Surprised to hear Nigel Farage repeat the fallacy unchallenged on @BBCr4today this morning about having to be prepared to walk away.
To repeat: Fine, if walking away leaves status quo. Walking away from Brexit talks means cliff edge and furthest distance from status quo
To repeat: Fine, if walking away leaves status quo. Walking away from Brexit talks means cliff edge and furthest distance from status quo
My original tweet (top of this thread) has been liked & retweeted 100s of times. Sadly judging by the comments, most missed the point.
Most people used it to attack @BBCr4Today. Here’s a thread about the point of the tweet & why the attacks on the programme were unjustified.
1/9
Most people used it to attack @BBCr4Today. Here’s a thread about the point of the tweet & why the attacks on the programme were unjustified.
1/9
Most said the BBC presenters “never” challenge Brexiters. Most hadn’t even listened to the broadcast.
For the record, it’s here bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b… from 43 minutes and 23 seconds.
It’s clear there was a lot of tough challenging.
2/9
For the record, it’s here bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b… from 43 minutes and 23 seconds.
It’s clear there was a lot of tough challenging.
2/9
Like most people I have reservations about some of the handling of Brexit and trade.
But we’ve all made been mistakes or been caught out by unexpected complexity.
The blanket condemnation is untrue and unfair.
3/9
But we’ve all made been mistakes or been caught out by unexpected complexity.
The blanket condemnation is untrue and unfair.
3/9
This time, @bbcnickrobinson is right with this reply👇🏾.
My point was only about an idea that should have been killed off long ago: that it’s sensible to walk away from the Brexit talks threatening no deal.
It’s that claim that went unchallenged.
4/9
My point was only about an idea that should have been killed off long ago: that it’s sensible to walk away from the Brexit talks threatening no deal.
It’s that claim that went unchallenged.
4/9
Farage said:
“Well the absolute key to this, and anyone who’s worked in the private sector and done negotiations knows [it], is that the other side need to know that you are prepared to walk away unless there is a good deal or better deal than you currently have.”
5/9
“Well the absolute key to this, and anyone who’s worked in the private sector and done negotiations knows [it], is that the other side need to know that you are prepared to walk away unless there is a good deal or better deal than you currently have.”
5/9
It’s nonsense. Should have been dead & buried long ago. Instead people continue to believe it. Farage does. Some people who responded to the original tweet do.
Let’s call it the “April Fool’s Day strategy” (& I forgot EFTA)
6/9
Let’s call it the “April Fool’s Day strategy” (& I forgot EFTA)
6/9
To repeat: the threat to walk away is credible if there’s a status quo to fall back on.
Lyon has apparently walked away from a deal to sell a footballer to Liverpool. Lyon doesn’t get the money but stays with the same players (for now).
bbc.com/sport/football…
7/9
Lyon has apparently walked away from a deal to sell a footballer to Liverpool. Lyon doesn’t get the money but stays with the same players (for now).
bbc.com/sport/football…
7/9
The Brexit talks are completely different. There’s no status quo to fall back on. No deal next March means the UK has nothing.
ALL, rpt ALL, of its trade is disrupted along with countless other areas of cooperation. It’s just not a credible threat.
8/9
ALL, rpt ALL, of its trade is disrupted along with countless other areas of cooperation. It’s just not a credible threat.
8/9
P.S. To be absolutely clear, this is not about Brexit as such. It's about the worst possible approach to negotiating Brexit. There are better ways
