December Council summit is judgement day
Peter Divey argues that should a Brexit trade deal remain out of sight come December's European Council summit, the UK must get up off its knees. Failure to do so would sacrifice yet more of our collective dignity.
December is our last chance for our Brexit. If the Trade deal is still out of reach then climb off the floor and walk away.
The UK is a laughing stock. At home and abroad. The EU sees nothing but a quivering and fawning coward. The rest of the World sees the same, and shake their heads in astonishment. Barnier has only to lift an eyebrow and the British negotiators fall back as if they have been poleaxed. The UK appears paralyzed with awe and fear as it beholds the mighty EU.
Merkel has never been weaker. Macron is ignoring rising unpopularity and riots in Paris by his aggrieved citizens. But the Brits appear to have noticed only that the EU is shouting louder than ever, demanding more and more. You shout loudest when your back is against the wall. Empty vessels make the most noise. But meek and mild the UK concedes more and more.
Barnier rails that Brexit means Brexit steadfast in his opposition to cherry picking. The four great pillars that underpin this great and overwhelming EU behemoth are indivisible. Oh, and by the way, British banks will lose their Euro passporting rights if they leave. More threats and ultimatums answered only by trembling from our side.
So, let's call him out on it. No ECJ superiority. No special set-up that precludes an independent UK from setting up an advantageous tax and trading status. No money, not one penny. Brexit means Brexit everywhere says Barnier, unless the EU deems otherwise.
But, that would take courage and resolve. It is easier to cower and accept humiliation. The UK must have bruised knees by now from kneeling. I am calling out Johnson and Gove here and now as traitors. Hammond is nothing but a cowardly Globalist shill. Stop shovelling billions to the EU whilst cramping your own people with cuts, rationing, expedient priorities and austerity. Eliminate the deficit, as you must, but do not do so whilst giving preferential treatment to the EU. The NHS collapses whilst French farmers prosper. That is Hammond's priority. Any deal is indeed better than no deal.
Theresa May has increased her offer to the EU, to meet the Brexit bill demands. To move things along. No figures are quoted but everywhere on the Continent it seems to be well known as it has already been reported widely. And already rejected out of hand. Doubling our offer to £36 billion is no good. It is still peanuts. More please. They can expect more, why not? Every request has been met so far.
The UK is the 5th biggest economy in the world but we might as well be Greece. Pathetic. This is May's enduring legacy. Corbyn would have shown more steel. And he will be the Tories legacy if they do not step up. Defeated by Juncker, Tusk, Barnier, it is cringeworthy. They are the mighty heavyweights that have reduced the UK to servitude and genuflection.
China is not in the EU, or Japan, or the US They trade perfectly well thank you. They and others would not be so foolish as to pay for the pleasure. Unthinkable. But there is this one odd country. They have never seen the like. Pay to trade? Tariffs are understood, but billions and billions and billions? Crazy.
December's Council summit is our last chance. If the Trade deal remains out of reach we must climb off the floor and walk away. But perhaps that is expecting too much. More likely we will offer yet more at the additional cost of great shame of the UK, but no longer to the surprise of anyone else. It would truly be an ending of days. And no one else would dare leave the EU. It would be a ritual humiliation too far.
