Taking back control

There are two ways from here to take back control properly from the EU on 1 January. The first is to do so by an Agreement about our future relationship. This would not only include a Free Trade Area but would also end the residual jurisdiction of the ECJ , end the payments to the EU and end any further ability of the EU to tie us to their laws.

The second is to leave without an Agreement and pass a short confirming Act of Parliament removing the remaining powers of the EU. This would build on the essential assertion of Parliamentary sovereignty in Clause 38 of the Withdrawal Agreement Act, confirming the notwithstanding clause over all residual matters.

I assume given the view of the EU it will need to be the latter. Far from undermining our standing in the world such an Act would be seen as a sign of strength by the UK, clearly setting out our independence. As the Supreme Court and the Commons has confirmed, the UK Parliament can make these laws and lead our country in the way required by the referendum decision.

267 Comments

  1. Pominoz
    October 6, 2020

    So, Sir John, that means – with or without an agreement – the UK once again becomes a fully independent sovereign nation.

    Unless, of course, Boris bottles it! I really hope he does not.

    1. Martin in Cardiff
      October 6, 2020

      Such silly grandstanding would be seen differently by different types of people in different parts of the world.

      Those in the most civilised and Enlightened parts – that is Canada, Aus, NZ, Japan, and the twenty-seven nations of the European Union, along with perhaps a few others – have already made plain what they think of the UK’s decision to leave and they are clearly rather unimpressed.

      Who cares what the rest think?

      1. Ian @Barkham
        October 6, 2020

        Who’s being silly now!

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        October 6, 2020

        Nobody cares what losers like you think. If Swaziland can be independent and Sovereign why can the U.K. not?

        1. acorn
          October 6, 2020

          Do you mean the Kingdom of Eswatini. It is accepted as “sovereign” by UN and is a member of it.

          It is also a member of Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Development Community. The Monarch considered that being a member of a Common Market was a good idea.

          1. Edward2
            October 7, 2020

            Freely belonging to a community which is mutually beneficial is totally different to allowing the EU to have the power to make laws, regulations, directives and rules in our country.
            Does the kingdom you mention pay many billions in membership fees?

          2. Lynn Atkinson
            October 7, 2020

            So pretentious to pretend to speak Swazi. Rather like Angla (German pronounciation) Merkle (English pronounciation).
            Yes landlocked Swaziland is Sovereign so can claim seats on all these bodies and such. The U.K. for 45 years has not enjoyed that Sovereign status and therefore does not qualify (under the Un definition of a Sovereign state) for even a seat at the UN.

      3. BJC
        October 6, 2020

        It’s a strange fact of life, but where there’s an opportunity to be first in line to take the rich pickings of trade and make a shed load of money, such opinions will merely be temporary. Clearly, you also believe that the EU’s behaviour has been exemplary and should have no influence over how we respond?

      4. I. Wragg
        October 6, 2020

        Controlling your own destiny is not grandstanding Martin. Could you imagine France or Germany being subject to the US Supreme
        Court.
        The world was laughing at us under May and her traitorous cabal.
        Not any more

        1. acorn
          October 6, 2020

          Those countries are subject to the EU Supreme Court. The European Court of Justice, is the supreme court of the European Union in matters of European Union law.

          1. Edward2
            October 6, 2020

            That isn’t a valid comparison.
            France and Germany agree to be in the EU and have the EU court as their supreme court in some areas.
            No independent nation has any outside court of another nation as their supreme court.

        2. I. Wragg
          October 6, 2020

          Yes but after we leave properly it will be an alien court, hence my reference to the US Supreme Court.

          1. acorn
            October 6, 2020

            No independent nation has any outside court of another nation as their supreme court. says Eddy.

            The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the highest court of appeal for a number of Commonwealth countries, crown dependencies and United Kingdom overseas territories. some members chose to retain their legal links with the JCPC.

          2. Edward2
            October 7, 2020

            Which they freely decide to do.
            They can alter that situation at any time.

      5. Richard1
        October 6, 2020

        That is an assertion with no evidence. None of Canada Australia New Zealand etc have themselves entered political unions with neighbouring groups of countries. If New Zealand thinks being in the EU is such a great idea why arenā€™t they clamouring to merge with Australia? Why arenā€™t Canadians wanting to be part of the US, with laws determined by bodies such as the US Supreme Court?

      6. No Longer Anonymous
        October 6, 2020

        So the Dinghy People escaping *enlightened* France from the muddy fields they are kept in.

        Are they Leavers or Remainers ?

        1. Andrew Piesse
          October 6, 2020

          Learvers from France and a desire to remain in the UK šŸ™‚

      7. Pominoz
        October 6, 2020

        Martin,

        I can assure you, first hand, that at least here in civilised Australia, the civilised UK’s decision to leave the outrageous constraints of the failing EU are being applauded, not least because the exciting trade opportunities between the two civilised commonwealth nations can now be restored. Both will see the benefits very soon.

        Thankyou for your courteous comments yesterday.

      8. 'None of the above'.
        October 6, 2020

        Your posts used to irritate me.

        Now they just stir in me some sympathy for you. Your grip on reality appears to be slipping away more and more each day.

      9. Barbara
        October 6, 2020

        By the same token, who cares what you think?

    2. Andy
      October 6, 2020

      We have always been a sovereign nation. But, from January, we will be one with a lot more lorry parks, tens of thousands of more bureaucrats and less convenience for our citizens. Because you exercised your sovereign right to do something stupid.

      1. Ian @Barkham
        October 6, 2020

        You are only Sovereign, when the laws, rules and regulations that apply within a Country are made by the People through their elected representatives. It is the People of the Country then that get to say how they are administered, reformed, or repealed. Anything less is enslavement

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        October 6, 2020

        You will be exercising your sovereign right to be sovereign? How stupid.

      3. 'None of the above'.
        October 6, 2020

        I am not sure for whom I should have more sympathy, you or Martin in Cardiff.
        I hope that you feel better soon. you and Martin have my best wishes.

      4. Pominoz
        October 6, 2020

        Andy,

        “We have always been a sovereign nation”

        Until Ted Heath sold us out by doing something stupid and pretending otherwise.

        Us oldies remember it well!

        Be careful how you respond.

      5. NickC
        October 6, 2020

        Andy, Do we, or do we not, have sovereignty over the fish in the UK EEZ? Even you know we don’t. Therefore your claim that the UK is a sovereign nation whilst a member of the EU, or subject to the EU via the WA, is a lie. Frankly your bigotry disgusts me.

    3. agricola
      October 6, 2020

      Rest assured, should he bottle it that signals the end of the conservative party to be replaced by something the people can believe in. It has happened before over this very question and could be repeated domestically.

      1. NickC
        October 6, 2020

        Agricola, Yes, I’m prepared to put time and money into defeating the Tory party if Boris capitulates again. And with the latest month extension he’s part way there.

    4. Ian @Barkham
      October 6, 2020

      +1

  2. Stephen Priest
    October 6, 2020

    I’ve come to the conclusion the Prime Minister will agree to any policy if it has a catchy name.

    So if you you want to get him to agree to anything you must think of a Super Duper catch phrase.

    A No Deal Brexit could be renames Brexit with Lashings of Ginger Beer .

    1. Peter Wood
      October 6, 2020

      Or

      no Deal Brexit, it’s what 007 would have killed for!

      Any others…

    2. DaveK
      October 6, 2020

      Shame that the catchphrase matches the Democratic Party Socialist campaign slogan.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 7, 2020

        Boris is proud of that – a message to the socialist world which he hopes we will all miss.

    3. NickC
      October 6, 2020

      Or, let’s have HS2 – a 19th century idea for a 20th century problem – rather than sending a man to the Moon for quarter of the dosh.

  3. Mick
    October 6, 2020

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1344115/brexit-news-immigration-law-rejected-house-of-lords-boris-johnson-priti-patel
    I see the unelected House of Lords are up to there old tricks again, or is this what Boris wants so he as a excuse to water down anything Eu related!!!

    1. Lifelogic
      October 6, 2020

      Indeed and Boris just stuffed even more lefty, woke, green crap pushing, open door immigration & remainer dopes into it. With the notable exception of Charles Moore (who alas will not take on the BBC job for personal reasons it seems).

      1. Ian @Barkham
        October 6, 2020

        +1

      2. Stephen Priest
        October 6, 2020

        lefty, woke, green crap?

        Don’t worry. This will create thousands in green jobs – in China

    2. Andy
      October 6, 2020

      This was a vote led by Lord Dubs – who escaped Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport. Perhaps rather than slagging him off as a traitor or a Remoaner you should actually read the detail of what the Lords voted for? Because the governmentā€™s position is pretty indefensible.

