Brexit. Why do Brits want Out of the EU?

Ouest-France, the French daily with the broadest readership and largest print-run, just published this op-ed.

Don't harden Brexit

We have lost precious time while the world was moving at full speed. New balances of power appear. They weaken the international institutions that were built for peace. A considerable effort is awaiting us to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. But the spectacle of these three years tarnishes the appeal of democracies. It weakens democracy's allure in this world.

This is dangerous at a time when authoritarian countries are trying to build a new world order, far from democratic values. They seek to attract many countries. China, for example, is trying to expand its influence, from Asia to Africa to Europe, on the ruins of our divisions and our strategic backwardness.

In these decisive days of Brexit, the utmost caution is needed so as not to risk spoiling our future on the world stage or accentuate our European divisions. In spite of British procrastination, we should be careful not to hasten the exit of Great Britain in the worst possible conditions: without a deal. We must avoid precipitating the UK in serious internal difficulties and humiliating it.

Indeed, we owe the UK a lot on the democratic level, modern parliamentarism, the protection of people against arbitrariness, habeas corpus... [...]

Brexit without an agreement could have serious repercussions on Britain's unity, [with Scotland possibly breaking out]. Will this awaken the separatist movements in Europe, provoking chain reactions, including in France?

Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeatedly said: " I will work until the last minute to avoid a Brexit without agreement. She is already in favor of Theresa May's request to postpone the deadline to June 30th. France has a great responsibility because of the historical ties that bind her to Britain. It is thanks to the sacrifice of countless young Britons that we have regained our freedom.

As the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of D-Day come closer, let's avoid any ingratitude. Whatever happens, the British will remain members of the European family. Let us look to the future by building relations that will strengthen the unity of Europeans as the only guarantee of peace, freedom and independence in the 21st century.

0 Replies

@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

Tory is spelled with on "r" only. The problem with some, but by no means all, Tories is that they believe their sovereignty is compromised or even vitiated by participating in the European Union. Some members of other parties believe this, too. However, it now appears that a majority of the electorate in the UK no longer agree. The PM, however does not intend to hold another referendum.

So the problem seems to be, as it is in US politics, that different parties refuse to grasp their opponents' perspective.

Maybe if different parties could learn to see things from each others' perspectives, as well as maintaining their own perspective, they might be able to work together better democratically.

0 Replies

May faces intense cabinet pressure over prospect of lengthy Brexit delay

Quote:

Cabinet source says PM negotiating with one hand behind her back, amid warnings long delay would cause ‘tremendous angst’

Theresa May is facing intense cabinet pressure to avoid the prospect of a long Brexit delay, amid increasing expectations that last ditch cross-party talks on a compromise departure plan will not produce anything concrete.

Before a crucial EU summit later this week, the prime minister is facing a fast-diminishing range of options that could split the Conservative party and prompt a mass cabinet walkout, or could result in the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal on Friday.

May’s only response on Sunday was a homespun video that called for a compromise solution, but while praised for its conversational style, it lacked any fresh detail on proposals to break the Brexit impasse.

With Labour reiterating it had yet to learn even the basics of concessions May might offer after her dramatic call last week for consensus, the timetable looked tight to agree anything before the European council gathering on Wednesday evening.

Under the terms of the previous brief extension agreed with the EU, if Brussels does not agree another delay, a no-deal Brexit will happen on Friday. May has requested a pause until 30 June, but Brussels is keen on a wait of up to a year, which could be broken earlier if a solution is found.

On Sunday, a key ally of French president Emmanuel Macron said that such a “flex-tension” plan should be replaced by “a long extension so the UK can really figure out what it wants”.

Alexandre Holroyd, an MP from Macron’s En Marche party whose brief covers Brexit, told the BBC that this should come with conditions, for example, the UK should have no say on the next EU budget.

Pro-Brexit cabinet sources said a long delay, particularly one under such terms, would “cause a tremendous amount of angst”. They said: “A long, non-flexible extension would come with EU elections as well, which is another red line for lots of the Conservative party.

“It all shows the mistake of taking no deal off the table – we’re negotiating with one hand behind our back.”

May was also warned publicly by ministers on Sunday against a long delay. Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, told the BBC that the idea of an extension long enough to require the UK to hold European elections was “utterly unacceptable”.

Leadsom indicated that the other option, a no-deal departure, was preferable: “The civil service have done an amazing job of ensuring that we minimise the problems. I’m not an advocate for no deal, but it would not be nearly as bad as many like to think it would be.”

Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, warned against the “purgatory” of a lengthy delay. She told the BBC: “I think the British public are going to be pretty horrified if we go into more limbo than we’ve already had.”
[...]
What does seem clear is that May’s options are closing in, with her deal conceded as lost, and a backbench bill led by the Labour MP Yvette Cooper mandating the PM to avoid a no-deal departure is expected to become law late on Monday, after finishing its progress through the Lords.

Cabinet sources said they were in the dark about what, if any, plan the prime minister was hatching.

“As ever, she’s still saying the same thing with no hint of progression, so we’re in the dark as to what the next steps might be,” one said.

Another source said the plot for the Brussels summit seemed clear: “I expect she’ll have a pretty bruising time and then walk away with a long extension.”

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Alexandre Holroyd, an MP from Macron’s En Marche party whose brief covers Brexit, told the BBC that this should come with conditions, for example, the UK should have no say on the next EU budget.

