UK Brexit aftermath/repercussions

[Brian W]

The EU has given the UK another extension so the parliament can continue trying to find a majority for some type of Brexit. Unfortunately, while it's a relatively long extension, until the end of October, that's not really long enough to organise a second referendum or a general election.

I'm sorry about the ongoing uncertainty but I am relieved with regards working in Sweden. I hope they speed up my citizenship so I won't have to worry anymore.

I would still like a second referendum because so many feel that they were decieved by the government. I saw a video recently about people who are critically ill in hospital and their relatives and loved ones feeling betrayed with regards the money that was promised to the NHS.

 

[Second Summer]

Another idea being floated, maybe this time there will be a majority in parliament? MP Frank Fields "is confident" it will pass:

Mr Field said a backbencher-led move would also get Mrs May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn “off the hook” of having to sign a formal compromise deal that could trigger civil war in their parties.

More: MPs to be given fresh vote on Brexit customs union (16. April 2019)

 

[Second Summer]

The negotiations between the government and Labour appear to be going nowhere. It would seem that Labour isn't really interested in facilitating a solution for the government, and the government isn't really in a position to make the compromises and guarantees necessary as their support is crumbling away. So that could mean a soft Brexit is off the table for now.

UK local elections are held in a week's time and the EU parliament elections are coming up towards the end of next month. The expectation is that the Conservatives will suffer heavy losses, and this will be used to put pressure on the PM to resign. If she does, that means there will be a struggle within the Conservative party for a new PM. Boris Johnson is the favourite of many grassroots Conservatives, but if I understand correctly he is unlikely to become the next PM due to him being unpopular among Conservative MPs, and it's they who decide which two candidates the grassroots get to choose between.

In any case, the new PM and leader of the Conservatives is likely to be a more hard-line Brexiteer. However, parliament is still opposed to a 'no deal' solution, so maybe they will put it to the people in a second referendum? We can only hope ...

 

[Brian W]

Boris Johnson is the favourite of many grassroots Conservatives, but if I understand correctly he is unlikely to become the next PM due to him being unpopular among Conservative MPs

I hope you understand correctly, I really do!

 

[Second Summer]

I hope you understand correctly, I really do!

Well, I did read that BBC News political editor Laura Kuenssberg argued that Boris is still a contender on the basis that political parties do like to pick leaders who seem likely to win elections, and that all those MPs who had publicly expressed dismay with Boris simply could not be trusted.

Back to Brexit: I just found an enlightening article about the limitations of only a customs union (without the single market) as promoted by Corbyn, and why it won't remove a hard border completely between Ireland and N. I.:

But it would not eliminate customs controls entirely. This can be seen from the fact that between 1973 and 1992, the UK and Ireland were in a Corbyn-style customs union with each other (called the European Economic Community) and yet customs controls were maintained.

Source: Would staying in a customs union after Brexit avoid a hard border with Ireland? (1. March 2018)

 

[Second Summer]

Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit Coordinator of the EU Parliament, makes a good point:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1122869490155491328

 

[Second Summer]

The negotiations between the government and Labour appear to be going nowhere.

These negotiations are still ongoing, and the negotiators on both sides have recently expresses unexpected optimism. So it would seem that a soft Brexit option is still a possibility. Labour could end up going for a soft Brexit without insisting on a referendum, it seems, although that would be an unpopular decision with many of their voters.

 

[Second Summer]

These negotiations are still ongoing, and the negotiators on both sides have recently expresses unexpected optimism. So it would seem that a soft Brexit option is still a possibility. Labour could end up going for a soft Brexit without insisting on a referendum, it seems, although that would be an unpopular decision with many of their voters.

Right, this is what is happening now - Labour is negotiating for a soft Brexit solution which includes a customs union with the EU. Note that this is not the EU Customs Union (EUCU), but a separate customs union with the EU, similar to how Turkey is in a customs union with the EU. There could also be other components to the future relationship in addition to a CU. Only if the negotiations with the government fail and there is no chance of a general election would the Labour party consider arguing for a second referendum.

