Brexit - the end of the beginning - the negotiations begin

Just been looking at some of Junckers quotes:

"When it becomes serious, you have to lie."

This one on calls for a UK referendum over the Lisbon treaty: "Of course there will be transfers of sovereignty. But would I be intelligent to draw the attention of the public to this fact?"

"I am ready to be insulted as being insufficiency democratic. I am for secret, dark debates".

On the introduction of the Euro: "We decide on something, leave it lying around and wait and see what happens. If no one kicks up a fuss, because most people don't understand what has been decided, we continue step by step until there is no turning back"

Sounds like him Fitzy !

You know him well, do you roses?

Well, this is going to be fun, because May has just threatened to be a "bloody difficult woman".

May invited Juncker to dinner. Was he supposed to refuse? It could have been a bit awkward at border control, if he was banned.

I just cannot understand how anyone can remain in such an important job when they are a drunkard as he is reputed to be, although he denies this is true. How can anyone negotiate with a person who is not completely sober?
www.independent.co.uk/news/people/jean-claude-juncker-waves-off-speculation-over-drinking-while-drinking-four-glasses-of-champagne-a7307291.html

Does anybody remember him shouting at Farage, and then later kissing and hugging Farage ( when Farage was being jubilant about Brexit ) you couldn't say he was sober to be so changeable! I thought Juncker was going to propose.

I think he has slapped people in the face in jest

Perhaps if he does it to TM she will give him a hard slap back.
No, on second thoughts, she is a vicar's daughter, she will forgive his trespasses.

One thing is certain, you get a different impression of Juncker when he speaks German. English is not his strong point and I think sometimes when being interviewed he tries to be satirical and gets it wrong.

He's not so buttoned up and sometimes he acts a little bit uncontrolled but basically he does a good job.
I like him and find his comments honest - not always this politic-speak we have to get used to on the BBC.

That dinner?

May has just threatened to be a bloody difficult woman, unlike Cameron then who just got out the begging bowl hoping to get a few scraps to bring back.

I like him too, Margaret and I think you are right. I've heard him speak German and he seems different. I believe he's done a good job and knows more about the EU than May does.

What kind of sense of humour do the Luxembourgish (or whatever they're called) have?

This from Nick Cohen of the Guardian
"Juncker has dedicated his career to ensuing that society becomes * less fair*, that wealthy institutions and individuals can avoid the taxes that the * little people and small businesses* must pay.

"Everywhere do I perceive a certain conspiracy of rich men seeking their own advantage"
Wrote Sir Thomas Moore in 1516.
He might have been discribing juncker.

Love the menu MB!

If anyone wants to raise their blood pressure read up on Junckers time as prime minister of Luxembourg and the safe haven he gave to 340 multinationals to avoid paying tax.
If you do, you will wish you hadn't.

He's an ODIOUS man.!!

Last month Poland was the only one of the 28 member states to vote against Mr Tusk's re- election ( he's Polish) as president of the European Union
It says something when your own member in the parliament doesn't want you to have the job.
But he still got another term, nudge nudge, wink wink.

I guess Amber Rudd doesn't want to be home secretary any longer.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-theresa-may-juncker-latest-dinner-no-10-disastrous-parallel-reality-a7712706.html

If was under the impression that most Tory Govts thrived to find a way for the rich to keep more of their money and the poor pay more taxes.

That's your opinion niggly. The Daily Express and Nigel Farage agree with you. I don't.

- tried not thrived!

I've read it petra. It sounds like the kind of place some of the Brexiteers want London to be. Maybe they'll employ Juncker as a consultant.

daphnedill
You say you like juncker. And yet you abhor the system that he more or less single handedly set up in Luxembourg.

Viurakis on newsnight: "what [the EU] are going to be doing for the next two years is pushing London towards a defensive stance through leaks, through distortions and through a strategy of making Theresa May fight for her right to negotiate ...... There will be no real negotiations"
"The powers that be in the EU, their greatest nightmare is a mutually advantageous agreement with Britain because this in their minds would encourage others to [make demands] and possibly to get out of the EU; on the other hand [TM] has put the end of freedom of movement above everything else"
His take is that the outcome is inevitable failure. Makes a lot of sense.

Another Michael Duggan video:

Perhaps a counter view to Varoufakis?

There is a transcript with it.

eulawatliv.wordpress.com/professor-dougan-dismantles-theresa-mays-brexit-election-pitch/

Here in Liverpool, we’ve received numerous requests, to comment specifically on the Prime Minster’s claim that a general election was necessary in order to strengthen the UK’s hand in the forthcoming negotiations against the EU.

This short video will do just that.

To be clear: that EU position has not been dreamt up on a whim, and it has certainly not been designed to punish poor little Britain. In fact, it is the only interpretation which fits with the basic constitutional principles of the EU legal system as laid down in the Treaties (something which legal commentators like me have been saying for well over a year now, and a point made repeatedly by the major political actors across the EU ever since the referendum result).

^ It is somehow no longer legitimate to question the Government; indeed, to criticise the Government is apparently to endanger the national interest. Well: if the Government had listened a little more and a little better, it might not have made the fundamental mistakes that it has done. But in any case, I can’t think of anything less British than encouraging some sort of political Messiah complex, that appears convinced of its own authority and infallibility, feeding in turn a frankly dangerous urge to suppress legitimate debate.^

My post today 11.03

I'm still waiting for ' anybody ' to explain to me how Sir Keir Starmer, Labour Shadow Minister For Brexit and Paul Mason (see durhamjens link ) think we can stay in the Single Market / Customs Union whilst leaving / not being a member of either the EU/EFTA/EEA ?

The EU have refused to negotiate over the 4 Pillars of the EU which are :-

The free movement of goods, capital, services and persons.

Keir Starmer / Labour state:-

Free Movement of People 'HAS TO END'

Free Movement of People 'RULED OUT AS IT IS'.

Freedom of Movement will have to have 'NEW IMMIGRATION RULES'

How can we 'CHERRY PICK' as Labour believes we can , well not only them but many posters too it seems.