      On the referendum ballot paper in 2016 there was not a box saying that you had to behave abhorrently towards EU children. That is a decision you have come to in your own mind since. And, frankly, it is pathetic.

      1. Ian @Barkham
        October 6, 2020

        But who elected him to represent the People of the UK?

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        October 6, 2020

        Perhaps he was saved so young that he never realised the force of the evil?

      3. BJC
        October 6, 2020

        It’s all relative, but your argument rather suggests you should be willing to take on personal and sole responsibility for your neighbour’s children for any reason they choose, and lose your right to refuse or return them.

        You’d clearly be sympathetic and would perhaps find it affordable to take on one or two, but when others along the street decided to do the same because it suited them, you too would be clamouring for the return of your right to decide who you take in.

      4. beresford
        October 6, 2020

        Few object to being nice to actual children. It is the bearded males of military age who are being brought in under the pretext of being children who are the problem. Also if a child then wants to be re-united with a family outside of the UK, he should go and join them rather than everyone being ‘re-united in the UK’ as I believe the Lords said.

      5. No Longer Anonymous
        October 6, 2020

        He escaped *Germany* not “Nazi Germany” – my decorated grandfathers never ever called it that. Jerry, German, Germany… never Nazi.

        I even heard a so called historian on TV call it “Nazi occupied Germany” this week.

        These distinctions are important. The reason being that the English are never afforded the right to be called the “Victorian English” or “Victorian occupied English” as we had even less right to vote for that than the Germans had to vote for Hitler, and they did vote for him, remember.

        Thus Remainers (nearly all anti English) malign their fellow country folk and give the Germans a free pass.

        My relatives were poor, indentured and voiceless at the time of slavery (allegedly our Nazi period.)

        We (the ordinary people) never kept slaves and our black fellow countrymen never picked cotton yet Remainers and the Left in general make sly use of language to help those they want to abrogate themselves of responsibility whilst blaming and disenfranchising us for things we never did.

        1. No Longer Anonymous
          October 6, 2020

          Timeline a bit wrong. Replace Victorian with Georgian and ‘relatives’ with ‘ancestors’.

      6. Barbara
        October 6, 2020

        If these ā€œchildrenā€ are in the marvellous EU, surely they can stay there?

      7. anon
        October 6, 2020

        How do you know they are children? More like claiming to be children!

        Those that have wrongly claimed to be children, should be treated harshly when the evidence is refuted. With prison time, then deportation. Legal fees should then be forced to re-claimed by the state, where advisors had reasonable suspicion to suspect this.

  4. Adam
    October 6, 2020

    If we had large boxes of unwanted items obstructing our hallway, we’d simply remove them.

    We can remove the EU similarly.

    1. Lifelogic
      October 6, 2020

      Some of the obstructing boxes are in Calais though.

      1. a-tracy
        October 6, 2020

        Well, that road runs both ways Lifelogic.

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      October 6, 2020

      As a gesture, “the rest of the world” would likely see this to be as much of a show of strength, of good sense, and of self-confidence, as a lone, rather inebriated football fan’s throwing of his lager all over an angry rugby league squad at closing time.

      It’s laughable.

      1. Edward2
        October 6, 2020

        Certainly your post is laughable.

      2. NickC
        October 6, 2020

        Martin, The rest of the world either take no notice, or are baffled why so many silly people within the UK continue to want us to be a colony of the EU.

  5. Mark B
    October 6, 2020

    Good morning

    Sorry, Sir John but who keeps laying down deadlines and then asking for extensions ? From memory, I do not believe it is the EU !

    We have been at this for over 4 years now. We have a parliament that is Remainer to the core because, as we have now seen with this pandemic, few MP’s are up to the task of running a country. All the political parties want is to get the filthy little hands on the Public Purse to spend on shite no one wants like HS2.

    The 2016 Referendum was not just a vote to Leave the EU, it was the truly first time this nation had the chance to express its feelings on an issue. We were given sole promises that our decision would be respected and acted upon. To those that were listening we believed that. The years of betrayal have not weakened my resolve, it has strengthened it.

    We voted LEAVE. And we meant it.

    1. Andy
      October 6, 2020

      You left last January. And you are still moaning.

      1. Mike Durrans
        October 6, 2020

        Because that was in name only- we now must chop off all the slimey tentacles of the eu .

        Nothing less will do!

      2. 'None of the above'.
        October 6, 2020

        Yes but with just 11 months left sort out the traitorous mess left for the people by the last antidemocratic parliament.

        I think it is time for you and people like you (including Theresa May) to maintain a dignified silence.

      3. Enrico
        October 6, 2020

        We are still tied to the EUā€™s apron strings until the 31st December2020,itā€™s called the transition period but you obviously chose to ignore that fact!

      4. NickC
        October 6, 2020

        Andy, We are still controlled by the EU, just not by the TEU and TFEU. Do we control our own fish? Are we still subject to the ECJ? Do we still run our country on EU laws? So we’re still an EU colony.

    2. Simeon
      October 6, 2020

      Good morning

      The people voted leave, but then they voted for ‘Get Brexit done’. And now Parliament, which is sovereign, has a mandate for that. Whether people realised it or not (and, of course, they really should have), getting Brexit done meant stitiching up a deal with the EU that, inevitably, was some sort of BRINO. This is what will happen, and the people voted for it. Democracy in action my friend. Truly leaving has nothing to do with it.

      1. Ian @Barkham
        October 6, 2020

        It is not a Democracy while others want a say in how you work internally and the laws, rule and regulations are imposed on you without a say, using their Political Court as the adjudicator.

        1. Simeon
          October 6, 2020

          Democratically elected representatives ceding control to outsiders is representative democracy in action. The people elected representatives that had this intention. The people are obviously happy for this to happen. Neither ignorance nor gullibility are valid excuses. It is, to be sure, a sorry state of affairs.

          1. Ian @Barkham
            October 6, 2020

            You misrepresent democracy.

            Lending sovereignty to your representative works, if they disrespect your will you get rid of them and have the law changed. In a democracy power cannot be ceded in the way you suggest.

            All controls remain with the People via their representative, this is so they can be changed, or dropped. Outsiders how try to grab control don’t respect the people or democracy so w should never have anything to do with them.

          2. Simeon
            October 6, 2020

            For almost fifty years the British People’s representatives have ceded control to the EU. Periodically, the British People have had the chance to get rid of these representatives, but have never once done so. We might say that there has never been a credible alternative to pro-EU parties, and so this was never an option the British People had. But the lack of options is a function of our democracy, and, in the end, it is we, The People, that are responsible for this. Whatever democracy’s disadvantages – and they are very, very many – The People get the government they deserve.

            In a little over four years, The People will have the chance to choose new representatives. If The People want change, we can have it. But I would be amazed (in a good way), if we did.

          3. Lynn Atkinson
            October 7, 2020

            No it isnā€™t. They trashed the Constitution to do so.

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        October 6, 2020

        No ā€˜Get Brexit doneā€™ Meant WALK! No TALK!

        1. Simeon
          October 6, 2020

          ‘Get Brexit done’ means whatever Boris Johnson decides. He’s the one in power.

          1. NickC
            October 6, 2020

            But not for long if he capitulates again.

          2. Simeon
            October 7, 2020

            Another four years, or until some other pro-EU Tory replaces him. Then, in all likelihood, Starmer, or whomever is leader of Labour. So, long enough…

        2. glen cullen
          October 7, 2020

          You’re so correct

    3. agricola
      October 6, 2020

      Yes 2016 was a change in the concept of democracy to which the establishment have continued to say never again. However it is too late. There must in future be a seed change in the way our sceptered isle is governed on future major issues.

    4. Sharon
      October 6, 2020

      Hear, hear mark B!

      Letā€™s pray that Boris does the job properly and doesnā€™t bottle it. Fingers crossed too!

    5. glen cullen
      October 6, 2020

      Well said

  6. Partey
    October 6, 2020

    The Withdrawal Agreement binds the UK to accept the authority of the ECJ and of EU law generally in the areas it covers. You voted for it in the House of Commons. So what you propose here is that the UK shall break an international Treaty that is not even a year old. Vladimir Putin will be delighted. The democratic world is horrified at the UKā€™s choice to become a rogue state

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 6, 2020

      The Treaty expires, we donā€™t need to ā€˜break itā€™.

