Brussels Refuses to be Dragged Into UK Debate
Not wanting tobe gragged into UK politics, the EU will wait until MPs debate the Brexit deal to Make Extension Decision.
EU ambassadors agreed on Sunday morning that the withdrawal agreement would be sent to the European parliament on Monday. MEPs could vote on it on Thursday if the Commons has given its approval by then.
The bloc’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said when leaving the Sunday morning meeting with ambassadors that the EU’s ratification process was continuing as “normal”.
The European council’s president, Donald Tusk, will spend until Tuesday consulting the heads of state and government about their appetite for a further Brexit delay. Ambassadors for the EU27 did not discuss the issue on Sunday morning.
The chair of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee,
The chair of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee, Norbert Röttgen, a senior member of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, tweeted: “Johnson sent the letter, asking EU leaders for another Brexit extension. The European council should now grant a final long one, giving the UK time to sort itself out & to prepare for all possible resolutions including a second referendum. Meanwhile [the] EU could deal with other pressing issues.”
The European parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, will only ratify the deal after it has been approved by the Commons.
MEPs will next sit on 14 November unless an extraordinary session is scheduled, making 30 November a potential new Brexit day should the Commons have approved by then., a senior member of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, tweeted: “Johnson sent the letter, asking EU leaders for another Brexit extension. The European council should now grant a final long one, giving the UK time to sort itself out & to prepare for all possible resolutions including a second referendum. Meanwhile [the] EU could deal with other pressing issues.”
The European parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, will only ratify the deal after it has been approved by the Commons.
MEPs will next sit on 14 November unless an extraordinary session is scheduled, making 30 November a potential new Brexit day should the Commons have approved by then.
It’s important not to get distracted by outside interference by those with no say in the matter like Norbert Röttgen suggestion above.
The EU’s decision to hold off an extension is what matters.
Operation Yellowhammer – Preparing for No Deal
Michael Gove told Sky News: “The risk of leaving without a deal has actually increased because we cannot guarantee that the European council will grant an extension. And that is why I will, later today, be chairing a cabinet committee meeting, extraordinarily on a Sunday, in order to ensure that the next stage of our exit preparations and our preparedness for no deal is accelerated.
“It means that we are triggering Operation Yellowhammer. It means that we are preparing to ensure that if no extension is granted, we have done everything possible in order to prepare to leave without a deal.”
Double Binary Choice
The best way forward, since the EU has not yet responded is for Johnson to now withdraw his extension request, replacing t with a short extension request for the sole purpose of debating the deal “as is” with no modifications, plus any time needed for the EU to hold one meaningful vote.
This would then put “No Deal” first squarely in the hands of the UK, and assuming passage, then squarely in the EU.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
I have a question for the great minds here, we are about 14 hours from the second reading of the WAB, it is now 6:15 pm in London, and once the second reading fails the WAB will be open for amendment. The remainers will of course pile on to change the deal unilaterally and that means the EU would then have to approve of all changes, as would the government, but, I am thinking to change such a delicately crafted deal would the exact same thing as killing it. With one possible exception, they could tack on a provision that requires that deal as negotiated will pass except that the people get to have a approve/veto Brexit vote, can Johnson stop that? Or, can the Queen? Because we know the EU will not and neither will the courts which are now clearly among the most biased in the world.
Boris’ deal sucks.
link to spiked-online.com
Once a deal is in place and the UK is no longer an EU member the deal can be changed, at least with time, but the important thing right now is not the content of the “DEAL” but to simply get out once and for all, even that is looking like a miracle since the remainers are selling the very bricks of Buckingham Palace to keep the UK in the EU.
Where did this all get started? Cameron was not an EU skeptic but his base of conservatives was. In fact Brexit was then so popular that he could not get reelected without promising a Brexit vote once and for all and the remainers were so confident of a win that they went along with it.
To the shock of everyone, even those that wanted to leave Brexit won.
