“It has been a damned nice thing — the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life…….”

Above, graphical representation of the latest poll data following President Obama’s visit.
The title of today’s article is the original reported comments of Field Marshal His Grace, The Duke of Wellington, KG, PC, GCB, GCH, FRS upon the Battle of Waterloo – the subject being the Prussian reinforcement of the allied lines from forces under the command of Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt. The modern rendition involving the substation of the two coupled phrases “damned nice thing — the nearest run thing” with the single phrase “damned close run thing” is due to the evolving nature of the English language; that the meaning of words changes over time. In 1815 the word “nice” had the additional meaning of “uncertain, delicately balanced”.
This pedantry is of course due to rebut any attempt by supporters of BSE to suggest that your Editor rejoices in death, destruction and war. He does not!
From his lofty vantage point in the next world, His Grace will doubtless be feeling a mixture of anger – at the unlawful vassalage of the United Kingdom to a foreign power – the reason after all, why the Battle of Waterloo was fought! He will also be completely perplexed at the inadequacy of those involved in the Leave campaign. He will of course be completely satisfied at the inadequacy of those involved in the Remain campaign!
His Grace will doubtless have also concluded that President Obama’s visit was the Remain side’s biggest and most powerful cannon and would agree with your Editor that our enemy has fired it far too soon! His Grace will share the satisfaction of the British Gazette readers discovering from the above data that the enemy’s strike has proved unsuccessful. This despite the cack handed way some in the Leave campaign reacted to the President’s visit – Yes! Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage – we mean you two!
Let us be in no doubt. This is a victory we do not deserve! References to the President’s ancestry could have been completely counterproductive and could have managed to seize defeat from the jaws of victory!
Mercifully however this utter incompetence continues to be reciprocated by our enemy!
The normally competent Theresa May has provided our side with a spectacular own goal!
Who says ladies are no good at football!
Mrs May declares that the UK should remain in the EU. Yet she also declares that whilst remaining in the EU, the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)!
FACT: the ECHR is incorporated into the EU acquis by the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which is binding on EU institutions and enforced by the ECJ. On that basis, the only way completely to get clear of the ECHR is to leave the EU entirely.
FACT: Mrs May is the Home Secretary and has the benefit of expert advice.
At this point we will paraphrase another US politician, a certain Donald John Trump from Queens, New York City: “Just what the hell is going on?”
Suggested possible answer: Mrs May might be trying to manoeuvre herself to be in position to take advantage whoever wins the Brexit vote! Your Editor is a gentleman and therefore will not refer to Mrs May’s age, suffice it to say that she is from a generation and a social class where it was common for parents to send their little girls to ballet class. The British Gazette therefore hopes (for her sake) that Mrs May can still do the splits!
Although this indication is encouraging (for us – not them!) the Leave campaign is still FAILING to take advantage of the own goals that come their way!
Before Mrs May’s own goal we had the benefit of another spectacular performance this time by Mr Charles Moore writing in the Daily Telegraph.
Mr Moore has been the editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator. The journalist in Mr Moore clearly felt that a mere single goal would be a somewhat inadequate contribution to the proceedings. Journalists after all desire to make a “big splash” and “have an impact”. Not then for our friend a single goal! A single goal was clearly in Mr Moore’s mind an inadequate contribution. Mr Moore it seems was overcome by a desire to score no less than THIRTY EIGHT own goals!
Hallelujah! Praise The Lord! Hallelujah!
[Moore is supposed to be on OUR side! – Ed.]
With opponents like Messrs. May & Moore we can dispense with the services of such as Messrs. Johnson & Farage!
Mr Moore scored these thirty eight goals in a magnificent single kick – or article:
GOTO: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/24/trade-deals-are-red-herrings-in-the-eu-debate/
Mr Moore stated: “The EU has never yet, in its history, had a trade deal with America”!
A prudent man would have checked his facts first!
Had he bothered to do so, Mr Moore would have discovered that there was up to 38 trade deals between the EU, it’s member the UK and the USA!
Around eighteen of these deals appear to be multilateral (UK plus others – US) and 20 are bilateral (EU – US). International Law provides that where multilateral agreements pertain, we are parties to them in our own name and can rely on continuity with little more than the formal diplomatic mechanism of an “exchange of letters”. In the case of EU – US deals we can rely on the presumption of continuity. This is because International Law provides for automatic continuity to stop parties from seeking to avoid their obligations. Thus any trade agreement that binds the EU will automatically bind the UK in the case of Brexit.
Thus whilst President Obama threatened the UK with a five to ten year wait “for a new trade deal” such surely could NOT apply to the relatively straightforward and speedy negotiations necessary to revise the 20 EU – US trade deals. IF the Remain side suggest that these 20 deals could take up to 10 years to revise the onus will be upon them to explain why!
That’s All Folks!
Have a Nice (2016 meaning) Day!