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  • How Lord Frost correctly slammed the EU and its ‘trade talks’

    Why are we still even talking? A Brexit Facts4EU.Org analysis

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    Five months on and very little has changed

    Back on 19 May, the trade talks between the UK and the EU had been underway for 11 weeks. On that late Spring day five months ago, enough was enough for David Frost, the UK’s Chief Negotiator. He clearly felt compelled to spell out some harsh facts in a formal letter to his opposite number – the EU’s Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier.

    Lord Frost’s words stand the test of time

    We believe Lord Frost’s words back in May stand the test of time and we invite readers to judge for themselves. Below we present a Facts4EU.Org summary of the points made by Lord Frost, followed by a link to the full text of his four-page letter to Monsieur Barnier.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    The key points of Lord Frost’s letter to Michel Barnier

    The emphasis is ours


    © No.10

    1. The EU “is insisting on additional, unbalanced, and unprecedented provisions in a range of areas, as a precondition for agreement”

    • ”We are looking for a suite of agreements with a Free Trade Agreement at the core”
    • ”Our draft FTA approximates very closely those the EU has agreed with Canada or Japan”
    • ”Our draft fisheries agreement is very close to the EU / Norway Agreement”
    • ”Our aviation proposals are similar to those the EU has agreed with other third countries”
    • ”Our draft civil nuclear agreement is very close to similar cooperation agreements that Euratom (and indeed the UK) has concluded with other third countries”

    2. “Overall, we find it hard to see what makes the UK, uniquely among your trading partners, so unworthy of being offered the kind of well-precedented arrangements commonplace in modern FTAs.”

    • The EU not only insists on additional provisions, but is also not willing even to replicate provisions in previous FTAs
    • No provision for mutual recognition of conformity assessment (which the EU agreed with or proposed to Canada, Australia, NZ, USA)
    • No sector-specific provisions for key industries with particular technical barriers such as motor vehicles, medicinal products , organics and chemicals (agreed with or proposed to one or more of Canada, South Korea, Chile, USA)
    • No equivalence mechanism for SPS measures (agreed with or proposed to Canada, Japan, NZ, Australia, Mexico)

    On services:

    • No provisions on regulatory cooperation for financial services, though the EU agreed this in the EU-Japan deal
    • EU’s offer on lengths of stay for short-term business visitors is less generous than in the EU-Canada deal
    • “Your team has told us that the EU’s market access offer on services might be less than that tabled with Australia and New Zealand”

    3. The Level Playing Field – “You must see that this is simply not a provision any democratic country could sign, since it would mean that the British people could not decide our own rules to support our own industries in our own Parliament.”

    • “Our text sets out a comprehensive set of proposals designed specifically (as the Political Declaration puts it) to ‘prevent distortions of trade and unfair competitive advantages’”
    • ”Our proposals are closely modelled on similar arrangements already agreed by the EU with similar countries, notably in the Canada FTA”
    • EU Commissioner Hogan described the Canada provisions in March as “solid and anchored in a vast network of underlying international conventions and agreements”, without finding it necessary to go beyond such standard “level playing field” provisions
    • The EU’s text for the UK ”contains novel and unbalanced proposals which would bind this country to EU law or standards, and would prescribe the institutions which we would need to establish to deliver on these provisions”
    • “Your text would require the UK simply to accept EU state aid rules; would enable the EU, and only the EU, to put tariffs on trade with the UK if we breached those rules; and would require us to accept an enforcement mechanism which gives a specific role to the European Court of Justice.”
    • “You must see that this is simply not a provision any democratic country could sign, since it would mean that the British people could not decide our own rules to support our own industries in our own Parliament. Similar issues manifest themselves across labour, environment, climate change and taxation”
    • “We cannot accept any alignment with EU rules, the appearance of EU law concepts, or commitments around internal monitoring and enforcement that are inappropriate for an FTA”


    © No.10

    The full text of Lord Frost’s letter to Michel Barnier can be found here. [PDF]

    Observations

    The EU continues to make unreasonable demands regarding the UK’s coastal waters, ‘the level playing field’, and the adherence to the jurisdiction of the EU’s ‘Court of Justice’ – a political court constantly extending its reach and fervently in favour of a federal states of Europe.

    Any objective reading of Lord Frost’s letter – whether in Brussels, in other EU capitals, or in Washington DC and capital cities globally – can only result in one conclusion being drawn. The EU set out from the start to impose its own ideological conditions on these trade talks with the United Kingdom and to do everything possible to punish the British people for voting to leave. The EU has never exhibited any good faith, nor goodwill.

    Backing the UK’s Chief Negotiator

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org has consistently supported Lord Frost since the start of the trade talks, due to the clarity and robustness of his communications. The letter he sent to Michel Barnier in May was uncharacteristically long, but then he had much to say to the EU and we consider it to be an important milestone.

    Since that time Lord Frost has continued to be sound in his short statements about the trade talks, communicated via Twitter.

    Time to walk away

    Our sole difference with Lord Frost over this year is that we would have walked away months ago, but of course that was a political decision for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Our view has been that they should have done so.

    There are a few Brexit groups close to Westminster who advocate a “wait and see” approach, and who declined to support our latest Big Brexit Initiative urging the PM to walk now. Our view is that this alternative approach amounts to a “wait until it’s too late” policy, so we have agreed to disagree. We continue to believe it is essential to ensure that the PM knows the strength of feeling in the country.

