Was that on Radio 4?
I laughed out loud when he could not answer the basic question put to him by Humphrys about the government's objective.
Then I sobered a bit and realised just how shocking and perilous this is.

Here we are, potentially just three months from triggering A50, and we have a prime-minister who seemingly doesn't know (or won't tell us) whether she wants us in the SM / Customs union or not.

Profound.

How you Brexiters get your reputation I just cannot fathom.

Sorry but you need people who know what they are doing. Lets put it this way you believe in Brexit and want it to work, does that make you suitable for the job ?

Indeed - The Today Programme.

Humphrys was just incredulous and Jonathan Powell was actually laughing at his utter ineptitude. The man is an utter tool.

I had thought I was moving to his constituency shortly - I've just looked it up, and it starts in the next street. Shame. It would have been two votes against him.

They want a fall guy, they thought they had one but he resigned. This really has wrong footed May and her government, the response from government, well there has never been a time when so little spoken has described so much.
It's turning into a better New Year than I could of hoped for. Lambs to the slaughter, well at times you have to be cruel to be kind, this is one of them.

I'm in two minds.

Do I want the country's very best diplomats / negotiators on this?

Or, do I want the bottom of the barrel after everyone else decides to bail out?

One is good for the country, one is good for a laugh.

Given that Brexshitters seem to want the country to go head-first into this disaster and refuse to listen to reason, logic or fact, I want to think the latter...

I'm in the same place. I would dearly love to see those smirking delusionists get their comeuppance - but we will all suffer as a result.

Seeing as I've battened down my hatches, will very shortly be mortgage free, I can probably weather it OK and be a giggling spectator. It's the youngsters I feel so sorry for.

When an ice-cold Mandarin like Powell can't stifle a guffaw of derision, you know we're well and truly screwed.

Unfortunately many Brexiteers don't care about the economic storm because a high proportion of them are pensioners with no mortgage to worry about paying or job to worry about losing. And their index linked pension increases will protect them to a large extent from rising prices.

He's not capable, as his previous advice in negotiations last year proved.

Is he the Blairite guy? Presumably a staunch remainer and therefore more than willing to do an amazingly convincing fake laugh as I'm sure it totally wasn't, or am I mistaken?

What's probably been the kick in the balls for the government is the EU saying we won't be getting any deals. the EU has basically said take your money and go.

Which will delight the hard brexit gang but where are these epic and amazing trade deals Europe would be begging us for? they have simply in no uncertain terms just told us to **** off!

Now I don't know what is worse, the EUs attitude with us over this or those Brexit supporters in denial about what is happening.

I listened to exactly the same 'Today' interview on Radio 4 this morning.

Iain Duncan Smith came across as breezy and optimistic. But then seemed flustered when John Humphrys asked more direct questions on the single market, customs union and government objectives.



I think Mrs May does want to take the UK out of the Single Market and Customs Union. And the sooner she tells this to voters and business, the less painful the consequences.

Brexit was created by Tories. The Brexit deal is for the Tories. Brexit's political, social and economic consequences will affect us all.

Politically, things will get worse before they get even worse.

January 2017 - Surpreme Court ruling - could lead to Daily Mail and voter backlash. Expect calls for elected judges or Tory ministers replacing judges in certain court cases

March 2017 - Article 50 triggered amid much Tory Union Jack jingoism. Possible reaction in financial markets ? If Article 50 is not triggered, Mrs May and voters will blame judges, MPs, House of Lords or anyone of the 48% who voted to remain. I voted to remain and also live in Islington - so I am prepared to get a double blame. I guess that's democracy these days: blame replacing choice.

May 2017 - Great Repeal Bill - confirms that in future, ministers (not parliament) will decide what EU laws to repeal. Your elected MEP had a say in EU law making. But from now on, it will be a Tory minister.

early June 2017 - Mrs May's 'have you cake and eat it' Brexit objective rejected by the rest of the EU. UK government walks out of negotiations with EU and returns home to jubilant & patriotic crowds.

23 June 2017 - first anniversary of referendum. Judges, parliament and remoaners demonised. UK government back in London, after walking out of negotiations. 22 months to avoid Mrs May's dreaded cliff edge.

Let's face it, there can be no plan because it all depends on what the EU is prepared to let us have - and they won't be in the mood to do us any favours. Mrs May is going to look very silly if she tells everyone what she wants and the EU says no.

Brexiteers think the EU will have to make a good trade deal because of the amount of goods we buy but we will be negotiating heads of 27 different governments not a car manufacturer and the political considerations will be paramount.

Sorry but just because you dont get what you want when dealing with negotiations, does not mean he was not capable, if you think by going into negotiations and acting like some kind of dictator will get you what you want, you are living in a dream world

All the more reasons to get out of this farcical little club.

What precisely was his advice. Maybe you could point me to a document.
Or is this another "smear the person when all else fails" tactic.
I hope not because it is never a sign of a top intelligence.

You make some very chilling predictions, Nick, which could well come about. If they do I can foresee big trouble right across the country, in the workplace, the streets, pubs, clubs, factories, shops, banks, businesses, schools, colleges, universities and worst of all within families. The results would be catastrophic for the unity of the country and social cohesion. Judging by some of the comments on this and other political threads the 'leave' element are quite prepared to purge the UK of any dissenting opinions which is very disturbing - so much for free speech. I hope I am wrong but I am concerned that my poor old country is drifting towards being ungovernable, with social unrest and civil strife likely. All because of lies, bigotry, racism, stupidity, ignorance, arrogance, greed and extreme nationalism. Heaven help us all. Our forebears would be deeply ashamed of what is going on and wonder why they were sacrificed for nothing. Get a grip UK before you self-destruct!

Because Cameron came back with an embarrassing deal that didn't convince or sway the electorate.

So you dont want negotiations then ?

The deal that would have swayed the electorate wasn't possible because the rest of the EU wouldn't agree to it. You can play musical chairs with your civil service as much as you like, that fact isn't going to change.

A deal that included an opt out on the most contentious thing (ever closer union), and adds to our already massive pile of opt outs and special treatment.

We could basically pick and choose the bits of the EU that we wanted, we got the good and none of the bad. But instead some of us chose to throw that away for an utterly poor position.

We've gone from being chairman of the board to being a minority shareholder with no voting rights, who won't even be allowed into the AGM - and the rest of the board are laughing, wondering why we are voluntarily doing this

Good to know in this era of change you can still rely on IDS being barking mad - according to him Rogers isn't God.

What do Brexit supporters think Sir Ivan would have done in the negotiations though? Sell the UK down the river or even try and sabotage Brexit and prevent it from happening?

Who can have forgotten many brexit supporters reaction when British judges upheld British law and the British parliament?

All that talk about taking back control and allowing British courts and the British parliament to make decisions which impact on the British people and British life, thrown aside in a petulant tantrum the very first time that British courts decided that the British parliament has more authority than a transient government led by an unelected leader who seems to believe that she is above British laws and British parliamentary democracy.

Having their cake and eating it is obviously what many hypocritical brexit supporters are all about.