The laughing stock of the world and a joke around the capitals of Europe

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/19/uk-caves-in-to-eu-demand-to-agree-divorce-bill-before-trade-talks

UK caves in to EU demand to agree divorce bill before trade talks

This conservative government and the ConDem coaltion before it, have managed to wreck many sectors of industry predominantly but not exclusively in the public sector and have created divisions within society between the have's and the have nots. Twelve months ago, a referendum was called, essentially to placate the anti Europe group within the conservative party, which has been a headache for conservative Prime Ministers for decades and as an acknowledgement to the growing influence of UKIP. The great miscalculation was that David Cameron and his government blindly believed that the British people would vote to remain as members of the Eurpoean Union and had no plan for what would happen or how they would govern if the people decided to leave. Brexit.

Since the referendum result, the government has lurched from crisis to crisis culminating in the disaterous (for them) result of an ill timed and totally unnecessary General election which failed to produce the huge overall majority which Theresa May had bargained on and the press and her own back benchers had predicted. Since June 9th, the government has floundered around in a sea of confusion and ineptitude seeking to form a wafer thin majority in in the House of Commons, by cobbling together some form of grubby backroom "arrangement" with the distasteful DUP and failing,so it seems to manage, even that. The United Kingdom is the laughing stock of the world and a huge joke around the capitals of Europe and amongst the 27 EU Countries.

It therefore comes as no surprise that on the very first day of Brexit negotiations, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier, made it clear that Britain was in no position to dictate the timing of the negotiations. David Davis has capitulated to the EU demand for " a phased approach to Brexit talks" and has agreed to defer discussions on free trade until the " cost of the multibillion-euro UK divorce settlement" has been finalised. Until as recently as last weekend, the government had insisted that this would not be the case, but has now perfmed anothet 180 degree about turn and in less than 24 hours has caved in on a key element of the United Kingdom negotiating position. This is the way that Prme Minister Theresa May conducts her government. Announce a policy, or in this case a negotiating position, and then perform a huge U Turn, leaving ministers and others stumbling around in a fog of confusion and disbelief.

David Davis has been at the "negotiations" for less than 48 hours. It is going to be a very long and very humiliating two years for him until the Brexit negotiations are finalised. Provided of course that he, this government or the negotiations, last that long.