” ….there was Barnier with his team, each holding a thick sheaf of briefing papers; opposite him was David Davis, literally empty-handed. The symbolism was painfully obvious. Even those of us who supported Brexit were appalled.”
Really? You’re going to trot that line out … AGAIN?
The Guardian ran the “empty table” picture of Mr Davis & team on almost every article about the negotiations for months, it was their favourite Brexit leitmotif.
It was a cheap shot and, frankly, sub-tabloid journalism for the Guardian to keep pretending what that picture implied because they knew full well that David Davis had issued strict instructions to everyone on his staff – whether in Brussels, Strasbourg or the UK – that all documents were to be kept in cases and never carried in front of the press to avoid any unfortunate snippets of information being caught on camera. Davis had even taken to carrying all his briefing notes and position papers in a “Faraday Cage” briefcase – such was his concern to maintain their security.
The Guardian had already sneered at Mr Davis carrying all his documents in a “silver spy-proof briefcase“ in print – so were well aware of his security edicts – yet still decided to spin it by endlessly comparing a bare table in front of the UK team and a sheaf of notes in front of the EU side as somehow evidence of their lack of seriousness.
It was sub-standard journalism and fake news then – don’t try and breathe life into that dead donkey now.
I do so agree. It was cheap propaganda, which wouldn’t have worked without the flood of comment by those who dominate news in the UK and were rooting for the EU over the UK. It was surely obvious that it was a quick photo-opportunity rather than an actual negotiation, and the fact that such a prop was in shot illustrates for me the gamesmanship of the EC compared with the naivety of the UK side. I suspect that the UK team were led in and sat down, and that on realising they had been set up, the man furthest on the right whipped a notebook out of his pocket and set it on the table.
Anyone who has attended meetings will know that a thick bundle of papers is useless. Those attending will possess brief summaries to support what is in one’s head, including those produced by the opposing negotiators.
Colin,
It’s standard operating procedure for the Guardian – they do it all the time. They claimed that Boris was embarrassing the country with his behaviour towards European leaders, highlighting his arrogance by putting his foot up on Emmanuel Macron’s table, when they met at the Élysée Palace.
The truth was a little more prosaic. Macron had made a joke in front of the press photographers about the tiny table between him and the PM being more the size of a footstool. Johnson went along with the joke, putting his foot against it for a second. The Guardian then printed that photo and predictably whipped their readers into a flurry of confected outrage.
The only reason media manipulation is so effective is because too many people are happy to be herded into such choreographed indignation.
Fair point but media awareness might have helped. All they had to was give him a binder with some paper in as a prop. Tiresome but every little helps. After all we never got to see inside Barnier’s folder of course.
Honest question: Do you think it should be the Politician who is forced to carry a prop to avoid the optics of a bad-faith “gotcha” picture, or do you think the media outlets should be expected not to print bad-faith “gotcha” pictures and then extrapolate stories from them that they KNOW to be false?
This is, remember, from the media outlet that emblazons its every page with “Facts are sacred”. …. Perhaps they should be forced to retract that and change it to “Facts are scarce”
Just being a bit PR aware. Of course it shouldn’t matter but it pays to think and use every tool you can. Teachers on strike used to naturally smile for the camera but looks like ‘Teachers Enjoy Strikes’ etc. Rees Mogg languishing on a bench- body language said ‘dilettante snob’. Symbolism is a factor. It’s why we think clothing styles matter for many jobs
Matt M
2 years ago
For the record, David Davis said from day one that the EU wouldn’t negotiate seriously until the 11th hour. He was proved right. If May had trusted him and held her nerve, we would have been out in 2019 with minimal drama. The EU’s staged photos and exasperated press conferences were always red herrings.
Last edited 2 years ago by Matt M
Galeti Tavas
2 years ago
Not even one of these wan* ers running, or in office, are anything but a disaster. That these worms should have the power to run their nations into the ground is appalling. What is wrong with our political systems in the West that the scum, rather than the cream, rises to the top?
Strange. I clicked on the thumbs down, and the thumbs up increased.
But let’s deal with your point. David Davis was elected, but most of the UK government is composed of civil servants, who appoint and pay themselves, moving sideways those who fail and are noticed to do so.
I cannot say who appointed Barnier, but I guess it was Juncker, and I guess Barnier appointed his assistants. I don’t know who appointed Juncker, but we know that Cameron didn’t want him.
I agree, our political systems are bad at making the right decisions, especially in the UK, although I think ‘scum’ is unfair.
Hugh Marcus
2 years ago
It all read well until the end where it’s asserted that Boris must ‘deliver’ That’s where it entered the world of fantasy.
Katharine Eyre
2 years ago
Am I the only one who thinks Michel Barnier might not have come over all euroskeptic just because it’s politically opportune but because he might have actually changed his personal opinions after having witnessed the internal workings of the EU and – now he’s free of his professional duties towards the Commission – be pushing an agenda which he thinks is the right one?
No, I think that is quite likely. Also, sometimes the point of running for political office is not to win — though that would be nice if it happened — but to influence the direction of political discourse and aspirations. Euroscepticism in France can no longer be immediately dismissed as ‘lunatic hate mongering of Le Pen supporters’.
