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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.

An Irish cross-border trade involves a lot of agricultural produce, trade in Northern Ireland would face higher tariffs compared to estimates for the UK as a whole. Although a substantial fraction of products would face no tariff, the small percentage of products that would incur tariffs of over 35% make up a significant share of cross border trade. The natural co-operation and trade across the Irish border reflects its context: it is a rural, under-developed, close-knit region. There are complex supply chains in agri-food and myriad micro-traders. WTO rules will not preserve this situation but introduce a significant level of friction in a place where border controls represent a potentially dangerous step backwards in politics as well as economics. I fully expect a barrage of abuse from Brexiteers, but there you have it. Brexit, troops, Northern Ireland- how has it come to this?

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.

Labour are now in a position to play a blinding game. Labour MP's either abstain or vote for the Bill. Either way if their votes carry the Bill they will be seen to have saved the country from a No Deal Brexit, which everyone now knows ( surely???) will be a catastrophe. When the realisation dawns that it was Labour who saved the day, a General Election will be called and Labour will win. Tory voters will be so utterly disenchanted with their party, they will stay at home and drink tea. The Labour Party offer a 'People's Vote' as part of their manifesto and romp home. Brexit will be dead in the water, we will have a Labour government (which certainly wasn't the plan) and the Tory Party will be dust.

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.

I love a new desk.

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 ...

                                                           Moulin Rouge Sunflower. The 'silly season' is over.... or has it just returned?  As summer drifts into autumn, the seasons move charmingly forward, through the winter until the first green shoots reappear in the springtime. Will it be a cruel winter, a winter of discontent? Will Britain wake up to the reality of Brexit? What IS the reality of Brexit? Will a politician stand up and tell the truth? Will people stop shrugging their shoulders while moaning, 'Just get on with it.' Will the country remain forever divided? Will the young ever forgive their forebears? Will Britain go backwards? Will we become a far-right nation? Will we still be able to have next day deliveries? Will we still eat our gastronomic delights? Will I be telling my first grandchild that 'Th...

Even the word is harsh - Brexit- it sounds tough on the tongue, an ugly word, brutal in pronunciation. A politically emotional word, one that makes me flinch while others preen. I think of Paris, the Paris of today as well as the Paris of my past, a visit on a school exchange aged fourteen, a romantic trip with my first real boyfriend.  Bomb blasts, carnage, heartbreak, and tragedy encompass European cities as well as our own, but I feel for us and them with a sense of love, a sense of comradeship.  I think of Portugal and my first paintings inspired by the colours of the cliffs, the freezing sea, the wobbly restaurant attached to a rock face. Sardines on the beach and yellow houses. The quiet of the afternoon, the clanging of church bells. I find it hard to believe that we are going to turn our backs on something so wonderful. Our friendship and alliance with Europe have brought us so much. Sumptuous food, oozing garlic, red wine drunk in pavement cafes, rich aromatic co...

Persephone and the Pomegranate Seeds Oil on paper by Celia Turner. September...Autumn...Winter...Spring The trees flush red and drop their leaves, the flowers wither and the crops stop growing. Persephone has travelled to the Underworld and Demeter roams the earth missing her daughter. But Spring will come again, and Persephone will return to her mother. The grasses will become green, the flowers will bloom, the trees will sport blossom, then leaves and then fruit. Demeter and Persephone will walk hand in hand, talking, singing, and laughing and the evening primroses will open just to see them passing by.

Here is my new 'retro' radio, by the toaster and with the manky back door in frame. But this little gem of a radio blasts out SO much fun every day, it brightens my life. It is tuned to Radio X. I have listened to XFM since its conception in 1997. I remember many a Saturday afternoon driving to the seafood stall but having to pull over so many times in fits of giggles, tears streaming down my face, listening to Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The crab and prawns always gave me indigestion as I would be doubled up on the way back home. Cramped with laughing with a belly full of fresh crab is quite painful. In 1996 I went to see Oasis at Maine Road. It was THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE, as anyone who knows me will testify. I still, to this day could bore for England about it but oh what a glorious night. I was on a high for two whole weeks after the gig and wore my sky-blue Oasis T shirt and trackie bottoms to meet my kids from school. proudly, much to their embarrassm...

