Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » TMay ends the week extending her satisfaction margin over Corb

13»

Comments

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited September 2018
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Google Workers Discussed Tweaking Search Function to Counter Travel Ban

    Days after the Trump administration instituted a controversial travel ban in January 2017, Google employees discussed ways they might be able to tweak the company’s search-related functions to show users how to contribute to pro-immigration organizations and contact lawmakers and government agencies, according to internal company emails.

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-workers-discussed-tweaking-search-function-to-counter-travel-ban-1537488472

    I am sure Donald won't ever mention this....

    As someone else said earlier, US politics is designed to make U.K. politics seem normal.

    Google and Facebook are staring down the barrel of some serious regulation if they can’t prove they’re being impartial over the US elections.
    There is a serious problem with silicon valley where a particular world view has formed in the bubble. They are big on encouraging diversity, as long as as it isn't diversity of opinions.
    I assume you saw this:
    https://quillette.com/2018/09/21/the-preachers-of-the-great-awokening/
    No, I was talking about the cult of Linux over any other OS :-)

    Saying that you think Visual Studio is a good IDE is akin to repeating that scene out of Die Hard with a Vengeance where Bruce Willis walks through the hood with that sandwich board...
  • How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    I don't see anywhere where I implied anything of the such so chill out mister huffy puffy. Just a simple analysis of how the electoral maths as a result of GE17 have made her job a lot more difficult.

  • Charles said:

    I though the one above NewtonDunn’s scoop was better:

    In A Stew With The Irish
    31st March 2019 headline:

    "Tesco tomato terror!

    Shoppers fight for food, as lorries back up at Dover"

  • How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    I don't see anywhere where I implied anything of the such so chill out mister huffy puffy. Just a simple analysis of how the electoral maths as a result of GE17 have made her job a lot more difficult.

    It's only made her job a lot more difficult if she intends to screw over the Northern Irish. So long as she doesn't abandon them, the maths hasn't changed there.

    Its backbench Tory rebels that are a concern, not the DUP. Unless she's planning on screwing over Ulster in which case the electoral maths is simply keeping her an honest unionist.
  • How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    It's the DUP f##king over the Northern Irish.
  • How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
  • History writers: How the Labour Party destroyed itself:

    https://twitter.com/PeoplesMomentum/status/1043219629970214912
  • nielhnielh Posts: 1,307

    stodge said:

    Wishful thinking - maybe she upset you by standing up for the UK but she is as secure today as she has been in a long time

    Well, that's nice - I can go to bed safe in the knowledge Theresa May is secure and will have a nice Party Conference.

    I can also be assured the country is apparently clamouring for a "No Deal" Brexit as we are all apparently fed up with those nasty Europeans picking on poor Theresa and her incredibly generous offering called Chequers (a cake with plenty of cherries on it).

    This is the "No Deal" Brexit we were told was off the table last week when Mark carney told us what the consequences would be ut none of us care any more, apparently ?
    Basically none of them could organise a piss up in a brewery! IF IT WAS NOT SO SERIOUS - IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT MUSIC HALL FARCE. It is completely beyond parody.
    Chequers is the product of an internal conservative party/DUP negotiation. It overlooked the position of the EU, particularly regarding the integrity of the single market, and which has been known for a long time. How can anyone be surprised by what has happened?

    I don't think that there is scope for any deal, the two sides are simply too far apart. The only fudge on offer is some kind of vague continued transition to avoid facing up to the mess.

    In my view, it is better to just crash out and have no deal. We might as well deal with the actual reality of Brexit. It is what we voted for.
  • How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
    Wiser heads, who actually care about the peace process, understand that change in NI's status must come about slowly, backed by a clear and permanent majority of the citizens. The soft border is not going to cause a return to violence. Shoving a change in status up the arse of the Unionists simply to fulfil Barnier's European Empire dream most certainly will.

    There is no reason to alter the status of NI at this time because it is clear that there will be a soft border after Brexit whether there is a deal or not.
  • How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
    Wiser heads, who actually care about the peace process, understand that change in NI's status must come about slowly, backed by a clear and permanent majority of the citizens. The soft border is not going to cause a return to violence. Shoving a change in status up the arse of the Unionists simply to fulfil Barnier's European Empire dream most certainly will.

    There is no reason to alter the status of NI at this time because it is clear that there will be a soft border after Brexit whether there is a deal or not.
    If you mean a word of that then you must abandon your dreams of a hard Brexit for any part of the UK.
  • breaking news. EU have responded to May’s ultimatum. This is what they said

    “You are going to have a second vote. With remain as one of the options.” Pause for barely concealed sniggering (someone in background saying something about another bite of the cherry. More sniggering) “the quislings and traitors in your country will ensure this happens for us”

    1. When, as they say this evening, they have respect, and a deal is still possible, does anyone believe them now? Anyone? But in the days and weeks leading up to this summit, a lot of British media and also team around May, did actually believe at face value each time the EU said exactly this. That explains the angry reaction, and why the mugging is so widely and personally felt. That’s the take out from this, what is surely changed now from when the sun came up Thursday morning. There is no other way at looking at the cherry pun, EU is telling us they think they got UK crash out covered at their end. They are not remotely worried. Bring it on, the cherry pun says. Anyone want to persist with the line, UK does okay from a crash out, but it will be much worse disaster for EU, now we are going to experience in 200 days the real truth of that one?

    2. Meanwhile, what does the almost throwaway line “3M EU citizens in UK, you are very welcome” tell us? Was it about the 3M EU here, or lack of deal helping the Brits over there? Just how bad impact for UK citizens living in EU inevitable no deal crash out?
  • edited September 2018

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    I don't see anywhere where I implied anything of the such so chill out mister huffy puffy. Just a simple analysis of how the electoral maths as a result of GE17 have made her job a lot more difficult.

    It's only made her job a lot more difficult if she intends to screw over the Northern Irish. So long as she doesn't abandon them, the maths hasn't changed there.

