artycelia.com

This is a painting of, erm, the cancerous tumour that I found in my breast in 2021. It's gone now. I felt much better after the painting was completed, sort of serene. Despite the brutal treatment that is chemotherapy, I have depicted the cancer as drifting away, parts of you do drift away while going through treatment, and some parts return while others do not. That's how I feel anyway. I moved house last year. My rented house was too big with just me in it. It was fine when occupied with my daughters, a grand-daughter, a grand-daughter's dad and my lovely dog, but people grow and need to move on. My dog reached the end of his road. The day I lost him was the saddest day of my life. I know I probably shouldn't say that but he was deep in my heart and I loved him unconditionally. I won't ever get another dog, that 'going to sleep' business is a train wreck, one that you are watching and also feel responsible for, even though you are not. I am now living with

  Regular readers will be aware that I voted to Remain in the EU in the referendum, I was gob- smacked when the result was announced, and the Leave voters won. There are lots of posts here from 2016-2019 charting my reasons for a soft Brexit or better still, the withdrawal of the Withdrawal Agreement altogether.  I decided to publish these posts as I wanted to leave a record for my grandkids, so far one born, another still 'cooking.' I thought it was important that they can read about this time of momentous change in the UK's political history. I stopped writing the posts during the negotiations although I continued with writing every day 'Below the Line ' at The Times and The Sunday Times on the subject. So why start again? Well, obviously the world is enduring the pandemic, life has been put on hold and nothing much Brexit wise was happening due to the transition period. However, the transition period ended on 31st December 2020 and the new rules were to take effe

Got the all-clear from the doctor today. Am sending love to the universe.

I refuse to stand by and watch as an incompetent, divided, treacherous Conservative (haha) Party disassembles our nation in order to preserve themselves. This has got to stop. Revoke Article 50. Call a halt to this madness.

The process of unpicking and refashioning what Britain is, how its society and economy are organised, how it governs itself and the relations between its four nations, how it positions itself in relationship to the EU and the rest of the world will take decades. Of course we could revoke Article 50 and slam the lid on Pandora's Box, but we haven't got long.

Obviously quite a lot of people 'imagined' that it would be easy to extricate ourselves from the EU. Wrong. Quite a lot of people also imagined that the UK could secure a deal better than the one we currently enjoy. Wrong again. Quite a lot of people imagine that it is possible to square a circle. (Irish border) Wrong again. It didn't take any imagination at all to realise that we were better off remaining in the EU. A seat at the table. A secure relationship. Medicines on the shelves. Planes in the sky and well over two years not wasted on this debacle. I imagine revoking Article 50 will save us from ourselves.

Those who voted to leave the EU, those who rejected the advice of their own government, most economic experts and international allies now find themselves adrift. By signalling the end to Britain's 43 year membership of the EU, Britain now finds itself in a new world of risk. What did the Leavers, mean by leave? The Remain vote was singular while the Leave vote was plural. The result was not a simple rejection of the EU but a howl of protest against the impact of globalisation and migration. The Leave campaign never specified whether it preferred a Norwegian, Canadian, Albanian or some other alternative model of relations with Britain's biggest trading partner. Each of these models and Mrs May's current plan will involve a dilution of the riches and resources we currently enjoy. Did it say anywhere on the ballot paper that the leave vote was for a 'soft' or 'hard' Brexit? How many Leave voters gave any consideration at all to the Irish Border, that unf

I really, really, really hope that JRM and Bojo crawl under a damp rock and bloody stay there. I want to remain in the EU and perhaps we still can, we'll have to wait and see about that. The most frustrating and annoying thing about the whole debacle that is Brexitdoraus, has been those people constantly criticising and harping about TM while coming up with zero solutions themselves. If you've got a better way or indeed any way of squaring a circle, then let's hear it. Otherwise, shut up.

Yes, a disaster, yes, a disgrace. Also very depressing to see such a squabbling rabble calling themselves politicians. Who on earth would anyone trust to run the nation post Brexit, whatever that will actually mean? It's an embarrassing shambles and the entire House should be ashamed of themselves. The only answer to this mess is to revoke Article 50. Carry on pathetically arguing with each other as no doubt they will but at least the wolf will be kept from the door. Brexit looks like a duck and quacks like a duck. The political elite have shown themselves to be ignorant, arrogant, cowardly, and untrustworthy. I'd rather be a member of the EU, itself a backstop to this useless shower.

Hmm, I spy a fait accompli. The clock is ticking, very loudly now. Legislation has stalled. I can see us reaching 28 March, when at the midnight hour, the vote is taken. TM's deal HAS to be accepted or the very next day it's No Deal. Splash. Brexit is a disaster. An embarrassing, shameful disaster. Revoking Article 50 must surely be our Get Out of Jail card.

If, as looks likely, Parliament is able to revoke Article 50, then this is the only sensible solution to a problem that has escalated way out of control. It's getting really ugly now, there's a hint of danger in the air. To see our Government and Parliament flailing about so publicly undermines their authority and when that happens, well, there's usually an uprising. Brexit has brought out the worst in people. Those in The House should be aware of the danger lurking at their door. And do something about it.

