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Jonathan Lis
@jonlis1
, 4 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
‘There’s confusion about what a customs union is,’ sneers trade secretary Liam Fox, who goes on to smash the customs union while still not understanding his government’s withdrawal agreement includes one in full
Either he’s too stupid to understand what was agreed in backstop in Dec 2017 and survives to this day, or he’s so far down the rabbit-hole of denial that he can’t accept his job is a fiction, but either way it’s among the most embarrassing ministerial spectacles in living memory
I also love that Fox condescendingly blasts Labour’s customs ‘confusion’. In 2016 officials literally had to explain to him, Davis and May what a customs union actually was.
Fox now understands the customs union so well that he can’t decide in this letter if EU’s common tariff should be referenced as ‘CCT’ or ‘CTT’. In the end he uses one twice and the other three times, just in case. The only bigger joke than Fox is anyone who takes him seriously.
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Jonathan Lis
@jonlis1
May talking the most abject bollocks when she insists she requested a get-out clause from extension. A get-out is included in the wording of Article 50. You can always leave early if you ratify a deal before exit day. May’s problem is that she can’t.
‘A deal will require both sides to make compromises’, says the woman who refused to change a single comma on the only document she was renegotiating
Corbyn making interesting noises. Suggest gov is moving towards customs union while also noting ministers keep arguing against it. Implies he’ll whip for ref if gov doesn’t move. Demands primary legislation for changes but notes leadership challengers warn they’ll ditch them.
Read 8 tweets
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Jonathan Lis
@jonlis1
That May presser was a rerun of her disastrous Downing Street address the other week. She blamed Parliament for not approving the deal and said we’d have left the EU already if it wasn’t for them. Was invited to apologise for her own failings; naturally declined.
Bigger point: WA as it stands can’t be ratified, for simple reason there’ll never be enough converts. ERG will recoil in disgust at what PM’s agreed. DUP still loathe backstop. Remainers will push even harder for PV. And May can’t blackmail Labour with no-deal. She’s finished.
Because this really is the biggest point of all. As I’ve said for 2 years, no-deal cannot and will not happen. Parliament will never accept it and EU will never force it. That removes only stick May had to push through her deal. Without it, she and it are permanently defeated.
Read 4 tweets
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Jonathan Lis
@jonlis1
Just don’t understand Richard Burgon’s argument on #politicslive that a second ref will enthuse and inflame the far right. What does he think will happen if we end up with a customs union that keeps us tied to the EU or a no-deal that crashes the economy?
If we give far right what they want they are not going to shake hands, thank us and shut up shop. They’ll simply energise further and move on to their next target. We know this. It’s what fascists have done throughout history. It’s time to fight them, not triangulate with them
Of course we must be vigilant about far right and be honest about rage a second ref will provoke. But it’s also time to recognise the far right will exploit literally every Brexit scenario, and some people will follow them for it. It doesn’t mean we do what they tell us - ever.
Read 3 tweets

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Ben Chu
@BenChu_
Remember those 40 European Union free trade deals that the Trade Secretary Liam Fox said would be rolled over by this week ensuring continuity of trade for UK exporters even if we experienced a no-deal Brexit?...
....as we know only eight of those 40 have actually been concluded (though a ninth was announced last week)...
....which is obviously bad news.

But @BBCNewsnight has further bad news about the eight deals that the Trade Department has actually got over the time...
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Stan
@TravelBrothers_
Breaking: International students will be allowed to stay in the UK for longer after their degree ends in a bid to boost the post-Brexit economy by £35 billion, the British Government has announced.
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Faisal Islam
@faisalislam
PM to make Downing Street statement at 10pm tonight... wasn’t expecting that. Watch it live on @skynews
Massive Maine Road style floodlights... but also PM crest on the podium. Not an election.
Here Trade Secretary Liam Fox doesn’t rule out PM discussing customs union when I ask him if it was on table in cross party talks “the PM will explore them but the other party leaders have to understand what the consequences will be... she’ll listen”
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Sky News
@SkyNews
Ahead of of #PMQs, here's what is actually happening with #Brexit at the moment (thread):
Theresa May's government has become the first in history to be held in "contempt of parliament" after refusing to release the full legal advice offered on the Brexit divorce deal po.st/WgEww8
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seeshell
@Tentoads4truth
How corporate dark money is taking power on both sides of the Atlantic (Opinion) A secretive network of business lobbyists has long held sway in US politics. Now their allies in the UK government are planning a Brexit that plays into their hands. amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
His incoherence was not a liability, but an opening: his agenda could be shaped. And the dark money network already developed by some American corporations was perfectly positioned to shape it.
In 2007, a group called the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec) set up a sister organisation, the Atlantic Bridge Project. Alec is perhaps the most controversial corporate-funded thinktank in the US.
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Polly Polak
@PolakPolly
The Brexit Tale: a Chronological Thread.

1. Before the referendum there were a bunch of lies about the EU when really the UK is one of the strongest members of this exclusive club that safeguards the common interests of its countries and citizens.
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