    Its backbench Tory rebels that are a concern, not the DUP. Unless she's planning on screwing over Ulster in which case the electoral maths is simply keeping her an honest unionist.
    I don't think she's ever had the intention of screwing over or as you put it 'f##king over' the Northern Irish. The DUP don't represent the entire population of NI and them holding the PM hostage isn't to save her from abandoning Northern Ireland, it's to advance the goals of the DUP and DUP only.
  • History writers: How the Labour Party destroyed itself:

    https://twitter.com/PeoplesMomentum/status/1043219629970214912

    Ha! Quite the opposite Mr Rotten. That thing has the defensive whiff of people fearing their revolution will be taken from them.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    edited September 2018
    nielh said:

    stodge said:

    Wishful thinking - maybe she upset you by standing up for the UK but she is as secure today as she has been in a long time

    Well, that's nice - I can go to bed safe in the knowledge Theresa May is secure and will have a nice Party Conference.

    I can also be assured the country is apparently clamouring for a "No Deal" Brexit as we are all apparently fed up with those nasty Europeans picking on poor Theresa and her incredibly generous offering called Chequers (a cake with plenty of cherries on it).

    This is the "No Deal" Brexit we were told was off the table last week when Mark carney told us what the consequences would be ut none of us care any more, apparently ?
    Basically none of them could organise a piss up in a brewery! IF IT WAS NOT SO SERIOUS - IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT MUSIC HALL FARCE. It is completely beyond parody.
    Chequers is the product of an internal conservative party/DUP negotiation. It overlooked the position of the EU, particularly regarding the integrity of the single market, and which has been known for a long time. How can anyone be surprised by what has happened?

    I don't think that there is scope for any deal, the two sides are simply too far apart. The only fudge on offer is some kind of vague continued transition to avoid facing up to the mess.

    In my view, it is better to just crash out and have no deal. We might as well deal with the actual reality of Brexit. It is what we voted for.
    If it is No Deal then there will almost certainly be a second referendum in a few months which Remain would win, thus ending Brexit.

    To sustain Brexit longer term we need a transition deal and either aim for a Canada type Deal to be negotiated in the transition or to return to the single market (though we will probably need a few years of tighter immigration controls before the latter)
  • How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    It's the DUP f##king over the Northern Irish.
    Well I don’t believe May will ever shillelagh the Northern Irish.

    Two interesting facts though. No deal means hard border, and that’s two brexiteer fingers to Dublin.

    Also, we give more money each year to Northern Ireland than to EU, 11 billion versus 9 billion (with the proviso both figures fluctuate each year)
  • Anorak said:
    OMG. I woke up and I was an anti-semite!! It was sooooo terrible, I did nothing.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,397

    I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Well it buys her some time, but that's about it. The media will turn quickly.

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Ain't that the truth. I understand where the decision came from , the temptation was enormous and there was what seemed like supporting evidence that the polls were, even if not 100%, in the right direction. But she really could have squeaked through plenty more votes in the Commons without having to maneuver quite so much even with that slim majority she had. Oh well, the road not travelled.

    Night all.
  • Shall we keep a running total of actual deselections? It’s not remotely matching the hype at the moment is it? LOL.

    Tell you what, I’ll let you chalk up Field, even though it’s not a deselection. :)
  • kle4 said:

    I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Well it buys her some time, but that's about it. The media will turn quickly.

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Ain't that the truth. I understand where the decision came from , the temptation was enormous and there was what seemed like supporting evidence that the polls were, even if not 100%, in the right direction. But she really could have squeaked through plenty more votes in the Commons without having to maneuver quite so much even with that slim majority she had. Oh well, the road not travelled.

    Night all.
    Whatever your views on all this (and I am a mad remainer who thinks we will not actually leave).

    But, the EU collective leaders overplayed their hand yesterday.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
    Wiser heads, who actually care about the peace process, understand that change in NI's status must come about slowly, backed by a clear and permanent majority of the citizens. The soft border is not going to cause a return to violence. Shoving a change in status up the arse of the Unionists simply to fulfil Barnier's European Empire dream most certainly will.

    There is no reason to alter the status of NI at this time because it is clear that there will be a soft border after Brexit whether there is a deal or not.
    If you mean a word of that then you must abandon your dreams of a hard Brexit for any part of the UK.
    Never mind Mr Glenn. Better day tomorrow? You and Tusk, once he’s extracted a well earned stiletto from his nether regions. What a fool the man is.
  • I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Anorak said:
    Poor old Jezbollah lol
  • I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
    I suspect that deep in Middle England, the Express have got this one right.

    The EU have really fucked up this time.
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
    Shame you will not accept the will of the people to leave the EU

    We already had a peoples vote thanks
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
    I suspect that deep in Middle England, the Express have got this one right.

    The EU have really fucked up this time.
    Quite. I cheered her speech to the echo. About time someone told them how it is.

    I mean how would France take Corsica becoming part of a separate customs area, or Greece Crete, or Italy Sicily, and so on? Ludicrous nonesense, and she was right to threaten (for the first time seriously I felt) to walk. Hopefully Varadkar’s having a bad evening too, for he is more responsible than most for the impasse.

  • I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
    I suspect that deep in Middle England, the Express have got this one right.

    The EU have really fucked up this time.
    I suspect the Telegraphs right, with its post Tessgasm reality bites front page.

    May made clear not just to EU but you to Mr Rotten, it’s their call. What makes you say they have fucked up when they hold all the aces and all we got is the Queen of clubs? Don’t you see it like that?
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
    If the people of the United Kingdom want to be divided from the EU, then that’s what must happen.

    Lol lol lol.

    Works both ways pal.
  • welshowl said:

    I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
    I suspect that deep in Middle England, the Express have got this one right.

    The EU have really fucked up this time.
    Quite. I cheered her speech to the echo. About time someone told them how it is.

    I mean how would France take Corsica becoming part of a separate customs area, or Greece Crete, or Italy Sicily, and so on? Ludicrous nonesense, and she was right to threaten (for the first time seriously I felt) to walk. Hopefully Varadkar’s having a bad evening too, for he is more responsible than most for the impasse.

