please empty your brain below
I wish you'd stop posting this silly brexit rubbish.

Angry Commenter 1 | 29.03.17 - 12:51 a.m. | #

Please stick to Bus Stop M etc rather than this non stop Brexit stuff.

Angry Commenter 2 | 29.03.17 - 12:52 a.m. | #

Here we go again... For gods sake, you lost, get over it.

Angry Commenter 3 | 29.03.17 - 12:53 a.m. | #

What utter nonsense. Get over it and move forward with the will of the people.

Angry Commenter 4 | 29.03.17 - 12:54 a.m. | #

Yawn, more anti-brexit crap from DG.

Angry Commenter 5 | 29.03.17 - 12:55 a.m. | #

Boo hoo, I don't like the election result so I am going to CONSTANTLY carp on about it. Change the f*ckin' record.

Angry Commenter 6 | 29.03.17 - 12:56 a.m. | #

I don't visit this blog to read this kind of thing.

Angry Commenter 7 | 29.03.17 - 12:57 a.m. | #

Not funny, interesting, satirical, or original. I'd stick to buses if I were you.

Angry Commenter 8 | 29.03.17 - 12:58 a.m. | #

Keep writing this drivel and I'll not be back!

Angry Commenter 9 | 29.03.17 - 12:59 a.m. | #

ah here we go again! o.k

"we" are/were not really fully in the EU to start with.

1) "we" didn't adopt the Euro

2) "we", being a island, also made it easier not to have the "totally open borders"

plus many people have far more important things to worry about than silly brexit

Grumpy Anon | 29.03.17 - 2:40 a.m. | #

The blog has become very meta recently...

Unlike the early 'commentators' I laughed a few times, nice list DG. As for the real March 29, 2019 who knows where we'll be.

Well, I'll still be in Brussels, though I know a few brits who won't be, and they aren't too chuffed.

Kevin | 29.03.17 - 7:21 a.m. | #

Yes, the Brexiteers have had a moan or three over the last four decades, but I've been amazed by the Remoaners response since June. Sadly I can see this continuing for years to come. The young Remainers will become old and tell their children/grandchildren how good it used to be when we were part of the EU.

| 29.03.17 - 7:37 a.m. | #

You forget to mention Gibraltar leaving what is left of the UK to join Spain and stay in Europe, to avoid the border being closed.
I feel very sad today to think I am losing all the privileges of being part of the EU.

John | 29.03.17 - 7:45 a.m. | #

@ John

"privileges of being part of the EU"

right...time to think of all the negatives we will get rid of!

E | 29.03.17 - 7:58 a.m. | #

Wouldn't be too upset if Scotland left - we wouldn't have to put up with that endless whining noise - 'it's not fair', while they demand yet another 'once in a generation' referendum.

Also come the 2020 election they could be a huge backlash - all this crap about May calling an early isn't going to happen after what happened in Richmond.

Still anon | 29.03.17 - 8:04 a.m. | #

@ John
For me, one of the great disappointments of the referendum campaign was the lack of anything positive coming from the remain camp. Anyone who has been alive, awake, conscious during the last 5 decades knows all about the negative side of EU membership. I was hoping for someone passionate about the EU to balance the argument and come up with good reasons for remaining. What privileges are you losing?

Richard | 29.03.17 - 8:17 a.m. | #

E, I have had a think as you suggested, and cannot find any negatives. Only benefits of being in.

I wonder if the "Daily Express" will still be around in two years time.
Unless it finds a new cause to campaign for, it may like UKIP begin go into decline.
Of course maybe the "'Express" will start a campaign for England to join the EU! once people begin to suffer from Brexit consequences.

John | 29.03.17 - 8:18 a.m. | #

I don't think there are many other things that could make me laugh out loud about this matter on this day - thank you DG.

btw, am I the only one to suspect that 'angry commentor' might be dg in disguise, taking the wind out of the predictable other angry commentors' sails? Or if not the blogger himself, then an ally in parody.

Sarah | Homepage | 29.03.17 - 8:32 a.m. | #

I preferred the Pound coin blog.

