UK General Election 2017

[Nearly Sane]

I note Phil's retiral in 7 months announced during election purdah. Mmmm...

[wigginhall]

May has an interesting conundrum to solve, but fortunately, not until after the election.   Brexit seems to suggest cutting off ties with the EU, or at least getting rid of EU regulations.  Yet trade with the EU requires convergence with such regs, unless one goes to a hard Brexit, when customs checks could bring Dover grinding to a halt. 

But May has hit on the bright idea of suggesting both - that we are really going to leave, yet we want 'frictionless' trade.  The two seems contradictory.   

But a solution may be found, along the lines of a quasi-customs union, which must not be called that, for fear of alarming the Ultras.   

One odd thing is that it's making the election very dull, or is that her large poll lead?   She herself is dull, but then Corbyn is not exactly setting Roman candles off.

[Ricky Spanish]

Her little foot stomp outside Downing street yesterday may have won her approval from the pro-Brexit fanatics in the populist UK press, but it shows an absolute disregard for the need to keep friends abroad. Whether by intention or misunderstanding, she has chosen to demonise the politicians and bureaucrats of the European Union as the leading policy in her election campaign.

It may have the jingoistic MSM and supporters whooping and cheering but left the rest of us shaking our heads in sorrow and consternation at the isolationist stance of the Brexit "British".

Surely she must realise that the dominant federation of centre-right parties in the European Parliament, the EEP; [European People’s Party], which includes Angela Merkel, Mariano Rajoy, Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk among its leading members, are united on its Brexit policy?

There is an advert in this week's Brussels Politico which sets out the EEP's demands – so far unreported in the UK media. These include:

• EU citizens will not pay the bill for the British
• The right order of negotiation must be respected
• Peace settlements cannot be put in danger
• EU citizens will not accept British blockades

http://www.eppgroup.eu/news/Our-red-lines-on-Brexit

Or you can find it here: http://www.politico.eu/section/brexit/  whichever is easier!! (Actually, Politico is my goto site for Brexit news!!)

The point about "EU citizens will not accept British blockades" will make life interesting for those in Northern Ireland. If the UK quits the customs union (as Mayhem has threatened), there would have to be customs control posts on the 310-mile frontier between Northern Ireland in the UK and Eire in the EU. It would be an external EU border creating customs control border posts with the Union flag flying above them on all roads crossing between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Can you imagine the reaction of any Irish nationalist brought up on the Sinn Fein-IRA culture of hatred of the “Brits”? But I digress.

Unfortunately, the UK Conservative Party left the EPP in 2009 to set up its own private club of right-wing MEPs, dubbed by Nick Clegg as “nutters, anti-Semites and homophobes” known as the [ineffectual] ECR- (European Conservatives and Reformers.)
David Davis, the Brexit Minister, was opposed to quitting the EPP in 2009 as he knew from his time as Europe Minister under John Major that being in the EPP network was useful for building alliances. Now for the first time in its 300-year history, the Conservative Party has opted out of making (or buying) friends and influencing people across the Channel.

You won't find this political isolationism reported in the British press but rest assured Europe is well aware and in all honesty, it leaves the UK government alone and without friends of real power and persuasion as it embarks on the most difficult period of Britain-Europe relations seen in centuries.

[Aruntraveller]

And that post Ricky, that post above, is why I wish you wouldn't get yourself suspended quite so often.

Bang on the devalued money.

[Sriram]

The local elections seem to be going to the Conservatives!  Maybe Theresa May did take a right decision after all.

[Nearly Sane]

The local elections seem to be going to the Conservatives!  Maybe Theresa May did take a right decision after all.

they were being held anyway. I doubt they are much affected by the GE decision.

[Sriram]

they were being held anyway. I doubt they are much affected by the GE decisio.

Yeah...I know. That's not what I meant.  I meant that maybe May was right in going for a GE in June. The sentiment seems to be just right in favor of her party!

[Nearly Sane]

Yeah...I know. That's not what I meant.  I meant that maybe May was right in going for a GE in June. The sentiment seems to be just right in favor of her party!

So what is right for the Tories is right overall? I think you need to be careful with your use of the term 'right'.

[jakswan]

Yeah...I know. That's not what I meant.  I meant that maybe May was right in going for a GE in June. The sentiment seems to be just right in favor of her party!

Don't take this forum as indicative of UK politics, mostly left leaning, nationalist fanatics, Brexit fanatics apparently. 

[jakswan]

Her little foot stomp outside Downing street yesterday may have won her approval from the pro-Brexit fanatics in the populist UK press, but it shows an absolute disregard for the need to keep friends abroad. Whether by intention or misunderstanding, she has chosen to demonise the politicians and bureaucrats of the European Union as the leading policy in her election campaign.

The EU pushed and she pushed back, I'm a cynic so I think the timing of this was very convenient.

It may have the jingoistic MSM and supporters whooping and cheering but left the rest of us shaking our heads in sorrow and consternation at the isolationist stance of the Brexit "British".

Maybe we should have an election see if the public will support her stance, oh wait that is exactly what is happening.

Surely she must realise that the dominant federation of centre-right parties in the European Parliament, the EEP; [European People’s Party], which includes Angela Merkel, Mariano Rajoy, Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk among its leading members, are united on its Brexit policy?

