The Brexit Party

A brilliant article from the New York Times.
Sometimes it’s good to see ourselves as others see us.
www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/opinion/nigel-farage-brexit.html

Varian, I have tried that link you have sent and my computer is warning of virus attack.

I can no doubt guess what it says and what you think. We are all entitled to an opinion and yours would clearly differ from mine.

Ann Widdecombe has her views. I respect them, whether or not I share all of them. As for the lady herself, I have met her, briefly, once. She seemed quite a nice sort of person. That is all I can say. I do not vilify people for not sharing my views.

Why are people so jubilant at the thought of possibly being able to have trade deals with other countries that we already have as EU members?

Madness comes in many forms Labaik

Well done for keeping your tongue in your cheek Varian. The woman is barking.

Brexit MEP Anne Widdecombe has some interesting views.

inews-ukco-.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/inews.co.uk/news/politics/science-may-produce-cure-for-homosexualty-brexit-party-mep-ann-widdecombe-claims/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Finews.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fscience-may-produce-cure-for-homosexualty-brexit-party-mep-ann-widdecombe-claims%2F

Why are people so jubilant at the thought of possibly being able to have trade deals with other countries that we already have as EU members?

Are you sure of that petra? Please provide a link because if we signed that deal as part of the EU I assume it will no longer be valid if we leave. Do I remember hearing that no deals could be signed (they could be agreed) until after we have left?

In the FT link it states: existing eu customs deals with Turkey and Switzerland will be hard to replicate
In February 2019 the uk signed a trade deal with Switzerland and they will be trading after Brexit as they did before

Have you seen Ann Widdicome's latest? She and NF should be enough of a reason to make people think twice.

There was nothing surprising whatsoever about the revelation this week that Nigel Farage has been in discussions with Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right party formerly known as Front Nationale, and Matteo Salvini, the Italian politician who at a European elections rally in Milan, in 2009, notoriously called for racial segregation on Italian public transport. The two are currently in the process of forming a new political “supergroup” in the European Parliament, the “Europe of Nations”.

Salvini, currently Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of the Interior, has had a long standing connection with Farage since he joined his Independence & Democracy group in the European Parliament way back in 2004, as an MEP within the separatist Lega Nord party, which was to be subsequently expelled from the group following allegations of racism, but then allowed to re-engage when in 2009 Farage was struggling to form a new group, and desperately needed the Italian right-winger’s support.

Later, in 2014, rumours were circulating of possible negotiations between Farage and Le Pen, when both were struggling, again over forming a new group, and were possibly considering forming a group together. Those rumours were well founded, EU Today can confirm.

Indeed, when each found themselves one nationality short of the required threshold to maintain a group, one UKIP MEP left to join Le Pen, whilst one of Le Pen’s left to join Farage’s group. As a result of this dubious but conveniently timed exchange, both groups were saved. It is also. notable that Farage has been very positive in his comments about Le Pen recently.

So why is it so important for Farage to have his own political group in the European Parliament?

He himself has often said that MEPs have larger budgets and more parliamentary staff at their disposal as members of a political group, and this is indeed the case. However, as a group president, it also the case that Farage has personally enjoyed certain privileges, and, most importantly for him, greater media exposure as he has the right to lengthy speaking slots on key note debates in parliament. Considered by many to be a narcissist, and one who loves the sound of his own voice, Farage thrives on media attention.

Last week in Brussels MEPs from various national delegations met to discuss the formation of the so-called “supergroup” comprised of the populists and Eurosceptics who achieved sweeping votes across the EU. Although Farage has always publicly distanced himself from such characters, such a group, which in terms of size would be on a par with some of the more centrist groups, would provide him with a far greater platform then he has previously had on the European stage.

The meeting turned sour, at least for Farage, when it was declared that his services as group president would not be required.

He had possibly not realised that Le Pen and Salvini control political forces which represent more than mere contrarianism, and which have wider and deeper support than he can take the time to try to understand. He apparently thought that his “star quality and recognisable face” would be enough to dazzle them. That may be the case in Britain, but elsewhere in Europe it is not enough. Sorry, Nigel.

It is also the case that Brexit will in all probability mean his term in office will end in October when the UK leaves the bloc. Instability, as Farage will understand, is the last thing a political group in the European Parliament needs, and there is also Farage’s ability to foster divisiveness in any body of people - did he study Lenin, one often wonders?

And so, faced with rejection, Farage is reported by the Sun newspaper to have pulled out of negotiations.

Salvini and Le Pen will be far more interested in Italy’s Five Star movement, who it is understood will be joining the supergroup. In the last legislature they were members of Farage’s EFDD group, and so until the new groupings are announced, they technically still are.

When Five Star sign up the Europe of Nations the EFDD group will be dead, and Farage his MEPs will offer the ignominy of being Non-Escrit - MEPs who have no political group, and who Farage himself has always dismissed as failures and no-hopers.

eutoday.net/news/politics/2019/marine-le-pen-matteo-salvini-reject-nigel-farages-leadership-in-euro-supergroup

Some interesting speculations here on whether The Brexit Party will be joining the Far Right Group in the EU. I take it as a given that the Labour Party will be realigning with the Far Right Group in the EU given that they include large numbers of anti-Semetic members?

