Waiting for Brexit

It has been suggested in the media, thanks to some well-placed leaks, that Article 50 notification might not happen now until some time in 2017, maybe even near the end of that year. In effect this means that exit from the EU would not be until two years after that, so that could not be until the end of 2019.

Last week, Secretary of Exiting the EU, or whatever is title is, Liam Fox tweeted his department's position and potential ways forward. Sadly, it contained one major inaccuracy so was deleted. That the most senior member of the team responsible for Brexit does not understand how and when trade deals can be begun is worrying, if not surprising.

One suggested option was to join the European Economic Area. But existing member of this group, Norway does not think this is a good idea and Norway might even veto that. Even joining the WTO in our own right might not be so simple either, as tariffs for hundreds, if not thousands of good and services will have to be signed off and agreed upon. It may even be possible for any one of the 160 other members to veto us joining if they didn't like the terms.

Meanwhile, The Daily Express pushes for quick exit on almost every front page, and yet does not describe what form that exit should be, and whether that would be good for the country either.

The civil service has produced an organogram for the departments responsible, and already that stretches to over 60 names and positions. Seems like a lot of beurocrats replacing eurocrats to me.

But now, even so many weeks after the vote on 23rd June, we are no nearer leaving, and we probably never will.

ESTRAGON: Well, shall we Leave?
VLADIMIR: Yes, let's Leave. *

*Apologies to @DavidAllenGreen