“All we want for Christmas...... is no EU”

Exactly four-and-a-half years ago today, David Dimbleby announced “We’re out”

We are still not “out” – The question is whether we will truly be out at 11.01pm on 31 Dec 2020

At 4.39am in the early hours of the morning of 24 June 2016, the BBC’s David Dimbleby had to announce that Leave had won the EU Referendum. Few readers will forget the miserable look on his face. Today, exactly four-and-a-half years later, it seems that some form of provisional ‘trade deal’ – to be called a “Partnership Agreement” will be announced simultaneously in London and Brussels.

Stand by your beds

Yesterday evening, government sources in the British and Belgian capitals were expecting a press conference to start from 7pm to announce that a deal had provisionally been struck. As the clock ticked down, however, it became clear that yet another (notional) deadline was to be missed.

At 10pm the now-traditional pizzas were being delivered to the Berlaymont building in Brussels, with negotiators huddling down for an all-nighter. Somewhat incongruously, the pizza boxes were adorned with a painting of Venice and a gaudy, red “Hot Pizza!” message.

- Pic from Eric Mamer, EU Commission Chief Spokesman, 23 Dec 2020 - click to enlarge

To the recipients of these boxes, the Venetian scene must have seemed a long way from the grey surroundings of a Berlaymont building committee room in Brussels. We doubt that the negotiators had time to ponder the significance of a painting of an EU city once renowned as a major centre of finance and trade, now fighting to stay above water.

The fundamentals of Brexit

At the time of writing (4am) an announcement is expected in the coming hours. We see no point in speculating further about this, so we will simply remind readers of the key aspects to look out for in any summary of a deal announced by the Prime Minister.

A “what does Brexit mean?” summary

The UK should be a fully free, fully independent, and fully sovereign country again
No jurisdiction by the EU’s courts – UK law must be supreme across the UK
No more massive annual UK payments to the EU
No freedom of movement – full UK autonomy over immigration and citizenship policies
No membership anywhere in the UK of the EU Single Market or anything like it
No membership anywhere in the UK of the EU Customs Union or anything like it
No ‘regulatory alignment’ of British goods, except for goods exported to the EU
Full and unhindered UK ability to implement new international trade deals
Full sovereignty over the 200 mile EEZ limit of the UK's waters and ownership of all natural resources in them
No submission to the EU Common Agriculture and Fisheries Policies in any form
No involvement in the EU Defence Union in any form - cooperation only when in UK’s interests
No submission to EU human rights laws or conventions
No change in the status of Northern Ireland and Gibraltar

For Brexit to mean anything, the UK must be able to act as an independent country in all respects, with all the power this brings. This means exiting all EU structures and controls. These must NOT be replaced with anything which has broadly the same effect as being a Member State – but with no say.

We must be completely free to embrace the future as a free, independent, and sovereign country once again.

Observations

It goes without saying that this “Partnership Agreement” will be presented with all the shining glory of a second coming, regardless of its contents.

As ever, the Brexit Facts4EU.Org team will scrutinise the alleged 1-2000 pages when they are finally released. We would like to say that our analysis will be rigorous but in reality it will have to focus in on the basics. Regrettably it seems that we – and MPs – will be given precious little time, and what time there is will be interrupted by the familial duties associated with what passes for a state-approved Christmas and New Year these days.

We are further hampered by our lack of funding. Unlike the technocrats of the EU machine in Brussels none of us receives a salary and pension, and none of us can claim double pay for anti-social hours. We rely on the generosity of our readers – people like you – to keep us going with donations. Unfortunately less than 1% donate.

Please be generous this Christmas if you would like us to apply our deep knowledge of the EU and Brexit to the trade deal (sorry, “Partnership Agreement”) and to bring you punchy, bullet-pointed analyses of something which will affect all of our lives for years to come. And please remember that our unseen work also includes lobbying and supporting politicians in the fight for a truly free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom.

Quick secure, and confidential donation links are below, or you can go to our Donations page here. Thank you so much.

And finally, Merry Christmas to all our readers!

[ Sources: Eric Mamer Twitter account | BBC | Unattributable sources ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Christmas Eve, 24 Dec 2020

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Reader Comments 25

1. One eyed king , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 07:13:

Merry Christmas to everybody.

2. les wells , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 07:37:

Merry Christmas everyone.

3. Ann Silva , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 08:23:

I bet this “deal” is more in favour of the EU, not us. A sell out possibly, but I will wait for what the experts on brexit say.

4. Peter Gorton , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 09:14:

With the finish line in sight, now is the dangerous moment when bad concessions can happen. Blinded by tiredness and euphoria. Great Care Needed!

5. AJ , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 09:18:

Sorry chaps, the referendum was about whether we were members of the EU or not, nothing to do with any future relationship. A deal may not be what some people on the fringes wanted, but it's not incompatible with the result of the referendum.

6. Glyn Je , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 09:19:

We shouldn’t have allowed it to be done secretly, the public had the right to know what discussions were taking place

7. Robert Hoole , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 10:03:

BRINO ! Brexit in name only .

8. Not4EU, London , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 10:05:

If we do not have 100% control & sovereignty, we will not be independent, we will not have left the EU per the directive given to Parliament in 2016 & the Govt will have failed in its duty to implement our decision. We can already see that we will not be free from the unnecessary WA/PD. We now do not even know what it actually says. Changes to this 'Treaty' are solely decided by Gove & the EU (and who trusts Gove?). Where are the minutes for the 'agreements' that Gove is making which change the terms of that Treaty? The EU seemingly had a list of things that they 'forgot' to put in the surrender Treaty so wanted to amend it. Did that happen? Gove says that everyone is very happy, so this implies that he's agreed the changes which become automatically binding. Where is the UK oversight?
This 'deal' (Treaty) is apparently 2,000 pages long and (if the rumour mill is correct) contains stuff like committing to the EU's Erasmus project, ie it's a political agreement, not a trade agreement.
Sadly, we have become accustomed to betrayal by our own representatives. If Frost/Boros has agreed a 'deal' that the EU is happy with then it will be a betrayal of what we voted for. It will be an even bigger betrayal than the one Heath perpetrated on a trusting people to unlawfully sign us up to the EEC. No amount of spin will save them. I do hope that they're not banking on the so-called 'polls' which tell them that they're 'winning'. The real people have a different view. We voted to leave the EU and we want that decision implemented as diligently as they have the EU Directives.

9. Not4EU, London , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 10:06:

The EU has shown its totalitarian designs over & over again. The whole thing is bad faith on their part, yet Bottler Boros still keeps up the act despite the overtly hostile actions by the EU. He's just a nodding dog Churchill, bought & paid for like the corrupt EU.
Any Party which promises to rip up the UK breakup Treaty & the so-called deal will do well. It will be the end of the so-called Con Party, & Liebore (same party-different coloured ties). Can't happen soon enough.

10. Sheila , Thursday, December 24, 2020, 10:34:

Just tried to donate my card declined. First time ever for me.
Hi Sheila, from the Facts4EU.Org team. Thank you so much, and we're sorry you had a problem donating. We just tested the system and it's working fine, so maybe it was just a momentary glitch. We really do need all the donations we can get right now! Merry Christmas from the team.

25 comments, page 1 of 3

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