Tears and cheers as EU lawmakers give final nod to Brexit

By Gabriela Baczynska and Jakub Riha

 

Britain's Ambassador to the European Union Tim Barrow delivers the instruments of ratification for Brexit, to European Council Secretary General Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman/Pool

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Parliament gave final approval to Britain's divorce from the European Union on Wednesday, paving the way for the country to quit the bloc on Friday after nearly half a century and delivering a major setback for European integration.

 

After an emotional debate during which several speakers shed tears, EU lawmakers voted 621 for and 49 against the Brexit agreement sealed between Britain and the 27 other member states last October, more than three years since Britons voted out.

 

Thirteen lawmakers abstained and the chamber then broke into a rendition of Auld Lang Syne, a traditional Scottish folk song of farewell. Britain's 73 departing EU lawmakers headed for an "Au Revoir" party in the EU chamber after the vote.

 

Earlier on Wednesday, Britain's ambassador to the EU handed documents formalising Brexit to a senior EU official. Against a backdrop of British and EU flags at the bloc's Brussels headquarters, Tim Barrow, smiling, passed over a dark blue leather file embossed with the emblem of the United Kingdom.

 

After protracted divorce talks, Britain will leave the club it joined in 1973 at midnight Brussels time (2300 GMT) on Friday, when British flags will be removed from EU offices and the EU flag lowered on the British premises there.

 

With a status-quo transition period running only until year-end, fresh talks - covering everything from trade to security - will begin soon on a new relationship.

 

"We are considering a zero-tariff, zero-quotas free trade agreement. But the precondition is that EU and British businesses continue to compete on a level playing field. We will certainly not expose our companies to unfair competition," European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen told the chamber.

 

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier told envoys of the remaining 27 members earlier on Wednesday that a loose association agreement like the EU has with Ukraine should serve as the basis for new relations, diplomatic sources said.

 

"We will not give ground on issues that are important to us," Barnier said, according to sources briefed on the closed-door meeting.

 

"THE UK DIDN'T FIT"

On his last working day as a member of the European Parliament, leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage told reporters there was "no going back" once the UK leaves.

 

"The UK didn't fit, we'd be better off out," he said, describing euroscepticism as a settled view in the UK, where "Leave" won the 2016 referendum by a narrow 52 to 48 percent margin.

 

He said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised him there would be no so-called 'level playing field' clauses on fair competition in the new EU-UK deal, highlighting a major point of contention with the bloc in the coming talks.

 

As Farage beamed, his Brexit Party lawmakers waved goodbye to the chamber with mini Union Jack flags and chanted "Hurray!", but their Socialist compatriot Jude Kirton-Darling choked back tears.

 

"It's probably the saddest day of my life so far. Brexit is something that attacks the very foundation of our identity," said Kirton-Darling, who plans to stay in Brussels with her Belgian husband.

 

Guy Verhofstadt, a liberal EU lawmaker from Belgium and a staunch europhile, lamented Brexit as a historic debacle: "It's sad to see a country leaving that twice liberated us, twice gave its blood to liberate Europe."

 

As a new reality dawns on Europe from Saturday, the UK's Permanent Representation to the EU, or UKRep, will become a foreign mission - already dubbed "UKmissEU" by some.

 

(Additional reporting by Marine Strauss, Yves Herman and Christian Levaux, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by John Chalmers and Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-30

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They tried every trick in the book to prevent this and failed on every count ????

That was quick...

Quote

"It's probably the saddest day of my life so far. Brexit is something that attacks the very foundation of our identity," said Kirton-Darling

Cry me a river, you silly lady! And speak for yourself; it is not our identity and never was. 

Those crying it's more likely because they won't be getting paid anymore by the gravy train

Quote

Guy Verhofstadt, a liberal EU lawmaker from Belgium and a staunch europhile, lamented Brexit as a historic debacle: "It's sad to see a country leaving that twice liberated us, twice gave its blood to liberate Europe."

And yet you repeatedly berate the place that would lead to said freedom, and to enjoy a comfortable life at the expense of massive net contributors like the UK. Suck it up but don't come whining for thrice liberation when Putin starts carving you up.

thank god, finally this nonsense will end... 

Finally.

 

The will of the people overcame the political elites, the globalist corporations and the anti democratic federalists. And they did it through the ballot box with huge patience and dignity despite being demonized by the losing side, a spiteful vocal minority who refused to give losers consent.

 

An epic victory for Democracy.

 

 

Quote

 Brexit Party lawmakers waved goodbye to the chamber with mini Union Jack flags and chanted "Hurray!", but their Socialist compatriot Jude Kirton-Darling choked back tears.

 above quote translated to emojis

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 but their Socialist compatriot Jude Kirton-Darling choked back tears.

