kuro68k wrote: » The British government is going to take it right to the cliff edge and hope that someone else compromises. Of course they have their excuses already lined up if no-one does, only real question is who they will blame.
prawnsambo wrote: » Well on the surface, they think it's a good thing because they've been told it is. That's maybe an over-simplification, but I've yet to engage a brexiter in any forum who's got even a modicum of understanding of the EU, what it is they dislike about the EU or even a coherent analysis of what they expect to achieve outside the EU. They talk about the WTO without any knowledge of what that actually means. As if it's some kind of friendly trading bloc like eBay. And then there's the constant retort of "We'll put tariffs on EU goods". You could beat your head on a brick wall all day long trying to explain that they in fact will pay those tariffs.
Peregrinus wrote: » That doesn't mean that no deal is impossible.
RobMc59 wrote: » Why is Corbyn in favour of leaving?-my own MP Frank Field who has proved himself to be a caring level headed politician imo -says brexit is best-this is very confusing.
Peregrinus wrote: » - the EU is still grappling with how to reconcile a single currency with member state fiscal and budgetary autonomy
Peregrinus wrote: » I don't buy into the notion that EU integration can only mean and end-state very much like the US, but with better coffee. Europe could be much more politically integrated than it is now, and still radically different from the US. But I would just point out that: - there's an active dialogue under way about greater tax harmonisation (we've touched on it in this thread) - Macron has uttered the words "EU army" - the EU is still grappling with how to reconcile a single currency with member state fiscal and budgetary autonomy - the Eu institutional arrangements are larded with structures and institutions created to accommodate UK exceptionalism, and already there's talk of a new treaty to streamline and simplify this once the UK is out of the picture - etc, etc. These things aren't going to go away. And now the discourse about them is going to proceed without the bracing dose of sceptical pragmatism that the UK used to bring to the table.
Mc Love wrote: » What are the chances, the EU will drag this out as long as possible, allowing the UK to hang with their own noose?
RobMc59 wrote: » Why is Corbyn in favour of leaving?
Leroy42 wrote: » Any new government or PM will be faced with exactly the same issues as TM, yet the EU will having even more cards.
Zubeneschamali wrote: » Sure, but there are many perfectly sensible Brexit deals on the table. Barnier drew a Powerpoint slide last December showing them. The UK could have aimed for a Norway deal and concluded negotiations 6 months ago.
Kermit.de.frog wrote: » https://twitter.com/andrew_lilico/status/1062276361145012224https://twitter.com/andrew_lilico/status/1062277131386937344 This is what we are dealing with... A lot of Brexiteers and ministers believe this.
Folkstonian wrote: » More waffle from you. Really, just utter garbage. You once again ably demonstrate that know nothing of day to day life in Britain. You project bizarre, twisted fantasies of a Britain you hope exists, which bear little likeness to reality.
Folkstonian wrote: Society is, categorically, not on the verge of ‘breaking down’. I am back home very frequently and despite all the fireworks on rolling news and social media, life goes on much as it ever did before Brexit became a thing. People go to Waitrose, queue at the post office, moan about the weather, have a pint after work on a Friday, and go to the football on a Saturday. Just as they have always done and as they will continue to do.
Folkstonian wrote: It’s easy to be trapped into thinking that chaos and ruin are imminent and a dystopian future is inevitable, because you don’t actually have any frame of reference other than dramatic newspaper articles that would allow you to know what you are talking about
Folkstonian wrote: ‘No go areas’ have been proven categorically to be a myth peddled by the far right, with the police denying their existence and demonstrating that they are a fabrication (unlike in some areas of France, Belgium and Sweden)
Folkstonian wrote: The ‘horrifying stabbing/acid attack epidemic’ sounds like something out of a right wing publication as well. There is a lot of gang related violent crime, too much, but in general for the average person London remains exceptionally safe. The spike in acid throwing incidents has also gone back the other way. You won’t have to wear a set of goggles if you are planning on visiting sometime soon.
Folkstonian wrote: Peter Hitchens is widely known to be an absolute fool. You are in a very small group of people who take his seriously, and an even smaller group if your understanding of british society comes almost exclusively from a near 2 decade old rambling interview of his. See his bizarre and contemptible rants about police officers (and the public reaction to him) recently for a good idea of the nonsense he writes and how the people react to him nowadays.
