Friday brexit

Those of wo voted remain have been a little harsh on those who voted to leave and have since realised the error of their ways. We are told we should understand they were lied to over and over again, and having an I told you so, or you deserve everything you get, it not going to heal divisions.

But I think that is missing the point, that as adults we need to be made to take the consequences of our actions, and think things through, and in the case of the referendum, people were told that we could have the same, if not better terms on trade as being out of the EU than being members and for free, should have seen that the lie or hogwash it clearly was. If something seems to good to be true, it probably is.

Also, if people did not know the consequences of their voting to leave, then maybe they shouldn’t have. And especially people who work in jobs and industries that reply on just in time deliveries that cross borders should have thought that potentially putting barriers and pinch points in that supply chain, might have negative consequences.

People have been crying on the production line at Honda this week. Not surprised, and yet the town and country voted 55/45% to leave. Those of us who did think ahead warned, but we were either ignored or shouted down. And what, we should just suck that up and say, oh, so very sorry to hear that and bad luck, old chap.

I have never wavered in what I have said, and pretty much things have panned out as I have said, because I use some of my spare time to find out facts and the truth. If I can do it, anyone can. I mean, even before the referendum, I saw a vote to leave as a risk, and risking all that the country enjoys as being a member of the EU, the jobs and prosperity that we enjoy. And risking at that, and the stuff the EU does for UK and that’s before we realise all the stuff the EU does for us that we don’t know.

So, I do feel sorry for people who voted to leave and now find their job is in peril, but really, what did you think it would mean? Honda and Nissan and other companies are in the UK because we’re in the EU, not because we’re Britain.

But hey.

And Anna Soubrey said in an interview yesterday that the PM has a problem with immigration. Whether that is racist or not is debatable, but what is clear that everything, including huge tracks of UK manufacturing, exports, jobs and wealth all on the altar of stopping immigration. And immigration that does the country overwhelmingly good. The economy, housing market and exchequer all benefits. Take immigration away, and we all suffer.

So, how much is May’s misguided dream of reducing immigration to work, every time a job is lost we should ask her.

The most maligned part of the EU is the Common Agricultural Policy, of the CAP. The CAL was always portrayed as a money pit, but it guaranteed prices and took some out of the risks of market forces in farming, and encouraged farmers to think not just about crops but the environment too, and things like set aside were made possible. And now all that is at risk. Imagine things like the Kentish downs, home of things like some of the rarest plants in the UK, kept that way by farmers, all being put at risk because of Brexit.

And yet, that is where we are. Putting it all at risk, betting on red over and over again. What happens when we lose?

Finally, a reminder to all that an extension to the A50 process is possible, though the UK would have to ask for it, and all of the EU27 would have to agree. But then we come to the legal problems.

Extension of a few weeks is fine, but we then come to July 1st. The next day the new session of the EU Parliamant is to be sowrn in, and any country that is a member of the EU will have to have taken part in the elections in May . The reason is that for legal reasons the EU Parliament must be made up with MEPs from all member states, otherwise every decision, law and vote would be open to possible legal challenge.

Although the EU has passed laws to allocate most of the UK's seats to other countries, there is a backstop, remember that, which will allow for the current allocation of MEPs to be used. But the time for decision is getting ever smaller.

And remember, no matter what for of Brexit is decided upon, or even no deal Brexit, an extension is needed to allow for more preparations and all the laws and SIs passed in Westminster.

The ERG are saying that if the UK does not leave the EU on 29th March, they will stop cooperating with the Government. Is that what they call their current actions? Anyway, the new group of indepndent MPs was swollen by one more today as another Labour MP resigned from the party, so the numbers in The House are changing