    You are absolutely right on that bit, today we showed them with some right angry words. Proper hand bagging.

    Now explain how we stop them bettering us winning a right bitter crash out?
  • I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
    I suspect that deep in Middle England, the Express have got this one right.

    The EU have really fucked up this time.
    I suspect the Telegraphs right, with its post Tessgasm reality bites front page.

    May made clear not just to EU but you to Mr Rotten, it’s their call. What makes you say they have fucked up when they hold all the aces and all we got is the Queen of clubs? Don’t you see it like that?
    This is very delicate. Extraordinarily delicate...

    I tune myself to extended family members who do not obsess on politics like I do.

    The Eu are essentially correct in their response to Mays' nonsense, but they should have nuanced it better.

    They will rue the day.

    I am a Remainer, but it feels to me that we have just left, no matter what happens now.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    welshowl said:

    I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
    I suspect that deep in Middle England, the Express have got this one right.

    The EU have really fucked up this time.
    Quite. I cheered her speech to the echo. About time someone told them how it is.

    I mean how would France take Corsica becoming part of a separate customs area, or Greece Crete, or Italy Sicily, and so on? Ludicrous nonesense, and she was right to threaten (for the first time seriously I felt) to walk. Hopefully Varadkar’s having a bad evening too, for he is more responsible than most for the impasse.

    You are absolutely right on that bit, today we showed them with some right angry words. Proper hand bagging.

    Now explain how we stop them bettering us winning a right bitter crash out?
    Personally I’d just go for it. Game of chicken and I don’t care if I live.

    For me this is existential to my freedom and ability to decide my rulers, so I don’t give a fuck. I suspect they do a bit more.
  • welshowl said:

    Quite. I cheered her speech to the echo. About time someone told them how it is.

    I mean how would France take Corsica becoming part of a separate customs area, or Greece Crete, or Italy Sicily, and so on? Ludicrous nonesense, and she was right to threaten (for the first time seriously I felt) to walk. Hopefully Varadkar’s having a bad evening too, for he is more responsible than most for the impasse.

    Remember this declaration from the British PM?

    The Prime Minister, on behalf of the British Government, reaffirms that they will uphold the democratic wish of the greater number of the people of Northern Ireland on the issue of whether they prefer to support the Union or a sovereign united Ireland. On this basis, he reiterates, on the behalf of the British Government, that they have no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland. Their primary interest is to see peace, stability and reconciliation established by agreement among all the people inhabit the island, and they will work together with the Irish Government to achieve such an agreement, which will embrace the totality of relationships. The role of the British Government will be to encourage, facilitate and enable the achievement of such agreement over a period through a process of dialogue and co-operation based on full respect for the rights and identities of both traditions in Ireland. They accept that such agreement may, as of right, take the form of agreed structures for the island as a whole, including a united Ireland achieved by peaceful means on the following basis. The British Government agree that it is for the people of the island of Ireland alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish. They reaffirm as a binding obligation that they will, for their part, introduce the necessary legislation to give effect to this, or equally to any measure of agreement on future relationships in Ireland which the people living in Ireland may themselves freely so determine without external impediment. They believe that the people of Britain would wish, in friendship to all sides, to enable the people of Ireland to reach agreement on how they may live together in harmony and in partnership, with respect for their diverse traditions, and with full recognition of the special links and the unique relationship which exist between the peoples of Britain and Ireland.

    https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/ourrolesandpolicies/northernireland/peace-process--joint-declaration-1993-1.pdf
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    welshowl said:

    Quite. I cheered her speech to the echo. About time someone told them how it is.

    I mean how would France take Corsica becoming part of a separate customs area, or Greece Crete, or Italy Sicily, and so on? Ludicrous nonesense, and she was right to threaten (for the first time seriously I felt) to walk. Hopefully Varadkar’s having a bad evening too, for he is more responsible than most for the impasse.

    Remember this declaration from the British PM?

    The Prime Minister, on behalf of the British Government, reaffirms that they will uphold the democratic wish of the greater number of the people of Northern Ireland on the issue of whether they prefer to support the Union or a sovereign united Ireland. On this basis, he reiterates, on the behalf of the British Government, that they have no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland. Their primary interest is to see peace, stability and reconciliation established by agreement among all the people inhabit the island, and they will work together with the Irish Government to achieve such an agreement, which will embrace the totality of relationships. The role of the British Government will be to encourage, facilitate and enable the achievement of such agreement over a period through a process of dialogue and co-operation based on full respect for the rights and identities of both traditions in Ireland. They accept that such agreement may, as of right, take the form of agreed structures for the island as a whole, including a united Ireland achieved by peaceful means on the following basis. The British Government agree that it is for the people of the island of Ireland alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish. They reaffirm as a binding obligation that they will, for their part, introduce the necessary legislation to give effect to this, or equally to any measure of agreement on future relationships in Ireland which the people living in Ireland may themselves freely so determine without external impediment. They believe that the people of Britain would wish, in friendship to all sides, to enable the people of Ireland to reach agreement on how they may live together in harmony and in partnership, with respect for their diverse traditions, and with full recognition of the special links and the unique relationship which exist between the peoples of Britain and Ireland.

    https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/ourrolesandpolicies/northernireland/peace-process--joint-declaration-1993-1.pdf
    Oh dear you have had a bad day. Lol.

  • This.

    The EU Might Come To Regret Weakening Theresa May At This Crucial Brexit Juncture


    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-speech_uk_5ba51748e4b069d5f9d26ae5?c4v&utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage
  • welshowl said:

    Oh dear you have had a bad day. Lol.

    Even China has different customs areas within its territory. It's absurd to wet the bed over this if you want a Brexit that creates the problem in the first place.
  • Not much attention or sympathy in Germany. May's speech is well down the ARD news page, and the overwhelming number of comments are along the lines of "f*ck off you arrogant tossers, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out".
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    Not much attention or sympathy in Germany. May's speech is well down the ARD news page, and the overwhelming number of comments are along the lines of "f*ck off you arrogant tossers, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out".

