In a divorce, there are always children who suffer. At a funeral, there are always those who are left alone. It’s quite ironic that for over 40 years, the EU and UK have been constantly bickering, with the UK acting like a spoiled cat who doesn’t know whether to go outside or stay indoors. […]
Brexit Negotiations
Brexit Musings (29) – Is Christmas Only Five Brexit Secretaries Away?
They come and they go, brought in by the wind of change, swept away by a river of delusions. The ireality of what they promise is only matched by the conspicuousness of their incompetence. Will the Brexit secretary 3.0 be any better than his predecessors? The big question is, though, whether he will make it through […]
The Withdrawal Agreement – The UK’s Prelude To A “Canada Dry” Brexit?
Maybe you were like me, when you were little – on Christmas Eve you just couldn’t sleep, eager to find out what Father Christmas had brought you. You knew what you were getting though, because it was preordained thanks to that 50-page Christmas list you wrote back in August. The much awaited for withdrawal […]
A Trader, a Clown, And a Devil – The Brexit England “Three Liars”
When historians look back at why the EU referendum was organized, how it was run, and what the people voted for, it will become obvious to even the average history student that the whole affair was based on lies, deceit, and misconceptions. Historians will also note that not many times in the course of history, […]
When Democracy Is Bullied By… Democracy
Some time ago I wrote a post entitled, “Democracy menaced by…democracy,” concerning what I believe are the dangers of holding a referendum in a parliamentary democracy. With March 29th 2019 fast approaching, and an EU/UK deal far from being certain, the demand for a second referendum – the people’s vote – is gaining momentum, and […]
Brexit Musings (30) – Never Read The Morning Newspaper Before Breakfast
It’s just so tough getting up, in the morning. One thing I never do before, during, or straight after breakfast, is take a glance at newspaper headlines on my tablet. That would really put me in a bad mood. The EU leaders who assembled in the beautiful Austrian town of Salzburg, should have done the same. […]
When Progressive Rock Meets Progressive Politics
As we made our way to the concert hall, not a single one of us under the age of 55, I didn’t really know what to expect from a progressive rock band that I last saw at the Hammersmith Odeon, in 1981. Progressive rock is rather like progressive politics. It’s complicated, sometimes pretentious, and even […]
Brexit Musings (28) – “There’s No Deal Like No-Deal!”
It’s not only the heavens that run out of water, in the summer, the Brexit negotiations also seem to be running dry. At least with the heavens, we can hope for rain. For the Brexit deal, it seems that the best that the Brexiteers will get is two doses of “nothing at all.” Why two […]
Yes, Prime Minister – Jacob Rees-Mogg: Clown Fish Or Great White Shark?
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s comments on just about everything – from the inevitable Brexit, his hatred of anything remotely gay, to the acceptance of adultery – contain an acrid mix of intellect and populism. In contrast to Donald Trump, whose lack of knowledge concerning so many world matters, makes him hard to be taken seriously, Rees-Mogg mixes […]
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Is EU Citizenship Meaningless? – The Dutch Seem To Think So
Last January, a short adaptation of one of my blog posts concerning citizens’ rights after Brexit, was published in the Dutch national newspaper, “Trouw.” I pointed out the problems facing British citizens who will still be living and working in the EU-27 after Brexit. In particular, I stressed the dangers of the upcoming bureaucracy, and the […]