I was a child in UK in the 50s and still a child in Australia, then New Zealand in the 60s as the whole "European Economic Community" (EEC) got started. Even though I was just a child, you hear stuff... specific news reports on the TV and radio news and in the papers, but also more generally people in real life and in TV shows, movies etc do make aside references. A CHILD obviously does not grasp the details (at the time), but some of it sinks in, and makes more sense later. The EEC officially kicked off with "The Treaty of Rome" (1957), but UK did not finally join the EEC until 1st January, 1973 without voters having a say. There was a Referendum in 1975 and people opted to stay in (67.2% stay in). I did learn more as I got older. There was actually some "journalism" back then, articles written, documentaries etc. and even history and current events taught in school. Imagine that

[The EEC was also known as the Common Market, and sometimes referred to as the European Community even before it was officially renamed as such in 1993.]



I am going by my own recollections... there may be the odd thing not quite right... but it's pretty close.
The way the EEC was described in UK and Commonwealth circles was....France (mostly) and 5 other European countries set up the EEC to "Shaft" the UK.


Set up as a 6-Nation trading block (the "single market") to compete with UK, and to limit/exclude UK trade into Europe with Tariffs and quotas. The UK's applications to join in 1963 and 1967 were vetoed by the President of France, Charles de Gaulle. He was regarded by the UK "man on the street" as a piece of work. Britain (and its allies) saved his personal ass, and the asses of the French generally as well as other large European nations.. at great cost... during the war. De Gaulle basically betrayed the UK, not to mention Commonwealth countries, like NZ and Australia, who sacrificed dearly to liberate Europe from the NAZI Reich. However, UK BEGGED to be allowed to join and de Gaulle made the most of it. He demanded confessions; subsidies, tariffs and quotas to protect French economy, mainly the out of date and inefficient French farms (which are not much better today in many areas). UK had to make huge concessions (the Billions they pay EU now have grown from the crap deal they made in the 70s) and the concessions included buying European produce in preference to CHEAPER produce from Commonwealth Countries (like Australia and NZ) At this time the NZ economy was almost totally dependent on trade with UK. NZ had evolved into mostly a "supply farm" for UK (and Europe), even more so as part of the war effort. NZ faced Catastrophic economic collapse. It had no alternative trading partners to speak of, and little by way of resources besides Farm produce. The economy needed to "diversify"... but that was not possible to do "overnight". NZ barely survived. To be fair.. UK did negotiate time and larger quotas to ease the NZ pain. NZ news was dominated at the time by reports of Ministers flying to UK to negotiate (beg for) a little more time.. a little more quota. It really was a worrying time for the nation on the brink of disaster. The nation did suffer an economic downturn, but has survived (obviously).. but pardon me if I continue to regard the French as arrogant bastards.




Of course kids today have been fed a narrative that Europe (and EU specifically) is marvelous. Seems nobody has told them about European expansionism and Wars over the centuries .. nor even how France, de Gaulle, and the other Euro-nations behaved as recently as the 1970s.





I relayed all that history just to explain some of the reasons WHY older people might be skeptical or even just plain ANTI the EU. The EU having been LESS than fair partners in the initial stages. Even so, the UK people who opted to stay in, in 1975 were STILL being told it was just a "trading block". Thought by many to be much like the deal, many nations have with neighboring Countries (eg USA, Mexico and Canada), but the EU (now 28 nations) is FAR MORE than that already. It is already a POLITICAL UNION (hence the name "European Union"). It has its own palatial Parliament complex in Brussels (and another one in Strasbourg). That includes 750 European Members of Parliament (MEPs) plus their offices, staff, media center etc etc. It has offices and buildings and accommodation units.. all manner of infrastructure ...it has a staff of thousands. It has UNELECTED Bureaucrats and Commissioners, and their staff etc etc Mostly APPOINTED by elites in Germany, France and that gang of "inner circle" Nations. It has it's own laws and European Courts of Justice (which takes precedence over national Courts), and IT IS in the process of forming it's own ARMY (Military generally). It's officials have talked of a "European Empire" opposed to USA, Russia, and China. It has expansionist moves to gain influence in Africa and other parts of the world. Young kids today need to WAKE UP!!