Petras409 | 29.03.17 - 8:33 a.m. | #

Privileges Richard,
Freedom of movement, not needing passport presentation for travel between EU countries.
Common currency, no need to exchange.
Right to vote in EU elections.
Open border at Gibraltar.
Open border in Ireland.
No trade barriers.
Opportunity to work anywhere in EU.
Peaceful relations between once warring nations.
No roaming charges on telephone calls.(soon).
Clean seas and beaches.
Workers rights.
Standardised mains voltage.
Compensation for delayed air travel within Europe.
Feeling part of a continent and not a little offshore island.

Plenty more.

John | 29.03.17 - 8:37 a.m. | #

Let's put Brexit in its proper context...a 40 year conservative plan to convert Britain from a social democracy into a right-wing state.

Paul | 29.03.17 - 8:41 a.m. | #

And the E111 card
Universal driving licence
As much cheap booze as you can carry home from Calais

Richard (not the same one) | 29.03.17 - 8:51 a.m. | #

I was half way through typing a heartfelt reply to Angry Commenter number 1, but I think that we have to search for more measured ways of persuasion from now on.

At least now that the Article 50 has been despatched I can commence my new lifetime role as a sort of anti-Nigel Farage - to campaign to rejoin the EU.

James | 29.03.17 - 8:54 a.m. | #

You had me until the 5:00 comment

Dredgie | 29.03.17 - 9:00 a.m. | #

Just think this could all have been avoided if our referendum rules had specified a 75% majority in favour (or even 55%).

popartist | 29.03.17 - 9:05 a.m. | #

because beinrg with others is always, always better than isolating yourself and thinking you don't need anyone to help you.

it's the same mentality as a trump in the USA saying that they're just going to make America great again and stuff everybody else.

The world is a better place when people look out for each other, and help each other - and that goes right from an individual level, up to a global scale with countries helping each other.

Please - go and ahead and call me a 'snowflake' as much as you like, because I am very happy being someone that has compassion, and knowing hat togetherness is always better than being alone.

Be part of something. Work together. Life is better when you're not on your own.

JM | 29.03.17 - 9:11 a.m. | #

Very timely - my son's Irish nationality papers arrived yesterday. (Thanks to my Dublin-born mother in law)

Application went in the week after the referendum.

Timbo | 29.03.17 - 9:15 a.m. | #

I can remember when we were not in the EU. The world never ended then and it won't end now or in 2 years. Deal with it or be angry for the rest of your life.

Boxer | 29.03.17 - 9:27 a.m. | #

It's DG's blog, he can write what he wants, always has and always will. Thanks DG for continuing to do just this despite advertising requests/the changing ways of social media requiring no more than 60 words per blog/the silly angry commenters xxx

not an angry commenter | 29.03.17 - 9:32 a.m. | #

It appears that leavers are more angry than remainers and not just on this blog. They probably realise that they didn't know what they were voting for and still don't and can't take the subsequent criticism. At least remainers voted for the status quo. Fill yer boots DG.

Running_Correspondent | 29.03.17 - 9:42 a.m. | #

Hear hear, DG. A sad day indeed.

All this "remoaner" nonsense - it's because it *matters*. To those who say "many people have far more important things to worry about than silly brexit" - just remember those words in five years time. So many things will be empirically, measurably worse as a result of Brexit. All those lies that were peddled - how long will it take for it to sink in?
- Trade: even if by some miracle nothing changes, everything we import now costs 10% more. We have a massive trade deficit that isn't going anywhere. To pretend this doesn't matter is ludicrous. And adding in any tariffs at all on that means everyones cost of living increases yet further.
- Regulations: I really hate having safe products manufactured in an environmentally responsible way. London's air quality is fine, stop complaining. And I miss the good old days of £100 roaming charges for accidentally leaving my phone on for an afternoon.
- Fishing: if you voted leave because you think that will magic fish back into the north sea then I have one word for you: lol.
- Immigration: will be "under our control" but won't actually change, as per the channel 4 interview the other day. Or maybe we'll swap European immigrants for Asian ones - fine by me, but if your friendliness towards someone depends on their skin tone then probably you'll object
- "Sovereignty": Westminster will be able to erode our rights more easily, and sell the people to corporations as Trump and co are doing.
- £350M a week for our NHS! Except that number was a lie, and there's no intention to spend more.
- Spending: if you live in Cornwall or Wales and voted leave, and like things like functioning roads, then you just chopped off your nose to spite your foot. You think Theresa May cares about what happens at the far end of a motorway from London?

