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Category: Sovereignty

2016 revisited

I came across a Linkedin post that wrote just before the referendum in May 2016 entitled “Should I Stay or Should I Go“. It attracted a lot of commentary including a 2916 word essay from one chap who outlined all the benefits of Brexit. I was reminded of the article and struck by just how inaccurate his predictions were. I reminded the chap of this, an HR professional, now retired. He replied that it was a casual comment and not an essay. He then became angry as I called him to account and phoned me up to tell me to ‘lighten up”. Why would I when he has ruined future generations’ futures? Later on he removed his comment and left Linkedin to cover his tracks. I confess that this was not my finest act of Brexorcism, but nonetheless, I’m sure his essay will have appeared to have weight. I’ve summarised it here as an interesting record of Brexit illusions. The trouble is, he still believes them!! Here is a summary of the main illusions that Paul has swallowed:

TRUE : We are not leaving NATO et al

FALSE : Security implications of Brexit remain unclear

FALSE : Border and travel issues are a major source of Brexit problems

FALSE : The UK economy will benefit by Billions – in fact the reverse is true

FALSE : Farming is a shitshow under Brexit and has hardly begun. Fishing the same

FALSE : Human rights are significantly reduced under Brexit

FALSE : European workers have not continued to flock here under Brexit. We are yet to see the full impacts in transport, NHS, care, hospitality, construction and so on

FALSE : Jobs and production will not move out of UK. We have seen a steady stream of jobs leaving the UK under Brexit and again this is just the beginning

TRUE : We never lost our sovereignty. The withdrawal act stated it on the first page of the document

TRUE : You cannot eat sovereignty

Cross Party Alliances

Paul Bowers, our parliamentary lobbyist has produced an excellent letter to promote All-Party Parliamentary action on the EU which we may customise (attached).

We seek to target wobbling Tories as a first tranche and, of course, opposition parties.

Please go to the Google sheet and populate the sheet with details of relevant MPs and add your name if you plan to write to your MP.

Here is the letter to customise:

[Name] MP

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

Dear [MP]

All-Party Parliamentary Group on European Union

I am writing as a constituent to ask you to consider setting up an All-Party Parliamentary Group on the European Union.

[I am a member of {name of activist group}]. I voted Remain in the 2016 referendum, and I have campaigned on the issue ever since.

[Insert personal connection here – In addition, my husband is Estonian; I have fond memories of studying at the Sorbonne; I once ate a croissant … ]

As you know, leaving the EU has damaged the UK’s fishing communities, threatens our farmers and food security, has cost eye-watering sums for financial services, harmed our creative industries, and forced many exporters either to scale down or to relocate. The Government’s encouragement of relocation is as much an admission of failed policy as are its plans to support retraining for farmers. Brexit has also damaged UK democracy, reduced our standing in the world, stigmatised EU nationals, and divided our country.

I believe that membership of the European Union is a necessity for the UK.

However, the response of the major political parties to the result of the 2019 general election risks creating a vicious circle of despair. Many voters wish to rejoin the EU, but feel that this is not possible because politicians are not showing leadership to that end. They feel politically homeless.

If no voice in Parliament even addresses the damage of our loss of membership, nor points out the opportunities presented by new developments within the EU, such as the growth of the green and digital sectors from the ambitious NextGenerationEU recovery and transformation plan, we will not be in a position to take advantage promptly of any opportunity to promote membership that might arise.

According to the APPG Register of 2 June 2021, there are Groups on individual European countries, on Erasmus and on Reuniting Britain Post-Brexit, but not on the EU itself.

As you may know, Article 11 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides that the European Parliament and the UK Parliament may establish a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly “to exchange views on the partnership.”

In its Resolution 2021/2658(RSP) of 28 April 2021, the European Parliament endorsed this, envisaging an Assembly which would monitor implementation of the TCA, and suggesting that its remit include “the right to submit recommendations for areas where improved cooperation could be beneficial for both parties and to take joint initiatives to promote close relations.”

An APPG could support this work, and undertake a number of other roles:

  • Raising awareness of the damage caused by Brexit and the broken promises of Brexiteers
  • Channelling constituents’ views on policies that might reconcile them to EU membership
  • Creating a basis for lobbying within your own party in an effort to shift the leadership towards Rejoin
  • Representing the experiences of EU national constituents and their children
  • Providing scrutiny of the TCA, now that the Government has abolished the Commons Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union
  • Commissioning research, providing spokespeople to the media and promoting an informed view of the EU, life outside, and the accession process
  • Providing a conduit to Parliament, through external membership, for informed activists
  • Contacting the Conference on the Future of Europe to discuss reforms that might help reconcile UK voters to a future return, and to stay in touch with new developments in the EU

I hope you will consider this suggestion positively, and speak to other Members about the possibility of creating an APPG on the EU. The longer we go on without one, the more glaring the omission, and the harder it will be for politicians to break the silence on this most vital of issues.

Yours sincerely,

[Name]

[Address]

Eurovision UK Winners

Eurovision UK Winner

This song and video need no explanation. Carrie Antoinette says it all. This Cliff Richard song was announced (by me) as the Eurovision UK Winner. Polite warning : Contains testicles from ITV Good Morning – do not drink or eat whilst watching in case of choking.

Eurovision UK Winner : Carrie

Arcuri disturbed you

When she was in the neighbourhood

About Jenny, I’ve got a picture in her pants

Can you take a look?

Oh, I appreciate you’re busy

And the money’s not your own

Yeah baby, maybe it would be better

If Dom telephoned

Carrie doesn’t live here anymore (Carrie)

Carrie used to room on the second floor (On the second)

Sorry that she left no forwarding address

That was known to me

So, Carrie doesn’t live here anymore (Carrie)

You could always ask at the corner store (Could ask)

Carrie had a date with her own kind of fate

It’s plain to see

Another missing person

One of Priti’s we assume

My chicks wear their freedom

Like cheap perfume

(It’s useless information)

Returning my call

(To help the situation)

They’ve nothing at all

(She’s just another conquest)

For the Bojo balls

Carrie doesn’t live here anymore (Carrie)

Carrie used to room on the second floor (On the second)

Sorry that she left no forwarding address

That was known to me, Carrie

Carrie doesn’t live here anymore (Carrie doesn’t live, doesn’t live here anymore)

Carrie used to room on the second floor (On the second)

Sorry, Carrie left no forwarding address

It’s a mystery