D.I.V.O.R.C.E.

 

Meanwhile, over on BBC One, the BBC News at Six's Reeta gave us this cheery (fourth-place) headline:

The end of a nearly 50 year marriage. At 11pm tonight, the UK leaves the trading bloc of the EU.

Ah, yes. We all love a wedding. We all admire long marriages. We're not so positive about divorces. What a headline!

It later became:

At 11 o'clock tonight, the United Kingdom will complete its transition from the European Union's single market and customs union - bringing an end to a partnership that lasted almost 50 years. 

We all like the idea of partnerships. And now this one's now no more. 

It's all so sad! I don't think Jane Garvey will be seeing too many empty champagne bottles strewn around Broadcasting House tonight, unlike in 1997. (Maybe the odd vodka or absinthe bottle?).

********

And what came next? 

The BBC's Alex Forsyth reviewing in fast forward the past 4+ years (starting, in true BBC/Remain style, with that bus with the £350m for the NHS slogan they think sums up the Leave campaign), and then - her first 'talking head' - came a butterfly farmer in Stratford-upon-Avon who exports butterflies to the EU, who doesn't like the "uncertainty" and whose opening words are "This Brexit malarkey". 

Then came a clip of Hilary Benn railing against Brexit, followed by two more 'talking heads': pro-Brexit Iain Duncan Smith and anti-Brexit Hilary Benn (again). 

Alex ended with:

The ports and borders may be the first to feel the impact in coming days and weeks ['impact' implying something negative hitting you]  but whether time for rejoicing [positive], regret [negative] or resignation [negative] this is the start of a wider change in our relationship with those across the Channel. Alex Forsyth, BBC News.