Thread by @brexit_sham

THREAD (1) When the likes of Hannan feel the need to 'brush off' something so critical to the right-wing/neo-con #Brexit wet dream, we find digging a little deeper to be useful. After all, ground breaking 'shadow trade deals' with right-wing US think tanks is no small fish.

(2) In fact, given the growing negativity surrounding the #Brexit negotiations, compounded by the Govts' own damning economic analysis, one would have thought Hannan and Fox et al, would be shouting from the roof tops about their bespoke 'shadow US-UK trade deal.' Wouldn't you?

(3) The problem for our intrepid trade deal making duo, as almost always, is to be found in the detail; just what are, and who is, behind these neo-con US think tanks? Perhaps Daniel would enlighten us?

(4) In short, Hannon's Washington think tank's are backed by right wing Billionaires donating millions of dollars, not only to buy political influence, but to frame terms of public debate and actually draft legislation. Or, what Hannan himself describes as: 'shadow trade talks.'

(5) Take one, for example, the Heritage Foundation. One of the globe's most influential neo-con think tanks, its mission statement is 'to promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom and traditional American values.'

(6) Or, to quote Inside Philanthropy: 'Keep taxes on rich people low and make poor people get off their asses.'

(7) For those who have followed #Brexit outside of the black & white debate, as framed by the likes of Farage, Banks, Mogg, Johnson and Hannan, the name Robert Mercer may be a familiar one.

(8) Would you be surprised if the mega-rich 'disaster billionaire' behind, Bannon, Breitbart, the Trump campaign and Cambridge Analytica was a major donor to the Heritage Foundation?

(9) Or that his daughter, and fellow billionaire right wing lobbyist and donor, Rebekah Mercer is on the board of trustees? Perhaps Hannan would like to expand here? Or maybe not Daniel?

(10) See, the Mercer reach into far right Washington think tanks seems all encompassing. The Manhattan Institute? Yes, Mercer is a donor there too, and his daughter, Rebekah, (you're ahead of me here, I'm sure!) is on the board of trustees.

(11) Incidentally, no, actually not, the Mercer's are joined at the hip at Heritage and the Manhattan Institute by fellow right wing mega rich, climate change denying, oil Billionaires, the Koch brothers.

(12) And yes, the Mercer's and the Koch's are also donors at another of Hannan's 'shadow trade deal' partners: The Cato Institute.

(13) Another of the neo-con think tanks Hannon and Fox are lifting their skirts up to is, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI). Also co-founded and funded by the Koch brothers.

(14) CEI has long ties to tobacco disinformation campaigns (this will keep Rees-Mogg happy), and to many (all debunked) climate change conspiracies.

(15) It goes without saying, the links between sinister US right wing think tanks and #Brexit are long entwined - ties going way back before the June 2016 EU ref.' Make no mistake, #Brexit was always a #Neocon and #Tory right wing fantasy coup. Daniel? heritage.org/global-politic…

(16) Welcome to the unregulated #Neocon #Tory right wing #Brexit dream. Next up the #NHS and the welfare system.....

This thread will keep growing: (17) Another excellent scoop highlighting the sinister #Neocon #Tory right wing #Brexit 'dream' touched upon in the above thread, by @AlbertoNardelli @MarkDiStef @BuzzFeedNews: buzzfeed.com/albertonardell…

(18) #Brexit: A bonfire of regulations; food, health, welfare, environmental protections. The far right-wing #Tory #Neocon 'ultra free-market libertarian dream.' Full @IFTtweets leaked document here:

documentcloud.org/documents/4380…

(@UE @Greenpeace)

(19) The far right-wing #Tory #Neocon dream 'Mutual recognition of standards through a North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement. Singapore a logical addition.' 'US consumers saving the most.' 'Publically rehearse controversial elements.' 'Explainer videos distributed on social media.'

(20) @Greenpeace UK Chief Scientist @doug_parr: 'US industrial lobbies see a UK trade deal as a Trojan horse to smuggle through a whole range of controversial products that have been banned in the EU for years.' inews.co.uk/news/uk/shoppe…

(21) THREAD continues to grow.....

Hannan and @IFTtweets:

"Seizing the Opportunities"

Questions are: For whom? And on whose authority?

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