The “Transition Period”

Bankrupt Idealism
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

Finally, someone — the FT in this case — points out the latest elephant in the room when it comes to UK’s stance in its Brexit negotiations. That is, the so-called ‘transition period’ that is currently being bandied about as a solution to the fact that the UK is nowhere near prepared to exit the European Union on the timescale mandated by Article 50.

The British, embroiled in arguments among themselves, tend to forget that nothing about Brexit can be settled except in agreement with the EU, in particular, the 27 national governments and the European Parliament. As a result, the British harbour illusions and make demands that strike the rest of Europe as absurdly unrealistic.

The so-called “transition period” risks becoming a case in point. It appears that Theresa May and her cabinet ministers are, at long last, united in wanting a phased exit from the EU, though for precisely how long remains in dispute. The general idea is to avoid a “cliff edge” departure that might cause grave damage to business. Government officials say the prime minister is ready to accept that EU citizens should be able to work freely for a two-year period after March 2019, provided they register with the authorities.

However, temporary UK acceptance of EU rules on free movement will not be enough to strike a transition deal. EU negotiators define “transition” as a period during which the UK will continue to make budget payments, will remain in the EU judicial system and, in general, will accept its present membership obligations — but without having a vote on anything.

Yet again, the ‘transition period’ seems to be something that the UK government is contemplating — without, it seems, verifying how the counterparty who would have to approve it feels about the idea. The presumption — yet again — seems to be that ‘they’ are so desperate for us to stay that they’ll be happy to give us some extra time with the benefits of membership while we get our affairs in order.

Like a husband who has demanded divorce, but suddenly realises he’s not got a flat of his own worked out and further he’s really not all that keen on taking care of himself, at least not yet, and so informs his soon-to-be ex-wife that he will have a ‘transition period’ during which he is divorced yet still living at home, seeing his mistress as and when but also free to make use of the marital home for nightly prepared meals and nightly laundry cycles, the UK government — and maybe the UK as a whole — seems to be lost in a self-baffling tangle of solipsistic narcissism and delusionally wishful thinking.

Bankrupt Idealism

Literature, Fiction, Politics, Advertising, Propaganda

Bankrupt Idealism

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Bankrupt Idealism

Literature, Fiction, Politics, Advertising, Propaganda

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