I'm just so excited for this glorious future.

| 29.03.17 - 9:42 a.m. | #

Popartist, or 50% of the registered voters.

Boxer, I was rather hoping for spending the rest of my life in quiet desperation. Although I'm now verging on being a bit upset.

Julian Bond | Homepage | 29.03.17 - 9:44 a.m. | #

Sadly it is time to delete this blog, the number of posts about interesting visits has dropped to be replaced by this kind of thing week in week out and looks set to continue. IanVisits site is now much more useful.

Nicks | 29.03.17 - 9:57 a.m. | #

As soon as we're out, I'm going to start a campaign to stop Westminster from controlling our lives, and repatriate power to the people of Waltham Forest.Why should people in Clacton dictate the way we grow our bananas? And why should Australians decide what we print in our newspapers?

Brian | 29.03.17 - 9:58 a.m. | #

The major Brexit lie is that of 'us' 'winning back control', while a right wing Tory government quietly goes about dismantling the NHS, privatising our schools, raising the age of retirement, slowly removing 'free at the point of delivery', growing the gap between rich and poor, ending the right to own your own home, (and I could go on and on) whilst little Engerlanders whine on about 'WE' now having the right to do what 'WE' want (again!

Brian | 29.03.17 - 10:09 a.m. | #

The remainers might continue to moan, but why do the leavers get so angry about it? They won, for heavens sake, can't they lighten up a bit?

Anyway, I enjoyed this as much as any DG post, and more than some. I hope it was DG who wrote the angry commenters' comments; the rest is good provocative stuff.

Peter Cameron | Homepage | 29.03.17 - 10:09 a.m. | #

Seen from this side of the channel, it's always amazed me that the UK lasted this long in the EU
The UK whined and moaned for 40 years, when ever they didn't get special treatment.
Of course the main difference between 1975 and now is the amount of foriegn ownership of companies and firms.

Michael | 29.03.17 - 10:11 a.m. | #

Decades ago I travelled all over Europe by car.
Of course I had to buy and Insurance Green Card, and get an International driving licence, just to get ready to travel.
Enter France, passport check, customs check, have you enough Francs?.
Arrive Belgium, same again.
Move down to Italy. Passport, customs, money and petrol coupons which tourist had to buy in advance.
Go around to Spain, Passport, Customs get Pesetas.
Decide to go across to Gibraltar, there is a land border) border is closed so have to get a ferry to Tangier in North Africa, (Passport Customs check, money change), then another ferry from Tangier to Gibraltar!. Passport, Customs, money exchange!
I could go on, this is not made up, I have done all those things.
As another commenter posted much better to be united than isolated.

John | 29.03.17 - 10:23 a.m. | #

Sorry DG, this is truly boring. Please leave Brexit to the press, TV politics programmes etc and keep amusing us with bus stop M, trips from London, analysis of public transport in London etc.

Julian | 29.03.17 - 10:25 a.m. | #

Sorry DG, this is truly boring. Please leave Brexit to the press, TV politics programmes etc and keep amusing us with bus stop M, trips from London, analysis of public transport in London etc.

Julian | 29.03.17 - 10:26 a.m. | #

I'm pleased to announce that Julian will be joining the DG Board of Editorial Control, so you'll be able to read more of the kind of stuff Julian would like to read.

DG Board Chairperson | 29.03.17 - 10:33 a.m. | #

I remember talking to a close friend the day after the result of the EU referendum and knowing that he had voted to leave I asked him what made him come to that decision, he gave me three very firm reasons that swayed his decision, I then pointed out to him that none of the reasons he gave were actually anything to do with being in the EU and were all policies that were in place by the government of the UK and that leaving the EU would not affect those policies, this is what happens when you give uneducated people the power to make major decisions about the future of all of us.

