The can has successfully been kicked six months down the road. October 31st is the new target date. So now we can procrastinate, equivocate and tergiversate until October 30th, and then go into panic mode again and ask for a further can-kicking.
Huh.
What's going to happen?
The ERG Awkward Squad can now go back to being Awkward, Jeremy can point to the fact that he hasn't actually been offered any leeway, and anyway why would he want to help the Tories get free of the petard that they are hoisting themselves with, and the 650-strong clown car in Westminster can continue to be weak and wobbly for another six months.
But I can see a way out!
Revoke article 50. We've already done major damage to our economy via the three years of uncertainty, and we won't get that back.
In 2016, most people didn't know that we had a treaty with the Republic of Ireland (the Good Friday Agreement) that guarantees open borders, which can only happen if we have a customs union or a single market.
So the choices are:
1. Outside the EU, but customs union.
2. Outside the EU, but single market.
3. Inside the EU (revoke A50).
Those are the only three options, although there's minor adjustments that could be added.
So never mind how we voted three years ago. Democracy means that you get to change your mind every few years.
What's the best option, 1, 2 or 3?
Options 1&2 = following the rules of the EU and paying towards its budget, but with no say in what those rules are or how the money is spent.
ReplyDeleteOption 3 on the other hand not only gives us a say in the making of rules & setting of budgets, but also the chance to veto the Eurocrats' next great power grab and decline to follow the path to ever closer political union any further.
I agree. But we can't go for option 3, because three years ago we voted against it.
ReplyDeleteOh, and if we break the Good Friday agreement, that isn't only going to upset the Republic if Ireland and Ulster, it's also going to preclude any trade deal with the USA. And, probably, the EU as well.
Fortunately, I always was fond of New Zealand lamb.