‘Nekkid into the den of the Leyen walketh the BoJo’ – was he fortified surreptitiously with a Frosty spine-stiffener? He returned without that piece of paper we dreaded, announcing “A Deal”. Sadly he caved in and prolonged “Teh Talks” for another few days. Sunday, we’re told, will be positively, really, definitely, the last, final, ultimate deadline.
What the Barnier & Frost duo are supposed to achieve in those days is nebulous. Our Brussels correspondents are unanimous: ‘significant differences’ remain:
“After three hours of “frank” discussion in Brussels between the prime minister and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, Downing Street said it was “unclear” whether the remaining differences could be bridged. The two leaders gave their teams until Sunday to reach an agreement but said that if a deal was not possible by then, a “firm” decision would have to be taken to suspend talks and prepare for a Brexit without one.” (link, paywalled)
Is this the surreptitious acknowledgment that the No Deal is ‘on’? The ‘official’ statements after that dinner are not precisely illuminating:
“The Prime Minister said he did not want to “leave any route to a possible deal untested” but was downbeat about the chances of an agreement […] Mrs von der Leyen described the talks as “lively and interesting” and enabled the two sides to “gain a clear understanding of each other’s positions” which “remain far apart”.” (paywalled link)
It escapes my understanding why, after all these months of talks, after the mountains of Barnier briefings, the ‘two sides’ have only now ‘gained a clear understanding’, about how far apart they are, according to Ms vdLeyen. Was nobody listening to Barnier? Did nobody take Frosty seriously? Did the whole of Brussels believe that we’d give way on our essentials?
The inevitable sources told the correspondents that “there had not been any breakthroughs, and that while Mr Johnson had not “lost hope” of a deal “maybe that chance is diminishing” (paywalled link). Meanwhile, RemainCentral’s Downing Street source said that “the prime minister does not want to leave any route to a possible deal untested” while it’s still unclear if those remaining ‘large gaps’ can be bridged (link, paywalled).
Might this be a BJ pantomime, to impress Remain that no stone was left unturned but alas, a No Deal is all that remains? Or might the true reason for that prime-ministerial hope be found in the ‘result’ Gove brought back from Brussels on Tuesday, where he scrapped some clauses relating to NI in the Internal Trade Agreement – the one Remainers fulminated against because it allegedly broke international law? See this:
“Michael Gove, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, confirmed in the Commons on Wednesday that the UK will “accept the acquis [the body of EU law] in a specific number of areas in Northern Ireland” from next year. EU law will still apply to key areas such as customs and state aid, a leading pro-Leave barrister said, after the Government this week withdrew contentious clauses from Brexit legislation that sought to curtail the ECJ’s involvement in domestic UK affairs.” (paywalled link)
This goes to the heart of our sovereignty. It’s a dangerous, thin edge of the wedge allowing the EU to sneak in their demand to keep us under ECJ jurisdiction. Gove presented his ‘deal’ to the HoC yesterday – one cannot help but think he did this in the hope of hiding it behind the BJ Brussels ‘dinner talk’ reports.
If one were unkind one might also assume that he and his EU ‘partner’ hoped their agreement might somehow ease the way for a Brexit sell-out. Tory Brexit MPs are up in arms about this, as is Sammy Wilson (DUP) who said that “the presence of EU officials in Northern Ireland would allow them to effectively exert control over their UK counterparts.” (paywalled link), adding that:
“We will effectively be subject to the whims of Brussels. It’s hardly getting back to sovereignty when the flow of trade can be affected by officials from a foreign jurisdiction working in UK territory,” (paywalled link)
Indeed so – and Sir Bill Cash also weighed in. He said that:
“It’s perfectly clear that EU officials are going to be part of the jurisdiction. They will be there to enforce EU law and to force UK officials to comply with that law and be subject therefore to the European court.” (paywalled link)
That’s what happens when Frosty doesn’t keep his eagle eyes on EU negotiations! Martin Howe QC observed that:
“the Government appeared to have “completely abandoned any attempt to roll back any ECJ jurisdiction under the protocol or any parts of the Withdrawal Agreement”. (paywalled link)
Who ‘advised’ Gove? Remainers, was it? Meanwhile, our friends at facts4eu reported yesterday that we have now concluded trade agreements with more than 100 countries (link) – all without being under the boot of Brussels and the ECJ. The inevitable Sir John Redwood tersely points out yet again that No Deal is better than any ‘EU deal’ (link). Why did Gove not listen? Will BJ listen?