    If No.10 remains firm it will be partly because of the weight of opinion it has received from many thousands of voters. We continue to urge readers to send their letters, if they haven’t already done so. These letters can be accessed here.

    Our message to Lord Frost

    Lord Frost, very little has changed on the fundamentals. The EU continues to adopt an ideologically-driven approach to the UK-EU trade talks. They are still so far away from treating the UK as they have treated other countries such as Canada and Japan that any compromises now would be a travesty. Freedom, independence, and sovereignty are not things on which compromise is possible.

    If any last-minute attempt is made to fudge a deal for the purposes of political expediency, our readers tell us that the great British public will not be fooled and that the Conservative Party will be punished heavily at the next general election. Memories, we are told, will run deep.

    Lord Frost, you have played an excellent game to date – aside from not walking away, which we accept is not your call – and we urge you not to sell out the underlying principles of the Leave vote at the last minute.

    No deal and no Withdrawal Agreement. The UK will do fine and we’ll all be able to hold our heads up high in the world.

    Thank you for listening.
    Best regards, the Brexit Facts4EU.Org team

    [ Sources: No.10 ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thur 26 Nov 2020

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  • “Who needs a trade deal with the EU?” – A Brexit Facts4EU.Org report

    Latest EU report shows EU trade deals overall are of little value

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    EU trade from its Free Trade Agreements barely increased last year, compared to global trade

    In the EU Commission’s report published on 12 November, the EU claims that “The 4th Annual Report on the Implementation of the European Union’s Trade Agreements in 2019 shows the benefits of our expanding global trade network.”

    We look at the overall position, based on this latest EU Commission report.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    EU goods exports in 2019 – to FTA countries and to all countries globally

    • Growth in EU goods exports to all countries globally: 3.5%
    • Growth in EU goods exports to countries covered by ‘the 36 major preferential EU trade agreements’: 4.1%
    • Difference in growth between EU’s trade deal countries and all countries globally: 0.6%
    • Growth in UK goods exports to all non-EU countries last year: +14.1%

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org – click to enlarge

    Sources: EU Commission | UK Department for International Trade | UK Office for National Statistics

    EU’s growth in exports is small compared to the UK

    One of the jobs of the EU Commission, which has sole and exclusive responsibility for negotiating trade deals for the EU’s member countries, should be to grow exports. As an EU member the UK was prevented by the EU from negotiating its own trade deals and was forced to rely on the work of the Commission.

    The EU Commission is careful to talk about ‘trade’, meaning imports and exports. When focusing in on exports, the position for the EU is even worse than its headline figures.

    The EU’s trade agreements make negligible difference to exports

    The report talks about its “36 major preferential EU trade agreements” (FTAs) covering 65 countries – not the 100 it continuously boasts of having. Incredibly the report says that EU exports to these major FTA countries only grew by 0.6% more than the EU’s exports to all the countries around the world.

    To put this into context, the UK’s goods exports to non-EU countries grew by 14.1% last year, as British exporters started looking globally instead of focusing on the EU27 markets.

    What about trade in services, the UK’s area of strength?

    Unfortunately, the EU’s performance with its FTA partners in the matter of services – which represent approximately 80% of the UK economy – was actually worse than its growth in services globally.

    “For trade in services the latest figures are those for 2018. Trade in services with the 65 partners covered by this report grew by 1.7% in 2018, slower than total EU trade in services (+2.3%)”

    – EU Commission report, 12 November 2020

    Was a UK-EU trade deal mentioned in this latest report? No.

    The UK is the EU27’s second-largest export market after the United States. It is 60% bigger than the third-largest market, China.

    Despite this the EU’s report contains no mention of the possibility of a trade deal with the United Kingdom. It could be argued that the report relates to actual trade deals in place, but for there to be no mention of the EU’s second-largest export market is a little surprising.

    Observations

    As ever, the EU has singled out some examples of success in its report. Overall, however, the total figures are uninspiring to say the least.

    For there to be only a 0.6% difference between export growth rates with FTA partners compared to the EU’s export growth rate globally shows how disappointing the EU Commission’s performance has been.

    Furthermore, for the growth in the export of the EU’s services to FTA partners to be significantly lower than the its growth in the export of services globally, just goes to show how the EU has paid scant regard to the UK’s key area of economic strength.

    Canada and Japan deal templates not on offer to the UK

    Interestingly, two of the trade deals which the EU singles out in its report are not available as templates for a deal with the UK.

    The EU’s trade deals with Canada and Japan are regularly trumpeted by the EU Commission. If these deals are so wonderful, why isn’t the EU prepared to offer anything similar to the UK? Things become even stranger when considering the fact that the UK’s Dept for International Trade has just agreed ‘rollover deals’ with both of these countries.

    Close, but no cigar…

    Earlier this year the EU suddenly came up with the bizarre notion of ‘geographical proximity’ to justify its refusal to agree a normal trade deal with the UK. This is despite the fact that the then EU Council President Donald Tusk held out the offer of a Canada-style deal when persuading the UK Government to sign up to the EU’s abominable Withdrawal Agreement.

    As soon as the WA was signed by Boris Johnson on 24 January 2020, it seemed that a Canada-style trade deal was off the table. Apparently the EU had suddenly noticed that the UK was geographically close to the continent. Why that should then be a barrier to continuing the existing zero-tariff trading arrangements remains a mystery.

