Brexit crisis: Minister quits, piling pressure on May

Oh well, you get what you ask for GB. Everyone who backed the exit sure seemed like they thought they knew it was best for the country, but then they were forced to acknowledge the reality that things dont just happen.

I wonder what the betting odds are on GB NOT leaving now?

@Yubaru

No English politician will ever address or admit why most of the voters opted for Brexit.

However, the salient point is that if the Brexit vote is not honored then the resulting loss of faith will be more damaging.

Personally, I foresee a big change in UK politics.

Oh well, you get what you ask for GB

Scotland voted to remain and so did Northern Ireland which isn’t part of GB. I’m not being pedantic here, but remembering the mess Brexit has left regarding remain voting Northern Ireland is vital.

It will be interesting to see what Leadsom is up to here. She’s already had a crack at the leadership and could be up for another.

I honestly cannot understand what are all the discussions and quabbles about. What exactly are they discussing all this time? As far as i am aware of, this is all about the Irish border problem. The border needs to be either between NA and Republic of Ireland or between the island of Ireland and the island of Britain. Brexit without deal means border between NA and Republic of Ireland. They are trying to avoid no deal Brexit for that reason, but they aren't proposing any solutions as there are non. They want the EU to make an exception for them once again and give them some sort of a special deal in which there is no border between NA and Republic of Ireland.

To me this is all about their comically absurd mindset of wanting to get everything and give nothing. It's a form of opportunism on steroids mixed with ultra extreme self-centeredness + total lack of self awareness. Wanting to be part of the golf club without paying for it. You want to eat without getting fat. Stay awake all night without getting sleepy. I wanna eat at a restaurant without paying for it. It's this utterly absurd and comical mindset that is the issue in my opinion. I have seen this so many times, i can definitely say its their national character, it's not just few politicians that are like that.

"why most of the voters opted for Brexit."

Because they were told/promised:

1) We (Britain) have the upper hand;

2) The EU will come begging for a deal; they need us more than we need them

3) It will be easiest deal in history (a trade with the EU, post Brexit that is)

4) What's wrong with being Norway or Iceland? They're not in the EU, they're rich and they catch their own fish.

However, this claim rapidly dissipated when Farage, (an EMP who should know better), "learnt" that both countries belong in the single market, therefore must accept the four freedoms!!!

5) Turkey is about to join the EU

6) We have enough of experts

7) The UK Parliament is not sovereign

Now that the UK Parliament is showing everyone that they are actually sovereign and have never lost any of it Brexiteers don't like it. No wonder, most people don't know what sovereignty is to begin with.

8) Germany will do us a deal; they NEED to sell us their cars

Not realising that Germany holds a single vote among 27 others!!! Also, that Germany has made it clear that in a choice between destruction of the EU or destruction of the UK, they will go for the latter.

9) We will curb these EU "bastards" free movement rights into our country; however, ours, into theirs will remain intact.

10) We won WW1 and WW2

10) We will get anything we want because we are British and we're beautiful

And I could simply carry on.....

I would hardly call 51.9% most. Terrible waste of time and money.

Let the people vote again.

British Steel on verge of collapse, threatening 25,000 jobs

Jamie Oliver restaurant chain collapses, losing 1,000 jobs

Top Shop closing 23 stores, losing 500 jobs

UN report lambasts Tory austerity as "an “ideological project causing pain and misery” enforced by ministers in a “state of denial” about “exacerbating inequality and poverty”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/un-poverty-austerity-uk-universal-credit-report-philip-alston-a8924576.html

Total failure on everything. No wonder the easily-led are susceptible to the lies of charlatans like Farage and the Brexiteers. I've never seen such clueless, third-rate clowns in UK politics before, ever.

if the Brexit vote is not honored....

The referendum was advisory, not binding. The sensible way to honour the result would have been to accept that a sizeable minority of the population (37% of the electorate, not enough to force a change of constitutional proportions) are unhappy and their complaints need to be addressed - while at the same time honouring the fact that 63% of the electorate did not vote to leave the EU..