    Fine. Do we get Schleswig Holstein in return for NI? Thought not.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited September 2018

    Not much attention or sympathy in Germany. May's speech is well down the ARD news page, and the overwhelming number of comments are along the lines of "f*ck off you arrogant tossers, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out".

    It'll be interesting to see how Merkel's position as chancellor is affected by the Bavarian state election in a few weeks' time. All the polls forecast that her coalition partners are going to lose a huge chunk of their support, declining from 48% to around 35%.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    welshowl said:

    Oh dear you have had a bad day. Lol.

    Even China has different customs areas within its territory. It's absurd to wet the bed over this if you want a Brexit that creates the problem in the first place.
    Consent William. Consent. It’s all very well you waving the need for NI’s consent for the GFA ( which nobody is denying) but you just ignore the Uk’s withdrawal of consent for the EU.

    Do try and be consistent old chap.

    Anyway to the land of nod for me, at the end of a good day.
  • welshowl said:

    welshowl said:

    Oh dear you have had a bad day. Lol.

    Even China has different customs areas within its territory. It's absurd to wet the bed over this if you want a Brexit that creates the problem in the first place.
    Consent William. Consent. It’s all very well you waving the need for NI’s consent for the GFA ( which nobody is denying) but you just ignore the Uk’s withdrawal of consent for the EU.

    Do try and be consistent old chap.

    Anyway to the land of nod for me, at the end of a good day.
    image
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,460

    welshowl said:

    welshowl said:

    Oh dear you have had a bad day. Lol.

    Even China has different customs areas within its territory. It's absurd to wet the bed over this if you want a Brexit that creates the problem in the first place.
    Consent William. Consent. It’s all very well you waving the need for NI’s consent for the GFA ( which nobody is denying) but you just ignore the Uk’s withdrawal of consent for the EU.

    Do try and be consistent old chap.

    Anyway to the land of nod for me, at the end of a good day.
    image
    17.4 v 16.1m are the relevant numbers.

    Stop making a fool of yourself.
  • welshowl said:

    welshowl said:

    welshowl said:

    Oh dear you have had a bad day. Lol.

    Even China has different customs areas within its territory. It's absurd to wet the bed over this if you want a Brexit that creates the problem in the first place.
    Consent William. Consent. It’s all very well you waving the need for NI’s consent for the GFA ( which nobody is denying) but you just ignore the Uk’s withdrawal of consent for the EU.

    Do try and be consistent old chap.

    Anyway to the land of nod for me, at the end of a good day.
    image
    17.4 v 16.1m are the relevant numbers.

    Stop making a fool of yourself.
    Those numbers are irrelevant given the British government's commitment that people on the island of Ireland should determine their joint relationship "without external impediment".
  • welshowl said:

    Not much attention or sympathy in Germany. May's speech is well down the ARD news page, and the overwhelming number of comments are along the lines of "f*ck off you arrogant tossers, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out".

    Fine. Do we get Schleswig Holstein in return for NI? Thought not.
    go on Owl, hoot the answer to the Schleswig Holstein question. :)

    In one hundred and fifty years they will say, that Schleswig Holstein question, not a patch on the Brexit conundrum that Theresa May had to deal with.
  • welshowl said:

    welshowl said:

    I think Mrs May will prefer tomorrow's front pages:

    https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1043246540469534720

    Telegraph stands out like a sore thumb. Pointedly not supporting the Tessgasm?

    Truth is though, bet she would rather have Ant, Ant and Strictly across every single of those front pages, if that meant a quiet Chequers breakthrough at summit.
    I suspect that deep in Middle England, the Express have got this one right.

    The EU have really fucked up this time.
    Quite. I cheered her speech to the echo. About time someone told them how it is.

    I mean how would France take Corsica becoming part of a separate customs area, or Greece Crete, or Italy Sicily, and so on? Ludicrous nonesense, and she was right to threaten (for the first time seriously I felt) to walk. Hopefully Varadkar’s having a bad evening too, for he is more responsible than most for the impasse.

    You are absolutely right on that bit, today we showed them with some right angry words. Proper hand bagging.

    Now explain how we stop them bettering us winning a right bitter crash out?
    Personally I’d just go for it. Game of chicken and I don’t care if I live.

    For me this is existential to my freedom and ability to decide my rulers, so I don’t give a fuck. I suspect they do a bit more.
    At least that is an honest response. Unlike anything out of EU.

    Yes. We have conceded sovereignty to EU, not just when we joined in 73, but more with every treaty since. Heath called it using sovereignty like a currency, putting it to work for you, such as on business trip or holiday breezing through rather than spend half a day in the alien section. Michael Foot and Tony Benn sounded just like you in opposing Heath, sovereignty and democracy more existential than currency.

    But do you feel just as strongly about deciding your rulers as regards democracy that didn’t go to EU? The balance between executive and Parliament, democracy as regards who appoints the judiciary, the military, the head of state?
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    At lunchtime today I was asked out of the blue if I thought Brexit would increase the chance of Irish unification.

    My response was that as I've not been following brexit closely I honestly have no idea.

    But it's in interesting question. Will it?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709

    Not much attention or sympathy in Germany. May's speech is well down the ARD news page, and the overwhelming number of comments are along the lines of "f*ck off you arrogant tossers, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out".

    As Germany effectively runs the EU in all but name no surprise there
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    Tim_B said:

    At lunchtime today I was asked out of the blue if I thought Brexit would increase the chance of Irish unification.

    My response was that as I've not been following brexit closely I honestly have no idea.

    But it's in interesting question. Will it?

    Most NI Protestants voted Leave, most NI Catholics voted Remain, it did not change the sectarian fundamentals
  • Sandpit said:

    Google Workers Discussed Tweaking Search Function to Counter Travel Ban

    Days after the Trump administration instituted a controversial travel ban in January 2017, Google employees discussed ways they might be able to tweak the company’s search-related functions to show users how to contribute to pro-immigration organizations and contact lawmakers and government agencies, according to internal company emails.

