As if to demonstrate that the adults are yet to take control of the pointless farce masquerading as the Brexit negotiations, yesterday’s bullish demands penned by our alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson - and duly rejected by the EU - have given way to the mardy strop of the UK telling anyone who will listen that it really is taking its bat home. And, as before, it’s all someone else’s fault.
Any more bright ideas, Dom?
Bozo The Clown’s letter to outgoing European Council President Donald Tusk said, more or less, that the Irish backstop should be ditched because the UK would come up with some kind of alternative arrangement that would prove acceptable. The problem for Bozo was that this was not yet in place. So he told Tusk “trust me”. Tusk, not surprisingly, declined the offer to put his trust in a congenital liar like Bozo.
Back to Square One. And so begins another futile gesture, as the BBC has reported: “Boris Johnson is set to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin later, where he is expected to reiterate his call for the backstop plan to be scrapped … But the EU has rejected the possibility of any changes to the backstop”. So why’s he going?
“Mr Johnson said the EU's response to his demands was ‘a bit negative’ … However he said he would enter Brexit talks with ‘a lot of oomph’ and there was ‘a real sense that something needs to be done’ with the backstop”. But there won’t be any Brexit talks with the German leader. At least, not the kind that will move the process forward.
So begins the next stage in the combination of bluff and blame. First the bluff, as has featured on several front pages this morning, from Metro “WE SLASH EU TIES IN TEN DAYS”, to the Express’ “BRITAIN STARTS TO WALK AWAY FROM EU”, to the Telegraph “Brexit starts ‘in 10 days’ as envoys told to break ties”, with the Times adding “Rebels can’t halt no-deal, EU warned by Johnson”. We’re leaving and we really mean it!
Over in Brussels and Strasbourg, all that can be heard are the combined sounds of crickets and tumbleweed. As the Guardian’s Jennifer Rankin has observed, “UK has given its vote to Finland (current EU presidency holder) meaning its absence shouldn't block EU decisions. In other words - give up control”. And then has come the blame game.
Once again, this involves our free and fearless press lying about the EU in a pointless bid to keep public opinion behind the Bozo cause. That lying is typified by former Theresa May éminence grise Nick Timothy claiming “Varadkar can blame Britain all he likes - but he is the real threat to peace”. He goes on to tell “the Taoiseach’s hardline stance on the backstop risks bringing back a hard border and destabilising the Good Friday Agreement”.
This is the most flagrant spreading of bullshit. The line taken is the EU’s line, and is not taken by member states in isolation. The bluff - walking away prematurely from EU meetings - will have no effect at all. The blame game will be similarly ineffective. The nation state-level game of chicken war-gamed by Bozo’s chief polecat Dominic Cummings has not worked, is not working, and is not going to work. Full stop, end of story.
What we have here is the ultimate toxic combination of ineptitude, brinkmanship, bluster, dishonesty, delusion and dereliction of duty. Our only hope is that the grownups finally agree to get their act together - and end the idiocy. For good.
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6 comments:
"Our only hope is that the grownups finally agree to get their act together - and end the idiocy. For good."
Problem - the grownups are unfortunately outnumbered by the kids on the block hoping for a quick killing in the markets and those deluded into thinking the EU are the problem not the venal politicians and their donor backers (aided by those pantomime villains, yes Anon, the Russkis with their troll factories using social media and money laundering into useful idiot organisations).
How else could an Alexander the Great Pretender have become PM? Or Trump as POTUS for that matter.
A recent poll of voting intentions now shows the Tories 14% ahead of Labour, with UKIP on 0% (hurrah!) and the Brexit Party down to 5%. It looks like mini-Trump's strategy is paying off in neutralising the threat from Farage - and in more meat to throw to the faithful, it looks like HS2 could well be for the chop post-GE.
On the front page of today's Daily Mail is splashed a story about Carrie Symonds being denied a visa to visit the United States. It tells us that it's big embarrassment for Boris Johnson.
So how did the story get on the front page? From someone in the Visa Unit of the United States Embassy? Or from, say, someone close to the Prime Minister?
Suppose the Prime Minister wanted to create the impression that he's not as close to Trump as the public think he is. Well a story about a girl-friend who is flakey enough to be denied a visa would help, wouldn't it?
Has ANYBODY - let alone the EU - yet seen any firm proposals from the Bozo Circus?
Arm waving public schoolboy bullshit doesn't count.
@ Anon 11:41
Yes the trend shows the Brexiteers heading back towards the Tories from whence they possibly originated.
Question for Corbyn is whether. in a general election which will mostly be fought on Brexit as any future government will need to adjust their policies accordingly on that situation, to back remain (to placate the majority of his supporters) or leave (which most commentators think his desired position) or continue the fudge and lose to both more committed parties.
Whatever, his strategy to win an election and then hold a refrendum after renegotians (whether possible or not) doesn't appear to be working. I'm sure there will be others here to prove me wrong.
Rob, you've nailed it.
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