That means finding out exactly what it is that people are peeved about, and working with the EU to mitigate problems as far as possible without ruining UK businesses and livelihoods. It does not mean having a tantrum and demanding a ticket out while retaining all of the benefits of membership.

'I'll hold my breath and turn blue in the face until you give me what I think I want' is not the way grown-ups do things.

So so many comments here which are wide off the mark. I don't think many of you voted leave. I did.

Those who voted leave haven't changed their mind (you will see this by the results in the European Elections which are being held today).

Basically, 75% of the British Parliament have never wanted to leave and have spent 3 years trying to slow, strangle and stop Brexit. Until we have a General Election where the British public can replace those in Westminster, this behaviour will continue.

No wonder the easily-led are susceptible to the lies of charlatans like Farage and the Brexiteers.

Easily led or just being awkward. The is the country that voted "Boaty McBoatface" as the name for a polar research vessel. What did David Cameron expect to happen?

If Brexit ever takes place, maybe we'll have a referendum on a new name for the country. Any suggestions?

Commentators unfamiliar with The Rt Hon. Andrea Leadsom MP, the now former Leader of the House of Commons, a quick perusal through Andrea Leadsom blog also “about Andrea” could be enlightening.

https://www.andrealeadsom.com/news

Little subtlety in British politics.

Theresa May mumbling and stumbling knife protruding from her back, if there is a politician capable of reaching the handle to ram the blade to extinguish political life before the bumbling buffoon Boris Johnson, Andrea Leadsom is a sure front runner.

With impeccable, if a tad unseemly timing ---civility is not a courtesy a conservative politician wear with pride with the stench of a leader in the rows of defeat in the air, and Theresa May politically bleeding all over the despatch box. One just just steps over the carcass and throws there hat in the ring.

Andrea Leadsom ruthless political cynicism is one of many reasons why UK electorate as a whole wants fundamental change.

The question is the who,when, where and ultimately what form of political change is going to emerge.

No sympathy for deceitful schemer May, allowing pro-EU mandarin civil servants to collude with the EU negotiating team to present to the people and parliament such a humiliating and treacherous withdrawal agreement.

Referenda are advisory but cautionary too. Politically a Pandora's box with the lid half off particularly when politicians don't respect the result.

If Brexit doesn't happen, it'll be the biggest blow to democracy in British history.

That's just silly. You're trying to say that stifling the actual opinions of the people right now is less important than what they thought with three years less knowledge.

Not having a vote, and taking this drastic action on a non-binding referendum is a blow to democracy.

@cleo

I'll hold my breath and turn blue in the face until you give me what I think I want' is not the way grown-ups do things.

That's exactly what you are doing, cleo.

You won't accept the result of the original referendum, and you have posted numerous times that only "37%" of British people voted to leave. The truth is, if the vote had been the other way round, and people had voted to Remain by the same amount, you wouldn't care. You would say that it is the result and has to be respected.

@Alfie Noakes

British Steel on verge of collapse, threatening 25,000 jobs

British Steel is in this state because of the EU.

Back in Nov 2015 (Before the referendum and before deciding to leave the EU), British Steel had their crabon credits taken back by the EU, after having qualified and paying for them. This led to a Carbon Tax of around £120,000 that the EU demanded British Steel pay, but were unable to. The British Government is unable to provide state aid unless given the consent by the EU comission.

So, the situation was caused by the EU. The fine was given by the EU. The help needed can't be given by the British Government because of the EU.

You won't accept the result of the original referendum

Because it was non-binding, and three years ago. The idea that it shouldn't be confirmed that this is what the people still want, even though it will affect the future of every British citizen alive and not yet born, is extremely silly. If you are so confident that this is what the people want, and it's the right move, you wouldn't be afraid of another referendum before actually making the move.

