Britse politiek #35 - There is no Alternative.

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Watching a Country Make a Fool of Itself

No country in the world has cultivated arrogance the way Britain has. But the sad truth is: The former global power can't even find its way to the door without tripping over its feet.

In his book "We Germans," journalist Matthias Matussek writes about an evening spent at the German Embassy in London. The ambassador was hosting the writer Antonia S. Byatt as his guest of honor and Matussek was on hand to make a toast to the author. In response, she surprised him by asking what he thought of the idea of a European constitution. Matussek answered by saying it's probably not such a bad idea if the European community of nations agrees on a few foundational principles.

Lady Byatt then said: "You know, we British don't need a constitution. We are the oldest democracy in the world." She paused briefly before continuing: "For young countries like you Germans, constitutions could very well be useful." It would be almost impossible, writes Matussek, to overstate the haughtiness and contemptuousness that dripped from her voice. "Essentially, she was saying," he writes, "you are barbarians, you have only recently put down your cudgels. You need the leash."

Such are the British, and we love them for it. They are never short of an answer and constantly ready to put someone in their place. The problem, though, is that if you act like you are the center of the world, you should actually be the center, or something close to it. As things currently stand, though, the British soon won't even be within shouting distance of the center of Europe.

The United Kingdom is currently demonstrating how a country can make a fool of itself before the eyes of the entire world. What was once the most powerful empire on earth is now a country that can't even find its way to the door without tripping over its own feet.

It has now been 28 months since the British voted to pull out of the European Union. Unfortunately, they haven't taken a single step further since then.

Nothing But Sympathy

When Theresa May shows up in Brussels with yet another Brexit-related proposal, you can be sure that just one day later, it will no longer be worth the paper it is printed on. She either presents ideas that Brussels has long since rejected or her plans have already been chucked in the round file by her own party. Or Boris Johnson has torn her apart in his column in the Telegraph.

Until recently, I felt nothing but sympathy when I would see the British prime minister wander in front of the camera at EU summits, with her crooked smile and kooky offers. Lately, though, I have been catching myself thinking: "Go with God. But go!"

No deal is better than a bad deal? If the British are convinced of that, then it must be true. A hard Brexit would also cost us a fair bit, there is no question. But it is nothing compared to what is awaiting the British.

There has been no shortage of articles about what the golden future will look like that London has promised British citizens. First, the trucks will back up all the way to Wales because the borders are back. Then the petrol stations will run out of petrol and there will be a scarcity of drugs in the hospitals. Meanwhile, once all the Polish plumbers have gone back home, there will nobody to call when the toilet clogs up. [...]

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De Britse regering heeft afgelopen tijd vaak gezegd dat zíj compromisvoorstellen gedaan had, en dat Brussel nu maar moest bewegen. Alsof dit een ‘gewone’ onderhandeling is, waarbij je elkaar uiteindelijk ergens in het midden ontmoet. Maar zo zit het niet. Tot nog toe is er weinig onderhandeld, behalve bijvoorbeeld over een calculatiemethode om de Britse financiële bijdrage (40 miljard euro of meer) te bepalen. Voor de rest was het aan het Verenigd Koninkrijk om te bepalen wat het wilde. Douane-unie? Volledige interne markt? Onderwerping aan het Hof? Bij elke optie liet Brussel dan weten welke rechten en plichten daarbij horen.

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Op zaterdag 20 oktober 2018 16:38 schreef Falco het volgende:
670.000 Britten in Londen om te protesteren tegen de Brexit. Das behoorlijk wat .

[ afbeelding ]

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Op zaterdag 20 oktober 2018 16:45 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:

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Zeker, maarja, het is wel Londen he... Dat was altijd al remain.

Hoe zit het met andere steden?

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Theresa May faces 'show trial' by Tory MPs

Theresa May will this week face a last-ditch fight to save her leadership as rebel Tory MPs demand she attend a high-stakes ‘show trial’.

The Prime Minister has been urged to confront disgruntled backbenchers at a crisis meeting – but was given the chilling warning that she should ‘bring her own noose’ to the showdown as rivals step up their campaigns to succeed her in No 10.

Rank-and-file MPs last night told Mrs May that she was in the ‘last chance saloon’ and called on her to face them at their 1922 Committee meeting on Wednesday.

And they threatened that if she didn’t put in an ‘uncharacteristically powerful, persuasive and coherent’ performance, she could face a vote of no confidence within days.

twitter:

robertshrimsley twitterde op zondag 21-10-2018 om 14:19:06 Tory MP on May in SunTimes: "The moment is coming when the knife gets heated, stuck in her front and twisted. She'll be dead soon". What kind of person talks like this? reageer retweet

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Op zondag 21 oktober 2018 14:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:
En wie gaat het overnemen?

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Op zondag 21 oktober 2018 14:43 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Niet dat hij iets meer voor de bakker krijg in Brussel.

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Op zondag 21 oktober 2018 14:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:
En wie gaat het overnemen?

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Op zondag 21 oktober 2018 14:52 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Het maak trouwens geen bal uit. Er zijn iets van vijf smaakjes Brexit waaruit ze kunnen kiezen. Denken dat een ander poppetje in nr.10 iets meer gaat bereiken dan May is naïef.

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Op zondag 21 oktober 2018 14:32 schreef Nintex het volgende:

twitter:

robertshrimsley twitterde op zondag 21-10-2018 om 14:19:06 Tory MP on May in SunTimes: "The moment is coming when the knife gets heated, stuck in her front and twisted. She'll be dead soon". What kind of person talks like this? reageer retweet

Nou afwachten dan maar

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Theresa May enters 'killing zone'
Tories tell PM she has 72 hours to save her job

A Tory rising star today issues a call to arms for MPs to oust Theresa May, saying Britain cannot be led by someone guilty of an "abject failure to govern" at such a defining moment in our history.

Writing in The Sunday Times, Johnny Mercer says he "cannot continue to support an administration that cannot function" on issues from Brexit to the Grenfell Tower disaster and the Windrush scandal.

He spoke out as numerous Tory MPs said May was on course to face a vote of no confidence this week as all wings of the party united against her.

An ally of David Davis, the former Brexit secretary who is tipped as an interim leader, said May was entering "the killing zone". One who hopes...

Want to read more?

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Op zaterdag 20 oktober 2018 16:06 schreef DestroyerPiet het volgende:
Ik vond dit artikel op NRC

https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws(...)handelingen-a2670853

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Europa gaat echt niet zijn interne regels aanpassen omdat we Engeland ten dienst willen zijn.

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Op zondag 21 oktober 2018 16:32 schreef tomatenrood het volgende:

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En toch is dat imo wel wat we gedurende het Britse lidmaatschap van de EU wel gedaan hebben: Het VK ten dienst willen zijn.

Het VK mocht altijd de cherries picken: Wel/geen euro, Wel/geen Schengen, Wel/geen justitiele en militaire samenwerking, uitzondering op het Europees Sociaal Handvest.

Wat betreft de berekeningsformule van de contributie aan de EU, is er voor het VK tot de dag van vandaag zelfs een speciale regeling omdat Thatcher ooit schreeuwde dat ze een kortingsregeling wou.

Nu krijgt het VK voor de verandering eens de deksel op de neus.

De EU vind dat ze wel genoeg voordeeltjes hebben weggegeven.. Maar rupsje nooitgenoeg - verwend tot op het bot - ziet dat natuurlijk niet zo.