Off Topic Political Debate

I honestly don't think it is Andy. We were very highly regarded and well respected and a number of other Ms had similar opt outs to us. Our expertise on certain issues was always admired and, as well of course, they liked our ability to act as a bridge between EU and other countries.

The informal contacts I have with old colleagues suggest they'd welcome us back with open arms. I think a number of them know only too well that if their countries had a vote the outcome may be similar.

 

Your interpretation of the transition is bang on. I've been preparing loads of no deal stuff. It's a strange feeling to want all your work and outputs to be thrown in the bin!

 

Well I bow to your greater understanding, and that is certainly leaving me feeling less pessimistic about the whole thing.

 

If we ask and get told to go away I'm going to look like a right prick

 

One problem might well be administrative. Currently the UK. has 73 seats in the EU Parliament - after the next Euro elections 27 of these will be redistributed to the other members and 46 will be set aside for possible future enlargements. Having been redistributed it would be awkward asking for them back. The EU. will be glad to see the back of the 24 Ukip EMPs, including Farage, who have been doing nothing other than knocking up their expense bills whilst there.

 

For months what little comment there has been about Brexit in the French press has been along the lines of when will they open their eyes and realise what they are doing to the UK. Surely before the end of the year they will ask to withdraw article 50. Yes they will be welcomed back, but will not have all the current opt outs they currently enjoy.Today it became known that after her dash to the Med for a meeting with Macron, he told her quite rightly that he could not and would not be doing anything to fix her plan for her. He sees it as an internal party problem that only she can sort out.

 

I think we'd be able to not have the Euro and stay out of Schengen because other Member States enjoy the same. My guess is we'd just have to ditch the rebate

 

That seems to be the thinking over here as well. Ireland is outside Schengen which helps. That situation could change if after leaving the UK wanted to rejoin. Under those circumstances I believe the EU would want full integration, and a certainty that the UK would not choose to go down the same road again for many years.

 

Let's just leave this rotting club that is falling apart anyway. There seems to be a lot of desperation on this thread hanging on to the coattails of foreign powers.
Dan is right, the dissatisfaction of the EU is rife amongst many EU nations, just give them a similar democratic vote to sort out their future.

 

Dissatisfaction with the EU. is no reason for leaving it, but rather staying and trying to change it from within. There are some populist parties making hay at the moment, but very few which have the goal of actually leaving the EU. I have the feeling that when (if) Britain finally breaks loose then it will be doing a great deal of 'hanging on the coattails of foreign powers' when it has to make itself attractive for international capital, and has to chase trade deals with the likes of the USA and China. The pooled sovereignty which Britain enjoyed inside the EU. will appear attractive compared to the national sell out which is coming.

 

No, the pooled sovereignty has proved unattractive to the UK electorate, it will continue to do so. Several EU countries which are currently struggling within the block would prosper much better outside. They just need a little encouragement to take the brave step. Greece, Italy Portugal and maybe Spain, will follow once Brexit has proved to be a success.

 

Take it from me SH. there is no other country which will be following the steps of the UK. much as you would like them to. There are various reasons for this but one of them is very practical - namely that the UK. is the only country with a first past the post system and every other country would need a coalition of parties all wanting a referendum, and that just isn't going to happen. There are countries which would be better off outside the Euro, but that is another thing. It is not a 'brave' step, don't delude yourself - Britain is running away.

 

It can only be undisputed that hostility amongst EU member states is rising. Knowing the spiteful barriers the EU will put in place to prevent a successful Brexit it is a brave decision. Others will want to be equally unshackled from this failed project, others are in more desperate need than even the UK.

 

There is only one government that actually wants to leave, and that is debatable, which is the UK. People within all of the current 28 nations who do not see the larger picture may want to leave, but that is because they are dissatisfied with their own lives and need someone to blame. Many ordinary citizens only see how easy it is to get by from week to week or month to month, and when you get politicians spinning lies to tell them that it is all the fault of the EU, they get suckered in. As I was told last week, "as a non-political person I believed what Johnson told me. I now can see that he is a total liar who I gave my trust to, but never again." We are only just being told about the problems of leaving, information that those on the leave side hid. Leave if you must, but settle the bar bill first, and don't ask to belong to all the bits that you now realise you have to have.

 

The spiteful barriers you talk about are all in your thinking. No one asked the UK to leave. The EU is a rules based organisation, rules that the UK helped to form. The UK knew what the rules were, yet people thought they would change them just to suit 1/28th of the members. No chance, yet still people think they should just to suit you. Too many changes made over the years just to suit you, but not this time. Leave without any agreements on the things you are desperate to have and see how you get on.

 

I'm happy for the UK to leave without a 'deal' rather than be humiliated by the EU. Obviously the ransom will not be paid.

 

The humiliation you talk of is caused by the present government promising that there would be a "bespoke" deal, and are now being shown up for what they are, a government with little idea of what they wanted or could achieve. Now the British public can begin to see the truth and start to wonder how they could have been so easily fooled. Was stockpiling of medicines mentioned as just a single example? So the humiliation is with this minority government, no one from outside the country brought it upon you, because that is what you voted for.

 

What we voted for is still on track. There was hope that the EU would put prosperity of it's own citizens before political dogma but of course it has shown little regard on many occasions for the plight of people it not in the interests of the eurocrats. I'm sure any government wanting to leave this crooked club would find a spiteful reaction from those currently filling their boots.

 

If it is on track you can tell us what the bespoke deal will include?