 

"It's probably the saddest day of my life so far. Brexit is something that attacks the very foundation of our identity," said Kirton-Darling, who plans to stay in Brussels with her Belgian husband.

more likely crying over the loss of wages and pension, and expenses

3 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Cry me a river, you silly lady! And speak for yourself; it is not our identity and never was. 

"It's probably the saddest day of my life so far. Brexit is something that attacks the very foundation of our identity," said Kirton-Darling, who plans to stay in Brussels with her Belgian husband."

 

No ulterior motive there then.

 

Well, finally...that is finally the UK government can resume (dare I say) 'normal' function of what it is supposed to be doing. Perhaps the UK can get back to some kind of stability and begin building on old relationships and a few new ones too.

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

And yet you repeatedly berate the place that would lead to said freedom, and to enjoy a comfortable life at the expense of massive net contributors like the UK. Suck it up but don't come whining for thrice liberation when Putin starts carving you up.

2017, the net contribution to the EU budget was 0.47% of the UK GDP. That's not exactly massive. And the positive impact of the 0.47% UK contribution on the UK GDP itself is multiple.

If you can calculate, it helps in many cases.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

After protracted divorce talks, Britain will leave the club it joined in 1973

Which worked well until bureaucrats became involved and turned it into a monster that only serves itself!

Yup. You Brexiteers won. Well done.

Now you just need to deliver on ALL the promises made and deal with the consequences of your actions.

England and the people who identify themselves as English will be on their own from now on. Well, not all alone, as it's best buddy Wales will be forever with England on this new journey, which is about to start.

 

Go and conquer the world, like in the good old times! 

1 hour ago, TheDark said:

England and the people who identify themselves as English will be on their own from now on. Well, not all alone, as it's best buddy Wales will be forever with England on this new journey, which is about to start.

 

Go and conquer the world, like in the good old times! 

Well there is a vastly diminished industrial base already, which is getting smaller all the time. The city, our greatest earner,  will have to threaten 7 shades of hell to Boris for us to keep a foot in the EU financial market. Maybe conquering the world again would be a great plan for all those who still believe in the Empire..............whoops we don't have the armed forces to do it. Maybe we should take a leaf out of Mexico's book and revert to being the greatest drug pushers in the world as we were in the 19c. The hedge funds would love it.

Edited January 30, 20206 yr by Nigel Garvie
spelling

8 hours ago, webfact said:

 

He said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised him there would be no so-called 'level playing field' clauses on fair competition in the new EU-UK deal, highlighting a major point of contention with the bloc in the coming talks.

I always thought Farage was a moderately intelligent, though rather common sort of Arthur Daily creep in the Home Counties "Gin and Jaguar belt" style. Now he believes something Boris told him.......I think he needs medical help.

2 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

2017, the net contribution to the EU budget was 0.47% of the UK GDP. That's not exactly massive. And the positive impact of the 0.47% UK contribution on the UK GDP itself is multiple.

If you can calculate, it helps in many cases.

Classic "remain"! 

 

A statistical arguement which is meaningless if 1) you don't refer to exactly what the UK GDP is, 2) you make no comparison with the GDP or GDP% paid by other member states, 3) it makes no attempt to demonstrate or prove what the "positive impact" is, other than a vague reference to a " multiple"!

 

Then you end with a bit of abuse -suggesting that anyone who disagrees with you is stupid!

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

"It's probably the saddest day of my life so far. Brexit is something that attacks the very foundation of our identity," said Kirton-Darling, who plans to stay in Brussels with her Belgian husband.

If possible, she can even ask to no longer be British.
I am French but I regret on this one, not to be English ..
Our rulers in France have no balls;
The Europe of the "six" was certainly a beautiful thing, but it had to stay that way.

57 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

If possible, she can even ask to no longer be British.
I am French but I regret on this one, not to be English ..
Our rulers in France have no balls;
The Europe of the "six" was certainly a beautiful thing, but it had to stay that way.

Maybe she is enthused by the prospect of an "Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals", looked forward to, if I recall, by one of your countrymen on this forum. An idea, which over the centuries, has sprung from various attempts at "European Unity" albeit one which has never really ended well!

Is this time for the gloat dance, or are we saving that for Saturday?

1 hour ago, MRTELLYOUSTRAIGHT said:

I think this belongs on the climate change/Greta thread!

Actual footage of the British lion leaving the EU.

 

 

 

missed the chunnel on his way back to foggy islands

 

watch out Farage

 

 

EU singing farewell to UK.

 

 

13 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Cry me a river, you silly lady! And speak for yourself; it is not our identity and never was. 

My identity is British and has been for the last 75 years.

 

Beyond that I am English, and proud of it, and also a man of Wessex.

2 hours ago, Nigel Garvie said:

I think this belongs on the climate change/Greta thread!

Nah, it is in the correct thread.

Yeah baby. Only took 47 years!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWa-6g-TbgI