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Saturday, 24 June 2017

Freedom Day

A year ago as the dawn Sun peeped over a valley rich with the Summer scent of new-cut hay I tuned into the Referendum results and got the shock of my life. No less stunned were the gloomy, funereal faces of the newscasters admitting the result. 

Since then much has happened. We have seen-off court cases, a hostile house of Lords, internal sabotage and a constant pissy whine from the old political establishment. Much remains to be done. We pray the resolve of our nation's leaders does not falter, that the sniping, bullying and undermining of the EU is overcome.

Yet I take comfort from the election, in which 86% of voters cast votes for Brexit parties, and from a recent You Gov poll that puts Leavers at 78% in total against 22% die-hard remainers. And every spiteful, bullying put-down from the hubristic EU Federast capos actually gains more and more of us to the Leave cause. 

The real Freedom Day will come in 2019 when we are free of the shackles of this despotic little Federation. But for now, this is a good anniversary to remember. 


21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, one year and a significant proportion of your 22% Raedwald are still pulling the strings of government and point blank refusing to do anything by way of actually leaving this so-called union.

Throughout the last year we have seen one stalling process after another, each one excitedly pointed to by our egregious party people, as a good reason to do nothing, except perhaps to embark on another stalling campaign.

And yet, if you listen to what these people are actually saying, it becomes clear that they have NO intention of actually doing what they were told.

A couple of points, the most sensible thing said this week was from Andrea Leadsom... There is no such thing as hard or soft brexit, there is only leaving the EU.

I will be pleasantly surprised if this time next year, we are any further along the road out of this fascist enterprise, since those that don't want to have just increased their grip.

right-writes

DeeDee99 said...

One of the very few positives of recent weeks was watching the EU's man in the Commons, Nick Clegg, lose his seat.

However, there are many others in the Commons and the Lords is stuffed with other Quislings who will do everything in their power to obstruct, delay and if they can, prevent Brexit.

When (if) we are finally free of the EU, there must be fundamental reform of the Lords. We cannot have an Upper Chamber which is so unrepresentative of the country and which uses its unaccountable power to deny the result of a democratic vote.

miker22 said...

Yes, it was a stunning morning, and I really didn't expect the result. I didn't want to gloat too much but I was (and still am) baffled by the hysterical overreaction of the Remainers. Obviously they have a very different view of the EU which I have seen at close quarters. Yes, it's been slow progress but there IS progress. Article 50 has been invoked and the clock is ticking, negotiations are under way. Legal challenges have been made and overcome. Eternal vigilance should be our watchword but not conspiracy theories that Mrs May's actions are a clever plot to undermine or negate Brexit.

Budgie said...

The Miller case in the Supreme Court used the well known constitutional principle that the Executive can not remove statutory rights by prerogative. Hence rights (which includes obligations), provided by means of the ECA 1972, require a vote in Parliament to amend, from the date of that judgement (because of precedence).

That being so, any such amendment must be treated in the same way whether it originates from the UK government (which the Miller case concentrated on) or our EU overlords in Brussels. Currently EU Directives are converted into UK law already by Parliament, but EU Decisions and Regulations are not.

Since each new EU law amends our "rights" it follows that each new EU law must be voted through by Parliament. This is a difficult area, and would probably require a test case. There is an unresolved clash between statutory rights and treaty obligations, due to the EU uniquely being able to make extensive new law, effectively as the top tier of our government.

It is possible that Parliament will have no choice in accepting each new EU law, but at least the requirement to examine and vote through every subsequent EU law will publicly highlight our subjugation.

Poisonedchalice said...

I wish I shared your confidence Raedwald but the recent election results weakened the May government and the EU are very aware of this, making negotiations that much harder.

How I wish the ghost of Mrs Thatcher would appear in the negotiating room.

Dave_G said...


Whilst there have been many predictions of the collapse of the EU sadly we can't rely on that as a means for escape.

At the end of the two year negotiation period we're out - pure and simple - so there IS no going back unless the rules are changed (possible) or we've been deceived, yet again, about the whole process.

But I detect a rising sense of anger amongst friends, relatives and associates due to the 'faffing about' - an anger that is greater than that which existed pre-Brexit and encouraged them to vote 'out' in the first place.

