'Collaborators' are undermining Britain's Brexit bet, PM says

[webfact]

'Collaborators' are undermining Britain's Brexit bet, PM says

By William James and Guy Faulconbridge

 

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures during a speech on domestic priorities at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, Britain July 27, 2019. Lorne Campbell/Pool via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday some British lawmakers hoping to block Brexit were engaged in "terrible" collaboration with the European Union by undermining London's negotiating hand and so making no deal more likely.

 

Hours after senior lawmakers said they would seek to prevent any attempt to ignore parliament over Brexit, Johnson used a question-and-answer session on Facebook to attack them.

 

"There is a terrible kind of collaboration as it were going on between those who think they can block Brexit in parliament and our European friends," Johnson, who has been hailed by the U.S. president as "Britain's Trump", said on Facebook.

 

"We need our European friends to compromise and the more they think that there's a chance that Brexit can be blocked in parliament, the more adamant they are in sticking to their position," Johnson said.

 

Johnson's use of the word "collaborator" has historical echoes for Britons given the use of that epithet for people who cooperated with Nazi Germany during World War Two.

 

"Shameful language of fascism and authoritarianism from liar Johnson + unelected advisors - plain and simple. European neighbours are our friends not 'enemy' to 'collaborate' with," Labour lawmaker Stephen Doughty said on Twitter.

 

Johnson's comments followed remarks by former finance minister Philip Hammond that parliament will block a no-deal Brexit if unelected people behind Johnson try to wrench Britain out on Oct. 31 without agreement.

 

Parliament will block a no-deal Brexit if unelected people behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson try to wrench Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 without agreement, former finance minister Philip Hammond said on Wednesday. But, as Francis Maguire reports, there is support for no-deal from U.S. government figure John Bolton.

Parliament can stop a no-deal Brexit - the words of Britain's former finance minister Philip Hammond Wednesday (July 14).

That as fears grow among lawmakers Prime Minister Boris Johnson will try to bypass or suspend parliament to force through a disorderly Brexit.

Speaking to the BBC, Hammond criticised Johnson's demand to remove the Irish border backstop in negotiations with the EU.

And warned unelected advisers around Johnson wanted no-deal on October 31st.

(SOUNDBITE) FORMER BRITISH FINANCE MINISTER, PHILIP HAMMOND, SAYING:

"Pivoting to say the backstop has to go in its entirety, a huge chunk of the withdrawal agreement just scrapped, is effectively a wrecking tactic. The people behind this know that that means there will be no-deal."

No-deal has at least one supporter in U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton.

He said a partial trade deal between the UK and U.S. could take effect on November 1st - a day after Britain is due to leave the EU.

The Prime Minister talked up the apparent opportunities.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, BORIS JOHNSON, SAYING:

"In my experience, the Americans are very tough negotiators indeed and we will do a great deal with them and it will open up opportunities for UK businesses, particularly services companies in the U.S. But yes, it will be a tough old haggle but we'll get there."

As the Brexit debate drags on, data released Wednesday showed Britain's inflation rate unexpectedly overshot the Bank of England's 2% target, raising the cost of living even before sterling's recent slide had a chance to feed into prices.

Britain's Office of National Statistics said it's too soon to identify weaker sterling as the main factor behind July's rise in inflation.

Though that may be of little comfort for British consumers as Brexit uncertainty grows.

 

The United Kingdom is heading towards a constitutional crisis at home and a showdown with the EU as Johnson has vowed to leave the bloc in 78 days time without a deal unless it agrees to renegotiate a Brexit divorce.

 

After more than three years of Brexit dominating EU affairs, the bloc has repeatedly refused to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement which includes an Irish border insurance policy that Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, agreed in November.

 

Hammond, who served as May's finance minister for three years, said unelected people in Johnson's Downing Street office were setting London on an "inevitable" course towards a no-deal Brexit by demanding the Irish backstop be dropped.

 

"The people behind this know that that means that there will be no deal," Hammond told the BBC. "Parliament is clearly opposed to a no-deal exit, and the prime minister must respect that."

 

LAWMAKERS' RESOLVE

The former minister's first public intervention since resigning indicates the determination of a group of influential lawmakers to thwart Johnson if he goes for a no-deal Brexit.

 

Hammond said he was confident parliament, where a majority oppose a no-deal Brexit, would find a way to block that outcome.

 

It is, however, unclear if lawmakers have the unity or power to use the 800-year-old heart of British democracy to prevent a no-deal Brexit on Oct. 31 - likely to be the United Kingdom's most consequential move since World War Two.

