the worm that squirmed

[mint]

I suppose that most on here have better things to do than to watch the select committee on Brexit live on TV this afternoon.  But I am possibly that lone "sad" person who did.

So, who is the worm?  It is one David Davies, secretary in charge of Brexit.  It is not my custom to call someone a "worm" but I couldn't think of a better word to describe the attitude of Mr Davies as he shifted and, yes, squirmed in his seat[:)]  Mind you, worms are innocuous creatures and do much good for our gardens so perhaps my comparison is not too exact.

Amongst other things, I learned that he now has 330 people working on Brexit, including EXPERTS and even people from "overseas".  And no one can forget the scorn in which government ministers managed to pour into that one word "expert" claiming that they all know next to nothing.

Never have I seen someone cough so much, fidget so restlessly, pour himself so many glasses of something or other from a flash, twiddle so often with his spectacles taking them off and putting them on, um and ah and generally look so shifty and worm-like.

Can he tell us if he wants to remain in the single market?  What about the customs union?  Is he building up a working relationship with the 27 EU members?  Does he envisage that the devolved governments could have an adapted form of Brexit relevant to their slightly different status to that of England?  Will there be a hard border between the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland?  What does he understand by "a hard border"?

No wonder the poor chap looked about to wish that beneath his chair, there was some sort of worm -hole for him to craw into.

This is all said in levity, BTW.  I found it a bit surreal and quite entertaining..........which I am sure says more about me than the hapless Secretary for Brexit.

Let's hope he puts up a better show when he goes to Brussels to er........iron things out!  Lovely phrase that, suitably vague for what I could only describe as extremely vague answers[geek]

[AnOther]

I didn't watch it but I've seen him on the news this morning, how I wonder does somebody revel in the title of 'expert' when the subject is unique and entirely new and novel ?

Perhaps sadder still I sort of watched some of the coverage of the Supreme Court appeal proceedings !

It doesn't surprise me that much though, it was a deadly poison chalice to be handed and an ongoing example of how shamefully unprepared the government had been both for the referendum itself and the outcome. Much if not all of this should have been considered and thrashed out BEFORE not after and pathetically parroting the "Brexit means Brexit" soundbite is an insult as six months on still nobody knows what it actually means.

On the other side of the coin on Question Time a week or so ago, the one with that odious turd Farage on the panel, characterised along with Trump by the wonderfully acerbic Will Self as "grubby opportunists", Brexit naturally came up and one woefully naive - but likely not atypical - Brexiteer in the audience rated on that there was no need for any negotiations at all and that the UK could and should have left the EU pretty much the day after the the vote as if it were some sort of dissatisfied supermarket shopper ripping up their loyalty card at the till then sticking up two fingers as they stormed out slamming the door behind them !

These are some of the folk who have set UK on it's path for the foreseeable future.

The ultimate irony is that if the government lose the appeal, as they surely must, then the only other course open to them is an appeal to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg !

[Lehaut]

All this talk of a "smooth exit" and the constipated state of these "experts" who are all full of it, makes me think a good dose of castor oil is the only way they will achieve said exit.

The "it will be fine" attitude is one most people live their lives by, so we should not be surprised.

[Gluestick]

David Davis is a good man; placed in an unenviable and tenuous position.

Interesting comment here:

As I stated at the time, if anyone remembers, the negotiation over the Brussels Nomenclature took a very long time to argue, discuss and agree. And this was simply the gradual alignment of customs tariffs et al, during the run in period from 1973! Which agreement evaporated once the UK gained full membership some years later.

The core problem with the EU parliament is its size and the constituent nation members.

And that is after (when!), Britain's motley collection of fools, comedians and charlatans might agree.

Personally, Minty, I have no time for select committees. I cannot ever remember one reaching a meaningful conclusion and parliament acting in accord. They are a mechanism of pretence democracy aimed at making MPs feel uber-important. Same as idiot local councillors, worming their way onto an important committee (say planning) for which they receive even greater amounts of our hard won council tax to waste!

Margaret Hodge, ex-chair of the Public Accounts Committee used to bang on lyrically over tax avoidance etc. Only problem being, of course, her father, who founded a steel empire,

Quote:

"The family moved to Orpington, London, where the Oppenheimers started their family-owned steel-trading corporation Stemcor.^[9] This is still a privately held company,

which is today one of the world's largest privately-owned steel

companies, achieving an annual turnover of over £6 billion in 2011.^[10] Dame Margaret is still a major shareholder, listing her holdings in the Parliamentary Register of Members' Interests.^{[11][12][13][14]} Stemcor was run by her brother, Ralph, until September 2013.".

Source:

Hodge owns a nice wodge of shares and is a millionairess. Her father, of course, avoided taxes like the plague!

Still by the time the EU parliament have naffed around for a few years; and the UK government have finished making Brownie Points against each other, in all probability, the Euro will have imploded, with the present growing dissent, the EU will have partially collapsed and Britain will be skint!

My own self-extended aphorism on government is:

A Camel is a Horse designed by a committee. Left to governments, the result is a three-legged dead camel!

[:D]

[AnOther]

[quote user="Lehaut"]a good dose of castor oil is the only way they will achieve said exit.[/quote]That would be EU approved castor oil of course, preferably administered as a suppository [:-))]

https://echa.europa.eu/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.099.082

[Lehaut]

AnOther wrote

That would be EU approved castor oil of course, preferably administered as a suppository.

In that case, to get round the regs, can I make it Castrol R -at least that smells nice ;)

[woolybanana]

Particularly poured over the Xmas pud?

[mint]

[quote user="Gluestick"]David Davis is a good man; placed in an unenviable and tenuous position.

[/quote]

"placed"?  So he had no choice than to accept?  Mrs May held a gun to his head or held him by the @@@@@@s?

I am just waiting to see which of the so-called 3 musketeers (ie Messrs Johnson, Davis & Fox) will be the first to resign or be sacked.

[Gluestick]

I would suggest, Minty, the role Davis accepted and what he is now faced with, are two diametrically opposed realities.

Have you seen Martin Schultz's comments on all this, of today?

And Guy Verhofstadt's?

I am not at all surprised.

The rats trying desperately to keep afloat the sinking ship, by compelling the electors to man the pumps whilst the honchos swig fine wines, ride in their EU funded limos and the rest.

[cajal]

'Margaret Hodge, ex-chair of the Public Accounts Committee'

What a repugnent person. Excuse me whilst I throw up.

Putting aside her menshevic policies while leader of Islington council from '82 until '92 (I do speak with authority as I lived there during her reign) this woman also presided over this scandal. Her 'next door' borough neighbour mp Jermy Corbyn also 'cocked a deaf one' when challanged over the same scandal. Now hang on a minute 'cause it gets better. In 2003, the then prime minister, Tony Bliar (an ex resident of Islington) appointed Hodge (then mp for Barking) to the position of, wait for it.................... minister for Children. You couldn't make this stuff up. If you've followed the 2 above links you will see where I'm coming from.

So, summarising, Islington is a great place to live, 10 minutes to the City, 10 minutes to central London and the West End due to its excellent transport links. A truly cosmopolitan and diverse group of residents and restaurants plus it is home to Arsenal FC, although I am not a supporter. So that then only Ieaves the people who run and politically preside over Islington. Checkout all the names I've mentioned above, not forgetting to add Emily Thornberry the now mp for Islington south and you can begin to understand what is wrong with socialism. The people it attracts.

So, for those who perceive David Davis to be a worm then the above mentioned can only be described as being  lower than a snakes belly. Shysters, the lot of them.