    Urgent – we need you now

    If we are to see this thing through to the end, after almost five years of seven day-a-week work, we need your help.

    The level of our donations has dropped significantly in the last month, probably partly due to the impact of the measures the Government has taken regarding COVID-19. These kind donations are currently at an unsustainably low level. We know that these are difficult times for many people but we have to ask any reader who can, to support us with a donation today so that we can continue our fight for a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom as we approach the end game. Quick, secure, and confidential donation methods are linked to below this article and you will receive a very warm email from a member of our team. Thank you so much.

    [ Sources: EU Commission | UK Department for International Trade | UK Office for National Statistics ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thur 26 Nov 2020

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  • If Boris announces a fudged EU deal next week, what will you do?

    Answer: There will be nothing you can do – the sell-out will have been completed

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org urges all believers in a free and sovereign UK to act now, before it’s too late

    Sources are now saying that in the next 14 days the fundamentals of a ‘trade’ deal will be struck between the UK Government and the EU.

    Given that the EU still refuses to treat the UK as an independent country, and given that it is still making wholly unreasonable demands which it does not make of other independent nations, the omens are troubling.

    Against the backdrop of the EU’s punishing and bullying behaviour towards the United Kingdom and its people since the vote to leave the European Union in 2016, any compromise reached by the Johnson government will be unacceptable. When one side starts from an extremist position, it is not possible to ‘meet half-way’.

    Former Brexit Party MEP speaks his mind to Facts4EU.Org

    Last night Ben Habib, former MEP, Chairman of First Property Group PLC and Chairman of Unlocked, gave Brexit Facts4EU.Org his personal views on the current situation.

    “Can we trust Boris Johnson? When he said the withdrawal agreement was dead; we would leave the EU whole as one United Kingdom and that we would take back control of our cash, our laws and our borders he was busy negotiating the withdrawal agreement, leaving Northern Ireland behind in the EU’s customs Union, offering to pay them £39 billion, accepting EU State Aid law and putting a border down the Irish Sea, thereby partitioning the country. How can Boris Johnson be trusted?”

    Photo right: Former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib in the EU parliament.

    If you voted for an independent and sovereign UK, please act today before it’s too late

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org urges all readers to make their feelings known to the Prime Minister and to their MP, while there is still time to prevent a betrayal of the Leave vote. This might be your last chance to make your voice heard.

    It is essential that Boris Johnson be told by voters that they will not accept any ‘deal’ which compromises the UK’s sovereignty in any way, and which denies the UK Government the full and unfettered ability to act in the interests of its citizens without reference to the EU’s laws, regulations, or courts.

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    The two key messages to Boris Johnson are:

    1. Walk away from the ‘trade’ talks now

    It has been almost four-and-a-half years and still the EU is insisting on totally unreasonable demands in the trade talks which would prevent the UK from acting as a free and independent country after 31 Dec 2020. It’s time to walk.

    2. Rescind and void the abominable Withdrawal Agreement (WA)

    The WA was predicated on a normal free trade deal with the EU, akin to deals the EU has signed with other major countries. This is something their negotiators have not been prepared to offer and the UK is now well within its rights to nullify the agreement on the basis of the EU’s lack of goodwill and good faith. Unless this is done, the UK’s territory will be split, its economic and social freedoms will be curtailed by the EU, and it will be subject to some EU laws for decades. This is hardly what it means to be a free, independent, and sovereign nation.

    You only need a printer, a pen, and two envelopes and stamps

    A large number of major Brexit campaigning organisations and influential individuals have signed these letters. Will you sign and send?

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    What can ordinary voters do?

    We are urging all those who voted for a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom to stand up and be counted. If you would like to do something positive to help, there are four things you can do:-

    1. Letter about walking away
    from the ‘trade’ talks

     

    2. Letter about rescinding and voiding
    the Withdrawal Agreement


    © No.10


    © Parliament


    © No.10


    © Parliament

    Observations

    The Brexit Facts4EU.Org team is now deeply worried. Whilst we are being told by sources that the Prime Minister is holding firm on sovereignty, we regret to say that we don’t believe it.

    For over four years we have occasionally made predictions about the EU and Brexit and we have never once been wrong. If we are wrong this time we will of course say so, but sadly we very much doubt that our record is under any threat.

    We would of course love to be proved wrong, but we smell a sell-out.

    All we can do is ask readers to take ten minutes out of their day to print, sign, and send these letters to the PM and their MP today. Politicians do not read all the thousands of posts on social media from people saying that they will never vote for this government again if Brexit is betrayed.

    Deluges of letters into No.10 and into MPs’ pigeonholes in the Commons are much harder to ignore.

    Finally, please help us to keep going with a donation, if you can. Quick, secure, and confidential donation links are below this article. Thank you so much.

    [ Sources: Unattributable ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Tues 24 Nov 2020

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  • UK has been agreeing trade deals at an average of 2.5 countries per month

    EU’s average in the last 60 years is 0.2 countries per month

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    As the UK celebrates a deal with its 55th country, Facts4EU.Org summarises post-Brexit trade

    Yesterday the Government announced that agreement had been reached in a video conference call between PM Boris Johnson and Minister Liz Truss from the UK, and PM Justin Trudeau and Minister Mary Ng from Canada, to roll over the current trading arrangements between the two countries, post-Brexit.

