Brexiteers Wibble At Barnier Letter

While chief Downing Street polecat Dominic Cummings clings on to his position as the all-powerful Svengali to alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, those wanting the affair to go away have been casting around for something, anything to use as a diversion. Today they had to resort to making stuff up. And, as so often when a bogeyman is required, it was the dastardly EU on which they fixated.

Look who's sitting in judgment on us once more ...

A group of politicians representing the SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Greens and Alliance Party have been in correspondence with the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier. So it was no surprise when M. Barnier wrote back to them. The part that has caused the right-wing Brexiteer faction to go full Wibble concerns a transition period extension.

... along with his former gofer

Here’s what Barnier said about that: “I take note of your views on a possible extension of the transition period. Such an extension of up to one or two years can be agreed jointly by the two parties. The European Union has always said that we remain open on this matter. Any extension decision has to be taken by the Joint Committee before 1 July, and must be accompanied by an agreement on a financial contribution by the United Kingdom.”

In other words, nothing has changed. Yes, there can be an extension, but it has to be agreed by both the EU and UK. It would have to be agreed by the beginning of July, and of course it would mean the UK paying in to the EU’s budget. Nothing in Barnier’s letter should cause alarm. But for the paranoid Brexiteers, this thought is not allowed to enter.

So it was that the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog howled “BARNIER BEGS OPPOSITION PARTIES FOR EXTENSION”. And, as Billy Connolly once said, there’s going tae be some swearing … FUCK OFF. No-one is begging anyone else for anything. But do go on. “The EU is surely keen for the UK to fold”. Bullshit.

The EU would like negotiations to be progressed and concluded in an orderly manner. What The Great Guido missed was “The European Union remains determined to build a new and ambitious partnership with the United Kingdom in the short time that is available, given your government’s repeated statements that it will not agree to an extension of the transition period”. Barnier also said “Regardless of the extension issue, please rest assured that the EU side will continue to do its utmost to reach an ambitious and balanced partnership agreement with the United Kingdom”. But this hasn’t stopped the paranoia.

Indeed, right on cue has been another hatstand moment, this time from a former Fawkes inmate, the odious flannelled fool Master Harry Cole, now pretending to be a real journalist at the Mail on Sunday, who has jibbered incoherently “Timing of this letter another gift to No10. Wavering MPs being told if Cummings goes then the deep state will come for an extension ... and up pops Brussels with a petrol can”. Ri-i-i-ight.

This is the same Master Cole who smears others as conspiracy theorists, except this time it is he who is doing the conspiracy theorising. “The deep state will come for an extension” my arse. Next, he’ll be telling us it’ll hover over Westminster in its own spaceship.

The Fawkes massive and their former tame gofer are not totally screaming hatstand. But they are on an Eastbound District Line train, and it’s already passed Barking.

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