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-workers-discussed-tweaking-search-function-to-counter-travel-ban-1537488472

    I am sure Donald won't ever mention this....

    As someone else said earlier, US politics is designed to make U.K. politics seem normal.

    Google and Facebook are staring down the barrel of some serious regulation if they can’t prove they’re being impartial over the US elections.
    Generally stopping your employees from talking about things isn't a sensible goal.

    However, regulation of social media would work great for Facebook and Google. They can afford lawyers and lobbyists and compliance departments. Smaller players trying to compete with them, not so much.
  • This.

    The EU Might Come To Regret Weakening Theresa May At This Crucial Brexit Juncture


    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-speech_uk_5ba51748e4b069d5f9d26ae5?c4v&utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage

    Have they weakened Theresa May? That's not how it looks from the headlines.

    She does her whole Thatcher thing, that gets her through the party conference, and everyone goes back to negotiating.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
    Wiser heads, who actually care about the peace process, understand that change in NI's status must come about slowly, backed by a clear and permanent majority of the citizens. The soft border is not going to cause a return to violence. Shoving a change in status up the arse of the Unionists simply to fulfil Barnier's European Empire dream most certainly will.

    There is no reason to alter the status of NI at this time because it is clear that there will be a soft border after Brexit whether there is a deal or not.
    If you mean a word of that then you must abandon your dreams of a hard Brexit for any part of the UK.
    People get confused about “soft” and “hard” in this case

    What matters is no *physical* border
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    breaking news. EU have responded to May’s ultimatum. This is what they said

    “You are going to have a second vote. With remain as one of the options.” Pause for barely concealed sniggering (someone in background saying something about another bite of the cherry. More sniggering) “the quislings and traitors in your country will ensure this happens for us”

    1. When, as they say this evening, they have respect, and a deal is still possible, does anyone believe them now? Anyone? But in the days and weeks leading up to this summit, a lot of British media and also team around May, did actually believe at face value each time the EU said exactly this. That explains the angry reaction, and why the mugging is so widely and personally felt. That’s the take out from this, what is surely changed now from when the sun came up Thursday morning. There is no other way at looking at the cherry pun, EU is telling us they think they got UK crash out covered at their end. They are not remotely worried. Bring it on, the cherry pun says. Anyone want to persist with the line, UK does okay from a crash out, but it will be much worse disaster for EU, now we are going to experience in 200 days the real truth of that one?

    2. Meanwhile, what does the almost throwaway line “3M EU citizens in UK, you are very welcome” tell us? Was it about the 3M EU here, or lack of deal helping the Brits over there? Just how bad impact for UK citizens living in EU inevitable no deal crash out?

    2. Was about removing an emotive argument why people might oppose no deal
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    I don't see anywhere where I implied anything of the such so chill out mister huffy puffy. Just a simple analysis of how the electoral maths as a result of GE17 have made her job a lot more difficult.

    It's only made her job a lot more difficult if she intends to screw over the Northern Irish. So long as she doesn't abandon them, the maths hasn't changed there.

    Its backbench Tory rebels that are a concern, not the DUP. Unless she's planning on screwing over Ulster in which case the electoral maths is simply keeping her an honest unionist.
    I don't think she's ever had the intention of screwing over or as you put it 'f##king over' the Northern Irish. The DUP don't represent the entire population of NI and them holding the PM hostage isn't to save her from abandoning Northern Ireland, it's to advance the goals of the DUP and DUP only.
    On the radio this morning there was a DUP spokesman saying they backed Remain in the referendum but that they respected the democratic decision of the U.K. as a whole
  • Charles said:

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    I don't see anywhere where I implied anything of the such so chill out mister huffy puffy. Just a simple analysis of how the electoral maths as a result of GE17 have made her job a lot more difficult.

    It's only made her job a lot more difficult if she intends to screw over the Northern Irish. So long as she doesn't abandon them, the maths hasn't changed there.

    Its backbench Tory rebels that are a concern, not the DUP. Unless she's planning on screwing over Ulster in which case the electoral maths is simply keeping her an honest unionist.
    I don't think she's ever had the intention of screwing over or as you put it 'f##king over' the Northern Irish. The DUP don't represent the entire population of NI and them holding the PM hostage isn't to save her from abandoning Northern Ireland, it's to advance the goals of the DUP and DUP only.
    On the radio this morning there was a DUP spokesman saying they backed Remain in the referendum but that they respected the democratic decision of the U.K. as a whole
    Northern Ireland backed Remain. The DUP backed Leave. It went as far as paying for advertising for Leave in England in the referendum campaign.
  • Tim_B said:

    At lunchtime today I was asked out of the blue if I thought Brexit would increase the chance of Irish unification.

    My response was that as I've not been following brexit closely I honestly have no idea.

    But it's in interesting question. Will it?

    It has destabilised Northern Ireland. As such it has increased the chance of reunification. Recent polls have suggested that a vote on the subject could be tight.
  • Charles said:

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    Just as well she did and thank God for the DUP. She really should have known better than to ever think it would be acceptable to make permanent commitments on NI in the absence of an agreed outcome.
    The principle of consent means that it's not up to her. If the people of Northern Ireland want to be divided from Great Britain, that's what must happen.
    Wiser heads, who actually care about the peace process, understand that change in NI's status must come about slowly, backed by a clear and permanent majority of the citizens. The soft border is not going to cause a return to violence. Shoving a change in status up the arse of the Unionists simply to fulfil Barnier's European Empire dream most certainly will.

    There is no reason to alter the status of NI at this time because it is clear that there will be a soft border after Brexit whether there is a deal or not.
    If you mean a word of that then you must abandon your dreams of a hard Brexit for any part of the UK.
    People get confused about “soft” and “hard” in this case

    What matters is no *physical* border
    Quite. And even in Hard Brexit there will be a Soft Border.
  • Tim_B said:

    At lunchtime today I was asked out of the blue if I thought Brexit would increase the chance of Irish unification.

