X : Don't you believe in democracy?
Me : I believe in lunch. Is this going to be another #peoplesvote argument?
X : Yes
Me : Please go away unless we have a mandate for a 2nd referendum and we know the cost of reversing article 50.
Me : I believe in lunch. Is this going to be another #peoplesvote argument?
X : Yes
Me : Please go away unless we have a mandate for a 2nd referendum and we know the cost of reversing article 50.
X : There is no cost to reversing article 50.
Me : You don't know that. Even the EC says there is no unilateral right to revoke the notice i.e. the EC will be happy to revoke but it requires their agreement which means there is a cost.
X : But we can simply overturn article 50.
Me : You don't know that. Even the EC says there is no unilateral right to revoke the notice i.e. the EC will be happy to revoke but it requires their agreement which means there is a cost.
X : But we can simply overturn article 50.
Me : You are currently between me and a cheese and pickle sandwich. Go away, come back when you have a mandate to run a 2nd referendum and know what the actual cost of revoking article 50 is.
X : A vote is more democratic.
Me : My sandwich is more tasty without interruption.
X : A vote is more democratic.
Me : My sandwich is more tasty without interruption.
X : All indications from the EU are that the cost is zero.
Me : You don't know that. I'd guess the cost of revoking will be adopt Euro, Schengen, no rebates, £10 bn of financial settlement, rebalancing financial sector plus support for a future health services directive.
Me : You don't know that. I'd guess the cost of revoking will be adopt Euro, Schengen, no rebates, £10 bn of financial settlement, rebalancing financial sector plus support for a future health services directive.
X : A cheese sandwich is more important than the fundamental freedom of movement rights of every UK citizen. That's inane.
Me : No. It's me telling you that if you want to reverse something, find out the cost of doing so. You've had two years and no-one seems to know the answer.
Me : No. It's me telling you that if you want to reverse something, find out the cost of doing so. You've had two years and no-one seems to know the answer.
X : We can abandon now on same deal. But since U.K. won’t ask, we don’t know for sure.
Me : The UK did ask. It was told there was no unilateral right to withdraw article 50. It would be incredibly easy for the EC to say "UK can withdraw article 50 and continue on same deal".
Me : The UK did ask. It was told there was no unilateral right to withdraw article 50. It would be incredibly easy for the EC to say "UK can withdraw article 50 and continue on same deal".
X : But why would the EC agree to that? UK made this mess.
Me : Ok, so finally we agree there will be a cost. You go find out what that cost will be and I'll eat my cheese and pickle sandwich. Good luck in getting an answer out of the EC before March 2019.
Me : Ok, so finally we agree there will be a cost. You go find out what that cost will be and I'll eat my cheese and pickle sandwich. Good luck in getting an answer out of the EC before March 2019.
If you think the negotiations now are bad with two options - deal / no deal - just imagine if there was one option of "reversing article 50" requiring agreement from EC. Options are your friends in negotiations which is why EEA / docked to EFTA should never have left the table.
I might disagree with his view on #brexit but at least @JolyonMaugham has had the good sense to try and force an answer to this question of unilateral right to withdraw in ECoJ. On both sides, he is one of the few that has shown good sense. Having that option matters.
