British Politics would be hilarious if I was viewing it from a safe distance

[andrewducker]

I've been watching the reporting going on on the Northern Ireland/Ireland border. And the general expectation is that Northern Ireland will match Ireland for regulations.

Which led to the following from the Scottish First Minister:

If one part of UK can retain regulatory alignment with EU and effectively stay in the single market (which is the right solution for Northern Ireland) there is surely no good practical reason why others can’t.

— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 4, 2017

And from the First Minister of Wales:

We cannot allow different parts of the UK to be more favourably treated than others. If one part of the UK is granted continued participation in the Single Market & Customs Union, then we fully expect to be made the same offer.

— Carwyn Jones (@fmwales) December 4, 2017

And then from the Mayor of London:

Huge ramifications for London if Theresa May has conceded that it's possible for part of the UK to remain within the single market & customs union after Brexit. Londoners overwhelmingly voted to remain in the EU and a similar deal here could protect tens of thousands of jobs.

— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) December 4, 2017

and the brilliant comment:

There now seems to be a serious concern that the offer being put on the table by the U.K. is not acceptable to... the U.K.

— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) December 4, 2017

Of course, at this point I'm still waiting to hear what the announcement might be:

I'm told An Taoiseach can't make his statement yet because he's waiting on a phonecall from Donald Tusk. But Tusk can't phone Varadkar because he waiting to hear from Jean Claude Juncker. #Brexit They need a WhatsApps group!

— Kevin Doyle (@KevDoyle_Indo) December 4, 2017

Edit - Alas!:

Juncker. Not possible to conclude a complete agreement today

— James Mates (@jamesmatesitv) December 4, 2017

Neither May nor Juncker take questions. No indication what the outstanding problems are, though the DUP's rejection of the deal is no doubt the crucial one.

— James Mates (@jamesmatesitv) December 4, 2017

Comments

[cmcmck]

It's like the Trump shennanigans.

It'd be hysterical if it wasn't so dangerous!

And still I'm trying to find sound evidence of my Latvian ancestry................

[doug]

I am finding it hilarious that Juncker is saying there are "just two or three [issues] open for discussion which require further consultation, further negotiation and further discussion", and May was saying that on "a couple of issues some differences do remain which require further negotiation and consultation".

Firstly, it's amusing that they are giving slightly different answers - except 'a couple' could at a stretch mean three if you torture the language as politicians do routinely.

Secondly and most amusingly, there are only three issues (money, citizens' rights, and the NI/Ireland border) that require 'sufficient progress' (in the EU's view) at this point anyway.

(I'm going for "amused" rather than "horrified and appalled" as a survival strategy.)

[doug]

Another funny take I've seen in several places: Apparently the deal May presented has foundered because it is unacceptable ... to the UK.

If you made this stuff up it'd be sent back for implausibility.

[danieldwilliam]

I think the current situation was entirely predictable. Brexit means too many different things to the people who want it to be workable before you bring in the reaction of the people who don't want it.

[supergee]

I am. It is. I trust you feel the same about ours.

[andrewducker]

Oh yes. Only moreso, to be honest!