I was PLEASANTLY surprised to see the result of the referendum in 2016. (52% leave EU Vs 48% Remain) As you can tell, I was in favor of LEAVE THE EU.
I could see in 2016 that entanglement with EU was going to get a LOT worse, but felt the UK was already "too far gone" to escape. So when LEAVE won I was pleasantly surprised. I do think it is LAST CHANCE to do it. I don't think the British are up to an armed rebellion any more... SAD!
So great. They voted to LEAVE and Leave means leave.......... HOLD THE PRESSES!!
The UK is STILL in the EU. They have been paying a Billion Pounds (NET) per month, every month since June 2016!!!
EVEN IF they escape at end of January 2020....THAT my friends is 42 months! As in 42 BILLION pounds!!!
And that date is just the start of a "transition period" where UK can "say they left, technically", but nothing changes, other than they do longer have MEPs and any say in EU rules. The end of the transition period is December 2020, but will likely be extended (2 more years already "penciled in", and the EU could milk this "cash cow" for many more years after that). At the point that the transition period does start (pretend Brexit), as far as I can tell, UK PAY ANOTHER 39 Billion (initial divorce settlement) as per the Boris/Theresa May....Deal/Treaty.. and more will be added to that. I have seen estimates of double 39 Billion... don't ask me why??
On top of that there is 8 Billion "profit" that is "left behind" in the European Investment Bank? And... UK remains an "underwriter" of some sort, and so could face future liabilities of HUNDREDS of billions if there is an economic downturn in (some) of the Euro nations (I am told that is very likely)





The "May treaty" was a PIG from the get-go. May was (and is) a REMAINER. Most of UK Parliament (and establishment elites) are REMAINERS. The whole "negotiation process" since 2016 has been a cover for delay, delay, and not leave as far as can be got away with, or to cancel and remain, at most end up obviously worse off, and so re-join the EU in a few years. Not really a "cunning plan". Even Boris (and the Tory party) I fear are faint-hearted leavers.. maybe remainers. Boris "deal" is NOT much different to May's deal (Nigel Farage says its 95% same). All Boris did was fudge the Irish border clause so that the entire UK was not trapped in a Customs Union. The treaty that defines EU membership includes the process for a Nation to leave. The infamous "Article 50" is said to require a 2 year period to negotiate a "divorce agreement" but to LEAVE after 2 years WITH OR WITHOUT a deal. There are those who say that UK COULD have left without the 2 year period. But 2 years after triggering Article 50 was a DEADLINE (set in stone).
As it was, even the date to start of the Article 50 trigger was DELAYED by legal challenge (Remoners first salvo), and then Theresa May decided to call a snap election to increase her majority in Parliament. She LOST GROUND and so she had a very precarious majority. It just delayed starting the 2 year period. No matter... she did have a majority, but many agree that she was NOT trying at all to get Brexit done. Her deal was a pig.. written by EU (mostly). In the end the Article 50 DEADLINE (29th March 2019) after 2 years, was betrayed...

An aside on Ireland issue
Ireland is a long story.. but the short version is. After the "Troubles"... terrorism and mini war between UK armed forces and The IRA, it was agreed to have no sign of a physical border between the Republic of Ireland (separate Country) and Northern Ireland (part of UK). That works while Ireland and UK both in EU, but there is a potential problem at the land border between North and South, if one is in EU and the other not. THIS is largely an invented issue/problem. The "invisible border" works now, and the two areas have different currency, VAT, taxes, rules etc. There are solutions. Boris's deal essentially treats N Ireland as part of Ireland for Customs issues (the border in effect is in the Irish sea between UK and N. Ireland.)The N. Irish (and many in UK) HATE THIS.. it treats NI as DIFFERENT from rest of UK...the EU in effect seen to "annex" UK territory. This is NOT being raised as a big issue yet... but it will be.... I think likely could be back to a shooting war and terrorist bombs in Ireland (and London I might add). Europe has land borders between EU countries with non-EU countries. It does NOT have to be a big deal. There is a need in Ireland to NOT have a border and British troops... but there are proposals to do Goods/customs inspections at warehouses etc...

The reason I say Boris deal is NOT BREXIT is that when it is enacted NOTHING changes. There is a "Transition Period" to December 2020.. and that can be extended.. and the EU side already said it will be extended for 2 years.. One year (or 3+ years) it involves UK AGREEING to (basically) remain entangled with EU rules, laws, standards etc. What they call a "level playing field" UK has to keep "alignment with EU" in order to get a "Free Trade Deal" with EU. So... UK bound to EU rules. How is that Brexit? But wait... it gets worse... since EU will not tolerate goods from Countries "non compliant" with EU standards, and they do not want goods transited THROUGH UK.... UK WILL NOT be able to do trade deals with Countries outside EU unless they are also "aligned"... so NO TRADE DEAL WITH USA.. or most countries outside EU.. other than those who already meet EU standards. And it gets worse.. I wont try and cover it all... UK DO NOT get their own (200 mile) fishing rights back. That is something that the UK fishing Industry has suffered by.. and it will continue (at least in some form). I concede that my analysis of the deal here is somewhat superficial..I have read extensively though. There is detailed analysis available online.. people whose credentials stack up.






