Brexit

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:

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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:

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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.

2020/10/17

Boris does it - he walks away from the never-ending EU "negotiations". If we can't agree a deal after 4 years + , any other course of action would have been ridiculous (and he's in enough trouble over the Covid lock-downs without needing to look weak over Brexit as well). Mahyar Tousi has the story:

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2020/10/14

Mahyar Tousi goes through the interminable intricacies of the lastest UK "deadline" - or was it just a negotiating ploy?

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