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Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

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1–10 of 16 posts

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#2
"The final negotiated Withdrawal Agreement that May unveiled to Parliament last November caused the whole country, Brexiteers and Remainers alike, to gasp in horror. May’s team had been sent away to declare British independence and had returned with a document of surrender. The agreement not only contained (as expected) a £39 billion ($50 billion) “divorce” fee, but also left E.U. courts free to top that fee up. It locked Britain into a customs union with the E.U., with no mechanism for leaving it—ever. The E.U., and the E.U. alone, would decide when Britain had fulfilled the backstop agreement, and any move to break it unilaterally on Britain’s part would be resolved by giving the E.U. jurisdiction over Northern Ireland’s economic relations. It subjected Britain to E.U. trade sanctions more onerous than those meted out to other countries. It laid out contexts in which E.U. law would retain its supremacy over U.K. law.

The Withdrawal Agreement not only did not end Britain’s ties to the E.U. In the name of Brexit, it actually deepened and constitutionalized them."

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#3

"The final negotiated Withdrawal Agreement that May unveiled to Parliament last November caused the whole country, Brexiteers and Remainers alike, to gasp in horror. May’s team had been sent away to declare British independence and had returned with a document of surrender. The agreement not only contained (as expected) a £39 billion ($50 billion) “divorce” fee, but also left E.U. courts free to top that fee up. It l…

"Brexit was not an “outburst” or a cry of despair or a message to the European Commission. It was an eviction notice. It was an explicit withdrawal of the legal sanction under which Brussels had governed Europe’s most important country. If it is really Britain’s wish to see its old constitutional arrangements restored, then this notice is open to emendation and reconsideration. But as things stand now, the Leave vote made E.U. rule over the U.K. illegitimate. Not illegitimate only when Brussels has been given one last chance to talk Britain out of it, but illegitimate now. What Britons voted for in 2016 was to leave the European Union—not to ask permission to leave the European Union. It is hard to see how Britain’s remaining in the E.U. would benefit either side."

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#5
Brexit is a word that seems to have many meanings. Brexit to Brexiteers means a clean break. Brexit to remainers (remoaners?) means the end of a trade regime that Britain was doing fairly well out of despite the large dues. After Brexit, whenever or if ever it happens, Britain will have to sit down with Europe to negotiate trade deals. This is not mentioned by Brexiteers. The complication of the Anglo-Irish Agreement was pooh-poohed by the Brexiteers during the run up to the Referendum of 2016 and now they are hoist on their own petards. I realise that there are many other reasons besides the above.

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#6
> The 1973 vote to enter the EEC was the first the United Kingdom ever had.

Nope. The first referendum was in 1975, after we had joined in 1973. It was about if we should remain, or leave; not about if we should join.

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#7
All of which ignores one rather crucial detail: Attempting major geopolitical change like this without a coherent plan and suitable strong mandate is suicide.

Brexit may have had some merit of sorts, but launching into this without those was destined to be a disaster. And what's left of the farce is entirely meritless

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#8

"The final negotiated Withdrawal Agreement that May unveiled to Parliament last November caused the whole country, Brexiteers and Remainers alike, to gasp in horror. May’s team had been sent away to declare British independence and had returned with a document of surrender. The agreement not only contained (as expected) a £39 billion ($50 billion) “divorce” fee, but also left E.U. courts free to top that fee up. It l…

"Brexit was not an “outburst” or a cry of despair or a message to the European Commission. It was an eviction notice. It was an explicit withdrawal of the legal sanction under which Brussels had governed Europe’s most important country. If it is really Britain’s wish to see its old constitutional arrangements restored, then this notice is open to emendation and reconsideration. But as things stand now, the Leave vote…

"It was an explicit withdrawal of the legal sanction under which Brussels had governed Europe’s most important country."

Europe's most important country? It seems to me that one could make a strong case for Germany.

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#9
"The real grounds for elite hostility toward [Boris Johnson] lay elsewhere"

Quite, but unreliability, irresponsibility, and a tendency to consider his own interests as more important than those of the public ought to be among the grounds listed.

Re: Why Hasn’t Brexit Happened?

#10
post #9

"The real grounds for elite hostility toward [Boris Johnson] lay elsewhere" Quite, but unreliability, irresponsibility, and a tendency to consider his own interests as more important than those of the public ought to be among the grounds listed.

Then why not call an election with a one line bill to ensure it happens prior to 31st October?
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