Brexit, for once some facts.

[oyster]

At least they are only friends and supporters. You may remember the days when accountant Ernest Marples together with engineer Reginald Ridgway started the Marples Ridgway construction company. He then became a Tory MP and was appointed Minister of Transport.

In that role he was in charge of the Beeching railway closures while his company was building the M1 motorway and he even officially opened the first section of the M1.

The multiple conflicts of interest could hardly have been more blatant.

Anyway, don't worry, HS2 will be cancelled half built. From cycle lanes to the London Motorway boxes to TSR2 to Brexit, it's what we always do, never finishing anything.
.

Yet we keep failing to impose conditions which would get things finished.

I'd love to see each new gen of mobile phone technology have the condition that at least one of the previous technologies provided genuine 100% coverage before they could start another. For example, 3G 100% before 5G. (Arguably, allow adding 3G plus 4G coverage so either technology could be present - but at least one of them.)

 

[oyster]

As for trade deals:

Downing Street has not disputed a claim that the prime minister thinks the trade talks with the EU are now more likely than not to fail. In his Times column (paywall) today, the Spectator’s political editor, James Forsyth, says the chances of a Brexit deal have “receded significantly” recently. “Inside No 10, they now think there is only a 30 to 40% chance that there will be an agreement,” he writes. At the No 10 lobby briefing today, the spokesman did not challenge that assessment, but he would not confirm it either. He would not comment on percentages, he said, adding that the government still wanted a deal. But it needed “more realism” from the EU.

 

[Danidl]

As for trade deals:

The realism from the EU is that the UK has no idea what it really wants

 

[oyster]

Yet another no-surprise bad move:

Former Australian PM Tony Abbott confirmed as UK trade adviser

Critics say Abbott’s views on women and homosexuality and denial of climate crisis make him unfit for role

 

[flecc]

Yet another no-surprise bad move:

Critics say Abbott’s views on women and homosexuality and denial of climate crisis make him unfit for role

Can't see his unpleasant views have anything to do with trade though, unless in the Polari that sex workers, the entertainment world and gays used to speak.
.

 

[oyster]

Can't see his unpleasant views have anything to do with trade though, unless in the Polari that sex workers, the entertainment world and gays used to speak.
.

The BBC states:

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been appointed as an unpaid trade adviser to the UK government.

Just what does he intend to get out of it? If someone approached flecc and offered him a job as a trade adviser to some foreign country, for no money, what would his response be? In some ways, the lack of remuneration is especially worrying.

I quote him:

If Britain unilaterally declared that post-Brexit trade with the EU would be tariff-free and quota-free — and that there would be full mutual recognition of standards and credentials — there’s every chance that the EU would swiftly do likewise. Because that’s exactly what happens now; it would involve no damage or disruption to anyone. Throw in provisions for routine movement of people for well-paid work, not welfare, and you’d have a good clean Brexit. Britain would still be economically integrated with the countries of Europe, but also entirely free to chart its own course in its dealings with the wider world.

Does anyone here believe that this makes sense? Even could make sense? How on earth can the UK unilaterally implement mutual recognition of standards? Indeed, isn't wanting to get away from EU standards one of the major justifications put forward for brexit?

If we wished to allow something to be imported, hormone beef, chlorinated chicken, bromide laden bread, the EU would refuse to allow any imports from the UK which could be tainted by these UK imports. Any pretence at mutuality is a farce.

 

[Wicky]

Yet another no-surprise bad move:

Likely eyeing up exporting to Aussieland like the good ol' days, starting with our burgeoning prison population. Plus Boris's water cannons could fetch a good price when it gets hot.

 

[flecc]

The BBC states:

Just what does he intend to get out of it?

I quote him.

Does anyone here believe that this makes sense? Even could make sense? How on earth can the UK unilaterally implement mutual recognition of standards? Indeed, isn't wanting to get away from EU standards one of the major justifications put forward for brexit?