Folkstonian wrote: And just one more (although someone with more time could take a red pen to your drivel and go on for hours), as an ‘exporter and purveyor of culture’ Britain hasn’t decided to go quietly into the night just yet. In fact, in 2018 it topped the ‘Soft Power 30’ list of countries, moving upwards and ahead of France which drops into second place. In their own words, when assessing a country’s soft power they look at ‘trade, capital, people, culture, education, and information’. They clearly contend that Britain is dealing with globalisation pretty well and hasn’t ‘lost all influence and respect’ as you so claim. Maybe you will google it and read up on how and why the contributors came to their conclusions, and maybe let us know why they are so different from your own.
Folkstonian wrote: Of course Britain has problems, inequality of wealth and opportunities is a serious issue. Austerity has gone too far and for too long. The current batch of politicians are a shadow of some of their predecessors. Violent crime is rising (although is significantly off its highest points from this century alone). No easy fixes and no quick ones either, for sure.
Folkstonian wrote: But on the whole, things are fine. So well done for an awful post, drenched in hyperbole and hopeless ignorance.
Folkstonian wrote: Such garbage on this thread in recent weeks has really made me quite introspective about my own sense of identity as a European. Something I’d previously held quite dearly and certainly never questioned. I still see that through an economic lense, Brexit is a terrible and harmful endeavour. But such is the tripe I see here routinely, maybe the fissures between Britain and Europe on a social level really do run too deep to be repaired, and maybe just the ‘getting on with it’ is the right thing to do for both sides.
Leroy42 wrote: » Sensible to you and me. But the reason none of them has been taken, and why TM went off on her Chequers bender, was that each of the available deals would also be voted down.
LuckyLloyd wrote: » i.e. the sponsors want a more pro Brexit / pro Tory message to be pushed and are concerned that the editorial stance is pivoting away from this?
ancapailldorcha wrote: » As an aside, has anyone bothered to read the Daily Mail at all? I'm curious as to how Geordie Greig's tenure is going. The Remainiacs podcast has noted a significant softening of the paper's stance to a more pragmatic viewpoint while sponsors targeting the middle classes like M&S have noted concern at the paper's tone.
J Mysterio wrote: » I think I may have upset you again. But life is very likely to not go on as before is the point. Fewer people will be going to Waitrose and more will be going to foodbanks, a problem which had grown under austerity and is likely to significantly increase under the New Austerity. Quite presumptious of you. I have been to the UK many times and have many friends there. My sister lived in London for the best part of a decade and I visited her quite regularly. That's just not the case. There are certainly no go areas.120 murders in London so far this year, which has already surpassed the 116 of last year. 69 of these have been fatal stabbings. People are afraid to walk around at times for fear of muggings and knife crime. London had 469 acid attacks last year. While not quite the 'Acid Attack Capital of the World', it is a disturbing figure. A heinous crime. Hitchens is most assuredly not a fool and has received plenty of recognition for his work.Hitchens was described by Edward Lucas in The Economist as "a forceful, tenacious, eloquent and brave journalist. He lambasts woolly thinking and crooked behaviour at home and abroad". While I dont agree with many of his views, he is fiercely intelligent and can't be dismissed so simply. He has long influenced discourse and currently writes for the Mail on Sunday (was onetime political editor for the Daily Express) and has for quite some time - he has a significant audience - it would be wrong to dismiss him, particularly if you want to understand why some people yearn for the Britain of old (one element which led to Brexit), which was the point I was trying to make before you became upset again. Let's wait for next years update. Thanks for acknowledging these points. ... Again, sorry to have upset you.
Folkstonian wrote: » Yes, let us indeed wait for the next data to be released that might back up your absurd claims, because the most current data sets available certainly do not. At least you tacitly acknowledge that.
Folkstonian wrote: You don’t upset me, but your motivations do intrigue me. You are a sensationalist and a fantasist.
prawnsambo wrote: » This thread seems to have gone through a wormhole in the space/time continuum. Ancapailldorcha has replied to a post that was posted after his reply.
bilston wrote: » The fact that Geordie Greig is a Remainer probably explains the softening tone. Edit - it's a pity he wasn't appointed editor 2 1/2 years ago.
Thatnastyboy wrote: » Trying to price work here for Q2 2019, With significant componentry required to be purchased from the UK starting in April.. Crystal ball stuff - how does one allow for anything at the moment?
fash wrote: » Include a brexit clause in the contract with your customer - otherwise a significant time and cost margin. A deal means sterling could increase 10-15%. No deal means a drop of the same amount with potential impact on delivery schedules (especially if they themselves have supply chains) Who knows the current likelihood of a deal - 50/50? 33%? 66?