Fishislandskin | 29.03.17 - 10:36 a.m. | #

To all those who cannot think of any negatives to being in the EU, look up myside bias or confirmation bias on Wikipedia.

Only God has any claims to perfection, and that is debatable. The EU (and the NHS and the BBC) is a modern secular religion, worshipped by people with empty lives.

Max Roberts | 29.03.17 - 10:37 a.m. | #

I enjoyed it, but there was much I did not understand.

- why burn effigies of Heath?
- will my UK passport be Blue? My Aussie one is blue - is this significant?
- why replace the lamps in the Mall?
- why do Sports Direct increase working hours?
- why will a 5p coin be a shilling (is this about inflation)?
- why do vacuum cleaners sell out?
- why a jam festival?
- why would Vera shake her fist at the French (I thought we were on the same side??).

Confused.

Antipodean | 29.03.17 - 10:47 a.m. | #

Brilliant. Some of your best work DG. Keep it up.

Lux | 29.03.17 - 10:52 a.m. | #

Excellent post. Tongue-in-cheek, yes, but in a few years we'll be able to compare the reality of Brexit with what we were promised and see how close to the mark some of your predictions were.

We shake our heads in sad amazement at what Trump is doing in America, but are blind to the fact that we are following the same path.
Despite being a part of Europe, I think we've always been more ideologically aligned to the USA. We are both belligerent nations.

Cornish Cockney | 29.03.17 - 10:54 a.m. | #

@Antipodean
- why burn effigies of Heath?
Edward Heath - Prime Minister 1970-74, brought us into the EEC

- will my UK passport be Blue? My Aussie one is blue - is this significant?
EU standard passport format is burgundy: older British ones were navy blue

- why replace the lamps in the Mall?
EU directive banning incandescent bulbs

- why do Sports Direct increase working hours?
EU working hours directive

- why will a 5p coin be a shilling (is this about inflation)?
pre-decimal name for one-twentieth of a pound sterling

- why do vacuum cleaners sell out?
EU directive on maximum power output

- why a jam festival?
Why not? Don't you like jam?

- why would Vera shake her fist at the French (I thought we were on the same side??).
Not when France was occupied by the Axis powers (the previous attempt at European unification!)

timbo | 29.03.17 - 10:58 a.m. | #

@ Timbo - thank you!

I was very confused. I thought the lamps in the mall were old gas lamps from the Victorian era and I was sure that 5p was effectively sixpence, not a shilling which I thought was 12p. I'm still not sure re the vacuum cleaners, I buy French jam and I might understand Vera Lynn now ... but I'm probably just to literal for a lot of this.

Antipodean | 29.03.17 - 11:12 a.m. | #

I think the jam stuff refers to something about food preparation if you are selling that food to the public - so home baking, making jam etc. for fetes and jumble sales.

Still anon | 29.03.17 - 11:17 a.m. | #

Keep up the good work DG..don't let the Leavers and their complaining wear you down. It's your blog, write what you want. It's still a free country despite the rise of the right..

Rick | 29.03.17 - 11:18 a.m. | #

DG this is a funny clever perceptive post - as so many of yours are. I laughed and laughed, although the subject is near the bone just now. Keep at it.

LondonPam | 29.03.17 - 11:25 a.m. | #

@ Antipodean - the reference to "jam" is because our Minister for Agriculture & Fisheries, the ludicrous Andrea Leadsom, said that the UK could prosper post Brexit by exporting jam. As if that will make any difference whatsoever. Ms Leadsom is also a right wing pro Brexit Tory and her jam comment shows all too easily the paucity of "thinking" from politicians of her ilk. Thank goodness her campaign for the Tory leadership collapsed largely because of the stupid words than came out of her mouth.

