Boris Johnson 'turbo-charging' no-deal Brexit plans, say ministers

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Boris Johnson ‘turbo-charging’ no-deal Brexit plans, say ministers

Cabinet blitzes media, saying preparations for crashing out are top priority

Rowena Mason Deputy political editor
Sun 28 Jul 2019 11.34 BST Last modified on Sun 28 Jul 2019 14.08 BST

Boris Johnson is “turbo-charging” preparations to leave the EU without a deal on 31 October as his government’s number one priority, according to several senior cabinet ministers.

The new prime minister sent out cabinet ministers for interviews across newspapers and broadcasters this weekend as part of a publicity blitz about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

Their message is that the UK will be heading for no deal unless EU leaders agree to replace the Irish backstop.

Michael Gove, the new Cabinet Office minister in charge of no-deal preparations, said the government was “operating on the assumption” that Britain would leave without a deal on 31 October and it was a “very real prospect” because EU leaders had so far not changed their minds about scrapping the backstop.

He said in the Sunday Times that an agreement might not be struck with Brussels by then, but there was a “new clarity of mission, we will exit the EU on October 31, no ifs, no buts, no more delay”.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/28/boris-johnson-turbo-charging-no-deal-brexit-plans-say-ministers

[Midnightwalk]

1. Why negotiate?

Why would the EU negotiate at all? How long after Brexit will it take for these fools to realize they have no leverage? That they have no special standing that will help in any deals they try to make?

We really really need a deal so we don’t look so stupid is not a very strong position to negotiate from.

I hope people remember how they got into the mess they are heading for but I worry about who the scapegoats will be.

[OnDoutside]

4. The Brexiters have always thought it was about the UK, which it

is to a limited extent, but the far bigger issue is the survival of the EU. So while the jingoistic arseholes like Mogg, Farage and Francois rail against the EU for not rolling over, the EU has to and must stand resolute for the future of the Union. And if that means the UK falling out with No Deal, then better that than the implosion of the European Project. That's the crux that the Leave voters still don't understand. It reminds of the old adage, Fog on the Channel, Europe cut off.

[safeinOhio]

2. Heck yah. They'll all be rich when

they stop sending all their money to other countries.

[Dawson Leery]

3. There should be no trade deals with Britain so long as they are outside the EU.

There should be no trade deal with the US and I will be calling my rep's to ask them to oppose any trade deal with the UK. Let Boris spend some time alone and see the costs of their insolence. This nationalist threat must be broken.

[Thyla]

5. To be fair

There shouldn't really be any trade deals with the USA at this point in time.
Can you please ask your reps put all current negotiated deals on hold until the adults have returned to the room.

[OnDoutside]

7. It would take years anyway. Iirc the EU Canada deal took 7 years.

[OnDoutside]

6. The laughable point is that Trump will gut the UK in a trade deal....

Where else can they go ?

Johnson's minions have put out noises that they might not pay the €39BN the UK owes the EU, but if they welched on that, who would do any deal with them, AND the EU would set that repayment as a precondition for any future trade deal, so they're caught even in a no trade deal.