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Read by Ministers, MPs, MEPs, journalists, campaigners, and the public
BREXIT NEWS  
 WHITEHALL IS CROSS
ABOUT BREXIT
© BuzzFeed
(POOR LITTLE MANDARINS)
Yesterday in Parliament there was a great deal of huffing and puffing, and getting to one’s feet with an important and serious look on one’s face. This happened in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
In the Commons, the posturing was caused by a leaked civil service document obtained by Buzzfeed claiming to show the negative economic impacts of Brexit, in a bizarre sequel to what happened in the Referendum campaign. Something like “Project Fear – the Losers’ Revenge”.
In the Lords the huffery-puffery was caused by a self-important coterie of political has-beens (and many political never-were’s) thinking that anyone cares what they think about anything, if they ever did.
THE COMMONS – URGENT QUESTION – “Brexit – Why oh why... Waah...!”
On Tuesday Buzzfeed published a leaked document said to have been produced by civil servants from the DExEU department. Entitled “EU Exit Analysis – Cross Whitehall Briefing” it turned out to have been a rehash of the embarrassingly awful document that George Osborne and the Treasury produced prior to the Referendum.
The claims by Osborne and his Treasury were undoubtedly one of the most blatant attempts to deceive millions of voters during the whole campaign. You remember – this was George’s notorious “You’ll all be £4300 worse off and lose your jobs” document. The BBC ran with it for… ooh… seemed like forever.
The ‘Cross Whitehall’ part of the title of this latest 2018 document was not, alas, a reference to the state of irritation of mandarins over Brexit, but a proclamation that this was the collective view across Whitehall, which of course exclusively contains those who are bright enough to know about such things.
In fact it was the collective view of a bunch of proven failures, as the Minister alludes to below.
Yesterday Sir Keir Starmer, Labour’s Brexit spokesman and arch-Remoaner, asked a question in the House, as follows:
© Hansard
Sir Keir argued that the government was indeed producing ‘economic impact assessments’ regarding Brexit and that this leaked document was one of them.
In reply, Brexit Minister Steve Baker described the document as “an attempt to undermine our exit from the European Union”. He also said that he hadn’t even seen the document until that morning – which gives the lie to the claim that this document had been produced by DExEU officials.
It is now widely believed that the document was in fact produced by Treasury mandarins with the assistance of officials in Number 10, where David Davis’ previous top civil servant Olly Robbins now works.
This time the Treasury mandarins had (no doubt regretfully) had to reduce their estimates of the cataclysmic economic Armageddon which will be unleashed by Brexit, given that their forecasts the first time round made all ‘experts’ into a laughing stock, as far as many people were concerned.
Steve Baker pointed this out, observing:
BANK OF ENGLAND - RIDICULED BY MINISTER
“Let us take as an example the respected Bank of England. What institution could be more respected for its analysis?”
“In August 2016, it made a quantitative forecast of the impact of Brexit, saying that exports would go down by 0.5%, but they went up 8.3%.”
“It said that business investment would go down by 2%, but it went up by 1.7%.”
“It said that housing investment would go down by 4.75%, but it went up by 5%.”
“It said that employment growth would be zero—flat—but it went up to a new all-time high.”
RIGHT: Action man and former RAF Officer the Rt Hon Steve Baker MP,
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union

© Steve Baker
In their new document the Whitehall ‘experts’ have gamefully stuck to the central theme of their nonsense, viz the decimation of the British economy as we know it – “grâce à Brexit”, as they say in the ‘better’ dinner parties within the London bubble.
Well, thanks to Brexit, the most troubling decimation in our minds has been the reputation of the British Civil Service. We’re not talking about all those who work in the public sector, but some of those who work in Whitehall. More of this in ‘Observations’ below.
THE HOUSE OF LORDS
Readers will be aware that the Withdrawal Bill is with the Lords now and the newspapers are full of the Remainers-in-Erskine.
We have reviewed a little of the debate yesterday in the House of Lords but will not be covering it here. Instead we will present a link to the proceedings.
We know that many pro-Brexit commentators are happy to mention these Remoaners all the time and to show their pictures. Frankly, many of these people were nothings before Brexit and they're still nothings. Never elected, never achieving much, never on anyone's radar. Brexit has been a blessing to these self-publicists. Well here at Brexit Facts4EU.Org, if they fall into the 'nothings' category we shall not be covering them.
OBSERVATIONS
During the Referendum campaign itself we were deeply troubled by what we saw as the clear and extreme Remain bias of top civil servants. We wrote about this.
Immediately after the result, when it became clear that absolutely no preparatory work had been done for a Leave victory, we called for the Head of the Civil Service and the Heads of all the major government departments to resign. We have repeated this appeal on several occasions since.
Where we work, people get fired for absolutely fundamental and gross incompetence. But then we work in the real world.
Just stop and think for a moment. The Civil Service admitted they did no preparation for a Leave result. This isn’t a marginal failure, is it?
(Well, the Head of the Civil Service Sir Jeremy Heywood, says that just before the vote he took all his top people off for a day-out to an exclusive country hotel outside London to consider Brexit, but if this classifies as preparation then we’re all changing our names to Jean-Claude and Angela.)
As a direct result of no proper preparation having been done whatsoever for Brexit, despite Prime Minister Cameron promising that he would invoke Article 50 the next day if he lost, the UK’s official notification to the EU was not presented until 29 March 2017. That’s a delay of nine months.
The government is now insisting that we need an ‘Implementation Period’ of at least two years after the formal date of exit of 29 March 2019. Allegedly this is because so much needs to be planned. In fact in the last week it has been suggested that this be extended to three years if the EU will agree.
Even some moronic so-called Brexiteers – those who appear on TV – have approved this extension.
WELL, WE WON’T.
If you’re with us, do let us know – we’ve been consistent in wanting a full, clean, normal Brexit. Nothing is going to change our position or water us down – we know far too much about the EU for that – and no-one will ever be able to buy us off.
[ Sources: Parliament (Hansard) | Buzzfeed ]
     Journalists and politicians can contact us for the full list of links, as usual.
       06.55am, 31 Jan 2018
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READERS' COMMENTS
Please send us your comments and we will publish them here. You can of course use a pseudonym if you prefer, and it's always nice to know roughly where you're writing from. Please always state the headline of the article you're commenting on.
Name: Liz F, UK      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 6.16pm
Message: Surely the Whitehall 'leak' could have found a slightly more respectable conduit than Buzzfeed to spread Project Fear Part 3? I had to google them to find out who they were (an American 'social news and entertainment company'). Enough said. What the majority of MPs seem to keep forgetting is that 17.4 million people voted to leave the EU in 2016 and it's fair enough to expect that decision to be respected. It beggars belief that 18 months later they still cannot agree a way forward. At least the EU declares their position and sticks to it. Do we really want to spend another 3 years on the naughty step while Headmaster Juncker and his fellow unelected elites continue to patronise and punish us? No! Non! Nein! Brexit has never meant anything other than Brexit. The sooner it happens the better.
Name: Russell M, UK      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 2.25pm
Message: When we leave in March 2019 that's it, we're gone. NO MORE money, jurisdiction, free movement. The transition period should be just a smoothing operation to benefit both parties, i.e trade as now whilst we negotiate a new FTA with the EU & with other countries at the same time. Problem is the EU see the transition as a oneway ticket that we have to buy into, as if they're doing us a favour. How do you negotiate without deal makers in the room, Barnier is a puppet, his hands are tied with no bargaining chips & position set in stone. When will the government set out the UK position rather than kow-towing to the EU all the time.
Name: Brexiteer Braintree Essex      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 1.55pm
Message: The UK has been in the EEC/EU for 43years, that means you would be hard pushed to find any career civil servant who has known life pre 1973. Nobody who had to make any decision solely in the UK's interest. As the majority of our laws and directives arrive from Brussels all they have to do is copy and paste them into UK law. The UK Government is not allowed to amend or change any word of them, even if they are contrary to Britain's national interest. Together with an education system which has pushed a cultural Marxist agenda is it any wonder people are unable to think and act for themselves? It appears this dossier was produced by the Treasury team, they would appear to be the same discredited team who produced the project fear document, pre referendum. The Civil Service is known to be pro remain in the EU, in fact before the referendum civil servants were sent emails urging them to vote stay. Other independent economists offer a more upbeat assessment of Britain's fortunes in a post EU world. After we leave the EU in March 2019, civil servants will have to once more be responsible to their elected ministers, and undertake impartial advice and policies on the ministers behalf. Not some unelected foreign bureaucracy, unaccountable to the British Parliament.
Name: Mr D A Joyce, UK      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 1.12pm
Message: In Theresa May we have our very own surrender monkey. Downing Street civil servants are the EU useful idiots.
Name: Bill Crook, Lancashire      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 07.56am
Message: I look at your site daily to find information on Brexit to be found nowhere else. Thank you.
Reply: Thank you for your kind words Bill, and thank you for your donation.
Name: Steve R, UK      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 07.52am
Message: Is it conceivable that May did not know about this latest Project Fear update? Was it discussed in the cabinet office, where did the leak originate and why was it attributed to Steve Baker's ministry? Someone needs to ask questions and if it does come from no 10, those civil servants should be demoted to cleansing and haulage.
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 THE EU’S TERMS OF
BRITISH SURRENDER
© EU Council
SHOCKING EU DEMANDS GREETED WITH
ACQUIESCENCE FROM UK GOVERNMENT
Two weeks ago we reported on a leaked draft of the EU’s latest demands. Yesterday those worst nightmares were realised, when the EU’s General Affairs Council approved the recommendations of the EU Commission and issued its mandate for negotiations of the transitional period.
BREXIT FACTS4EU.ORG SUMMARY – EU DEMANDS, 29 JAN 2018
  • UK will become a vassal state of the EU on 29 March 2019
  • It will be under complete EU law and must obey all EU rules and procedures
  • The Court of Justice of the EU will be supreme
  • Full freedom of movement will continue, no control of borders
  • UK will have no representation at EU Council, EU Parliament, EU Commission, EU agencies
  • UK will have no say over laws, directives, rules or procedures
  • The British Parliament will not be sovereign
  • UK will continue paying vast annual contributions in full
SHOCKINGLY WEAK REACTION FROM BRITISH GOVERNMENT
The UK government knew in advance what was coming. If we knew from a leaked draft two weeks ago, it is certain the government also knew.
Nonetheless, the expected and immediate rejection of the EU’s demands was not forthcoming yesterday. Instead, a No.10 spokesman said:
“We are pleased that the EU has now agreed its position, which is clearly well aligned with the proposal made by the Prime Minister in her Florence speech and which David Davis set out in more detail last Friday.”
“But this will be a negotiation and there will naturally be some distance between the detail of our starting positions.”
THE EU's OWN SUMMARY OF ITS POSITION
Here are the main points, as summarised by the EU Commission:-
  • “There will be no "cherry picking": The United Kingdom will continue to participate in the Customs Union and the Single Market (with all four freedoms). The Union acquis will continue to apply in full to and in the United Kingdom as if it were a Member State. As a result, the United Kingdom should remain bound by the obligations stemming from agreements with third countries. Any changes made to the acquis during this time should automatically apply to the United Kingdom.”
  • “All existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory, judiciary and enforcement instruments and structures will apply, including the competence of the Court of Justice of the European Union.”
  • “The United Kingdom will be a third country as of 30 March 2019. It will, therefore, no longer be represented in Union institutions, agencies, bodies and offices.”
  • “The transition period needs to be clearly defined and precisely limited in time. It should not last beyond 31 December 2020. Consequently, the provisions on citizens' rights in the Withdrawal Agreement should apply as of the end of the transition period.”
The above is taken from the EU’s main press release which it issued the moment the EU Council’s 2-minute deliberation was over. EU officials were very keen to stress that this was how quickly the Council made its decision.
The EU Council also released its official 8-page document which you can read here. If you don't have time for the whole thing, we have summarised the key parts below.
THE FORMAL DOCUMENT DETAILING TERMS OF BRITISH SURRENDER
A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary - Extracts for readers who are short on time
“During the transition period, Union law covered by these transitional arrangements should deploy in the United Kingdom the same legal effects as those which it deploys within the Member States of the Union. This means, in particular, that the direct effect and primacy of Union law should be preserved.”
“During the transition period, and in line with the European Council guidelines of 29 April 2017, the United Kingdom should remain bound by the obligations stemming from the agreements concluded by the Union, or by Member States acting on its behalf, or by the Union and its Member States acting jointly, while the United Kingdom should however no longer participate in any bodies set up by those agreements.”
“In line with the European Council guidelines of 15 December 2017, any transitional arrangements require the United Kingdom's continued participation in the Customs Union and the Single Market (with all four freedoms) during the transition. The United Kingdom should take all necessary measures to preserve the integrity of the Single Market and of the Customs Union. The United Kingdom should continue to comply with the Union trade policy. It should also in particular ensure that its customs authorities continue to act in accordance with the mission of EU customs authorities including by collecting Common Customs Tariff duties and by performing all checks required under Union law at the border vis-à-vis other third countries. During the transition period, the United Kingdom may not become bound by international agreements entered into in its own capacity in the fields of competence of Union law, unless authorised to do so by the Union.”