The Remoaners and their demonstrators don't have a monopoly on public displays of displeasure and Government needs to be wary of the potential for a backlash if they continue to neglect public opinion on a subject as raw and SETTLED as Brexit.

My thoughts still return to the EU itself though - the Brexit issue is being used as a distraction (as usual) and if the truth about the status of the EU, financially and politically, was more widely discussed then not only would any thoughts of remain be dispelled but politicians would be seen to be suicidal to slow or obstruct the process of leaving.

Bloggers (can/will) and the media (won't) push this agenda but we definitely need a counter to the current EU upper-hand propaganda.

Anonymous said...

A friend of mine, former army sniper, was on his way back from a particularly difficult pest control job early that morning. He turned the car radio on at about 4:30 am and the first voice he heard belonged to Nigel Farage. He stopped immediately and shouted "yes" so loud it hurt his throat. The next thing he did was text me - and that's how I got the news.

Sometimes history lives through you rather than the other way around. Fabulous.

Steve

Budgie said...

Poisoned Chalice, I fear you are correct. However, even before the election Mrs Maybe and her team were useless. It's no good just "hoping" for things to get better - the government's approach is wrong from the beginning. She has confirmed the UK as being the supplicant. It has taken her a year - a year, for God's sake - to trigger Article 50.

We could have been out within weeks if we had given 12 months diplomatic notice last summer. The UK, post notice, would then have offered an interim agreement of trade under current conditions pending a final negotiation. The UK having decided upon independence would live it.

Cascadian said...

Dave_G said
Whilst there have been many predictions of the collapse of the EU sadly we can't rely on that as a means for escape.

Patience Dave_G, another two italian banks failed overnight.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-24/two-italian-zombie-banks-toppled-friday-night

They were being propped up by EuroBank loans most of that money will be flushed and the EU countries will record that as a further loss to their balance sheets. Any other EU banks that held bonds would also be further weakened.

This cannot go on for ever, pretty soon there will be further failures, Germany is impotent, all surplus funds have been pledged to the gimmegrants and many thousands more are arriving this summer pushing the economy of the EU into further deficit. France, Spain, and Portugal are basket cases. Greece is devastated.

I predict the Euro fails before yUK super-negotiators get their shit together.

Dave_G said...

Cascadian - news of the Italian bank collapse(s) came to me after I'd posted but came as both no surprise but with a little glee! These are the small factors that go unreported across most of the MSM (and the bBC in particular) much as the migrant crisis cost is 'hidden' from view.

At approximately £30,000 per migrant per annum, the cost to Germany alone runs to £30bn annually - and that doesn't even take into account the hordes of family that will come as attachments to those that have already made the journey. Germany may be able to afford it (ha!), the rest of Europe certainly can't hence their reluctance to accept any arrivals despite EU pressure.

Italian banks, migrants, Greece..... if such factors were more widely known amongst the British public then whatever is left of the push for Remain will surely dissipate under withering scorn.

Although the Italian banks are small fry in the scheme of things it surely can't be too long before some more respectable 'name' comes a cropper.


Bill Quango MP said...

At approximately £30,000 per migrant per annum, the cost to Germany alone runs to £30bn annually.

But ..but but..we were told migrants were estimated to have contributed £1.34 for every £1 they took out. Germany, surely, has gained billions of euros by the crisis. Its a wonder they don't take the whole of Syria. It can only be of huge financial benefit to them.

I was a soft leaver. Not too bothered either way. But of the expectation the Uk would be galvanised by the change into trying to reestablish the nation in the world.

Was actually quite shocked at the result. Wasn't expecting it at all.

but one year on. After Miller.Campbell. Blair.Major.Soubry.Clarke.Merkel.Clegg. Junker and much of our broadcast media I am as staunch a leaver as any who were in the front lines during the actual battle.

if the barricades need manning to carry it through I believe there will be many more volunteers now than there was before the vote.

Cascadian said...

A couple of billion here, a couple of billion there, pretty soon we are talking real money, even for a nations central bank but especially when the EU has to look to members to make up the shortfall from UK membership.

