Brexit

2020-12-05

Some of us have been concerned for many years now that our perfidious Parliament will allow the EAW (European Arrest Warrant) to live on well beyond its Brexit end-by date.

Torquil Dick-Erikson writing for Brexit Watch now discloses the confirmation that as far as HMG is concerned "There is no intention for extradition to any EU jurisdiction after the end of transition period to be made subject to a court ruling that there is a prima facie case".

There you have it. i don't doubt that the EAW will be "renegotiated" post "Brexit" and repackaged to look a little more like a new arrangement, but the fundamentals will remain the same.

So much for Habeas Corpus and our freedom from arrest and imprisonment without trial for prolonged, maybe indefinitely prolonged, periods. We can still be summarily arrested and

12/01/2020

Migration Watch UK recently put out a press release covering the performance of the Home Office in managing inbound illegal immigrants.

No prizes for guessing the overall tenor of the report.

"it is hard to avoid the conclusion that it has neither the capacity nor the capabilities, in particular in respect of criminal investigation and prosecution, required to manage this threat more effectively"

To which one might reasonably add "nor the will".

2020-11-24

Conservative Woman publishes an article by Timothy Bradshaw that goes through the current shenanigans surrounding our zombie still-on-going-long-after-deadline-death EU future relationship negotiations (excluding military matters which are being handled separately - see our article on the Davis Ellis Report).

Are the omens good, or is Lord Frost just putting a brave face on it? Is Boris following Sun Tsu doctrine - appear weak when you are strong (by firing Dominic Cummins) and strong when you are weak . . ?

We should soon find out - resolution one way or the other is long past overdue.

Oh wait! Some of them have tested

2020-11-23

Don't miss the latest emanation from Facts4EU, no doubt smelling the bad odour of an interminable will-they-won't they never-ending bog-roll of a "negotiation" under a clock that remains tantalisingly stopped at 1 second prior to the (latest) deadline . . .

Will Boris pull on their chain of command? Or will he flush these irrelevant talks down the pan where they have belonged since the beginning? Or will they plumb yet further around the bend in search of a way around the mysterious blockage?

You can tell where this is going . . .  but don't worry, it opens a new window!

2020/11/19

David Ellis reporting today on defence matters for UK Column.

He helps us understand terms such as Skynet, Space Operations and Multi Domain Integration. He also brings us up to date with the European Defence Union . . .

Like / Dislike this video here.

I think David is right that if the US is going to join forces with the EU then NATO is dead, long live Defence Union.

On the other hand I can't see the US wanting to play second fiddle in the command structure, so Defence Union will be a different beast. How different?

Well, who will be the next US President?

If Biden scrapes in then

2020/11/18

Brexit Watch publishes a "drains-up" assessment of misunderstandings (and misinformations?) concerning the UK's commitments to EU Defence Union post Brexit.

Are they being hyper-sensitive when there is "nothing to see here"? Or are elements of "our" government machine still manoeuvring to keep our MPs and the public and maybe even our ministers in the dark over the future of our armed forces?

The fact that there would seem to be a continuing news black-out about our post-Brexit military relationship with the EU (a topic which has always been excluded from the "Brexit negotiations") may tell those of us who harbour suspicions all we need to know.

If even some of these assertions are true then surely this amounts to criminal fraud on a grand scale?

...

2020/11/16

Briefings for Britain thought you would like to see Baroness Hoey’s impassioned and strong speech in the House of Lord’s debate on the Internal Market Bill - many of their Lordships being much concerned about the possibility that this would "break international law". So what does the Belfast agreement say that impinges on this Bill?

Read the full article.

2020/11/15

Briefings for Britain review the current state of Cummings-exit-inspired turmoil in nbr 10, and how this may impact the Brexit negotiations currently being (we must all hope) concluded in the very near future.

From the point of view of resuming our life as an independent nation beholden in law to no other, which is what we voted for, it is clearly important that our negotiators stick to their guns and don't at the last ditch fall for the usual oft-repeated tales of imminent trading catastrophe and eternal impoverishment. Some remainers still seem to think we might be so persuaded - if only they repeat them loudly enough and long enough.

Accordingly Bfb have

2020/11/07

Facts4EU report that the EU is initiating a new power-grab over its constituent parts.

"Parliament negotiators reached a provisional agreement with the Council presidency on 05 November on legislation establishing a mechanism that would allow the suspension of budget payments to a member state violating what the EU calls its “rule of law”"

So that's all right then - the EU Parliament has negotiated the deal with the Commission so it's all 4-square and ready to roll complete with popular approval!