“In line with the European Council guidelines of 29 April 2017 and the first set of negotiating directives of 22 May 2017, any time-limited prolongation of the Union acquis requires existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory, judiciary and enforcement instruments and structures to apply, including the competence of the Court of Justice of the European Union.”
“In relation to the application of the Union acquis to the United Kingdom, the Withdrawal Agreement should therefore, during the transition period, preserve the full competences of the Union institutions (in particular the full jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union), bodies, offices and agencies in relation to the United Kingdom and to United Kingdom natural or legal persons. In particular, Union institutions, bodies and agencies should conduct all supervision and control proceedings foreseen by Union law. In line with the European Council guidelines of 15 December 2017, the United Kingdom will however no longer participate in or nominate or elect members of the Union institutions, nor participate in the decision-making or the governance of the Union bodies, offices and agencies.”
BARNIER’S SPEECH YESTERDAY:
In addition to written statements, the EU’s Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier gave a press conference. We cover that in a separate article below.
OBSERVATIONS
Regular readers know that we publish factual information on a white or blue background, with our opinions appearing in these pink ‘Observations’ boxes. We try to keep the two things separate. In that way, readers who are not pro-Brexit can at least read us for the facts we provide on a daily basis, which generally aren’t available elsewhere.
Unfortunately today you will see the clear bias from us, creeping into the factual sections above. This only happens when the situation is so serious that we just can’t help ourselves.
Let’s be clear, yesterday the EU issued its terms for the abject surrender of the British side represented by May, Davis, Hammond, Rudd, et al.
Equally clearly, the government failed to reject these venal demands. The No.10 spokesman was pathetic:
“We are pleased that the EU has now agreed its position, which is clearly well aligned with the proposal made by the Prime Minister in her Florence speech and which David Davis set out in more detail last Friday.”
THIS ISN'T APPEASEMENT, IT'S SURRENDER
Soldiers in wartime have been shot for less. This is siding with the enemy and preparing to raise the white flag.
The Brexit Secretary David Davis was in the House of Lords yesterday, answering questions from their Exiting the EU Committee. He failed to stand up and tear the EU’s document into pieces. (Metaphorically.)
In the House of Commons an urgent question was tabled by the veteran Brexiteer Sir William Cash. Standing in for the Brexit Secretary was the Brexit Minister - Remainer Robin Walker. His performance was simply lamentable.
Sir Bill Cash, urgent question, yesterday                        © Parliament
You can watch it here, but we recommend only watching the questions from Brexiteer MPs and skipping the Minister’s responses as these are just depressing.
You may have gathered by now that we are not happy. Generally we see our role as bringing you the best, original Brexit content in a facts-based way, using official documents and data from the UK, the EU, the EU’s member state governments, and supposedly reputable international bodies.
Now we are beginning to think about fighting. We have tried to cajole and encourage the government since the Referendum. We’ve certainly given plenty of ammunition to MPs, MEPs, Councillors, think-tanks, and journalists, when they have needed it.
Now though, it might be time to think of ‘going to the mattresses’. (If you don’t know the term, you might enjoy Googling it.)
Yesterday afternoon we asked our readers and followers what they thought about the latest demands from the EU. In the piece below we present a selection of the comments we have received.
Theresa May and ministers, this is getting very serious. We are very responsible people. If even we are getting angry, you must wake up. It is our sense that you are risking a massive reaction from ordinary British people, who have had enough.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
[ Sources: EU Commission | EU Council | No.10 ]
     Journalists and politicians can contact us for the full list of links, as usual.
       07.25am, 30 Jan 2018
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READERS' COMMENTS
Please send us your comments and we will publish them here. You can of course use a pseudonym if you prefer, and it's always nice to know roughly where you're writing from. Please always state the headline of the article you're commenting on.
Name: Michael Wood, UK      Date/Time: 30 Jan 2018, 7.58pm
Message: I voted leave in the Referendum and expected a clean break. If we are under any obligation whatsoever to them, we have not left the European Union! I regard the latest 'terms for Britains' surrender' as an ACT OF WAR!
Name: Lesley Duscherer, Ayrshire      Date/Time: 30 Jan 2018, 6.43pm
Message: I am so horrified by what is happening, I have to do what I can to support Brexit. Totally astonished at the weak, pathetic and spineless responses from our Govt to the arrogance of the EU. I truly fear for our country and can only hope someone in possession of a brain, a backbone and (metaphorical) balls can get to grips with this mess and get us out as quickly as possible.
Name: Paul A, East Sussex      Date/Time: 30 Jan 2018, 6.17pm
Message: I am so absolutely fed up and more than furious with being sold down the river by our elected yet useless idiots. Which bit of LEAVE is too complicated for them to understand? As our government has proved themselves incapable of doing anything apart from thanking the eu for pi**ing on us it is time to start acting ourselves.
Name: Patrick H, London      Date/Time: 30 Jan 2018, 12.40pm
Message: How much confidence is being gained by the EU negotiators, due to the trips to Brussels by anti-Brexit MPs? Clearly, these anti-Brexit MPs are negatively collaborating and undermining the legal will of the majority of the UK citizens! It is distressing to see these MPs acting in such a treacherous manner!
Name: W Alkaway, UK      Date/Time: 30 Jan 2018, 12.24pm
Message: This is clearly a load of posturing and gesturing by the EU Officials trying to show the rest of the EU that they are strong and victorious, whereas the British are weaklings. Does not help that, yes, we have an extremely flexible, floppy, fickle, feeble and futile Prime Minister. Now is the moment we MUST turn on our heels: put an end to the EU's preposterous demands. The British Lion IS roaring! The timing is right for us to declare: 'We are walking away!' That will wipe the smirks off a few faces! Should we trust May, Davis and others to get the job done properly? T.May must now either Foxtrot Oscar from No 10 Downing Street, or wait to be ignominiously forced out of office or, she could be statesman-like and reject ALL the EU's demands.
Name: Patrick F, Tunbridge Wells, UK      Date/Time: 30 Jan 2018, 08.48am
Message: This is the darkest moment yet. The "cliff-edge" that Remain have been warning about, may happen, with total government and mainstream media collusion. Other Leave sites contributors express in coarser terms than I usually use, but I will quote one of them here: FFS get a grip Mrs May and deliver what we VOTED for!
Name: Brexiter Braintree Essex, UK      Date/Time: 30 Jan 2018, 08.48am
Message: There is no way any British Government of any political persuasion,could sign up to that document from the EU. It amounts to total surrender. In essence the Government has been annexed to a foreign power, however temporary. This amounts to the punishment beating that the EU has been threatening the UK with. The UK Government response should be "jog on, WTO it is". Let's see how the individual countries of the EU respond when their lucrative trade with the UK, are hit by tariffs, and trade competition from the rest of the world.
 PRIME MINISTER,
© EU Council
IGNORE THE PEOPLE
AT YOUR PERIL
Dear Prime Minister,
We will be writing to you later but here are just some of the things that our readers and followers have wanted to say in the last 18 hours, about the EU’s latest demands and about your handling of Brexit.
Richard Morris
Cannot be allowed to happen. #Betrayalofthehighestorder
Tom Collins‏
I foresee big problems for our country in the coming weeks. We are virtually leaderless and have two factions in the Cabinet, fighting each other. Mrs. May has taken us down a cul-de-sac and she has no idea what to do next. The people are becoming restless.
Sonita
Davis morphed into a weasel - now has his own vocabulary of non-words aka waffle aks words that mean nothing but used to hide a mess
oobovril
Mr's May and her pro-EU and Pro-Brexit MP's need to start realising that it will be the Brexiteer electorate who will be deciding which party will be forming our next government in 2021. If May is seen to have capitulated to Brussels then Labour will be in government in 2021.
Jo Public
Shd be saying no - March 19 will be the end - if there is anything they need to negotiate after that we will - no more money or time after!
Les
Accept a canada style deal now and use the next 14 months of talks to negotiate any improvements/add ons Services etc. Provides certainty for businesses eliminates the need for a transitional period and honours government promise to respect the will of the people.
21st Century Boy
I think there will be more anger when people realise that on day we leave, UK lose over 70 EU trade deals with outside countries during transition. And we will still be paying full payment This cannot be accepted by @theresa_may @Jacob_Rees_Mogg @johnredwood @BorisJohnson
Jane Smith‏
We voted to Leave. We don’t trust our politicians in any party. We did not vote for a continuing of the status quo for another two or three years. We want OUT. NOW. Spineless politicians who can’t stomach this need to go. We need some balls in the Cabinet.
Ad‏ @kneeDown1981
The minute the vote was cast we should have stopped paying then said let's talk. That would have given us some leverage.
Howard O.Jones
As had been said by many, many times before, the answer is to terminate negotiations and walk away until such time as the EU realises UK intends to be and will be a fully independent Sovereign State once again.
Graham North
How about we tell EU that free trade deal must be agreed to our satisfaction by 29 March 2018 or we walk away. #gettough #getreal
Robert Kimbell
Right on the button.
Helen Grieve
Playing the 52% for bloody fools...
John Smith
Its called surrendering. It's the only thing @theresa_may knows how to do.
Mordecai The Foul
I'm starting to think that a lot of the Brexit MP's are Controlled Opposition. They never thought they would win when we did they p***ed themselves you could see it on their faces. We were stupid to think they were on our side. No f***ing Honour.
NorthernBorn‏
If the EU introduces a new law that the 27 can generally c**p on the UK with respect to travel, borders, cash, trade, fisheries, farming, Ireland and we get no say other than to “object” I think we’re done being good neighbours. That’s not a deep and special partnership
seeadler 55
yes a transition means we leave not half measures no sliding back .This idea we leave but have no say -Total nonsense -
Godnose
(With teeth gritted): It's supposed to be an implementation period. How can anything be implemented by a vassal state.
tweety bird
Disgusting offer and disgusting that this govt Conservatives would ever consider this
Peter David Scott
WTO rules beckons.
Robert Rees
If we have to accept new rules in the interim period then de facto there is no brexit.
yorks pud
Davis might as well sit with the EU, he's of no use to us.
Stephen B‏
The Single Market doesn't exist - I have to use state owned monopoly EDF for power in France, they can sell in UK too. I can't insure my house or car with a UK insurer. I am also obliged to use a French bank with all its restrictive practices.
Hughev
With the referendum result 52%-48% some persons are calling for a second referendum, hoping that voters will have changed their minds having seen the difficulties being made of Brexit. Perhaps this should be extended to parliamentary elections. I wonder if a newly elected MP who had won by 4% margin would agree to rerun just in case his opponent should really have won. The transition period should be reduced to nil, coming out immediately at the end of March 2019, No divorce bill should be entertained. I read that civil servants feel that they need up to three years transition to cope with all the arrangements for Brexit, no doubt hoping that we will stay tied to EU for ever. As it has been 18 months since the referendum, what have the civil service been doing all this time, sitting on their hands trying to frustrate Brexit?
Nick Moore
The biggest ever majority in a national vote told the government to LEAVE. It didn't give permission to transition, pay for it, or fanny around trying to keep some bits. We voted for a COMPLETE break from the E, and they are OBLIGED to provide it.
Fuppy57, London
We should not be surprised by the 2min it took for the EU to come to their decision on what this 2 year period will look like. Clearly they do not know the definition of the word transition. We should counter with either make it a true transition period or we leave March 2019. Time to play harder.
Caroline T
My view? Utterly fed up of being disregarded, minimised, mocked, etc from every ‘class’ of remainer, from Clegg wishing me dead (age) to students calling me a Russian bot. Theyre using the dignified silence Im affording Mrs May to deliver my wishes, as space for continual offence. I campaigned against Lisbon, and finally we are leaving th undemocratic EU. If the government doesnt leave on our behalf, the people of this nation will take matters into their own hands. My silence will continue, until the time to act comes. Then act I will. I do not support any payments to the EU and if they object, sue me. Regards, A British tax payer of 40 years.
OBSERVATIONS
There will be some people reading this - possibly from the 'commentariat' and the journalist and political classes whom we know delve into our pages regularly, who will be dismissing the comments above.
Word of advice: don't.
The Referendum should have been an enormous wake up call for the Establishment of our country. It's our opinion based on being heavily involved for a long time that the elites still don't get it. They think that the protest has been made and things will 'settle back to normal'.
If you are in this category, we strongly suggest you think again. The real people of this country are not to be taken so lightly.
[ Sources: Our postbag ]
     Journalists and politicians can contact us for the full list of links, as usual.
       07.25am, 30 Jan 2018
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONLINE
READERS' COMMENTS
Please send us your comments and we will publish them here. You can of course use a pseudonym if you prefer, and it's always nice to know roughly where you're writing from. Please always state the headline of the article you're commenting on.

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 BARNIER’S PRESS CONFERENCE
© EU Council
AND BULGARIA DARES TO LECTURE UK
The EU’s Chief Brexit Negotiator clearly took great delight yesterday in talking about the EU’s plans to dominate the UK for the next few years. In the grandiose and luxurious Berlaymont Building in Brussels, he gave a press conference.