    In what must be seen as a blow to the EU which loudly trumpeted its trade deal with Canada from 2016 onwards – despite it still not being ratified by the EU27’s parliaments four years later – the UK has now secured a ‘rollover’ of the current EU deal. The scene is now set for both parties to agree a bespoke deal which better reflects the interests of each country as they trade with each other going forward.

    This brings the number of countries with which the UK has agreed post-Brexit trading terms to 55, according to the data supplied by the Dept for International Trade and by the UK’s Trade Envoy to Egypt. (For some reason Liz Truss is only claiming 53.)

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    Countries with which the UK has agreed trade arrangements post-Brexit

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org – click to enlarge

    ADDENDUM, 3pm 22 Nov 2020: Egypt is a late addition to the above list, even though they still appear on the Dept for International Trade’s website as “Engagement ongoing”. In fact they agreed around 10 days ago, according to UK Trade Envoy to Egypt Sir Jeffery Donaldson.

    • Total trade with these 55 countries totalled £171.8 billion in 2019 (ONS data)
    • Of this, UK-Canada trade totalled £22.4bn

    Other significant deals include:-

    • Switzerland – £38.6bn
    • Japan – £31.6bn
    • South Korea – £11.7bn

    Commenting on the Canada deal yesterday, Boris Johnson said:

    “This is a fantastic agreement for Britain which secures transatlantic trade with one of our closest allies. British businesses export everything from electric cars to sparkling wine to Canada, and today’s deal will ensure that trade goes from strength to strength.

    “Our negotiators have been working flat out to secure trade deals for the UK, and from as early next year we have agreed to start work on a new, bespoke trade deal with Canada that will go even further in meeting the needs of our economy.”

    Canada knows which side of the pancake the maple syrup is spread on

    This is a smart move by Canada. The Government there will know that over two-fifths of Canadian goods exports are bought by UK companies and consumers. With the UK gone, Canada’s trade deal with the EU – still not ratified by the EU four years later – is worth a great deal less than it was.

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org – click to enlarge

    The EU-Canada deal took 12 years to negotiate, and as we stated it is still not ratified by the EU27’s parliaments. (The UK Parliament ratified it within months of it being signed.)

    Canada is yet another country which forms part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which now accounts for 13.5% of world trade and has 495 million consumers – many more than the EU. The omens are looking good for the UK to join this trading bloc over the coming two years.

    Observations

    Maple syrup with our pancakes, next Shrove Tuesday?

    This latest in a long line of recent post-Brexit trade agreements with non-EU countries is to be welcomed. Canada is a country with which the UK has had a very long history over the centuries, and Her Majesty the Queen is still the Monarch.

    It is of course true that Mr Trudeau is not a man whose political ideology will be shared by the majority of Brexiteers. Indeed we believe he is several kilos of maple leaves short of a jar of maple syrup, but trade is trade.

    What matters is that British exporters will have continuity from 01 January 2021, and that jobs will be secured. There is plenty of time thereafter to finesse a bespoke trade deal with Canada, as there is with other non-EU countries.

    Why is the Government still obsessed with an EU trade deal?

    It is our belief that Boris Johnson will announce a trade deal with the EU in the next few weeks. We have no firm evidence as yet, but we believe that this trade deal will be a betrayal of the views of the 17.4 million British people who voted to leave the European Union almost four-and-a-half years ago.

    If you would like us to be there, fighting for a free, independent and sovereign United Kingdom, please donate towards our work today. Quick, secure, and confidential donation links are below this article.

    We can’t do this without you. Thank you so much.

    [ Sources: UK Office for National Statistics | No.10 | EU Commission | Statistics Canada ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 21 Nov 2020

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    has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

    Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

    We think facts matter.
    Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

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  • “When you gotta go, you gotta go” – Latest Brexit report

    Boris Johnson gets caught short as EU celebrates World Toilet Day

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    As another trade deadline is passed, Facts4EU.Org looks at the EU’s ‘facilities’

    Somewhat fittingly perhaps, on the day that the Prime Minister was once again caught short in his efforts to secure a UK-EU trade deal, the EU was celebrating World Toilet Day (yes, really).

    Thursday 19 November was the latest in a growing list of missed deadlines for the UK-EU trade deal. There is still no agreement on the same three issues which the EU has used to block the progress of talks since it was finally ready to start talking trade in March of this year.

    Sitting squarely in the “You couldn’t make it up” category, on the same day that the EU failed to offer anything new once again, the Commission’s statistics agency produced a report on the number of EU households without an indoor flushing toilet for the household’s sole use.

    Never ones to shirk its responsibilities, the Brexit Facts4EU.Org team plunged into the bowels of the EU’s datacentre in order to bottom out the extraordinary variance in the level of facilities available to EU citizens in their homes.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    Households’ indoor lavatory facilities for sole use
    (Last full year of data: 2018)

    • 1 in 4 Romanian households (27.7%) had no indoor flushing toilet for their household’s sole use
    • Romania was followed by its neighbour, Bulgaria, on 15.3%
    • The Baltic countries came next with Lithuania on 10.6%, Latvia on 9.9%, and Estonia on 5.3%
    • The average in the EU27 was 2.2%
    • The UK was at 0.3% back in 2013

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org – click to enlarge

    [Sources: EU Commission Statistics Agency 19 Nov 2020, UK ONS Lifestyle Survey Mar 2013]

    Observations

    Over the years Brexit Facts4EU.Org has produced many reports showing the wide disparities between the member countries of the EU, from economic output to minimum wages to healthcare to workers’ rights.