      1. acorn
        October 6, 2020

        There is no expiry date in the Withdrawal Agreement Treaty

        I appreciate that leave voters are getting exasperated with the reality of Brexit and their lack of knowledge to defend what they opted for. But posting statements like yours every opportunity doesn’t do your credibility any favours.

        1. Edward2
          October 6, 2020

          Complely wrong.
          If there is no agreement the Withdrawal Agreement is irrelevant.
          And as Gina Miller proved our Parliament is supreme.

          1. acorn
            October 6, 2020

            Sorry Eddy but, there is a limit to how many non-league players like yourself, we premier league players can attempt to educate in the reality of Brexit, in one day.

          2. Blazes
            October 6, 2020

            Not so- the WA is a stand alone treaty just like any of the other International treaties it’s timeless- for instance like the treaty of Utrecht 1715 that gave us Gibraltar and has remained in force ever since. I suggest we don’t want to go messing about with international treaties unless we want to open up the proverbial pandora’s box

          3. Edward2
            October 7, 2020

            Both of you are simply wrong.
            Trade treaties and agreements are not treated the same way and often get altered and even rejected by one party.
            Just quoting an old treaty doesn’t prove treaties are set in perpetuity.

            And acorn try to post without personal abuse.
            I realise it is a habit with left leaning posters but it makes you look very poor.

        2. NickC
          October 6, 2020

          Acorn, Actually there is an expiry date in the WA – it is 31st December 2020. Which could have been extended by 1 or 2 years under WA Art 132.

          The reality of Brexit is to be as independent of the EU as New Zealand is. Blaming the rotten WA – concocted by our Remain establishment – on Brexit, is ludicrous.

          Any agreement or treaty can be abrogated at any time. And your Remain WA should be scrapped immediately.

          1. Edward2
            October 7, 2020

            Indeed Nick.
            They see the Withdrawal Agreement as a powerful tool to thwart Brexit.

        3. Lynn Atkinson
          October 7, 2020

          The WA is illegal in international law. It tries to force the U.K. to cede territory. Itā€™s illegal and can be junked. We donā€™t have a PM with the brains to do that so we have to pretend that we have to wait for 31st December to be free.

        4. Lynn Atkinson
          October 7, 2020

          Acorn you Premier League players in the EU stars are playing in our league. You are tolerated on sufferance – donā€™t provoke us.

    2. John Hatfield
      October 6, 2020

      Partey, the Withdrawal Agreement also contains Article 38 which says,
      “nothing in this Act derogates from the sovereignty of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.”

      So parliament is still in charge no matter what you would wish.

      1. TrueBrexiter
        October 6, 2020

        No John, Article 38 is NOT in the Withdrawal Agreement. It is in the UK Act implementing the Withdrawal Agreement. The EU did not and does not agree to it, and it has zero effect on the Withdrawal Agreement. Article 38 is one big con. Fact is, the Conservative MPs gave away Northern Ireland and accepted the ECJ when they voted for Boris,s deal last January

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 6, 2020

          The only thing that matters is the Act. We live under British law fromJan next year, even if Boris lies dead in a ditch.

        2. NickC
          October 6, 2020

          Up to a point Lord Copper. The EU(WA) Act 2020 is the only law by which the UK accepts the WA. So clause 38 is important. We could repeal the EU(WA) Act, and I think we should do.

        3. anon
          October 6, 2020

          Parliament is supreme except where it has allowed EU law continuing direct effect, with parts of the WA continuing and indefinite.

          That is why a UK act to remove the direct effects and revoke the treaty it needs to happen NOW.

          Will it be Boris the Betrayer or Bulldog Boris ?

          We already have well known epitaths for a former PM.

          This needs to be passed and be ready to take effect on or before 31.12.2020.

          We know the establishment wants to thwart the democratic mandate to leave.

          The internet thankfully still provides fact based coverage.

          Still wondering why the Liblabcon keep the propaganda tax!

  7. Lifelogic
    October 6, 2020

    Exactly – but alas it is highly unlikely that the Boris government (still less the Commons) will take this line. Parliament and the governemnt is still stuffed with remainers. If these people cannot even see that HS2 and the expensive war on CO2 are absurd what chance it there that they will come to sensible conclusions on Brexit as you outline above?

    After all very many of the current parliament even voted for the blatant treachery of the Hillary Benn surender act (some of whom are still allowed to be Conservative MPs).

    1. Lifelogic
      October 6, 2020

      The Today programme has an absurdly wet interview with Niel Ferguson no sensible and obvious questions. The man is still whittering on about the NHS being overwhelmed again! What planet it this man on?

      Then we get Sunak talking about using the overwhelming might of the British State to save jobs! So that will be taxing businesses and given them some of the money back again. A bit like trying to stand in a bucket and lift yourself up by pulling the handle. The might of the British State only come from taxing the productive. Do they not teach you that in the economics bit of Oxford PPE?

      He refused to repeat the Manifesto Tax promises so we can assume they are dead – the country is hugely over taxed already.

      Then we have Boris coming out with more greencrap and offshore wind subsidies and green economic, jobs recovery later today. All hugely depressing. The best thing the state could do it to halve its own size, cull all the greencrap subsidies, cut red tape hugely, cut and simplify taxes, cancel lunacies like HS2, cut the many worthless degrees in often worthless subjects and go for easy hire and fire. Why can Sunak not see any of this?

      Every subsidised green job will kill far more real & sustainable ones.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 6, 2020

        +1 and there is not much time left. The north under a ā€˜localā€™ lockdown is just about dead. We are all suffering serious health problems associated with stress.

  8. Len Peel
    October 6, 2020

    An international Treaty cannot be changed by an Act of Parliament. You must know this. So why post such untruths?

    1. Andy
      October 6, 2020

      Disturbing. Either Mr Redwood and his friends do not know this or they continue to be dishonest about it. I donā€™t know which is worse. Ignorance or negligence.

      1. beresford
        October 6, 2020

        But in other posts you said we should rescind the WA altogether. Isn’t that change with extreme prejudice?

    2. Lifelogic
      October 6, 2020

      Cameron told us a Treaty was no longer a Treaty once signed, this to justify ratting on his Cast Iron Guarantee. International Treaties are often ignored by countries where the politics allow.

      1. Lifelogic
        October 6, 2020

        Ignored or just interpreted differently that is.

    3. Dave Andrews
      October 6, 2020

      No it can’t, but it can be broken, and a sovereign nation can do this, there being no superior law.
      Much better to have not signed the thing in the first place.

      1. bigneil(newercomp)
        October 6, 2020

        Yes – better to have never signed to start with, but the EU now is not what it started out as. Then “function creep” set in and the REAL intention became clear. Kalergi plan – Agenda 21 and Barcelona declaration. Call it what you will – it is the extermination of countries and white Europeans to start with. Then it gets worse. Glad i’ll be dead.

        1. DavidJ
          October 6, 2020

          I agree for the most part but let us also consider the fate of our descendants.

      2. acorn
        October 6, 2020

        Look up the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and the International Court of Justice.

        1. Edward2
          October 6, 2020

          I did.
          Trade treaties and agreements are treated differently.
          And are often changed.

          1. acorn
            October 6, 2020

            Perhaps Eddy you could explain in detail the difference between a Treaty and an Agreement in International Law terms; and how, exactly they are treated differently?

          2. Edward2
            October 7, 2020

            I would never pursade you if I did acorn.
            Treaties and agreements can be altered and rejected.
            An act of Parliament is supreme as your previous favourite proved in the Supreme Court

        2. NickC
          October 6, 2020

          Acorn, The ICJ is rarely involved in political disputes, and when it is, it is usually ignored. The plain fact is the WA can be abrogated – it is one sided, imposed under duress, and the EU has acted in bad faith.

        3. Harkback
          October 6, 2020

          you can make all the trade deals you like if you have the gunboats and you are dealing with the native peoples in the village

    4. Martin in Cardiff
      October 6, 2020

      No, it simply invalidates the whole thing, tears it up, effectively.

      It would free the other side from being bound by any of its provisions too, I think.

      1. 'None of the above'.
        October 6, 2020

        Quite correct Martin, well done!

    5. Ian @Barkham
      October 6, 2020

      No Laws or treaties can be imposed by others on a free democracy. Government change so agreements change.

      The rest of it is huff & puff by those that do horrid things in the name of a law that they make up as they go along.

    6. Lynn Atkinson
      October 6, 2020

      The Treaty expires 31December, it will be dead, finished, no longer extant, over, done with, a DEAD PARROT – got it?