That is all that really needs to be said. If you want to dissect internal parliamentarian politics in the UK go for it.
But, Mish is an American and so am I in spite of my Irish passport. We see history from a bit of a different perspective, remember when poor old Chamberlain went to Munich and came home with a piece of paper he waved at cameras and declared that paper meant “peace in our time?” That poor old bastard was getting just what Johnson is, what he has to deal with, partisan politics that did not allow him to face down Germany when it counted, substituting appeasement for reality and declaring a win when all it really did was guarantee the human slaughter of Europe yet again.
America gets a bad rap in the modern EU for isolationism back then, had we come to your rescue early WWII might have ended quickly or been averted all together. But why in god’s name would we come to your rescue when you play such games as you do? YEARS after the people vote to invoke article 50 you are still diddling each other like French whores. And refusing to pay.
This is EXACTLY the type of parliamentarian bullshit that was going on in the rise of the Hitler years that made America say no thank you, and the same was true for the first years of WWI. Why on earth would anyone put any faith or trust in Europe or it’s institutions when this sort of year after year back stabbing game playing goes on?
Time once again for an isolationist America, and a Europe that gives rise to yet more death and concentration camps and utter hell, because that is all the EU is good for.
Well said
I’ve gotten to the point where I’m just sick and disgusted of the whole affair. The only interest left for me is the thought of Keir Starmer trying to negotiate with the DUP.
The US should start looking after itself more. Time to close down more of those completely unnecessary bases dotting the peaceful countryside of central Europe. Trade wars might not be winnable but I believe the US should have a policy of reciprocity. Want to force technology transfer China, well guess what happens to all those Huawei patents.
I don’t know, have you taken a good hard luck at how popular and functional congress is lately?
Boris’s Surrender Deal is not Brexit. The horrors in the Political Declaration include handing over our fisheries; aligning our economic regulations; aligning our taxation; following the EU’s foreign policy; and joining the EU’s military operations. And the actual Withdrawal Agreement cites a duty to use “best endeavours” to implement the political declaration, thus making the whole thing legally binding. Add on £33bn for nothing, the measures to push Ulster out of the Union, the fact that EU pensions will be non-taxable, and ECJ’s role in adjudicating everything in the political declaration — and this is just not Brexit. It does allow the UK to agree lower tariffs in trade with the US. That is all it does. It also ties up permanently to control by the EU.
We are doomed
And for remainers making life difficult. Would have got far better deal if we were all united.
Labour now trying to amend the Withdrawal Agreement.
That is the action I thought they would take—they are playing a dangerous game.
Why dangerous? They are quite likely to win the numbers to attach 2nd referendum. If that happens i don’t know what the people make of it.
Because if the EU doesn’t grant a delay, the result will be a hard Brexit, with Remainers directly responsible for it. And an election likely coming soon.
The Queen could refuse consent of amendments to the proposed leave agrement on the grounds that Parliament is compelled to honor the referendum that resulted in leave.
Yes, royal assent is required for a bill to become an Act. There is also the possibility of the government seeking to withdraw the bill if it is amended—not sure how that procedure works in the House of Commons.
But I really doubt that a bill requiring a second referendum would have the votes to pass. In fact, it is quite likely the government has the votes to pass the withdrawal bill on Monday.
I guess it’s not over until it’s over. We’ll just have to see where things end up. I suppose the pound rally Friday, on the news of a deal, will be reversed Monday, though, since we are back to not having a deal.
Mish raised an interesting question, to which no one has responded. The Benn Bill required Johnson to send a request for extension, which he did. Mish suggests that the Benn Bill does not say that, after the request is sent, it can not be revoked if it is not accepted. Now, it seems obvious that there might be a VoNC on him if he did that, but it seems that he could do it.
