MAY TRIES AGAIN, CORBYN SIMPLY OBSTRUCTS.

As Theresa May sets off to have further, probably fruitless, talks with the bully boys of the European Union, Jeremy Corbyn, while pretending that he might support the Prime Minister, has set down what are referred to as Labour's '5 Demands'. 

That Corbyn's demands fly in the face of the expectations of those who voted for Brexit seems to have been forgotten. Effectively, they 'demand' that the UK remains so close to the EU as to not really leave, remaining in a customs' union and closely aligned with the 'single market', thus making an independent trade policy a non-starter. Additionally, Corbyn wants the rules applying to workers to remain tied to those of the EU, apparently regardless of how insane they are or whether the UK might prefer to be even more generous. His other demands are probably less contentious, wanting the UK to continue to participate in certain EU agencies and continuing to play a role in the EU's security arrangements.

Being a lifelong Eurosceptic, Corbyn is clearly playing a political game designed to keep his own party onboard an, at the same time, make life as difficult as possible for the Prime Minister while appearing to be reasonable and cooperative. He has only one aim in mind and it isn't achieving the best outcome for the UK, it's gaining power.

Listening to the various pundits who have been 'analysing' every word, phrase, nuance, cough, smile, frown and even sneeze, one could be forgiven for believing that Mrs May is about to betray Brexit and betray Remain, both at the same time, while the EU will remain utterly intransigent, is on the point of caving in or is preparing for anything in between. There's been a suggestion that yesterday's disgraceful outburst form Donald Tusk was a smokescreen and precursor to EU concessions; who knows ?

Given the way in which the representatives of the EU have acted over recent months and how intransigent, rude and bullying they've been, let's not forget that Tusk's outburst follows on from Juncker's comments about Theresa May being 'nebulous', I'm almost coming round to the view that a second referendum might not be a bad idea, although the demands for this seem to have abated. If such a vote was called, the Leave side would surely need to do no more than broadcast clips of the various EU bureaucrats, as well as national leaders such as Macron or Merkel, being their usual unpleasant selves. Leave would win in a landslide.

So much for fantasy. Whatever will Theresa May achieve from this latest visit to the superpower that is Belgium ?

STURGEON, CABLE AND CORBYN - AN UNHOLY TRINITY.

Now that the Christmas break is over, politicians have been getting back into the swing, reiterating the same tired old policies they've been promoting for what seems like ages.

From Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon witters on about keeping that part of the United Kingdom "at the heart of Europe" whatever the outcome of the Brexit process. Err, excuse me Ms Sturgeon, but when the UK leaves the EU, Scotland is part of the deal and there will be no separate treaty between Scotland and the European Union. Scotland will be in exactly the same position as the rest of the UK, that is, OUT of the European Union. Sturgeon also seems to think Scotland has an immigration policy that is separate from that of the rest of the UK - it doesn't. As usual, Ms Sturgeon has talked a load of old twaddle aimed specifically at her likeminded, independence-motivated supporters.

For the Liberal Democrats, septuagenarian waffler Vince Cable (remember him ?) reiterated his pet policy of stopping Brexit through the mechanism of a second referendum. Cable is, of course, one of those who really doesn't like the idea of Brexit at all believing that remaining under the control of the bureaucratic nightmare of Brussels is far better than abiding by the wishes of the British electorate. While his party may style itself the 'Liberal Democrats', Cable is neither liberal nor a democrat when it comes to Brexit.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Her Majesty's Opposition, though exactly he got the job is something that's still a bit of a mystery, has trotted out his usual platitudinous tripe. The system is wrong, the Conservatives have made a mess of things, Britain's got talent, millions are struggling, many receive low wages, the old are being neglected and so on. Corbyn's solution to all of this is that Labour will fix it through a "radical alternative"; Labour will "stand up to the wealthy few so that the wealth …. is shared fairly". They will "work to create a society where the talent of everyone is unleashed" and they will "rebuild and transform our country". Wow ! What high minded ideas, but without the slightest hint of how all this will be achieved. Anyone who remembers the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s will be well aware that a Corbyn-led government would result in grotesque rates of tax, rapidly rising prices and interest rates, a return to the days of union power, strikes and company failures and a general collapse in our economy. High ideals - maybe; realism - definitely not.

At the time of writing, Theresa May has yet to tell us of her thoughts about the next 12 months but one can imagine that it'll be the same tired old drivel from her too. Can no one rid us of these turbulent, egotistical, self-serving politicians ?

EU REFERENDUM : IT AIN'T ALL OVER 'TIL THE FAT LADY SINGS !

As the dust clears, it is also becoming clear that some pro-EU campaigners have not given up hope of keeping the UK in the Union, come what may. In particular, that well known champion of democracy, Tony Blair, has said that the UK should 'keep its options open' and suggested that, while Parliament has a duty to act in accordance with the will of the people, that will could change.

Blair has been careful to hedge his remarks with so much waffle that he could, if it came to it, claim that he was doing nothing but expressing an opinion about the overall position, without suggesting that there should be any back-tracking over the referendum result. However, knowing how attached he is to the political status quo and his own best interests, his weasel words can be interpreted in only one way. He is laying the ground for a second referendum or, even, for the possibility that Parliament simply ignores the original result citing changed circumstances, an unacceptable exit negotiation or some other manufactured nonsense as reason.

There is, undoubtedly, a move afoot to find a way round the inconvenient result of the referendum, exactly as there was in previous referendums in other EU member states. On several occasions, countries have got the 'wrong result' in referendums and their governments have simply held others until the 'right result' was achieved. Brexiteers should be under no illusions; the referendum result was far from the final act in this saga. In fact, unless we get a genuinely pro-exit Prime Minister and get on with the process of leaving 'tout suite', we may well never leave.

You have been warned.