    We have done so to highlight to the public that the UK is one of the most advanced nations in the EU and in the world. Our reports have been instrumental in countering the absurd Remain narrative that the world’s fifth-largest economy is somehow too small and insignificant to prosper as a free, independent, and sovereign country.

    The availability of an indoor flushing toilet in a house is a natural expectation for British people. Our latest report above shows how untrue this is for the citizens of some EU countries.

    If we may be excused…?

    As regular readers know, we spend seven days-a-week on very serious issues regarding the EU and the UK’s departure from it. We felt we should make the British public ‘privy’ to the EU Commission’s latest report.

    If today we have departed briefly from our serious tone in an indirect homage to the grand tradition of the ‘Carry on’ films, then we hope we may be excused….

    Right: Original 1939 wartime poster from UK Government

    Finally, the COVID crisis has impacted many people across the country, which in turn has resulted in the level of donations we receive from members of the public having dropped dramatically. Unfortunately we have no other sources of funding. If you have not previously donated to our work but are in a position to do so, may we appeal to you to help us now?

    Any donation – no matter how small or large – will help us to ‘carry on’ and see this thing through. Unlike the EU Commission we don’t ‘spend a penny’ on limos, long lunches, wine cellars, or plush London offices. Quick, secure, and confidential links are below this article, and you will receive a warm and friendly thank you email from a member of our team. Your support will be greatly appreciated.

    [ Sources: EU Commission | UK Office for National Statistics ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 21 Nov 2020

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    has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

    Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

    We think facts matter.
    Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

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  • VIDEO – Latest phase of Big Brexit Initiative takes off

    Yesterday’s open letter to Boris Johnson by Brexit organisations is flying

    SEE BELOW FOR CLICKABLE VIDEO – © Westmonster / YouTube 2020

    Facts4EU.Org presents latest Westmonster video on urgent call to PM to walk away

    Yesterday, Thur 19 Nov 2020, Boris Johnson received an open letter from the major Brexit campaigning organisations and influential individuals, urging him strongly to walk away from the trade talks from the EU if – as expected – the meeting of EU27 leaders produced no progress.

    EU Council meeting conclusions – UK-EU trade talks not even mentioned by President Michel

    There are now just six weeks to go until the UK exits the Transition Period. The UK-EU trade talks are still not remotely near a ‘Heads of Terms’ agreement, with the EU continuing to insist on fundamental demands which no independent country in the world could accept.

    Incredibly, in his formal remarks yesterday evening after the close of the video conference EU Council President Charles Michel did not even mention Brexit or the trade talks.

    This is despite the fact that this was the date by which the basic principles were supposed to have been agreed. Readers can see his remarks here.

    The EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, did not make any mention of the trade talks either, in her statement which you can read here.

    Even yesterday’s ‘deadline’ was as result of the previous ‘deadline’ of 15 October – set by Boris Johnson – having been passed. The EU itself had set its own ‘deadline’ of 31 October. It now looks like the next ‘deadline’ will be the EU Summit on 10-11 December – only three weeks before the UK exits the EU’s ‘Transition Period’.

    Big Brexit Initiative video by Westmonster

    An excellent summary of the latest Big Brexit Initiative has been produced by Michael Heaver and the Westmonster team, and this was released on YouTube yesterday evening.

    If the video does not appear in your browser, please click here.

    Within hours this video had already been watched 18,000 times, and it is likely to reach some 40,000 views in the next two days.

    In addition, Brexit Facts4EU.Org’s messaging yesterday about the open letter to Boris Johnson was the most popular in months, with some 60,000 views on the first day – despite no mainstream media coverage at all. We expect this to rise to over a quarter of a million, as happened with Phase One of the Big Brexit Initiative at the start of the month.

    Do something positive for Brexit – sign, print and send the letter to the PM today

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    What can ordinary voters do?

    We are urging all those who voted for a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom to stand up and be counted. If you would like to do something positive to help, there are two things you can do:-


    © No.10


    © Parliament

    You can find your MP’s contact details here.

    Observations

    There is one thing we know about those who run No.10. They have relied heavily on the outcomes of ‘focus groups’ in determining policy priorities. Now that Dominic Cummings – apparently a great believer in focus groups – has departed, there is an excellent opportunity to influence the PM by the exercise of people power.

    You may never have sent a letter to the Prime Minister before. Indeed you may well be out of the habit of sending letters at all. Today we ask you to do just one thing for Brexit. Please print off the letter, sign it, and send it to Boris Johnson. You may have to pop out and buy stamps and envelopes, but you will have done something worthwhile.

    Imagine if Boris received tens of thousands of letters in the coming days? It may not be the major factor in him breaking off the trade talks with the EU and preparing for full independence on 01 January 2021, but it might just be the tipping point.

    Please send a letter today if you possibly can.

    The Big Brexit Initiative has taken a lot of work.
    Let’s all leverage that to get a free, independent, and sovereign country back again.