” ….there was Barnier with his team, each holding a thick sheaf of briefing papers; opposite him was David Davis, literally empty-handed. The symbolism was painfully obvious. Even those of us who supported Brexit were appalled.”
Really? You’re going to trot that line out … AGAIN?
The Guardian ran the “empty table” picture of Mr Davis & team on almost every article about the negotiations for months, it was their favourite Brexit leitmotif.
It was a cheap shot and, frankly, sub-tabloid journalism for the Guardian to keep pretending what that picture implied because they knew full well that David Davis had issued strict instructions to everyone on his staff – whether in Brussels, Strasbourg or the UK – that all documents were to be kept in cases and never carried in front of the press to avoid any unfortunate snippets of information being caught on camera. Davis had even taken to carrying all his briefing notes and position papers in a “Faraday Cage” briefcase – such was his concern to maintain their security.
The Guardian had already sneered at Mr Davis carrying all his documents in a “silver spy-proof briefcase“ in print – so were well aware of his security edicts – yet still decided to spin it by endlessly comparing a bare table in front of the UK team and a sheaf of notes in front of the EU side as somehow evidence of their lack of seriousness.
It was sub-standard journalism and fake news then – don’t try and breathe life into that dead donkey now.
I do so agree. It was cheap propaganda, which wouldn’t have worked without the flood of comment by those who dominate news in the UK and were rooting for the EU over the UK. It was surely obvious that it was a quick photo-opportunity rather than an actual negotiation, and the fact that such a prop was in shot illustrates for me the gamesmanship of the EC compared with the naivety of the UK side. I suspect that the UK team were led in and sat down, and that on realising they had been set up, the man furthest on the right whipped a notebook out of his pocket and set it on the table.
Anyone who has attended meetings will know that a thick bundle of papers is useless. Those attending will possess brief summaries to support what is in one’s head, including those produced by the opposing negotiators.
Colin,
It’s standard operating procedure for the Guardian – they do it all the time. They claimed that Boris was embarrassing the country with his behaviour towards European leaders, highlighting his arrogance by putting his foot up on Emmanuel Macron’s table, when they met at the Élysée Palace.
The truth was a little more prosaic. Macron had made a joke in front of the press photographers about the tiny table between him and the PM being more the size of a footstool. Johnson went along with the joke, putting his foot against it for a second. The Guardian then printed that photo and predictably whipped their readers into a flurry of confected outrage.
The only reason media manipulation is so effective is because too many people are happy to be herded into such choreographed indignation.
Fair point but media awareness might have helped. All they had to was give him a binder with some paper in as a prop. Tiresome but every little helps. After all we never got to see inside Barnier’s folder of course.
Honest question: Do you think it should be the Politician who is forced to carry a prop to avoid the optics of a bad-faith “gotcha” picture, or do you think the media outlets should be expected not to print bad-faith “gotcha” pictures and then extrapolate stories from them that they KNOW to be false?
This is, remember, from the media outlet that emblazons its every page with “Facts are sacred”. …. Perhaps they should be forced to retract that and change it to “Facts are scarce”
Just being a bit PR aware. Of course it shouldn’t matter but it pays to think and use every tool you can. Teachers on strike used to naturally smile for the camera but looks like ‘Teachers Enjoy Strikes’ etc. Rees Mogg languishing on a bench- body language said ‘dilettante snob’. Symbolism is a factor. It’s why we think clothing styles matter for many jobs
For the record, David Davis said from day one that the EU wouldn’t negotiate seriously until the 11th hour. He was proved right. If May had trusted him and held her nerve, we would have been out in 2019 with minimal drama. The EU’s staged photos and exasperated press conferences were always red herrings.
Not even one of these wan* ers running, or in office, are anything but a disaster. That these worms should have the power to run their nations into the ground is appalling. What is wrong with our political systems in the West that the scum, rather than the cream, rises to the top?
Because governments are run by the press which feeds on sensationalism.
Strange. I clicked on the thumbs down, and the thumbs up increased.
But let’s deal with your point. David Davis was elected, but most of the UK government is composed of civil servants, who appoint and pay themselves, moving sideways those who fail and are noticed to do so.
I cannot say who appointed Barnier, but I guess it was Juncker, and I guess Barnier appointed his assistants. I don’t know who appointed Juncker, but we know that Cameron didn’t want him.
I agree, our political systems are bad at making the right decisions, especially in the UK, although I think ‘scum’ is unfair.
It all read well until the end where it’s asserted that Boris must ‘deliver’ That’s where it entered the world of fantasy.
Am I the only one who thinks Michel Barnier might not have come over all euroskeptic just because it’s politically opportune but because he might have actually changed his personal opinions after having witnessed the internal workings of the EU and – now he’s free of his professional duties towards the Commission – be pushing an agenda which he thinks is the right one?
No, I think that is quite likely. Also, sometimes the point of running for political office is not to win — though that would be nice if it happened — but to influence the direction of political discourse and aspirations. Euroscepticism in France can no longer be immediately dismissed as ‘lunatic hate mongering of Le Pen supporters’.
Probably.
You may be right: if so, its a shame he didn’t do the decent thing and resign from his rather cushy number in protest