RTFri, 22 Mar 2019 09:42 UTC
© Reuters / Scott HeppellBrexit campaigner Nigel Farage is pictured during the 'Brexit Betrayal' march
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has announced that he will lead his new Brexit Party into the European elections if UK MPs decide to delay Brexit beyond May 22.
Farage, who has ostensibly appointed himself leader, told various media, including the BBC and Sky News on Friday morning: "I will take over as leader of the Brexit Party and lead it into the European Elections."
It comes after
the Brexit Party's leader, Catherine Blaiklock, quit over a series of alleged Islamophobic statements and retweets of far-right figures on social media. It is not yet known if Farage has officially been elected as leader, as the party does not, as yet, appear to have a formal infrastructure to conduct such a vote.
The right-wing MEP vowed to put out a whole host of Brexit Party candidates if the UK participates in the upcoming EU elections in May, adding: "If we fight those elections, we will fight them on trust."
On Thursday night, the EU agreed to PM May's request for a delaying to Brexit beyond the March 29 deadline. Brussels announced two new exit dates depending on what happens next week in the UK parliament.
The UK will have to leave the bloc on April 12 unless British MPs agree to May's Brexit deal. If the withdrawal agreement is passed by next week, EU leaders have agreed to grant an extension until May 22.
Comment: At least with regards to Brexit, it seems as though Farage hasn't succumbed to the anti-Russia
hysteria:
'Russian collusion': Farage mocks 'cancel Brexit' petition with signatures from Russia
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has reacted to a tweet making fun of the fact some Russians have signed a petition calling for Brexit to be stopped, suggesting that an investigation should be launched into "Russian collusion."
Hugh Bennett, news editor at right-wing blog Guido Fawkes, took to social media on Thursday night after the 'Revoke Article 50' petition had passed the 1 million signatures barrier.
Bennett attached a data image from the petitions website, revealing that 12 Russians had signed up and cheekily asked: "I thought they were meant to be against foreign interference in our democracy?"
The tweet got picked up by the Independent MEP, who could soon be officially registered as leader of his new Brexit Party in the coming weeks. He seized on the irony of 'Russian involvement' in a pro-EU, UK petition, arguing that an inquiry was needed.
Bennett also noted verifiable interest in the stop Brexit petition from other countries such as Saudi Arabia and even North Korea, which has one signature. It couldn't be from the big man, surely?!
The tweet triggered an avalanche of seemingly irate Remainers, not seeing the funny side and instead insisting it was "fake news." Others living in various countries around the world felt the need justify their signatures.
At the time of publishing this article, the petition had broken the 3 million barrier.
From Theresa
May to Donald Tusk, it seems Brexit has many politicians getting all
religious:
Tusk: 'Lots of space' in hell for British MPs who vote against Brexit deal
Donald Tusk, who last month blasted the architects of Brexit, suggesting there may be "a special place in hell" for them, believes the place of eternal suffering is big enough to also include British MPs voting against the deal.
The initial acerbic remark about hell made by the president of the EU Council targeted people who "promoted Brexit without a sketch of a plan how to carry it safely." It caused quite a stir among participants and watchers of Britain's dramatic divorce with the EU. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at one point remarked that he personally knew no hell except his current job.
A journalist asked Tusk if he sees hell a suitable place for MPs who now vote against the deal, to which the stone-faced Polish Catholic politician replied: "According to our Pope, hell is still empty. It means there is a lot of space." The news conference was then wrapped up to the laughter of the audience and a parting shot by Juncker: "Don't go to hell."
Tusk was likely referring to last year's controversy, which happened after an Italian journalist misquoted Pope Francis as saying that there was no hell. The Vatican had to disprove the claim and clarify the Catholic view on what hell is.
Or did Tusk actually mean Shakespeare and not the Pope? Who knows?
Considering Tusk's milieu, one suspects he was referring to Shakespeare:
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
― William Shakespeare, The Tempest
Finally, Sputnik outlines some of the hypothetical
consequences of a no-deal Brexit:
But what is so terrible about a no deal Brexit and why are so many MPs so keen to avoid it?
Trade
Trade between the UK and the EU could be severely affected.
The UK government has rolled over existing EU trade agreements with Israel, Switzerland and Chile as well as aviation services with US and Canada and nuclear deals with Australia.
But it is not clear what concessions it will have to make to other countries to get them to roll over EU agreements.