    And if you can help us to keep going in these critical times with a donation – large or small – we really do need your help. Quick, secure, and confidential donation methods are below this article and you will receive a warm and friendly ‘thank you’ email from a member of our team.

    Remember, you will not be funding plush London offices, nor long lunches, nor taxis, nor expense accounts. Instead you will be making a contribution to the work of people who quite literally work through the night to bring you well-researched official facts which you would not otherwise see, and who initiate important campaigns to influence policy.

    Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Fri 20 Nov 2020

    Click here to go to our news headlines

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  • Brexit groups call for “Deal or walk, please Prime Minister”

    Boris Johnson strongly urged to walk away if EU doesn’t offer a normal trade deal today

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    Part Two of ‘Big Brexit Initiative’ – Strong message from Brexit groups, key individuals, and voters

    Today, 19 November 2020, the 27 leaders of the EU countries meet via video. One item missing from the agenda is the UK-EU trade talks, which were supposed to have been concluded by now – several times over.

    As Brexit Facts4EU.Org reported on Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s three deadlines for trade talks to be completed have all been missed: 30 June, 31 July, and 15 October. Following the very brief hiatus after 15 October it was then said the talks would continue until ‘early November’ with approval to be sought at the EU27’s meeting today.

    Today, with no basis for a deal in sight, the talk in Brussels is now of a draft deal being in place in time for the next EU Council Summit on 10-11 December – just three weeks before the United Kingdom exits the Transition Period.

    As a result, Brexit Facts4EU.Org has stepped up and has coordinated a combined letter to the PM. This letter is being sent to him today by the major Brexit campaigning groups, countersigned by a large number of significant individuals. We reproduce it below.

    Big Brexit Initiative – Letter to the Prime Minister No.2

    All logos are © of each organisation

    The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP
    10 Downing Street
    London SW1A 2AA

    19 November 2020

    Dear Prime Minister,

    Important message to you from the major Brexit organisations reflecting the views of millions of voters:

    “Deal or Walk”

    Prime Minister, it took the EU more than three years and eight months after the British people voted to leave the European Union before the EU was ready to even start talking about a trade deal. In hindsight, this should have told us all everything we needed to know.

    Three trade deal deadlines have now passed: 30 June, 31 July, and 15 October. This Thursday 19 November the EU27 leaders are meeting and it was hoped a deal would be ready to be discussed. Sadly the EU remains intransigent on fundamental matters which are entirely normal when dealing with an independent and sovereign country, and the UK-EU trade deal is not even on the agenda at its meeting.

    In light of the EU’s behaviour, the only reasonable and practical action is to call a halt. The United Kingdom cannot be trapped in negotiations where the other party’s priorities are not trade, but political ideology and the desire to see a departing country be damaged. The UK’s economic interests, jobs, and freedoms must now come first.

    The United Kingdom’s negotiating team led by Lord Frost has been immensely patient, and its efforts have been valiant, but enough is enough. No country in the World could agree to the EU’s continuing demands. It is not even remotely possible to ‘meet half-way’.

    We voted to Leave and to Take Back Control
    Prime Minister, it’s Time to Take our Leave
    This Thursday it must be “Deal or Walk”

    This letter is being sent to you by the Big Brexit Initiative – the grouping of major Brexit organisations, together with many key individuals – combined behind one message to Government. We very much hope you will act on it now.

    Yours sincerely,
    The Big Brexit Initiative of the major Brexit campaigning organisations

    The names of the Brexit organisations who have signed the Big Brexit Initiative are: Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Brexit-Watch, The Bruges Group, Get Britain Out, Global Britain, Green Leaves, Labour Leave, Scientists for Britain, Scots for Leave, The Time Party, Think Scotland, and Veterans for Britain.

    The Big Brexit Initiative – Phase Two

    The above letter forms Phase Two of the Big Brexit Initiative (BBI). Phase One was launched on 02 November and consisted of a letter to the Prime Minister and MPs, urging that the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration be rescinded and voided on the clear legal basis of the EU’s lack of good faith and lack of goodwill in the talks.

    The messaging for Phase One was seen over a quarter of a million times, and a great many people sent letters and emails to the PM and to their MPs. Today – urgently – we need the support of ordinary voters once again, for this very important new letter.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    What can ordinary voters do?

    We are urging all those who voted for a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom to stand up and be counted. If you would like to do something positive to help, there are two things you can do:-


    © No.10


    © Parliament

    You can find your MP’s contact details here.

    Observations

    On 24 June 2016 we were celebrating a victory. Within hours of the result being announced by the BBC, the EU Commission President had declared that the EU would not be amicable, and so it has proved. As result of the ideologically-driven antics of the EU, the country has had to endure nearly four-and-a-half years of hostility, sniping, prevarication, procrastination, bullying, and deep, deep frustration at the absence of a normal and reasonable trade deal.

    With no semblance of any trade deal in sight, it is now time to walk away. This is the message of the major Brexit campaigning groups to the Prime Minister today, and it echoes what voters across the country have been saying.

    We strongly urge all readers to print out and send the two letters today – one to the PM and one to your MP. By all means please email too, but remember: hard copies are harder to ignore.

    What’s the point?

    We sometimes see comments on our site and below our social media posts saying “What’s the point?” The point is very simple. If everyone took that attitude, how on earth could the PM and MPs know the strength of feeling out there in the country at large?