      1. TrueBrexiter
        October 6, 2020

        No Lynn, you misunderstand. The transition period , in which we follow EU law even though we have left, expires 31 December. But the Withdrawal Agreementā€™s terms – subjection to the ECJ in the areas it covers, the splitting of NI from GB – continues indefinitely. This is not Brexit but John Redwood and every other Conservative MP voted for it. And we should be told why

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 6, 2020

          Of course itā€™s outrageous that Boris presents and got a WA through the House when treacherous May failed. But starting from here … What the EU is demanding after the UK leaves (in the Withdrawal Agreement) is even more constitutionally aggressive than the rights we surrendered while a member state. Even worse than contraventions of UK law are terms and behaviour which contradict international treaty law ā€“ in particular the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Here we have the ultimate attack on international law which states that no trade agreement can put in jeopardy a signatoryā€™s internal law and trade between different parts of its sovereign territory. ā€˜ Rodney Atkinson

          1. Lynn Atkinson
            October 6, 2020

            So Borisā€™ WA is illegal in international law and that is why JR says a short Act of Parliament is necessary to bring our law into alignment. The Govt are pretending that we are bound until 31 Dec, but even Boris understands (now) that his concessions are totally unworkable.

      2. 'None of the above'.
        October 6, 2020

        Tired and shagged out after a long squawk!! (very, very long).

      3. Martin C
        October 6, 2020

        Except that, according to Sir John, Parliament would need to : “pass a short confirming Act of Parliament removing the remaining powers of the EU.” So, if not in the Withdrawal Agreement where do these residual powers reside, given that we left the EU on 31st January 2020?

    7. Caterpillar
      October 6, 2020

      I don’t think other partsof the world are particularly different e.g. the treaty clause in the USA recognises that treaties may be changed or repealed. The German Constitutional court decision (2 bvl 1/12), essentially, democracy requires German parliament to be free to amend laws even if it violates an international treaty.

      The issue is always redress which is often none, but can be negotiation, economic impact, war…

      One wonders whether the U.K. Govt wants an action to go before U.K. Supreme Court. (I’d be interested if I weren’t so distracted by Hancock and Sunak.)

    8. Northern Monkey
      October 6, 2020

      Of course you can.

      The UK parliament is sovereign. If parliament revoked a treaty it no longer applies regardless of what anyone else thinks, wherever they may be.

      1. Harkback
        October 6, 2020

        Wrong- if parliament revokes an International Treaty if might have application in UK but only within UK borders.

        1. Northern Monkey
          October 8, 2020

          That’s where it would matter…

    9. John Hatfield
      October 6, 2020

      Len Peel,
      But the international treaty of which you speak says it can.

    10. Edward2
      October 6, 2020

      Completely wrong.
      We have a dualist constitution.
      Parliament is supreme.

    11. John Francis
      October 6, 2020

      According to the British constitution, (Yes, we do have one, ordered by precedent through the ages and constitutional experts and lawyers) Parliament is sovereign. Therefore, Parliament can make or unmake any law it chooses to. International law applies to countries but is often broken. The EU is not a country and cannot apply or appeal to international law, but the countries within it can,
      if they have signed up to the appropriate legislation. Also the ‘Supreme Court’ (Introduced by Mr Blair) is not the final arbiter of the British Constitution or British law, Parliament is, and ultimately through the MP’s they elect to Parliament, the British people are. This is British democracy.

    12. Lynn Atkinson
      October 7, 2020

      The WA is illegal in international law. Do you agree therefore that it should be shredded forthwith?

  9. DOM
    October 6, 2020

    We have enemies without and enemies within. The EU without, the British political and administrative class within. The British people, silent and open to abuse.

    The Cultural Marxist war against the majority population and their strategies are now in full swing aided and abetted by your disingenuous, perfidious party. Culture, history, identity, language, symbols and the physical person themselves now exposed to the full panoply of Marxist indoctrination designed to remodel and re-engineer human beings

    Yes, we can see the EU in action and we can see their intent is to nobble this nation and its independence and yet your party in government unleashes a war against the majority population by exposing them to a torrent of racial identity propaganda designed to turn them from moral, honourable, proud people to snivelling, apologetic wretches expected to self-subjugate and no doubt self-flagellate each time they look in the mirror

    We are tired and exhausted by your BAME, BLM and other racially infused political propaganda exercises designed to stoke guilt, undermine confidence and stoke division.

    Your party is an offence to dignity and to this nation

    1. Lifelogic
      October 6, 2020

      Indeed see the appalling comments of the new head of the Supreme Court:- Lord Reed said the lack of diversity among the 12 Supreme Court justices was a situation “which cannot be allowed to become shameful if it persists”.

      He clearly thinks the justices should be selected not by ability but as if flower arranging will huge discrimination against white, heterosexual males for many years one assumes. It is this that would be shameful mate.

      1. Iago
        October 6, 2020

        Head of the Supreme Court and entirely unfitted to be a judge.

        1. Mike Durrans
          October 6, 2020

          +1

      2. Nigl
        October 6, 2020

        If every person had the same opportunities he wouldnā€™t need to say it. The lack of diversity is shameful.

        1. Robert McDonald
          October 6, 2020

          Every one in the UK has the same opportunities. If they have the abilities and try hard enough. Look at Lewis Hamilton for example.

        2. Lynn Atkinson
          October 6, 2020

          Yes! As someone said it want to live in a country where there is no impediment to a black woman becoming a Princessā€™ – I think it was Meghan Markel who said that…

          1. Fred H
            October 8, 2020

            I think she is what might be termed ‘a right little Princess’ all right.

      3. Ian @Barkham
        October 6, 2020

        +1

      4. BeebTax
        October 6, 2020

        By Ā«Ā diversityĀ Ā» I guess he doesnā€™t mean that he wants some plumbers or care home workers on the Court.

        More seriously, they need the best people for the job. Prove that the selection process does not achieve this before changing it. Is he suggesting that he and the rest of the Court are not up to the job, or that there are better qualified people out there? If thatā€™s so he can always resign to make a place for better people.

      5. beresford
        October 6, 2020

        So why is ‘lack of diversity’ in the administrations of non-white-majority countries not seen as a problem?

      6. Andy
        October 6, 2020

        The 12 Supreme Court judges are all white. They are nearly all men. They are nearly all in their 60s.

        It might be diverse by Conservative Party standards but Britain hasnā€™t looked like that since I was born in the early 1970s.

        Perhaps it is you who is out of touch?

        1. Edward2
          October 6, 2020

          Most were Blair and Brown appointees.
          Blame Labour

        2. NickC
          October 6, 2020

          Andy, British people are as entitled to self-determination (a UN right) as the people of Nigeria or India. Certainly India threw out almost all British people, even those born in India. Is that what you want? Because carry on as you are, that’s what you’ll get.

          1. Lynn Atkinson
            October 7, 2020

            +1 there were 1,000 British people in India at the height of the Raj.

      7. Barbara
        October 6, 2020

        Especially as, in global terms, white people are the minority – around 8% or something.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 6, 2020

          +1

      8. anon
        October 6, 2020

        Sounds like another unelected politician to me!

    2. agricola
      October 6, 2020

      Superbly well put DOM. Time to rid ourselves of this socialist liberal inflicted guilt.

    3. Ian @Barkham
      October 6, 2020

      +1 Thank you

    4. Everhopeful
      October 6, 2020

      Oh so right! 100%.
      And the wall of political silence is deafening.
      They just donā€™t care. They really do not care what happens to us.
      A terrifying reality.
      This has all been a game of cat and mouse.
      And how could we win when they have diluted and disoriented us and so many have trusted in them?
      Funny how the whole liberal/Marxist dream was sold on the concept of FREEDOM!

    5. Jim Whitehead
      October 6, 2020

      +1

    6. DavidJ
      October 6, 2020

      Excellent comment.

  10. Lifelogic
    October 6, 2020

    William Hague Today in the Telegraph:-

    To defeat a resurgent Labour, Boris must show the power of Tory values
    The Government needs a united team of ministers constantly banging the drum for opportunity.

    Indeed but we also need Tory polices now to get the economy going only for years left. Not that William Hague has shown much Tory values of late.

    Kate Andrews is rather more sensible – Capitalism, not socialism, will fix this mess
    Itā€™s time to fight back against the ludicrous claim that Covid has exposed the failures of the free market

    Well is will if the government let it. It could also sort out the appalling long and huge waiting list the dire NHS now has.

    1. Martin in Cardiff
      October 6, 2020

      Please state those “values”?

      The free market is a good thing – no one in serious, modern politics would claim otherwise these days.