And so to the latest Remain wail. It’s of course ‘because: Brexit’, now in the times of covid. We’re told that:
“When the UK exits the bloc on Jan 1, residents will no longer be able to freely travel in Europe under the bloc’s Covid safety rules, according to the Financial Times. […] To date, individual member states have been reluctant to override the EU recommendation to prohibit entry of travellers from countries not on the safe list.” (paywalled link)
Yeah, well – that little matter of income from tourists and holiday makers might possibly have played a role there, but from the 1st January 2021 ‘our’ travelling will be in the benevolent hands of the EU:
“Britons will only be allowed to travel to EU countries if the rules are relaxed or states override the diktat. […] In order for Britain to be added to the list of safe countries, it would need to satisfy criteria set out by the EU. […] Britons will be allowed to travel to EU states if they are exempt from restrictions. Exemptions apply to diplomats, those travelling for “imperative family reasons” and some “highly qualified workers”. (paywalled link)
Why “we” would want to travel to EU countries where covid ‘infection numbers’ are higher than in the UK is anybody’s guess, but it’s good to be told that this is all ‘because: Brexit!’, not because of covid. Perhaps EU countries might now demand a ‘covid vaccine passport’?That would be fair, innit – and never mind the reports of two NHS workers who’ve had severe allergic reactions to the jab.
That’s two already – out of the small number who’ve had the jab so far. Welcome to the largest trial of an experimental drug! So now there’s a ‘regulation’:
“The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said that the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine should not be used for anyone with “a history of a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine or food” as a precaution while it investigated.” (link, paywalled)
Funny, isn’t it, that this problem seems to have escaped the MHRA in their zeal to ‘get the vaccine out’! While health authorities are playing this down as being ‘rare’ while saying that people with a history of allergies should be given the jab in a hospital with ‘trained staff’, there’s this:
“The clinical trial that regulators looked at when approving the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine excluded people from participating if they had a “history of severe adverse reaction associated with a vaccine” or “severe allergic reaction to any component” of the vaccine or placebo used.” (link, paywalled)
Interesting … Just as the fate, the deaths of cancer sufferers were negligible in that ‘war against covid’, the fate of people with’ a history of allergies’ can also be brushed aside as ‘collateral damage’.
I leave you with a dangerous piece of ‘news. It’s about Whitehall trying to get rid of Ms Patel by a lawsuit. Lawyers acting for senior civil serpents:
“issued a pre-action notice to Downing Street yesterday accusing the prime minister of acting unlawfully by overruling the findings of his own independent adviser and clearing the home secretary of misconduct.” (link, paywalled)
Despite all their tear-dripping justifications about bullying to be ‘punished’, it is clearly a dangerous, thin edge of the wedge, aimed at forcing our elected government, from the PM down, to do as their Whitehall advisers say. Having hopefully escaped the boot of unelected EU bureaucrats determining how we should live and act – must we now expect our elected government to obey unelected civil serpents?
I would like to think that this is a confrontation which Whitehall cannot win against us. However, Brexit or not, the fight for our freedom clearly isn’t over, not even on the 1st January 2021. That’s why we will
KBO!
It’s been FOUR+ years. This is insane.
Pauline, not the Conservatives that’s for sure. They are all afraid of their own shadows, I’ve just about had enough of their buffoonery, which seemingly knows no bounds. And then I read police forces will pay those in possession of offensive weapons to relinquish their weapons in an offensive weapon amnesty, including knuckle dusters and retractable truncheons which are ‘made’ offensive weapons to cause intentional harm. This is politics of the madhouse, and just re-emphasises my belief that this country is run by incompetent lunatics who need to be put out of office for good. Lord love-a-duck give me strength.
