So, Brits. How's Brexit Going?

[Pat Mustard]

http://www.lisbon-treaty.org/wcm/the-lis...le-50.html

Here is a link to article 50. It is only a few paragraphs long. There is provision to extend the 2 year cut off period that would require agreement from other EU countries. It says nothing about what happens if a country changes its mind after triggering A50 but before the 2 years has passed ( probably because nobody imagined that situation would arise).
My conclusion is that if UK formally announces it no longer wishes to continue with the process that we would simply continue as things are with all the rebates etc intact. Of course everyone would be pissed off with the colossal waste of time and effort, but it would be business as usual.

And your conclusion would be wrong. Because in any negotiating process, there are two sides which have to agree on the final product. And any revocation of Article 50 will either a) be unilateral by the UK but not recognised by the EU (therefore no-deal Brexit) or b) by giving significant concessions to get the EU to agree which will mean, at least, entering Schengen and the Euro, acceptance of tighter bank controls and a Robin Hood International Transactions Tax and the revocation of the rebates and the other opt outs only the UK gets (and likely to include the cessation of Gibraltar, the bringing back in of the tax haven colonies under direct rule {or their full independence outside the EU, where they'll starve}). The simple fact of the matter is that the UK will not be allowed to stay in the EU on anything better than they'd be given if they reapplied to join twenty years after brexit. The UK under current conditions is too destructive of the EUs unity and goals.

Essentially, the EU cannot afford to give the UK a good deal to either leave or remain in the EU (aside from leaving under the Norway model) because that would be the quickest way to ensure that other countries would also buck for the exit, countries more central to the EU project than the UK ever was.