 

Opponents of no deal say it would be a disaster for what was once one of the West's most stable democracies. A disorderly divorce, they say, would hurt global growth, send shockwaves through financial markets and weaken London’s claim to be the world’s preeminent financial centre.

 

Brexit supporters say there may be short-term disruption from a no-deal exit but that the economy will thrive if cut free from what they cast as a doomed experiment in integration that has led to Europe falling behind China and the United States.

 

Heading towards one of the biggest constitutional crises in at least a century, Britain's elite are quarrelling over how, when and even if the result of the shock 2016 referendum will be implemented.

 

Part of the problem is that Britain's constitution, once touted as a global model, is uncodified and vague. It relies on precedent, but there is little for Brexit.

 

The House of Commons speaker John Bercow told an audience in Scotland that lawmakers could prevent a no-deal Brexit and that he would fight any attempt to prorogue, or suspend, parliament “with every bone in my body”.

 

Johnson, who replaced May after she failed three times to get her Brexit deal through parliament, has refused to rule out proroguing the House of Commons and Brexit supporters have vociferously encouraged him to do so if necessary.

 

Johnson's top advisor, Dominic Cummings, has reportedly said he could delay calling a general election until after Oct. 31, even if he lost a no confidence motion, allowing for a no-deal Brexit while parliament is dissolved.

 

Clearly with him in mind, Hammond said there were people "who are pulling the strings in Downing Street, those who are setting the strategy." Cummings declined to comment to Reuters.

 

(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-15

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[Kadilo]

So the EU have outbluffed him so now it’s time to blame someone else. 

[Samui Bodoh]

"...'Collaborators' are undermining Britain's Brexit bet, PM says..."

 

"Collaborators"? Really? Why not label your opponents 'Traitorous Back-Stabbers'? Or 'Enemies of the State'? Or go on about how they have 'Betrayed the People'? Or worse (history can provide some of the more vile and odious phraseology)?

 

Hey UK! Do you realize that after you are done ripping yourselves apart, you will need to mend the differences and work as a team again? Especially when you have driven away your largest markets and many of your friends, partners, allies and acquaintances?

 

I have said it before and will say it again...

 

Never before have I seen a country so utterly determined to shoot itself in the crotch

 

 

 

[Topdoc]

Some of these Tory 'collaborators' are privy councillors bound by a solemn oath and yet they have spoken in private with Brussels and have declined to reveal the nature of their discussions.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Shameful language of fascism and authoritarianism from liar Johnson + unelected advisors - plain and simple. European neighbours are our friends not 'enemy' to 'collaborate' with," Labour lawmaker Stephen Doughty said on Twitter.

Well said.  

[Chang_paarp]

Welcome to the real politics of being a leader Boris, you wanted it so badly.

 

Remember the old adage "Careful what you wish for, it might come true."

[Joe Mcseismic]

He now realizes that he's not going to get what he wanted and is setting up others to take the blame.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, BORIS JOHNSON, SAYING:

"In my experience, the Americans are very tough negotiators indeed and we will do a great deal with them and it will open up opportunities for UK businesses, particularly services companies in the U.S. But yes, it will be a tough old haggle but we'll get there."

Wanna bet...

 

Brexit: No chance of US trade deal if Irish accord hit - Pelosi https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49348062

 

[bannork]

 

[OneMoreFarang]

And the blame game goes on.

Divide and conquer - yeah, great idea - or maybe not?

[OneMoreFarang]

In a way I am surprised that they don't have huge demonstrations every day, or at least every weekend, in the UK.

It must be a horrible situation when you see that your so called elected leaders tear the country apart.

[tomacht8]

BJ does not have to be surprised.
He has no parliamentary mandate for his No Deal Brexit.

[Jip99]

2 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

BJ does not have to be surprised.
He has no parliamentary mandate for his No Deal Brexit.

 

 

The mandate for Brexit does not come from parliament, it comes from the people.

 

 

Parliaments job is to execute that mandate.

[Chomper Higgot]

Brexit in a nutshell;

 

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

[SheungWan]

 
 
The mandate for Brexit does not come from parliament, it comes from the people.
 
 
Parliaments job is to execute that mandate.

Parliament's job is to do whatever the elected MPs tell it to do, not some concoction made up by Brexiteers.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SheungWan]

Wanna bet...
 