You can read what Monsieur Barnier said in full here, although the EU Commission unfortunately couldn’t be bothered to translate the French parts into English. We've done that in our excerpts below.
BARNIER'S SPEECH
A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary - Extracts for readers who are short on time
“The EU position is very clear: the transition will last for 21 months, until 31 December 2020.”
“During this limited period of time, the whole EU acquis will continue to apply to the UK. As well as the full EU supervision and enforcement framework, under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.”
“This will include new EU rules entering into force during this period. For one simple reason: during transition, the UK will continue to take part in the Single Market, the Customs Union and all Union policies. It will continue to have all the economic benefits. Therefore it must also apply all the EU rules. The Single Market cannot be ‘à la carte’.”
“However, the UK will no longer be an EU member on 29 March 2019. This will have consequences in terms of institutions and governance. After this date, the UK will no longer participate in the EU decision-making process.”
“Finally, one word on existing agreements with third countries during the transition:”
“As part of the transition, the UK will remain bound by the obligations stemming from all existing EU international agreements, for instance on trade and aviation. This is crucial for the good functioning of the Single Market and the Customs Union. And we can agree on this in the Article 50 Agreement between the EU and the UK.”
“But we cannot ensure in the Article 50 Agreement that the UK keeps the benefits from these international agreements. Our partners around the world may have their own views on this, for instance the 70 countries covered by trade deals.”
“Secondly, let us not forget that the negotiations on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom are not over. ‘Sufficient progress’ does not mean ‘full progress’!”
“In this second phase, we have to translate our commitments in the joint report into a legally binding text. It is a condition for progress.”
BULGARIA?
On such a day as yesterday, it was perhaps unfortunate that Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister chose to say a few words, before introducing Michel Barnier. Bulgaria currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency.
“We are all glad to be able to start discussing the transition with the UK. However, we must not lose sight of the so-called "exit matters". It is essential and urgent to complete this work. And of course all the commitments undertaken in December need to be respected in full and translated into legal text. This is essential for negotiations to progress.”
Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva
OBSERVATIONS
This was not the day for the Bulgarian Deputy PM to take advantage of the world stage and lecture the British. Bulgaria is one of those countries which has been the EU Commission's puppy dog, agreeing with everything Juncker says.
Regrettably Bulgaria still has a long way to go before it will uphold what the EU Commission laughingly calls 'EU values'. This isn't our verdict, but the verdict of the EU Commission itself. Bulgaria is corrupt from the top down. It keeps failing all the tests. But the elites wanted to expand the EU so they allowed Bulgaria and Romania to enter in 2007 without fulfilling the minimum requirements, just as they had allowed Greece to enter years earlier. The Greek people are of course still paying the price.
Before anyone thinks we're being a tad unfair to Bulgarians, we will mention that some of the team have actually spent time in Bulgaria and find the people warm, friendly and keen to develop. Our problem isn't with the people, but with the Bulgarian government. It often seems to us that many of the journalists covering Brexit and EU matters haven't been outside London or Brussels. We have, so we feel able to comment.
NOT THE TALLEST PEAK
One of the things which irritates us about the glorified French clerk who was given the job of day-to-day Brexit negotiations is that he really isn’t very bright. As we have pointed out once before, Michel Barnier is from the mountainous Savoie region of France, and we can’t help feeling he’s a couple of mountains short of a range.
The reason this is irritating is because Monsieur Barnier really shouldn’t be hard to defeat in securing a deal. Despite this, our constantly chortling Brexit Secretary David Davis has made little progress and is able to be presented by the Remain media – and the media across the EU27 countries - as always being on the back foot.
A successful negotiation has a lot to do with the perception of power. The UK is in a very powerful position, but if it weren’t this wouldn’t be important, provided the perception of power were projected well.
The reality is that instead of looking like a powerful lion roaring, the British government has looked for the last 18 months like the proverbial 7-stone weakling having sand kicked in his face.
[ Sources: EU Commission | EU Council ]
     Journalists and politicians can contact us for the full list of links, as usual.
       08.45am, 30 Jan 2018
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 THE NAIVETÉ
OF MRS MAY?
We are pleased to publish an article by a guest writer, Michael Donnan.
In his piece below Michael Donnan analyses yesterday's events and provides a fascinating commentary on what is going wrong with the British government's Brexit strategy.

It would appear that Mrs Theresa May, in common with many others in the UK Parliament, fails utterly to understand that the EU is represented, not by reasonable and well-intentioned people but by zealots obsessed by and committed to the ideal of “ever closer union” of the member states towards the putative paradise of a United States of Europe.
The UK has rejected that ideal and, in the view of these zealots, it will have to be punished for its apostasy. It should therefore have been obvious [1] after the announcement of the 2016 Referendum result that the EU would not willingly concede any agreement that did impose significant punitive conditions on the UK. And, indeed, we can now see clearly that this is precisely the way things are shaping up.
The EU’s demands may seem to some to be so preposterous as to be laughable but, make no mistake, the EU representatives are not comedians: they are perfectly serious and their demands are conceived as part of an intended ritual humiliation of the UK in its quest to be free of EU fetters, a humiliation in which Mrs May’s Government has so far been acquiescing.
Thus, we have had demands from the EU for a huge payment or a series of substantial payments (the “financial settlement”), for which no itemised and costed account has been published and no legal basis has been demonstrated. An entirely bogus “transitional period” is now proposed in the European Commission’s press release of 29 January 2018 [2], during which period the UK will continue to participate in the Customs Union and the EU Internal Market and hence must continue to accept freedom of movement.
Furthermore, the UK will not be able to conclude trade deals with non-EU countries (a consequence of remaining in the Customs Union), will have to apply the Union acquis in full (including all new provisions, however onerous) and will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the EU, which conditions will be massively detrimental to the interests of the UK as an independent trading nation.
Since the proposal specifies that “all existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory, judiciary and enforcement instruments and structures will apply”, this will no doubt entail the continuing application of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy to the UK’s fishing waters. We can also expect to be required to make contributions, including money, materiel and manpower, to the defence of the EU (in addition to our existing commitments to NATO).
The upshot is that the only rational course of action would be a rapid, clean and decisive departure from the EU. However, this is not the course of action that the UK Government under Mrs May has any intention whatsoever of adopting.
The main reasons would seem to be two-fold. First, the apparent failure of Mrs May to see the EU officials for what they are, the failure noted in my first paragraph, suggests an astonishing level of naivety. Second, the Prime Minister seems locked into the behaviour pattern known as ‘escalation of commitment’. Specifically, having embarked on a course of conciliatory offers, she will likely continue to make ever more conciliatory offers after each rebuff and after each demand by the EU, rather than take a fresh, radically different and more resolute approach. Hers is a weak, pusillanimous way of acting.
One can try to fashion a hypothesis that could explain the disastrous way the “negotiations” (actually a series of EU demands and UK capitulations) have been conducted. The obvious hypothesis invokes Mrs May’s manifest failings, as hinted at above; indeed, one might be cynical and suspect that these failings are the very reason why she has been foisted upon us.
There is, however, an alternative and rather grimmer hypothesis, which is that, despite her assertion that “Brexit means Brexit”, she is covertly complicit in the conspiracy to thwart Brexit. Time perhaps will tell.
Notes
[1] I need not add “with hindsight”, for we pay Members of Parliament for foresight.
[2] I found no suggestion in the press release of any substantial changes to the arrangements during that period. A transition period during which nothing changes is, of course, a contradiction in terms. The alternative weasel term – “implementation period” - is hardly better. Given the restrictions called for in the Commission’s press release – tantamount to a sustained status quo (the term used by Mr Barnier’s deputy, Ms Sabine Weyand), other than, of course, the loss of representation in EU institutions and hence loss of any influence on EU decisions - it seems a fair question to ask: what exactly will the UK be able to implement within that period that could not have been implemented in the period between 24 June 2016 and 29 March 2019?
OBSERVATIONS
We enjoyed this analysis by Michael Donnan and hope you did too.
Perhaps 'enjoyed' isn't quite the right word when we're all looking at a very depressing topic, but we thought Michael's analysis was well-structured and incisive.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org is always open to guest writers, so please don't be shy. You can send us your thoughts any time, using our contact page or direct to our email address which is listed there.
[ Sources: Michael Donnan ]
     Journalists and politicians can contact us for the full list of links, as usual.
       09.45am, 30 Jan 2018
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 WHO RUNS THE SINGLE MARKET?
© EU Commission
AND HOW MUCH BUSINESS EXPERIENCE HAS SHE GOT?
Another exclusive Brexit Facts4EU.Org research team analysis
that you won't see on the BBC
THE SINGLE MARKET DOMINATES THE NEWS
Yesterday there were the usual rounds of the TV studios for politicians, doing Sunday interviews about Brexit. Over and again questions were asked about the Single Market.
In numerous articles over the past few years we have provided solid, hard facts about the Single Market. Here we look at who is supposed to be running it.
ELŻBIETA BIEŃKOWSKA
COMMISSIONER FOR THE SINGLE MARKET, INDUSTRY, & SMEs
  • Took over from Michel Barnier, who is now Chief Brexit Negotiator for the EU
  • Masters degree in Iranian Studies from a Polish university
  • Has never held a job in industry or commerce
Ms Bieńkowska is an unelected bureaucrat working in Brussels. Her key responsibility is ‘completing the single market for goods and services’ – something which the EU hasn’t managed to do in over 25 years.
Including allowances she is paid over £290,000 p.a. gross1 – far more than our Prime Minister – plus her own chauffeur, plus generous pension, plus a very generous package when she leaves office.
She is unelected, so what did she do to qualify for this job?
How did she get the job?
Ms Bieńkowska was chosen for this role by President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Given that she has no direct business experience, can anyone imagine why he chose her as his Commissioner for the Single Market, Industry and SMEs?
HER BACKGROUND:-
  • Education : Masters in Iranian Studies, Dept of Oriental Languages
  • Jobs : Previously only employed in Polish local and national government
  • Job title: EU Commissioner - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
  • Experience: She has no direct experience working in commerce or industry
© EU Commission
OBSERVATIONS
THE UNELECTED EU COMMISSIONERS WHO DIRECT YOUR LIFE
Paid far more than the Prime Minister, the public have a right to know about the unelected EU Commissioners who hold massive power over us. They affect the daily lives of 508 million people. Would you ever have voted for them?
Let's take the EU's Single Market Commissioner as an example. Don't you find it just a little surprising that you haven't seen her on your TV screens, given all the talk about the Single Market in recent years? She's held the job for nearly 4 years. Can you recall a single BBC interview with her?
Secondly, if membership of the Single Market is so all-fired important, how come this woman hasn't been visiting the UK on a regular basis, promoting it? Furthermore, given that the Single Market has been panned for its performance in the services sector - where the UK excels - how come this woman hasn't been trying to put that right? Or if she's been trying, how come we don't know about it and how come she's failed?
If you are relatively new to Brexit Facts4EU.Org, you may like to know that we have previously shed a great deal of light on areas like this, where the mainstream media have not gone. Our politician readers have picked up on these stories, but alas the media haven't.
EU Commissioners have immense power. Some of you might question whether Ms Bieńkowska has the necessary experience and knowledge to wield it effectively and wisely.
THE IGNORANT POLITICAL CLASS
Some of the Brexit Facts4EU.Org team have sacrificed a great deal for the struggle to win independence from the EU. We know that many of our readers have done the same. It therefore irritates us enormously when we see politicians from the Remoaner class spouting nonsense about the EU, whilst at the same time pretending to be knowledgeable.
One of the biggest problems is that very few of the politicians who backed Remain have much clue about things like the Single Market, and nor do the interviewers who are asking them the questions.
There was a perfect example of this yesterday, with Andrew Marr's interview of Jeremy Corbyn. Neither of them knew much at all, but they wasted a few more minutes of our lives as Marr tried in vain to get a scoop on the Labour position on Brexit. This was political games-playing and the viewer learnt nothing. We would love to interview Marr about the Single Market to demonstrate how little he knows - but perhaps that would be too cruel.
THE SINGLE MARKET DOESN'T WORK
Early last year Ms Bieńkowska announced that “the Single Market – this jewel that is all too often taken for granted – does not function properly for services”. Given that services represents almost 80% of the UK economy, and that the Single Market has been going for over 25 years, this was an extraordinary admission.
We'll repeat that in case you missed it:
“The Single Market – this jewel that is all too often taken for granted – does not function properly for services”
Elżbieta Bieńkowska
EU Commissioner for the Single Market, speech in 2017
© EU Commission
We have highly specific analysis on the ineffectiveness of the Single Market - work which is unique to this site. With politicians - even the Chancellor - telling us how vital it is for us to be either a member of the Single Market, or as closely 'aligned' to it as possible, maybe you would like us to publish some more on this?
