Brexit: the verdict

Tuesday 5th December 2017

The day after, and what a mess. May has used up just about all her credibility with the EU, there is the possibility of more talks and an agreement later this week. But that would mean a deal covering all the UK, after Ms Foster confirmed she would not have rules applying different to NI than the rest of the UK, but then there’s gay marriage, abortion, but that’s not Brexit, but NI is different. So there is a possibility that all of the UK will be in either the SM, CU, both or neither. No one really knows. The DUP have been making claims about Ireland not wanting the DUP to see the text of the agreement, which probably isn’t true, but all of this making Irish politics very dark. But that is the power of Brexit.

And IDS starting this evening that no one was talking about the Irish Border a month ago. Shows the calibre of the man that he says this, and probably believes it. It was known, and many people said and shouted about it. And were ignored.

This is what happens when something complex is claimed to be very simple. It just saves the difficulties for later, and making other things more difficult that they need be.

DD is now saying that the arrangements for NI would also apply to the whole of the UK, meaning that Britain would be in the SM or the CU subject to UCJ rules but not being able to have a say in how new rules are made. Some new definition of “taking back control” that I was previously unaware of.

But his evidence that this was always the plan, pointing to May’s Florence speech, where there was no mention of that, so, DD making things up as he goes along.

Which brings us to the impact assessments. Which turn out were not as comprehensive as he had made Parliament believe. Well, that’s a surprise. MPs who have seen them, which are secured like the Crown Jewels, but the content of them is said to be taken from public content on the internet. Rather like the dodgy dossier then? Which means that on several occasions, DD has misled Parliament, and has not prepared the country in any meaningful way for leaving the EU.

It is noticeable that he had not been seen for a week until he surfaced today trying to explain the cock up from yesterday.

It is possible that May and her Government will fall; maybe tomorrow, maybe in the new year, but it will fall. But whoever is PM will have to deal with the same issues with the clock ticking loudly.

It has been really quite funny seeing the Brexiteers coming face to face with reality. At least most are accepting reality, whereas IDS denies it. And the BBC to their shame, report it as fact.

How did we ever get into this state? It is painful that this once great nation being run like a Banana Republic, actually being run by bananas.

In the papers, The Daily Hate Mail did not even mention Brexit on the front page today, whilst most did report the chaos. And chaos it was, chaos with whipped cream and a cherry on top. All the while British politics looks more like the closing scenes of an episode of Benny Hill, with the same music, the EU prepares quietly for the next stage, if ever we get there, and things will get really tough, as preparation and knowing the subject is everything. And Britain still doesn’t know what it wants.