Brexit.

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Tigger]

It looks like Plan B v1 is for May to promise to remove the backstop - which the EU of course wont agree to
and Plan B v2 is for a bilateral treaty that Ireland and the EU wont agree to.

As usual May is negotiating only with other Tories.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

eta

 

[Govi]

Is Prime Minister May trolling the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

 

[Sid]

And the rest of Europe?

This is what you get because politicians generally think, that they are so good, that they can't be replaced.

 

[Tigger]

Interesting thread here about Welsh devolution.


When Wales had a referendum to see if it should gain devolved powers the margin of victory was very small, just like the referendum on EU membership.
However, the winners took a very different path, one designed to bring the losing side with them. They engaged with the other side, they allowed them a say in how things would work, they took a cross party approach and addressed the losing sides concerns.

May has taken entirely the opposite approach, actively insulting and belittling the remain side and going straight to appeasing the hardest line brexiteers.

One small final note. May voted AGAINST Welsh devolution in defiance of the all-mighty Will Of The People as expressed in a referendum result.

 

[Tigger]

Boris Johnson tried that only yesterday. It didn't go too well, as the first 5 minutes of the Channel 4 Evening News records:




Boris Johnson digs into the Donald Trump playbook

Boris Johnson looks a lot more haggard these days, as if this whole episode is stressing him out. Good.

 

[Beebo Brink]

Boris Johnson....

So what's the deal with his hair? Some traumatic childhood incident involving a barber so now he cuts his own hair with nail clippers?

 

[Sid]

It looks like Plan B v1 is for May to promise to remove the backstop - which the EU of course wont agree to
and Plan B v2 is for a bilateral treaty that Ireland and the EU wont agree to.

Ireland will not engage in bilateral Brexit talks - McEntee | RTE

Ireland will not engage in bilateral talks on Brexit and will only negotiate as part of the 27 remaining members of the European Union, European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee has said.
The Sunday Times yesterday reported that British Prime Minister Theresa May was seeking a treaty with Ireland to remove the backstop arrangement.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ms McEntee said: "What we can't do and what we won't do, because we have not throughout this entire process, is engage in any kind of bilateral negotiations with the DUP or any other political party in Northern Ireland or the UK.

"This is a negotiation between the EU and the UK".

And Barnier insists in an interview with RTÉ, that the negotiated Brexit deal is the best possible the EU can do.
So far for plan B v1 and Bv2.

 

[Tigger]

So what's the deal with his hair? Some traumatic childhood incident involving a barber so now he cuts his own hair with nail clippers?

No it seems to be a calculated part of his image.

 

[Sid]

No it seems to be a calculated part of his image.

Because the idiotic haircut did so well for the Donald?

 

[Porsupah Ree]

No it seems to be a calculated part of his image.

Indeed - it's his hairsona.

I recall reading of someone who bumped into him backstage at some broadcaster - he arrived perfectly normally groomed, paused, and quickly ruffled up his hair. It works, too - everyone just sees the lovable, daffy BoJo, and overlooks quite how radical he's willing to be if it'll help him in some way.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Boris Johnson looks a lot more haggard these days, as if this whole episode is stressing him out. Good.

He's recently left his wife for a much younger woman, as I understand it. Maybe the domestic upheavals are taking their toll. She's said to be responsible for the new haircut, too.

 

[Tigger]

some guy has actually spent time to track down all 72 laws that the Evil EU have forced on the UK against our will.

 

[eighthdwarf Checchinato]

some guy has actually spent time to track down all 72 laws that the Evil EU have forced on the UK against our will.

Even if it had been only ONE single law that's been forced upon ANY member state against its will, that's still way too much influence by that wannabe "parliament" over there in Brussels. In my opinion, they have absolutely no right to demand anything, absolutely no right at all to make laws or even regulations regarding the EU member nations. These sockpuppets of transnational business and banks can sod off if you ask me. No exceptions.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Andy Serkin is back, now with the Bohemian Rhapsody:

 

[Tigger]

Even if it had been only ONE single law that's been forced upon ANY member state against its will, that's still way too much influence by that wannabe "parliament" over there in Brussels. In my opinion, they have absolutely no right to demand anything, absolutely no right at all to make laws or even regulations regarding the EU member nations. These sockpuppets of transnational business and banks can sod off if you ask me. No exceptions.

Absolutely. Some examples.

EU: posted workers must be given the same pay and conditions as local workers.
EU: additives to mineral water must be safe and labels must be honest (eg "spring water" has to come from an actual spring)
EU: Proper labelling of food that uses genetically modified ingredients - so consumers can decide not to buy them if they are worried.

The bastards should be destroyed. If we want to poison our spring water and sell it as safe, that's our business.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Even if it had been only ONE single law that's been forced upon ANY member state against its will, that's still way too much influence by that wannabe "parliament" over there in Brussels. In my opinion, they have absolutely no right to demand anything, absolutely no right at all to make laws or even regulations regarding the EU member nations. These sockpuppets of transnational business and banks can sod off if you ask me. No exceptions.

Is it, then, your considered opinion that it was transnational business and banks who were desperately trying to force food labelling and product safety regulations upon the unwilling British proletariat?

 

[eighthdwarf Checchinato]

@Innula: They do everything to ease their ways. If there are advantages for us "normal" people, then that's just collateral.

Tigger: Indeed it's your business and your business alone. Okay, that of your country.
However, I think there shouldn't be posted workers from foreign countries AT ALL. In any country. And I do consider all other countries except for the country I live in FOREIGN countries. Anyways: If you want to work anywhere else than your own country, apply for a visa and working permit like all immigrants. You want to study in another country? Apply for a student's visa there. Nobody in any other country (especially not this wannabe "parliament" in Brussels) should have a say in that.

Same here with Germany: If I had a say here, there would be closed borders again, the D-Mark would be back instead of the Euro, and there would be both: hefty tariffs on all imported goods that can just as well be produced nationally (eg. most fruit and vegetables, honey, milk, water, coal, textiles, and so on) - with, let's say, 1 DM per ton and km of delivery (which would make imports from low-wage countries like India or Bangladesh pretty unprofitable) and a toll on all foreign trucks that want to travel through, or to destinations within Germany -- also 1 DM per ton and km road usage. Locally produced goods would be subsidized instead.
Foreign workers on our building lots? Nope, unless they have visa and working permit at hand. Foreign students? Nope, unless they have a student's visa. Funny pics on tobacco products? Fuck that shit. Each and any shop owner would have the right to open on Sundays as they please, even 24/7 if they please. Restaurants and pubs would have the right to allow or forbid smoking as they please. Smoking in public buildings would be permitted again. There would be ads for alcohol and tobacco again. That stupid name change from Marmelade to jam would be reversed. There would be absolutely no genetically modified ingredients in our food. Companies would have to pay taxes, even each of their subsidiaries. There would be a Tobin tax. And all loop-holes and other tax gifts would be closed.
I could list more - but this wouldn't fit into this thread anymore.

 

[Sid]

Let's say, I'm glad you have only one vote in Germany each election.