From what I’ve seen, doing coke turns you into a motor-mouthed, over-confident self-centred, opinionated TWAT.
So, in this case. No (noticeable) effect whatsoever…
Hmm, I think I see a path forward:
Britain leaves the European Union, but keeps all the rights and responsibilities of membership. Thus, on maps, Britain will be colored English red, instead European blue. The star representing Britain on the European flag will be removed (it’s the one in the center of the circle). Britain will have it’s own Olympic team and will be able to use its own currency. But, despite not being a member, the EU will be forced to listen to British representation on all the policies and rules and laws and such. British farmers and cities will continue to get EU subsidies, less some administrative fees that will be covered by the British treasury.
It’s a win-win deal! The Tories can claim victory–Brexit is delivered, without giving up anything!
To be fair, that could well have been anger.
Can someone explain the “Irish backstop”? How is that different from just staying in the EU?
AIUI, the point of the backstop is to prevent the re-installation of customs posts and border checks if and when there would be tariffs on goods and differing health and safety standards, because the Good Friday Agreement is underpinned by there not being any such differences. Re-establishing them risks arousing all the old resentments and giving sitting targets for extremists.
EU membership involves a great deal more than those practicalities, but leaving means this is one problem for which no-one has offered much of an alternative solution, apart from “computers can do it all” in some vague magical way.
It’s not. The whole of the UK would become outside the EU, but Northern Ireland would be in a customs union with the EU.
A customs union is the most basic of relationships you can have with a trading neighbour.
The backstop - a UK proposal, accepted by the EU - is a mechanism to avoid border controls on the island of Ireland. It’s important to emphasise that the backstop only comes into force if no post-Brexit agreement can be reached.
The original intended timeline was roughly this -
- Britain votes to Leave,
- UK and EU negotiate the terms of a Withdrawal Agreement - this defines the shape of EU/UK relations until a future agreement can be negotiated. A holding pattern that pertains from the time that the UK leaves the EU (the deadline for leaving was originally two years after Article 50 invocation) until a new agreement is signed, essentially. The backstop is part of this WA.
- The EU countries and the UK all agree the terms of the WA and then pass it into domestic law, in whatever way each individual country sees fit (The UK has spectacularly failed to do the latter part of this, which is why things are so fucked at the moment)
- The UK leaves the EU
- Future relationship negotiations begin, with the WA governing the transitional period
- Either a future relationship is agreed by a certain date, or the backstop kicks in
It’s not going well.
Ahh, thanks.
How can you say this? Don’t you realize that the chances of a no-deal Brexit are a “million-to-one against” as there is a mood in the EU and among MPs to pass a new Brexit deal?
This from someone who knows:
[spoiler]
Boris Johnson
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/26/boris-johnson-chances-of-no-deal-brexit-are-a-million-to-one-against[/spoiler]
The chances of Boris Johnson talking sense are a million-to-one against.
And now he’s PM!
[Cue Yakety Sax]
It was a nice country while it lasted.
Good. God. Palmerson, Disreali, and Gladstone are spinning in their graves.
from CNN:
DUDE apparently standing for Deliver, Unite, Defeat, Energize.
So, England has a new Prime Minister and about 3 months to negotiate a new/revised Brexit deal with Europe.
A deal done by Boris Johnson.
Living in interesting times, Britain; interesting times indeed.
I apologize, Britain; I know you’ve had a tough few years and massive uncertainty looms. But, as someone who doesn’t have to live with him, I look forward to Boris’ hijinks and shenanigans.
To quote Kim Fowley (another entertaining jerk) “I won’t respect you or love you, but I’ll keep you crazies gassed”.
This is a nightmare, not only for Britain but for anyone who cares about the future of the UK and a united Europe. Speaking as someone who’s living in a country more than 2 years into a complete and total shit show, I take no delight in what we’re about to see with the UK variant.
Dominic Cummings may find things a little more difficult than he anticipated.
He held a meeting with ministerial aides at which he spoke strongly about leaking. He said that leaking would absolutely not be tolerated. “One strike and you’re out. If you leak, you are gone.”
All this was promptly leaked to the press…
It’s funny how a no-deal Brexit has suddenly gone from a “million-to-one chance” to the presumed outcome. I guess Boris has adopted Terry Pratchett’s view on million-to-one chances.
Jesus fucking Christ, UK. I mean, Jesus fucking Christ.
My understanding is that “Energize” was added after realizing what the first three spelled. I feel really bad for the UK. It’s going to take a miracle to prevent a Brexit disaster, and even then, they would still have Boris.