The biggest difficulty for Britain though is the tariffs which would be imposed on imported and exported goods.
Earlier this month the UK government said it would scrap 80 to 90 percent import tariffs on goods, in order to keep food and commodities prices down for consumers and manufacturers.
Britain imports 90 percent of its lettuce, 80 percent of its tomatoes and 70 percent of its soft fruit from the EU, according to the British Retail Consortium.
Law and Justice
The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, has written to his counterparts in the EU27 asking for them to put contingencies in place in the event of a no deal Brexit, but has had no reassurances.
British police officer carry out 539 million checks on the Schengen Information System (SIS) every year - checking on EU nationals' criminal records in their home countries.
Last month the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Brexit, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Martin, said Britain would be "less safe".
"Will we be less safe? Yes. Will criminal gangs be running amok? No. But will it make our jobs more difficult, yes," Mr. Martin said.
"Crime is by its nature borderless....organised criminals are entrepreneurs of crime...and if there is a gap to exploit I'm sure they would," Mr Martin told a briefing in London.
Mr. Martin said the EU Arrest Warrant would also no longer work in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
He said the system would revert back to the 1957 Convention on Extradition which would be a "much slower and clunkier process".
Mr Martin said before the EU Arrest Warrant the UK extradited around 60 people a year - now it's almost 2,000 a year.
Health
The government will continue to accept EU-approved medicines but the EU has said UK pharmaceutical companies will have to re-register their products in order to sell them in Europe.
The UK government has asked hospitals and UK companies to build "buffer stocks" of key items to deal with any interruption to supply.
The Department of Health has also bought warehouse space and secured additional freight capacity for shipping medical goods to the UK.
Transport
British adults, including lorry and coach drivers, would not be allowed to drive in EU countries without a special driving permit.
UK tourists could also end up paying more to use their mobile phones in Spain, France, Italy and Greece.
Borders
Border checks would be re-introduced at British airports and ports and on the land border with the Republic of Ireland.
This could potentially resurrect dormant Irish republican groups, like the IRA and the INLA, who have long fought for a united Ireland but laid down their arms after the Good Friday Agreement.
HM Revenue and Customs has been talking to businesses about how the customs process would work in the event of no deal but many businessmen and women are still unaware how they will be affected because the UK and EU economies are now so closely enmeshed.
Migration
The UK has offered EU citizens who are in the UK before 29 March 2019 can gain the right to remain and eventually become UK nationals.
But in the event of no deal there would be no such offer to the millions of UK nationals who live in the EU27, especially tens of thousands of people who retired to Spain or Portugal.
The rights of UK nationals would vary depending on each country.
In the event of no deal it would be up to the UK government to decide what to do with EU citizens who arrive in the country after Brexit.
Agriculture
The government has said it will to continue to allow EU agri-products into the UK even in the event of no deal.
But again UK exporters of goods like lamb, beef, fish, grain and vegetables would have to go through protracted bureaucracy in order to be able to export to the EU27.
When Britain leaves the EU - deal or no deal - we will be exiting the Common Agricultural Policy, which currently gives generous subsidiaries to British farmers in certain circumstances.
Miscellaneous
The UK has promised a new environmental watchdog to replace EU functions, such as air pollution but it will not be in place until 2021 so some complaints may just sit in an in-tray until then.
The Competition and Markets Authority will also be expanded as it takes on the work currently done by the European Commission when it comes to monopolies and cartels.
Places like Cornwall and west Wales, which ironically voted strongly to Leave in the 2016 referendum, actually do very well from EU grants, which will soon be drying up.
Iain Begg, a professor at the European Institute at the London School of Economics, said the grants would disappear with or without a deal.
"Although some research grants may last until 2024, the bulk of the grants from the EU will have been spent by 2022," Prof. Begg told Sputnik.
See also:
And check out SOTT radio's:
Comment: At least with regards to Brexit, it seems as though Farage hasn't succumbed to the anti-Russia hysteria: From Theresa May to Donald Tusk, it seems Brexit has many politicians getting all religious: Considering Tusk's milieu, one suspects he was referring to Shakespeare: Finally, Sputnik outlines some of the hypothetical consequences of a no-deal Brexit: See also:
- Still Confused About Brexit? It's Actually Pretty Simple...
- Brexit: A Political Farce Based on a Public Lie
And check out SOTT radio's: