Brexit deal or no deal

A short post on the latest Brexit shenanigans:

Britain will not be forced by the use of the timetable by the EU into being railroaded.

Of course, the fact that Britain triggered Article 50 before it was ready before it really knew what it wanted from the negotiations, and then despite saying she would not call for an early election, May called an early election and three months out of the 24 available for negotiations was wasted. I say 24 months, it's really 18 as the final 6 months is given to ratification. And then there was the capitulation by David Davis on the very first morning of the first round of talks in agreeing to the EU's timetable for talks in that there had to be "significant progress" in the three key issues of: THe Irish/NI Border, the Divorce Bill and citizen's rights.

The Government is terrified of putting a figure on the divorce bill as even if it was say, ten billion, the Mail and Express would savage it for agreeing. However, on something that should be so straightforward to take so long, and an agreement would foster goodwill in the EU, in not agreeing, it does just the opposite.

The forth estate's criticism of the EU negotiating team, and the desire that May should bypass them and talk to Frau Merkel and BMW, Mercedes and VW instead, ignores the fact that the EU negotiating team to represent the EU's interests and has the full backing of the EU27.

In other words, despite warnings from those who knew better, the Government charged on regardless demanding cake and eating it, sunlit uplands and all the upsides that was promised. The "remoaners" who said what about this problem, that problem, and so on, were not talking Britain down, but just pointing out things that had to be discussed and agreed. The clock is ticking, less than 13 months remain of a process begun at a time of the Government's choosing, a process that is not know how or even if it can be stopped, and depending on the EU deciding if parallel trade talks can begin.

All this was foreseen of course, except by those charged with the task of the negotiations and positions of power. And this week the 2nd reading of what was once called the Great repeal Bill, and instead of being able to debate what is good for the country, party politics will be at play with three line whips and the threats of deselection of MPs go against the party line. And at the end of the month it is conference season. A week might be a long time in politics, but by the end of the month the path ahead might be clearer; trade talks starting. Or not. An empowered PM. Or not. Having cake and eating it. Or not.