IMO Brexit was BETRAYED when the original Article 50 Deadline, 29th March 2019 passed with no Brexit. Theresa May is on record 108 times stating that UK would "leave on 29th March.. no ifs, no buts, deal or no deal.) When May's deal failed in a vote in Parliament...REJECTED... not just once, but THREE TIMES, the law was LEAVE (with no deal) on 29th March. Referred to as "Hard Brexit" or "Crashing out" by the Remoaner Media, but more accurately described as "Leaving, and trading under "WTO rules"... "Clean Break Brexit". The elites claim that "stupid Leave voters" did not know what they were voting for, but I think most did want to SEVER political ties, EU rules etc... but keep trading in way agreeable to both sides... which is EXACTLY what WTO provides for. In fact.. given that Free Trade exists now between UK and EU that could simply continue while a new Free trade deal is negotiated (for years if necessary). The WTO and "GATT treaty" allows for exactly that if nations are in "good faith" negotiations. It is REMAINERS who have no idea what they voted for (and still want). Most seem ignorant of their own history of just 40 - 50 years ago. They seem unconcerned by BILLIONS lost to EU.. above any value returned.. the Billion per month is NET. Any EU spending in UK is also (ultimately) contributed by UK tax payers. They don't want the "uncertainty" of what will happen when UK leaves, but they ignore the fact that there is as much , if not more, uncertainty in what the EU PROJECT will do next. An army is a certainty, and territorial expansion.
There was no agreement passed. "May's deal" was actually a new EU Treaty. Described as a "Surrender Treaty" that only a Nation defeated in a war would accept. So the deadline betrayed, extended for short time and then extended for 6 months. to 31st October, 2019. Theresa May out as PM... Boris in. Remoaners in full battle mode... all pretense gone... UK MP's colluding with EU heads to write UK law.. a travesty. The Speaker of UK Parliament (John Bercow) openly facilitating Opposition Parliamentary moves to block the legitimate Government. The UK Supreme court.. imposing their decision on a Political matter that they should not be involved in. And Boris is, IMO, merely presenting the SAME DEAL/TREATY now, and if that is accepted Brexit is DEAD... not "Done" as his campaign slogan contends. Boris did not get his deal ratified (a lucky escape for true Brexiteers). His "Majority" in Parliament was down to -45. He could not even get a vote to have an election passed. He lead a "Zombie Government" unable to pass any legislation.. but unable to simply quit. Eventually yet ANOTHER Brexit date betrayed, and ANOTHER extension (to 31st January 2019) and a General Election was called


650 Seats in UK Parliament (Voting total: around 640. Minus Speaker and deputies and Sinn Fein- abstentionists)

The Nation-wide polls do NOT tell the whole story. There are some very specific regional considerations. For instance, "Working class" Constituencies that have voted LABOUR for generations also voted LEAVE and so feel betrayed by Labour. They may well vote BXP?
I am rooting for Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, but... a FPTP (First past the post) election makes it hard for new parties to "break in". The two main parties have a base of 30 - 35%.. People who (frankly) vote without much thought or awareness of issues. Swing voters may flip between the two main parties.. hence the Government flips between Lab and Tory. UK has a "third party) - the Lib Dems... once a player, but nowadays a joke (mostly) (got 12 seats last election).. but with the Brexit debacle, they have Hoovered up some CANCEL BREXIT voters, and so they may gain 20 -30 seats? They are a joke.. neither liberal nor Democratic... but they COULD hold enough seats to be a "king maker" in a coalition (I doubt it, and hope not). They are WORSE than Green party.. at least the Greens are nuts for a defined (daft) cause.. and only get 1 or 2 seats. You also have SNP (Scottish Nationals).. who make every discussion/debate be about their demand to have a referendum on Scotland quitting UK. They already had a Referendum (2014) and lost, so they do get on everyone's nerves in Parliament, bringing up their single (dead) issue. There are 59 seats in Scotland (more than the population should rate) and SNP have 35 and may get more. They contend that if they get all (most) of UK seats in Scotland they should get a referendum. Those 35 -45 seats could shag up the numbers in Westminster Parliament... being a nuisance is what SNP are about. I have to say it's tempting to just let Scotland leave the UK... just to get rid of SNP jerks in Parliament.

So My election prediction is....
Boris will win a healthy majority (maybe 70 seats) for the Tories and they will get his deal/treaty ratified, the various UK laws passed etc... and claim they have done Brexut on 31st January. The election is still 3 weeks away and after that little time, so they may need a short "technical extension" to the date.. but it will be done then or shortly after. I DO NOT think Boris will stick to his recent promises, and so the "Transition Period" will be extended by 2 years (to start with). So negotiations with EU until the end of 2022 (and beyond). And at the end of that UK will still be entangled with EU and unable to negotiate (properly) with other nations.
Brexit Party (Farage) may not win ANY seats. They may win a few... but will have no leverage over Boris, other than to be a VOICE in Parliament... speaking out about Brexit betrayal.. as it happens.

I have said for some time that Brexit DIED when it was betrayed on 29th March. That was the time the people might have risen up, but they didn't. They did NOTHING (mostly) which gave the game away to the Powers-that-be. They could get away with anything.... and they have.... SAD!

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light