      However, it is not the solution to ALL things, as the dĆ©bĆ¢cle over the provision of PPE to front-line clinical staff here demonstrated very clearly.

      THAT is the fact which the covid19 epidemic has exposed. The fact also that the Anglo-American Right insists that it is means that the very foundations of their puritanical creed are shattered, accordingly.

      Let us be rid of them, then.

      1. No Longer Anonymous
        October 6, 2020

        It was the failure of NHS organisations to procure PPE from the private sector.

        About the only thing that adapted well in this crisis were the very private sector supermarkets which kept us fed.

        Thank GOD they weren’t in the charge of government organisations or we would have starved by now.

        1. Lifelogic
          October 6, 2020

          Indeed and the abject failure of the pandemic planning. Let us home the MOD are rather better.

      2. a-tracy
        October 6, 2020

        “the dĆ©bĆ¢cle over the provision of PPE to front-line clinical staff” caused by our State-run health system, that supposedly had millions of items of ppe that were suddenly missing from stock. That ordered from EU and the Rest of the World suppliers that held up the deliveries when we most needed them. Stock of ppe in Manchester was controlled by the Manchester Health Authority we need to focus on where the future and getting this right but this trying to pass the buck to central government Ministers all the time isn’t working there are people in PHE and the regional stock control systems that need to be disciplined and the people need to know this is happening and its not just another state-run operation that escapes any personal responsibility.

        This dĆ©bĆ¢cle over miscounted on spreadsheets – again the State run Public Health England.

        1. graham1946
          October 6, 2020

          No, Test Track and Trace is run by a private company and has so far cost 12 billion. Think it is worth it?
          Dido Harding was useless at Talk Talk where they had their most complaints under her and she needs to go. She is not PHE. She is in charge of the fiasco. Anyone seen or heard her lately?

          1. a-tracy
            October 7, 2020

            “Test, Track and Trace is run by a private company and has so far cost 12 billion”

            No, I don’t think it was worth it.

            “The fiasco occurred when an Excel spreadsheet, used in outdated software being employed by Public Health England (PHE)”

            The private testers sent it in the format requested by PHE.

            I think the private sector company Director needs to answer on the perceived failure of their company on our news channels.

      3. agricola
        October 6, 2020

        The Free Market was not to blame for a lack of PPE. That was down to incompetent NHS purchasing. It was the free market that filled the gap. And the current check and trace fiasco is down to incompetent administration. Covid obviously plaid a part in the exposure, but incompetence is endemic in any nationalised or monopoly activity. There is no incentive to be otherwise.

        The answer is not with either extremities of political thinking or for that matter with the fence sitting liberal elite. The people will sort the pending mess of we are currently in with the EU just as they did in 2016.

      4. Northern Monkey
        October 6, 2020

        The issue of the provision of PPE was an example of the failure of a centrally controlled economy.

        Had there been a market in PPE there would have been no supply issue that was not more quickly addressed than a lumbering bureaucracy managed.

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      October 6, 2020

      Yes Ā£160 billion on dependence on wind power will do that. Hague is of course a Remainer socialist. Boris is MAD!

      1. BJC
        October 6, 2020

        Perhaps his “madness” has more to do with woman power……….it’s certainly been a Damascene conversion.

      2. Everhopeful
        October 6, 2020

        Sooo true!

      3. glen cullen
        October 6, 2020

        Indeed utter madness as wind power still isn’t proven as a cheap and reliable source of energy; but the green’s love it

        No mention today in the media or party of nuclear energy ?

        1. DennisA
          October 6, 2020

          “wind power still isnā€™t proven as a cheap and reliable source of energy”

          It can never become so, South Australia is the perfect example. The environmental damage at sea will also be considerable.

    3. Everhopeful
      October 6, 2020

      Tory values = authoritarianism
      = mass immigration
      = destruction of town and countryside
      = destruction of education
      = destruction of economy
      = illegal imprisonment
      = Sheriff of Nottingham taxes
      = socialism/Marxism
      = withholding the truth/lying
      =treachery

      I reckon that thus far Boris is being a very good Tory, upholding all the ā€œvaluesā€.

      1. glen cullen
        October 6, 2020

        ….and he only had one job ”get brexit done” and that looks to be in a mess

    4. forthurst
      October 6, 2020

      Another PPE nitwit. Yorkshire’s traditional industries have declined almost to extinction: wool, coal, steel and with them its prosperity and middle class. (It was also dismembered by the odious Southerner, Heath.)

      As Yorkshire developed during the industrial revolution, the grammar schools, technical colleges and adult education institutes were created to supply the local demand for skills which have now disappeared. Creating skilled people with nothing for them to do doesn’t make sense. Industries demand skills; the other way round doesn’t work.

      Grammar schools (not one-to-one, you complete moron, Boris) everywhere and we also need to deprecate Arts courses in favour of Science (not comic book concepts, Boris) as a grounding for the modern world; as has been demonstrated, exhaustively, the deplorable incompetence of the government and civil service is as a result of people with PPE degrees etc failing because they are not properly educated.

  11. Peter
    October 6, 2020

    Yes we need to leave without an Agreement.

    However, delays play into EU hands. They also indicate that Boris is reluctant and unlikely to do so. If he screws up on Brexit it will be the one thing that got him elected and the knives will be out. Delingpole is already writing Boris off on Breitbart. It is a very extreme assessment of him but suggests their could be moves against him.

    1. Everhopeful
      October 6, 2020

      Well.
      If the oh so brave ā€œBig Catā€ Conservatives
      donā€™t actually man up a do something there will be no country and certainly no Tory party.

    2. glen cullen
      October 6, 2020

      ā€˜ā€™Boris the Delayerā€™ā€™

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 7, 2020

        Boris the DESTROYER.

  12. agricola
    October 6, 2020

    It has been apparent since the result of our referendum in 2016 that the EU wished to punish the UK for having the temerity to leave. Barnier said so in print at the time. Nothing they have done since suggests otherwise. Only an EU with such a mindset could turn an existing FTA into a self harming failure to agree something very similar for the continued benefit of all in Europe. The EU are driven by a political agenda rather than a desire for a sensible outcome.

    Time to say, enough of your obfustication and filibustering, after 15/10 we are done. We will follow the parliamentary path our host suggests with no payments of a divorce fee or continuing membership fees after 1/1/21. The system for fishing will be on a diminishing scale like the Norway/EU agreement under rules applied by the UK. The emphasis should be that we the UK are a wholly sovereign state run by its people through Parliament. How we run our industry will be within the rules of the WTO and how we participate in defense will be from within NATO alone.

    I believe that a period of trading on WTO terms would be an excellent catalyst for change within the EU that would raise a member state question mark as to the benefit of EU membership. Put simply we can source food commodities in particular from wherever we wish, free of EU protective tariffs and restrictions.

    1. Peter
      October 6, 2020

      ā€˜I believe that a period of trading on WTO terms would be an excellent catalyst for change within the EUā€™

      Agreed.

      However, Boris pays lip service to the concept but is reluctant to go there. It is interesting how poorly reported the latest delay (after the Fonda-Lying meeting)was. The Guardian was the first and only news report for quite a while. I think the hope was that Coronavirus news would distract attention.

      The fact is truth will out eventually. Bad news cannot be hid indefinitely.

    2. Jjane4brexit
      October 6, 2020

      It seems didn’t put in the real 15th June 2016 PMQs link, here it is:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BjtP00IRPA

    3. jane4brexit
      October 6, 2020

      …and if that last suggestion is printed, apologies for leaving out the apostrophe.

    4. Man of Kent
      October 6, 2020

      Letā€™s just leave and be done with this charade .
      I have comforted myself by believing that Boris would have insisted on the Remainers signing a promise to support a fully independent U.K. as a condition of being allowed to regain the whip.
      It would have been irresponsible to do anything else.
      But now I am having second thoughts .
      Boris is shaping up to be an embarrassing failure that only his propaganda is propping up. That has been surprisingly successful for Covid but we can but hope that it is seen through for Brexit .

    5. DavidJ
      October 6, 2020

      Agreed.

    6. Gramp
      October 6, 2020

      Brilliantly put, I agree totally.

    7. John Hatfield
      October 6, 2020

      Well said Agricola.

  13. bill brown
    October 6, 2020

    Sir JR

    “woulld be seen as a stregth for the UK”

    actually No, it would more likely be seen as a weakness and it would not help our businesses and how they feel as I have outlined clearly earlier

    1. Robert McDonald
      October 6, 2020

      I find it hard to see how our willingness to stand on our own feet, in the same scenario as the rest of the world, can be seen as a sign of weakness. I don’t see much weakness in the many non eu nations of the world.