Industry in Europe is already dying from ridiculous electricity rates, tourism must be down dramatically, revenue to the governments will decline drastically.

James Higham said...

Walk away, no more pay.

anon 2 said...

Yes, Raedwald, thank you. It's good to remember this date ... and to hope that one day it will be "Independence Day."

Anonymous said...

I'm an ardent Leaver-but it won't happen. I predicted a small leave majority and then said we will never be "allowed" to leave by the political classes. Even T May didn't want to leave before the referendum and now she's in charge of negotiating. I hope I'm wrong but I fear I'm not. There's a huge vested interest in us staying and you saw by how many votes Labour got to see how easily a stupid electorate can be influenced by outright lies and the I Pad generation suck it up.
Jaded

Budgie said...

Poisonedchalice, I agree. I too am not optimistic. Theresa Maybe had almost a year and did nothing with it. The Tories seem blind to the necessity of stating principles: not "strong and stable" pr twaddle but "We've had the vote, now we're an independent nation again".

The Tories are now jockeying and backstabbing, as though we were not in dire straits. Hammond, of all people, is being touted as one of the possible new PMs. I am not quite with Anon 11:29 yet, but nearly. I can see Leave slipping away from us, as we end up still controlled by the EU, notional member or not.

The Tories have a choice: get us out of being controlled by the EU (ie Leave) or their party is finished. It's as stark as that. They may not be interested but with Corbyn in power we will end up as a regionalised England, the UK broken up, impoverished, side-lined, still controlled by the EU.

miker22 said...

Budgie: " Theresa Maybe had almost a year and did nothing with it." Not really. Cameron resigned despite his promise, leaving a vacuum. This obviously stalled things for a bit. Then there were court applications from dear Gina. That took us basically into this year - you can't hurry the courts. Article 50 was notified when Mrs May said it would be. She may have been a remainer but all the evidence to date is that she accepts the referendum vote and will carry it through. Time for recriminations and action if she doesn't. Endless negative speculation doesn't help.

Budgie said...

Miker22, That's it? You give up? This isn't "negative speculation" it's fact in front of your eyes. Why didn't Mrs Maybe (installed 11th July 2016, so only 3 weeks delay there) accept there was an issue with prerogative notification, and sideline it by putting the same bill through Parliament as she did 10 months later? Deliberate delaying tactics, in my opinion.

Why did she adopt the diversionary tactic of an election when a 17 majority is adequate? Where's the urgency? Where's the determination? Why believe her new found conversion to Leave, when clearly her old found adherence to Remain was not to be believed?

There is no time for recriminations, you can see the whole process going wrong before your eyes. It was clear to me even by last October when I was writing to my lukewarm Tory MP, now excised, that there was a lack of commitment by Mrs Maybe's government.

RAC said...

@ Budgie 25 June 2017 at 14:21 "Why did she adopt the diversionary tactic of an election when a 17 majority is adequate?" Add to that, why did she go into the election with a manifesto that seemed to be aimed at alienating the older generation, her core vote? Highly suspicious, was she hoping to go into the negotiations in a weakened position.

miker22 said...

Possible explanations: She believed the polls that promised a large majority. That would enable the Salisbury Convention to be invoked and override the HoL. Similarly, she saw an opportunity to include various measures where she was expecting opposition. There may have only been three weeks before she became PM, but she was not expecting it and had to settle herself into her new role. My experience is that between cock up and conspiracy, cock up wins most times. I am fanatically pro Brexit, but I am keeping my powder dry for real opposition.

Budgie said...

Miker22, Yes indeed, experience shows that cock-up wins most times over conspiracy. But what sort of cock-up? I think it is cock-up caused by lack of resolution and lack of determination, with lack of competence particularly of Mrs Maybe thrown in. You are also forgetting the time element here.

Pannick had his Times article published on 30th June, before May even became PM on 11th July. The wheels were set in motion soon after. The Appeals court judgement was 3rd November. Why wasn't a bill presented to Parliament on 7th Nov? Indeed why didn't the government by-pass the court before the judgement?

The point is that one year on the situation is a mess and out of control. Unless that is accepted by the Tories they will never solve the current problems, and we won't properly leave the EU. You have to accept something is wrong before you can correct it. And time is running out.