Having two European Parliaments one in Brussels and one in Strasburg... two sets of staff... paperwork having to be driven from one to another every few month
The latest vote the Government managed to win makes no sense whatsoever. If MP's vote in favour of May's deal next week, we will apply for an extension of Article 50 until the end of June. What for? The deal is done. The EU has made it clear there are going to be no more negotiations, or even clarifications. So if Parliament backs May's deal next week, why can't the UK leave the EU on March 29th? This postponement until the end of June is no more than a transparent attempt to lure a few more remainer MP's into voting for the least worst option; now they are faced with May's deal or a no-deal exit on March 29th (which is still the default position). And once Parliament has approved the deal, why should the EU grant a pointless three month delay to the exit date? Our politicians need to get it done by March 29th, one way or the other. They have had long enough.
Because once a deal is agreed by Parliament Lardi there are certain Legislative niceties that need to be done to make everything above board and they think this will take three months
The pensions of EU staff are fantastic, not just the top brass. I suspect that if they had to release accounts it would strengthen the case for leavers.
May's deal has been rejected by parliament twice now, yet it seems she wants to have another go. (shades of people who want a second referéndum?) Further, the EU has stated that they will not negotiate further on the current deal on offer - they said it before christmas but Teresa clearly likes travelling back and forth as she has been back several times to try and turn it around. However, if you take away her red lines, the EU may also consider making changes. The problem is that Teresa May is demanding concessions while offering none. Had she tried from the start to achieve consensus within parliament for a deal, the one she bought back might have been voted through. However, she is a wretched prime minister and despite her almost non existant majority in the house, she has doggedly tried to plough ahead. She can't brow beat the EU into accepting new conditions, and she can't do it in Westminster either. ironically for those who blame remainers, it is the ERG and the pre renaissance DUP which have prevented the deal being done, but they cannot command a majority for the sort of mad Brexit they favour either, so they simply keep blocking May and hoping for a no deal. Ironically, the major problem is the Irish backstop. Now how many or the dead weight politicians who wanted Brexit didn't see this coming? While the Torygraph was demanding yesterday that someone new, with fire in the belly, go back to negotiate, no one can negotiate away the existance of Ireland, or the EU laws. All this becomes less of a problem with a softer Brexit - the Norway option for example - which would have even caught up idiots like Corbyn as a good option. But because Brexit was sold as an easy deal, people cannot see the hold up.
As I understand things the UK can request an extension to Article 50 but it cannot insist on one. An extension can only be granted if none of the other 27 members of the EU object. And before giving consent (or not) each member will want to know what's in it for them. I think it's unlikely an extension will be granted. Or if it is, the conditions attached will be so damaging to the UK that a no-deal exit would actually be preferable. Some have suggested that many or all 'Leave' voters actually want a no-deal exit. I have never wanted that as my first choice. But our government has had 33 months to negotiate a deal. From where I was standing, pretty much the whole of the first two years was spent doing almost nothing. I don't really blame the EU if there is a no-deal exit. They want the UK to be hurt, to discourage other members from thinking about leaving. They know that if the UK enjoys a surge of success and growth after Brexit, at least half a dozen other members will be wanting to trigger article 50 soon. Then the whole giant gravy-train will be in serious danger of permanent derailment. But just the UK leaving will blow a huge black hole in their finances anyway, which is the reason for the outrageous £42 billion "divorce bill" - that they won't get one penny of if there is a no-deal exit. The EU (as good as bankrupt without Britain) will become a German funded and German run Federal Europe by default. More or less a Fourth Reich.
Put in simple political terms, even though the rejection of No Deal yesterday by around 400-200 won’t stop No Deal after a short extension - it’s enshrined in law - no Government could implement such a major constitutional decision against the will of Parliament. There would have to be a General Election, which has become slightly more likely after this week’s votes. The really big developments yesterday were the Labour front bench’s refusal to whip to support a second referendum, and Benn’s failure by 314-312 to force a series of indicative votes on Parliament next Wednesday which would have removed Brexit from the Government’s hands, and given it to a Remain Parliament. We came within 2 votes yesterday of seeing Brexit as 17.4m normal people know it collapsing.
I still think there’s a good chance that MV3 will pass next week. A bad deal (which it is) is better than no Brexit. The main thing is to get out of that rotten cesspit.
A bit of a Messi hat trick goal yesterday There was a video here but I wasn't sure it was safe so have taken it out... worth googling his third goal though
David Lammy MP's shameful bullying of Mrs @baraettmattesvensson aka Stacey Dooley has really backfired now. Not my words, those of the (white) CEO of a major company who refused to donate to Comic Relief because of Lammy's comments. Surely Lammy should do the decent think, and resign? And apologise to the fragrant Mrs @baraettmattesvensson
Nick Clegg unavailable for comment on Facebook screening 17 minutes of slaughter. Always available for after dinner speaking though......If you have£50,000
Clegg only earns over a million a year with Facebook.. you can't expect him to live off that! … he's not Tony Blair you know!! In 2016 the Blair's property empire was valued at £27m https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...young-families-are-price-out-of-a6931431.html
Yes, remember Cherie crying live on telly when young Ewan Blair left home to go and live in Bristol? No mention of the fact that Daddy had bought him two flats to live in for his student days. At the same time Dad was sending young men out to Iraq to get killed looking for WMD's. We're all hypocrites at times, some take it too far.
