E.U. SEEKS TO IMPOSE 'HARD BREXIT'.

There's been much talk about the 'type of Brexit' that we in the United Kingdom want, but nothing whatsoever has been said about the European Union's desires.

Those in this country who desperately want to reverse the result of the referendum try to scare the rest of us with talk about a 'hard Brexit', without ever defining what they mean; of course, what they mean is that they want us to stay bound to the EU as closely as is humanly possible and preferably not to leave at all, while they see anything else as being a 'hard Brexit'. In truth, 'hard Brexit' means no more and no less than that the UK leaves the EU and all its stifling bureaucracy, though the diehard remainers make out that it's some sort of Armageddon.

The leadership of the EU, upset by the UK's decision to leave it, is torn between agreeing a realistic and mutually beneficial deal, and punishing the UK mightily for its temerity. We have been told that leaving will incur a huge 'exit bill' and that life outside can be nowhere near as comfortable as inside. We have been told that we cannot, under any circumstances, have the same deals outside as we have enjoyed as members of the Union. Ummm.

Now it seems that that some EU officials want to have their cake and eat it, while denying the same privilege to us. Last week, the Prime Minister made some proposals regarding the future arrangements for EU citizens living and working in the UK; this week, the EU parliament's chief negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, says that Theresa May's proposals are simply not good enough. He wants EU citizens to retain all of the rights they currently have or accrue prior to the effective date of 'Brexit', FOR EVER, which also implies that that they would retain the right to take any grievances to the European Court of Justice. This would be a 'hard Brexit' imposed by the EU on the UK or, put another way, a 'soft Brexit' for the UK.

So, while telling us that we cannot have the same rights and terms outside of the EU as in it, Mr Verhofstadt actually does want the same conditions to apply when it suits him. He should be told to GO TO HELL, or Strasbourg, if that's closer.