    My response was that as I've not been following brexit closely I honestly have no idea.

    But it's in interesting question. Will it?

    It has destabilised Northern Ireland. As such it has increased the chance of reunification. Recent polls have suggested that a vote on the subject could be tight.
    The Brexit vote did not destabilise NI. What has done so is the utterly deplorable decision of the EU to use the NI border as a tool to advance their desire in the negotiation to humiliate the UK. On its own, the fact that they would do this shows how utterly the EU is divorced from even the concept of doing the best thing for its citizens. But of course, we saw this already after the GFC and should not have been surprised.

    Luckily, we will be free soon.
  • Tim_B said:

    At lunchtime today I was asked out of the blue if I thought Brexit would increase the chance of Irish unification.

    My response was that as I've not been following brexit closely I honestly have no idea.

    But it's in interesting question. Will it?

    It has destabilised Northern Ireland. As such it has increased the chance of reunification. Recent polls have suggested that a vote on the subject could be tight.
    The Brexit vote did not destabilise NI. What has done so is the utterly deplorable decision of the EU to use the NI border as a tool to advance their desire in the negotiation to humiliate the UK. On its own, the fact that they would do this shows how utterly the EU is divorced from even the concept of doing the best thing for its citizens. But of course, we saw this already after the GFC and should not have been surprised.

    Luckily, we will be free soon.
    Foam, foam, foam. Another Leaver incapable of taking responsibility for his own choices.

    Vote Leave Avoid Responsibility.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    Isn’t the Irish border question easier in practice than in theory. Whatever the outcome all Britain has to do is not build a border. However embedded in the EU and instructed they might be, Eire don’t have to build a border either. If Britain doesn’t, I can’t see Eire doing it.

    It may not conform perfectly to whatever rules emerge, but in the end who cares.
  • Good morning, everyone.

    It might be that, should we depart the EU and the sky not cave in, May will want to remain, having gotten it out of the way and survived. (Wishing to enjoy the easier part of premiership having tackled the very hard part). Mind you, I still suspect she'll be glad to get out, duty done, but we'll see.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    Jonathan said:

    Isn’t the Irish border question easier in practice than in theory. Whatever the outcome all Britain has to do is not build a border. However embedded in the EU and instructed they might be, Eire don’t have to build a border either. If Britain doesn’t, I can’t see Eire doing it.

    It may not conform perfectly to whatever rules emerge, but in the end who cares.

    That’s very much my view.

    No doubt such an approach would result in extremely lengthy and tedious litigation, through the WTO, or the ECJ, at some point, but I’m far from convinced that would matter greatly.
    And in any event, it would kick the can many years down the road, which tends to be politicians’ preferred alternative to finding difficult solutions.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    A terrific article on the Kavanaugh confirmation by Benjamin Wittes:
    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/kavanaugh-confirmation/571021/
    I have known Brett Kavanaugh for a long time—in many different contexts. I am fond of him personally. I think the world of him intellectually. I don’t believe he lied in his Senate testimony. I don’t believe he’s itching to get on the Supreme Court to protect Donald Trump from Robert Mueller. I’m much less afraid of conservative judges than are many of my liberal friends. As recently as a few days ago, I was cheerfully vouching for Kavanaugh’s character.

    That said, the allegation against him is, at least so far as one can tell from the press reports, credible, and it deserves to be taken seriously.

    If Kavanaugh were to ask my advice today—and to be clear, he hasn’t done so—I would tell him he almost certainly should have his nomination withdrawn. The circumstances in which he should fight this out are, in my view, extremely limited...


    Anyone arguing for Kavanaugh - or indeed interested in what standards ought to be applied when appointing to the Supreme Court - should read the whole thing.
  • daodaodaodao Posts: 821

    Good morning, everyone.

    It might be that, should we depart the EU and the sky not cave in, May will want to remain, having gotten it out of the way and survived. (Wishing to enjoy the easier part of premiership having tackled the very hard part). Mind you, I still suspect she'll be glad to get out, duty done, but we'll see.

    The incompetent intransigent May, who seems to lack emotional intelligence, is a millstone round the neck of the UK. Even the excellent joke about "would you like some cake, sorry no cherries" doesn't seem to have got through to this dimwit, judging by her speech yesterday from number 10. Even Corbyn would do a better job, and he at least has the merit of not being a racist - I can't imagine him using the phrase "citizens of nowhere".

    May agreed last December that there would be no hard border between the 6 counties and the rest of Ireland, and the EU quite rightly considers that the 4 freedoms associated with the Single Market are indivisible (they run the club and therefore set the rules), so the Chequers proposals were clearly stillborn. There are only 2 options for a deal between the EU and the UK (leaving aside a no deal departure, and aborting section 50 to remain in the EU):
    1. A hard Brexit with the border between customs areas in the Irish Sea (or the Cheviots if Scotland secedes and remains in the EU); and
    2. A soft Brexit with the whole of the UK remaining in the Customs Union/Single Market, i.e. BINO.

    The sooner the UK chooses one of these 2 options, and agrees the practical details of how they can be implemented, the better, otherwise the planes will really stop flying on 30/3/19. One only has to look at the stand off between 2 other major European countries, Russia and the Ukraine, to see how badly relations could deteriorate - the 6 counties could once again become the equivalent of the Donbass.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    welshowl said:

    Not much attention or sympathy in Germany. May's speech is well down the ARD news page, and the overwhelming number of comments are along the lines of "f*ck off you arrogant tossers, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out".

    Fine. Do we get Schleswig Holstein in return for NI? Thought not.
    Calais and Gascony would be better
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Charles said:

    How much easier would her life be if she hadn't called the snap election? She really has boxed herself in thanks the outcome of her decision to call it.
    So you're wishing we could just f##k over the Northern Irish? Sounds like it might be a good job that we got the result we did then?
    I don't see anywhere where I implied anything of the such so chill out mister huffy puffy. Just a simple analysis of how the electoral maths as a result of GE17 have made her job a lot more difficult.

