Brexit means different things to UK pollies

Brexit is consuming British politics but no consistent message can be discerned. BBC, November 28:

The UK will be poorer economically under any form of Brexit, compared with staying in the EU … Official figures say the UK economy could be up to 3.9 per cent smaller after 15 years under Theresa May’s Brexit plan, compared with staying in the EU. But a no-deal Brexit could deliver a 9.3 per cent hit.

London’s Daily Telegraph, Saturday:

The UK will “flourish and prosper” even if it walks away from the EU without a deal, Jeremy Hunt has insisted … The Foreign Secretary says that while a no-deal Brexit would cause disruption, the country has faced much bigger challenges in its history. He also admits wanting “a crack” at succeeding Theresa May after the Prime Minister steers the country through what he calls “this challenging next few months”.

British Pensions Minister Amber Rudd, The Daily Mail, Saturday:

Brexit is in danger of getting stuck — and that is something that should worry us all. If MPs dig in against the Prime Minister’s deal and then hunker down in their different corners, none with a majority, the country will face serious trouble.

The Guardian goes off on a tangent, October 24:

As Brexit grabs the headlines, what is happening to the government’s domestic agenda? Even its flagship policies … (such as) its domestic abuse bill … could be holed below the waterline … The bill will introduce the first statutory definition of domestic abuse (including) non-physical abuse.

At home, domestic violence claims seem to permeate the NRL. Mike Colman, The Courier-Mail, Friday:

The NRL is back in the crosshairs this week as four players prepare to face their day in court over allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Nothing new about that. And nothing new about the debate over whether the NRL is too soft on players found guilty of mistreating women. The four players whose names and faces have been plastered over national media this week … are just the latest in a long list of NRL footballers who have been charged with violence-related offences. (But) as long as a footballer has something to offer a club, they will ­always get a second, or third, chance.

NRL chief Todd Greenberg at the launch of the Women in League round, ABC News, July 17, 2017:

If necessary and for the most serious of acts, absolutely we will (introduce a life ban), but again we’ll have to judge those on their merit.

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The ABC report continues:

In 2014 after pleading guilty to seriously assaulting his girlfriend, (a) then South Sydney centre … was suspended indefinitely but welcomed back to the sport just over nine months later.

The NRL policy issued in July:

There are things in life that are simply wrong … violence against women and their children is one of those things … The NRL is committed to using its … voice and reach to stand by our expert partners … to take action to prevent violence against women and children.

The Guardian quotes former NRL chief David Smith, July 2015:

My stance is unambiguous on domestic violence … There is no place for it in the game.

The ABC, June 22:

State of Origin nights see a 40 per cent increase on average in domestic assault and about a 70 per cent increase in non-domestic assaults