[ Sources: EU Commission on Bienkowska | EU Commission Bienkowska CV | EU Commission Bienkowska other commercial interests | EU Commission salaries guide | Various news sites in Polish | Civitas study on EU salaries ]
Note 1: The EU doesn't publish full income for its Commissioners. We calculated it from numerous EU documents and other sources.
       06.35am, 29 Jan 2018
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Name: Alex Charles, UK      Date/Time: 29 Jan 2018, 12.14pm
Message: I'd love to read more analysis of the Single Market and why it is currently failing in the Services sector. Like you, I am sick of the continued ignorance of the mainstream media on this topic. The narrative needs to change and I congratulate you and the team on your work.
Name: Kate B, UK      Date/Time: 29 Jan 2018, 08.14am
Message: Jean-Claude Juncker, I look as nice as Elzbieta and I actually know something about trade as I work in exports. Can I have a job with you worth £290,000 a year?

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 CZECHS UNBALANCE THE EU... AGAIN
© Czech TV
EUROSCEPTIC PRESIDENT WON,
PRO-EU CANDIDATE LOST
Another exclusive Facts4EU.Org Research Team Analysis
that you won't see on the BBC
Yesterday the people of the Czech Republic voted for the third time in three months - this time in the second round of their presidential elections. As they did in their General Elections in October last year, once again they gave a thumbs down to the EU. Facts4EU.Org once again brings you a short report on what the BBC will no doubt barely mention today.
© Facts4EU.Org 2018
CZECH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SUMMARY
  • Miloš Zeman (INCUMBENT, EUROSCEPTIC) won with 51.36% of the second round vote
  • Jiří Drahoš lost, with 48.63%
  • Turnout was 66.6%
QUICK REMINDER ABOUT CZECH REPUBLIC
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country of 10.5 million people which became independent after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the split-up of Czechoslovakia in 1993. It joined the European Union in 2004 and its capital city is Prague. The country is growing well and doesn’t yet use the Euro, retaining its currency of the koruna.
CZECH POLITICS
Czech politics are complex, in common with the politics of all the former East European states. In recent years their politics have been complicated yet further by changes in parties, leaders and alliances, as well as a major corruption scandal engulfing the man who became Prime Minister back in October, Andrej Babiš.
Below is a typical Facts4EU.Org summary giving you highlights and some key trends, in realtion to the impact on the EU and on Brexit.
THE 2017 GENERAL ELECTIONS AND 2018 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
In October last year, nine parties got over the 5% threshhold need to gain seats in parliament.
© Facts4EU.Org 2018
ANO became easily the largest party, overtaking the ruling Social Democrat CSSD who fell to 6th place. The party in 2nd place is the more mainstream conservative right-wing party, the Civic Democrats (ODS). In 3rd and 4th equal were the Pirates and the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) parties, who each came from nowhere to gain 22 seats.
The Pirates are part of a wider European group. The right-wing SPD however are an anti-migrant and ‘populist’ right-wing party of the type to make Herr Juncker and his colleagues recoil.
THE EU CAN NOT SPIN THIS
Even the EU elites with their constant twisting of the facts can’t spin this one. The re-elected President is anti-EU, anti-immigration, and anti-Islam. He doesn't support the EU's discredited migrant reallocation policy.
This does not mean that the President and the eurosceptic government want to withdraw the Czech Republic from the EU – the Czechs receive too much annual subsidy from the EU for that – but the mood music is definitely not warm and melodious, if you are sitting in Brussels.
© Facts4EU.Org 2018
One of the key problems for the EU now is that there is no realistic prospect of the Czechs changing their minds and taking in some of their allocation of “Merkel’s migrants”. (That’s our term, by the way.)
With a government and a President, each elected on a eurosceptic and anti-migration mandate, the Czech Republic enters 2018 with confidence in its position.
© Facts4EU.Org 2018
OBSERVATIONS
In Czech politics it’s clear that the trend is not the EU’s friend.
The Czechs have moved firmly to the right, and the EU’s migrant redistribution policy has once again been rejected.
We can't wait to see how the EU try to spin this one....
[ Sources: Český statistický úřad (ČSÚ) - The Czech equivalent of the ONS | Czech media ]
     Journalists and politicians can contact us for the full list of links, as usual.
       12.05pm, 28 Jan 2018
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Name: Jon, Wales      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 11.41am
Message: Magnificent result, and congratulations to the people of the Czech Republic. It appears your leaders are rightly putting your country first and have learned to say "NO" to the unelected EU elites. However, you are not as independent as you may believe? You will I think find the EU commission continue to grab more powers away from nation states, along with your culture, and THEY will dictate what you may and may not do, and your government will be required to comply and adapt EU laws. The centralised EU will I am certain continue imposing laws upon you, and there will be little you can do about it, not your government, not your President. I can foresee they may do this at a faster pace because the eurosceptic movement across continental Europe is on the rise. When governed by an unelected EU elite, far far away, you must ask yourselves, WHY did you hold a general election in 2017, and WHY did you hold a Presidential election this year? What do those elections mean to you in the Czech Republic? More importantly, what is your vote worth when you cannot vote the 'Brussels brigade' out of office - EVER? As a UK citizen, It is not for me to 'interfere', but I am curious? Given the majority in the Czech Republic voted for eurosceptic parties, the next logical step would be to hold a Brexit-styled referendum to decide upon your membership of the [dictatorial] European commission? It's a question of, do the people of the Czech Republic wish to be governed by their own government, or do they wish to be governed by those they did not elect and can never remove?
Name: Kate B, UK      Date/Time: 29 Jan 2018, 08.21am
Message: To J Slater, I agree with you that more and more countries seem to be saying no and yet the EU keeps pretending theyre united. The big thing I agree is for Theresa May to heed the outcry as you say.
Name: J Slater, UK      Date/Time: 28 Jan 2018, 7.22pm
Message: Fantastic result! European Nations are seeing the harm being done to them, particularly with the Merkel/Soros/Blair-backed African/Middle Eastern migration policy. More and more are saying 'No'. Could it be the EU's days are numbered? Bankrupt, steamrollered by failed unelected politicians, for whom the people of Europe have no respect. The Ivory Towers of Brussels and Strasburg are going into melt-down. Today is a great day for the People of the Czech Republic. The start of something really big. Take note PM May, Negotiator Davis and her entourage of Remainer flunkies. You really do need to heed the outcry for a rapid, clean Brexit-Break for the UK in March 2019.

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 TRUMP FOR PM?
© Daily Mail / ITV
US PRESIDENT PROVES SOUND ON BREXIT
Whilst in Davos President Trump gave a televised interview to Piers Morgan. Extracts about Brexit appear in today’s Mail on Sunday and the full interview can be seen on ITV at 10pm this evening.
You can read the article by Piers Morgan in the Mail on Sunday here. In fact, given the attempt by the Remoaners at Virgin to ban sales of the Daily Mail on Virgin trains, you might want to buy a copy to support the company. Below we show some extracts of what the President said specifically about trade with the UK, the EU, and Brexit.
ON TRADE WITH THE UK
“So we are going to make a deal with UK that’ll be great.”
“As you know, you’re somewhat restricted because of Brexit. You have a two-year restriction. And when that restriction is up, we’re going to be your great trading partner. It’s a tough restriction to have. You know, for a couple of years, you have a very strong lack of being able to do things.”
ON HOW TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE EU
“Well, would it be the way I negotiate?,” he said. “No. I wouldn’t negotiate it the way it’s [being] negotiated.
“I think I would have negotiated it differently. I would have had a different attitude.
“I think I would have said that the European Union is not cracked up to what it’s supposed to be. And I would have taken a tougher stand in getting out.
“You know, I have a lot of problems with the European Union. I’m representing the United States, it’s a very unfair situation. We cannot get our product in. It’s very, very tough.
“And yet they send their product to us – no taxes, very little taxes. It’s very unfair.
“I’ve had a lot of problems with European Union, and it may morph into something very big from that standpoint, from a trade standpoint. The European Union has treated the United States very unfairly when it comes to trade.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WARNING TO THE EU
“They’re not the only one, by the way. I could name many countries and places that do. But the European Union has been very, very unfair to the United States. And I think it will turn out to be very much to their detriment.”
SUNDAY OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR EDITOR
It is often said by the weak and incompetent appeasers in the government and the Civil Service, and by the vast ranks of Remoaning commentators and journalists, that the UK cannot act tough with the EU because the UK is not in a strong position. We are told that the UK must accept what the EU says.
Nonsense. Listen to President Trump. He sounds tough. He sounds like he means business.
Globalist, luvvie American advisers and commentators would doubtless also make the claim that the EU was in a strong negotiating position if America were negotiating. The difference with Trump is that he would ignore that advice. As would I.
I first started negotiating international deals 25 years ago. Given the choice, I would take 10 deal negotiations with Theresa May or David Davis, for every one with Trump. With May or Davis (or their civil servants such as Olly Robbins), I would be confident of winning. With Trump I wouldn’t be able to call it.
Note though, that even though I might not be able in advance to call the overall result of negotiations with Donald Trump and his team, I’d walk into that room like I owned it, looking completely confident of outright victory.
And that’s a look that Mrs May has yet to cultivate despite all her years in politics.
[ Sources: Mail on Sunday | ITV ]
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       07.45am, 28 Jan 2018
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 REES-MOGG FOR PM?
© Parliament
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
On Friday Jacob Rees-Mogg MP gave an interview to the Daily Telegraph. In it he came out more strongly than ever against the direction of government policy over Brexit, against the behaviour of the Prime Minister, and against the views of the Chancellor, Philip Hammond.
BOOKIES’ FAVOURITE
The papers are full of talk of letters being delivered to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee, calling for a change of Prime Minister. It is said that various big-hitters (and some very hopeful ones) are manoeuvering to position themselves as prime contenders.
The bookies favourite is now Jacob Rees-Mogg.
ODDS ON NEXT PRIME MINISTER – LADBROKES
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Boris Johnson
Andrea Leadsom
Amber Rudd
David Davis
Ruth Davidson
Jeremy Hunt
Gavin Williamson
Michael Gove
Philip Hammond
5-1
8-1
12-1
16-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
25-1
EXCERPTS FROM JACOB REES-MOGG’S INTERVIEW
“If the Conservative Party doesn't deliver the Brexit that the British people voted for, the Conservatives will not win the next election.
“The leader is important, but the party is more important. Brexit is more important than anyone other than the Queen.”
ON WHETHER MRS MAY BACKS BREXIT AND THE DEAL SHE’S NEGOTIATING
“My personal view is that if you are in favour of something and if that is your policy it's helpful to say so.
“That's what I would encourage her to do. It always makes sense to argue for the policy you believe in. Otherwise why on earth are you implementing it? But she does have to contend with other members of the Cabinet that don't want to do it.”
ON HAMMOND
“Of course he is wrong. High alignment denies us Brexit. It is about obstructing Brexit. It is essentially code for saying: ‘I don't want to leave the EU, I never did and I don't think I'm wrong’. It's thwarting Brexit.
“That is the aim, to thwart Brexit. You simply end up being tied into the EU's rules without even having a commissioner, MEPs, attending the council or ministers or a judge on the European Court of Justice.
“With high-alignment you are actually a vassal state. It's not what people voted for, nor is it where the opportunity is. The people who want it are the corporatists, the fat cats. It's why the CBI wants it.”
ON THE STAYING UNDER THE ECJ AND EU LAWS
“Status quo transition would be a failure of negotiations, it would be a sign of weakness.”
SUNDAY OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR EDITOR
Yesterday our communications assistant put a question to users of the social media site Twitter.
“Remainers & Establishment Brexiteers now talk of 3-yr 'Implementation Period'. We don't even accept a 2-yr one. Are we out of step?”
The response was overwhelming. Whilst this was not an exercise in deriving stats to report to you, as the sample is self-selecting. We simply wanted to know if in fact Brexiteer opinion was slipping in the direction of what we consider to be appeasement. This is now how we feel we must characterise the Prime Minister’s stance.
Twitter users flooded us with support, so it seems that at least we’re not completely out of touch with general pro-Brexit thinking from ordinary people at large.
The problem of course is the mainstream media. Putting aside those who are very evidently pro-EU and anti-Brexit, like 99% of the BBC, even many supposedly pro-Brexit commentators speak utter rubbish, in our view.
Late on Friday evening a well-known Conservative pro-Brexit commentator who frequently appears on Sky News came out not only for the 2-year ‘transition period’, but was perfectly happy to agree the proposed extension to 3 years which was gaining traction in the last two days. In our view this makes him a Remainer.
In this crazy world we live in, it’s sometimes possible to think it’s only us who think the world’s gone crazy. The response on social media reassured us, although we would have written these articles today anyway.
NOT ALL POLITICIANS ARE THE SAME
Incidentally, on Friday the Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP – former Environment Secretary and former Northern Ireland Secretary - sent a tweet to Philip Hammond, with which we wholeheartedly agreed:
This is quite an extraordinary tweet for Mr Paterson to have sent. He is, by nature, very loyal to the government. We back him completely and are delighted that so prominent a Brexiteer and senior party man has spoken out in this way.
Other prominent Brexiteers such as the Rt Hon John Redwood MP have also been writing, on Tweet and on blogs, expressing their deep concern at what now appears to be happening.
