The ability to respect and listen to citizens concerns, to reflect upon failures with a view to realistically address them, to retain a willingness to seek mutually beneficial agreement, to respect a democratic vote, to respect peace agreements, to respect the need to address good workable strategies that develop cohesion and tackle division, all essential criteria from both UK government  AND  the EU establishment if politicians are ever going to regain the respect from the citizens they are supposed to represent.

Bottom line, failures have occurred BOTH SIDES of the channel, but citizens insecurities and concerns and desire for good mutually beneficial agreements going forward lies at the heart of this debate, with focus on exiting the EU in a civilised and well balanced manner but thereafter lessons must be learned with willingness to reform and better respond to citizens genuine vulnerabilities.

Ads what you say may be relevent in some other aspects of national government.

However it has no relevance or value whatever to mutually agreed international governmental treaties.

Mutually agreed when our own Parliament has not agreed it???

I thought section 13 of the withdrawal act confirmed this had to be agreed by Parliament?

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https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/eu-withdrawal-act

A new clause (Section 13) was added to the bill which sets out how Parliament will be involved in the process of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. It requires the Commons to both vote on a motion to approve the Withdrawal Agreement and political declaration on the future relationship, as well as pass the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill to implement the agreement in domestic law.

Section 13 also sets out how Parliament will be involved if the UK faces a ‘no deal’ exit.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/16/section/13/enacted

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Also are you suggesting that the need to respect and respond to citizens concerns play no part in the European Union Parliament....only national Parliaments?

This message was last edited by ads on 11/06/2019.

Our parliament has voted not to leave without a trade deal. So that means no deal no Brexit...right ?

I thought it meant that no deal would be the legal default if the withdrawal bill is NOT agreed through Parliament and the EU continue to refuse to review the withdrawal agreement?

Hence the continuing debate within the Conservative leadership race where they are still “ wishing for a mutually acceptable deal”  but have to be preparared for a no deal exit if progress is not forthcoming.

In effect a refusal to negotiate further to gain an agreement suitable to get through Parliament ( Irish backstop arrangement ?) seems to be forcing the UK into no deal......hence it becomes essential for both sides to step up preparations for no deal in this interim period, even though ironically BOTH will be compromised! Crazy !

I personally wish we could bang heads together to respect the peace agreement and commit to a technological solution which in this day and age surely should be possible to accommodate an alternative to trade and transit  without physical borders in Ireland.

This message was last edited by ads on 11/06/2019.

This message was last edited by ads on 11/06/2019.

Why don't you come clean and tell us what you are advocating ads?  Do you want a deal or not?

I do.  I want a customs union and to be in the single market complete with the four freedoms.  My view of Brexit is a valid as anyone's.  I don't know where Mrs May got her redlines from.  They were not on the referendum ballot paper and she lost the election because of them.  

Latest polls show the UK public no longer worry about immigration and it is the lowest of their priorities since 2001.

ads Also are you suggesting that the need to respect and respond to citizens concerns play no part in the European Union Parliament....only national Parliaments?

I suggest no such thing. I am reiterating that if Britain wants an orderly withdrawal from the EU it can only so do with an agreement. That agreement will not be changed unless there are political changes in Britain. ie: agreement on a customs union and remain in the single market as Corbyn has suggested.

The default process of crashing out on 31st October will not take place because parliament will act to prevent it. The dishonest campaigns for the Tory leadership know that full well. It's truly nauseating listening to the daily rubbish they spout on our TV screens. The former Sky journalist Fisal Islam called it the "Unicorn grand national' but its more a donkey derby.

The only other logical options avre another referendum or revoke article 50 and forget the entire nightmare.

Given that each of the potential PMs is flogging their Brexit credentials coupled with their tax bribes why are you surprised that we are picking apart their offerings.  

** EDITED - Against forum rules **

British politics is all about Brexit. Little else matters not even the new PM who will face the same obstacles as the last. Moving the chairs on the Titantic didn't stop the ship from sinking. Leaving the EU will have such a profound impact on future life in those small islands. I use the the word 'small' in the geographic sense since the UK does matter to the rest of Europe.

The reality is Britain cannot prosper as a country in the 21st century outside a global political trading block. Nostalgia for a colonial nation where the sun never set has infected the minds of leavers who still cannot accept the truth of the present. That China and America dominate the world and unless there is a counter balance of a European block any small nation will be submerged.

When the history of these times gets to be written people will wonder profoundly how it ever came to pass. How it was possible a nation like Britain with its long history could be persuaded to act so irrationally, so destructively. 

Just listened to Boris give his pitch.  If you are pinning your Brexit hopes on him you are well stuffed.

Here’s the YouTube footage so people can make up their own minds.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4ggBpDSyvEo

Throughout his political career Boris has said what he believes people want to hear - other than his occasional spontaneous comments where puts a size 10 in his mouth.  The word "buffoon" is too kind - as PM he will be a nightmare and destroy any lingering remnants of UK's fading credibility, or worse.

To be fair.....If you google all the other contenders names you will also be able to pick up their pitches for PM on YOU TUBE ! ;)

Brexit: MPs reject Labour plan for no-deal vote

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48613921

Brexit: Boris Johnson says he is 'not aiming for no deal'

But he said the threat of no deal was a "vital" negotiation tool and the UK "must do better" than the current deal.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48602988

Results of first round of elections...

Boris Johnson 114

Jeremy Hunt 43

Michael Gove 37

Dominic Raab  27

Sajid Javid 23

Matt Hancock 2O

Rory Stewart 19

Andrea Leadsom 11( out)

Mark Harper 10 ( out)

Esther McVey 9 ( out)

The next vote is on Tuesday 18th June

It makes for interesting reading.  No surprise that Mark Harper went out as he is an unknown.  That both Andrea Leadson and Esther McVey went out is curious as the only women standing and both extreme Brexiteers.

Also interesting is that the softest egg, Rory Stewart has made it through.  Word on the Hill is that he is the peoples' favourite next to Boris.  

I feel there is 70 votes up for grabs as the bottom three are gone and two more will probably drop out.

Having recently, err... voted...for our apparently unelected representatives in the EU, I'm just happy that we're taking back control and actually getting a democratic say in who governs us....oh, wait....