BREXIT! BREXIT! BREXIT!

[pErvinalia]

She's asking for another extension. When will the EU say "bugger off, you trollope"?

[Brian Peacock]

To its credit, the EU is doing what it can for the UK citizenry in spite of what the government and Parliament is up to. May is now pinning her flag to inviting Corbyn to discuss a compromise on a customs union. The Brexitarians are up in arms - they see Brexit as a specifically Tory project. I'm hoping this isn't just political manoeuvring to dump the blame for MPs not backing the government's negotiated deal onto the opposition ahead of the next election - but the cynic in me just doesn't think May sees things in any terms other than 'my party, right or wrong.'

[Scot Dutchy]

Just moving blame and taking up time. The perfect solution for a no deal that the Brexiteers so desperately want.

[Svartalf]

She's asking for another extension. When will the EU say "bugger off, you trollope"?

That's what we keep telling her... except we're trying to stay polite.

[pErvinalia]

They must be getting sick of her showing up repeatedly.

[Brian Peacock]

Uncommon bedfellows...

Rees-Mogg defends promotion of German far-right AfD video.

[Forty Two]

They need to just hard Brexit.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that the Chicken Little predictions will not come true.

I could be wrong. But, I doubt it.

For a nation to restructure it's entire economy at a stroke, with it's eyes shut and it's fingers crossed, would be an irresponsible act.

It wouldn't be restructuring its entire economy. It's just a change in tariffs and immigration - that kind of thing. Some regulatory stuff.

What if you're not wrong for example? Real people in the UK have real lives embedded in a real economy, so it would be handy if you had some reason to think you're right, beyond a hunch.

Why? The pro-socialist left don't need more than hunches when they want to end capitalism and really restructure the entire economy. And, it's my hunch, but I'm not a decision-maker. I just have a good ear for when people are making mountains out of mole hills.

The biggest impact of Brexit is on tariffs on Brit goods going into Europe, and Brit tariffs on Euro goods going into Britland. So, some go up, some go down. Most are covered by WTO rates, there are rates known. Those that have significant impact can be changed.

The problem is that on its own the UK is a middling economy

if by "middling" you mean 5th to 7th largest economy in the world, sure.

which is mostly driven by consumer spending and financial services. A hard, no-deal Brexit would require negotiating fresh trade deals with economic zones like ASEAN, the NAFTA zone,

WTO will cover that until any needed new deals can be worked out - trade won't stop.

and the EU - three trading blocs accounting for +90% of the global economy. Even a basic grasp of economics would suggest that this is far from an ideal situation for a nation to find itself in, and is one of the main reasons MPs have overwhelmingly obliged the government to avoid a no-deal Brexit. However, whether a hard-Brexit is completely avoidable is far from assured at the moment - and Conservative Brexitarians have significant sway and are still promooting the 'free unicorns' for all version of a hard-Brexit.

Ideal, no. But it's not as if McAllan and Glenfidditch exports from Scotland will stop. Scotch represents 1/4 of the UK food and beverage exports. What apocalypse is going to happen?

[Forty Two]

She's asking for another extension. When will the EU say "bugger off, you trollope"?

That's what we keep telling her... except we're trying to stay polite.

May should tell them Britland isn't going to pay the 50 billion divorce settlement.

[Svartalf]

well, if they don't pay up, they can fuck themselve about us being accommodating in the least... they do owe it, and if they welsh on their debts, they are going to be treated as such.

[Scot Dutchy]

There is a little court just up the road from me. Built by an American that deals with this sort of things.
It would be very embarrassing to appear there.

[Forty Two]

Good place to settle disputes, that.

Most countries have had cases there, even the vaunted Netherlands. Serbia/Montenegro v Netherlands, Sweden v Netherlands, Belgium v Netherlands, German v Netherlands.....

I'm surprised the Dutch would even enter a paltry American-created location.... it likely would fall over on those tulips.

[Scot Dutchy]

Oh "look over there syndrome" is back. Troll central is hitting hard today.

[Forty Two]

Oh, and here I thought you said it would be embarrassing to have a case there....

[Rum]

Well May and Corbyn have had ‘constructive’ talks. For our overseas buddies imagine the Dems and Republicans sitting down to discuss the Mexico wall and it being ‘constructive’.

One watches with a certain amount of awe at the clustefuck in slow motion that is happening.

[Scot Dutchy]

'Constructive' is West minster speak for not having a stand up fight according to Laura Kuenssberg BBC Political Editor.