Great Deal for the EU, Not the UK
On November 26, Trump proclaimed the Brexit Agreement ‘Sounds Like a Great Deal for the EU’.
“I think we have to take a look at seriously whether or not the U.K. is allowed to trade. Because, you know, right now if you look at the deal, they may not be able to trade with us and that wouldn’t be a good thing.”
May Refuses to Publish Brexit Deal Legal Advice
Theresa May has refused for over a week to post the legal review of the Brexit agreement she signed. Instead she posted allegedly “sufficient” excerpts on which Parliament could make a decision.
According to the Guardian, the excerpts “will be sufficient information for any MP to make up their mind on the legal aspects of the deal before the upcoming five-day debate, and that it keeps to the protocol that full advice is seen as confidential between lawyer and client.”
Thus, Trump made an educated guess. And he guessed correctly. Because the leaked document proves May is a bald-faced liar.
Leaked Document
Here is the Complete Withdrawal Agreement leaked document.
I salute the person responsible for the leak.
Damning Assessment of May’s Lies
BrexitCentral offers this assessment: Leaked Commons legal analysis of Brexit deal vindicates Trump, contradicts May and adds to Brexiteers’ concerns.
The Government is already on the rack over its refusal to publish the legal advice provided on the Brexit deal by Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox, despite a parliamentary motion ordering it to be done. But ministers now face further questions as it emerges that a confidential analysis of the Withdrawal Agreement by the House of Commons’ own expert legal team comes to the same conclusion as President Trump – that Theresa May’s Brexit deal would prevent the UK from entering trade deals with countries such as the US.
The bombshell is contained in a 27-page legal note prepared by the House of Commons EU Legislation Team, which is headed by Arnold Ridout, its Counsel for European Legislation. A highly respected specialist in EU Law, he has previously worked for the EC Commission’s Legal Service and advised the European Secretariat of the Cabinet Office and prior to taking up his current role in 2014, he was Deputy Legal Adviser to the House of Lords EU Select Committee.
The note – marked ‘not for general distribution’ and obtained by BrexitCentral – is dated 26th November and states that the UK-EU customs union which would come into effect if the backstop is triggered “would be a practical barrier to the UK entering separate trade agreements on goods with third countries”.
This is in direct contradiction to the Prime Minister who has insisted that her deal will allow the UK to have an entirely independent trade policy.
The legal note also appears to suggest that the Prime Minister’s claim (also repeated last Monday) that her deal “takes back control of our laws” by ending “the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the UK” with “our laws being made in our Parliament, enforced by our courts” does not entirely stand up to scrutiny.
Another section in the document which caught my eye concerns what happens when the proposed Joint Committee (of representatives of both the EU and UK) which supervises the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop cannot reach a consensus on certain issues:
“Both UK and EU are represented on the Joint Committee, so no decision may be made without the UK’s agreement. This may not be the same thing as the two parties having equal power, as the aims of the parties will matter. If the Joint Committee is unable to reach a decision, in some circumstances, that will block next steps. The party that wants those next steps to occur, will then be at a practical disadvantage. By way of example, i) the Joint Committee sets the limits of state aid that can be authorised by the UK for agriculture. If limits are not agreed, state aid may not be authorised.”
In other words, in those circumstances the UK would not be free to set levels of subsidy for UK agriculture, but the EU would remain free to adjust its Common Agricultural Policy however it liked. EU products would therefore have open access to the UK market via the customs union, while Brussels could stop us subsidising agriculture at all unless it was agreed in the Joint Committee.
Lies Exposed
With that, May’s lies are exposed to all in full view. Was she that stupid to think this was a good deal? Was she that stupid to think this would not be exposed?
Apparently so. Never underestimate the arrogance or stupidity of politicians.
Hypocrite Theresa May in Bed With the EU While Chastising the UK Parliament
This was crystal clear long ago. On November 30, I wrote Hypocrite Theresa May in Bed With the EU While Chastising the UK Parliament.
