As she tours the country selling Her Brexit plan (and she owns it), perhaps the most uplifting thing for the Prime Minister about the current state of Brexit negotiations is the widespread praise that she has elicited for her efforts. “She’s a real trier,” “She has so many facts and things in her head” (said my Mum), “Does she sleep?” are just some of the comments I've heard on my travels. Whatever the actual result, Britain can take some comfort in the fact that Mrs May gave it Her best. She’s received a typically British reaction, where admiration for effort over substance has always been a lovable part of our national character. Just as former amateur ski jumper, Eddie the Eagle, lives in the folklore of British Winter Olympia, Mrs May’s approach has been so amateurish that she’s delivered an “Edna The Eagle” Brexit deal.

Off-piste, the more grounded of us probably agree with former Tory donor Rocco Forte who summed up the PM’s efforts by saying that a “third-rate negotiator in any middle-sized company” would have done a better job of the negotiations. Here’s 5 reasons why he's right:
1) Ludicrous Linear Timeline. From the beginning, the British Government accepted the linear timetable for negotiations put forward by the EU without the slightest quibble – sort the money, then agree withdrawal protocol, then negotiate free trade agreement (FTA). The deal to be done here was: agree the money (subject to successful FTA) and run the withdrawal and FTA negotiations concurrently. The women in my life are constantly telling me that men can’t ‘multi-task’. In this case (not that I’m completely accepting their premise), Mrs May acted like a man!
2) Lack of ‘No Deal’ Preparations. No matter how much Remainers like to muddy the waters the verdict of the British people was clear. Leave the EU. As someone at the forefront of the campaign in Britain’s most marginal constituency most of the EU Referendum debate was about the effects of a ‘No Deal’ since these were the terms on which those who wanted to Remain chose to engage (underpinned by ‘Project Fear’). As soon as she became PM and First Lord of the Treasury, May should have set a course for a No Deal Brexit. By not doing so she undercut her own stance that ‘No Deal is Better Than A Bad Deal’.
3) Irish Border Nonsense. Letting the EU back the UK into a corner over the Irish border was negligently amateurish in the extreme. As an army platoon commander I’ve patrolled that border and it is impossible to secure (except in times of national emergency with great resources, focus and effort). Both the British and Irish governments have said that they will not have a hard border with fixed installations, so what’s the issue? There is already currency, tax, VAT and (in some instances regulatory) differences. Allowing this issue to be caught up with the Northern Ireland ‘Peace Process’ is shameful. IRA/Sinn Fein and 'Loyalist' gangs either want peace and democracy, or not, and should be dealt with accordingly.
4) Not Respecting the EU. Yep, that’s right. The European Union made it clear from the start that the Four Freedoms (labour movement, capital, goods, services) were sacrosanct to the centrifugal forces of the “European Project”. By not respecting this Mrs May has spent two years driving us into a cul-de-sac. We can’t say we weren’t both warned and told what was on offer. In a tweet on 4 October 2018 Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, said the EU was offering Britain a "Canada plus plus plus" arrangement - something he dubbed "a true measure of respect". Mr Tusk wrote: "From the very beginning, the EU offer has been a Canada+++ deal. Much further-reaching on trade, internal security and foreign policy cooperation." Pity that ‘respect’ was not reciprocated by Mrs May.
5) Whose Business? The government has lined up 'business groups' to support the Edna Brexit Deal. But who are these people and who do they really represent? Talking head Lobbyists tell us: Certainty. Certainty. Certainty. But strife and chaos travel hand-in-hand with business opportunity (particularly globally). It’s just a question of whether business leaders are skilled and clever enough to take advantage. So-called ‘leaders’ in my own (high tech) sector have consistently got in wrong on Brexit. Signing letters during the EURef claiming that we’d be doomed if we didn’t cuddle up to the EU. Like their approach to government supported High Tec Cities this line is pure bunkum and is not ‘out the box’ thinking.
The way forward is clear. This Edna The Eagle Brexit deal must be rejected. There's still time to go for a Where Eagles Dare deal. You can watch the key elements of this here.

I know that I live an enchanted life. I'm a healthy fat person (if that's not a contradiction in terms). My kids don’t sniff glue. My wife fills in the gaps where I am inadequate in all departments (fortunately, there aren't THAT many!). I have a super bright sister and wider family network. I live in a great community, under the Rule of Law. I have people who call me a 'friend'. My work is mentally challenging and I am paid well for adding value when I can demonstrate a greater return several times what my clients or investors are prepared to invest in me or my entrepreneurial ventures.  I am comfortable in my own skin and I am resigned to meet my maker at any time. Most significantly, in many ways, is that I know what I stand for, best illustrated by the description on my Twitter handle:
 
🔞 💱 🔙 🔜Gary Ling
@garysballs
What do I stand for? #God #Helen #Family #Neighbours #Watford @Patriots #England #BallsyThinking #Liberty #Law #Opportunity #InEquality #Earth @SpaceX #Universe
 
How can a Man be, if he doesn’t know what he stands for?
 
