What is it with people. They seem to be in a dream world when the decision has been taken and it cannot be repealed. It is not a question of hard or soft anymore. Brexit is going to happen. It cannot be repealed. Art 50 has no repeal mechanism. What people keep on waffling about scrapping it. It cant scrapped. It is an international agreement. Art 50 was accepted along with rest of the Lisbon Treaty when the UK signed it under the Vienna protocol. The UK cannot unilaterally withdraw the letter of intent.mistermack wrote:I'm not sure that Corbyn will get votes out of this.
It's leaving but not leaving. All of the worst bits, without the bits that people actually voted for.
I would have a lot more respect for them, if they said they would stand for election on a no-brexit agenda.
They could easily say that they have looked at Brexit, and have decided it's better not to do it.
Personally, I'm still for a real Brexit, when Britain is still sovereign, and makes it's own decisions, without deals, which it can change, reverse, increase, decrease, as it likes without having to do a deal abroad.
Consultations by all means, deals no.
But I would rather scrap Brexit than have a soft Brexit.
In art 50 there is the possibility of extending the leaving date but that needs a majority vote as defined in art 218(3) Lisbon Treaty of the EU Council which would be marginally possible but the UK has made so many enemies it is not a taken. The idea that there can be mutual agreement with all the 28 countries to halt the Brexit process is just another fanciful one. Even if it was possible it would be illegal as it would require a treaty change and that process would take years and would once again need approval by all 50 governments and unanimous agreement in the Commission, Parliament and Council. So that is basically a non starter.
So the UK is technically out. It is in a position of limbo. Not involved in the EU decision making process but still paying and unable to go into negotiations with other non-EU countries. This position will continue until at the latest 29-3-19.
Once out it is far from plain sailing. Applying to join the EEA could be met with opposition from Norway and Iceland. The WTO is also fraught with problems as countries with a grudge against the UK could use the leverage to extort deals out of the UK. Argentina is a good example.
The UK will be a third (world) country. Losing 80% of its financial services and dont mention the number of companies moving onto the mainland.
The short term future looks bleak. The mid and long term are very dubious.
Once again the Brexiteers as they have always have done, never thought it through when sending the art 50 letter.
