Brexit - the next steps

[Udayana]

Blimey, that particular sea going vessel left port a long time ago for me.

Indeed. Anyway, now the matter has been put off for a bit, they've decided to have a holiday

[jeremyp]

Looks like British Steel has been kneed in the bollocks by Brexit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47921375

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Looks like British Steel has been kneed in the bollocks by Brexit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47921375

May pops up to remind us that No deal Brexit is still spectre at our feast of bargain bucket feast of buffalo wings, chicken poppas and free litre bottle of Sprite Zero from Billericay Fried Chicken.

[Gordon]

Interesting article from The Guardian noting that the savvy Irish government were on-the-ball while the Tory-twats 'masterminding' Brexit didn't have a clue.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/18/how-the-irish-backstop-emerged-as-mays-brexit-nemesis

[Udayana]

Yes. Clearly the backstop is essential until some alternative has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of both the UK and Ireland/EU.

I can understand that the DUP don't care for the GFA or if there is a border or not. However the Tory brexiter's objections just show how irrational and misconceived their thinking on brexit has been all along.
 
 

[Gordon]

Grayling's 'contribution' to Brexit planning continues to entertain.

Having backed away from the company with no ferries he had to buy off Eurotunnel for £33m when they cried foul, albeit ostensibly this was for 'improvements' to their terminal. Now P&O are suing the government since they say this £33m of government money to Eurotunnel places them, P&O that is, at a competitive disadvantage.

One wonders what Grayling knows that protects him so.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48063672

[Nearly Sane]

Fintan  O'Toole's book on Brexit, Heroic Failure is excellent

[jeremyp]

Fintan  O'Toole's book on Brexit, Heroic Failure is excellent

I'll have to read it to find out what he thinks is so heroic about this mess.

[ProfessorDavey]

Increasingly concerned about the lack of balance on BBC QT.

Last night there was one current Tory (Rudd) and two ex-Tories (Soubrey and Farage) - effectively 3/5 of the panel reflected the current Tory infighting between the centre right (Soubrey) and the hard right (Farage).

And the other two were a current Labour MP and an ex-Labour donor.

And just Soubrey is in favour of remain/people's vote.

Where is the balance in a world where, even on the basis of the 2016 referendum, the country split is 52:48.

The BBC is really struggling in this new world where brexit is the biggest yes/no issue and it is getting it badly wrong.

[SusanDoris]

Increasingly concerned about the lack of balance on BBC QT.

Last night there was one current Tory (Rudd) and two ex-Tories (Soubrey and Farage) - effectively 3/5 of the panel reflected the current Tory infighting between the centre right (Soubrey) and the hard right (Farage).

And the other two were a current Labour MP and an ex-Labour donor.

And just Soubrey is in favour of remain/people's vote.

Where is the balance in a world where, even on the basis of the 2016 referendum, the country split is 52:48.

The BBC is really struggling in this new world where brexit is the biggest yes/no issue and it is getting it badly wrong.

Keeping away from this thread and avoiding the word Brxxxt, I started listening to Question Time on Five Live last night, but it was sch a shambles that I turned off after about 15 minutes. Shouting not being controlled, most of the audience cheering for all the stupid things, and only a few rational words here and there.

[Anchorman]

Keeping away from this thread and avoiding the word Brxxxt, I started listening to Question Time on Five Live last night, but it was sch a shambles that I turned off after about 15 minutes. Shouting not being controlled, most of the audience cheering for all the stupid things, and only a few rational words here and there.

     



To be fair, Susan, yes, last night's was a mess - but, to be honest, the standard of the show has gone up a notch since Fiona Bruce took the chair.

[Udayana]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48245499

A cross-party Brexit deal will not get through Parliament unless it is subject to a confirmatory public vote, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer says.

They are obviously getting nowhere on a cross-party deal. IMO this is probably because they are trying to agree on the long term relationship issue - but this is waste of time as, even if the withdrawal then gets through, there is no way to ensure that whatever plan they agree on will be put into effect.

They need to agree to pass May's existing deal but with a scheme put in place that ensures full cross-party participation and agreement on the rest of (in fact the main) negotiations. If there is to be a second referendum it should be on the final trading deal - not the withdrawal agreement.

