Are you worried about Brexit?
The news just seems to get worse. The UK economy is slowing compared to the EU and the Conservative politicians we send to Brussels only only now coming to terms with the complexity of the negotiating process. They still seem to harbour an exaggerated view of Britain's power. The EU has a combined economy of over five times our size and they will not want Britain to be followed by others. Hence our largest trading partner have every interest not to cut a good deal.
Thereasa May's actions have been beyond ridiculous. There was no need to trigger article 50 (the Bill to leave) so early and that has reduced the time frame for deals, further weakening Britain's position. She then called an election, which reduced her time, her majority and her credibility.
May's current position is that 'no deal is better than a bad deal'. No Thereasa, no deal is worse than any other deal. WTO trading terms have large tariffs and everything from our legal system to airport rules would be thrown into chaos. Britain's negotiating team includes Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox. All are euro-skeptics and by definition the least interested in the details and culture of the rules they are supposed to be negotiating. They are up against a highly trained a professional EU team backed by the united will of member states. The clueless Liam Fox has said that we can replace EU trade with our ex-colonies and that we are becoming a geography free world. Well an email might travel faster than the speed of sound but a cargo ship does not and this pathetic post-imperial fantasy of Britain as a great power should fool nobody.
FYI I don't even like the EU. It has a huge democratic deficit and I have lots of reasons to be against the single currency. That does not mean that leaving the EU now and on these terms will not be a complete disaster, whatever your ideology. I backed Remain for one reason only; pragmatism. That is something which our current Government conspicuously lack.
Thereasa May's actions have been beyond ridiculous. There was no need to trigger article 50 (the Bill to leave) so early and that has reduced the time frame for deals, further weakening Britain's position. She then called an election, which reduced her time, her majority and her credibility.
May's current position is that 'no deal is better than a bad deal'. No Thereasa, no deal is worse than any other deal. WTO trading terms have large tariffs and everything from our legal system to airport rules would be thrown into chaos. Britain's negotiating team includes Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox. All are euro-skeptics and by definition the least interested in the details and culture of the rules they are supposed to be negotiating. They are up against a highly trained a professional EU team backed by the united will of member states. The clueless Liam Fox has said that we can replace EU trade with our ex-colonies and that we are becoming a geography free world. Well an email might travel faster than the speed of sound but a cargo ship does not and this pathetic post-imperial fantasy of Britain as a great power should fool nobody.
FYI I don't even like the EU. It has a huge democratic deficit and I have lots of reasons to be against the single currency. That does not mean that leaving the EU now and on these terms will not be a complete disaster, whatever your ideology. I backed Remain for one reason only; pragmatism. That is something which our current Government conspicuously lack.
41-45, M
