The beginning of the end. Of May.

Today, Donald Tusk, the EU President, formally rejected May’s Chequers paper saying it threatened the Single Market. Bear in mind that May had said it’s my deal or no deal. So, I guess that means there will be no deal, but again, both sides know that is madness. Both sides want to do a WA and TA, but how to do it to keep all sides in the UK and the EU27 on side at the same time.

Good luck with that.

May had previously today said that there was no prospect of concluding an agreement on the Irish border backstop before the middle of November, and as Tusk was hoping to formally announce the Formal Council meeting for November where they would officially send the WA for ratification by the EU27, but there is no prospect of there being a WA to ratify by then.

The French President, Macron, then added: “Brexit is the choice of the British people... pushed by those who predicted easy solutions... Those people are liars. They left the next day so they didn’t have to manage it” He added "Those who say we can easily live without Europe, that everything is going to be alright, that it's going to bring a lot of money home are liars"

This has always been his view. In Oct he said :"those who wanted Brexit never told the British people what the cost would be"

Ouch.

And the Dutch PM stated that the Netherlands was better prepared for Brexit that the UK. Which is plainly true, but lays open that stark truth.

What happens now is anyone’s guess, but so much for the easiest deal in history, as the lying bastard known as Liam Fox once said.

Back in the UK, the Government is planning a bonfire of rights and standards, as was always going to happen.

All this above means that the EU have thrown May under a bus. Up to this point they have strung her along, to give the impression she had a chance in getting the WA and TA that she clearly feel the country needs. The EU, in fact, have not changed their tune in what they want, and under the endless pressing by the UK that they should break their own red lines, have refused.

In the short term, May will be able to paint herself has the wronged party in this, how she was willing to give to the EU and they would not budge. But in negotiations, you must know, understand and respect their red lines, and negotiate around them. But, the UK thinking the world and the EU revolved round our country, thought that just by being UK meant that the other side should give way.

May is still PM, but has not been in power for some time now, if ever at all, but now is a dead woman walking, and is only a matter of time before a vote of no confidence is called and either a Brexiteer "takes over" or there is an election to be called.

And all this was predicted and could be avoided. But who listens to experts these days.

Some dark days ahead, much jingoistic rhetoric to come, but reality is still there, waiting, to embrace, to smother all Brexiteers.