Wednesday 26 May, Mrs May and Mr Juncker had a dinner together with their Brexit negotiating teams. So far that seems to be the only undisputed fact. The rest of that dinner meeting is either “Brussels gossip” or scenes from a “different galaxy”. Allegedly, Juncker’s last words to the UK PM as he left were: “I’m leaving Downing Street 10 times more sceptical than I was before.” (eg, BBC, FAZ, FT, Guardian)
Mrs May might be an inexperienced PM but she is a seasoned Cabinet member since 2010. Claiming that something is “gossip” is hardly a denial. In many cases, gossip proceeds official announcements. The UK is famous for its “Divide and Rule” tactic. The approach of aggravating the multiple (27) opponents feels more like the opposite: “Unite and Lead”.
The UK wants to settle the rights of EU and UK citizens ahead of their 8 June 2017 election. The UK does not want to pay a “penny” for its voluntary divorce from the EU. The UK wants a trade agreement with the EU on top. The divorce analogy paints the following picture: Mrs May asks for a divorce, refuses to settle the joint bills, and then demands to become your room mate – for free. The daftness of this approach is sheer ridiculous.
The EU is (in)famous for its division. Mrs May knows that very well. She is probably aware of the following saying by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Divide and rule, the politician cries; unite and lead, is watchword of the wise”. The only way to unite the EU is by making them angry. Claiming a rebate, promising to settle in future years, and then refusing to pay the bill on departure, would make any innkeeper furious.
Refusing to pay the bill is a non-political move which is likely to provoke a digital response. The Dutch PM has said that the Netherlands, usually a close friend of the UK, will not pay a (Euro) cent of the increased UK’s Brexit debt of up to some 100 billion euro. Other countries have said something similar. The UK situation is very different from the Greek situation and the Dutch PM should be able to keep his promise this time around.
Leaving the EU and then demanding to get the best EU trade terms while not paying any contribution is almost funny. Why would anyone entertain such a request? It’s like the saying “all gain, no pain” and similar to a Living Apart Together relationship. In Dutch it’s called: “wel de lusten maar niet de lasten” or a WOP relationship.
I think, feel and believe that the UK PM might be running a fool’s errand but she is not playing a fool’s game. Unlike her Three Stooges or Three Brexiteers (ie, Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox), Mrs May knows what she is doing.
Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that Mrs May is sabotaging Brexit from the inside by her outrageous demands. Hence, the title of this series: Mrs May’s Machiavellian Moves.
Cosmic Girl (1996) by Jamiroquai – artists, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
She’s just a cosmic girl
From another galaxy
My heart’s at zero gravity
She’s from a cosmic world
Putting me in ecstasy
Transmitting on my frequency
She’s cosmic
0 Comments