Brexit: No chance of US trade deal if Irish accord hit - Pelosi https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49348062
 

Trade deal with the US is a dead duck if the Good Friday agreement is undermined. And it will be with no backstop. The Irish border issue hasn't gone away. Boris can clown about all he wants and the Brexiteers with him, but no go, chaps.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[tomacht8]

4 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

The mandate for Brexit does not come from parliament, it comes from the people.

 

 

Parliaments job is to execute that mandate.

This is new to me, that there was a binding referendum for a no deal brexit.

 

But this discussion has already been done too well.

 

A further referendum with clearer mandate formulation should then be carried out.

[Chomper Higgot]

9 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

The mandate for Brexit does not come from parliament, it comes from the people.

 

 

Parliaments job is to execute that mandate.

Parliament’s job is to represent all the  people, regardless of who/what they voted for or indeed if they voted at all.

 

It’s not ‘winner takes all’ and certainly not in the case of an advisory referendum mired with the ‘winning side’s’ electoral fraud.

[stephenterry]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Parliament’s job is to represent all the  people, regardless of who/what they voted for or indeed if they voted at all.

 

It’s not ‘winner takes all’ and certainly not in the case of an advisory referendum mired with the ‘winning side’s’ electoral fraud.

As far as Brexit goes, it's parliament's mandate to decide what's best for Britain. Hopefully, that would be at worst, a deal, followed at best by a dissolution of Johnson, his right-wing cronies, the Tory party and their supporters who can take their skewed and obscene version of Brexit and shovel it where the sun don't shine.

[metisdead]

A post in violation of the following forum rule has been removed:

 

8.) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

[thirdleg]

16 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

Trade deal with the US is a dead duck if the Good Friday agreement is undermined. And it will be with no backstop. The Irish border issue hasn't gone away. Boris can clown about all he wants and the Brexiteers with him, but no go, chaps.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Dream on

[kingdong]

29 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Brexit in a nutshell;

 

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

yeah the eus

[bristolboy]

6 minutes ago, thirdleg said:

Dream on

Right. Because it's only Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and leader of the Democratic majority, who said so. What is her word compared to that of John Bolton, or, for that matter, Donald Trump's?

[kingdong]

21 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Parliament’s job is to represent all the  people, regardless of who/what they voted for or indeed if they voted at all.

 

It’s not ‘winner takes all’ and certainly not in the case of an advisory referendum mired with the ‘winning side’s’ electoral fraud.

cameron made it clear before the referendum his government would honour the result,he then went on to spend nearly 10 million ponds of taxpayers money on a project fear leaflet delivered to every house hold in the uk,[don,t recollect the leave party recieving state funding to put their point of view over} so wheres the "electoral fraud"?

[thirdleg]

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

Right. Because it's only Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and leader of the Democratic majority, who said so. What is her word compared to that of John Bolton, or, for that matter, Donald Trump's?

She's talking about if Brexit undermines the GFA.

Brexit has nothing to do with the GFA, how many times do people on this forum need to be told. It's like an echo chamber for frothing simpletons

[david555]

11 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Right. Because it's only Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and leader of the Democratic majority, who said so. What is her word compared to that of John Bolton, or, for that matter, Donald Trump's?

So... the Brexit "exit" is now exported to U.S.A. politics in their "stalemate" system , looks like a typical "anglophile polarization politics" problem , learn to compromise is the urgent message....that up or down system does not work anymore in 21 century

[bristolboy]

4 minutes ago, thirdleg said:

She's talking about if Brexit undermines the GFA.

Brexit has nothing to do with the GFA, how many times do people on this forum need to be told. It's like an echo chamber for frothing simpletons

The GFA agreement was concluded when both Eire and the UK were members of the EU. Pretending that this common membership in the EU was irrelevant to forming the basis of the agreement is the froth of simpletons.

[Opl]

14 minutes ago, kingdong said:

yeah the eus

If so, then let EUs negotiate directly with the U.S...

[stephenterry]

5 minutes ago, thirdleg said:

She's talking about if Brexit undermines the GFA.

Brexit has nothing to do with the GFA, how many times do people on this forum need to be told. It's like an echo chamber for frothing simpletons

Perhaps you'd like to read this before rectifying your incorrect assertion, and impolite reference to posters on this forum.

 

https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/TheGoodFridayAgreementBrexitandRights_0.pdf

[thirdleg]

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

The GFA agreement was concluded when both Eire and the UK were members of the EU. Pretending that this common membership in the EU was irrelevant to forming the basis of the agreement is the froth of simpletons.

Brexit will not undermine the GFA, end of story, absolute red herring and you know it