PC | 29.03.17 - 11:27 a.m. | #

@PC Oh, I see. I missed that! <makes note to do her bit for the Mother country and start buying English Jam if they ever import it here ...>

Antipodean | 29.03.17 - 11:38 a.m. | #

Not going to waste my words here (no point attempting discussion with those with closed minds on a subject), except to say that the jam one could be all those things suggested, but an alternative suggestion is that a few years ago now, Germany, France and Denmark amended the EU rules to state that a 'preserve' must contain at least 60 per cent sugar to be called a 'jam'.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/when-is-jam-not-a-jam-when-the-eu-says-it-should-be-a-fruit-spread-8536956.html

However, if one wants to sell into the EU from outside, one still has to comply with EU rules and standards, so we won't, in the future, be able to sell 'jam' that does not meet the EU regulations in to EU countries.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 29.03.17 - 11:48 a.m. | #

My God there are some miserable bastards up there. It's saddening to see so many "Get over it, we won" arseholes.

My 2 pennorth: really amusing, well done.

WaveyDavey | 29.03.17 - 11:49 a.m. | #

Ah. OK. That's why I buy French Jam (which I do note is called preserve now I think of it) because it actually tastes of Fruit and not sugar...

Antipodean | 29.03.17 - 11:51 a.m. | #

The two main demographic indicators for an increased likelihood of voting for Brexit were increasing age (anyone younger than 45 won't remember pre-EEC, and we all know about generational inequality) and decreasing educational level (because of course everyone with a degree is a member of the metropolitan liberal elite).

We are going to spend two years or more tearing ourselves apart, making ourselves and our European neighbours poorer and weaker. The Russians and the Chinese must be very happy. What a legacy to leave for our children, along with climate change.

Andrew | 29.03.17 - 11:51 a.m. | #

Great article. Of course, it won't really happen like that.

It's sure to be much worse.

Malcolm | 29.03.17 - 12:30 p.m. | #

Sadly, the huge backlash in the 2020 election will not happen. The press will have seen off the labour party. The lib dems will have self-destructed. Any new parties yet to be formed will just attract the ex-UKIP nutcases. So, unpopular though the tories will be, there will be no alternative available.

Malcolm | 29.03.17 - 12:42 p.m. | #

Of course the UK government is not the complete master of it's own destiny.
Since 1975 it's has sold off just about everything, railways, car companies, energy/water.

Michael | 29.03.17 - 3:24 p.m. | #

We need some lightening up, as the debates over the merits of leaving and staying are (a) over and (b) unresolvable. DG's timetable for two years hence (allowing of course for the Leap Year and someone blaming that on the EU too) will have something of truth when that day arrives, only the detail, locations and facts will be different.

The EU is bent, broken, battered and a bosses' club, but leaving won't mend it. Nor would making enemies of 27 other member states with Dave the Rsve making demands he could never have. There will be upsides to leaving as well as downsides, but no-one will report any of them fairly.

Truth and fairness have been the real victims of this avoidable farce. So we need all the larfs we can get.

Joel | 29.03.17 - 3:29 p.m. | #

Spot on.

Two Minutes Hate. Yup, scary.

Probably Hate Week as well.

Lorenzo | 29.03.17 - 5:29 p.m. | #

DG How dare you express your opinions...anyone would think this is your blog. Ah right.

;)

The UK now begins f*cking itself in slow motion for the next few decades whilst digging a UK shaped grave with a souvenir teaspoon.

daveid76 | 29.03.17 - 7:48 p.m. | #

I hope the comments are colour-coded / faded by tomorrow morning.

I do enjoy dg's passive response to the deviants and disgruntled among his readership.

louise | 29.03.17 - 8:08 p.m. | #

Thank you daveid76 and louise.

My views entirely.

Chris | 29.03.17 - 8:32 p.m. | #

I did wonder if triggering Article 50 was absolutely irreversible or not. This article in the Telegraph suggests that it can be reversed."The MEPs also make clear that Britain will be allowed to perform an about turn on its decision to leave the EU but this “cannot be used as a procedural device or abused in an attempt to improve the actual terms of the United Kingdom’s membership”. So perhaps things are not so irreversibly changed as has been suggested?

| 29.03.17 - 10:12 p.m. | #

A lot of people seem to have got the wrong end of the stick about what is a typical dg blog post.

He isn't being political, anti/pro anything - it's a lighthearted post with dg's thoughts on what might or might not be.

As a regular reader, I must say that I'm disappointed with the negativity of some comments. We all know dg's style of writing and that's what makes this blog so well-liked and what has made dg's blog one carry on for so long.

