The UK political press is filled these days either with reports about how badly the Brexit negotiations are going from a British perspective, or not terribly convincing assurances from the right of centre press that, in spite of appearances, the negotiations are actually going amazingly well. In regards to the latter: one of my favourite […]
The fates of both hard Brexit and May’s premiership lie with one man – Jeremy Corbyn
There is a lot of crap being said in Westminster at present. On Radio 4 today, someone, I don’t who as I was only half-listening at the time, said that should Theresa May fail to get the Repeal Bill through, “Jeremy Corbyn automatically becomes prime minister”. This is unbelievable drivel. Imagine for a moment that […]
Everyone is massively overreacting to Labour’s change in Brexit policy
Over the weekend, Labour clarified its Brexit position. A little bit anyhow, which given how foggy it has been up until this point seems like a lot to most observers. Basically, Labour have said that during the transitional period, Britain should remain in the single market and the customs union. No further clarity on what […]
Not getting behind Gove as leader was the biggest mistake the Tory Right will ever make
Many a pundit has asked: why have Brexiteers been so grumpy during a period when the country voted for what they had campaigned for decades to brig about, and during which we appear to be headed for Brexit without question? In other words, why have they been such sore winners? I think a big part of it […]
How it looks like the government is involved in a year long climbdown on hard Brexit – will it work?
“UK offers climbdown on European courts deciding cross-border cases” reads a Guardian headline this morning. This is in response to a government paper released today that sets out the need for a smooth transition from what we have now as a member of the EU and what a post-Brexit judicial world will look like. This […]
Ireland and Brexit: the plot thickens
The government has published a paper about what it wants in regards to the “Irish question” in relation to Brexit, namely how to avoid a hard border between north and south Ireland that would bring with it numerous problems (not least of which would be the end of the current government via the DUP dropping […]
What the Hammond/Fox “no customs union post-Brexit” article actually means
Over the weekend, Philip Hammond and Liam Fox co-authored an article in the Sunday Times that was meant to show cabinet unity on the subject of transition from being inside the EU to whatever being outside of it will supposedly be; what the three years, or however long it goes for, that will kick in after March […]
Could Brexit be stopped altogether? It would probably take a new party at the very least
A feeling of anti-Brexit momentum is in the air. Perhaps it’s just the silly season that accounts for it and such ideas will seem quaint come the autumn; perhaps the tide really is turning against the UK leaving the European Union. Yet for all of the James Chapman hits Twitter inspired hope stirring Remainers the truth is, Brexit […]
There is going to be a pro-EU rally outside Tory conference this year. That’s good news for all sorts of reasons
The Guardian informs me this morning that there will be a pro-EU protest outside of Conservative Party conference in Manchester this year. I will now tell you why this is good news – even for Eurosceptic Tories. The Conservatives hold their conference in Manchester every two years. I don’t know why they do this – I […]
The freedom of movement quandry sums up Labour’s Brexit headache
Clive Lewis, David Lammy, along with trade unionists and Momentum members have written an open letter to Jeremy Corbyn, asking the Labour leader to accept continuing freedom of movement post-Brexit as the party’s official position. Not, for clarity, that freedom of movement should be swallowed as part of a trade deal; but that freedom of […]