tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post8641142878724566663..comments2024-03-26T22:57:21.033+00:00Comments on Random Views: Might it be a soft Brexit after all?David Beesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00393977902379776532noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post-63942666497263792552017-12-10T21:30:29.804+00:002017-12-10T21:30:29.804+00:00The way I think it may play out is that Britain wi...The way I think it may play out is that Britain will make further concessions - bigger concessions than the EU will make, though it too will move away a little from its starting position: in other words, we shall see a classic negotiation between a powerful party and a weaker one, in which the UK will at last begin to understand that it arguing from a weak position. The effect of that will be to come up with a deal which will leave us with some at least of the advantages of EU membership, in the arena of trade at any rate, perhaps even in freedom of movement, at the cost of our accepting things that to the more passionate Brexiters will seem intolerable.<br /><br />With support from the majority of both the Labour and Conservative parties, such a deal could get parliamentary approval. Hence my belief that a glimmer of hope has appeared.<br /><br />However, what it will mean is that the major conflict will become one between diehard Brexiters and the rest. They're powerful, they're passionate, they're united in pursuit of one, simple aim. I can't say with certainty they'll be beaten. Amusingly, ironically indeed, they may end up being the people demanding a new referendum. That would be a vote to give the electorate not the right to reject Brexit altogether, but to choose between whatever the government negotiates and a hard Brexit.<br /><br />I can't pretend to know how that would turn out (the conflict: there might or might not be a referendum, and I'm not sure how that would turn out either). <br /><br />So the situation is still fraught with dangers and far from clear. But I feel a little encouraged...<br /><br />I'm not sure if that feels too much like an evasion to you. It really is as definitive as I can be - and I really can't be definitive.<br />David Beesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00393977902379776532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post-40127792416809603052017-12-09T21:52:16.500+00:002017-12-09T21:52:16.500+00:00OK I agree with most of that but not all. Tell me...OK I agree with most of that but not all. Tell me what is your prediction as to how the rest of the game will play out and what the end result will be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post-10522995333154265492017-12-08T21:17:24.187+00:002017-12-08T21:17:24.187+00:00Oh, it could lead to nothing at all. I don't d...Oh, it could lead to nothing at all. I don't deny it. But just for now, at least, there are a couple of important principles it sets for the future of the negotiations:<br /><br />1. Britain isn't running the table. It has to make concessions.<br />2. To make the whole thing work at all, we're going to have to accept quite a lot of parity with the EU on regulations. Which will help us dodge a bullet in trade terms but leave us in the stupid position of having got no independence from Brexit, merely lost our voice in determining the regulations we live by.<br /><br />In other words, we may avoid the worst consequences of Brexit, and by doing so, made its ridiculous nature clearer than ever.David Beesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00393977902379776532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520303675367700778.post-75919260965613278542017-12-08T21:08:25.068+00:002017-12-08T21:08:25.068+00:00Are you sure, I think absolutely nothing was agree...Are you sure, I think absolutely nothing was agreed other that a form of ambiguous words that didn’t offend the other side but allowed total wriggle room in any future conversation on a non binding vague conversation. Time will tell but time is a long long way off yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com