"May You Live In Interesting Times": Brexit 2019

[Bat Macdui]

If nothing else, Johnson has always been astute at identifying which way the political wind is blowing. Was is Heseltine who said he usually waits to see which way the crowd is running then legs it to the front? So he's watched Biden win, grown a backbone and stood up to the bully boys because they don't fit with the new world order. And now we all have to sit here and see who comes in to replace the shower of Vote Leave because they'll be running the country, not the actual PM. *sigh*

[smalex]

I read something earlier that said Boris wants them gone because he’s realised they are ‘just in it for themselves’

. Well....durrr Boris

[Chicky]

I’m fairly sure Cummings is only going because it fits his plan. He wouldn’t be resigning if it didn’t. Ugh.

[Pippedydeadeye]

He’s probably got some racket planned with Steve Bannon.

[Roma]

Well. Cummings to leave by Christmas. I don't really understand what's gone on here with these resignations. Feels like rats off a sinking ship. Cheers pals, no thats fine we'll clear up the mess no worries.

Rats leaving the sinking ship was my first thought too. They all got out of it what they wanted and are now leaving so they cannot be held responsible and we’re left with the consequences of no deal/bad deal.

Of course this is all do do with Biden winning and the oven ready deal actually never making it into the oven.

I’m so angry at them all over again.

[Bendywendywoo]

If nothing else, Johnson has always been astute at identifying which way the political wind is blowing. Was is Heseltine who said he usually waits to see which way the crowd is running then legs it to the front?

YES! This is exactly what he does! Good description

[Mountain Goat]

In that case, maybe he could just hand the country over to Starmer?

[lazzbo]

In that case, maybe he could just hand the country over to Starmer?

I'm here for that. :spin:

[Morganna]

In that case, maybe he could just hand the country over to Starmer?

I'm here for that. :spin:

Me too.

Will it make much difference (Cummings' resignation, I mean), or will it be business as usual, do people think? I've read a few comments suggesting that Johnson might go as soon as he 'Gets Brexit Done', but maybe he's thinking better of it now that Biden's in power? Plus, if he goes, he'd leave the way clear for Gove, and he won't like that.

It would be amazing if he chucked it all in and declared a GE, so we could go into 2021 with a chance of some stability and an adult in charge. Obviously that's highly unlikely to happen, but is there even a remote chance that he might cancel Brexit, or has that ship sailed too far from the shore?

[Derek Nimmo]

There's not enough time for a GE (not that the Tories would call one this early in a term, Boris at the helm or not) before the end of the year. When we will be crashing out of Europe, right on schedule.

ETA Oh, you mean would Johnson cancel Brexit? If he hasn't done it 9 months into a pandemic, I can't imagine he'll call it off a couple of weeks before the end goal.

[Morganna]

No, I know . It was the US situation that gave me a straw to clutch.

It does make you (me) wonder whether all the transferring of millions to friends and family has been timed so that they can all scamper off with their spoils leaving the rest of us to sort out the mess.

[Ella77]

Oh, definitely.

[Mountain Goat]

It can't be cancelled now, it's done. They could extend the transition period so we have half a chance of some sort of almost acceptable deal.

[Edith Bacon]

I thought Gove formally stuck two fingers up to an extension to the transition period a few months ago - around May, maybe?

ETA: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.ft.c ... 21a6b0af85

[Chicky]

My mum sent me this from Twitter:

Belgian MEP @ph_lamberts , who is a bit of an authority on Brexit, believes the sudden departure of Cummings is "probably the sign that Johnson has begun his u-turn and will in the end accept EU conditions" for a trade deal.

[Mountain Goat]

He did, but it seems that the EU would be fine with being flexible again, what with us all being in the middle of a global meltdown and all.

I think Biden was the sign that Johnson would have no choice but to compromise for a deal.

[Morganna]

He did, but it seems that the EU would be fine with being flexible again, what with us all being in the middle of a global meltdown and all.

I think Biden was the sign that Johnson would have no choice but to compromise for a deal.

That's kind of what I was getting at. A combination of Biden and Covid (with its economic implications) might rein him in a lot, and whether that has caused Cummings to resign or caused Johnson to get rid of him/let him go, it could work out for the best we can hope for in the circumstances.

[Texaco Shirley]

Cummings has gone today.

[rosy]

From “by the end of the year” to “now” in less than a day!

[Mountain Goat]

OH HAS HE?! I've been bogged down in tedious data. What a Friday 13 this is turning out to be.