SO, WILL THE PM SURVIVE?
News of the PM’s demise in the last eighteen months has been frequent and exaggerated. Our expertise is not in the internal machinations of Conservative politicians so we will leave that to others.
What we do know about is what is required for a full, clean Brexit from the European Union, as voted for by the British people one year and seven months ago.
BREXIT? WHAT BREXIT?
Put simply, the government is no longer offering the British people any prospect of Brexit in a normal timescale. Given the way politics goes, if it is not going to be delivered in a reasonable timescale from the point at which it was demanded, it may very well never be offered at all. We now proceed on this assumption.
Let’s be clear. There is nothing in what the government described last week which constitutes Brexit, until at least 2021. The ‘Implementation Period’ is a sad joke which the government appears to be about to play on the British people.
David Davis, in whom we were prepared to put our confidence even though he was never our first choice of Brexit Secretary, is now a sham. Last week his pronouncements were simply deplorable. We will doubtless be writing about this again, but for now all we will say is that what he is planning is not just remaining in the European Union – it’s even worse.
We will have all the disastrous elements we hate about EU membership, and now we will have no influence or votes.
It beggars belief.
Mr Davis, we’ve gone as far as we can. We now withdraw all support from you. This may not matter to you, but we do represent a swathe of cross-party opinion in this magnificent country of ours, from the north of Scotland across to the wonderful province of Northern Ireland, from the north to the south of England, the principality of Wales, and we even have a large number of readers from London, Manchester and other cities. Oh, and we're also read by foreign politicians and commentators.
We may not be the Times of London, but our readers matter in no uncertain terms.
Naturally some loyal Conservative readers will criticise us and we may lose some readers, but at least we’ll be true to our beliefs, which is more than we can say for you, sir.
© Parliament
[ Sources: Parliament | Daily Telegraph | Ladbroke's ]
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       05.10am, 27 Jan 2018
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Name: Jon, Wales      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 09.22am
Message: Reply to 'Hughev, UK' below. Regarding 52-48%, remainers still drone on about this across the media, broadcasters included. I use a perfect 'argument' where the sitting MP with the lowest majority in the House of Commons (re: General election 2017), won his Westminster parliamentary seat by TWO votes only, or in other words, by 0% As this is FACT and cannot be challenged, remainers NEVER respond as they have no 'argument'. Works every time. The MP with his TWO vote majority is SNP. We have NEVER heard Ms Sturgeon [SNP leader and Scottish first Minister] asking for a rerun!
Name: Jon, Wales      Date/Time: 31 Jan 2018, 08.36am
Message: Giving all consideration to the Rt Hon. David Davis MP, I concur with Brexit Facts4EU to withdraw all support for him, unless he gets back on track and TELLS Mr Barnier, "NO". Mr Davies MUST 'man-up' and put our country ahead of the remaining EU27. Prior to referendum, I had great faith in Mr Davies, and when appointed to head up the new 'Department for Exiting the European Union', I felt we were in safe hands with his calm persona, charged with negotiating our exit, in accordance with our democratic vote, specifically to exit all EU institutions by the end of March 2019. Details thereafter may be considered. Unfortunately, Mr Davies' nervous body language, and blushing, exposed his weakness when respectfully questioned by Mr Rees-Mogg MP. I would like to believe I am wrong, but cannot see how Mr Davies can continue in post, for a 'clean-Brexit' is important to us. One has to suggest Mr Davies appears to be giving in to EU demands too easily (as does Mrs May)? This is NOT the way to do business. On the other hand, might it be possible Mr Davies is receiving 'instructions' from on high to proceed in a manner he isn't comfortable with? If Mr Davies is to redeem himself in the eyes of over 17.4 million voters, he must give a positive message at the Despatch Box in the House of Commons, and he should do so quickly? I suggest all UK politicians consider this - Most British voters have become acutely aware of political 'spin', and can sense when politicians are being disingenuous, and we don't like it?
Name: Hughev, UK      Date/Time: 28 Jan 2018, 10.43pm
Message: With the referendum result 52% - 48% some persons are calling for a second referendum, hoping that voters will have changed their minds having seen the difficulties being made of Brexit. Perhaps this should be extended to parliamentary elections. I wonder if a newly elected MP who had won by 4% margin would agree to rerun just in case his opponent should really have won. The transition period should be reduced to nil, coming out immediately at the end of March 2019, No divorce bill should be entertained. I read that civil servants feel that they need up to three years transition to cope with all the arrangements for Brexit, no doubt hoping that we will stay tied to EU for ever. As it has been 18 months since the referendum, what have the civil service been doing all this time, sitting on their hands trying to frustrate Brexit?
PLEASE HELP US TO
WIPE THE SMILES OFF THEIR FACES
We are a small but committed and determined team.
You haven't given up fighting for the clean Brexit you voted for.
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All we have here are our honest tools - research, compelling daily content, simple charts - and our most important resource - you.
 
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 COMING SOON
TO AN EU NEAR YOU
© EU Commission
MOLDOVA & THE EU KEEPING THINGS WARM
Moldova sounds like the kind of invented country name from which a secret organisation of dastardly villains would set out to challenge Secret Agent 007.
It is in fact real and was part of the former Soviet Union. If its name sounds contrived that is possibly because it was only chosen in 1991, when it became independent. The Republic of Moldova is extremely poor, corrupt, and with democratic deficiencies.
Moldova is thus a perfect candidate for membership of the European Union.
© EU Commission / Twitter
On Tuesday this week, the EU’s High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini met Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister Iurie Leanca. They discussed the latest developments in the relations between Moldova and the EU and specifically talked about the progress of Moldova towards ‘association’ status. This is the next stage on the route to full EU membership.
GEOGRAPHY
The Republic of Moldova borders Romania, which joined the EU in 2007. It is therefore perfectly conceivable that the EU should wish to bring this new member’s neighbour into the orbit of the European Union.
Moldova also neighbours the Ukraine. Many blame the EU’s clumsy cosying up to Ukraine for Russia’s current conflict there, with Moscow having seized the Crimean peninsula back in 2014 and having been arming its rebels in Eastern Ukraine since then.
BREXIT FACTS4EU.ORG SUMMARY - MOLDOVA – SIMPLE FACTS
  • Population: 3m
  • Language: Romanian
  • Area: 13,000 square miles (UK: 94,000 sq ml)
  • Moldovan GDP: $6.7bn
  • UK GDP: $2,629bn – 390 times bigger
Sources: UN, IMF
OBSERVATIONS
Firstly, we are not for one moment suggesting that Moldova will be joining the EU tomorrow. Apart from anything else, it has to wait its turn behind the Balkan countries, as we reported a few weeks ago.
Nevertheless, the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister has “for European Integration” in his official title, and this is not because his business card needed some space filled. “European” does of course mean “European Union” - that's how the EU likes to style itself even though it only includes just over half the countries in Europe.
Moldova is one of the poorest countries in the world – certainly it's the poorest in Europe. It ranks 146th out of the 191 countries listed in the IMF’s GDP list for 2016. Above it in the table you will find economic powerhouses such as Rwanda, Haiti, and the Congo.
 
QUESTIONS FOR REMOANERS
You voted Remain, yes, but what kind of Remain did you vote for?
We don’t recall there being an option on the Referendum ballot paper for remaining in an EU with countries like Moldova and the Balkan countries joining? Were you happy to pay billions extra each year to subsidise these countries for a generation?
Or were you voting for the EU which will soon have a standard corporate tax regime and an EU National Insurance Number? Or the EU which will steadily take over the UK’s defence forces? Or the EU which plans to abandon the UK’s rebate - and all rebates - so that the UK pays £4.4 bn more each year? (At 2015 prices.) We could go on.
The simple fact is that the uncertainties surrounding a vote for Remain were far in excess of those surrounding a vote to Leave. A vote to Leave was – and still is – a simple proposition. It involves leaving the current morass, in all its tawdriness.
A vote to Remain was – and still is – a vote for the dysfunctional present plus a whole host of goodness knows what. You only have to look at what the EU is now planning to see that our warnings were justified.
Before the Referendum you didn’t have to be a secret agent to discover some of the worst things the EU was planning. We published daily, trying to warn people. It’s a shame the Vote Leave management didn’t seem to know much about the EU’s plans, or to communicate them effectively if they did know. Instead they focused on a stupid claim which they put on the side of a bus, which has caused nothing but grief to all of us who never used or claimed that.
WE FIGHT ON
We shall continue to show voters just what we have escaped from, with the Brexit vote. With all the Remoaners still trying to destroy the democratic decision of the British people, it’s essential someone is doing this.
And with Theresa May seemingly unable to direct her Remain-dominated cabinet to implement a full, clean Brexit, it seems we need to fight the Remoaners as well as the enemies within.
Do please help us to keep going if you can. We know it’s January and everyone’s feeling poor, but we need the help. And if you’re a hedge fund manager tired of supporting your partner’s hobby, why not become a main sponsor, so we don’t have to keep asking readers for money – which we hate doing!
THIS WAS US FIGHTING BACK ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS WEEK
© Facts4EU.Org / Twitter
[ Sources: EU Commission | IMF | World Bank | Moldovan government ]
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       05.10am, 27 Jan 2018
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Name: Brexiter Braintree Essex, UK      Date/Time: 27 Jan 2018, 09.32am
Message: Another poor corrupt country tries to join the EU gravy train" quelle surprise". The concept sold to the UK in 1972, when we joined the Common Market, was to join a trading bloc of countries with similar cultural values and to TRADE goods and services on a tariff free basis. This was also the aim or appeared the aim of the other members of the then EEC. The whole concept of tariff free trade alone, was our reason for joining. The EU has now become "the project" and trade alone is no longer their aim. The cost of the UK contributions to EU budget has been estimated as a levy of 6 per cent on our exports to the block. On the agenda now is total integration into a Federal European Union and no trade is worth that prospect for the UK. We must just leave, at any cost. Freedom and a 1000 years of British history are at stake.
 WE HAVE JACOB!
LISTEN TO THE MOGGSTER LAST NIGHT
An exclusive personal recording, sent to Brexit Facts4EU.Org
A VIP Supporter of Brexit Facts4EU.Org has kindly shared a recording made by an associate, of the speech made last night by the Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP. Others have the text of the speech - we have the recording!
The recording is in two parts:
Speech and First Part of Q&A
Second part of Q&A
OBSERVATIONS
Isn't he a breath of fresh air?
If you enjoyed listening to these exclusive recordings, maybe you could consider supporting us with a small donation? That would help us to continue to bring you great content like this.
[ Sources: Wildflower from going-postal.com ]      Journalists and politicians can contact us for the full list of links, as usual.        10.40am, 26 Jan 2018
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 “YOU WILL DEFEND US
AND YOU WILL PAY FOR IT”
© EU Commission
EU’S BREATHTAKING NEW DEMANDS
FROM UK FROM MARCH NEXT YEAR
Exclusive Brexit Facts4EU.Org analysis of EU’s demands for defence & security from UK
BREXIT FACTS4EU.ORG SUMMARY - EU’S DEFENCE DEMANDS
  • UK to provide defence of EU unconditionally
  • UK to continue to pay
  • UK not to alter any bilateral defence arrangements it has with individual countries
  • UK (NATO’s 2nd biggest funder) to have no impact on NATO’s EU relationship
  • UK to obey all EU military sanctions against other countries
  • UK to provide military & intelligence staff, equipment, and money
  • UK never to lead an operation and to take orders from EU militaries
Source: Internal EU27 preparatory discussions on the framework for the future relationship: "Security, Defence and Foreign Policy", ad-hoc committee, 23 Jan 2018
Brexit Facts4EU.Org has analysed a copy of the EU’s latest negotiation notes in respect of defence and security matters to summarise the EU's newest demands. These notes were printed in Brussels on Tuesday this week for an ad-hoc committee of the EU, meeting specifically on this matter.
The notes cover arrangements for the so-called ‘Transition Period’ which ostensibly will start on 29th March 2019, as well as for the long-term defence and security relationship between the UK and the EU.
EU’S MILITARY ORDERS FOR THE UK
The notes assess the implications of Brexit on various areas of the EU’s defence and security capabilities, as well as considering some foreign policy implications. They then look at what the EU interest is, before setting out the EU’s demands for the UK.
Below we set out some key parts of the notes. We comment in the ‘Observations’ section. What follows are verbatim quotes from the document.
