Although I am not particularly fond of this expression I find myself quite happy to use it as it sort of sums up my feelings on where we are at the moment on Brexit. Christmas just happened along and suffices as a pleasant decoration to a pretty grim situation. Theresa May and apparently Michel Barnier et al. are all happy that Phase 2 of the negotiations has now been given the go ahead and is planned to start in March 2018. Right so everybody´s happy? Au contraire mon ami! To be quite honest I do not think anybody is that happy, it´s more a case of how unhappy everybody is. Ranging from foaming at the mouth angry, to a gentle it could be worse attitude.
- Extreme Brexiters: Starting at the howling end I think we will find our extreme Brexiters. A mixed bunch of rich and or influential people longing for the day when the EU will no longer be in a position to mix in their affairs. They call it taking back control and just like the rosy future that is promised, taking back control does in no way include the many. The extreme Brexiters are all very upset that a transition period where the UK becomes a rule taker instead of a rule maker might have some rather nasty side effects. Not to mention the fact that a transition period is by definition time allowed for adjustment and as such if need be open for extension and a possible reversing of Brexit. The rosy future might also be exposed during that transition period as being rosy alone for rich Brexiters.
- Hard Line Brexiter: The ordinary hard line Brexiter is just as unhappy as true to form he just can´t understand. Leave and tell the EU to sod off.
- Ordinary Leaver: Next we have the common or garden Leaver who is now extremely unhappy that what he thought he voted for turned out to be a number of options that nobody seems to be able to agree upon. The whole thing exarcerbated by Project Fear warnings now turning into reality.
- Bregretters: Honest version of 3.
- Got over it Remainer: Prepared to compromise and stay in Customs Union and Single Market. Not happy with the way things are going and fearing that the whole mess could end up in a Hard Brexit.
- Hard Remainer: Definitely not happy about the Referendum itself i.e. the exclusions of certain groups, the metamorphosis from advisory to ”will of the people” that must be respected despite an embarrassingly slight majority contra normal democratic procedure. Angry at politicians both Labour and Tories playing the party game and not as Remainers see it putting their country first.
- The Tories: Fighting like ferrets in a sack.
- Labour: Large majority of Labour voters (young) favour staying in the EU. Corbyn (old) does not. A quieter version of 7.
- The EU: Wondering where all this will end like watching a dear friend once an influential partner succumb to a sickness that Europe thought it had vaccinated out of existence.
- Theresa May: This Prime Minister´s present situation and the quality of her leadership remind me of a very silly joke from my younger days: A man is walking down the street and spots a pile of dog shit on the pavement. He is about to go past it yet hesitates, ”it looks like dog shit,” he says then bends down putting his nose closer, ”it smells like dog shit,” then after poking his finger into it and discovering that it tasted like dog shit happily exclaiming, ”I´m glad I didn’t step in it.”
Happy New Year everyone and don´t forget to #FBPE