People do 'care', but without good leadership there is confusion, passivity, demoralisation. There is hope that POTUS/Q have it all, hear people 'breathing', the 'bite' of the NSA(?), a message to the 3Ms… This board hasn't sprung to life, reflecting how asleep and reliant UK is on America to bring freedom. Brits have forgotten how to play, did they ever know how? Have no choice but to hope there is hidden leverage at work which will loosen the grasp soon.
Unknowns: Court case outcome on legality of first extension? What would this new Article 50 extension even involve? What is it's point if the 'deal' will not be re-negotiated? Would it have to be approved by UK parliament? Why is 3 years not enough time to prepare for no deal? What is Operation Yellowhammer? Why is it suddenly all about Macron (bad cop/good cop)? Where were supposedly Euro-sceptic Italy, Poland etc with any shred of principles of populism/democracy? Lots of talk of '17' countries. Is the timing of Assange's arrest linked to all this or just FISA…? What is the significance of Macron's Halloween Brexit? What the actual heck is going on?
Edited article: Macron's Brexit hardman act wears thin: Now the 'enfant terrible' French President claims HE is responsible for forcing Halloween Brexit date on the UK - hours after alienating ALL of his EU allies with his feet-stamping antics. Emmanuel Macron was beaten down and left 'isolated' by fellow EU leaders after they knocked back his bid to punish Britain and keep a No Deal Brexit - but he still tried to claim credit for the Halloween delay, it was revealed today.
Macron was smiling and appeared to wink as he arrived in Brussels as sources claimed he was ready to 'humiliate' the Prime Minister. But by 2am, after a bruising meeting lasting at least six hours, the much more serious-looking Frenchman was forced to climbdown after a series of rows with other leaders including Angela Merkel. At one point EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker rounded on Mr Macron 'We are just sorting out your domestic problems at this stage,' according to one diplomat.
Afterwards he tried to save face by trying to take responsibility for the new Halloween deadline for Brexit saying he pushed against a long extension 'for the collective good’. Macron had initially insisted on an extension end date of May, with the possibility of No Deal if Britain had not resolved Brexit by then. One diplomat said: 'He was the only one holding out for a short extension. Everybody else was flexible. He was on his own and left isolated.
Earlier in the night another diplomat said: 'He's in a bit of a schizophrenic situation - his domestic audience demands he's tough on Britain for historic reasons but France is among the most-hit in any no-deal Brexit. 'It will take hours before we pull him down from his tree.' Michel Barnier, the EU's Brexit negotiator broke ranks with Juncker, who favoured a long extension along with around 17 other member states. According to a senior official, he said: 'Britain can always avoid No Deal. It is Britain's choice. Britain can ratify the withdrawal agreement or revoke Article 50.' Sources said around 17 countries were in favour of a long extension with the remainder more keen on a short delay. Last night Malta's prime minister Joseph Muscat tweeted: 'A Brexit extension until 31 October is sensible since it gives time to UK to finally choose its way. The review in June will allow [the EU Council] to take stock of the situation.'
This morning Sir Tim Barrow wrote to Donald Tusk confirming that Britain would be accepting the extension offered last night. Earlier in the night a French presidential source said a No Deal was preferable to allowing a long extension. The default position is that a dysfunctional EU is worse than no deal.' France did, however, help secure changes to the conditions on Britain not to sabotage EU decisions…member states and the EU Commission will be able to 'meet separately at all levels' without Britain in the room for matters other than Brexit. They gorged on warm scallop salad, cod with brown shrimps and iced macadamia nut parfait while Mrs May waited for them at the British residence two miles away, where Mrs May tucked into asparagus with a crispy egg, roast fillet of lamb with mint sauce and treacle tart with yoghurt ice cream.
Austria and Belgium were said to be siding with Mr Macron at the outset. However, The Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Poland, Germany and Hungary were among those open to a longer extension. Admitting he would be 'impatient' with Mrs May as he arrived at the summit, Mr Macron said: 'We have a European renaissance to run and I don't want Brexit to come and block us on this. It is with great impatience that I will listen to Theresa May but nothing should be taken for granted.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6910935/Macrons-Brexit-hardman-act-wears-alienated-EU-allies-tried-punish-Britain.html >>6132198