-
'Soft Brexit'?
Michel Barnier and Donald Tusk have always been clear that the Four Freedoms
are a package, and that cherry-picking of those you don't like is not allowed,
prompting the astute observation, that, whilst a Member of the EU the UK demanded opt-outs,
and once it deceided to leave it (impotently) demanded opt-ins.
mespilus-
I think you've misunderstood me. The idea of cherrypicking relates to a very specific thing the Brexiters were trying to do - all of the benefits, none of the cost. The EU were quite reasonably saying that you can't have access to the Single Market without taking Freedom Of Movement. That's cherry picking.
But you can absolutely choose your level of membership based on the level of 'cost' you're prepared to absorb. That's not cherrypicking, that's tiered membership and it's perfectly 'allowed'. Norway would've been relatively soft - in the Single Market for the Remainers, but out of the Customs Union, no more FoM for the Brexiters - to the point where I would've accepted it, and I think we could've coalesced around it.
But these ERG types are like a crocodile - you toss them a leg and they say 'the leg was nice, what about your arm?'. The subsequent extremification of the debate means it's not a realistc possiblity anymore.
ReekBlefs
Exactly. The issue is WITH 'the advice of the referendum result', not a failure to follow it. The mandate was never clear; May's red lines merely pushed the overton window to the right and resolved nothing; in fact it emboldened those of us who voted Remain to push back.
If we'd gone for a soft Brexit following the A50 vote, leaving the EU, losing our MEPs, and remaining in the CU/SM, remainers like me would've accepted it. I could even probably have handled leaving one or other of the CU/SM.
But when a hard Brexit is chosen as the only valid type, and anyone who disagrees is against 'the people', and there's no room for nuance, you're either with the ERG or against them, you can't blame MPs for not being able to come together on that. They're just reflecting the country.
MPs have their problems but failing to act on a clear mandate is not one of them.