Brexit, the economy and house prices (Part 3)

gfplux

Sapphire wrote: »

Disgusting – it's unbelievable that this unelected, unprofessional and arrogant bureaucrat of a Juncker, who lacks any diplomatic skills, was put in a position of apparent power over all of Europe's nations! That's the trouble when you give power to individuals who have not been elected by populations. They end up being able to say anything and insult anyone in the sure knowledge that an electorate cannot boot them out. That's what leads to dictatorships…

Why not read about him.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Claude_Juncker

Or you could ask him a question.
http://www.debatingeurope.eu/2017/09/07/what-would-you-ask-juncker/#.WbJX0tHRahB

gfplux

Sapphire wrote: »

Although I seem to recall that Frau Merkel was one of those who stated that 'Britain must be punished', which wouldn't bode well for negotiating with her. And isn't she the one who has been issuing political dictats to continental European nations all along?

You recall incorrectly.

gfplux

Thrugelmir wrote: »

The UK has become increasingly marginalised as the EU has expanded. The UK and Germany have very different outlooks on many issues.

Britain has always been a reluctant member. No one should be surprised Britain punched below its weight when parliament "back home" seemed not to care very much.
Why the continued EU bashing?
Anyway, water under the bridge.

gfplux

Interesting article from Bloomberg on smuggling and the implications for the Irish border.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-08/swiss-norwegian-smugglers-point-to-brexit-border-conundrum?cmpid=BBBXT090817_BIZ&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=170908&utm_campaign=brexit

Perhaps the solution will be the unification of Ireland?

gfplux

This is a copy and paste that I have been given permission to reproduce.
It is here un edited to add to the debate.
There is really no need to pull it apart as it is what it is.

"Last week I was in Ukraine, in Odessa for the opening of a new supermarket by our customer there - part of my job is export sales to that region.
The store, called LeSilpo, is stunning - forget your stereotypes of Eastern European supermarkets, and think instead of lavish displays of all kinds of fresh food and something between the best Waitrose you ever saw, WholeFoods, and Harrods food hall. I was there to promote the fine British products of my employer and we had a great time over two days of launch celebrations, running tastings and demonstrations.
I was the only British person there promoting British products. I met one other English guy but he worked for a Dutch company. In a remarkable store full of the finest foods from across Ukraine and Europe there was, apart from an extensive Scotch whisky section, a minimal presence of British brands.
In contrast, there were at leas two French guys there, one doing cheese and one on wine, a Dutch guy on cheese, at least two Italians, a Dane doing herrings.
If Britain is going to ‘go global’ and aim to export a lot more, it isn’t going to be achieved by leaving the EU, a step which is at best an irrelevance and at worst a damaging loss of access to all the markets the EU has trade arrangements with.
It certainly won’t be brought about by Liam Fox signing ‘deals’.
It will only be achieved the way other successful exporters do it – by British companies taking it seriously, going to the markets, establishing customer relationships and putting in the effort on the ground."

Conrad

Moby wrote: »

Do you think our Govmt should have the right to amend legislation its taking back from the EU without reference to Parliament?

It's ironic Remainers are suddenly so interested in ensuring our Parliament has a full say. Presumably you're glad we're taking these power back at last?

Conrad

gfplux wrote: »

Perhaps the solution will be the unification of Ireland?

Brexiteers have suggested this as a possibility right through the debates, or even that Ireland could join the UK

Regardless, you can be sure Ireland that relies on her huge UK export market will not be going along with a self harming poor trade deal as stated right through this debate. So funny when Remainers tell me they will all self harm for some abstract notion of togetherness.

System

Conrad wrote: »

It's ironic Remainers are suddenly so interested in ensuring our Parliament has a full say. Presumably you're glad we're taking these power back at last?

Parliament has always been sovereign. We didn't need to take anything back.

I don't believe more than half a dozen people really decided to vote to leave the EU based on ideas of sovereignty. What surprises me is the coincidence that those 6 people happen to post here.

kabayiri

gfplux wrote: »

Britain has always been a reluctant member. No one should be surprised Britain punched below its weight when parliament "back home" seemed not to care very much.
Why the continued EU bashing?
Anyway, water under the bridge.

It's not so much a 'reluctant member'.

The UK believed in a smaller EU political layer; indeed we argued for a smaller EU budget in the last budget phase. We were outvoted.

You can support a wider expansive EU if you create a shallower structure. But there are those others in the EU who are pushing for much deeper harmonization. Macron is carrying on this view.

I think we were always going to see some kind of stress point/fracture, if not from the UK it would have been from elsewhere.

System

kabayiri wrote: »

It's not so much a 'reluctant member'.

The UK believed in a smaller EU political layer; indeed we argued for a smaller EU budget in the last budget phase. We were outvoted.

You can support a wider expansive EU if you create a shallower structure. But there are those others in the EU who are pushing for much deeper harmonization. Macron is carrying on this view.

I think we were always going to see some kind of stress point/fracture, if not from the UK it would have been from elsewhere.

I think reluctant member probably conveys the UK's position better.

It's caused damage to so many political careers that a lukewarm attitude towards it has been the most (politically) expedient approach.