“Crucially, MEPs succeeded in keeping a strong preventive aspect for the mechanism: not only can it be triggered when a breach is shown to directly affect the budget, but also when there is a serious risk that it may do so, thus ensuring that the mechanism prevents possible situations where EU funds could finance actions that are in

2020/11/05

Briefings for Britain feature an article by Catherine McBride, who points up the alleged one-sided nature of the Commission, which might just have the effect of favouring a certain segment of the population.

There is no shortage of unelected QUANGOs to tell us how we should live, but we do seem wedded to the idea that we can never have enough of them.

Are we not in desperate need of a new body that investigates all the others to discover cui bono? Sadly such would probably turn out to be another toothless addition to the already considerable field of worthy public-interest window-dressing.

Maybe we should reinvent the concept of independent investigative journalism instead. Indeed, it is outfits such

2020/11/05

Sir Desmond is here interviewed by Jonathan Saxty of Brexit Watch.

Some of us who have seen his recent interventions in the House of Commons may be familiar with his admirable clarity of thought and exposition. Here he reviews the status of the Covid Lockdown, moving on to give his views on the current state of the Brexit negotiations.

Unmissable:

Like / Dislike this video here.

2020/11/05

Brexit Watch brings some upbeat news about our developing post-EU trade deals.

In these benighted timed we appreciate all the good news we can get!

2020/11/03

The Reform UK Party will favour a nuanced approach founded upon the principles of the Great Barrington Declaration, allowing the majority of the economy to remain open.

Brexit Watch brings us an interview with Richard Tice to explain all:

Like / Dislike this video here.

2020/11/03

Facts4EU have launched the Big Brexit Initiative to encourage Boris to repudiate the Withdrawal Agreement. We wish them and the redoubtable Ann Widdecombe success in their endeavours - after all, "no agreement is better than a bad agreement" still holds.

Ms Widdecombe puts her viewpoint on this matter here.

What to do? Follow the above links for some suggestions, but above all, spread the word.

2020/11/03

That people are still writing about the possible betrayal of our remnant (but, given appropriate circumstances, resurgent) Fishing Industry over four years after we voted to leave the EU speaks volumes about the trust that we put in our government.

This timely article (published by the Campaign for an Independent Britain) reviews the history of our once successful fishing industry, from our accession to the putative EU through the many bureaucratic reforms to the CFP, to where we are today, poised (finally?) to "leave the EU" at year end.

But will we even now escape with our fishing rights intact?

2020/10/28

Brexit Watch notes a Reuters report that our government has "told the EU that the UK will not participate in EU military missions". 

Fake News? or Welcome News? If the latter then it is likely highly significant and breaks with a long tradition of speaking of independence whilst acting as if dependent in military and foreign policy matters.

But as yet it is only a report . . .    is it based on an authoritative announcement?

As Brexit Watch remarks, there are many implications to this, so we await developments before booking our post Brexit post Covid post Life-on-Earth celebrations .

2020/10/28

Facts4EU report on the pernicious effect of the Withdrawal Agreement if Boris goes WTO without changing or renouncing it. As Sir Iain Duncan Smith is quoted as saying:

“The ability for the UK to trade normally around the world after Brexit like, for example, Australia, must surely be a minimum expectation of the British public come the end of this year.

“Our analysis shows that this can only happen if we deal with the serious deficiencies in the Withdrawal Agreement. . ."

Bearing in mind that he was elected on the basis of "Let's get Brexit done" he can thus either break his word to the British or he can break his word to the EU, but must do one or the other.

Watch this space.

2020/10/23

The Spectator asks a good question - the UK is supposed to be leaving the EU, and yet . . .  our new post-EU agricultural policy is said to be developing along similar lines to the revised CAP, not so much to reward the production of food (although the removal of "green" requirements may help by enabling some land to return to agricultural use), but to reward the agri-businesses who may profit from claiming subsidies without much need to actually produce anything other than a claim on the Rural Payments Agency.

2020/10/22

Facts4EU (yes, they are still going, despite Covid) remind us what a rotten withdrawal agreement Boris signed last year. There has been some speculation recently that he might repudiate it altogether as M. Barnier has not really been negotiating "in good faith" (although I'm not sure if the matter of faith was ever explicitly defined to include the concept of a deal with a fully independent sovereign UK).

But it seems that repudiation has been ruled out. Make of that what you will . . .

2020/10/20

Brexit Watch asks why Michael Gove has not repudiated the EU Withdrawal Agreement. If we have broken off negotiations then why not repudiate it? It's not as though the EU has been negotiating in good faith as it is obliged to do, and it's not as though the WA is of any real benefit to the UK - quite the reverse, it keeps us beholden to the EU for a great deal of money if things do not go well for their banking systems.

Worth reading to remind ourselves of the salient facts that Covid is keeping out of the news.