Farage NEW PM

[Witton Park]

That would be incredible. Very interesting. I wonder what the odds are on the Brexit party getting a majority of MEPs then them having to sit in the European parliament for another 2 years while we ask for yet another extension.

On that subject, I notice things have gone pretty quiet on the Brexit negotiations front. "Yes, it's very important and all that, but we'd like a few days' holiday first." There's nothing like a deadline to focus minds.

Incredible and not very scientific of course, but I'd say in a period where we have had almost daily poll updates, the polls seem to have dried up in the last week or so.
I wonder why?

My own assessment a few months back was that if we ended up in the EU elections, around 70% of Tory voters would jump ship and around 30% of Labour voters to a Brexit Party, which seems most likely The Brexit Party now.

There will also be Remainers deserting the two because of their lack of clarity, the middle ground approach doesn't work on an issue that is polarised.

Turnout will be a key factor. Pro EU might be seen as more likely to vote than Leavers.

But I can easily see a 30% + vote for the Brexit Party, Labour dropping to mid 20s and Tories maybe even under 20%

The UK contingent in the EU Parliament is already pretty anti EU as UKIP won the 2014 EU election, so the balance won't change a great deal from our perspective.

But the balance may change elsewhere, with many of the 27 becoming more Eurosceptic, not in the majority perhaps, but there is a shift.

France will be interesting. Macron wants more EU, but not sure the French public do.

[Wheeze]

DT, I really can't understand your comment that we are a small insignificant island that's becoming a laughing stock.
Like it or not we build the largest empire the world has ever seen, spread the rule of law, democracy and religion to many parts of the world and created lingua franca for global business and science. Even more than that we have managed the very difficult job of dismantling that empire as fairly as possible. Yes, terrible things happened but we did the best we could. As a result we had and retain a global standing head and shoulders above many larger countries.
I abhor all those nationalist groups. But neither will I accept this wonderful place being bad mouthed or trivialised.

[Witton Park]

DT, I really can't understand your comment that we are a small insignificant island that's becoming a laughing stock.
Like it or not we build the largest empire the world has ever seen, spread the rule of law, democracy and religion to many parts of the world and created lingua franca for global business and science. Even more than that we have managed the very difficult job of dismantling that empire as fairly as possible. Yes, terrible things happened but we did the best we could. As a result we had and retain a global standing head and shoulders above many larger countries.
I abhor all those nationalist groups. But neither will I accept this wonderful place being bad mouthed or trivialised.

full agree. I've travelled a fair amount and the UK is held in high regard wherever I go. It seems to be held in less regard more here than overseas.

[Derby Tup]

I’ve travelled a fair bit too including all over Europe plus S / SE Asia and agree the UK is held in high regard in many countries. The Empire is history, as is sadly large scale manufacturing but we still have fantastic modern innovative technology. Many of my UK customers produce fantastic goods that are largely under the public radar. My concern is that we are likely to be seen as ‘smaller’ and less important outside of Europe than within. Also our indecision following the referendum farce cannot be helping out image overseas. Do we want to be in Europe or not?

[Muddy Retriever]

Also our indecision following the referendum farce cannot be help. Do we want to be in Europe or not?

Where you see indecision I only see a refusal of our political class to enact a clear democratic decision. We should be out by now.

By the way, at the risk of sounding like a stuck record, did anybody see Question Time last night? A 4:1 Remain panel yet again. It included Vince Cable and Caroline Lucas whose views you could barely get a fag packet between. Only Gimli the dwarf represented the Brexiteer standpoint.

Can anybody imagine a Question Time Panel that had both Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Mogg on it?

[Derby Tup]

You should stop watching QT Muddy; it only makes you cross

[Muddy Retriever]

You should stop watching QT Muddy; it only makes you cross

I know, I've been thinking the same.

[Muddy Retriever]

You should stop watching QT Muddy; it only makes you cross

I've already had to give up watching Have I got news for you. My wife does't like me shouting at the telly. As I grow older I'm finding myself morphing into Inspector Grim from the Thin Blue Line.

[Wheeze]

I’ve travelled a fair bit too including all over Europe plus S / SE Asia and agree the UK is held in high regard in many countries. The Empire is history, as is sadly large scale manufacturing but we still have fantastic modern innovative technology. Many of my UK customers produce fantastic goods that are largely under the public radar. My concern is that we are likely to be seen as ‘smaller’ and less important outside of Europe than within. Also our indecision following the referendum farce cannot be helping out image overseas. Do we want to be in Europe or not?

Quite agree the indecision is testing everyones patience. But it does not diminish what we were or are. The future is what we make it. I think, given our island heritage and mentality we might be able to make it more suited to ourselves than if we were directed by an external superstate (I was going to say a committee of 27 but didn't want you accusing me of apeing Oracle!

[Oracle]

I think blame should go to the right people.
Ever since day 1 barnier refused to discuss trade, or future relationship in clear violation of article 50, now refuses to discuss even the withdrawal agreement. It is this hopeless ideological intransigence that was part of why many of us Voted leave. Remain and reform is impossible because EU refuses to reform.

The indecision is the refusal of remained MPs to accept the fact we have to say no.

As regards the bigger picture , we are still a massive economy. Like Australia and Canada.
Being outside EU has done singapore no harm which is part of the vision many of us have of what we should become , when free of EU shackles. Singapore has massively outperformed the EU. And that is what terrifies EU: our succeeding and outside their control, and is why they want us tied to their customs union, so they can control us.

I’ve travelled a fair bit too including all over Europe plus S / SE Asia and agree the UK is held in high regard in many countries. The Empire is history, as is sadly large scale manufacturing but we still have fantastic modern innovative technology. Many of my UK customers produce fantastic goods that are largely under the public radar. My concern is that we are likely to be seen as ‘smaller’ and less important outside of Europe than within. Also our indecision following the referendum farce cannot be helping out image overseas. Do we want to be in Europe or not?