@Strangerland

How many times do you think people should cast their opinion?

Surely, you are jesting!

@Strangerland

If you are so confident that this is what the people want, and it's the right move, you wouldn't be afraid of another referendum before actually making the move.

Let's find out from today's vote.

As I have said before, if the total number of votes for Change UK, SNP, Plaid, Lib Dems and Greens is higher than the total for the Brexit Party, UKIP and the Tories, then I will accept that there is a case for another referendum.

Labour is as clear as mud on Brexit, claiming to support Remain and Leave.

Most people in the UK voted to leave the EU due to a very lax UK immigration policy.

Also, foreign norms are being allowed to replace majority norms in the UK.

Many people in the UK are aghast at this and saw Brexit as a solution.

The problem is that the government has become a non representative entity hence the popularity of Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson, the latter likely to become an MEP shortly!

"Brexit", an absurd, blended word and a synonym for "unicorn", was dead as a dodo from the day the result of the referendum was announced. A slim majority was given the false hope and promise that their anger and frustration over a terminally dysfunctional society ravaged by austerity could by sleight of hand be magically transformed into a green and pleasant cloud- cuckoo land simply by returning the country back to the future (circa the 1950s). The rest of Europe has waited patiently for 3 years for the Brits to come out of their self-induced coma, and now at last the people appear to be coming to their senses despite the desperate last ditch efforts of the motley crew of spivs and Tory posh boys led by "head girl" Treeza to keep the blue-dyed wool jammed over the eyes of the electorate.

UK and Euro politicians running around like headless chickens, time to call a general election, put the UKs future back in the British publics hands. This in or out of the European union has become a farce, plus Trump and America, good politics and democracy has been cast into the wilderness, in its place the comedy club, where personalities and self importance are more important that the public that put them in office, where the rule of law and constitutional rights are being trampled on, Armageddon is nearer than we think. How do I explain this fiasco to my children and grandchildren, time to grab a few good books a bottle of wine and try and find a deserted beach, with no wi-fi of plastic trash, but then again both of those options are only a dream.

As far as i am aware of, this is all about the Irish border problem.

Then you shpuld get more aware. The NI problem is just one of the many issues in this mess

European elections today. Farage is on the march with his one-policy party. Farcical stuff.

Britain has had a General Election since the Brexit vote. The members of Parliament are a more recent representation of public opinion than the Brexit referendum. If Parliament is "75% full of remainers", it is because the British people elected them more recently than the Brexit referendum.

What has happened since 2016 is that Brexit has proved to be far more difficult than imagined. May has been a very poor PM, but only because there was never a Brexit plan to begin with. Farage simply ran away once the referendum was won. There is still no Brexit plan now. The Brexit party itself has no manifesto. It has reduced British politics to the same level as a Japanese politician with a clenched fist photo and a car screaming "yoroshiku onegai shimasu". The Brexit movement is tilting toward no deal, but this relies on statements about WTO rules. The statements are getting as much scrutiny as the "350M for the NHS" "easiest deal in history", "the German car industry won't allow it" lies that powered the yes vote in the original referendum. The average voter has no idea whatsoever what WTO rules are. They are the new unicorn.

@koakuebisu

Britain has had a General Election since the Brexit vote. The members of Parliament are a more recent representation of public opinion than the Brexit referendum. If Parliament is "75% full of remainers", it is because the British people elected them more recently than the Brexit referendum.

Because hundreds of them lied to get elected. Anna Soubry, Yvette Cooper, Dominic Grieve and even May herself. They have never had any intention of implementing the result. But again, please wait for the results of today's election to see how the British public really feel.

There are more than just political conundrums that question the vexed prudence to a second referendum.

The logistics and inevitable challenges, legislative, the proposed options on the ballot paper could ignite an even greater political level of civil agitation and turmoil. Organising a second referendum could stretch beyond 12 months.