“NO SECURITY VACUUM IN EUROPE AFTER UK'S WITHDRAWAL
  • Bilateral defence and security cooperation between UK and EU Member States not put at risk
  • No impact on the EU-ΝΑΤΟ strategic partnership
  • Unconditional UK commitment to maintaining European security
EU CSDP MISSIONS AND OPERATIONS
Brexit impact
  • Third countries do not provide Operation Headquarters for CSDP operations/missions
  • Third countries cannot be lead-nation or have the post of the Operation Commander or other high level positions in operations / missions
Immediate implications for the UK
  • Need to transfer the Operation Headquarters of Operation Atalanta currently provided by the UK (Northwood)
  • Need to transfer the responsibility of the Operational Command of Althea (currently DSACEUR)
  • Need to adjust the EU Battlegroup roster of 2nd Semester 2019 (currently UK as framework nation)
 

Italian General Graziano,
Chmn, EU Military Committee
Immediate implications for the UK
  • Need to transfer the Operation Headquarters of Operation Atalanta currently provided by the UK (Northwood)
  • Need to transfer the responsibility of the Operational Command of Althea (currently DSACEUR)
  • Need to adjust the EU Battlegroup roster of 2nd Semester 2019 (currently UK as framework nation)
TRANSITION CFSP/CSDP (Common Security & Defence Policy)
Security, defence and foreign policy as part of the acquis
  • no longer participate in the EU institutions nor in the decision-making of Union bodies
whilst
  • all existing Union regulatory and budgetary instruments and structures will apply
Implications for CFSP/CSDP:
  • Decision-making: UK no longer part of Council bodies; bound by EU Council Decision in the field of CFSP (including on sanctions) -> need for a specific consultation mechanism?
  • CSDP missions and operations: UK as contributor (staff and assets). UK to contribute to the financing of the common costs (Athena mechanism)
  • CFSP Agencies: UK no longer part of their management but participate in their activities. UK to contribute to the financing of the CFSP agencies”
The above are exact quotes from the notes, selected from a 40 page document in order to present something readable to you. The notes do mention other matters such as satellite systems but for clarity we have focused on the main issues.
OBSERVATIONS
Readers may find the above revelations shocking. We hope so, or we are seriously out of touch with our readership.
You may wonder why you haven’t heard about these breathtakingly outrageous EU demands, either from the BBC or from the defence or political correspondents of the major newspapers. Please be in no doubt: these new demands are real. We have kept a copy of the notes, in case they are ‘modified’ at a later stage. (This has happened in the past.) If you would like to know why the BBC and other major media outlets haven't told you about these latest demands, you'll have to ask them.
DEFENCE IS A UK STRENGTH
Defence is a major bargaining chip for the UK in the Brexit negotiations - or at least it should be. Before any Remoaners start complaining about the use of bargaining chips, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the use of strengths by each party in a negotiation. That is perfectly normal.
It is a simple fact that the UK has been subsidising the cost of defending Europe for decades. Even in very recent years, EU countries which are also members of NATO finally agreed to start investing at least 2% of their GDP in defence, but only four are currently doing so.
There are two countries in the EU with strong militaries - the UK and France. Whilst we believe that the UK should continue to play a major role in defending the European theatre, it is perfectly outrageous for the EU to demand this. They should, not to put too fine a point on it, be asking us very nicely indeed.
Unfortunately the rot set in when Theresa May unilaterally announced that the UK would continue to protect the EU militarily. The EU clearly saw this as yet another sign of her weakness and are now turning the screw and making even more demands of the UK's armed forces and security agencies.
We would simply have said: "Of course if we are continuing to trade with you normally after Brexit, we will continue to defend you normally after Brexit."
MOVING TOWARDS CRUNCH TIME
Today we will all hear a speech by Rt Hon David Davis MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, regarding the government’s latest thoughts on the supposed Implementation Period – or ‘Transition Period’, as it would appear it will now be.
After watching him on Wednesday (see yesterday’s article and video below), we hold out very little hope of a speech containing content we could support.
If you then add the above issues surrounding the defence of the realm, the UK’s internal security, and the treatment of our armed forces, we think it highly unlikely that we will be able to hold back any longer from publishing a damning indictment of the government and certain key individuals.
TIME TO RECONSIDER
There is still time for the government to come to its senses. So far many of the issues which have been discussed and agreed with the EU are still capable of being ‘massaged’ into a more acceptable shape, which might hold the consent of the voters.
Regular readers know our long-held view: that the EU elites were never going to behave in a normal way and negotiate a reasonable deal to the UK.
We would have adopted a far more robust approach, which we are certain would have resulted in the UK walking away from the table last year on the basis of the EU elites’ unreasonable behaviour. This would have saved everyone a lot of time and effort and we would by now have been very close to a full, clean exit.
DEFENCE TAKES PRECEDENCE
It is difficult to put the various Brexit issues into order of importance as they are all important to us, and no doubt to you too.
However defence is usually held out as being the first duty of government.
If that is true, then the government MUST respond to our article above. We also invite any interested politicians to comment, and any political or defence journalists from the mainstream media to contact us if they require further information.
If readers would like to ‘do their bit’, please forward the link to this article to any politicians you are in contact with. You might want to ask them if they were aware that the EU is insisting that:
  • UK to provide defence of EU unconditionally
  • UK to continue to provide troops, equipment, and money
  • EU military to command all operations, never British commanders
  • UK’s dealings with NATO and other countries not to affect EU
  • UK to obey EU’s decisions on applying military sanctions to other countries
Note: In the past, some politicians have defended the government to us by saying: “Oh, that hasn’t been agreed, that’s just their negotiating position.”
Don’t accept this. Every single time when we have warned of something and been given that excuse, the matter at issue has subsequently been agreed by the British government.
We’re very much afraid we shall all see more confirmation of this capitulation mentality today.
[ Sources: EU Commission ]
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       06.55am, 26 Jan 2018
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 IT TAKES TRUMP
TO TALK IT UP
Screengrab from © CBS
President Trump met Prime Minister May in Davos yesterday, at the World Economic Forum
“We love your country, we think it’s really good and we’re working on transactions in terms of economic development, trade, maybe most importantly military.
“We are very much joined at the hip when it comes to the military. We have the same ideas, the same ideals, and there’s nothing that would happen to you, that we won’t be there to fight for you. You know that. And I just want to thank you very much, it’s a great honour to be with you.
“One thing that will be taking place over a number of years will be trade. Trade is going to increase many times and we look forward to that.
“The discussions... that will be taking place are going to lead to tremendous increases in trade between our two countries which is great for both in terms of jobs. We look forward to that and we are starting that process, pretty much as we speak.”
OBSERVATIONS
The British mainstream media was typically hostile to Mr Trump yesterday, as he doesn’t fit with their overall opinions, so we decided to report briefly on his comments.
At Brexit Facts4EU.Org we are not naïve. We don’t report the President’s words from yesterday because it gives us a warm feeling. We do so because this matters for the success of the British economy, and also for the security of our country.
Mr Trump was being typically warm and generous – qualities which some members of our team have come across a great deal in America. It’s easy for journalists who seldom emerge from the Westminster Bubble (that’s the UK’s version of Washington’s Beltway, for our US readers), can be jaded and cynical all they want.
It’s easy to poke fun and adopt superior airs. It’s even easier to criticise Mr Trump for something while not applying the same standards to politicians in the UK or in other countries. Or to report attacks on him, and then fail to report the facts when it turns out he was right all along.
Well, here we’re not cynical nor superior. President Trump is the elected President of our closest ally. As such he deserves due respect.
Thank you Mr President for your kind words to our Prime Minister yesterday. We appreciated that.
[ Sources: CBS ]
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       06.55am, 26 Jan 2018
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PLEASE HELP US TO
WIPE THE SMILES OFF THEIR FACES
We are a small but committed and determined team.
You haven't given up fighting for the clean Brexit you voted for.
Together we're up against a vast army of UK & EU propagandists.
All we have here are our honest tools - research, compelling daily content, simple charts - and our most important resource - you.
 
Dear reader, we rely completely on voluntary donations from individuals like you. We produce important and original work which gets picked up by the national media and politicians in the UK and internationally.
We badly need your help to keep going.

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       Best regards, the Facts4EU.Org Team
 OF VASSAL STATES,
LACKEYS, AND SERFS
© Parliament
REES-MOGG DELIVERS SAVAGE BLOW
TO GOVERNMENT’S BREXIT PRETENCE
A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Parliamentary Commentary
Yesterday morning in the Boothroyd Room of Portcullis House in the Houses of Parliament, the Committee for Exiting the European Union met again, with the Secretary of State Rt Hon David Davis MP as the star guest.
© Parliament
The Committee questioned Mr Davis extensively on the progress of the negotiations to leave the EU, with the usual political point-scoring in evidence.
Many MPs spoke but just one said what really needed to be said. That man was the Hon. Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP for North East Somerset.
Put simply, this was a tour de force by the ‘Honourable Member for the 18th century’, as he spoke for so many millions of people across the country. He completely demolished the pretence by the government that it is delivering on the Referendum result.
It isn’t, and Mr Rees-Mogg demonstrated this, at the expense of the hapless Secretary of State.
Perhaps everyone is suffering from Brexit fatigue. We thought Rees-Mogg simply magnificent yesterday. It surprised us that the media haven’t made more of it. If you haven’t already done so, you can watch the exchange again below. And if you did see it, in our opinion it’s worth a second viewing.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are looking for the speech Mr Rees-Mogg made this week, rather than the questioning he did of the Brexit Secretary, please follow this link instead.
© Parliament
Sadly, transcripts of Committee proceedings are not yet made by Parliament’s excellent Hansard team. They do a superb job recording every uttered word in the main Chambers, but with the explosion in the work of Committees in the last 10 years, where so much important business is done, Hansard has not been funded and resourced to make a contemporaneous record.
Regular readers know that we make our own transcripts when we can, and when we consider something to be important. We will try to transcribe the exchanges in the above video as soon as we can and publish them here.
OBSERVATIONS
ON DAVID DAVIS
Mr Davis is the kind of man whom, when he laughs, we would have to transcribe as going ‘ho, ho, ho,’ rather than ‘ha, ha, ha’. Mr Davis doesn’t so much laugh, he chortles like a ham actor. Most regrettably he has a tendency to do this when asked a difficult question. Given that difficult questions of the type asked by Mr Rees-Mogg usually tend to be serious, this levity from the Secretary of State in response can be quite jarring.
“Are you saying, Secretary of State, that Mr Juncker will still be allowed to eat our first-born children during the Transition Period?” asks Mr Rees-Mogg.
“Ah! Ho, ho, ho!” replies Mr Davis. “Only if washed down with a Burgundy Grand Cru.” Chortle, chortle.
Well, that wasn’t one of the exchanges, but it could easily have been.
Someone needs to tell Mr Davis that the government’s Brexit policies and strategies are starting to annoy large numbers of people. They are not what most people voted for. Given the strength of feeling that is building, Mr Davis would be well-advised to start sounding a lot more serious.
ON JACOB REES-MOGG
Thank goodness for Mr Rees-Mogg. Here is a man who knows what Brexit is and articulates it very well. He is now the Chairman of the ‘European Reform Group’ of MPs, which is trying to hold the government’s feet to the fire.
Frankly, were he the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, we would be breaking open one of the bottles of vintage shampoo we’ve been saving for Exit Night.
ON BREXIT GENERALLY
Giving away the true, clean Brexit that we all thought we’d won in the Referendum is no laughing matter. Yesterday under questioning, Mr Davis made clear that the government’s Brexit policies fall into the ‘deadly serious’ category.
These policies in no way represent what any sane and reasonable person can classify as Brexit.
Mr Davis, no-one here is laughing after your performance yesterday. We will not accept a vassal state and we will be no-one’s lackeys or serfs.
[ Sources: Parliament TV ]
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       06.55am, 25 Jan 2018
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Name: Michael Donnan, UK      Date/Time: 26 Jan 2018, 6.26pm
Message: Mr Rees-Mogg is invariably worth listening to on the matter of Brexit, yet I wonder whether he may have missed a trick when questioning Mr Davis.
Mr Davis contended that it would be a major error to extend Article 50. That is surely right, yet his explanation should give cause for concern. The “massive difference” between that and the way the UK Government is proceeding, he suggested, “is the ability to make international trade deals”. These deals, on the Government’s way of doing it, will, according to Mr Davis, “come into effect very soon after conclusion in 2020-21”. Mr Rees-Mogg asked why we just don’t get on with it now, to which Mr Davis replied that we are a law-abiding country and that we “are not going to break those undertakings, laws, commitments, call them what you will”. Mr Davis ought, I submit, to have been questioned further on that statement.
I do not suggest that the UK should break EU law whilst still a member of the EU. However, undertakings and commitments are not the same kinds of things as laws and it should have rung an alarm bell when Mr Davis conflated them. Article 50 clearly entails that the EU treaties will cease to apply to the UK after 29 March 2019. So, one wonders how the making of international trade deals immediately after that date would constitute a breach of law. That leaves the “undertakings” and “commitments” that Mr Davis referred to. These can only be undertakings and commitments that the Government has agreed to, which means that a prime advantage of leaving the EU and its customs union, namely the ability to make bespoke trade agreements, has been voluntarily postponed for two years or so. This amounts to a grievous economic handicap inflicted upon the people of the UK by none other than their own Government.