      1. bill brown
        October 6, 2020

        Robert Mcdonald

        Nore do i see weaknesss in most EU nations either.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 7, 2020

          Eyes closed Bull?

    2. agricola
      October 6, 2020

      It would seem that to you the EU is a paragon of virtue, a total innocent in the situation we find ourselves in. Telling them where they can stick their warped WA can only cause discomfort to those who have no sympathy with the concept of a sovereign UK.

    3. a-tracy
      October 6, 2020

      How is it a weakness bill to stand up for your Country once this decision was made, to not allow us to be bullied or kowtowed and thus when our head is on the floor allowing the EU to kick our teeth in?

      You EU people were on here telling us we were still Sovereign whilst we were a member in the EU so how come suddenly we can’t make any decisions for ourselves others than those agreed by the EU commission?

      If we have to bring car part manufacturing back to the UK good I know thousands laid off from this industry when this craft was exported.

      If we have to spread our net wider to buy essential products then so be it. There are going to be lots of people needing working this November due to their industries, jobs and careers becoming unviable by Government decree.

    4. Lynn Atkinson
      October 6, 2020

      You businesses in the EU, Bull, will not be helped and may not even survive. But our businesses in the uK will thrive!

      1. bill brown
        October 6, 2020

        Lynn Atkinson,

        When yu spell my name right and take your medicine we can have another debate

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 7, 2020

          I have the measure of you Bull.

  14. Ian @Barkham
    October 6, 2020

    Sir John

    The only option we have been permitted to vote on is a ‘Clean Break’

    All this dancing around bending to those that cant get over it, home and abroad, has cost the UK tax payer billions and kept them enslaved.

    Would any one in their right mind want to be associated with the double dealing, double standards EU

    1. glen cullen
      October 6, 2020

      Correct

    2. Andy
      October 6, 2020

      Were you missold a Brexit?

      Call Injury Lawyers 4U now.

      1. NickC
        October 7, 2020

        No, Andy, I wasn’t. But you were obviously mis-sold Remain – fancy believing that we get back nearly Ā£10 for every Ā£1 we hand over to the EU. That makes the EU a Ponzi scheme.

    3. bill brown
      October 6, 2020

      Ian@Barkham

      You mean like negating on treaties signed four months agao as well?

      1. Edward2
        October 7, 2020

        Better to realise the error and correct it quickly.

  15. Nigl
    October 6, 2020

    Agree as ever but concerning you need to write your last two blogs, you seem concerned about a ā€˜sell outā€™?

    I guess not just sharing with us but perhaps as a leader of the ERG making certain a far smaller but key group within HMG continue to be aware of your message.

  16. BeebTax
    October 6, 2020

    An agreement cobbled together at the last minute for all the wrong reasons is not in our countryā€™s long term interests, and possibly not in our short term interest either. Leave without an agreement. Within a year, and certainly by the time of the next election this will be the new normal.

  17. DOM
    October 6, 2020

    Brexit ain’t gonna happen in the way we expect it to. John Redwood knows this. We all know this.

    The party that I once voted for died when they brutally despatched MT. Labour died when Thatcher exposed their poison in 1979. We’ve come full circle. Today, both parties have been consumed by a politics that will destroy self-respect and identity of the British people and ensnare them in a web of accusatory propaganda designed to purge them of self-respect, dignity and sense of place

    The Brexit hating, London centric political class have now embarked on a full frontal bombardment using all the armoury that identity politics can muster at its disposal. From CRT to feminist bigotry.

    I’m not sure which is the bigger threat, the Tory-Labour combo or the EU?

    1. Mark B
      October 7, 2020

      The enemy from within.

  18. Billy Elliot
    October 6, 2020

    Toyota and Nissan don’t seem to share this jubilee of WTO – unless UK foots the tariff bill.
    I do not know what is the Japanese concept what it comes to honor but the fact is that Mrs Thatcher invited them to UK with promise of free access to unique frictionless market – EU.
    From their perspective no deal UK has betrayed them. So will we pay the possible tariffs for them? If we do we need to do the same to others as well presumably . I believe we won’t be doing that.
    Based on the tone of Toyota and Nissan I am not at lest surprised if they just leave in case of WTO. And so might many others btw.

    Instead of embracing our so called sovereignty (which we have never lost may I add) I would say that we are in quite a predicament.

    1. NickC
      October 7, 2020

      Billy, So they were going to leave the UK if we voted Leave; then they were going to leave when we left the EU; now they’ll leave if we don’t subsidise them. Make your mind up.

  19. George Brooks.
    October 6, 2020

    The 15th October cannot come quick enough and we MUST walk away and adopt the course as you suggest, Sir John, and pass an Act of Parliament confirming our freedom in all respects. The EU will not stop trying to punish us until we do.

    Lawyers love an argument and very few of them have any idea how to run anything and we have far too many of them in both Houses of Parliament. They have wasted 4 valuable years of our lives and now need to stand aside and let us get back on our feet.

    Boris must stand firm what ever happens and realise that there is nothing whatsoever that we can offer the EU, other than total recapitulation, that will change their attitude to the talks. If he thinks or even contemplates otherwise that will be the end of his political career and the Conservative party

    1. Drachma
      October 6, 2020

      You English are a funny lot but a sad lot indeed- trying so hard to get away from the big old bad EU wolf the more you struggle the more they rein you in- you are so close to them you do not understand yet you can never be free as you think or want- they will always have a hold- myself am looking forward to January to see how it all works out with Lorry parks and plenty of customs paperwork then the gradual drift to Felixstowe and containers with JIT out the window, absolutely out, and all for a start

      1. Fred H
        October 7, 2020

        How much does a Grecian earn? Not a lot – all unemployed or relying on young drunks to keep them afloat. Others in hoc to German banks – pretending they can benefit from the EU.

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        October 7, 2020

        Yet you are called ā€˜Drachmaā€™ – which is extinct. Greece canā€™t get away and that is why you have all given up and want us to give up too.
        What Germany has done to Greece is unforgivable.

      3. Edward2
        October 8, 2020

        Drachma
        It is plain you don’t know how JIT works.

  20. The Prangwizard
    October 6, 2020

    If the PM at this late stage settles for some form of compromise, any form of compromise that doesn’t get us clean and clear will be seen as a cataclysmic weakness. The country will be viewed as a pushover by all our rivals and enemies and we will be seen for decades to come as third rate and hardly worth giving thought to by the rest of the world.

    By sticking firm the complete opposite will be true and we can project ourselves again and start regaining respect as a sovereign nation.

  21. Bryan Harris
    October 6, 2020

    Agreed – The UK has been seen as very weak in respect of the EU for decades now – fighting against EU control and winning will enhance our reputation.

    If we can then strengthen ties with ex-commonwealth countries then that would also make the EU less of a world player… WE never needed a new USSR which is what the EU is becoming.

    1. Harper
      October 6, 2020

      Whatever way we do it we are going to be tied to the EU one way or another probably forever. If we had never joined the EU or EEC as it was 47 years ago by now we would still be tied up with them maybe in a different way but tied up like Switzerland or Norway? This EU is a huge economic bloc right on our doorstep and there is no getting away from it not even if we were towed out to mid atlantic

  22. ukretired123
    October 6, 2020

    If the EU continue to think we are just like Taiwan as belonging to China they encourage WW3 to occur.
    We are not “Offshore EU” but Britain!
    We are so different to our continental friends as Gen De Gaulle insisted:
    We play cricket
    Drive on the left
    Speak English
    Tea-drinkers
    Beer drinkers
    Laugh more
    Understand reasonableness etc
    Bulldog spirit etc…

    1. ukretired123
      October 6, 2020

      But we value our freedom and democracy more than anyone!

      1. glen cullen
        October 6, 2020

        +1

  23. Lester Cynic Beedell
    October 6, 2020

    Oh Dear šŸ˜³

    Story in the Telegraph today, Boris Johnson is to announce that all homes will be powered by wind in 10 years, start stockpiling candles and beat the rush!

    Hasnā€™t he caused enough damage already?

    1. BeebTax
      October 6, 2020

      Iā€™d prefer my own nuclear reactor. I thought there was supposed to choice in the energy market?

  24. beresford
    October 6, 2020

    If a further Brexit delay is announced in a few days it will be up to you and your fellow MPs to ‘take back control’ by defenestrating Boris and installing an actual Brexiteer as PM.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 6, 2020

      +1 a lifelong Brexiteer, not an ambitious convert.