    We must tell Boris Johnson and all sitting MPs that these talks with the EU have gone on long enough. There is already precious little time for businesses, government agencies, and ordinary people to prepare for 31 December. For no-one to know the basis of the UK’s trading relationship in just six weeks’ time is a disgrace.

    The EU has behaved in a wholly unacceptable manner towards the United Kingdom and its people for almost four-and-a-half years, as we evidenced in a major 3-part Facts4EU.Org report which Brexit Facts4EU.Org researched and published on 12 November.

    The Government must now walk away and at the same time announce that it is rescinding and voiding the abominable Withdrawal Agreement (WA) as a result, thereby delivering what people voted for:  a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom. The WA was always predicated on a free trade agreement with the EU and as the EU has consistently acted in bad faith in this regard, the legal basis is clear.

    Please act today

    We urge all readers to act today. Please print off and sign copies of the letter to the PM and to your local MP, and post them today. You can also follow up by email, but remember: hard copies are harder to ignore.

    This is important. Thank you.

    We also need your financial help. Campaigns like this take an inordinate amount of time, because of the need to secure agreement from differing Brexit organisations. Brexit Facts4EU.Org is the organisation which has consistently undertaken intiatives like this.

    Please make a donation to our work today, to keep us going. Readers who have not already donated to fund our work (which involves no limos, no secretaries, no long lunches – unlike the EU Commission) could do so in a two shakes of a Juncker’s martini. Quick, secure, and confidential donation links are below this article. We only survive on public donations – unlike some Remainer organisations no foreign billionaires have ever funded us, sadly. Come to that, no domestic billionaires have ever funded us either…

    Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thur 19 Nov 2020

    Click here to go to our news headlines

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  • Pressure builds on Boris Johnson to deliver a true Brexit

    The ‘Big Brexit Initiative’ is quickly gathering momentum

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    Coverage grows for the campaign by 16 Brexit Groups demanding a clean Brexit from the EU

    Emails and messages continue to pour in from the public regarding ‘The Big Brexit Initiative’, launched on Monday. It has become clearer by the day that very large numbers of people are now behind this movement which urges the Prime Minister to stick to his election promises.

    Rumours continue to proliferate on a daily basis as a result of comments from unattributable EU and UK Government official sources that a fudged Brexit trade deal is moving ever closer.

    Following the launch of The Big Brexit Initiative, the popular YouTube channel Westmonster hosted by Michael Heaver published a video on YouTube on Monday. With over 40,000 subscribers Westmonster aims to bring essential Brexit news to its audience and some of its videos reach many times more voters than its loyal subscriber base.

    Readers can watch the video about the Big Brexit Initiative below.

    Observations

    Campaigns like this only work if we all act together

    The ‘The Big Brexit Initiative’ (BBI) has two main purposes:

    1. To highlight to the British public the clear and present danger of the Government continuing its current policy to keep the Withdrawal Agreement in place, regardless of whether a fudged trade deal is reached with the EU or not, and

    2. To persuade thousands of people to take direct action by writing to No.10 and their MPs about this unacceptable dereliction of manifesto promises made less than one year ago.

    The first point is important because the Remain-dominated media has hidden the true effects of the Withdrawal Agreement from the public. The United Kingdom cannot be a sovereign country if the Agreement stays in place.

    The second point is essential in order to show the PM that millions of voters will not be fooled by a fudged trade deal with the EU and with control of our country not having been taken back, as promised.

    You can read all about the ‘The Big Brexit Initiative’ here.

    It’s worth noting that unless people send letters and emails to the PM and their MPs, nothing will change. We really hope you will. If everyone leaves it to someone else, no-one does it. And then we can’t complain that the Government is ignoring public opinion.

    The Big Brexit Initiative took a lot of work.
    Let’s all leverage that to get a free, independent, and sovereign country back again.

    And if you can help us to keep going in these critical times with a donation – large or small – we really do need your help. Quick, secure, and confidential donation methods are below this article and you will receive a warm and friendly ‘thank you’ email from a member of our team.

    Remember, you will not be funding plush London offices, nor long lunches, nor taxis, nor expense accounts. Instead you will be making a contribution to the work of people who quite literally work through the night to bring you well-researched official facts which you would not otherwise see, and who initiate important campaigns to influence policy.

    [ Sources: Westmonster ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Wed 03 Oct 2020

    Click here to go to our news headlines

    Please scroll down to COMMENT on the above article.
    And don’t forget to actually post your message after you have previewed it!

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    Since before the EU Referendum, Brexit Facts4EU.Org
    has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

    Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

    We think facts matter.
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  • EU makes another power grab to take countries’ money and deny them rights

    EU set to to impose ‘Rule of Law’, remove veto, and change its own rules to do this

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020. Free to use, with attribution and link to https://facts4eu.org/news.

    EU prepares to cut off funds within 7 months if it doesn’t like a member state’s laws

    And these moves have relevance to ‘Brexit UK’
    after the end of this year – see below

    On Thursday in Brussels, the EU’s three main bodies – the Council, the Parliament, and the Commission – came together in their determination to change the rules of how they will deal with member states whose domestic laws the EU apparatchiks don’t like.

    Parliament negotiators reached a provisional agreement with the Council presidency on 05 November on legislation establishing a mechanism that would allow the suspension of budget payments to a member state violating what the EU calls its “rule of law”.