Perhaps the angst Cleo is referring to, the public, electorate in the throws of witnessing the resultant decades of pledges and promises from a parliamentary establishment that social mobility, inclusion into all aspects of government would take centre stage.

Equal access to a quality system of schooling and higher education would be a top manifesto priority.

The reality for many is the gig economy, short-term zero hours contracts incorporating patten hours, plus a student loan that has little prospect of repayment.

Globalization has exasperated and manifested beyond a climate of fear of exclusion.

All 28 member states are experiencing unrepresented levels of animosity, a betrayal of government and their political elite reticence to provide a genuine level playing field for an opportunity to succeed.

The ever growing economic disparity between northern and southern EU member states is an example of a fundamental failure to take action to redress the imbalances.

For the UK the 23rd June 2016 could have provided an opportunity to reach out economically to a global market place, if only the political will and a team of skilled motivated negotiators, inventive risk takers, and innovative policies existed

Politically. government whether ruling or in opposition is populated by bill and ben the flower pot men.

The answer to the question of whator who is pulling little weed strings won't be answered by another referendum. A General Election would be a start.

Leadsom said a second Brexit referendum would be “dangerously divisive.”

Hasn't "dangerously divisive" already happened? Maybe that's not a perception among Britain's Tories.

Party politics has screwed this process up, mostly the party politics of the Conservative Party. A real Conservative Party leader who was also a "remainer" during the referendum campaign, one with an ethical character that is, would not have tried to negotiate the Brexit deal. She would have made way for a Brexit Tory prime minister to take over.

. . . . and thereupon hangs much of this sorry tale.

Let’s keep having referenda until we get the right answer. I think they should have just left ages ago. At least we would have a clear picture of the downsides and benefits by now. And they could be negotiating with the EU and other countries to try and mitigate or take advantage of those. Rather than this pathetic stasis we are in.

Those who voted leave haven't changed their mind (you will see this by the results in the European Elections which are being held today).

You must be expecting a mammoth turnout for that to be a plausible observation.

@Jimizo

You must be expecting a mammoth turnout for that to be a plausible observation.

I am indeed. I predict 55% turnout, with 45%-50% for the Brexit Party, 3% for UKIP and around 6% for the Tories.

@Jimizo

But the Irish border issue is why they didn't support the May deal with the EU, and Eu said this is the last deal and they will not negotiate anything else. Also, can you explain to me why is Nigel Farage, the man with the most punchable face on Earth attending the elections? The guy spend his entire life campaigning for UK to leave, then after Brexit, he ran away and didn't want to become PM, instead kept his cozy job in the EU parliament, and now wants to again be elected to be an EU politician? To me this is easily explained by their national character which i described above. Hypocrisy is not enough to describe this.

But the Irish border issue is why they didn't support the May deal with the EU, and Eu said this is the last deal and they will not negotiate anything else

I’m not quite sure who ‘they’ is here. I don’t want to sound insulting, but you aren’t being precise.

As for Farage, he’s an intelligent man who wants the UK to leave the European Union. He’s an opportunist who keeps the company of real crackpots, racists and bigots in the European Parliament and in his previous party. I’m not sure if he’s a racist himself, but judging by the company he keeps and his past statements, I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. Incidentally, he knew he never stood a chance to become PM and sniped very successfully from the sidelines.

You really are filled with hate towards the people if the UK and other European countries. I’ll criticise the UK happily and join in when someone else is doing it, but your sweeping generalizations about English people in particular are the kind of stereotypes used by racists and bigots. I don’t think you are a racist or bigot. You are better than that. Don’t be a hater.

I like a bit of banter, and I like your hypocrisy point, so tell us where you are from, and we can compare the countries you revile with your own. It’s only fair we have a point of comparison. You seem to be looking down from a very high vantage point.

