Category: Brexit

How can we return to the heart of Europe?

Editor-in-chief

On Saturday 23 March 2024, Cornwall for Europe hosted Molly Scott Cato, a former Member of the European Parliament, at a meeting at Truro School. Over 50 local members of Cornwall for Europe heard Molly Scott Cato’s talk entitled The Journey Home: how can we return to the heart of Europe? Molly Scott Cato is […]

Dorchester Euro Café takes the temperature on happiness

Rachel Lawrence

Members of cross-party campaign group Dorchester Euro Café were out in Dorchester on March 23, asking people how they are feeling on a range of issues since we left the EU. This was part of a ‘Day for Rejoin’, called for by the team who organise the annual National Rejoin March, and was one of […]

How fishing was gutted by Brexit

Emma Monk

Having recently ‘celebrated’ the anniversary of Brexit, it seemed like a good time to look at how various British industries and sectors of society have fared four years on from leaving the European Union (EU). This will be done over a series of articles, the first focusing on the Brexit poster child – The Fishing […]

Happy first birthday, Dorchester Euro Café!

Rachel Lawrence

People who love Europe and who believe that the UK should re-join the European Union celebrated the first anniversary of Dorchester Euro Café on February 24, 2024, with birthday cake, coffee and conversation. Dorchester Euro Café started as a one-off event in February 2023, but attendance was so good it has continued as a regular, […]

Love in a hostile environment

Mike Zollo

Make Love, not War! Since time immemorial there have been marriages and relationships between people of different nations. My own knowledge of history is pretty limited, but I suppose one could cite Anthony with Cleopatra, Henry VIII with Catherine of Aragon, Mary with Philip II of Spain, Victoria with Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha… and, […]

The anti-Brexit hero

Jon Danzig

From 31 January to 1 February 2017, MPs debated the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill on whether to trigger Brexit – the Article 50 notice. MPs overwhelmingly backed the bill, supported by the Labour leadership under Jeremy Corbyn, by 498 votes FOR, to 114 AGAINST. Ken Clarke was one of the 114 MPs. He […]

Why Brexit is bonkers

Jon Danzig

From 31 January 2024, certain goods coming from the EU to Great Britain – particularly fresh foods – will be subject to full Brexit border controls and checks for the first time, meaning extra paperwork, delays, and costs. The UK government had previously delayed the new Brexit controls five times, concerned about the impact on […]

Government finally bites the Brexit bullet

Jon Danzig

Starting on 31 January 2024, the UK government is imposing full Brexit border controls on imports from the EU, having delayed them on five previous occasions. This is three years after the UK left the EU’s Single Market, when the EU had no qualms in immediately imposing full border controls on goods from the UK […]

Thirteen years of Tory governance – manifesto promises vs reality. Part 4: 2019

Iratus Ursus Major

Welcome back, readers, to our scorching series where we’ve previously dissected the 2010, 2015, and 2017 Tory manifestos. Today, we turn our critical eye to the 2019 Tory manifesto, continuing our journey through a decade of Conservative rule marred by unmet promises and political chaos. Our previous analyses have laid bare the stark reality of a party struggling with […]

Thirteen years of Tory governance – manifesto promises vs reality. Part 3: 2017 -2019

Iratus Ursus Major

Welcome, readers, to the third instalment in our biting series dissecting over a decade of Tory rule. Today, we tackle the tumultuous 2017 Tory manifesto – an era that epitomizes the Conservatives’ descent into political chaos and policy disarray. After our critical examinations of the 2010 and 2015 manifestos, we’re now delving into a period that escalated the Conservative […]

Two pints of wine and a packet of crisps… #ComeOnKevin, tell us all about this fabulous Brexit bonus!