In this, I have to thank my parents Hazel and Jim Ling. Without their love and encouragement I don’t think I’d ‘BE’ what I 'AM' at all.  My mother is witty and street smart. A born trader and deal maker who can read people and is great to have in your corner when the poop hits the fan. Dad is a more cerebral character who in his time could ‘fix’ almost anything mechanical or electrical. The pair of them love to communicate and are massive Silver Surfers. Digital Tablets have transformed their lives, although Dad still loves his Big Screen PC.
 
Last week Mum called me and said: “It’s our 64th Wedding Anniversary Tuesday, what are YOU doing about it?” 
 
“Er, What would you like to do?"  I stumbled.
 
“Dad says he wants to go back to where we used to hang out,” came the reply. 
 
So the following Monday we drove down to Hersham and Chertsey in Surrey where Mum and Dad grew up, met, courted and got engaged. Mum remembered the Church they were married in 64 years ago and I shot the video above…
 
I know just how lucky I am to have them around and in tip top form at their ages of 84 and 86 (I'll leave you to guess which is which).  I cherish everyday that I can talk to them and am still learning from Mum especially as I get older.
 
A while back when my 16 year old was being an idiot, I said to her in exasperation : “Mum, I think I have a Moron as a Son!”
 
Quick as a flash she shot back.  “I know what you mean. I had one of those once!”
 
Lucky is…as lucky does.

Click to comment below....

We are living in the age of the Terrorism of Things (ToT) where the perpetrators of terror weaponise ordinary, everyday objects to kill, maim and instil fear into the general population. A truck in Nice. A machete in Charleroi. Petrol bombs in Paris. Fires in national forests. A knife in Russell Square. How do we respond as civilians to this type of violence as we go about our everyday business?

I ask this question because in 2012 I wrote a Ballsy Thinking piece entitled (see here) “ROI Terrorism, a Smouldering Issue” which posited that smart terrorists don’t need to go for massive spectaculars to get the scary media coverage that they crave. They can attack weak parts of our national life and infrastructure and get a much better ‘terror return’ on their efforts. Whether because of the great work of our security services or an inability to organise it does seem that our terrorist foes have decided to adopt a variant of this approach – the “Terrorism of Things”. In fact, yesterday's Sunday Times informs us that "ISIS has called on supporters 'behind enemy lines' in Britain to embark on a wave of spontaneous attacks that the authorities will struggle to spot in advance." (see full article below)

As a former soldier who fought terrorism (photo above) I carried a gun and went into certain areas to patrol British streets expecting to be attacked in any manner of ways. Today, I do not travel to London or to other western cities or towns expecting to be attacked but I am at least conscious of the possibility. Here is my personal strategy for being ready for the Terrorism of Things:

1. Be aware of your surroundings. I am as bad as anyone at having my head in a screen but I watch who gets on the tube at every stop when I’m underground and check out my surroundings before I sit down at a restaurant. A few years ago I would have added as a separate point here “assess the likelihood of your location as a target”. Are you in a government owned or militarily connected building for example. However, importantly, in the age of ToT anywhere can be a target. Just ask those enjoying the promenade in Nice.

2. Plan your escape routes. I’m sure you’d be surprised to learn that I am probably not as fit as I used to be in my days as a soldier on counter-terrorism duty. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have the same instincts. No soldier likes to get caught without having options and neither should you when you are going about your business in cities or towns. If you stay in a hotel know where the fire escapes are. If you are in a restaurant spy the exits (don’t forget a way out through kitchen - it saved punters during the recent Islamist attack in Bangladesh). Remember how many terrorist incidents you see where people have got out of the area of immediate danger and hidden somewhere (think the Tunisia beach attack where local shopkeepers took people in). Get away but if you are not sure of the area, go hide.

3. Think about what objects that you can weaponise. Look around you right now. What can you use to get back at your attackers if you are trapped and cannot run away. First what can you throw at them to keep them back if they are not carrying firearms. Second, how can you hurt them in a close quarter struggle. Bog standard glasses are good things to throw – the heavier the better (bring back smoking as ash trays were heavy and tailor made for this purpose). If your attacker is advancing on you, knives, forks, bottles (especially those with long necks) make good weapons. Even a rolled up magazine or Sunday supplement can cause damage (stab rather than swing). In short, turn back a ToT attack if you can by using the same principles against an attacker.

I am fortunate to be connected through LinkedIn with some of the best minds combating terrorism. I’m not sure how many would endorse the content of this article. What I can endorse however, is the attitude that no matter how young or old you are, if your luck runs out (and let’s face it the chances of you being caught up in a ToT attack are very, very low) and you can’t get away, go down fighting. If as many people as possible do this, we can decrease the return on investment from Terrorism of Things attacks that our enemies hope to accrue and increase deterrence. That's got to be a good thing.