The whole second referendum idea is about to collapse: If, as expected, the Brexit party voters turn out in droves on May 23rd and eclipse the remain/peoples-vote vote , there is frankly no point in a second referendum and we will again be heading for a no-deal exit.

Anyone that wants to remain or have a second referendum must vote for one of the remain parties - not Labour (unless they commit to another referendum).

[Sassy]

When the Government has finished testing the water, brexit will take place.

[Anchorman]

When the Government has finished testing the water, brexit will take place.

   



And how do you think the good people of Northern Ireland will feel about that - or d
on't they count?

[ProfessorDavey]

To be fair, Susan, yes, last night's was a mess - but, to be honest, the standard of the show has gone up a notch since Fiona Bruce took the chair.

Agree that is was an awful mess, but cannot agree with you on Fiona Bruce - I think she is really poor as QT presenter, which isn't surprising given that she is an experienced news-reader, but has very little experience as a political interviewer, let alone as a host of a multi-politician panel format. There are many others who are experienced as political interviewers who would, in my opinion, have been much better choice following David Dimbleby's departure.

I was genuinely gob smacked watching QT a couple of months ago from Scotland (can't remember where). Fiona Bruce allowed one quarter of the programme to go by before bringing one panel member into the discussion. In that time I think she allowed Michael Forsyth 5 opportunities to talk and all other panel members had more than one opportunity to say their piece. It was frankly embarrassing and not a good look when the completely ignored panel member was a black woman.

[Walter]

Agree that is was an awful mess, but cannot agree with you on Fiona Bruce - I think she is really poor as QT presenter, which isn't surprising given that she is an experienced news-reader, but has very little experience as a political interviewer, let alone as a host of a multi-politician panel format. There are many others who are experienced as political interviewers who would, in my opinion, have been much better choice following David Dimbleby's departure.

I was genuinely gob smacked watching QT a couple of months ago from Scotland (can't remember where). Fiona Bruce allowed one quarter of the programme to go by before bringing one panel member into the discussion. In that time I think she allowed Michael Forsyth 5 opportunities to talk and all other panel members had more than one opportunity to say their piece. It was frankly embarrassing and not a good look when the completely ignored panel member was a black woman.

I've stopped watching it since Fiona Bruce took over , mind you , I am a misogynist 

[ProfessorDavey]

I've stopped watching it since Fiona Bruce took over , mind you , I am a misogynist

No issue with a woman chairing QT - in fact Kirsty Wark would have been my preferred choice, followed by Emily Maitlis. Both are experienced political interviewers, including dealing with panel discussions - skills that Bruce simply lacks.

[Gordon]

The two recent 'Storyville' episodes on BBC4 'Brexit: Behind Closed Doors' are worth a watch.

It presents a background 'fly on the wall' account of the negotiations from the EU perspective, and focuses on the activities and discussions of Verhofstadt (in particular) and Barnier - unexpectedly the UK side come across being both secretive (none of their discussions are shown) and useless.

Worth a watch, and yet more confirmation that Brexit is a shite idea made shitier by this hapless government and useless PM. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0004xn9

[Nearly Sane]

And makes May look even worse, though the entire govt are a shower of idiots. The inability to understand the Irish issue makes them culpable in the farce we are in. Anyone supporting the lying racist incompetent PM supports lying racist incompetence.

[Gordon]

This could be interesting should Johnson be summoned regarding his Brexit claims.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/14/boris-johnson-could-be-challenged-in-court-on-brexit-vote-claim

[SteveH]

Vote for a committed remain partry in the Euro-elections a week on Thursday: Green, Lib Dem, Change, Plaid Cymru, or SNP. Are there others? I'm voting Green.

[Roses]

We have already voted as we have a postal ballot.

[SteveH]

I got an election leaflet from this bunch of nutters today. Shall I vote for them? Decisions, decisions... no.

[Udayana]

I got an election leaflet from this bunch of nutters today. Shall I vote for them? Decisions, decisions... no.

You could use this:
https://www.remainunited.org/be-tactical/

[jeremyp]

unexpectedly the UK side come across being both secretive (none of their discussions are shown) and useless

Unexpected by whom? It has been obvious to me since day one of the negotiations. The EU has always been up front and transparent. The UK less so.  As for uselessness, well the uselessness of the British negotiating team is about the one thing Leavers and Remainers are united on.