    2. James Bertram
      October 6, 2020

      A ‘window of opportunity’. (loathsome phrase by the way).

  25. Ian @Barkham
    October 6, 2020

    Good morning Sir John

    As pointed out yesterday on your blog – Brexit Facts from the ONS demonstrate a reality check for some

    From official Government and HMRC figures for 2019

    99.3% of all UK businesses do NOT export goods to the EU
    Even after excluding sole traders, the picture is similar
    97.2% of the UKā€™s 1.4 million employers do NOT export goods to the EU
    Just 39,000 UK employers export goods to the EU
    Thatā€™s only 2.8% of all employers ā€“ and yet theyā€™re dominating the EU trade deal debate
    More than 5 million UK businesses neither import from, nor export to, the EU

    https://facts4eu.org/news/2020_oct_truth_about_UK_exporters

    1. Ian @Barkham
      October 6, 2020

      UKā€™s goods exports to the EU represent only 7.7% of the UKā€™s total economy.

    2. graham1946
      October 6, 2020

      Doesn’t count according to Martin in Cardiff – only big corporations and CBI members count in his world.

  26. Ian @Barkham
    October 6, 2020

    Sir John

    Please keep up the good work.

    It wouldn’t be needed if the noisy minority with nothing else to do could pull their necks in and start contributing to society instead of pulling it down.

    1. bill brown
      October 6, 2020

      Ian@Bekcham

      Who excatly is the noise minority?

      You really ahve to be more clear with your comments

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 7, 2020

        Clear to we British Bull. Hard for a foreigner no doubt.

  27. Ian @Barkham
    October 6, 2020

    Sir John
    Blair broke the HoL out of vanity. It may have been out of step with the modern world but the integrity of those involved at the time made it work.

    It now clearly has no part in a modern democracy it time to say thank you and good bye. It would appear most of the honours are a pat on the back by people they know, but it has NOTHING to do with democracy.

    We the People never voted for them and as it stands we the People cant get rid of them. The House of Lords and their occupants are an utter disgrace and insult on our asperations to be a Democracy

  28. formula57
    October 6, 2020

    “…the UK Parliament can make these laws and lead our country in the way required by the referendum decision” – but four years late alas!

  29. William Long
    October 6, 2020

    It should of course be as easy as you make it sound, but sadly as Mrs Thatcher found so often, the ‘Wets’ remain in the majority in the corridors of power pretty everywhere you look.

  30. turboterrier
    October 6, 2020

    Have we not seen enough damage to our country due to laws passed without any concept of the consequences when rolled out.. Climate Change and Human rights spring to mind. Too many people using the laws to their own advantage and costing this country billions..
    Some laws passed and agreed on end up as mill stones. Enough is enough get us out completely before we are still tied in with them when it starts to implode.

  31. James Matthews
    October 6, 2020

    Entirely agree.

  32. Bob Dixon
    October 6, 2020

    Dom I could not have put your comments much better.

    I have not voted Conservative for 15 years. They do not represent my views.

    I want a no deal Brexit. However it will take 10 years plus for our elected representatives to have learnt how to run the UK. 40 years of taking orders from the EU will take time to get over.
    If only we could clone Sir John Redwood.

    1. Fred H
      October 8, 2020

      I want an MP who votes!

  33. Annette
    October 6, 2020

    We need to leave cleanly and completely.
    That is the only way that we can be certain that hidden future control levers have not been handed back to the EU without the people’s knowledge or consent. Remember ‘no loss of essential sovereignty ‘? The Law Lords dancing on a pinhead of tortuous English to declare that Parliament was still sovereign but had ‘chosen’ to give away areas of sovereignty?
    We need to ensure that those in Parliament never again give away what is not theirs to give away in the first place.
    The question to ask is why, given the plethora of evidence of ‘bad faith’, and the one-sided Treaty laden with future traps, has the WA not been shredded let alone signed in the first place? The Govt were granted a majority of 80 to finally do what it says on the tin, LEAVE the EU. They will never be forgiven if that does not properly happen.

    1. steve
      October 6, 2020

      Annette

      “They will never be forgiven if that does not properly happen.”

      ……It will be their lot. People will declare war on them.

  34. John Partington
    October 6, 2020

    The latest comments in the right wing press suggest that Boris/Frost are proposing a 3 year transition for fishing in our waters. This is not taking back control,it is giving away our fish and signalling to all that the Common Fisheries Policy will not be changed. If this happens, it will be the death of the Conservative Government.

  35. glen cullen
    October 6, 2020

    The ig sell-out is on certain

    Only 20 days ago Boris was saying that the 15th October was the absolutely last final fixed deadline, it had to be the 15th October otherwise parliament wouldnā€™t have enough time to pass the appropriate legislation for an UK/EU dealā€¦..and what did we hear over the weekend, Boris has extended again !

    1. Andy
      October 6, 2020

      The UK Parliament is not passing anything. MPs donā€™t get a proper say on trade deals. Conservatives voted against that happening.

      It is MEPs who get a say.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        October 6, 2020

        Trade deals are not allowed to constrain a Constitution and cause all the citizen to have their birthright removed and be saddled with citizenship with all its attendant obligations, of an aggressive foreign power.

      2. graham1946
        October 6, 2020

        He was sweet talked by Von der Leyen. We’ll see what her influence was shortly now. Johnson will cave and resign.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          October 7, 2020

          Please God he resigns!

  36. BOF
    October 6, 2020

    The voice of reason, if only you were listened to.

    I have been reminded of the complete inability of this Government to put intelligent thought into just about anything at all.

    First up was the new coal mine to produce coking coal for the steel mills, passed by local authority but put on hold by central government, probably to be stopped. The result will be imported coal and ultimately the end of steel manufacture in the UK. First they will prevent the start of one new industry leading to the demise of another.

    Second was the announcement of thousands of new offshore wind turbines. Which are they planning for, South Australia blackouts or California blackouts? This in addition to the millions of sea birds that will inevitably be slaughtered by the blades. Never mind, I am sure David Attenborough and St. Greta will say it is worth it.

    How can we have a hope in hell that Boris will deliver a clean break from the EU?

    1. steve
      October 6, 2020

      BOF

      “How can we have a hope in hell that Boris will deliver a clean break from the EU”

      Well if he doesn’t he and the rest of the alleged conservative party will be out of power for all time, and will have to get used to everlasting ridicule & rotten eggs.

      If they betray us, or even delay past 15th it will be their lot. They’ll probably have to disband as a political party. They’ll be so toxic nobody will vote for them ever again.

  37. The Prangwizard
    October 6, 2020

    Mr Johnson an alledged Conservative stands in front of the slogan Build Back Better.

    Joe Biden as candidate for the US presidency for the Leftist Democrat party stands in front of a slogan Build Back Better.

    What does that tell us all. Boris is a globalist and is of the political Left.

    1. Barbara
      October 6, 2020

      Imran Khan is also using Build Back Better. The UN says Build Back Better, as does the OECD. It is all co-ordinated.

    2. Andy
      October 6, 2020

      Or it tells you that they have the same slogan. The difference being that Biden is decent and empathic. Johnson is not decent and is pathetic. Standing in an empty room talking about the Birdy Song.

      1. steve
        October 6, 2020

        Andy

        Takes guts to slag people off from behind your comp, doesn’t it.

        You should think twice before calling others ‘pathetic’

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        October 7, 2020

        But they have the same slogan Andy. They must have the same attributes. I assert that they do. Not a hairs breath between them. Biden has orchestrated the destruction of large parts of the USA impoverishing mainly Black American for another 60 years. Boris is destroying the U.K. economically so we are ALL destitute and dependent on the money printing state for a handout.

    3. DennisA
      October 6, 2020

      Indeed. This is the new UN mantra and is in use by all Socialist parties around the world. I even had an e-mail from Plaid Cymru using it, (don’t ask!). They see the new compliant citizenry created by Covid as a way to their golden future. What’s a few trillions here and there.

    4. James Bertram
      October 6, 2020

      There is a good article by James Delingpole on the use of this phrase/mantra 31st May 2020 on Breitbart ā€˜Build Back Betterā€™ ā€“ The Latest Code Phrase for Green Global Tyranny’.
      A coordinated globalist agenda; it’s use by the Tory party deeply disturbing.

  38. DavidJ
    October 6, 2020

    Indeed the latter course for leaving is an absolute necessity. Whatever deal Boris tries to pass off as leaving will have a sting in the tail to be discovered later to our disadvantage.

