What Is Our "good Reason"?

[ToraToraTora]

When the EUSSR granted the last extension they said that it would be the last "without good reason" - now I know that the bill currently in the Lords contains the actual wording of the request. What is in there that constitutes a good enough reason for the EUSSR to grant yet another extension? Is there a chance they will not grant the extension assuming it is actually asked for?

[naomi24]

We're a net contributor, Jim. They'll miss our money - no doubt about that.

[jim360]

I don't dispute that they'll miss us. They've said so, several times. Any national organisation of note would be better off with the UK in than out of it. Or our money -- I'm well aware that the UK is a net contributor. What I dispute is the idea that our money alone, which represents a little under 10% of the EU's total annual budget, is enough of an incentive to offset the inevitable drain on the EU's time and resources, not to mention the potential of the UK to just veto everything the rest of the EU Council agrees on, that allowing this situation to continue indefinitely means. £12 billion a year won't be worth allowing that.

[naomi24]

Jim, I haven't noticed them happily waving us goodbye and wishing us well yet - and I can't think what Mr Juncker meant when he said 'Leave the EU and we'll make your lives a misery'. With friends like that, eh?

[jim360]

Again, as and when the UK leaves, the EU will be sad about it. Why this insistence that the EU might "happily wave us goodbye" emerges is anyone's guess.

The EU would clearly prefer us to stay in. They've said so several times. But it's not inconsistent with that to say, as they also have done, that they are prepared for us to leave, once we get around to agreeing on how to achieve that. And they are prepared for No Deal.

As to what Juncker said before the campaign -- well, he was stupid for putting it that way. Better had he stuck to saying that "If the UK wants to leave then the EU will be sad about it, but withdrawal negotiations will be inevitably be shaped by the EU's desire to discourage other nations from leaving."

Although having said that, as far as I can see, Juncker didn't actually say it in that explicit way, and it's a media invention.

A more accurate rendering of the quote is something like: “The United Kingdom will have to accept being regarded as a third country, which won’t be handled with kid gloves. If the British leave Europe, people will have to face the consequences — we will have to, just as they will. It’s not a threat but our relations will no longer be what they are today.”

[naomi24]

Haha! Not too savoury is it.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/leave-eu-and-well-make-your-lives-a-misery-junckers-warning-to-britain-7h2k90t8g