Whether You Voted Leave or Remain, Thank Goodness Nick Clegg Is Brexit Scrutineer-in-Chief

Whether You Voted Leave or Remain, Thank Goodness Nick Clegg Is Brexit Scrutineer-in-Chief



On June 23, the UK was divided into three groups: Leavers, Remainers and non-voters.

Now, we are all in one group: Waiters.

We are all waiting to see what the three Brexiteers - Liam Fox, David Davis and Boris Johnson - do next.

We are all waiting to see if the UK gets access to the Single Market.

We are all waiting to see if freedom of movement into the UK is scrapped.

We are all waiting to see if those trade deals we were promised will materialise.

But one person is not waiting, and that is Nick Clegg.

Remember him? The former deputy prime minister who helped prop up David Cameron as Prime Minister for five years in what became a near-fatal act for his own party?

After the 2015 General Election, Clegg laid low. When new Lib Dem leader Tim Farron dished out shadow portfolios, his predecessor was notably absent from the rostra.

Having been bruised by Ukip leader Nigel Farage in two TV debates on the EU ahead of European Parliament elections in 2014, Clegg kept a relatively low-profile during this year’s referendum campaign.

Indeed, when he stood up in Parliament and demanded an early election in the wake of Cameron’s resignation, many joked it was because he wanted an excuse to quit parliament completely.

But as of last week he is back in front line politics as the Lib Dem’s Brexit spokesman - and thank goodness he is too.

Whether you voted Leave or Remain on June 23, you should be pleased Clegg has taken on this role. His knowledge of the intricacies of Brussels is second-to-none. Before becoming an MEP in 1999, Clegg worked as European Commission trade negotiator. Thanks to his five years at the heart of Government, he knows how Whitehall operates. He knows how things are done abroad and at home.

At a briefing with journalists today, he released the first of a series of briefing notes on the various dilemmas facing the Brexiteers.

Today’s was focused on the UK’s access to the Single Market.

Does the Government distinguish between ‘access’ to the Single Market and ‘membership’?

If we are outside the Single Market, will the UK mimic the harmonised rules to make it easier to export to the EU?

Would the Government be prepared to pay in some money to the EU budget to get access to the Single Market, as Norway, Iceland and Switzerland do?

These were just some of the questions he flagged up.

Clegg also questioned why Fox was trying to sort global trade deals before he had settled the UK’s relationship with the EU. After all, any country seeking to sign a deal with the UK will want to know exactly what they get out of any agreement.

The same is true of World Trade Organisation rules. Some Brexit campaigners point to the fact that under WTO rules countries can’t impose punitive tariffs on the UK, but currently we don’t have our own status within the WTO as we are part of the EU. The UK needs to negotiate that agreement, as well as individual trade deals.

What happens to the UK’s financial sector, which currently benefits from “passporting rights” whereby banks and other businesses can offer their services across the EU from a UK base? Will that be secured? If so, how?

How does the Government plan to deal with Michel Barnier - the man chosen by the European Commission to handle Brexit negotiations?

These are not hypothetical questions designed to trip up Leave campaigners in the heat of the EU referendum debate.

These are legitimate, nitty-gritty concerns which both sides of the EU debate will want answers to.

It’s not as if Labour is able to scrutinise the Three Brexiteers at the moment. The party hasn’t even got a Shadow International Trade Secretary, and Emily Thornberry is having to double up as both Shadow Foreign and Shadow Brexit.

The Scottish National Party is too busy trying to convince everyone the UK-wide referendum result does not apply to Scotland, and so will be more focused on looking for loopholes than analysing agreements.

Clegg therefore finds himself in the position of Scrutineer-in-Chief as the Brexiteers get to work.

After a fairly terrible few years, this is the moment Nick Clegg has been waiting for.


http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/owen-bennett/nick-clegg-brexit_b_11220406.html

Uk has a seat at the WTO top table...


We can trade with eu without being in the eu and without being run by the eu.


And without open door immigration from the eu.

Yes Tommy.

But great news about Clegg, eh?

How is it good news to have this lying pro eu stooge anywhere near us leaving the eu...!?

Becasue I trust his judgement I guess? I've always rather liked him.

More fool you...


He was calling for an 'in/out' referendum on eu in 2008... but then changed it to only needing a referendum if there was any further fundamental treaty change with eu...


This being after the eu Lisbon constitution treaty was bundled through... which meant that changes could be done without treaty change...



And I have just shown how he is lying above...


Plus... have you seen his expenses lately...!?


Eye watering stuff!!!!

Yeah, there's no way the most vocal Brexiteers are getting what they really wanted out of this (no freedom of movement). For the ordinary Brit, this is going to be a distinction but no real difference.

It's about what the British people want...


http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-immigration-survey-idUKBREA0600F20140107

Tommy Monk wrote:It's about what the British people want...


http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-immigration-survey-idUKBREA0600F20140107

Let me just say, having looked into it pretty thoroughly, I really doubt the UK gets any kind of single-market access without conceding on free movement.

We will trade under WTO rules if it comes to it...


You have no idea what you are talking about!

Tommy Monk wrote:We will trade under WTO rules if it comes to it...


You have no idea what you are talking about!

I know exactly what I'm talking about. After all the economic instability post-Brexit, people are going to want some assurance that Britain will remain prosperous. That combined with Regrexit will give Clegg, May et al enough political cover to negotiate a Norway-style deal with the EU. At least, that's my prediction.

No you don't know what you're talking about or the implications...


We can trade with the eu without being in the eu or being run by the eu... and without open door to eu...!


Anything else is just an attempt to keep us in the eu.


Because it will involve being run by the eu!


Something we are fundamentally against!!!


It is obvious that you are being misinformed if you think otherwise!!!

You're off the mark, Tommy. The EU can grant or not grant trade access to its single market, which makes things a lot easier on businesses and is something the UK would benefit from.

However, the EU leadership has been adamant that the UK can't have access to the single market without allowing freedom of movement.

The UK may very well decide not to take the deal, but it would be harmful and stupid to do so. Then again, this is the UK we're talking about, so ... ?

We can trade with eu without being in the eu and without being run by the eu and without being party to open door free movement rules...


And may I remind you that eu free movement rules also allows huge non eu immigration too!!!


So definitely not happening!!!


You really don't know what you are talking about!!!

Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel....

Does anyone have an opnion about Clegg and what he's going to do?

Clegg will do what he usually does... talk shit!!!

eddie wrote:Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel....

Does anyone have an opnion about Clegg and what he's going to do?

Already voiced it. He's going to get something like EEA membership for the UK.

Tommy, I know you only like Farage but can we stick a pin in him for a minute?
What exactly is Clegg lying about?

Which will mean remaining in the eu...


Not happening!!!

Hahahahaha Tommy are you going to sit in your house and say "Nope. Im not going out of the house until we are firmly out of the EU!" ?

We are not out the eu while we are bound by eu rules taking precedence over our national parliament and democracy!


And ultimately it is only the repeal of the European communities act (1973) that will re-establish our national sovereignty and parliamentary democratic control over our country.

Ben Reilly wrote:

eddie wrote:Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel....

Does anyone have an opnion about Clegg and what he's going to do?

Already voiced it. He's going to get something like EEA membership for the UK.

No... That's what he is going to want... but that means remaining in the eu... something we have already voted to leave... so unacceptable!!!


The lib dems are irrelevant and clegg is completely superfluous!!!

The Lib Dem’s Brexit spokesman!!!