Displaying items by tag: uk

(London)

If you look at it from the outside, a second Brexit referendum has had the feeling of inevitably for at least a year now. The chaos and unexpected fallout from the fraught negotiations between the EU and UK have made it seem likely that the British people would need to settle the matter with another vote. That expectation is now looking likely to turn into a reality as Britain’s opposition party, Labour is backing a plan to bring forward a second vote.

FINSUM: In our mind, the claims that holding a second vote is undemocratic are ridiculous. On the one hand, no voter back in 2016 could have known how this Brexit mess would actually progress, which means the people should get a second chance to decide on the deal at hand. On the other, how can a whole nation voting on an issue ever be considered undemocratic?

(London)

Just a couple of days ago it seemed like the UK and EU were on the verge of coming to an agreement over Brexit. Now, just 48 hour later, a deal actually seems further away than it ever has. Reviewing UK headlines, the irony of PM May’s proposed deal is that it did what no one else has been able to—unite Britain. However, the unity is driven by shared hatred from all sides over what a terrible agreement the government has proposed. Numerous government ministers have resigned on the back of the proposal.

FINSUM: The pushback to this deal has been more than anyone would have anticipated. A no-deal Brexit looks increasingly likely.

(London)

The Brexit deal has taken so long to figure out that it mostly seemed hopeless. Markets were legitimately pricing in the chances of a no-deal Brexit. Now, the EU and UK have announced they have come to a provisional agreement. While that is cause for some relief, it is very far from a done deal as both the UK and European Parliaments need to endorse the agreement. The UK side in particular may be tricky as PM Theresa May needs to rally an extremely factionalized government behind her.

FINSUM: This could go many ways, but we think either everything will just fall into place quietly, or there will be major fireworks

(London)

We don’t cover the Brexit saga very much, mostly because it doesn’t seem to have a great deal of relevance to the US. However, interesting news is out today: the UK’s Labour party is trying to get a second Brexit referendum going. The political details are complicated, but the general plan is to derail the government’s current Brexit plan, and then hold a general election that could work as a replacement for the first Brexit result. A Labour party’s spokesman says that it is a “sequenced, structured” strategy.

FINSUM: We have maintained throughout this saga that the UK should not leave the EU. It is still going to have to be heavily involved with the EU for economic and political reasons, and if it leaves it will simply go from a rule-maker to a rule-taker.

(London)

While it has largely faded from the American consciousness, the fallout over 2016’s Brexit vote has been nothing short of an absolute mess. The negotiations for departure have finally made a little progress, but are plagued by internecine warfare at every level. Now, a push for a second referendum, which could refute the first, is gaining traction. Former PM Tony Blair is urging his liberal party to back a second vote. Blair and Liberals believe that leaving the EU is not the solution that will fix the worries of Leave voters.

FINSUM: We think this situation only has upside for investors. If the UK reversed its positon, it would lead to a rally in the Euro and Pound and be bullish for most asset classes.