Let's Get Political!

[chalkies_shorts]

The problem May has is that the real power behind the throne would not accept this in any way shape or form....

I thought juncker and tusk would be chuffed

[BambooToTheFuture]

You lot never got over losing the egg & spoon race at school, did you?

If only you had come round & supported the narrow 1.26 MILLION majority, the UK would have been able to concentrate on many other matters other than UKEXIT. But you, yes YOU (you know who you are) have kept us wading in treacle all this time. We leave on 29th March 2019. Get over it.

For the record: I don't want federal government. And I love pizza.

Fucking weirdo!

[chalkies_shorts]

So may yet again has been told by her masters what to do next.

[Batch]

They've given a get out extension.

May chose to go back with her deal asking for yet more time.

it's her strategy. her failure

[Combe Up]

I've never lived in a constituency where the local MP is Prime Minister. I wonder what it will be like?

[Reg Smeeton]

I've never lived in a constituency where the local MP is Prime Minister. I wonder what it will be like?

I lived in Thatcher's constituency for 4 years before she became PM. Sadly it was 4 years between GE's so never had the satisfaction of voting directly against her.

[michael]

Anyone know when the German car manufacturers are going to start kicking off about "No Deal"??

Their UK counterparts have been a lot more gobby about it.

[Combe Up]

I lived in Thatcher's constituency for 4 years before she became PM. Sadly it was 4 years between GE's so never had the satisfaction of voting directly against her.

Ah Finchley?

So the EU have started to blink. What a bastard. I'll have to trash all my 29th March Independence Day memorabilia I had made up e.g. mugs, plates etc. Bit like Edward VIII's coronation tat I guess.

[pauld]

So may yet again has been told by her masters what to do next.

Yeah, that whole taking back control thing is really panning out nicely

[horlock07]

Yeah, that whole taking back control thing is really panning out nicely

Much the same as the whole sovereignty bollocks which has been shown to be all a sham after Farage has been lobbying foreign leaders to act against the wishes of the UK government.....

Its almost like they all lied!

[Reg Smeeton]

Ah Finchley?

So the EU have started to blink. What a bastard. I'll have to trash all my 29th March Independence Day memorabilia I had made up e.g. mugs, plates etc. Bit like Edward VIII's coronation tat I guess.

Yes I'm sure there will be a handful of others like you having to adjust their plans. I trust the mugs and plates were made up in Burslem and not in Italy, Spain or Portugal 

[chalkies_shorts]

The EU are doing what they can to avoid no deal. It does make me wonder if we had played this card from the onset and been serious about it, would we be in a different place and actually flexing our sovereignty rather than being the EUs bitch. I'm pretty sure we'd have a better deal. I think May will be gone within the next 10 days - its a question of whether the deal goes through as the price for her fucking off.

[Ardiles]

It really does feel like the end of May's tenure, now.  Delicious description of the awfulness of her position by Rafael Behr in the Guardian this morning:

The terms of the extension are not drafted for the prime minister’s benefit. They contain a message from the EU direct to the House of Commons. In crude terms: piss or get off the pot. If you want to leave with a deal, vote for the damned deal. If you are foolish enough to leave without a deal, do not blame us. Have a couple more weeks to think about it. But if you want something else, a referendum or a softer Brexit, work it out soon. And then send someone who isn’t May to talk to us about it.

EU leaders cannot say explicitly that they no longer want to deal with the current prime minister. Urging regime change is beyond the pale of normal diplomacy among democratic states. But there is no effort to conceal the frustration in May or the evacuation of confidence in her as a negotiating partner. The one thing everyone in Brussels, Berlin and Paris had most wanted to avoid from an article 50 extension was giving May a licence to carry on behaving as she has done for what feels like an eternity. They could no longer tolerate the hollow shell of a prime minister shuttling back and forth between Tory hardliners demanding fantasy Brexits and Brussels negotiators who trade in realities.

There is a difference between patience with the prime minister and readiness to help her country navigate through its current crisis. There are still stores of goodwill available for Britain in Brussels, but they cannot be unlocked by May.

I don't see the EU's position as weakness, so much as the 27 heads of state wearily coming together to do her job for her.  The extension is clever politics from them.  They have not budged an inch on the terms of the deal.

As a Remainer, I still think I understand the frustration of Leavers who wonder what might have happened if there was a more resolute Leaver at the top of government.  It's tempting to imagine where we would be now if we had gone all out for a No Deal strategy at the outset (not that there was ever a mandate for that).  But I honestly don't think that it would have made any difference.  Tempting as it might be to blame the entire mess on Theresa May, that's too simplistic.  We were always going to be the junior partner to these negotiations - just as we are always going to be the junior partner in any future EU/UK relationship.  All we are seeing now is the chickens coming home.

[Reg Smeeton]

The EU are doing what they can to avoid no deal. It does make me wonder if we had played this card from the onset and been serious about it, would we be in a different place and actually flexing our sovereignty rather than being the EUs bitch. I'm pretty sure we'd have a better deal. I think May will be gone within the next 10 days - its a question of whether the deal goes through as the price for her fucking off.

The Tories are going to have a job to find a credible leader out of their line up... May originally got the job as she seemed a safe pair of hand, bit like Rees Mogg's nanny, someone who'd clear up the mess after the naughty boys have gone home.

We had the old strong and stable line at the 17 election.  It needs someone competent in politics... and they're a bit difficult to find. 

[RedRag]

Ah Finchley?

So the EU have started to blink. What a bastard. I'll have to trash all my 29th March Independence Day memorabilia I had made up e.g. mugs, plates etc. Bit like Edward VIII's coronation tat I guess.

Sorry about your commemorative mugs.

My plans to go down the Winchester Arms on 29th March to wait for it to all blow over are still very much on.  Looks like we might have to dig in.  You'd be welcome to join us.