Is the EU insensitive to non-members? Everyone in the world basically has a say in everyone else's politics and economics. There is simply no such thing as national or supernational autonomy in a global world. UK should thus and will have a say in EU budgeting and politics, whether or not it is formally a member state. Anyone who can't see that these formal governmental institutions are just part of a bigger picture is blind to history and reality.

The EU is also not the ultimate or only method of negotiating international relations. It's very strange when people talk about a non-federal confederation, which was intentionally kept weak in terms of central power, as if it should have strong power to exclude external consideration and interests.

My guess is that all this power-leveraging is going to lead to some kind of military conflict in the region. Europeans act like they don't want to have any more wars, but realistically how can you have Brexit or any other divergence of interests that doesn't result in other member-states seeking greater autonomy/independence with the effect that others will get angry at them and try to punish/control them for deviating from collective governance?

Once the UK gains independence, it is going to seek to trade unilaterally and those EU interests that seek to prevent it from doing so are going to get militant, if they aren't already.

Realistically, what prospects for peace and stability are there in the long run if this Brexit issue has resulted in so much drama and fear?

2 Replies

@livinglava,

livinglava wrote:

Is the EU insensitive to non-members?

Non-members aren't in Brexit talks.

1 Reply

@livinglava,

livinglava wrote:

My guess is that all this power-leveraging is going to lead to some kind of military conflict in the region.

Interesting guess, but the UK is leaving the EU not the NATO as far as I know.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Interesting guess, but the UK is leaving the EU not the NATO as far as I know.

The distance from the European Quarter in Brussels, where the European Commission and the European Council are based, to NATO headquarters is seven kilometres. Seven kilometres, that's close enough to meet quickly - and on the other hand too far to cross each other easily. The relationship between the EU and Nato is characterised by proximity and distance: 22 EU members belong to the North Atlantic Alliance (not including Austria, Finland, Sweden, Malta and Cyprus).
Since 2016 both have been linked by a "strategic partnership".

0 Replies

It is another week where PM May must make seemingly impossible demands of her cabinet, her party, Labour MPs and EU negotiators.
In the end, like so many times before, May could be forced to outsource the decision to Parliament. And by the time May arrives to meet EU leaders in Brussels on Wednesday, the PM may no longer be in charge of her own demands.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

The UK public is increasingly disenchanted with MPs and government and ever more willing to welcome the idea of authoritarian leaders who would ignore parliament, a long-running survey of attitudes to politics has shown.

Related to the topic of this thread: one of the few areas where the populist mood has subsided is backing for referendums. Before the Brexit vote, 76% of people supported more issues being put to the public in referendums, but this has now slumped to 55%, three points lower than 2018.

2019 Audit of Political Engagement

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

The UK is now just four days away from the latest Brexit deadline and, unless another article 50 extension is agreed at the emergency EU summit on Wednesday (which probably will happen, although it is not inevitable), it will slam into no-deal on Friday at 23:00 h BST)

Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, is flying to Dublin today to meet the taoiseach, his deputy and the finance minister for talks ahead of Wednesday’s European council summit.

EU foreign ministers have been arriving for an EU foreign affairs council meeting in Luxembourg. At least two of them, Teodor Melescanu, the Romanian foreign minister, and Timo Soini, the Finish foreign minister, have said they would back an article 50 extension.

May is going to Berlin tomorrow for Brexit talks with Merkel.

Today, Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary (a remain-voter who is now reinventing himself as a Brexiter), said more or less exactly the same thing what Philip Hammond (the cabinet’s leading pro-European), the chancellor, said,namely that there were "no red lines" for the government in its talks with Labour.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Downing Street now confirmed that Theresa May will visit Berlin and Paris tomorrow for talks with Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Emmanuel Macron, the French president, ahead of the emergency EU summit on Wednesday. (May will do her utmost to persuade Merkel and Macron to agree to an article 50 extension.)
May is also due to speak to other EU leaders later today.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

If reports are true, several Tory Brexiteer MPs are trying to organise an 'indicative' vote of no confidence in PM May. (Contrary to previous announcement by Downing Street, there will be a mini cabinet meeting shortly.)

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Mark Francois, the Tory MP and vice chair of the European Research Group, which represents up to 80 Conservatives pushing for a harder Brexit, has written to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, asking him to organise a vote of confidence in the prime minister on Wednesday afternoon.

After May survived a Conservative party confidence vote in December last year, she cannot be removed under party rules by another confidence vote until December 2019, because this procedure cannot be used more than once every 12 months.

But Francois does not seem too bothered by that. He is calling for what he calls “an informal ‘indicative vote’ of confidence” in the PM. And he also makes it clear that his primary aim is not to trigger May’s resignation, but to persuade EU leaders to refuse an article 50 extension.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Quote:

1 Reply

https://www.chappatte.com/prod/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Sp181215ce-small-800x600.jpg

0 Replies

@Walter Hinteler,

Andrew Bridgen, another hardline Tory Brexiter, told the BBC’s Politics Live that he had also written to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee, saying he had no confidence in Theresa May.

0 Replies

The thumb monkey was here.

1 Reply

@Olivier5,

Since early (European) morning.

0 Replies

The "mini cabinet meeting" actually is (or was) a meeting of this EUXT European Union Exit and Trade Cabinet Brexit subcommittee.

But now, May has invited another delegation of Cabinet ministers into No 10 for a meeting at 17:00 h BST, it seems to be a briefing on the Brexit offer to Labour.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

This no-deal notice was just published by the Irish government.

1 Reply

Brexit. Why do Brits want Out of the EU?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know