    It's only made her job a lot more difficult if she intends to screw over the Northern Irish. So long as she doesn't abandon them, the maths hasn't changed there.

    Its backbench Tory rebels that are a concern, not the DUP. Unless she's planning on screwing over Ulster in which case the electoral maths is simply keeping her an honest unionist.
    I don't think she's ever had the intention of screwing over or as you put it 'f##king over' the Northern Irish. The DUP don't represent the entire population of NI and them holding the PM hostage isn't to save her from abandoning Northern Ireland, it's to advance the goals of the DUP and DUP only.
    On the radio this morning there was a DUP spokesman saying they backed Remain in the referendum but that they respected the democratic decision of the U.K. as a whole
    Northern Ireland backed Remain. The DUP backed Leave. It went as far as paying for advertising for Leave in England in the referendum campaign.
    I was half asleep so must have misheard
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,397
    Tim_B said:

    At lunchtime today I was asked out of the blue if I thought Brexit would increase the chance of Irish unification.

    My response was that as I've not been following brexit closely I honestly have no idea.

    But it's in interesting question. Will it?

    Yes. It's not certain but it creates chaos and puts s lot of pressure on so definitely increases the chance.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Jonathan said:

    Isn’t the Irish border question easier in practice than in theory. Whatever the outcome all Britain has to do is not build a border. However embedded in the EU and instructed they might be, Eire don’t have to build a border either. If Britain doesn’t, I can’t see Eire doing it.

    It may not conform perfectly to whatever rules emerge, but in the end who cares.

    That is absolutely right.

    So long as the same rules are applied as at other land borders (an issue for the EU not the U.K.) you can implement them remotely in one place and physically in another
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,397
    daodao said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    It might be that, should we depart the EU and the sky not cave in, May will want to remain, having gotten it out of the way and survived. (Wishing to enjoy the easier part of premiership having tackled the very hard part). Mind you, I still suspect she'll be glad to get out, duty done, but we'll see.

    The incompetent intransigent May, who seems to lack emotional intelligence, is a millstone round the neck of the UK. Even the excellent joke about "would you like some cake, sorry no cherries" doesn't seem to have got through to this dimwit, judging by her speech yesterday from number 10. Even Corbyn would do a better job, and he at least has the merit of not being a racist - I can't imagine him using the phrase "citizens of nowhere".

    May agreed last December that there would be no hard border between the 6 counties and the rest of Ireland, and the EU quite rightly considers that the 4 freedoms associated with the Single Market are indivisible (they run the club and therefore set the rules), so the Chequers proposals were clearly stillborn. There are only 2 options for a deal between the EU and the UK (leaving aside a no deal departure, and aborting section 50 to remain in the EU):
    1. A hard Brexit with the border between customs areas in the Irish Sea (or the Cheviots if Scotland secedes and remains in the EU); and
    2. A soft Brexit with the whole of the UK remaining in the Customs Union/Single Market, i.e. BINO.
    While i disagree with large chunks of that, I'd agree that if we are to have a deal it does look like those 2 are the likeliest options since I just cannot see why the EU would blink now, and the commons needs to pick something else soon.

    If the EU is to bend at all because they do want a deal, and it is a big if, it seems like it would be on ireland. I just don't see how the UK agrees to split up it's country and some EU fudge there seems like a lesser impact than a fudge on a customs partnership for all. Still no idea how that would get through the commons though.

    I assume the next immediate phase will be May getting through conference if she can with a view to promising she will now pursue a harder deal if the EU dont back down on Chequers by Oct, and then as media and mps turn once that becomes more likely some fudge will be offered which she says is Chequers or Chequers lite but the EU calls something else.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,397

    This.

    The EU Might Come To Regret Weakening Theresa May At This Crucial Brexit Juncture


    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-speech_uk_5ba51748e4b069d5f9d26ae5?c4v&utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage

    Have they weakened Theresa May? That's not how it looks from the headlines.

    She does her whole Thatcher thing, that gets her through the party conference, and everyone goes back to negotiating.
    Perhaps - it might just give her a couple weeks despite from coup talk as she sounds harder for s bit, but as the EU appear to be genuine that the problems are on indivisible red lines not meeting, I don't know what May could pivot back to in negotiations post conference. Sure, it would mean even less time for rebels to seek to oust her if she waters Chequers down even more, but they can still just vote it down with Labour, so trying to haggle over something like but not Chequers is meaningless unless the EU has been bluffing, and I don't think they have been. May probably has, but lacks numbers to give in even if she tries.

    Unless the EU can offer something in return for a cspulation which she might be able to sell. May be.but what could that be?
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    kle4 said:

    daodao said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    It might be that, should we depart the EU and the sky not cave in, May will want to remain, having gotten it out of the way and survived. (Wishing to enjoy the easier part of premiership having tackled the very hard part). Mind you, I still suspect she'll be glad to get out, duty done, but we'll see.

    The incompetent intransigent May, who seems to lack emotional intelligence, is a millstone round the neck of the UK. Even the excellent joke about "would you like some cake, sorry no cherries" doesn't seem to have got through to this dimwit, judging by her speech yesterday from number 10. Even Corbyn would do a better job, and he at least has the merit of not being a racist - I can't imagine him using the phrase "citizens of nowhere".

    May agreed last December that there would be no hard border between the 6 counties and the rest of Ireland, and the EU quite rightly considers that the 4 freedoms associated with the Single Market are indivisible (they run the club and therefore set the rules), so the Chequers proposals were clearly stillborn. There are only 2 options for a deal between the EU and the UK (leaving aside a no deal departure, and aborting section 50 to remain in the EU):
    1. A hard Brexit with the border between customs areas in the Irish Sea (or the Cheviots if Scotland secedes and remains in the EU); and
    2. A soft Brexit with the whole of the UK remaining in the Customs Union/Single Market, i.e. BINO.
    While i disagree with large chunks of that, I'd agree that if we are to have a deal it does look like those 2 are the likeliest options since I just cannot see why the EU would blink now, and the commons needs to pick something else soon.

