You can actually see the gears in his head stop turning.
During a recent interview with Channel 4, Brexiteer John Whittingdale was discussing the recent developments in Westminster after Theresa May’s cabinet gave her a mandate to go to Brussels and try and renegotiate the Brexit deal – with an emphasis on the Irish backstop.
The EU and the Irish government have been steadfast in their assertion – as they’ve consistently been throughout the discussions – that there will be no compromises or renegotiation on the issue of the backstop.
The most recent statement from the Taoiseach said: “The Taoiseach set out once again the unchanged Irish and EU position on the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop, noting that the latest developments had reinforced the need for a backstop which is legally robust and workable in practice. The Prime Minister indicated that further consultations are taking place in London.”
Despite these clear statements being made, the pesky tendency that some MPs have of falsifying information and talking absolute bollocks about Anglo-Irish relations has continued.
For example, Gerard Batten, UKIP leader and MEP, was quick to delete his tweet which stated that “Here’s a fact about the Irish border. There are approx 100 lorries per day crossing the RoI & NI border. This accounts for 0.5% of UK/EU trade. One company accounts for 50% of these trips – that company is Guinness. And this is the false premise that is holding up Brexit”.
Facts, eh?
Anyway, after being informed by a Channel 4 journalist that the EU will not be renegotiating the Brexit deal, Mr. Whittingdale said that “there are others in Europe who are saying differently, that they (EU) need to listen to the prime minister”
At this point, the journalist asks Mr. Whittingdale if he can name these European politicians that are sympathetic to Theresa May.
“It’s somebody that I can’t pronounce, is the answer. There’s a member of Merkel’s cabinet and there’s a Pole” he said.
Whittingdale then reaffirms his belief that certain leading German politicians are interested in re-negotiating with May. He doesn’t name anyone.
With regards to an official line from the German government, this statement in support of the Ivory Coast Ireland is pretty clear.
Thanks to all our followers for spotting the mistake before we did. Fake news will never get past you guys 😉
We will not allow 🇮🇪 to be isolated on this issue. And we will continue to forge close ties with Côte d’Ivoire! https://t.co/h8xU1D3mv2
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) January 30, 2019
You can take a look at Whittingdale’s interview below.
“There’s a member of Merkel’s cabinet and there’s a Pole…”
Brexiteer John Whittingdale says there are some in Europe who “believe that [the EU27] need to listen to the Prime Minister”. pic.twitter.com/7wi48rJr87
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) January 30, 2019
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