Name: W Alkaway, UK      Date/Time: 26 Jan 2018, 10.57am
Message: Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg: we salute you! Everything you said was spot on. Mr Davis: you are a changed man from the one who stepped out brightly for Round One of negotiations all that time ago. You know that what Jacob Rees-Mogg asked and said to you this week is 100% correct. I think you find yourself between a brick and a hard place. EU bureaucrats and PM May one the one hand, and the People's Referendum to Leave (Remember 'Leave means leave' mantra). In no way did we agree to an extension of time beyond March 2019, tying us in to EU Court of Justice and more financial payments and loss of our Border Control. Unless we absolutely leave in March next year, PM May will by then have lost the confidence of us, the electorate, have lost her opportunity to go down in History as the one Prime Minister who got us out, with a clean break, and to have blackened the name of 'Conservative Party' for many decades to come. Unless you want to be part of that 'Sinking Ship' Mr Davis, I suggest you stop hiding what's really going on in the back rooms of the Tory Cabinet.
Name: Carole, Merseyshire, UK      Date/Time: 25 Jan 2018, 4.08pm
Message: JRM has a serious point here. We will no longer have any input to the EU laws we are forced to implement during the transitional period. That is the definition of being a vassal state. This situation is not even maintaining the "status quo" - it is worse than our current position as a voting member.
Name: Odyssey, Derbyshire, UK      Date/Time: 25 Jan 2018, 1.03pm
Message: Update to message below - having just watched the whole of the exchange (saw the 2 separate clips yesterday) the very last exchange from 10.45-ish is quite revealing of the character of both men and their relationship.
Name: Odyssey, Derbyshire, UK      Date/Time: 25 Jan 2018, 12.47pm
Message: I've been a big fan of Davis for many years, he's a good solid politician with more integrity than most. But lately I'm having doubts - has he been spending too much time in brussels (no capital intentional!) and is going native? Don't think so, I get the feeling he's being 'steered', sidelined or overruled by May, others in the cabinet/civil service/shadowy advisers/spads, etc. I'm still hopeful that he'll deliver some kind of reasonable deal (if we don't walk away to WTO in the meantime - my preferred option), but I get the feeling that he's tired of the wrangling, He's a couple of years older than me and I certainly couldn't face the likes of those europrats (or even some of the committee members) without wanting to resort to violence/suicide/dementia.
 USA IS TOP CUSTOMER
FOR BRITISH SERVICES
© Twitter
HEY SADIQ, ARE YOU INTERESTED
IN PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS?
Latest export data from ONS shows USA outranks EU countries
Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary - UK Exports of Services
  • Only 38.8% of UK’s services exports go to the EU
  • By far the biggest customer for services was the USA
  • Services exports to US are 21.2% of the total, amounting to £24.2 billion
  • 10 of the top 20 countries buying UK services were non-EU
Source: Office for National Statistics 2018, latest figures for Q1-Q3 2017
With the provision of services being such a major part of the London economy, you might think that London Mayor Sadiq Khan would tread carefully when tweeting to President Trump. Instead he seems determined to destroy the capital city's business relationship with its biggest customer.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org has analysed the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics on the export of services from the UK. The USA is the largest customer by far, responsible for over a fifth of all services exports in the first three quarters of last year.
Chart © Facts4EU.Org 2018
When it comes to the importance of the EU to the UK, only 38.8% of British services exports go to the EU27 countries.
Chart © Facts4EU.Org 2018
OBSERVATIONS
London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, seems to us to have very little understanding of the economics of the city he manages.
One area Mr Khan most definitely is not responsible for is foreign policy. London is a metropolis and the Mayor’s job is to manage things like transport, housing, and the emergency services. Instead he seems to think he's some sort of global statesman.
Dream on, Sadiq. You don't have the wit or wisdom. Regrettably neither do you have any understanding of business or the economy. This is not a party-political point, it's just a sad fact. You spend your time making the president of your city's biggest client country feel as unwelcome as possible.
"I have previously called upon Theresa May to cancel her offer of a state visit to President Trump. It's increasingly clear that any official visit from President Trump to Britain would not be welcomed."
Sadiq Khan official statement, Nov 2017
© Twitter
Sadiq, it appears you know something about buses. Maybe you should stick to what you know. Oh and if you can start to do something about the capital's soaring crime rate that might be useful. We'd quite like to have a tourist industry after you've gone.
'On the buses' with Len McCluskey, Gen Sec, Unite Union, 23 Jan 2018
[ Sources: Office for National Statistics Jan 2018 report on services | Twitter ]
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       06.55am, 25 Jan 2018
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 EU DEFENCE STRATEGY:
“LET’S DO MORE WITH LESS”
© EU Parliament 2018
MEPs discuss EU buying military equipment together
Yesterday one of the EU Parliament’s many committees met to discuss the progress of the EU’s plans to spend more on its EU Army.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING EU ARMY
We use the term ‘EU Army’ deliberately because this is appropriate. It is of course shorthand for EU army, navy and air force. The EU’s plans are not secret. They are in the process of building common defence forces, structures, and funding. Some monies have already been allocated, with much greater sums planned.
None of this is disputed, except by some out-of-touch politicians and commentators in the UK, who know that the idea of an EU Army is deeply unpopular to British voters.
Here is what the EU Parliament said only yesterday:
“MEPs support first ever EU programme on defence industry”
“Deeper defence integration is not a new idea. The European Defence Community was one of the first and most ambitious attempts to create a joint European army in the early 1950s... PESCO is the latest initiative to jointly develop European military capabilities.”
Over the past two days Members of the EU Parliament (MEPs) have been looking at the new EU defence arrangements in more detail, particularly in regard to PESCO (‘Permanent Structured Cooperation’) and EDIDP (‘European Defence Industrial Development Programme’)
MEPs are considering the details of the European Defence Industrial Development Programme under which €1 billion per year would be allocated from the EU budget to develop new defence technologies and to purchase equipment jointly. A similar programme is in development for cyber defence and robotics, with an annual budget of €500 million after 2020. A €90 million research test programme for 2017-2019 has already been started.
Two EU parliamentary committees - those for Industry, Research & Energy, and for Foreign Affairs – have now considered and approved the latest proposals for joint military structures. Yesterday a British MEP raised a point which we have been making for years.
‘WILL YOU USE THIS TO DISGUISE
UNDERFUNDING YOUR NATIONAL ARMIES?’
Ashley Fox MEP                                                               © EU Parliament
At the EU industry committee on Tuesday, British Conservative MEP Ashley Fox struck a note that was at odds with the views of most of the MEPs present. Fox is MEP for South-West England and Gibraltar, and has large plants such as Airbus and Rolls Royce in his constituency.
HERE IS SOME OF WHAT HE SAID:
“When we talk about the problem of European defence, the real problem is that the member states don’t spend enough on their armed forces. I’m slightly fearful that members here will see this programme as a substitute for spending real money on their national armed forces.”
WHAT ABOUT THE TAXPAYER?
“I’m also here as an MEP for taxpayers and I wonder to what extent this offers value for money for taxpayers?”
“The questions I would pose are:”
“1. Does this programme promote the interests of taxpayers?”
“2. Will it lead to an increase in defence capability of the nations of Europe?”
EU MEMBER STATES ARE ALREADY UNDERSPENDING MASSIVELY ON DEFENCE
Mr Fox was certainly right to be concerned about money. EU member states have been consistently underspending on their NATO commitmments. Here is the latest position, below:
Chart © Facts4EU.Org 2018
SUMMARY OF EU's MAIN ARGUMENTS FOR AN EU ARMY
  1. A super-army is more efficient
  2. A super-army is the only size that works for the new world order
For the last few years, the EU elites have focused their arguments for combined EU military forces and structures on alleged inefficiencies in the overall spending of the 28 member states of the European Union.
The EU’s communications in the last two days have once again highlighted alleged duplications and waste. Here is the big graphic the EU used yesterday:
EU graphic, used by EU on 23 Jan 2018       © EU Commission
Before Christmas the EU Parliament debated a motion on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy. This motion passed, naturally.
The wording included the following: “compared to the US, the EU-28 spend 40% on defence but only manage to generate 15% of the capabilities that the US gets out of the process, which points to a very serious efficiency problem.”
OBSERVATIONS
Watching MEPs drone on in the innumerable committees of the EU edifice is not for the faint-hearted. Certainly we don't do it for fun.
Unfortunately we have to keep an eye on what happens in these committees, in order to warm you of what may be coming. There's still, thanks to the government's Brexit policies, a long way to go until we leave the EU.
In certain areas of activity the government seems to be hell-bent on keeping the UK firmly attached to EU structures and funding arrangements, whilst still trying to pretend that it's delivering a full, clean Brexit. Defence is one arena where we have long had concerns and this is why we continue to cover it, when the BBC and mainstream defence journalists say virtually nothing.
The EU hopes that by continually stressing what it says is the waste coming from the duplication of different weapons systems, the citizens of the EU member states will come to believe that any expenditure on the new EU army will somehow be self-funding.
We have yet to come across any area of the EU’s activities where it performs efficiently. Built in to its life systems is the drive to acquire more power, over ever-greater areas of human endeavour. The old adage “give an inch and they’ll take a mile” was never more apt.
Nothing the EU does is ever self-funding - although this doesn't stop them dressing things up that way. Our next article shows how careful you have to be when looking at the EU's propaganda.
With regard to the EU's claim that there are many weapons systems in EU member states, some of which appear to do a similar job and could therefore be rationalised, we urge caution. Any student of military history will tell you that in past conflicts there have been major advantages in having several capabilities which vary slightly. Putting all your eggs in one basket - say a personnel carrier, or a type of helicopter, or a frigate - means that if it proves less than successful in combat you can end up with some of those eggs on your face.
And whilst we are no fans of having MOD bureaucrats anywhere near defence procurement in the UK, the idea that the EU's bureaucrats would be better is for the birds.
Our final point on all of this today is simply to point out that we're exceedingly uncomfortable having communists involved in any way in the defence of the realm. And that includes supposed former communists who kept that faith for many years, such as the EU's de facto Defence Secretary, Ms Mogherini.
[ Sources: EU Parliament | EU Commission ]
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       06.55am, 24 Jan 2018
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Name: Brexiter, Braintree, Essex      Date/Time: 24 Jan 2018, 11.09am
Message: I wonder how many Remoaners realize that if we stay in the EU, there is a provision in the Lisbon Treaty to bring in conscription for EU nationals. That might well concentrate a few snowflake minds when they are on manoeuvres on the Russian Front. An Army accountable to the European Commission, what could go wrong with that? After all, they almost prompted a war with Russia over Ukraine a couple of years ago.
 OLDEST LIE IN THE BOOK
EU CLAIMS IT’S BIGGER
THAN IT REALLY IS
© White House
AND YES, (ECONOMIC) SIZE MATTERS
The EU propaganda machine keeps rolling, unchallenged by British government
Over the past few years, Brexit Facts4EU.Org has had to spend an enormous amount of time debunking the lies of the EU in Brussels and the lies of the Remainers in the UK.
These lies have covered almost everything you can think of and we have often exposed them by using the EU’s own data, just to prove a point.
HERE'S A BIGGIE FROM YESTERDAY
Yesterday the EU Parliament splashed on its website with a big graphic. The graphic is about the EU’s plans for common EU defence forces – an ‘EU Army’ – and we have written about this in the article above.
Some of you may have noticed a big claim towards the top of that graphic. In fact it’s the second claim the EU have used, so it has big prominence.
© EU Parliament
This claim also happens to be totally and utterly misleading. It reports the relative size of the economies of the USA and the EU, but it uses figures from 2014.
It may have escaped the attention of the EU but we’re in 2018. We are already starting to get some data for 2017. We have most economic and social data from 2016. And there are now few items where we still have to rely on data from 2015.
But no-one is using data from 2014. NO-ONE.
The EU’s propaganda department wants EU citizens to believe that the EU is the biggest economy in the world. It isn’t.
In fact, the EU isn’t even a country and so shouldn’t be pretending it has an economy. If you want proof of that, look no further than the departure of the UK. The UK as a country is leaving the dysfunctional institution called the EU, not separating as a region from a country.
HERE IS THE EU’S CLAIM – AND THE REALITY ACCORDING TO THE IMF
Chart © Facts4EU.Org 2018
OBSERVATIONS
The EU’s graphic may well have started life many months ago, maybe more than a year ago, we don’t know. However that is NO excuse for not updating the second item on there. It’s a long time since anyone needed to use 2014 GDP figures as being the latest available.
If we at Brexit Facts4EU.Org can update our graphs on a fairly regular basis, the EU certainly can, with its legions of well-paid bureaucrats.
USA 2016 GDP : 13.2% bigger than combined total of 2016 GDP of 28 EU member states
That’s a fact, EU
Now please stop this absurd, lying propaganda
You should be ashamed of yourselves
[ Sources: EU Parliament | IMF World Economic Database ]
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       06.55am, 24 Jan 2018
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PLEASE HELP US TO
WIPE THE SMILES OFF THEIR FACES
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THE BREXIT FACTS4EU.ORG 
USA SPECIAL !
 
All you ever wanted to know about Brexit, UK, & EU - in relation to the USA
THE USA AND THE UK ROCK!   Read more...
This is Day Three of our USA Special. Today we're talkin' about... Pop, Pop, Pop Music. In the latest article in this series we reflect on cultural similarities between the UK and the US - and differences with the EU.