    If the EU is to bend at all because they do want a deal, and it is a big if, it seems like it would be on ireland. I just don't see how the UK agrees to split up it's country and some EU fudge there seems like a lesser impact than a fudge on a customs partnership for all. Still no idea how that would get through the commons though.

    I assume the next immediate phase will be May getting through conference if she can with a view to promising she will now pursue a harder deal if the EU dont back down on Chequers by Oct, and then as media and mps turn once that becomes more likely some fudge will be offered which she says is Chequers or Chequers lite but the EU calls something else.
    The solution to the Irish border doesn’t need a fudge at all

    Just a technological working party

    It’s so easy to solve - the EU have used it to try and get the Brits to reverse Brexit, that’s all.
  • Charles said:

    kle4 said:

    daodao said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    It might be that, should we depart the EU and the sky not cave in, May will want to remain, having gotten it out of the way and survived. (Wishing to enjoy the easier part of premiership having tackled the very hard part). Mind you, I still suspect she'll be glad to get out, duty done, but we'll see.

    The incompetent intransigent May, who seems to lack emotional intelligence, is a millstone round the neck of the UK. Even the excellent joke about "would you like some cake, sorry no cherries" doesn't seem to have got through to this dimwit, judging by her speech yesterday from number 10. Even Corbyn would do a better job, and he at least has the merit of not being a racist - I can't imagine him using the phrase "citizens of nowhere".

    May agreed last December that there would be no hard border between the 6 counties and the rest of Ireland, and the EU quite rightly considers that the 4 freedoms associated with the Single Market are indivisible (they run the club and therefore set the rules), so the Chequers proposals were clearly stillborn. There are only 2 options for a deal between the EU and the UK (leaving aside a no deal departure, and aborting section 50 to remain in the EU):
    1. A hard Brexit with the border between customs areas in the Irish Sea (or the Cheviots if Scotland secedes and remains in the EU); and
    2. A soft Brexit with the whole of the UK remaining in the Customs Union/Single Market, i.e. BINO.
    While i disagree with large chunks of that, I'd agree that if we are to have a deal it does look like those 2 are the likeliest options since I just cannot see why the EU would blink now, and the commons needs to pick something else soon.

    If the EU is to bend at all because they do want a deal, and it is a big if, it seems like it would be on ireland. I just don't see how the UK agrees to split up it's country and some EU fudge there seems like a lesser impact than a fudge on a customs partnership for all. Still no idea how that would get through the commons though.

    I assume the next immediate phase will be May getting through conference if she can with a view to promising she will now pursue a harder deal if the EU dont back down on Chequers by Oct, and then as media and mps turn once that becomes more likely some fudge will be offered which she says is Chequers or Chequers lite but the EU calls something else.
    The solution to the Irish border doesn’t need a fudge at all

    Just a technological working party

    It’s so easy to solve - the EU have used it to try and get the Brits to reverse Brexit, that’s all.
    Yes. Of course. We can make all of this Brexit silliness go away with a technological working party.

    Why didn’t May think of that?
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Charles said:

    kle4 said:

    daodao said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    The incompetent intransigent May, who seems to lack emotional intelligence, is a millstone round the neck of the UK. Even the excellent joke about "would you like some cake, sorry no cherries" doesn't seem to have got through to this dimwit, judging by her speech yesterday from number 10. Even Corbyn would do a better job, and he at least has the merit of not being a racist - I can't imagine him using the phrase "citizens of nowhere".

    May agreed last December that there would be no hard border between the 6 counties and the rest of Ireland, and the EU quite rightly considers that the 4 freedoms associated with the Single Market are indivisible (they run the club and therefore set the rules), so the Chequers proposals were clearly stillborn. There are only 2 options for a deal between the EU and the UK (leaving aside a no deal departure, and aborting section 50 to remain in the EU):
    1. A hard Brexit with the border between customs areas in the Irish Sea (or the Cheviots if Scotland secedes and remains in the EU); and
    2. A soft Brexit with the whole of the UK remaining in the Customs Union/Single Market, i.e. BINO.
    While i disagree with large chunks of that, I'd agree that if we are to have a deal it does look like those 2 are the likeliest options since I just cannot see why the EU would blink now, and the commons needs to pick something else soon.

    If the EU is to bend at all because they do want a deal, and it is a big if, it seems like it would be on ireland. I just don't see how the UK agrees to split up it's country and some EU fudge there seems like a lesser impact than a fudge on a customs partnership for all. Still no idea how that would get through the commons though.

    I assume the next immediate phase will be May getting through conference if she can with a view to promising she will now pursue a harder deal if the EU dont back down on Chequers by Oct, and then as media and mps turn once that becomes more likely some fudge will be offered which she says is Chequers or Chequers lite but the EU calls something else.
    The solution to the Irish border doesn’t need a fudge at all

    Just a technological working party

    It’s so easy to solve - the EU have used it to try and get the Brits to reverse Brexit, that’s all.
    Yes. Of course. We can make all of this Brexit silliness go away with a technological working party.

    Why didn’t May think of that?
    Because the EU rejected it.

    Kenny started it and then Varadkar stopped it.

    If the EU really is offering the choice between splitting the U.K. (which they must know is unacceptable) or No Deal then they are not negotiating in good faith
  • Tim_B said:

    At lunchtime today I was asked out of the blue if I thought Brexit would increase the chance of Irish unification.

    My response was that as I've not been following brexit closely I honestly have no idea.

    But it's in interesting question. Will it?

    It has destabilised Northern Ireland. As such it has increased the chance of reunification. Recent polls have suggested that a vote on the subject could be tight.
    The Brexit vote did not destabilise NI. What has done so is the utterly deplorable decision of the EU to use the NI border as a tool to advance their desire in the negotiation to humiliate the UK. On its own, the fact that they would do this shows how utterly the EU is divorced from even the concept of doing the best thing for its citizens. But of course, we saw this already after the GFC and should not have been surprised.

    Luckily, we will be free soon.

    You. Live. In. Australia.

This discussion has been closed.