From the Sunday Times 9 August 2016

Four weeks after the #EURef BBC News 24 stopped by Watford's market to gauge peoples' reaction to the result and to ask about the government's future negotiating strategy...I just happened to be passing!

A week ago I blogged on my key experiences of campaigning for #VoteLeave in Watford a barometer voting district in the UK bordering London. See "Gary Ling: If Watford #Brexits, Britain Exits" from Wed 22 June 2016 here.  How do the key points in last week's analysis stand up post #Brexit? What is the Conventional Wisdom (CW) today:

Prediction for Watford Result: A week ago I wrote: “It will be very, very close. I’m calling the result in Watford District as 51:49 for Leave on the day. If I’m right Britain is headed out of the EU…”.

CW Now: Total Votes Cast: 46,635. LEAVE 23,419 (50.2%) – REMAIN 23,167 (49.6%). LEAVE majority 252. Turnout 71.69%

++Key Experience 1. A week ago I wrote: “The Remainians have been trying to turn the tide on the effectiveness of the views of so-called ‘Experts’… The extent to which they are successful in this as the campaign ends will determine the outcome.”
CW Today: Clear that Government overplayed its hand when it controlled state communication machinery before the Purdah period. Vote Leave side was successfully able to make #ProjectFear tag stick all the way to the end.

++Key Experience 2. A week ago I wrote: "In fact, as a digital strategist I regret to say that social media buzz is a side show or an irrelevance to many working people."
CW Today: Got a lot of criticism from friends particularly those who do social media for FMCG about this comment. Admit it was too sweeping. Of course, young people are influenced by social media. But a lot of people I met who normally never vote but said they would in this plebiscite were not, in my opinion, heavy SM consumers.

++Key Experience 3. A week ago I wrote: "Since Watford is one of the most densely populated and diverse Districts outside of inner-City London, immigration is an important issue here."
CW Today: This important point still stands. Like many, I want to see an Australian-style points based system for UK immigration. If our EU trading partners don’t understand that we don’t accept the Free Movement of People principle, then both sides need to be prepared for tariffs on trade which will hurt European industry more than us in nominal terms (because we have a whopping trade deficit with them) but is counter intuitive, regrettable and will be a petulant move by the EU. Think this is unlikely but... Bottom Line: Free Movement of People must go.

++Key Experience 4. A week ago I wrote: "From the start it was obvious that there was strong support for Brexit in the Asian community in Watford."
CW Today: Stand by this as it is doubtful Leave would have won here without Asian support. Though whether a majority of this Watford community voted Leave is hard to tell.

++Key Experience 5. A week ago I wrote: "[The]…motivation of this [Young People] demographic to actually turn out and choose in this (to them) complex debate is questionable."
CW Today: ‘Nuff said:

++Key Experience 6. A week ago I wrote: "The determination of those who will definitely @Vote_Leave is remarkable. A plague of locusts could descend on Watford District tomorrow and Leave voters will fight their way through to the polling station. Thunderstorms are predicted Referendum day in this Town. Will that make even a marginal difference?"
CW Today: Thunderstorms afflicted Watford Voting District all afternoon on Referendum Day. When you win a campaign by 252 votes in a contest of tens of thousands the degree to which your supporters are motivated makes all the difference. So did the weather in Watford.

++Key Experience 7. A week ago I wrote: "Remain or Leave this event in Watford and nationally will have some serious structural implications for UK politics in terms of the futures of all the main political parties."
CW Today: Watch the news!

++Key 8. A week ago I wrote: "I have been involved in politics for many years and the people who say they ‘Don’t Care’ about voting this time around is the lowest I have ever seen in any plebiscite in my adult life… more people are thinking about the issues at least than for any campaign I have experienced including general elections."
CW Today: Record turnout. People who normally opt out of voting in party political elections made a critical difference in Watford. Despite what all the talking heads in the Westminster bubble and on TV tell us this really was a great exercise in democracy. People were discussing #EURef issues in the streets, in their homes, in places of work. Amazing. Those who say that people weren’t informed are dead wrong. I can’t think of an issue in my lifetime that got more public discussion. Hell, we went to War in Iraq with less public discussion. The worse criticism is those who say that the general public is too stupid to decide such things. This is woefully patronising and ridiculous. And Yes, I would have said this if the Remainians had won. Although I admit it would have been easier for the Leave side to accept the result since the European Union as a political project would have been doomed regardless of the result of UK #EURef. Brexit has given those countries in the East a chance to speak up against ever closer Union and take on the French-German Closer Union Axis.

Final Big Learning For Me: Think you can understand the mood of the British people by sitting on your backside and viewing things through the Internet and accepting a lot of the pap that the global corporatist mass media outlets pump out? Forget it. On important decisions, particularly binary existential ones like the #EURef, hitting the streets and discussing things with people from all walks of life who you live with in your community can't be beat!

Click here to read Gary’s article on “Why UK Watford is one of the most industrious places on earth”