If we wished to allow something to be imported, hormone beef, chlorinated chicken, bromide laden bread, the EU would refuse to allow any imports from the UK which could be tainted by these UK imports. Any pretence at mutuality is a farce.

Ah but he's a free marketeer. To them all things are possible.

If someone approached flecc and offered him a job as a trade adviser to some foreign country, for no money, what would his response be? In some ways, the lack of remuneration is especially worrying.

If it was somewhere warm and exotic at this time of the year and fares, accommodation and a car were thrown in, I'd be gone like a shot!
.

 

[oldgroaner]

Yet another no-surprise bad move:

My goodness he's not even house trained

 

[Wicky]

Just what does he intend to get out of it? If someone approached flecc and offered him a job as a trade adviser to some foreign country, for no money, what would his response be? In some ways, the lack of remuneration is especially worrying.

After dinner speech gigs have dried up due to pandemic so it's a buyer's market for rent-an-ex PM

After-dinner mint: how ex-politicians hit paydirt with public speaking

Barack Obama, George Osborne and David Cameron can all now command six-figure sums for a few pithy bon mots from the podium. But what do their audiences get out of it?

www.theguardian.com

Wonder if trade experts Cameron / May turned the job down...

 

[oyster]

Ah but he's a free marketeer. To them all things are possible.



If it was somewhere warm and exotic at this time of the year and fares, accommodation and a car were thrown in, I'd be gone like a shot!
.

Even if you had to attend meetings headed by Truss?

 

[flecc]

Even if you had to attend meetings headed by Truss?

We'd soon truss her up.

Anyway with the standard of schoolteachers I grew up with I'm an expert at assuming a trance that appears to be attentiveness while people drone on endlessly.
.

 

[oyster]

We'd soon truss her up.
.

Oven-ready.

 

[flecc]

Oven-ready.

You're too quick, see above.
.

 

[RossG]

We'd soon truss her up.

Anyway with the standard of schoolteachers I grew up with I'm an expert at assuming a trance that appears to be attentiveness while people drone on endlessly.
.

The schools I went to it was the teachers who went into a trance. One teacher I can remember after lunch break would settle down in his chair behind his desk and nod off, he'd tell me to keep an eye open for the head and tip him the wink should he turn up expectantly. I hated school mainly because while I wanted to learn things everybody else just wanted to mess around so I got caught up in it all. I learned much more at home experimenting in my garden shed blowing myself up .. great fun !

 

[oldgroaner]

Lest we forget

So it was possible for him to tell the truth!

 

[oldgroaner]

great quote from someone who knows out future trade deals adviser and offers this testimonial.

" “Whichever Australian traded Tony Abbott to Britain,” remarked local cartoonist Jon Kudelka, “is the person Britain actually needs to help them with trade.”

What could possibles go wrong?

 

[oyster]

This is usually applied, as written, to the USA. Especially now.

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” — H. L. Mencken

H.L. Mencken words published by the Baltimore Evening Sun on 26 July 1920.

Has anyone written similarly for the UK, or should I say England?

 

[oyster]

An interesting view in a new book (so take suitable pinches of salt, as needed):

Boris Johnson fascinated by Donald Trump, says ex-ambassador

PM is intrigued by Trump’s ‘relationship with the truth’, Kim Darroch writes in new book

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/05/boris-johnson-is-fascinated-by-donald-trump-says-ex-diplomat-lord-darroch

 

[RossG]

Lest we forget

So it was possible for him to tell the truth!

Let's not forget he just carried out the wishes of the people all decided on before he took over. Only Cameron wanted to stay, May sat on the pot till the last minute before deciding to follow everyone else and plump for leave, Boris just went whichever way the wind was blowing at the time. When he writes his memoirs I'm sure he'll come clean and admit staying was the best option. Back in 2013 most MP's & political parties thought remaining in the EU was the best option, knowing if we left there would be nothing but aggravation for years afterwards which is turning out to be correct. It will never be fully righted until we partially or fully return to the fold, all the time there's a channel tunnel we are physically connected whether Farage & co like it or not.