Per Johnson, this is a parlament letter not HMG. So, he could agrue he has not asked for the extention, so he would not be accepting it from EU. Legal wranglings will take time which no one would have, so that it how no deal can happen. The key issue is if Boris accepts back the extention from EU or not…
I suspect it’s more like that if the EU offers an extension which HMG finds counterproductive – because presumably contrary to ongoing discussions – then he can serve them Notice that the extension request, coming as it did only from Parliament but not the Executive Branch is not binding in International Law (moreover it was under duress = Strike II) and therefore he is hereby challenging their offer of an extension because it comes without the consent of UK PM. That will only buy a few days, though and, although correct, will no doubt lose in this current Supreme Court.
It does look like the EU is saying they will provide an extension – though you never know if one leader will offer a surprise veto. And if they do and it stands, then an orderly No Deal won’t happen this go around.
So the current Deal needs to be passed – even if there are quite a few voices claiming it’s a terrible deal despite the ERG’s endorsement.
As always, the real problem is that the UK is working with a Remainer Parliament and a corrupt Speaker. So they are doing all they can to get something over the line now if possible, presumably betting on being in a much better negotiating position later and with no more ‘Leave-vs-Remain’ debates ruining everything.
Let’s see what speaker rules tomorrow… I am sure EU in in contact with him advising the best actions… He may allow Boris to bring the vote again in hope that there will no more amendments.
Boris has started loosing votes now as the realities of his deal are becoming known slowly…
Reading various analysts, it seem unless the speaker helps him, Boris’s deal can be delayed by procedures…
EU will extend – there is no option if not deal..
The key question if Boris is really ready for no deal – I am not sure he is ready…
Yes, we’ll see. But it looks to me like unless Team Boris can use jiggery-pokery to achieve No Deal exit on October 31st that this thing is going to drag on for a very long time: Labour is not calling a GE whilst Tory poll numbers indicate Labour is going to get wiped out. And with this anti-HMG Speaker, there is no end of torture he will mete out. And if Boris resigns, then they’ll find a way to revoke Article 50 – which they might find a way to do soon anyway. People are getting so tired of it, there is soon going to be a ‘return to normalcy please’ vote out there, and the only way to make it all go away is to….
Remain.
Well, we see a looming deadline and a lot of last minute struggling to get a deal that the Parliament torpedoes, then an extension by the EU to try again, then nothing for a while, then a lot of struggle to get a deal as the deadline nears which Parliament then torpedoes, and another extension from the EU….
This is in fact what has happened and is happening and will happen till the deal they finally get looks exactly like NOT leaving at all.
The only reason for the EU to continue to agree to more extensions is if they believe Brexit will ultimately be withdrawn given enough time, and if that is the outcome they are aiming for. If that is not what the EU wants, then any exit deal offered to Great Britain should only get worse from here. Either way, it looks like those who voted for Brexit are being given the finger by British Parliament.
I’m Convinced Boris had done a deal with the EUSSR to finish this once and for all
the deal
£39BN + 2 yr extension so £39+£30=£69 BILLION
irony of the Remainiacs being screwed over by their beloved EUSSR
that will be peak
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Time for the Brexit Party to wreak havoc in Brussels.
Veto as much as possible.
Slash and burn till the EU stops what little marginal function it has, but then that is the problem, UK can veto everything and shut the EU down, but who would notice? After all the ECB is the real ruler. Legarde would probably appreciate London’s efforts since it would get the EU Council out of her way once and for all.
This isn’t about a people’s vote any longer. It’s about political parties and people choosing a side; you’re either for sovereignty and selfdetermination and respect for democracy, or you pledge your allegiance to a bureaucratic, corporate elite. Incidentally, it’s the right/conservative party versus left/progressives/liberals, which does make it a tiresome partisan wackjob too.
And the more it’s being delayed and the more real democracy is trampled, the more it’s getting personal. The U.K. truly is one of the worst countries I could imagine living in and their tendencies for censorship, suffocating political correctness, supression of opinions and policing society is beyond disgusting. Tell me again, how many CCTV cameras do you have installed and STILL your society is riddled with crime, stabbings and a breakdown of trust and cohesion. Again, the people’s vote isn’t the problem, because they’ve given instructions to their representatives and clearly, the opposing side is trampling that vote.
