The backstop is there to keep the UK as a captive market for EU goods. And especially Ireland.

All you need to understand is that 85% of Southern Irelands exports cross that border compared to less than 0.5% of ours. And the UK have categorically stated that they will not impose a hard border and are even willing to waive any tarrifs that might be due.

The issue is purely political and designed solely to retain the UK as the customer for a variety of EU companies.

As I have said on many occasions I get why the EU are so keen. What I cannot, for the life of me, fathom is why May and her cohorts were so willing to acquiesce. Makes no sense from a British POV because you cannot allow a foreign power to have a veto over who you do or do not trade with. The border in economic terms is nothing to us. A blip. Even with the 'hardest' of borders in place there still would be no passports required because of the Common Travel Area agreement which was in place long before the EU was a twinkle in some old Europeans eye.

This is solely about the EU wanting to cripple us from making new trade deals which will bring in cheaper goods for us and mean we buy less of their over-priced produce.

Nothing more, nothing less.

You need to understand that for sections of the EU hierarchy Brexit represents a far bigger problem than just trade.

I have always expressed a rather heretical view in Leaver circles that actually it would probably be in the UK's interest to continue to pay the EU 'x' amount every year just to maintain the status quo in terms of borders and so on, with of course us being free to do our own trade deals. The reality is that the UK is a wealthy nation, with a healthy commercial culture and is actually rather well positioned, for a variety of factors, to benefit more and more from increasing globalisation.

You could even make an argument that perhaps we could still look to protect Irish agricultural imports into the UK market because once again, we do owe Ireland a duty of care of a sorts. And helping others build up their infrastructure and so on has a genuine long term benefit for the UK, even once we have left the EU but for those at the heart of the EU project, our departure represents a serious crisis of confidence. We leave and thrive and it throws a complete spanner into the wider EU project because others might want to join us.

Hence the EU simply cannot allow us to depart without kicking up a huge stink. It needs to punish us and so far, has been aided and abetted in that by our Remainer political establishment. Absolute treachery by any measure in my opinion and May and her circle will be judged by history accordingly. Not only the worst PM ever but the one who actually sort to betray this country.

Logic would dictate a trade deal and one that is easily done. But this is the EU. An institution that ups sticks every month to spend 4 days in Strasbourg for no logical reason. Absolute insanity that by itself tells you all you need to know about the dysfunction at the heart of it.

Edited by Matov (06 Aug 2019 8.15pm)

You need to understand that for sections of the EU hierarchy Brexit represents a far bigger problem than just trade.

I have always expressed a rather heretical view in Leaver circles that actually it would probably be in the UK's interest to continue to pay the EU 'x' amount every year just to maintain the status quo in terms of borders and so on, with of course us being free to do our own trade deals. The reality is that the UK is a wealthy nation, with a healthy commercial culture and is actually rather well positioned, for a variety of factors, to benefit more and more from increasing globalisation.

You could even make an argument that perhaps we could still look to protect Irish agricultural imports into the UK market because once again, we do owe Ireland a duty of care of a sorts. And helping others build up their infrastructure and so on has a genuine long term benefit for the UK, even once we have left the EU but for those at the heart of the EU project, our departure represents a serious crisis of confidence. We leave and thrive and it throws a complete spanner into the wider EU project because others might want to join us.

Hence the EU simply cannot allow us to depart without kicking up a huge stink. It needs to punish us and so far, has been aided and abetted in that by our Remainer political establishment. Absolute treachery by any measure in my opinion and May and her circle will be judged by history accordingly. Not only the worst PM ever but the one who actually sort to betray this country.

Logic would dictate a trade deal and one that is easily done. But this is the EU. An institution that ups sticks every month to spend 4 days in Strasbourg for no logical reason. Absolute insanity that by itself tells you all you need to know about the dysfunction at the heart of it.

Edited by Matov (06 Aug 2019 8.15pm)

Whatever the outcome the majority will be unhappy although I suspect a few will make a (financial) killing in ways that I can't comprehend.

An expected stand off at this point really.

We are in a phoney war until September. Lots of spinning and even journalists making s*** up to fill column inches or dead airspace.

But then...could be interesting.

I suspect Johnson will try to set the agenda. Saw a report being quoted from Bloomberg that sources from within the German Government are quietly confident that Parliament will somehow block 'No Deal'.

But I am still at 90% certain that we are heading for another General Election as I cannot see anyway around it. Johnson needs to reboot the party anyway in terms of getting rid of a swathe of current MP's and even if he loses, I suspect he will remain in charge and look to ride the wave of rage that will come about if we do not leave.

Because this what Remainers don't seem to grasp. Brexit only goes away after we leave. Yes, they can subsequently campaign for us to rejoin and that is a perfectly legitimate political ambition but if they scupper the vote from June 2016 then Brexit just continues to fester away, infecting any and every aspect of British political life. There is no return to the status quo. Everything changed on June 23rd 2016. And the sooner people understand that the better.