Donald Tusk says Brexit deal looks impossible

[brooklynite]

Source: The Guardian

Donald Tusk has made a thinly veiled call for the UK to stay in the EU, suggesting the prime minister's historic loss in parliament left a deal looking "impossible".

As the scale of the defeat was announced, the president of the European council called for Theresa May to urgently clarify her next move.

Brussels had expected the prime minister to lose the vote on the deal she had agreed with the EU, but the size of the majority against - 230 votes - meant there was little hope of the agreement being salvaged.

Tusk tweeted: "If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?"

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/15/donald-tusk-says-brexit-deal-looks-impossible?CMP=twt_gu&__twitter_impression=true

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Just to be clear: this does not mean no Brexit. The clock is still ticking It means a "Hard Brexit", e.g. if the UK doesn't pull the plug, they leave the European Union with no deal and has to build diplomatic and economic relationships from scratch, leaving them in an incredibly weak bargaining position.

[jberryhill]

1. This is not going to go well

There are some 600 roads leading into and out of Northern Ireland to Ireland. When they are required to be shut, as they will be required to be at that external EU border, all hell is going to break loose.

[OhZone]

2. Build a wall?

NOT!

[jberryhill]

4. With guns and barbed wire....

Been there, done that. It didn't work well.

This situation has the potential to spark renewed violence which is a bonus for those who have orchestrated it.

[Johnyawl]

6. Renewed violence or...

...Northern Ireland leaving the UK. There is once again talk of that in Scotland.

[mcar]

12. It will be a disaster

[karynnj]

3. Tusk seems to be suggesting that someone have the courage to say what the only positive

solution is -- and that has to be no BREXIT. From context he says that a deal is impossible and that "no deal" which is hard Brexit is no deal is wanted by no one. Your description shows why hard BREXIT would be a disaster for the UK.

All over a non binding resolution very narrowly won. Lost partly because Cameron was pretty unpopular and no one thought it would win.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

10. Torys keep saying the referendum was the will of the people....

and speak of it as if it were cast in stone law.....all of which is typical right-wing bullshit.

In my view, the British people should be massively in the streets demanding the referendum be declared null and void because of the corruption and deception on the leave side prior to the vote. Russian and hard right-wing interference (overt and covert) was as bad or worse than our 2016 election.

The Brits should not have gone into that vote without complete research and public reporting of everything involved. In watching this prior to, and subsequent to the vote, it has been glaringly obvious neither British voters or their politicians knew what this would involve. It is extremely complex.

[Midnightwalk]

5. No problem

Last edited Tue Jan 15, 2019, 10:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Now they can go back and get a better deal with the EU instead of the weak one they wound up with. Any good negotiator knows all you have to do is insist on getting everything you want while giving up nothing. Just read the art of the deal for god's sake.

Even if they wind up with another incompetent negotiator and don't get a good deal they are obviously better off outside the EU. They then are finally free to negotiate trade deals with 100+ countries one at a time. Should be done before summer.

/s

edit: sarcasm for the sarcastically challenged

[GulfCoast66]

7. In these times you might want to add a sarcasm thingy.

It will be taken seriously by many.

[Midnightwalk]

9. Is /s not recognized on DU?

[GulfCoast66]

11. I got it. But some won't. Go the Smiles. The second page. You will see this..

Kind of the accepted way here. I knew it was sarcasm without the /s mark. But some won’t. And your low post count won’t help.

By the way, excellent post. And welcome to DU.

I am in the minority that does not call myself a progressive but still feel welcome and love it.

[jberryhill]

13. As a relatively new poster

First, welcome to DU.

Second, you take your chances with sarcasm here.

[GulfCoast66]

8. I heard a BBC interview with a strong brexiteer today

Who roundly critized May for her deal but blithely suggested that the UK just needs to go tell the EU in no uncertain terms what Brexit should look like. Of course favoring the UK in all aspects and the EU will accept it. My first thought...is Crystal Meth a problem in the UK too? The EU is prepared to leave the UK drowning with no life vest to be an object lesson to other countries.

Like Republicans they have come to believe their own talking points. And like here it will be interesting to see what happens when their straw man meets reality.