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Kate's avatar

Brilliant as usual Paul!! Brexit should, and still could be very beneficial to us, it’s just a shame our politicians have been determined to undermine it at every opportunity!

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John Jones's avatar

Kate - tragically it's not just the politicians - who, in my experience, lack any real understanding of what Brexit means or could offer us ( ask any cabinet minister or MP the difference between the Single Market & a Customs Union, and you'll see what I mean) - we've also got the clerisey aka mandarin's of the civil service to deal with - they love the EU because it makes their lives easier - Starmer's reset is mainly aspirational tosh - the hard yards are still to come.

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John P Reid's avatar

Labour need to take advantage of it to renationalise water

But we need to stop the boats leave the ECHR HEA

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John Jones's avatar

Great piece Paul - not only is the EU undemocratic it's fundamentally a proto government that wants to strip nation states of control of their own destiny.

It uses regulation to force political alignment inc integration with its objectives - for the UK, it was an an historic anomaly to join as 45 years of a joyless, loveless marriage proved.

We need a government that uses the political power we have regaind based on the repatriated sovereignty.

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Sarah Beech-Poole's avatar

Excellent speech Paul, totally agree with you.

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Rob R's avatar

Well said Paul wholeheartedly agree

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Karl Stewart's avatar

That is a brilliant speech and article. Thanks Paul.

This article, and the policy points outlined in it, should be the Labour Party manifesto.

How do we get from here (i.e. the current floundering and directionless Labour Party) to there - a confident party with a robust social-democratic agenda like that one?

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Cattmint's avatar

Great one, Paul. Political stubborness and unwillingness to compromise it a massive fault that directly affects us all.

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Geoff Maine's avatar

Thanks Paul, for bringing clarity to the Brexit debate. It is a disgrace that our politicians have failed our nation by not taking advantage of the golden opportunity provided by leaving the EU.

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Daniel Teece's avatar

👋 Paul.

Am with you on the sentiment, I did find it odd that national governments (tory +lab +lib+snp) scream decentralisation on one hand while surrender power to eu .

I also think this is the reason of the decline of principaled politicians, they have no independent thought , they have to look at focus groups/ polling /advisors / committees (even the supreme court ) to come to a decision.

Even tho I opposed Jeremy Corbyn for 99% of his forgien policy, it's had always respected that on the eu he was consistent (Tony benn quote ) , then he said he voted to remain, which means everything he had said for previous decades was a lie or how he voted was a lie .

And to think no party tabled a motion to oppose the 2.8% payrise .....

I rest my case .

Great speech Paul and judging by the photo , you dont half scrub up alright 👍

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