Opinion – U.K. Thinks Barnier Bluffing on No Brexit Deal for Banks – Bloomburg Politics


The problem with Theresa May thinking that Barnier's bluffing, is twofold: (1) May's team are the weaker negotiators;  and (2) the UK has the weakest hand. The conclusion is that May's too weak to bluff effectively in return. The Bloomburg Politics article is worth a read.

Source: U.K. Thinks Barnier Bluffing on No Brexit Deal for Banks – Bloomburg Politics

I’m still expecting one of two extreme Brexit outcomes: (1) A very hard Brexit; or (2) a very soft Brexit.

The Conservatives look like they’ll impale themselves on Brexit, with very unpopular terms and lose the next election, ushering into the UK’s first Marxist Government. But Tony Blair is again challenging Labour for being too weak on Brexit. It’s understandable that Labour’s trying to keep its powder dry but the powder may soon pass the expiry date. Perhaps the UK will avoid a Marxist government but with another Conservative government, post Brexit, expect a massive ramp up in austerity and further cut back in public services. Tony Blair’s international think tank is a must read for summarizing the prevailing evidence.

Views?

 

 

Tony Blair says Brexit can be stopped if UK leaders realise the EU will ‘meet us halfway’ | The Independent

Here’s an insightful read from the Independent. Citing Tony Blair, it suggests that Brexit can still be stopped if Britain’s leaders realise EU officials are prepared to “meet us halfway” on restricting the free movement of people. While the former Labour Prime Minister admitted there is “no groundswell” for a second referendum on membership of the EU, Mr Blair said it is possible that the will of the British people could change as the public becomes more aware of the potential economic damage of hard Brexit.

Source: Tony Blair says Brexit can be stopped if UK leaders realise the EU will ‘meet us halfway’ | The Independent

Although he’s a bit out of favour because of the Iraqi war, I still rate Blair as head and shoulders over the current team leading the Labour Party. Blair was an inspirational leader and was very much the man for his time. Of course, he had a huge political mandate, which he squandered but we know that politics has a corrupting influence. In the early days, he closely relied on focus groups, then he lived in rarefied air, removed from the people – the rest is history.

But Blair in his day was a top-class statesman and he’s right about Brexit. The thing is, Corbyn is more concerned with installing a Far Left Labour government, possibly as early as the Autumn 2017, rather than helping the UK make a better strategic case on Brexit. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are in ‘demob’ summer holiday mood, and they don’t seem to care that they don’t have an effective leader.

Thoughts?