The eu are a bit presumptuous, with all their behaviour towards Britain why would we want to go and have a Spanish Spiv with his hand in our pockets in their unattractive arid land. We all need to choose somewhere that is Britains friends not enemies
This country is run by bumbling idiots, which is plain for all to see. We need to kick this incompetent rabble into touch at the earliest opportunity starting in May 2021 at the local elections. How many many more ruddy times is Johnson, the king of incompetence, going to extend his own trade talk extensions. What part of it does he not understand. The European Commission are not interested in backing down on any issue, they just want the UK to do all the backing down. As for Gove well, I wouldn’t trust him to run a bath. If he is of the belief that a deal is good for Northern Ireland, then you can bet your bottom dollar that it means the opposite and that the European Union will walk roughshod over us. Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom and is not up for grabs by the EU or Eire until the people of NI decide otherwise. I sincerely hope that this present Conservative government which is the utter pits, is the last for a very time. Simply that party does not deserve to be the party of government, and their place will be taken in future years. As for Labour and the Liberal Democrats their days are numbered as well, and offer no opposition whatsoever. This country deserves so much better than the utter tripe that is delivered to us on a daily basis these days.
Totally Agree Viv. You have picked up on all of my thoughts.
Tank you, Pauline! Must be a case of ‘GMTA’ all the way to the ground!
😉
“… a ‘covid vaccine passport’?”
In posting this I must stress I could not ordinary be described as a tin-foil hat wearing, anti-vax kind of person but nonetheless, given a series of hoax-driven policy introductions like the green new deal (global warming), the ozone scare (yes it’s BS) and even aspects of the anti-smoking drive (all that lovely control, a socialist’s heart’s desire) with weed is now cheaper than cigarettes, go figure, we are now, for our health (LOL), living in a lockdown world. (If you live in the ‘West’.)
Add to that suppressing mention of treatments (hydroxychloroquine) and failure to promote immune system boosting supplements (Vitamin D)
Yesterday I had to draw cash in person at the Post Office because their machine wasn’t working. I was asked for my phone number, for contact tracing. So they can track me. Put me in quarantine if someone gets a false positive from an unreliable test.
As a result my trust is at an all-time low.
Here’s Amazing Polly (If you can spare it, it’s an hour well spent).
Honest Experts Are Trying to Warn You! Vaccines, Lockdowns, Masks & More (bitchute.com)
Are lockdowns bad for mental health? (4 min).
(621) Watch This UNHINGED Oregon Teacher Have a TOTAL Meltdown at Pro-Freedom Protesters – YouTube
Gove and Raab are after the top job which may explain their actions. The Tory Party is utterly rotten to the core feeding on the succour from their credulous Brexit members and voting public. And we all know the Tories never, ever give a sucker an even break.
I was just looking at the latest Telegraph headlines:
“talks could go on for longer than Sunday, Raab admits”
“PM will leave no stone unturned to get a deal”
Why are our government so determined to get a deal with the EU, we’ve always paid them extortionate amounts of money for the privilege of running a massive trade deficit and I don’t suppose any new deal will be any improvement.
If Johnson and his government think that this deal is worth sniffing under every stone to achieve then all they are fit for is toilet cleaning not government.
I dare say that there are a small minority of people in the Britain in who’s interests it is to have a deal with the EU and for that we must all pay. I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be more efficient for us to pay our money directly to this select minority of beneficiaries and leave out the European Union money laundering service.
I’d like to see Boris snatched by a group of truth seekers and interrogated until he spilled the beans. I no long believe that he is acting in support of native Brits and their country.
Jack Thomas. At the moment I don’t think Boris is the main culprit.
Pauline Who then?
Jack. Those truth seekers would have their work cut out. Max Hastings, former editor of the Daily Telegraph and employer of our Billy Bunter for several years, was not bowled over by his merits. ‘ I would not take Boris’s word about whether it is Monday or Tuesday. He is not a man to believe in, to trust or respect, save as a superlative exhibitionist’.
flyer. You are right in what you say. Perhaps the Telegraph are backing Gove and/or Raab to replace B.J.
Who the hell IS ruling the U.K.
” Why are govt so determined to get a deal with the EU?” I really have not got the answer. But could it have something to do with the WA&PD and the NI Protocol, I wonder? If there is some form of deal, then perhaps the iniquity of the NI Protocol can be fudged. But if there is no deal, then it will be plain to all who bother that our freedom and independence has come only at the sacrifice of leaving NI in the Single Regulated Market and under the judgement of the ECJ.
Scotland, that we are constantly told voted to Remain in the EU, will then have a burning resentment that NI has been effectively given up but Scotland has been forced to leave. Grounds for a second refrerendum on fake Scottish independence. Either way it will suit Sturgeon’s aching desire to further break up the UK.
I can only hope for no deal and that enough pressure can then be put on Johnson to rescind his appalling Withdrawal Treaty.