 

[Second Summer]

A colleague (a US expat) kindly let me borrow his phone to get started with my application for 'settled status'. I then completed the rest online. Now I received an email saying I still have to book an appointment with them so they can take my fingerprints and yet another photo And of course, the web page to book that appointment is currently not working

The level of incompetence on display so far is not filling me with confidence in this department.

 

[Second Summer]

I was on the phone with the Home Office this morning, and a nice man called Chris informed me that the email about needing biometric info had been sent by mistake, so I could safely ignore it. Around lunchtime I received another email telling me that the application had been successful and I now have 'Indefinite Leave' in the UK!

 

[Moll Flanders]

I just got a flyer for The Brexit Party through my letter box. I was saying to my husband that we hadn't got our postal vote through yet and he said they came the other week. I thought it was a letter saying the postal votes would be arriving soon so I put them into the recycling bin, oops.Oh well, I wasn't amazingly motivated to vote anyway.

ETA - it's the vote for the European Parliament on the 23rd May.

To be honest the only main party I have a shred of respect for are the Lib Dems, at least they have been consistent with their stance on Brexit since the start.

 

[Andy_T]

To be honest the only main party I have a shred of respect for are the Lib Dems, at least they have been consistent with their stance on Brexit since the start.

What about the Green Party?

 

[shyvas]

I just got a flyer for The Brexit Party through my letter box. I was saying to my husband that we hadn't got our postal vote through yet and he said they came the other week. I thought it was a letter saying the postal votes would be arriving soon so I put them into the recycling bin, oops.Oh well, I wasn't amazingly motivated to vote anyway.

ETA - it's the vote for the European Parliament on the 23rd May.

To be honest the only main party I have a shred of respect for are the Lib Dems, at least they have been consistent with their stance on Brexit since the start.

There is very little interest over here for these elections :

Four out of ten French people indifferent to EU elections

 

[Moll Flanders]

There is very little interest over here for these elections :

Four out of ten French people indifferent to EU elections

I have started watching a few more political shows at the moment, I was watching Dateline London the other day and they had an American journalist on there and he was saying the same thing, that people in Europe aren't particularly interested in the EU elections.

 

[Moll Flanders]

Oh yes, I forgot to say that someone sent me a link to a Remain site last week where you can work out how to vote tactically in these elections to try to stop Brexit. *Yawn*

 

[shyvas]

Oh yes, I forgot to say that someone sent me a link to a Remain site last week where you can work out how to vote tactically in these elections to try to stop Brexit. *Yawn*

Interesting, perhaps they missed the vote in 2016 !

 

[Moll Flanders]

Interesting, perhaps they missed the vote in 2016 !

I know, just get on with it and stop messing around. It's been dragging on for years now.

I just got a flyer for the Conservative party through the door. "The only party that can get Brexit done is the Conservative party" , I assume that was meant to be humorous.

 

[shyvas]

I know, just get on with it and stop messing around. It's been dragging on for years now.

I just got a flyer for the Conservative party through the door. "The only party that can get Brexit done is the Conservative party" , I assume that was meant to be humorous.

ROFL

 

[Second Summer]

Interesting, perhaps they missed the vote in 2016 !

Let's face it, the referendum was flawed. Voters were asked to make a decision on leaving before they knew the conditions. And of course it didn't help they were also fed outright lies.

It would have made a lot more sense if the referendum had been about whether the UK should negotiate a withdrawal agreement, and then organised a second referendum to decide if they would accept that agreement.

As it stands, the MPs are the voters' representatives, elected to look after the voters' best interests, and therefore, morally speaking, they are right to demand a second referendum.

That said, personally, at this point I'd probably be fine with some kind of soft Brexit. Not that I have a say in the matter, of course ...

 

[Moll Flanders]

Oh, it was just a letter that I threw into the recycling bin last week as my postal vote arrived today. There are 21 different choices!