Brexit 3

The whole thing looks like one unholy mess in the making - I feel as if we are on a train with no brakes going down a mountain - hopefully it is not just the sea at the bottom!

Love the responses to Murphy's blog - at least not everyone is taking his word as gospel.

A short but to the point post GracesGran

Had a pretty much rubbish response from my MP but this bit was interesting 'There will be select committees set up to mirror and scrutinise the new Dept of EU Exit and International Trade. It is customary for meetings to be held in public and for reports to be published and publically available so you will have no trouble with being informed on the progress of Brexit'. I thought I'd read that even MP's weren't going to be kept informed as to what was going on negotiation wise so I'll be interested to see how much information we 'now in control' voters will have access to. Oh, and she points out that Ms Stuarts promise of cheaper energy is just an 'ability' to reduce VAT on fuel once we have left the EU [which mirrors Ms Stuarts comment that we 'could' reduce fuel bills, not 'would']. Yet another empty promise imo. Still, at least the powers that be realise that Joe Public do that, against all predictions,UK PLC is in a good place at the moment; pity the interest rate on my meagre saving isn't reflecting that, although I do have a couple of brexiteer friends [who know how to play the markets and have enough money to take a gamble] who have done very well with their stocks and shares.

I voted to leave and I made money on some of my shares. But according to 'project fear' I was going to loose it all, my property would fall in value, it hasn't, it's gone up.
I was going to hell in a hand cart, I haven't, and world war 3 was going to be unleashed, the jury's still out on that one but it will not be Brexiters fault.

Don't we already just pay 5% VAT on fuel anyway, Tegan?
Less than a fiver a month.

We're not out yet, petra, haven't you realised.

Switzerland has apparently decided to have a bit if a compromise with regards to the free movement of people as they don't want to lose the trading rights.

Ooops; just got home and realised that some of the sentences I wrote have gone missing . There seems to be a key that I press sometimes that does that without me noticing!

www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/22/switzerland-votes-for-compromise-to-preserve-relations-with-eu

No limits to EU migration.

I do hope they hurry up with this. Stella Creasy says it could get passed without the government's approval.

www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/22/call-for-calais-child-refugees-to-be-given-uk-safeguarding-protection

Thank you for that link DJ- I had not seen anything about that anywhere.

@petra

We're experiencing a phony war. Some people have made huge gains from turbulence in markets. My daughter has a euro bank account and has made a profit from juggling her finances between her sterling account to the euro account. Others have made millions from guessing the markets correctly.

However, we need to look at the bigger picture. The UK hasn't even left the EU yet, but already UK pharmaceutical and scientific researchers have had grants stopped. The effect won't be seen for a few years, but there's no doubt there will be one. This isn't 'Project Fear' - it's already happening. Pharmaceuticals and science are huge money earners for the UK and we're throwing them away. In the long run, the loss of income will be far more important than whether a few individuals have made money on their shares.

Interesting blog from Robert Peston. He reckons that we cannot stay in the EU customs union if we negotiate free trade agreements with countries outside the EU

www.facebook.com/pestonitv/posts/1697230203935051

I've read that elsewhere too, Maizie. A handful of people will make mega-bucks from trading with developing countries, but I don't suppose anybody knows whether such trade will benefit the country as a whole. Personally, I cant see it, but I'm willing to be pleasantly surprised.

Forget the government spin about GDP, employment stats, etc from the last few years. The important issue is whether the UK can export more than it imports. It's not going to achieve that with trade agreements with China.

So what in earth is Fox doing? re the Preston blog.

I am beginning to wonder if May actually knows what she is doing. Well come to that if any if them know what they are doing.
Presumably something might be said at the Tory conference?

Boris has also been saying things without clearing it with his nanny.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/sep/22/boris-johnson-uk-aiming-start-eu-brexit-talks-early-2017

Another one getting into trouble. Obviously Boris and Fox are under the impression they won the election to be leader.

labourlist.org/2016/09/stella-creasy-children-must-not-be-left-to-rot-in-the-mud-of-calais-my-plea-to-conference-delegates-over-refugee-crisis/

Tegan, just read your long post.
I think May doesn't want Joe Public to be in on any meetings about Brexit because there are enough whistleblowers already.
Or it could just be that she has no idea what to do and is expecting the three Brexiteers to decide eventually that it's not possible and fall on their swords. Then she can say it's their fault we cannot leave the EU.

This is what Labour think.

labourlist.org/2016/09/steve-reed-the-people-chose-brexit-so-we-must-show-them-labours-vision-of-taking-back-control-in-british-politics/

You mean that Labour are actually thinking?Thought they were too busy with the Corbyn debacle.

Preliminary talks about deals before article 50 is triggered are sensitive, so why should Joe Public be in on everything just yet.

Careful, roses, you're insulting Annie there. She is still Labour.

Open democracy has started a new forum about new thinking for the British Economy.

www.opendemocracy.net/neweconomics/

It's got quite a few interesting ideas on already.

Labour voting with Tories and Ukip in Welsh Assembly.

www.politics.co.uk/news/2016/09/22/labour-votes-with-tories-to-pull-out-of-single-market-in-wal

I could have rung her neck last night on QT - Julia Hartley. I swear she must be Katie Hopkin's sister