    The new procedures will only require qualified majority voting

    Currently the EU can only impose sanctions against a member state, including the suspension of membership rights, under Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union, if all member states including the alleged transgressors agree. This involves the principle of unanimity and means that an EU country can veto the proposed actions.

    Under the new procedures this would no longer the case. Arch-federalist MEP Guy Verhofstadt was delighted, saying: “Agreement reached on a proper rule of law mechanism! EU funds are tied to EU values… No double standards, no excuses”

    Here’s the EU Parliament on Thursday:-

    “The decision on the suspension will have to be taken by the Council acting by a qualified majority on the proposal of the European Commission.”

    What’s more, a country doesn’t need to commit an actual offence for the EU to cut off funds

    The new draconian powers now planned by the EU do not require a member state actually to commit ‘an offence’ which might involve EU funding. The EU will be able to take action merely if it thinks this is possible.

    Here is the EU Parliament on Thursday, 05 Nov 2020:-

    “Crucially, MEPs succeeded in keeping a strong preventive aspect for the mechanism: not only can it be triggered when a breach is shown to directly affect the budget, but also when there is a serious risk that it may do so, thus ensuring that the mechanism prevents possible situations where EU funds could finance actions that are in conflict with EU values.”

    Actions against a member state will be taken much more speedily

    Again, here is the EU Parliament’s report on Thursday:-

    “MEPs succeeded in shortening the time that the EU institutions will have for the adoption of measures against a member state, if risks of breaches of the rule of law are identified, to a maximum of 7-9 months (down from 12-13 months as initially requested by Council).

    “The Commission, after establishing the existence of a breach, will propose to trigger the conditionality mechanism against an EU government. The Council then will have one month to adopt the proposed measures (or three months in exceptional cases), by a qualified majority. The Commission will use its rights to convene the Council to make sure the deadline is respected.”

    The relevance to Brexit Britain and the Withdrawal Agreement

    For years the EU has been extending its legal powers in the way we have reported in its latest moves above.

    A good example of this is the Withdrawal Agreement it drafted, in collusion with the Theresa May Government and her civil servants. Regardless of any compromised trade deal which might be put together in the coming days, the Withdrawal Agreement guarantees the EU legal oversight over parts of the UK’s laws and parts of its day-to-day operations – both now and in the future.

    The EU wants this oversight (in its Withdrawal Agreement with the UK and in these new rules for member states) as a stick with which to keep awkward states in line with its authoritarian neo-liberal agenda.

    And this includes the United Kingdom.

    Tile right: © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020 – click to enlarge. Free to use, with attribution to https://facts4eu.org/news.

    The latest move by the EU on Thursday shows how the EU has lost none of its appetite for legal domination of its remaining members, and of the United Kingdom.

    Observations

    Year after year the EU has extended its powers and has made no secret of its ambition to become a superstate, subsuming all member countries into a monolithic bloc run from Brussels.

    Our report above is just one more example of how the EU is determined to rule everything in Europe, according to laws and directives devised by federal fanatics in the Commission and in the EU Parliament.

    Like most people, the Brexit Facts4EU.Org team loves Europe. We enjoy and celebrate the different experiences to be had when visiting different countries. Every year, thanks to EU apparatchiks, these differences diminish and so do some of the pleasures of experiencing life in free countries.

    It’s not too late to keep up the pressure on the Government

    At the end of this year it is essential that the United Kingdom moves as far away from the EU’s creeping, totalitarian homogeneity as possible. We really hope the UK can be a beacon of light to freedom-lovers everywhere.

    If you agree, can you please help us to keep fighting for a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom? You can do this by sending a letter to Boris Johnson and to your MP, as part of the ‘Big Brexit Initiative’ of 16 major Brexit organisations we organised last week.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

    What can ordinary voters do?

    We are urging all those who voted for a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom to stand up and be counted. If you would like to do something positive to help, there are two things you can do:-


    © No.10


    © Parliament

    You can find your MP’s contact details here.

    We also need your financial help. Please make a donation to our work today, to keep us going. Readers who have not already donated to fund our work (which involves no limos, no secretaries, no long lunches – unlike the EU Commission) could do so in a two shakes of a Juncker’s martini. Quick, secure, and confidential donation links are below this article. We only survive on public donations – unlike some Remainer organisations no foreign billionaires have ever funded us, sadly. Come to that, no domestic billionaires have ever funded us either…

    [ Sources: EU Parliament | EU Commission ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 07 Nov 2020

    Click here to go to our news headlines

    Please scroll down to COMMENT on the above article.
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    Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

    We think facts matter.
    Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

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  • Major new Brexit initiative will be announced TOMORROW

    Don’t miss Phase Two of the ‘Big Brexit Initiative’ – all details will be here

    © Brexit Facts4EU.Org 2020

    In tomorrow’s edition of Brexit Facts4EU.Org we will be announcing details of the latest initiative by major Brexit groups and significant individuals from the world of politics, business, and academia.

    This initiative is designed to ramp up the pressure for a clean Brexit, and to deliver a free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom on 31 December 2020.

    All details will be here. Don’t miss it!

    (If you didn’t catch it, Phase One of the ‘Big Brexit Intiative’ starts here.)

    Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

    Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Wed 18 Nov 2020

    Click here to go to our news headlines

    Please scroll down to COMMENT on the above article.
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    has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

    Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

    We think facts matter.
    Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

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