    A truly sovereign country cannot allow control by external bodies so we should also stop funding the UN, WTO etc.

    Obviously exports will have to meet the receiving countries product standards as they must do already.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 6, 2020

      +1 – especially about ditching the UN!

  39. BW
    October 6, 2020

    Brexit talks to last until Christmas I have just read. For crying out loud. What happened to the 15th October. Give me strength, we have all had enough. Either they accept a Canada style agreement or just get out now WTO rules. I fear Boris is going to let us down. I do hope not.

    1. Jacob
      October 6, 2020

      FĆ²r Canada style agreement just substitute Boris style agreement or better still Dom Cummings style agreement. We are getting nowhere with this because behind it all we still want a bespoke arrangement and they are never going to agree to that

    2. glen cullen
      October 6, 2020

      Agree

    3. steve
      October 6, 2020

      BW

      “Either they accept a Canada style agreement or just get out now WTO rules. I fear Boris is going to let us down.”

      I’m beginning to suspect you may be right. Boris doesn’t seem to have the balls to bang Macron (the cause of all this trouble) to rights.

      Give me five minutes with Macron and he’ll never mention fish again.

  40. Barbara
    October 6, 2020

    Thank you for clarifying this, Sir John.

  41. Ian
    October 6, 2020

    A lot of very fed up people here again to day, and rightly so.
    Suffice to say this party will not have many voters next time. (Will we even get a chance To vote again ?
    Farage will get my vote as last time.
    I know of no other party that has the buisiness ability to do this Nation proud

    Atleast they want to scrap the un elected Lords, to be there they can not be outside the law and they will not be above the law.
    The other parties with small pockets of decent people then , those who are only interested in Holding up the Establishment and the ghastly Globlisum ideas which has the people in the rubbish bin, and treacherous Establishment swine behaving like the EU.

    The Establishment and all it stands for must be punished, I think long prison sentencing.
    There pull the ladder up mate, are simply not the people we need here anymore , Remainers all , have no place in the reborn. GB

    Dom well said

  42. Jacob
    October 6, 2020

    There is no clause 38 in the WA- there are articles, directives, annexes etc etc but no clauses.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      October 7, 2020

      The Act! The Law! Not the illegal agreement in conflict with international law.

  43. Fred H
    October 6, 2020

    I think taking back control ie Ousting Boris by the various Conservatives groups is essential before we let lose a madman. STAND UP SIR JOHN and warn the groups where this is all headed – – –
    annihilation of country and Party.

  44. steve
    October 6, 2020

    JR

    You are absolutely correct.

    However you may recall my asking you on one of your previous topics whether or not Boris was going to ask for an extension to the so-called talks with the EU.

    You did have the courtesy to reply but went no further than to say an extension would be a “bad idea”.

    I have to say; that does not address the seriousness of such a move. You, Boris, et al must surely know the people will absolutely not tolerate any more delays whatsoever, and that doing so will be the kiss of death for the conservatives.

    Government must NOT –

    Allow EU access to British maritime resources.

    Allow ECJ jurisdiction within our borders.

    Commit this country to any defence arrangement with Europe.

    Now, if for some reason the UK is being blackmailed by the EU, we want to hear about it. We have a right to know what is going on.

    Personally I suspect Boris IS being held over a barrel by the EU, but doesn’t have the stomach to educate Macron as to how it works.

    Time to come clean with us, Sir Redwood.

    1. glen cullen
      October 7, 2020

      +1

  45. Original Chris
    October 6, 2020

    I see you did not vote against the Rule of Six.

    Simply words e.g, protestations in articles on J R Diary are no use. Actions are what count, Sir John.

    reply I am pledged to vote against the 10 pm rule where we could win the vote.we were never go to win the Rule of 6 But we have numbers on the curfew with the Opposition likely to engage.

    1. The Prangwizard
      October 7, 2020

      Reply to reply.

      Vote against’ only where we are likely to win the vote. ?

      I have seen this view written before on other issues. Verdict – Not leadership material.

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      October 7, 2020

      Sir John we in the north now want a full lockdown and compensatory payments or freedom to trade. This constraint of trade with no compensation will bankrupt us all. One of my tenants, a single mother of 2 young boys with 4 hairdressing salons yesterday had a breakdown. This is a disaster for that family which, in difficult circumstances, was thriving because of her dedication and hard work.

  46. Original Chris
    October 6, 2020

    The only Tories who voted against the rule of six are:
    Bone, Brady, Davies, Drax, Hollobone, McVey, Merriman, Smith, Swayne, Syms, Walker, Wragg.

    How pathetic our MPs are, and what cowards. They certainly do not represent us one bit.

    One of the more polite comments in D Express comments section of article on the vote where only 17 MPs of all hues voted against the rule of six.

    “Tory MPs sold their souls to the devil after the most recent election when Johnson forced them all to sign a pledge that they would vote with the government on every single issue, or they could abstain as a last resort. Refusing to do so would mean that they could, and most probably would, lose the Tory whip. Those who are taking this path are not representing their constituents, they are simply following the party line. By abstaining, they are still allowing the measures to go through and they are well aware of this. They feel that by abstaining they are sending a message to their constituents that they do not support this ruling..however, it is purely academic as the ruling still gets voted through. None of them have the courage to vote against the government. Hardly a democratically operating parliament is it?”

    1. BW
      October 7, 2020

      You are not taking into account that some constituents agree with the rule of six. I certainly do not think JR is a coward Just for voting against your personal point of view.

  47. beresford
    October 6, 2020

    It is reported that Lebanon and Cyprus have signed an agreement to stop people-trafficking between their countries. Boats in transit are being intercepted by joint naval patrols and returned to Lebanon. Migrants that arrive in Cyprus are being returned straight to Lebanon without any ‘asylum’ scam. Once again it is proved that illegal migration is NOT inevitable or unstoppable.

  48. Fred H
    October 6, 2020

    If ever it was needed – Boris is taking the party and country to annihilation.

    BBC reporting :-
    Rebel Tories have clashed with a health minister over the ban on gatherings of more than six people in England, arguing it doesn’t make sense. The government easily won a vote on retaining the rule by 287 votes to 17. Sir Graham Brady – one of 12 Tories to vote against the rule – told minister Helen Whately the “rule of six” was not based on scientific evidence.

    Just 17 show they have balls to denounce this daily/weekly nonsense emanating from Downing St.
    My country has gone crackers. Full of lemmings going over the cliff!

    1. glen cullen
      October 7, 2020

      Sadly Agree

  49. Edwardm
    October 6, 2020

    The second option plus terminate the WA.

  50. mancunius
    October 7, 2020

    The EU clearly do not accept the basic principles of Free Trade. We must not allow FTA talks to drag on beyond 15 October, as the EU are hoping to do. Brussels or Berlin will give some vague pollyanna assurance to keep the UK negotiating a FTA, talk about ‘last-minute blue-skies thinking’ and then in mid-December suddenly revert to an earlier objection or bring up a new one, in the hope of tempting our gaggle of weak-minded parliamentarians into acquiescing, or if that fails, of making our no-deal exit as damaging as possible.
    There will be no breakthrough – Macron and Merkel will see to that. On 16th October we must prepare wholeheartedly for WTO and the necessary MRAs before 31 December.
    We might want to consider further negotiations with Brussels in a year or two, if by then a FTA really seems to be in our interests. But is it? We need time and freedom to experiment, restructure and revolutionize in many sectors. And in the long term, an enlightened unilateral low or zero tariff policy plus sensible domestic measures are far more likely to impel our economy more freely forwards than a FTA.

  51. Ian
    October 7, 2020

    The mess we are in , is simply because the so called Tories are Remainers Parliament is full of them
    The EU know this very well, so no way do they think the Government want to Leave, no hurry, Boris should have walked Months ago, any decent PM would have.
    It will continue like this for more decades, while there is no punishment for Treacherous behaviour, it is up to use to get things changed?
    Just look at the so call Lords, why is this tolerable.
    We are Sovereign not the Government, they should be delt with in a court of law, some chance of that happening, the whole Establishment is in on this.
    Non of these people would get away with this in buisiness , it is tolerated because they are all in it together we have nowhere to go to get justice

  52. David Speed
    October 8, 2020

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/08/allure-sellout-brexit-risks-turning-boris-next-ted-heath/

    If only Boris would listen to you and other senior Tories. I fear Boris will back slide and try to sell us defeat as victory. If so we can look forward to 10 years of full on socialism instead of Boris and his pink conservatism.

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