Anthea Simmons

Article contains strong language, reflecting the author’s frustration! The government is casting around in desperation for some kind of ‘Brexit benefit’. Today, it came up with this little gem: Fortunately, our favourite wine importer and industry commentator, Daniel Lambert, was ready to explain what this actually means for the wine trade. No punches were pulled… […]

Peace in our time

Eric Gates

It is a full seven years since the Referendum, which demonstrated that a fraction over half of the British population (or a fraction over half of those who could be bothered to vote) placed no value on Britain’s membership of the European Community. Over the following years, many of us have spent varying amounts of […]

Oh Lord! ‘Call-me-Dave’ is back, Dallas-style

Sadie Parker

Rishi Sunak’s long-anticipated reshuffle was less significant for its scale than for its surprises. The news broke at 8.35am: Suella Braverman had been sacked. It later emerged there would not be the customary exchange of letters, where the outgoing minister says it has been the honour of their life to serve and the prime minister […]

The week in Tory…it’s an absolute casserole

Russ In Cheshire

I apologise, but try as I might, I can’t find any material for #TheWeekInTory. Only kidding. It’s an absolute casserole. Let’s down a pint of absinthe and get stuck in. Also – trigger warning. [Contains strong language] 1. We begin with the Covid inquiry, which revealed the shocking news that everything we all knew three years […]

That resignation letter…

Emma Monk

Nadine Dorries’ resignation letter in full. It was quite fun to read. I fluctuated between “what on earth is she talking about” to “ha ha, she’s bang on there”; a mixture of whining “poor me” to real hatred towards Sunak! Wow – a lot of the things she thinks she achieved during her time as […]

Freedom of movement

Anthea Bareham

There is something disconcerting about wild creatures behaving in an unnatural way, like the pigeon that turned up in our drive one Saturday afternoon. However close we got, he made no attempt to move away from us, seemingly unable or unwilling to fly. It was a hot day, so we gave him water and he […]

Thirteen years of Tory cock-ups

Jon Danzig

“The 7 million-plus NHS waiting list, the 2 million-plus fall in the labour force, the world-beating rate of inflation and spiralling mortgage rates are all the result of a succession of bad policy choices made by Conservative Ministers at crucial times in the past 13 years.” Words of truth and wisdom spoken by a Labour […]

The week in Tory…Parts I & II

Russ In Cheshire

Part I: pop on the galoshes of despair, and let’s wade into The Week In Tory ! Warning! Contains strong language… and how could it not? 1. Remember that time, ages ago, when Boris Johnson was found to be a liar, ditched by his party in a 354 to 7 vote, humiliated in front of the […]

Like it or hate it, we’re stuck with Brexit for years ahead

Jon Danzig

The next government – whether Labour or Tory – won’t be able to negotiate wholesale revisions to the Brexit agreement with the EU even if they want to (and it appears, anyway, that neither Labour nor the Tories want to). Why? Because the EU has indicated that it is not interested in any revision of […]

The week in Tory…and what a week!

Russ In Cheshire

Warning: contains strong language and adult humour! Here we go…  1. Let’s start with PartyGate, and joyless claymation ethics droid Rishi Sunak decided to sue his own inquiry for having the temerity to ask to see the things he always said it could see. 2. He said he wouldn’t hand over WhatsApp messages that are “unambiguously irrelevant” . […]

Brexit is ‘unfinished business by a long way’

Jon Danzig

‘Brexit has failed’, says Nigel Farage. Brexit is ‘unfinished business by a long way.’ The former UKIP leader and leading Brexit protagonist admits that businesses may now be more heavily regulated than when the UK was in the EU. Mr Farage told BBC Newsnight last night: ‘We have not actually benefited from Brexit economically, what […]

The week in Tory…

Russ In Cheshire

For a change, I’m going to begin the latest edition of The Week In Tory with some news about Labour. Don't think this makes things any better, because it doesn't. I implore you, by all you hold dear, not to read this. Under Labour, NHS wait averaged 9 weeks. After 13 years in power, the […]

The etymology of Brexit

Mike Zollo

‘Brexit’: a word which inspires irrational passion in some, and sadness and loathing in so many of others. “Brexit means Brexit” – really? What is its etymology, its origin? The very word ‘Brexit’ is nothing more than a corny ‘portmanteau’ word, a blend of words in which parts of multiple words are combined to make a new […]