Let's all take a chill pill and look forward to tomorrow's post about something completely random. Please!

Rob Healy | 29.03.17 - 10:26 p.m. | #

A post can be lighthearted and deadly serious at the same time. I think DG has made it quite clear that he sees Brexit as a big mistake.

But of course, that does not mean that anyone with a different view should not read it, or should not comment accordingly, if they see fit. If DG wishes, he can delete the comments, and we cannot tell how often (if at all) he does this, but it seems to me that he is pretty tolerant of views different from his own being expressed.

Malcolm | 29.03.17 - 11:38 p.m. | #

Antipodean, when Australia decimalised the pound, the conversion was based around shilling -> 10c, so sixpence became 5c as you suggest, and £1 became $2.

British decimalisation, however, didn't replace the pound sterling with a new currency. £1 stayed £1, and a shilling (a twentieth of the pound) became 5p.

Jonathan D | 30.03.17 - 12:01 a.m. | #

@Malcolm
"If DG wishes, he can delete the comments, and we cannot tell how often (if at all) he does this"

I can assure you he does. His blog, his rules.

timbo | 30.03.17 - 12:06 a.m. | #

I feel everyone is ignoring the real issue here, which is that Mars Bars are not a Cadbury product.

Dominic Self | Homepage | 30.03.17 - 12:13 a.m. | #

Need the comment numbers to go up near the end of the month? Simple...just post something about brexit. Like to get people angry? Easy...post something about brexit. Want to prove how divide a people we are? Post about...brexit

Grumpy Anon | 30.03.17 - 2:12 a.m. | #

1.36: Mars sues Cadbury for passing-off...

Klepsie | Homepage | 30.03.17 - 7:30 a.m. | #

To Antipodean: I'll come clean, I too am an antipodean, having come to this country not far short of fifty years ago.

As to the shilling, well I went through "decimalisation" twice, as Australia did it in 1966 (the shilling became ten cents, and the sixpence, five cents) and Britain in 1971 (the sixpence survived for a short time as two-(new)-pence-halfpenny (oh yes, and there was a new halfpenny as well for a time). The 5p coin was the same size as the old shilling for some time until they reduced it to the tiny size we have currently.

Peter Cameron | Homepage | 30.03.17 - 9:12 a.m. | #

Oh dear, the pro-brexers are out. They don't like DG's post. Oh what a shame. You wouldn't be complaining if he'd posted a pro-leaving text. As for threats to never to read DG again - I'm sure he's terrified - I'll get your coats...

As for "will of the majority and all that" you seem to be forgettign that nearly half the vote was against brexit and no we're not going to shut up - wait til we're actually out of the EU and May has been unable to agree any deals - then the country will go tits up :P

red cardinal | 30.03.17 - 11:04 a.m. | #

DG you missed

00:00 May abolishes multi-party democracy in favour of one party state ;)

red cardinal | 30.03.17 - 11:08 a.m. | #

This was a great post by Diamond Geezer - maybe even surpassed his eve of EU referendum spoof on the aftermath. Provided some much needed satire to keep us going amidst the lunacy going on right now and triumphalist jingoistic headlines in the so called 'newspapers' at moment.

As for the outraged complaining Brexiters, they need to get a grip and stop lecturing Diamond Geezer on what he's allowed to put on his own blog. Maybe they'd be more at home on the Mail website's comments.

Keep up the good work Diamond Geezer and don't be bullied from putting up political posts on here.

Bill | 30.03.17 - 1:20 p.m. | #

I fear the UK will be in turmoil for a lot longer than 2 years. It will take generations for this poisonous issue to even begin to work its way through society and politics. There are far too many vested interests who have pushed us into this pending mess who will never believe they were wrong. Equally the opposition is not cohesive or properly politically represented. At some point that will change and will mean a far more focussed sense of opposition and argument. It will also take generations for the oldies who think the UK was only OK in the late 50s and 60s to die off and become compost. Of course those born after 2019 will grow in a UK outside the EU so will have different views again from those who will be their elders. And so the arguments and challenges will continue ....

PC | 30.03.17 - 5:01 p.m. | #











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