Time For Us To Say Bye Bye I Think.

[cassa333]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41477817

They want bosh and plenty of it.

Why don't we just walk away with our offers intact and let them then decide if they want to trade with us.

[kvalidir]

Off you go then, as if the EU cares if you shoot yourself in the foot :/

[sunny-dave]

The EU can see the 'magic money tree' (aka the UK) leaving the building and are anxious to shake the very last euros from it ... I think we have very little to lose by calling their rather transparent bluff.

If you look at the casino that is the 'future exchange rate market', it's obvious that all the significant pressure at the moment is on the Euro, not the Pound - that should tell us everything we need to know about who has the upper hand in the Brexit negotiations.

[anotheoldgit]

I thought that is what we voted for, no mention of 'negotiations'.

Didn't weak Cameron try that, and came away with next to nothing?

[jno]

that seems to be a response to the German election result, sd. We'll see if it lasts. The slump in sterling since the Brexit vote has lasted (now down roughly 12% according to who's counting). Indeed, no less an authority than the Express points out that the pound has fallen against the euro again

http://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/861716/Pound-euro-exchange-rate-sterling-brexit-economy-news-EU-talks-barnier

[ichkeria]

Has it not occurred that if "walking away" was the cheap and easy option a Tory government would have done it by now :-)

[jim360]

Of course not, the people we voted to give control back to are a bunch of weak cucks who shouldn't be in control, innit guv.

[sunny-dave]

That would hurt their friends and financial backers, ichkeria - it might be 'best for britain', but it wouldn't be 'best for rich tories' - hence the farrago of pointless posturing and pseudo-negotiation from both the EU and UK - they all want to spend some of our money to featherbed their own positions.

[ichkeria]

The fact of the matter is Brexit is bad for Britain: bad for you and bad for me - and everyone, even Boris Johnson, knows it. As Gromit said (somewhere) the Tories are saddled with having to implement a course of action most of them don't really think is a wise one. The only politicians brave enough to say so in public are the Lib Dems and Ken Clarke :-)

[ToraToraTora]

I agree 100% only the anti British above will object. This is just political posturing in the end business will decide. Ask the chairman of BMW/VW/Mercedes, ask the French apple growers and cheese/wine makers if they want to lose their best customers. Personally I'd be out tomorrow and wait for them to call us, they will. It's only anti British left wing eejits who cannot see the obvious.

[ichkeria]

and Tony Blair, whom everyone, rather unfairly, seems to hate.
If only Ken and the other Johnson Alan were as high profile as he is

[Khandro]

The main reason it will go on and on and on, is that Barnier was a rather insignificant figure within the EUSSR and now is 'important', and daily in the limelight and wants to keep it so because he has aspirations to take on the Junker's job when he retires.

[ToraToraTora]

"and Tony Blair, whom everyone, rather unfairly, seems to hate. " - nooooo, I cannot imagine why!

[Kromovaracun]

//Ask the chairman of BMW/VW/Mercedes//

Haven't German industry lobbyists already stated that they aren't going to intervene in the UK's favour?

The thing you have to remember is that the long term coherence of the single market is a priority for these people,and giving the UK a fantastic deal undermines that because it would defeat the whole point of having a single market.

It isn't a coincidence that most (all?) advanced economies are members of regional trading blocs with very similar rules about trading with outsiders as the EU has. These are places where we are now knocking on the door looking to trade - and everyone knows we are desperate for a deal.

[ToraToraTora]

....or, prehaps, kromo, very good customers looking to buy...

[jim360]

"Very good customers" might not be the most accurate portrayal of people who go off in a strop when a union of 28 countries doesn't do exactly everything the way they wanted and tells same countries to eff off as a result.

[Togo]

http://thumbsnap.com/i/fD7nDgoi.jpg

[ToraToraTora]

perhaps jim but we still buy a lot of stuff!

[ToraToraTora]

Do you seriously think that big business in the EU will let a bunch of politicians effect their business? Really

[jno]

the EU is bigger than big business. That's why companies the size of Google get fined. Can anyone imagine that happening in little Britain? Here, the government is very cross that the likes of Amazon choose how much tax they'll pay - but won't do anything about it even though they're the only people who could.

But the EU isn't scared of them.

[ToraToraTora]

It always amazes me how much people like jno and co hate our country and talk it down at every turn. Why do you hate us so much?