There is an advert in this week's Brussels Politico which sets out the EEP's demands – so far unreported in the UK media. These include:

• EU citizens will not pay the bill for the British
• The right order of negotiation must be respected
• Peace settlements cannot be put in danger
• EU citizens will not accept British blockades

http://www.eppgroup.eu/news/Our-red-lines-on-Brexit

Or you can find it here: http://www.politico.eu/section/brexit/  whichever is easier!! (Actually, Politico is my goto site for Brexit news!!)

The point about "EU citizens will not accept British blockades" will make life interesting for those in Northern Ireland. If the UK quits the customs union (as Mayhem has threatened), there would have to be customs control posts on the 310-mile frontier between Northern Ireland in the UK and Eire in the EU. It would be an external EU border creating customs control border posts with the Union flag flying above them on all roads crossing between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Can you imagine the reaction of any Irish nationalist brought up on the Sinn Fein-IRA culture of hatred of the “Brits”? But I digress.

Eh? That issue on the website you linked to.
"Leave means leave. We will not let the UK block the future of the EU27 (security union) or even change it (Turkish EU membership)."

You can have a customs border without an actual hard border.

[ProfessorDavey]

You can have a customs border without an actual hard border.

How?

How can you police it?

[floo]

I am glad the awful UKIP is doing so badly.

As Labour is losing out to the Tories I reckon the calls for Corbyn to resign will get ever louder.

[ProfessorDavey]

I am glad the awful UKIP is doing so badly.

As Labour is losing out to the Tories I reckon the calls for Corbyn to resign will get ever louder.

Bit late - there's a general election in a few weeks!

[Nearly Sane]

I am glad the awful UKIP is doing so badly.

As Labour is losing out to the Tories I reckon the calls for Corbyn to resign will get ever louder.

UKIP just assimilated by the Tories.

[floo]

Bit late - there's a general election in a few weeks!

It is now, but it was talked about by some Labour MPs when the election was first announced. I reckon, when if as expected the Tories win, Corbyn will almost certainly get his marching orders.

[ProfessorDavey]

It is now, but it was talked about by some Labour MPs when the election was first announced. I reckon, when if as expected the Tories win, Corbyn will almost certainly get his marching orders.

You'd have thought so, but he is fixated with his 'members' - he doesn't seem to give a damned about either his MPs nor the electorate. I hope I'm wrong but I could see a scenario where he claims he still has a mandate from Labour members and thats all that counts. Unless he resigns the only people who can actually kick him out are those members and I'm not convinced they would.

[Sriram]

So what is right for the Tories is right overall? I think you need to be careful with your use of the term 'right'.

I am talking from May's point of view. I thought she may have perhaps taken a risk by announcing the GE.

[Nearly Sane]

I am talking from May's point of view. I thought she may have perhaps taken a risk by announcing the GE.

not really, indeed, it was the obvious reason that it wasn't really a risk that points out that her lie about not calling an election was predicated purely on self interest. Remaining in govt while there was a possibility of losing seats because of fraud was a much bigger risk.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

UKIP just assimilated by the Tories.

They were always Tories.

I think we might be at Conservative high water mark. All the windmills have been titled at, there is hay all over the floor. With nothing left to burn and all the jokers played one has to wonder what happens to an English National Party once it has done it's stuff.....Oh, there goes UKIP.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Surely she must realise that the dominant federation of centre-right parties in the European Parliament, the EEP; [European People’s Party], which includes Angela Merkel, Mariano Rajoy, Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk among its leading members, are united on its Brexit policy?

And that's the point. They can have as many ''changes of face'' as they like.

Meanwhile we have pinned all our hopes on Gloriana, May, the embodiment of Britannia. However as ''Marrianne'' Marine Le Pen has shown just gritting your teeth and bearing your t***y only gets you so far.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

It is now, but it was talked about by some Labour MPs when the election was first announced. I reckon, when if as expected the Tories win, Corbyn will almost certainly get his marching orders.

So that'll just leave May to take the blame for Brexit. I can't see Brexiteers or Strong leadership types blaming themselves.

[jeremyp]

It is now, but it was talked about by some Labour MPs when the election was first announced. I reckon, when if as expected the Tories win, Corbyn will almost certainly get his marching orders.

Which would be the one good thing to come out of this election.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Which would be the one good thing to come out of this election.

Well the tories have put all the chips on Theresa May who will never be more than a brexit disaster away from going back to being ''Not Andrea Leadsom''. Labour on the other hand could go younger and a bit nimbler....something Dianne Abbott has not shown herself to be. I hope Labour do a better job than the attempted post Brexit coup it would be hard not to.

Tory voters on the other hand can stay at home because it's already in the bag.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

A Conservative government founded on Brexit fears, the need for a landslide, Theresa May's great personal charisma, the need to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn who was never any threat anyway, and a right wing march into inflation and economic straits rather than out of them?

Can't see a raison d'etre beyond the first sniff of economic disaster.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

The EU pushed and she pushed back, I'm a cynic so I think the timing of this was very convenient.

Maybe we should have an election see if the public will support her stance, oh wait that is exactly what is happening.
.

She has a stance?
Once the 'Brexit fears' come out of the closet after Theresa is set though Jack and the Dear leader cannot allay them we shall see what support she has. Don't you think people are voting tory locally for political favours and to avoid vindictive treatment rather than out of any great love for that party?

It's shit or bust time soon for the Right.