Rotten Kettle of Fish
<May tells the House of Commons they have a “duty to listen to their constituents before taking a decision in the national interest”. This deal is such a rotten kettle of fish that even the public sees clearly sees it. What an amazing hypocrite.
Demands Will Never End
On November 18, I noted Opposition Mounts to Brexit Deal but France Has Still More Demands Already.
Flashback November 16
No it’s not the “final deal”
The “final deal will be worse”
This interim deal keeps the UK tied with one hand behind its back until the “final” humiliation.I offer this musical tribute:https://t.co/BW1Pjje8pk https://t.co/BEYEbY4tt0
— Mike “Mish” Shedlock (@MishGEA) November 16, 2018
Those seeking a musical tribute to this mess can find it here: Brexit Musical Tribute: Smiling Faces Show No Traces of Evil That Lurks Within
Macron Threatens to Keep EU in Perpetual “Temporary” Customs Union Backstop
On November 26, I noted Macron Threatens to Keep EU in Perpetual “Temporary” Customs Union Backstop
Macron added to his climate change demand, upping the ante to include fishing rights.
“We as 27 have a clear position on fair competition, on fish, and on the subject of the EU’s regulatory autonomy, and that forms part of our position for the future relationship talks,” said Macron.
Clearly, Macron understood what was in the agreement that May signed.
May Purposely Lied
May not only knew what she signed, she lied about it.
And this was all easily predictable. The moment she refused to release the legal document, anyone with an ounce of common sense knew she was hiding something.
It was even worse than I speculated.
End of Theresa May
This is the political end of Theresa May. She deserves to have this agreement crammed down her throat in 100% dissent.
That won’t happen, but the margin should be so huge, that she resigns.
Even if she does not resign, her days are numbered.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
MIsh: Don’t assume the US is immune to global fallout
Please explain!?
But here is the solution:
“A Solution to Great Britain’s Brexit Problem Dr. Gary North – November 15, 2018
Prime Minister May says that she has reached an agreement with the European Union.
The agreement is 585 pages long. Every time politicians vote to implement a 600-page document that was written by high-level bureaucrats, the liberties of the citizens of that nation decline. The devil is in the details, and there are a lot of details for the devil to get into.
She got it through her cabinet. Now she has to get it through Parliament, which is going to be a challenge. The pro-Brexit people hate conciliation, and the Remainers don’t want to agree to anything remotely like Brexit.
She was never a big fan of Brexit. She is going along with the whole thing grudgingly. She has stalled an agreement for almost 2 years.
If Parliament won’t vote for her agreement, then Britain will depart from the EU on March 29. It’s automatic.
I have a solution. Parliament does not have to accept any agreement. No agreement is necessary.
Here is my Brexit solution. Parliament votes for this law.
Her Majesty’s government adopts a policy of zero tariffs and zero import quotas, beginning tomorrow.
That’s it? That’s it!
There would be no negotiations with foreign countries. There would be nothing to negotiate.
If exporters located in EU countries want to sell something to the Brits, good for them. If there are Brits who like the products and accept them, good for them.
Tariffs are simply sales taxes on imported goods. Anytime a government cuts taxes, that is positive.
Revenues to the government would fall. This is also good.
Import quotas don’t generate any revenues. There shouldn’t be any import quotas.
Would trade go up between buyers in Great Britain and sellers in the European Union? You bet it would. Everybody likes to be able to sell at a discount, and, overnight, exporters to Great Britain would find that their goods now sell at a discount. No sales taxes are tacked onto the goods.
Would this be good for British buyers? Of course. Who wants to pay sales taxes?
Would financial companies leave Great Britain? No. Why should they? All of a sudden, the whole world would want to sell goods to residents of Great Britain. The doors would be open wide. If it’s good for trade, it’s good for finance.
