaving on 29 March. She is truly the enemy within.
But who has the authority to ‘cancel Brexit’, Jack? Certainly, nobody in the EU has the authority to cancel it now that it is enshrined in law. I don’t think May has that authority – she might be able to put a Bill to Parliament to withdraw Article 50 but do you think that would get through?
If she does make such a move, there will be 17.4million people howling for her not to, and those of us in UKIP will certainly make our views known very forcefully!
She can cancel Article 50, but not postpone it. However if she did that without consent I think we would have a civil war on our hands.
Don’t underestimate the deviousness of the enemy and its determination to keep us in the EU using whatever means necessary.
I see from this mornings headline (00:18 GMT – DT) that they are at it already.