Festival of Brexit was ‘monumental cock-up’, MPs tell culture secretary

The poorly publicised, non event, that was the festival sums up Brexit pretty well.

I suppose closing down the festival was a Brexit benefit of sorts.

I have just realised that See Monster, a decommissioned North Sea offshore platform, erected at Weston-super-Mare, was part of the Festival of Brexit.

Although I knew it was there (but didn't manage to see it for various reasons), we didn't know it was part of a festival we knew nothing about.

It has closed now.

Requests for a list of Brexit benefits are ongoing, but still not a single list. Come on Brexit loving Grans, where are your lists?

I believe there was some sort of photographic exhibition in a nearby town that was part of the Festival of Brexit. Call me unpatriotic but I couldn't see the point of driving to a town I rarely visit and looking for parking that may or may not exist, to look at photographs I had no interest in. Put like that it does sound very much like a Brexit "Benefit"

Brexit was a monumental cockup so it’s only fitting that the eponymous festival should reflect this.

Nobody has forgotten about eithe COVID or the War in Ukraine, but what have they got to do with it?

I mean the money could still have gone to the NHS, trade agreements can be negotiated on Teams, Zoom or other computer software. As for trade with the Island of Ireland, well again, why should it be affected by COVID or the war. Neither involved staff from the Health Ministry and Trade Ministry, Ministers and staff, were not involved in fighting COVID.

As for the Festival of Brexit, is its complete failure a sign of what is happening to everything with anything to do with Brexit. I had never even heard of it until the enquiry into its failure was announced.

Please could someone provide a list of all the positive things that have happened as the result of Brexit. Surely all those that support it must have a list at their fingertips.

Allsorts

I think everyone has forgotten the small matter of Covid and the war in Ukraine. Selective memory!

Nobody has forgotten them, but I fail to see what either have to do with the disaster that is Brexit. Unless of course, you are acknowledging the likelihood that Putin was behind Brexit as well as the Ukraine invasion?

Allsorts

I think everyone has forgotten the small matter of Covid and the war in Ukraine. Selective memory!

No one has forgotten them, Allsorts. They still loom large. But, they should NOT be used as an excuse for the dire straits that the Brexit project has left us in. M0nica has written clearly about the current situation. I wish the government could be as clear and honest… but they dare not.

I forgot all about the Brexit Festival. It doesn’t seem to have been particularly well advertised. Wasn’t it Rees Moggie who said we should notice the benefits of Brexit in a few decades time?!

I think everyone has forgotten the small matter of Covid and the war in Ukraine. Selective memory!

Did anyone actually go to any Festival of Brexit events?

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is still passing through Parliament. As (and when) it is passed, there will be much to play for. The real fight for substantial Brexit benefits will then begin.

.....but. but. but, nobody said anything about a real fight to get Brexit benefits. We were always given to understand that the benefits would pour down upon us as soon as we were out of the EU

What is more the first bill to retain the EU law was meant to be the straightforward way to keep all the benefits of EU legislation. most of it law we would have passed in our own Parliament anyway, EU or no EU.

Why haven't things happened as those in favour of Brexit promised us? The £350m a week for the NHS, the free flowing trade betwenn the UK, NI and the Republic of Ireland.

Where are all the overseas agreements that we were told would be promptly signed as soon as Brexit was complete, where are the new industries? Why have so many economic immigrants like Poles, French, German etc, all gone back home so that we have economically crippling business failures through staff shortages. Why did we accept all the Poles but keep turning back the Albanians.

I just do not understand.
Urmstongranand all those who support her. Why have so many things gone wrong or not happened as promised. Why must we now fight for Brexit benefits.

What happens if we lose?

Yes, it was rather a monumental cock up, wasn't it? I was barely aware of its existence. What a waste of public money by the Tories. Obviously initially intended by Johnson to celebrate Brexit but they backed off from that when they realised there was nothing to celebrate. The tide of opinion has turned on Brexit and people - apart from those who have swallowed the Rees-Mogg narrative wholesale - are beginning to realise there never will be anything to celebrate.

Petera

Urmstongran This is partly because the British approach was first to enshrine all EU law in British law and then to set about a detailed investigation of such laws, leading to some being substantially amended or rejected

EU law was always enshrined in British law, that's how the process worked, it wasn't something they chose to do after Brexit. It didn't magically disappear when we left and if the leavers were giving the impression that it would - well, that's just another one of the lies they fed us.

I think you're wasting your time explaining to this one, Petera. The lies have been thoroughly internalised despite all attempts to displace them with fact.

Can anyone really take seriously the sheer childishness of statements such as 'The Civil Service don't like Brexit' ? 😱

Urmstongran This is partly because the British approach was first to enshrine all EU law in British law and then to set about a detailed investigation of such laws, leading to some being substantially amended or rejected

EU law was always enshrined in British law, that's how the process worked, it wasn't something they chose to do after Brexit. It didn't magically disappear when we left and if the leavers were giving the impression that it would - well, that's just another one of the lies they fed us.

Hmm! I think cola mines could be quite fun!

cola mines ugh!

This government is so full of dimwits that anything with EU on it is deemed bad, so they are willing to destroy every regulation on employment rights, environment, welfare, you name it. Along with cola mines and sewage we are definitely the dirty man of Europe.

Casdon

If I understand the position correctly, according to the Governments website, the Bill will sunset the majority of retained EU law so that it expires on 31st December 2023. For that to happen, the Tories will need to remain in power until after that date. I can’t see that being the case myself.

I wonder if the government is really aware how many individual laws are involved and how much time would be involved in adapting them.

Or do they just want to abandon law in certain spheres? Are they really advocating anarchy?

The Civil Service don’t like Brexit. Obstacles are put in the way of change like land mines. Boom!

What exactly do you mean? An awful lot of people work for the Civil Service and in many different roles and areas of public life. Do you mean all of them?

Casdon

If I understand the position correctly, according to the Governments website, the Bill will sunset the majority of retained EU law so that it expires on 31st December 2023. For that to happen, the Tories will need to remain in power until after that date. I can’t see that being the case myself.

I think the Lords will block it for as long as they possibly can. There are a number of fine legal minds in the Lords who know what a complete nonsense it is and how it would play havoc with UK legislation.

If I understand the position correctly, according to the Governments website, the Bill will sunset the majority of retained EU law so that it expires on 31st December 2023. For that to happen, the Tories will need to remain in power until after that date. I can’t see that being the case myself.

Then I shall stop with the Ug thing. 😊

We can talk ECHR tomorrow 😉

Well you’ve stopped calling me UG which obv I could never challenge as it is a short form for my name but many know I don’t like it as it makes me sound Neanderthal (which some posters liked to portray me as I think). Urms is more friendly, so thank you for that too.

I ha pcent time to address your point about the ECHR sorry.
I want to away to watch a drama with the esteemed Kate Winslet on Channel 4.

Till tomorrow.