If Great Britain did this, its economy would not sink. Other countries in the European Union would figure out that the benefits of staying inside the EU don’t compensate for the liabilities associated with the surrender of national sovereignty. Anyway, a substantial minority of voters in those countries would figure this out. All it would take would be a policy of zero tariffs. In other words, all it would take would be a reduction of taxes. “We’re outta here!”
No nation needs to sign a 600-page agreement in order to leave the EU profitably. It simply leaves the EU, abolishes tariffs and quotas, and starts trading.
Come one, come all! Let’s make a deal!”
There is nothing more to be said! Done!
The goal was never to negotiate a good deal for Brexit. The goal from the beginning was to make such a mess of the process that the a second referendum can be held so that the Remainers get a second bite at the apple. In that light, everything May has done was intentional, including this leak of the analysis.
Really, ask yourself- what would May have done different if she wanted to scuttle Brexit?
Europe is screwed. A bunch of socialist countries who will have an endless supply of non productive, uneducated, radical citizens who want to be taken care of.
The politicians bicker over a result they didn’t want in BREXIT while a far more serious problem is occurring.
Expecting a bunch of semi-educated government boobs to come up with a workable exit agreement was never realistic. If the kind of people running the EU/EEC knew what in hell they were doing Europe wouldn’t be the mess it currently is. The same can be said of the political class globally.
“Seriously, it’s hard to care. This may be important to some Brits but it’s just trivial here.”
Incorrect attitude. Don’t assume the US is immune to global fallout. Serious mistake. I have commented about US-Centric sentiment before.
It could easily be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We all suffer.
Don’t assume the US is immune to global fallout.’
Please elaborate. Thank you, Mish.
I think they will do anything to keep finance in the uk untouched as possible. That is really the most important thing for them
Brexit has been a 2 1/2 year nightmare for top Tory politicians. Cameron was able to resign with dignity somewhat intact, but May won’t be so lucky. It’s allowed the public a rare opportunity to see the strings pulling their politicians out in the open.
When faced with a choice of serving their fake constituents (UK voters) or their real ones (their paymasters, particularly in the banking sector) it’s a no-brainer to refrain from biting the hand that feeds them. What ensues is this pitiful spectacle of politicians dragging their feet while feigning incompetence, scrounging for any reason to avoid doing what the voters want. No reason to delay is too childish or stupid.
May has no choice but to fall on the sword if she ever wants another payday. Tough luck to come into office when she did, since so many others get to play the same role without being so publicly exposed.
It looked to the skeptical eye that Cameron had no intention of fighting for a ‘good deal’ with the EU prior to the Brexit referendum. His obvious pleasure when walking away from politics after his ‘negotiations’ made one wonder whether this hadn’t been his plan all along.
As for May, who cares what happens to her? The implications of a powerless UK tied to the EU (Germany) by the big toe are what matter – to US as well as Europe.
The Brits do not seem to know how to negotiate. Maybe they can get Trump to do it for them? First rule of negotiation: if you are not willing to say “screw it” and walk away from the table, you are guaranteed to lose.
Exactly, there is obviously some point at which a deal makes no sense. The only question is whether this deal is past that point for the UK.
Theresa May proved she could not walk away despite her saying a dozen times “a bad deal is worse than no deal”
Seriously, it’s hard to care. This may be important to some Brits but it’s just trivial here.
One of the reasons it is important is because other countries that would like to get out of the Union are watching to see what happens with Britain. Therefore, the fuhrers in Brussels cannot let England off easily.
Maybe this was a ruse so that Parliament would reject the agreement.
Put UK troops on the border. Stop all “asylum” seekers and turn them back to the EU. Sign true free trade agreements with Russia and America. Enforce UK fishing territorial rights with the navy.
Then BREXIT the very next day.
Couldn’t agree more.
You can’t let the person who hated BREXIT, lead the negotiations for BREXIT.
Come on!!
I wonder how much she stood to gain from the agreement being put into place?