Negotiating Brexit

[exdos]

Whatever your opinion of Brexit you must watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4w7W-rduZ8

To think that Verhofstadt is one of the top 4 individuals in the EU representing 470 million people!

[2dogs]

Chasing tail

[firebobby]

Watch Verhofstadt at 4.30 when he suddenly gets defensive, arms crossed and all hunched up. They make it up as they go.

[buzyg]

Bunch of over paid Muppets.

[Mr Tidy]

If he is typical of EU officials I don't see how we can do any worse on our own!

[Jembo]

A very good demonstration of the art of negotiation - find just one key point that destroys the other parties credibility in substantiating their position & nomatter how right anything else they say is, their position is permanently undermined.

Brexit has divided many friends, I just wish that they can find a mutual compromise ASAP - looking at this, Hell will freeze over before that ever happens

[Nanu]

It doesn't matter what your political views are about Rees Mogg but you have to agree he destroys the EU negotiating position on the Irish Border issue, we declare a unilateral free trade agreement with the EU and lets see what they do.

[Jembo]

It doesn't matter what your political views are about Rees Mogg but you have to agree he destroys the EU negotiating position on the Irish Border issue, we declare a unilateral free trade agreement with the EU and lets see what they do.

I saw it to be much more than that.

RM used it to make the EU state their position about ‘rules’... how important it was for the EU to follow them.

RM then destroyed their credibility by demonstrating, over a few examples how they didn’t follow the rules when it was in their interest.

Consequently, he clearly won the argument they’re simply a set of guidelines, that can be revised for everyone’s benefit, demonstrating the nos 1 skill in negotiation... destroy just 1 primary element of credibility, puts everything else into question...

[sars]

The EU will bend the rules when it’s in their interest to do so, the Greek bailout a point in principle and it’s nothing new, I still see workers freely smoking in our plant in Germany (as an aside, this flexibility or lack of was our own undoing, as in, we play by the rules) What JRM wants is a borderless Ireland AND no deal, which is not mutually compatible and is not in the best interest of the EU to do so, why is anyone surprised by their actions in these negotiations.

One of the interesting things to come out of this whole fiasco is the wording of Article 50, basically all treaties will terminate two years after instigation. Nowhere within the Article 50 clause does it say that we can negotiate a new deal, instead you are to prepare to leave all treaties with the other states and those agreed by the EU with countries outside the EU. The EU IS bending the rules by trying to negotiate for a soft Brexit.

[Jembo]

On a positive note, it’s creating a ton of news jobs all over the place ... more advisors, consultants, media, barristers, civil servants, beurocrats .... requiring lots of meetings, travel & events... all which give more to infrastructure...

... paid for by us, from the debt galaxy

[exdos]

The answer to all this negotiating nonsense over the border between the EU and the UK, which includes N. Ireland, should be determined by the EU's Article 8 of its own Lisbon Treaty which went into force on 1st December 2009, in which it states:

1. The Union shall develop a special relationship with neighbouring countries, aiming to establish an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, founded on the values of the Union and characterised by close and peaceful relations based on cooperation.

2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the Union may conclude specific agreements with the countries concerned. These agreements may contain reciprocal rights and obligations as well as the possibility of undertaking activities jointly. Their implementation shall be the subject of periodic consultation.

It seems to me that the EU is again failing to apply it's own treaty in regard to its future relationship with the UK.

[RustyZ4]

Just read this post,,,,,,

Im not going to join in the political debate,, but I will say one thing that I find has been missing for a long time,,

For years we have had "grey" politics, and the backlash of that, many people showing very little interest or passion for any political stance ,, now with what's going on in the world, trump, Brexit, even Corbyn, we have lively debate and younger as well as older people showing passion for it, and that is good, long as you show respect for someone else's opinion and don't get closed minded

[sp3ctre]

Thread unlocked... let's keep it civil please

[Chris_D]

Thread unlocked and er, censored it seems.
I was all waiting for the handbag-swinging scrap in the carpark offer to drop into the thread.

[jabber]

To be honest I have given up hope on brexit now, I voted leave under the stupid idea that our political leaders and the EU leaders would negotiate a sensible agreement meeting the views of the British electorate (both leave and remain) ending with a strong new partnership with the EU but not part of it which in my mind would be the best option for all. It would appear depending on which news outlet you read we are going to either be part of the EU but with no input on rules etc or an apocalyptic fall of a cliff