ECONOMY &
TRADE
  TRAVEL &
TOURISM
  SOCIETY &
HISTORY
  POLITICAL
RELATIONS
DEFENCE &
NATO
  FOREIGN
POLICY
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AID
  MUSIC &
CULTURE
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TO OUR AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL READERS
We invite you to come on a journey with us. Over the coming few days we hope to shed some light for you on the EU, on the UK's decision to leave ('Brexit'), and on the USA's relations with the EU now and after Brexit. We will bring you solid facts from official sources - we share your President's dislike of 'fake news'.
     
Yes, we're pro-Brexit and we don't hide this fact. The vast resources of the BBC, Sky News, ITN and the majority of the commentariat and journalists need no help from us to present their side of the story - known as 'Remain'.
On June 23rd 2016, the British people stood up against the Establishment and voted to leave the European Union after 43 years. They did so in the biggest exercise in democracy that the United Kingdom has ever seen.
You can be part of this historic journey with us, as we present some punchy bullet-pointed facts and some easy-to-read charts which show you the facts at a glance. Each article has the facts, followed by our Observations. Occasionally in the Observations you might notice the British sense of humour creeping in. Sorry about that, but sometimes if we didn't laugh we'd cry. Ask any ordinary Brit who voted Brexit and they'll probably tell you the same thing.
     
It's so hard for ordinary people to get their voice heard. We do our best on their behalf. We hope you enjoy the ride.
Oh yes, for our British readers we think you might also like a lot of what is contained in this, our 'USA Special'! Some of it you'll know, some of it you won't.
Click on the dark blue buttons above to start reading.
       Best regards, the Facts4EU.Org Team, 06.55am UK time, Jan 23, 2018
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 IF MUSIC BE
THE FOOD OF LOVE....
...THEN THE EU'S A LEMON
USA IS BIGGEST MARKET FOR UK MUSIC
Top 5 international territories for UK record labels, 2016:
  1. USA
  2. Germany
  3. France
  4. Australia
  5. Canada
Source: British Phonographic Industry (BPI) report 2017
The BPI says its members are also reporting gains in developing markets as varied as China, Turkey and South American territories.
MUSIC EXPORTS GREW...
And you all know the chorus by now: “Despite Brexit!” Below is the breakdown of the industry's exports.
Chart © Facts4EU.Org 2018
Once again, 2016 was a strong year for export sales growth in the UK music industry. Overseas earnings from recorded music rose by 11.1 per cent in 2016, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Announcing the rise in overseas music exports Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive of the BPI & of the BRIT Awards, said:
“With Britain leaving the EU, the UK needs businesses that are true global superstars. Music by brilliant British artists such as Ed Sheeran, Adele, David Bowie, Coldplay and Sam Smith is streamed and purchased the world over, boosting the UK’s balance of payments. The global digital streaming market represents a huge new opportunity. Government can help to seize that opportunity by making sure our artists can tour freely post-Brexit and that third countries robustly protect music rights.”
MUSIC TOURISM ALSO GREW
According to Music UK, the umbrella group for the industry, the amount spent directly by music tourists also grew in 2016, reaching an astonishing £2.5bn.
Chart © Facts4EU.Org 2018
ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK
We also looked at classical music, as this came up briefly during the Referendum campaign.
According to the Association of British Orchestras:
“the average percentage of EU nationals is 8.3%, and some of our best known orchestras now have over 20% of their musicians coming from other EU countries. The proportion of EU nationals in British orchestras is higher in Scotland (10.1%), London (9.9%) and Northern Ireland (8.8%) than in the rest of England (5.4%) and Wales (4.7%).”
So at 8.3% nationally, the proportion of EU nationals playing in British orchestras is not much more than the proportion they represent in all jobs.
Around 1200 musicians are employed on permanent or long-term contracts, with a similar number who are freelance but members of orchestras. The number of EU nationals is therefore very small.
OBSERVATIONS
We do remember the subject of music coming up during the Referendum campaign, but this was in relation to EU nationals playing in British orchestras.
One of the many scare stories concerned the potential collapse in quality of British orchestras if EU nationals were forced to leave. Naturally there was never any suggestion by anyone that EU nationals would be expelled from the UK if it voted to leave, but this didn't stop the scare stories being put out by Remain.
As with so many areas of the arts in the UK, the elites in charge in the music industry thought only of themselves and produced alarmist material accordingly. There are in fact many aspects of the music industry which need to be considered carefully when the precise arrangements of Brexit are being negotiated, but unfortunately the music industry did themselves no favours when their 'mood music' was so anti-Leave.
The British government has long recognised the importance of the music industry - economically and culturally. The current government is backing the industry with a programme of events as well as providing funding to support export drives and the promotion of specific bands. Department for International Trade (DIT) funding of the Music Exports Growth Scheme (MEGS), for example, has made £2.3 million in grants available through the GREAT campaign to 150 mainly independent label-signed artists.
Today we have also added an article to our 'USA Brexit Special' series and you can see it here. It makes interesting comments about Brexit in relation to cultural matters and has some more statistics.
[ Sources: BPI | MusicUK.Org | Dept for International Trade | Department for Media, Culture etc. | Association of British Orchestras ]
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       07.25am, 23 Jan 2018
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 "LEAVE THE EU NOW" DEBATE
Live coverage of the debate, following the 'Leave the EU Now' petition, will appear below when proceedings start at 4.30pm UK time.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org Team, Tuesday 22 Jan 2018
 9% THINK POLITICAL NEWS
IS REPORTED VERY FAIRLY
© MGM
RESPECTED SURVEY REVEALS BRITS’ OPINIONS OF UK NEWS MEDIA
The respected Pew Research Institute has just issued its report on attitudes to news and the media in 38 countries, one of which is of course the UK. The report runs to 55 pages so we have selected a few results which we found interesting.
Chart © Facts4EU.Org 2018
As you can see, we start with the encouraging news that 78% of the British people think that political bias in news organisations is never acceptable. Unfortunately the next news is that few people (9%) in the UK think that political news is reported very fairly.
One interesting element is the proportion of people who now access the internet each day for their news. More than half (54%) do so at least once per day and in fact over a third (36%) do so several times per day.
We have also included the figures for those who follow national and international news. Clearly people are engaged – or at least they say they are.
BIG BROTHER IS GETTING BIGGER
We learnt last week that the government is planning to “build a rapid response social media capability to deal quickly with disinformation”, according to the government’s head of communications, Alex Aiken.
Mr Aiken is executive director of the Government Communication Service (GCS) and last Wednesday he wrote an article for PR Week, setting out the objectives of his department this year. One of his eight objectives is the setting up of a ‘rapid response’ team to deal with what the government considers to be fake news.
This comes against a background of increasing censorship across the EU, with countries such as Germany and France both having added to their anti-free speech laws. In Germany a law came into force on January 1st which has the power to fine social media outlets massive sums for allowing certain types of information to be posted.
GERMAN POLICE CENSOR GERMAN POLITICAL LEADER
Germany's new censorship law has already resulted in the Deputy Leader of the AfD, Beatrix von Storch, having her Twitter account frozen for a tweet which the Cologne Police didn’t like.
OBSERVATIONS
Many decades ago, decent Germans started becoming worried about the possible emergence of a police state in Germany. Unfortunately not enough people saw the dangers, or if they did they remained silent, and the result was the transformation of Germany into a dictatorship and a world war costing millions of lives.
On January 1st 2018, the new Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz law came into force across Germany. (The NetzDG law to its friends.) That same day, the Köln (Cologne) Polizei filed a criminal complaint against a senior opposition politician - Beatrix von Storch of the Alternativ für Deutschland party – accusing her of hate speech. Her Twitter account was frozen immediately.
We venture to suggest that it doesn't matter whether you like or loathe a person accused of hate speech, in order to defend their rights. Another marmite character, Katie Hopkins, is regularly visited by the Metropolitan Police regarding things she has written. Remember, in 2018 Britain you don't even have to cause serious offence - all that is needed is for someone to say you've offended them. That's all it takes to produce a knock on the door.
© Beatrix von Storch
Last year we produced an important series of articles about freedom of speech last year. We're deeply concerned at what is going on across the EU and in the UK, with ‘hate speech’ in particular being an area where we believe the British government’s strategy is illogical and highly objectionable in what is supposed to be a free society.
We believe in our right to offend you. More importantly, we believe strongly in your right to offend us. ‘Offence’ should not be a crime. We might not like what you have to say to us, but we will always defend your right to say it. Goodness, we find the output of half the EU elites and almost all the output of British Remoaners to be highly objectionable, but we're not on the phone to law enforcement officers every five minutes.
We draw the line at obvious stuff, such as calls to violence against individuals or groups of individuals, but we would not ban humour that is ‘close to the edge’, provided it is obviously and intentionally designed to amuse.
We abhor the current direction of travel of so many western governments, some of which are coming to resemble the regimes and legal structures of tinpot dictatorships.
When we ran our series on freedom of speech last year we received very few encouraging messages from readers. If the mood of our readership has changed we would like to know, as we will happily update you further. If you would prefer we never cover freedom of speech issues then we will of course say no more.
APPALLING GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS
Whilst we're on the subject of offending people, we would like to ask Alex Aiken, Executive Director of the Government Communication Service, if he's man enough to take some criticism? If not then he should go and seek a 'safe space' right now, for fear of us 'triggering' him.
© Crown
He should also be prepared to consider the possibility that some of us on the team might be as intelligent as he is. We say this because of the astonishing level of arrogance visible in the top echelons of the Civil Service. 'Twas always thus, but now it's even worse. The heads of departments are obviously all Remoaners and clearly think they are intellectually superior to those of us who choose not to suck on the taxpayer's teat.
Well, we don't pretend to be communications experts. Or experts of any kind, for that matter. But one thing we do know is just how bad has been the quality of international communication from the government in respect of Brexit. We speak several languages and monitor the foreign press. We have contacts in many countries. We believe it's important that the UK's message is heard in Brussels, in the capitals of the EU and the rest of the world, and most importantly by the peoples of the world.
This is just not happening. Regular readers know we have written about this and provided example countless times since the Referendum victory. It is a simple fact that the peoples of the EU - and of the rest of the world - are not hearing any positive messages about Brexit and the UK, unless these messages come from people like us.
The sole exception is the Department for International Trade, who seem to us to be doing a good job. Again, we have written about this and have also complimented them on their Twitter output.
Here is what the Government Communication Service says on its website:
"Chances are, the Government Communication Service (GCS) is behind many of the stories you read, retweet and blog about. We help build the economy, protect the vulnerable, promote Britain in the world and ensure the public understand the government’s priorities. We reach key audiences such as families, young people, older people, businesses and international groups."
Sorry, but if this department seriously thinks it's doing a good job in promoting Brexit Britain, it's deluded. Our Editor has offered to be at the disposal of the 'Executive Director' if Mr Aiken would like some pointers. More likely is that Mr Aiken believes we're wrong in our assessment, in which case we're pleased to listen to the evidence he has to to back up his view.
[ Sources: Pew Research | Twitter | PR Week | DW | Beatrix von Storch ]
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       06.55am, 22 Jan 2018
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Name: R Ellison, UK      Date/Time: 23 Jan 2018, 09.31am
Message: 'Thought Police!' In Great Britain of all places. A country where political debate was once very much encouraged. The State is getting far too involved in people's lives to the extent that we are not allowed to think for ourselves. Since when did this stagnant state of affairs exist? It certainly marks the decline of Civilisation, unless it is stopped. Debate is at the crux of a healthy and developing national entity. To be otherwise is to create total control over the many by the few. A very dangerous situation. We need to escape the clutches of the zombies. And, unfortunately, those 'few' who want this are in themselves, I'd suggest, the least intelligent amongst us. Are we as a Nation going into a free fall with the rest of Europe? The obliteration of a once great, questioning, cultured Society? We need a Speakers Corner in every city and major town. We need to encourage debate of differing viewpoints from school, up through universities and into adulthood and the workplace (so much more mentally stimulating than having everyone in agreement, tongues tied literally. Nodding donkeys!) You get the best from discussing and listening with others. I'm having to pinch myself as I find it hard to believe we've allowed ourselves to slip into this sinister Orwellian state. Are we going to eventually reverse Evolution, and slide back into 'the Bog'? Facts4EU, you have a healthy following. But be careful, box clever as I'm sure you will, otherwise the man with the scissors will be trying to stop you.
Name: Patrick H, London      Date/Time: 22 Jan 2018, 1.14pm
Message: Yes, continuing support for freedom of speech in the UK is very important and must be front and center of the people's inalienable rights at all times. If we lose this right, we are lost! FACTS4EU, please keep these important facts coming. Thank you!
Name: Steve R, London      Date/Time: 22 Jan 2018, 11.32am
Message: Interesting that 78% think biased news is never acceptable, in which case 22% may think it is. Or perhaps they don't know what 'bias' means, are Liberal Democrats, or work for Mrs May's Ministry of Truth and Hate Elimination. Expect a knock on your door soon. Keep up the good work.

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