‘Let’s have another referendum’….fuck it, let’s have 27 referenda until we get the outcome we prefer….And in the meantime, the damages you’ve caused in the economy continue to mount, the trust and credibility in politicians has never been lower and the outright hatred for the EU has reach peak level.
Congratulations, England. You’ve gone from having an Empire to being the laughing stock of the world.
And let me be know in the annals of history that I loathe this corporate, unelected and dictatorial union
totally agree….
The truly sad reality of it all is that Britain has lead the way of Western European democracy for centuries…and she continues to do so….
She well down the road, out in front and we are all following….
The ‘ruling class’ will not go down easily….
Welcome my son to the Democratic facade…
‘Let’s have another referendum’….fuck it, let’s have 27 referenda until we get the outcome we prefer…
Hey, it worked when they wanted to shove the Treaty of Lisbon down Ireland’s throat.
Barroso, Junker, Tusk, Kinnock, Mandelson et al. ended up with their snouts in the EU trough only because they were nominated or supported by their native countries. In some cases (like Junker) they were glad to see the back of them.
People like Hammond have no chance in Europe, they’ll get indirectly black balled by either a Tory or Labour government even once we are out. Maybe Starmer might get a letter of recommendation, but the chance of there being a Labour government to do that is vanishingly small.
.
you forgot the belgian Van Rompuy who got elected president because of his insignificance (‘with the charisma of a damp rag’, Farage said) and then Guy Verhofstadt, shrewd and fckn corrupt, the guy that ruined Belgium during his
national presidency and got rich in the process, then running off to the EU circus , asylum for failed national politicians where corruption is legal….Great playground !
“The European council should now grant a final long one, giving the UK time to sort itself out & to prepare for all possible resolutions including a second referendum. Meanwhile [the] EU could deal with other pressing issues.”
See? This is their game, extend and delay till the UK finally votes to end Brexit, and there is historical evidence of this as when Ireland was blackmailed into a second referendum on the ToL.
Brussels Refuses to be Dragged Into UK Debate
Brussels is the ONLY obstacle to Article 50, the remainers in Parliament are dogs on the Franco-German leash.
I think this comes down to France, most likely. The Germans, of course, don’t want the UK to leave, so they will do all they can to aid the Remaimorons- this is why they pushed publicly for a “final” long extension- they are trying to buy time.
I think Macron was dead serious, though- this is it- pass this deal or leave without one. I have written it over and over- the Remaimorons need to actually do the things that stop Brexit, not this bullshit delay nonsense. They need to either do a VoNC and replace Johnson with a Remaimoron, or they need to bite the bullet and revoke Article 50. But they won’t do these things- they seem to still think they can get a 3 way 2nd referendum where they will split the Brexit vote between No Deal/Deal Brexit where Remain can win a plurality.
As a net contributor, France is less likely to actually want Perfidious Albion, another net contributor, to leave; as much as they hate the Brits, the French don’t want to have to pick up the slack left behind should Brexit actually happen.
As for Gove’s comment, “… we cannot guarantee that the European council will grant an extension” … sure we can. The unofficial logo for the EU is a boot kicking a can down the road.
The nightmare facing Remainer MPs is that the UK does withdraw, an election is finally held and they are voted out of office. The EU has long been where failed national politicians go for their next sinecure. Barroso, Juncker, Prodi, Tusk etc exemplify the ability of washed up provincial politicians to climb onto the EU lifeboat to further their careers. If the UK leaves what will the Grieves and Hammonds do?
“If the UK leaves what will the Grieves and Hammonds do?”
They could learn to code.
That would take basic literacy. Which is something any higher office or position in financialized, progressive dystopias, actively selects against.