Brexit deadlock as No 10 insists EU must scrap backstop before talks

[brooklynite]

Source: The Guardian

Boris Johnson’s government has played down the idea of fresh Brexit talks with the EU unless Brussels first agrees to reopen the entire withdrawal agreement and scrap the Irish backstop, both of which have been repeatedly ruled out.

In a stance that appears to place the UK more firmly on course for a no-deal departure on 31 October, Downing Street said there were no new Brexit talks scheduled, and that Johnson was “clear what the basis for those discussions needs to be”.

His spokesman said: “I don’t have a date to point you towards. The PM has been very clear that he is ready to begin having those discussions, but obviously the key point is the withdrawal agreement is not going to pass parliament, so that is going to mean reopening the withdrawal agreement.”

He added: “He will be energetic and front-footed in seeking a deal, but if a deal is not possible, we will be leaving.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/26/brexit-deadlock-as-no-10-insists-eu-must-scrap-backstop-before-talks

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A plane isn't technically crashing until it hits the ground...

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Johnson doesn't see No Deal as a crash, since it helps him get Brexit Party voters

They want to be out of the EU as quickly as possible, and are quite happy with No Deal, since they don't care about a recession at all, in comparison with cutting EU links. Indeed, many of them probably prefer No Deal, since ideologically, it's an even more extreme cutting of EU relations.

So Johnson would then be able to get a lot of the voters currently eyeing Farage's Brexit Party back to the Tories (most will have voted Tory in the last general election), which gives him a chance of getting a majority in a new election, perhaps relying on the DUP again (who like No Deal for the same "screw you" feeling as the Brexit Party and many Tories have).

The last day that Corbyn may be able to hold a vote of No Confidence in Johnson, that then causes an election before Oct 31st, is Tuesday 3 September - the very first day that the Commons comes back from its summer recess, which started today. I'm not even sure if he can schedule a vote on that day, in which case Johnson can let No Deal happen just by doing nothing. Only if the rest of the Commons takes complete control of parliament business, draws up an actual law to prevent No Deal (rather than just a motion telling the government not to do it), and guides that law through its whole legal process, before Oct 31st, could it be stopped. And no fragmented opposition has ever done that, I think.

No Deal is almost certain, now.

That would please Brexit Party voters, and Johnson might then feel he can hold an election. He'll worry about the recession after that. If he got through the election, he might have 5 years in charge, or until the mess he creates causes the Tory MPs to kick him out.

[comradebillyboy]

2. So hard Brexit it is.

[saidsimplesimon]

3. A train wreck

with fires, explosions and many lives(financial prosperity)lost.

[TygrBright]

4. Do they realize how close the last Scottish Independence vote was?

Congratulations, BoJo, for smashing apart the no-longer-United Kingdom.

I wouldn't be surprised if Wales didn't scarper for the exit as well.

Not that England hasn't earned a serious karmic debt of having ALL their conquered peoples kick them to the curb, but it's going to mean a f***ton of misery all around.

disgustedly,
Bright

[Grokenstein]

5. God Emperor Lumpy Gammon and God Emperor Dummy Boy

Boris thinks he's dictating the terms to the EU, just like Donald thinks he can shove European countries around. It's almost as if Putin has an idiot-cloning laboratory.

[BootinUp]

6. This is like the bad guy holding a gun to his own

Head and threatening to shoot unless the cops let him escape.

[Blue_Tires]

7. I guess someone forgot to tell Boris that London isn't holding any cards

Right now he's got a three, a seven, an eight and a jack all in different suits...

[Yavin4]

8. A No Deal Brexit will lead to Severe Austerity in the UK

The UK's entire Social infrastructure (See National Healthcare) will be gutted and privatized. Things are going to get real ugly, real quick.

[yardwork]

12. That's the goal.

[turbinetree]

9. SO Boris with your libertarian party(tories) in control with only the simple fact that

you won 0.13% to get in the home at #10 Downing, my two questions are, (1) are you cleaning up after yourself after you are salivating all of the former furniture that your hero sat in Churchill, after all he was also a racist:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/02/03/the-dark-side-of-winston-churchills-legacy-no-one-should-forget/?utm_term=.b6817ee0046c


(2) When are going to go back into the chamber and stand at the well and say..................the country must cut programs.................you did get the message that Airbus and Nissan are leaving right, that means loss of jobs.....................because May screwed up trying to be like Thatcher and Cameron was just a complete ass.....................trying to be like Thatcher....................and as for you, your just a nationalist with just a tinge of austerity racism................and I wonder if your tory blackmail will work...................me thinks not.................

[ucrdem]

10. Well they can always go back to raising sheep.

Good money in goat cheese too.

[BlueIdaho]

11. Time for talks is over.

Pound Sterling will sink like a stone. Boris is a prat.