Virginia Woolf by Roger Fry (1917) I love this painting of Virginia Woolf. The faraway look in her eyes seems to encapsulate the myriad of thoughts that constantly swirled around in her head. She looks beautiful which would not be a common description of this great lady. It's such a shame that a generation of cinemagoers will only know of Virginia Woolf through the narrow portrait given in the film 'The Hours' where she comes across a dull and dour woman. I would have so loved to have been a part of The Bloomsbury Group, those artists, philosophers, writers, and intellectuals who revelled in each other's company during the first half of the 20th century. Fancy belonging to a group whose members included Vanessa Bell, Roger Fry, E.M Forster, Duncan Grant, Lytton Strachey, and Leonard Woolf himself of course. What the Bloomsbury Set would have thought of life today is anyone's guess. I think I would have preferred to live in an era of dramatic and important li...

1966. Oil on card by Celia Turner. Here is a painting to celebrate 1966, the year in which many of my peers were born. 52 years seems like a long time ago yet also not that long. In England, the year is best remembered for the winning of the World Cup against West Germany, we have that memory at least. (Well, I don't remember it as such and all it gets in the painting is a little goal at the bottom of the picture) Other notable events that took place in 1966 included: The last UK concert by The Beatles. John Lennon meets Yoko Ono. Anti- Vietnam war protests all over US and London, Tokyo, Stockholm, and Lyon. Cigarette packs started to carry health warnings. USSR launches Lunar 9 towards the moon. Dow Jones index reaches 995 points. It's the 23rd Golden Globes. Ba-ath party takes power in Syria. Muhammad Ali beats George Chuvalo in fifteen rounds. 215,000 US soldiers are in Vietnam. Harold Wilson (Labour) wins the General Election. Soviet Lunar 10 completes its ...

I can't play tennis My golf's a menace I just can't do the Australian crawl And I'm no better at volleyball, Ain't there anyone here for love? I'm apathetic and non-athletic I can't keep up in a marathon I need some shoulders to lean upon. I need a chappy to make me happy And he don't have to be Hercules Don't anyone know about the birds and bees? Ain't there anyone here for love Sweet love, Ain't there anyone here for love?

Spanish Dancer. Oil on wood by Celia Turner. Based on carpet designed by Joan Miro c1930 for the Maison Myrbor, a gallery on the rue Vignon near the Champs Elysees. Arts and Crafts. I have always been intrigued by the debt we owe to William Morris. Morris was one of the most influential personalities on the British cultural stage in the second half of the 19th century. Morris was one of the first to consider the carpet as an art form, rather than merely as a floor covering. William Morris also advocated the 'total work of art', which extended from the design of a building down to the cutlery and floor coverings. The philosophy of William Morris and John Ruskin gave birth to the Arts and Crafts movement. Art Deco and Modernist carpets are beautiful works of art and can be seen in museums and collections all over the world, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  I am working on a collection of paintings based on original carpet designs from the art deco...

As we have seen in the posts entitled ' Mental Health Awareness Week: 14-20 May 2018- some issues are perennial, such as relationship concerns, health worries and money worries. Trauma can occur at any stage in life and there is no predicting when the stresses of life will suddenly mount up to the point of feeling overwhelming. We all go through tough times, but it's not just what  we go through that determines our ability to cope, but how we deal with the stress- how we still manage to meet our needs as best we can, retain hope, and feel empowered. Once we understand the typical stresses of the cycle, we can prepare ourselves and others to best manage them. And a big part of this lies in having good support from others. So, what can we learn in general? Well, primarily relationships matter . Having warm, good, and wide-ranging friendships and relationships helps us all mentally, physically, and even financially. The one and only constant in life is change. The body m...

                                                    Palm Trees. Spain. Oil on canvas.                                                     Divi Tree. Aruba. Oil on canvas.                                                    Divi Tree and Products. Oil on canvas.                                                    

In the human functional process, we know and understand the role of the nervous system and the way our senses come into play in our everyday lives. We respond in several ways to external forces of stress and sudden changes in our immediate environment. Some of the stress responses are summed up in the 'fight or flight' reactions, which manifest in physical changes, such as sweating palms, a quickened heartbeat and dilated pupils. The same way our bodies consciously respond to external forces is the same way we respond subconsciously to life changing scenarios. It has long been believed that humans have some level of instinctive or intuitive ability. Logically, we know that the fire will burn because our cognitive spheres have at some point come into contact with the heat of a candle or fire. This makes sense, scientifically, and is an understood process. However, it is much more difficult to logically explain the 'gut' feeling that people sometimes experience r...