 My reasons for remaining in the EU are quite simple: Better the devil you know. Extrication is so difficult. It's not so bad being a member. I would rather be at the table. I don't trust the British government to govern Britain all on its own. I would prefer England, Ireland Scotland and Wales to stay together. In my lifetime I have enjoyed the benefits of being a member of the EU. I enjoy the lifestyle that the EU has offered us. I have embraced an EU membership in that an allegiance has been solidified and that the security of Europe might be preserved. I feel stronger in being allied to Europe. I understand that we are an island, and that the Brexiteers think we can survive on our own. But to me, why go there? We have no empire, the world order is fragile. We are safe, well, as safe as can be. Why put this in jeopardy?

I am NOT 'Bored of Brexit.' I find it fascinating; I've learned so much about the EU, our relationship, how far we have come, the intricacies of economic policy making and so much more. I am also intrigued at the lack of intuition displayed by all our politicians; they do not seem able to 'read 'the mood of people at all. JRM, for example seems to have set himself so high on his own pedestal that one hopes he doesn't (or does) suffer from vertigo. Theresa May strides on, through the long grass, determined to reach the non-existent Brexit Pot of Gold even though the pot has melted away and there's not much left at the end of the rainbow. TM's deal reads like a bad novel but one that she has worked on for so long that she is sick to death of it and just wants the blasted thing published. It's a rollercoaster ride. The problem is, we've got on and can't get off again, Well, we could. We could Withdraw Article 50.

" A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability to explain why it didn't happen." Winston Churchill. Halfway there then.

The Withdrawal Agreement and the future plans for a Brexited Britain, leave Britain in a much worse scenario than we currently enjoy. At present, we reap the benefits of being in the CU and the SM. To withdraw ourselves from a historically determined and integrated deal, devised to ensure the free flow of goods and services , and without a proven alternative, just vague ideas, is a travesty. The Brexit ship is sailing, the waves of Brexiteers bobbing it along, but to where? Surely, however you feel about the ideology of Brexit, everyone must now understand the realities and consequences of leaving? The deal on the table withdraws our rights and freedoms, a No Deal would be disastrous. Why are we still sailing? The Brexit ship needs to come back to dock. No Brexit, as TM has now mentioned, quietly and quickly is the best answer, for now.

A 'People's Vote' must now be the least worst option which gives us a chance of getting out of this shameful mess in which we find ourselves. No Deal would be an absolutely catastrophic disaster. No Brexit would upset, even enrage a lot of people but it would allow us to wriggle free from between the rock and the hard place where we currently find ourselves, squirming and squealing. It is up to the moderates within the Conservative Party to convince May that in order to save herself, her party and most importantly, Britain, that 'A People's Vote' must be put in place. If, God Forbid, the 'People' vote for a No Deal then we can all go to hell in a handcart together. And we'd probably deserve it.

Sometimes you just have to say: No, that's not going to work. That's actually a bad idea. Go away and think about the realities, the obstacles, the objectives, the sustainability, the fairness, the best and the worst outcomes, then think again about what you think you want and look at the possible future scenarios caused by your decision. Brexiteers, even if you still believe in the theory, it is not playing out in practice... and we aren't even there yet. Withdraw Article 50 for all our sakes. Go back to the drawing board.

Those who voted to Remain understood that they voted for the status quo. Those who voted to leave could not have envisaged the precarious road upon which our nation would travel. Simple. It is futile to throw insults at either camp. How far down the road do we travel? The Remainers were not duped. The Leavers, those of public status and those of political status are now at a serious disadvantage as they are staring the reality of Brexit in the face and are still in denial of the consequences. This is the most worrying aspect . Brexit has already shown itself to be bad for Britain and Northern Ireland. Withdraw Article 50. And go back to the drawing board.

Mrs May delivered her BIG BREXIT  speech in Florence this afternoon. She confirmed that there will be a 'transition period' of up to two years following the March 2019 deadline. The UK will be honouring its payments to the EU throughout this period. Mrs May is seeking a 'bespoke arrangement' with the EU but failed to explain what she actually meant by 'bespoke arrangement.' It's taken 15 months to get this far. As I listened to the speech I became quite agitated and then somewhat flummoxed. Mrs May chose Florence as the destination from where she would deliver her speech. Describing Florence, Mrs May said: 'It was here, more than anywhere else, that the Renaissance began-a period of history that inspired centuries of creativity and critical thought across our continent and which in many ways defined what it meant to be European. A period of history whose example shaped the modern world. A period of history that teaches us that when we come tog

David Cameron announcing his resignation 24 June 2016. During his resignation speech David Cameron said, "We should be proud of the fact that in these islands we trust the people for these big decisions." His body language told me a different story. My intuition told me that he was absolutely gutted at the decision to leave the EU and was struggling to understand how people could have been so recklessly stupid. As he finished the speech he may well have said," Right, you bunch of t******' now you can get on with it, I'm off." The referendum was a massive political gamble and one that I don't think should have ever been undertaken. What is the point of politicians if such huge decisions are left to the masses of uninformed, angry, disillusioned, fearful, desperate voters who couldn't have been informed enough as to the consequences of such an overwhelmingly life changing decision?  The result of the referendum will have consequences which will