A once-proud
country slowly sinks under the waves – and the rest of the world stifles a
yawn….This is the news brought back from their recent visits to what the Brits call “the continent” by two writers I value. The Brexit Blog is about the
only thing worth reading on that topic and is crafted by organisational
theorist Chris Grey - who was the first this week to bring
back from a visit to France the news that few people in Europe find the subject
of the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc of the slightest bit of interest….
We were always “semi-detached” – at least as a political class – people may regret our going but it was not a great surprise……..So “bring it on” – and sooner rather than later - is the general attitude of the European political class.
We were always “semi-detached” – at least as a political class – people may regret our going but it was not a great surprise……..So “bring it on” – and sooner rather than later - is the general attitude of the European political class.
Andrew
Rawsley writes a weekly column in The Observer and confirmed
that with today’s piece
The last few
weeks have seen quite
a bit of parliamentary drama but the hard reality of Brexit (of whatever
form) now looms – and the hope many had a year ago that the whole thing would
go away now looks an increasingly forlorn one….Exactly a year ago, a
knowledgeable (if disgraced) politician even published a book with the title Brexit
– no Exit; why (in the end) Britain won’t leave the EU; (2017).
Britain’s
“negotiating” tactics have been, it is widely recognised, hapless – if not
offensive – reflecting not just the divided counsels inside “government” but a
total lack of preparation and conviction…..And the longer the farce has
continued, the more it has reminded the Europeans of what a bloody nuisance the
Brits have been in the “project”. Better, they think, that we should piss far
away from the tent……
Even
left-wingers are recognising this – see this week’s initiative - The Full
Brexit
Although this 300 page book from University College London Press - Brexit and
Beyond – rethinking the futures of Europe - gives a more measured treatment..
Coincidentally
this was the week Owen Hatherley (author of Landscapes
of Communism) chose for his new book TransEurope
Express on what the changing shape of European cities tells us about their
respective visions….
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