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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39431428
The UK Government has officially notified the EU that they are invoking Article 50. This begins the 2-year timer for the UK to leave the EU.
In a statement in the Commons, [Prime Minister Teresa] May said: "Today the government acts on the democratic will of the British people and it acts too on the clear and convincing position of this House."
She added: "The Article 50 process is now under way and in accordance with the wishes of the British people the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union.
"This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back."
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Brexit Officially Begun, Article 50 Just Invoked
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Anyone can make an omelet with eggs. The trick is to make one with none.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Thursday March 30 2017, @03:10PM (4 children)
Northern Ireland is just going to say, "Meh, this kind of sucks. Let's join Ireland after all."? They practically fought a 30+-year war over this very issue. You've heard of The Troubles, [wikipedia.org] right?
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by n1 on Thursday March 30 2017, @04:49PM (3 children)
A 30+ year war, with a much longer history, in which the British government was playing both sides for their own ends.
The chances of NI joining IE is not that high just yet, but if the UK gov continues like it is for now, treating Northern Ireland in the same way they treat Scotland... A charity case of a country that should really be grateful for all the protection and support England gives them, they'd be nothing on their own, or elsewhere... There's a higher likelihood of seeing more common ground with other neighbors than the long standing parental relationship England bestows upon them.
The new tagline for the UK is Global Britain... which doesn't include Northern Ireland... (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
I still am bemused by the politics around the Scottish independence vote that happened a couple years ago... If Scotland would leave the UK, that would be it... Shut out from trade, shut out from defense... They want to leave, they're on their own... No favors, no history, you burn your bridge and you're fucking done..... Quite willing to damage the rest of the UK to spite Scotland and make sure they suffered from wanting sovereignty, the history of cooperation be damned... Back to that, Scotland is just a charity case the rest of the UK tolerates because of a benevolent nature.
The EU even just implies half of that, and it's a travesty and so disrespectful to the will of the people and the interests of both parties to not be willing to make a deal that the exiting nation wants....
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Thursday March 30 2017, @05:09PM (2 children)
The EU even just implies half of that, and it's a travesty and so disrespectful to the will of the people and the interests of both parties to not be willing to make a deal that the exiting nation wants....
You're saying the EU is being disrespectful? Not sure I'm parsing this correctly.
I still am bemused by the politics around the Scottish independence vote that happened a couple years ago... If Scotland would leave the UK, that would be it... Shut out from trade, shut out from defense... They want to leave, they're on their own... No favors, no history, you burn your bridge and you're fucking done..... Quite willing to damage the rest of the UK to spite Scotland and make sure they suffered from wanting sovereignty, the history of cooperation be damned... Back to that, Scotland is just a charity case the rest of the UK tolerates because of a benevolent nature.
Who does Scotland need defending from? A Russian invasion?
Sounds like you've got your mind pretty firmly made up. Brexit and Scottish independence (not to mention Northern Ireland? oh geez) are complicated enough that I don't feel comfortable picking a side. They both have arguments for and against.
England may be where all the money's at, but it sounds like the other kingdoms (well, Scotland, anyway) are somewhat tired of being told what to do and taken for granted by London. And keeping them in against their will by telling them they'll fail on their own is rather...condescending? Interesting dynamic if true. I'm not sure I'd count them out so easily.
But when it's only half the population that wants to split off the whole thing gets way messier :P
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by n1 on Thursday March 30 2017, @05:32PM (1 child)
Sorry if that was a bit of a rant and all over the place... This will be too...
I really don't have my mind made up about any of this... Democracy should be the decider, but when the votes are seldom preceded by a honest and factual debate, it's pretty hard to have much faith in the outcome.
My point about Scotland is what the UK government was threatening Scotland with if they voted for independence... The history and cooperation between the UK and Scotland would end if they burned the bridge... But the UK cannot fathom why the EU does not want to bend over to accommodate the whims of the UK on it's exit from the EU... The same thing the UK would do if Scotland wanted to leave that union, not make life easy.
Personally, I am in favor of leaving the EU -- i did not vote on it due to a conflict between short and longterm interests, and the fear of how badly it would be managed -- the way it's being done I think is even more damaging than remaining at this point (as i feared). It's purely a political football, and the UK gov has an open goal to aim for, to do it on good terms, but they're deciding to do a trick shot, to placate the nationalist sentiment of the electorate and ensure the party survives and support is not switched to UKIP or its successor. The UK gov and the UK population, in my opinion has an inflated sense of it's own importance in the EU and the world, because we used to be important... The UK had so many special deals already and opt-outs of various parts of the EU project... Through the 'will of the people' they are giving all that up, but at the same time trying to pretend that we still have all the leverage.
This is a serious situation and could go very badly for the general public if it's not treated with the respect and importance that it deserves. From my own perspective, it's done huge damage to my business that was depending on foreign investment... On the larger scale it's fine, and that's where I have issue with the 'rejection of globalism' argument some people have for leaving the EU.... The public may have voted for that, but the conservative government are all in on the global economy, for the bigger players in the market, corporations and governments... not so much for the individuals.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Thursday March 30 2017, @06:09PM
Ah, that makes things a lot clearer. Thanks.
-just an American reading articles
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"