This minister should quit, he is not helping anybody but rich Americans & powerful E.u countries. He should be helping May, because she is very brave. Pls stop negative properganda. May is thinking for her country & her people. Do anyone want to be slave to Americas & other parts of Europe ???.It is time to stand on yr own 2 feet.

@Jimizo

I don't follow the news about Brexit, only occasionally when there is some big development i would look at the headlines, mostly out of morbid curiously. The last thing i read about Brexit was that, the conservative party does not want to support May because of the Irish border issue, they don't the border to be inside the UK, but they also don't want it to be between ROI and NI either. I don't know why the socialists don't support her. Every time i watch scenes from their parliament, i hear someone talking and a crowd behind them screaming yeeeeeeeeeee while a clown with a woman's wig from aside shouting ooda ooda ooda ooda.

I know their socialist party wants out of the EU because they are marxists and think EU is too capitalistic for them, but i don't understand why are they not supporting the deal. Pretty much everybody is criticizing May, but nobody is giving any alternative solutions, because .. refer to my above explanation on their culture.

I honestly don't believe Farage is a racist, he is too greedy to be racist. Greedy people are seldom racist, they put money above everything else. That guy spent his entire life campaigning for UK to leave the EU, kept bashing and sabotaging the EU all the time, and yet during all that time he kept his cozy job IN THE EU. And now he wants to become EU politician again. He loves EU money. He probably secretly wants the UK to remain in the EU just so he can keep campaigning against it. I believe he could have become a PM if wanted to, but he and all the pro-Brexit people were first to abandon the ship and hide in their rat holes, and then criticize May for every move she makes from the safety of their hole.

There are certain EU countries that i hate, and i can i give you a list of reasons why i hate them. England happens to be on the top of my list, closely followed by Greece.

Of course i know not all people in England are the same, i am just talking about the majority of them. There are certain patterns that are easily noticeable if you have good observational skills. I do believe there is a thing as "national psychology", especially for homogeneous societies like England, or any other country from the Old World. There is a difference between making a generalization about a country, especially based on false stereotypes or cherry picked half-truths, and making a statement based on actual observations of behavioral patterns and facts. If you keep seeing over and over again people from X country doing something, it would be correct to make the statement that X country has A LOT of people doing that thing. Those people could be part of a sub-culture, or they could be part of the dominant culture. In my case, i do believe my statements are for the dominant culture, not just a sub-culture. I have simply seen far too many facts reinforcing this observation. And i have seen other people making the exact same observations too, including people from England.

I am originally from Bulgaria. There are some cultural similarities between the two countries, but by in large people in BG are fair-minded and hate audacious double faced hypocrites who avoid taking responsibility and keep blaming everybody for their own mistakes. The notion of being fair-minded is utterly alien to most people in England. Lying for them is just .. normal, it's way of getting what you want, and "winning" the fictional race. Sometimes i feel Don Quixote was written as an analogy to the author's experiences in observing English culture.

Every time i watch scenes from their parliament, i hear someone talking and a crowd behind them screaming yeeeeeeeeeee while a clown with a woman's wig from aside shouting ooda ooda ooda ooda.

John Bercow doesn't wear a wig, so I don't know which proceedings you think you're watching, but it's not the British House of Commons.

I am originally from Bulgaria. There are some cultural similarities between the two countries, but by in large people in BG are fair-minded and hate audacious double faced hypocrites who avoid taking responsibility and keep blaming everybody for their own mistakes. The notion of being fair-minded is utterly alien to most people in England. Lying for them is just .. normal, it's way of getting what you want, and "winning" the fictional race. Sometimes i feel Don Quixote was written as an analogy to the author's experiences in observing English culture.

Bulgaria does have a reputation for being racist. Don’t give us reason to think there is truth in that. Stop the hating, man. Peace and love.

@Ilovecoffee

your wayward comments certainly brought a smile to my face this morning.

Please allow me to suggest an additional point.

You might have mentioned that Bulgaria is part of a continent but the UK isn’t.

Cheers!