The director of communications for Leave.EU has been accused of racism after saying a black Remain activist “looks like” Diane Abbott with a "more glowing complexion".

Several Twitter users reported Andy Wigmore, another self-professed “Bad Boy of Brexit”, for racial abuse over his “vile” comments about Femi Oluwole.

www.indy100.com/article/andy-wigmore-femi-oluwole-diane-abbott-brexit-racism-twitter-8937801

The Brexit Party tops election poll for the first time, must be true its in the Remainers Bible The Guardian ?

N.B. Average age of my neighbours between 50-55.

Thank you for the link Nonnie. It's such a massive concept I couldn't take it all in. I will need to read it a few times, as on first reading I felt like weeping. Are we crazy?

I think this is why many MPs are in shock at the gravity of what they are required to vote on. Some people say they're stupid, they're not doing as their constituents voted - I think they are far from stupid and they know just how much is involved in untangling us from the EU treaties.

I'm sure we all know people who say, 'Leave means leave', 'just don't pay anything', 'walk away' etc. I have lovely neighbours, I get on really well with them, but they never read a paper or listen to a news programme. They voted for Brexit and for the Brexit Party. I asked them why and they said we want to stand on our own again.

Show them something like this document and I know one would say, 'I live in a bubble and I like living in my bubble.' That couple have three sons who have all done very well, especially the youngest just completing his degree and won a scholarship to Harvard. I once asked her what the boys think about Brexit and her reply was, 'Oh I didn't ask them.' She has three ASs and 3 GC and it didn't occur to her to check how Brexit will/may affect them.

Thank you for this link Nonnie

I wonder how many of these people who shout "leave means leave. WTO here we go" have any clue at all what that would actually entail.

"We are talking about an enormous number of complex acts that we rely on today,” says Lord Hannay, Britain’s former EU ambassador. “The challenge of replacing them falls in the same category as Alice in Wonderland running furiously to stand in the same spot.”

I started another thread which hasn't shown any interest so will copy it into here because I found it very informative.

Yes, I know, another Brexit thread and this is even an old article but it popped up in my Fb this morning and gave me more information than I previously knew.

Some of you won't want to read it all so I'll give the headline and one paragraph.

After Brexit: the UK will need to renegotiate at least 759 treaties.

in practice Britain’s exit will open more than 750 separate time-pressured mini-negotiations worldwide, according to Financial Times research. And there are no obvious shortcuts: even a basic transition after 2019 requires not just EU-UK approval, but the deal-by-deal authorisation of every third country involved.

Here is the whole thing: www.ft.com/content/f1435a8e-372b-11e7-bce4-9023f8c0fd2e?fbclid=IwAR1xTGMJfgkglkSINePcGCpHKHe5gkMSPgqXtD4D9nHTWQeGy3Ij8HDTqG8

It is horrifying.

Listening to the US Ambassador this morning and his acceptance that the US is intending to go for our NHS.

It occurred to me

Who is backing Farage?
Aaron Banks.

What is Banks bisuness
Insurance.

Who will profit from the privatisation of the NHS

Banks

Who has said he is in favour of privatising the NHS

Farage..

Who are their cronies! Bannon, Murdoch, Johnson.

Make no mistake the privatisation of the NHS is coming.

Well said grannygranby; sums it up nicely.

A customs union is not being in the EU Well Said Barry Gardener.

twitter.com/ToryFibs/status/1134341571481079808?s=20

Ginny how can we make people politically aware? I have seen so many comments on FB, twitter and even GN showing a lack of understanding, debate and often language skills. I'm sorry to say that in many cases it is clear they believe sound bites and have not looked further.

Just wondering if the Brexit person get to be an MP will he be the party leader? How will NF feel about a first timer getting in when he failed 7 times?

I am extremely worried about the appeal NF has: that the people who voted for Brexit MEP’s are shoring up the new right wing supporters in the EU: the eFDD. Presently Brexit is only a Ltd Company not a Democratic Party. Farage cannot be dislodged. You might say because there hasn’t been time? He is primarily against the new tax laws as brought in by the EU a couple of months ago preventing the wealthy stashing their wealth in tax havens and not paying tax ( how dare they!). To get people onside he whips up immigrant fear and paranoia and appeals to people’s inflated sense of Nationhood and pride and superiority. And people fall for it.

I don't think the average Brexit party voter has the slightest idea that this is his agenda. Only the very politically aware will know this is what he's aiming to do.

Some Farage supporter want a far right take over of the EU as they believe in the nationalist, anti migrant, anti liberal, sod the environment, message that is they are pushing. They actively want to destabilise the EU, even if the U.K. aren’t in it.

Indeed Labaik. Even I, a most fervent remainer, could see it best for us to leave and have nothing to do with a far-right take-over of the EU.