Brexit, the economy and house prices part 5

vivatifosi

gfplux wrote: »

First Vivatifosi I will not argue with your opinion as you MIGHT live and work in Central London.
That is why I continue to bang on about posters NOT putting their location in their status....

...So you MUST live and work in central London and have worked in the hospitality industry alongside them foreigners, I bow to your superior knowledge.

I live in Hertfordshire, just outside of London. I never mention where I work on here as it is public facing and I don't want someone coming into my place of work off the back of something I've mentioned on the internet. I do not work in the hospitality industry but I am a consumer of it. The last time I used a restaurant in London... Monday. The last time I stayed at a hotel in London... two weeks ago. As someone who lives nearby, I am a regular consumer of the facilities of London. My husband works in London, in the travel industry.

gfplux wrote: »

PS you do know the Berlin Wall has now been DOWN longer than it was UP. Those foreigners from around the Mediterranean you mention are so happy you dont specifically set them apart from others.

The reason I mentioned former eastern bloc countries is that I am acutely aware, having Hungarian friends, that they consider themselves CENTRAL European, so didn't want to use the lazy shorthand of calling everyone from the former soviet bloc countries Eastern European. I am sorry that you have been offended by that. The reason that I did that and mentioned I mentioned Mediterranean is that I was typing on a tablet so using shorthand languarge. You'll be pleased to hear I'm now replying on my laptop. So I will outline specifically the Mediterranean countries where I meet people from: Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, bizarrely rarely Greece given the state of their economy.

gfplux wrote: »

PPS you did not mention French, Danish, Luxembourgers or Italians who my family member DID work alongside in central London.

I have indeed met French and Italians working in hospitality in London, which is why I included the Mediterranian states. I have not met any Danish or Luxembourgers working in hospitality in London, ever.

For the record, I worked for about 25 years in London, I don't work there now. I worked with people from all over Europe (and to a lesser extent, the world) however these were not low paid jobs in hospitality. The people I meet in hospitality remain predominantly from the countries I mentioned. Could there be the odd Danish or Luxembourg citizen working in hospitality? Of course, it is a city of the best part of 8 million with multiple job offerings in the field, but most people I meet are not.

My post to which you appear to have taken exception, was merely responding to your earlier post, in which you stated:

gfplux wrote: »

There are a lot of (adventurous or desperate?) young unqualified EU27 people working in the catering/hospitality business in London. They arrive with poor or little English.
How many young unqualified young British people do the same in other European capitals?

I am not saying that Youth unemployment might be an issue but it is a shame that young Brits are not doing the same.

My opinion is that those who are here are disproportionately skewed from a small number of countries whose economies, for the most part, do not allow as high a standard of living, or where youth unemployment is high.

Perhaps, given the lack of government data, some other people who are consumers in London will post what their experience is.

Herzlos

Thrugelmir wrote: »

My observation earlier wasn't related to economics. Always interested to know what one person does that cannot be replicated. You are trying to change the topic. Hence my retort.

It could be replicated, but likely won't. If I don't do it from Germany and my employer wants to bring in a replacement the odds of the replacement being in the UK are vanishingly slim, made even less likely by losing access to free movement.

I generate output that contributes to the global economy but not really the UK. Most of my contributions to the UK economy are in my tax bill and the (foreign owned and run) sandwich shop under my office.

gfplux

tracey3596 wrote: »

It was honest which was more than your response was.;)

Because "I hate this new order of brexit where we" must accept without question that the UK is somehow doomed as we exit the EU despite there being absolutely zero evidence of this - or risk being told that we are "little Englanders" or some other such derogatory terminology as suits the moment.

You're right, this isn't North Korea.
It is (as has been shown) one of the most democratic countries in the world - for which you should be very grateful since opinions such as you post publicly in less-democratic countries would very probably lead to a knock at your door swiftly followed by (if you're lucky) lengthy incarceration.

"Nearly free or 80-95% free is better than the NHS."
Rubbish!
Since gfplux resides in Luxembourg, here's a quick guide for you:
https://www.expatica.com/lu/healthcare/Healthcare-in-Luxembourg_105466.html

Tracey, that a very good link and describes the Luxembourg system fairly well.
If anyone has any further questions I will be happy to answer.

gfplux

tracey3596 wrote: »

PLEASE STOP GOING OFF TOPIC


Ah.
So your version of "nearly free" is not in fact then nearly free.
From your example costings in Luxembourg of €72 how much would it cost a retired UK resident?
Zero.
Nil.
Nada.
Zilch.
All the items you describe are free at point of delivery.
(Prescriptions are free for over-60's in England and free for all resident in Scotland and Wales.)

Which I think for most sensible people equates to free, as opposed to €72 which frankly cannot stretch acceptable opinion enough to be described as "nearly free".

To you perhaps.
To your average UK retiree used to paying nothing, over £60 is certainly not "nearly free".

Some say off topic others say on topic.

I said 80 to 95% free at point of delivery.
So a GP doctors appointment for €1 and if I phone Now 9am I will possibly get an appointment this morning. I believe something for free is too often taken for granted.
It is certainly off topic to argue with you the minute details that make the Luxembourg system considered one of the best.

gfplux

Tromking wrote: »

Its not off topic to discuss the relative differences in European healthcare systems when we are talking about a possible federal European amalgamation of health provision in the future.
If you remember, after another poster suggested that European style healthcare was different to the NHS, you disagreed and suggested that the UK was in essence no different. Since then youve posted more than once about the distinct differences between the NHS and the Luxembourger version. Can I politely suggest that you make your mind up.

I know what I know and what I said.
Both systems are similar.

Paid for by social security contributions.
Government additional financial support.
Nearly free at point of delivery.

Where the differ
Luxembourg system adequately funded
Every prescription and procedure has a price and in many instances the citizen make a modest contribution.

Theophile

In the meantime...

UK economy suffers sharp slowdown at start of 2018

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-economy-pmi/uk-economy-suffers-sharp-slowdown-at-start-of-2018-ihs-markit-idUKKBN1FP11N

Simultaneously...

Eurozone economic growth nears 12-year high in January

https://www.markiteconomics.com/Survey/PressRelease.mvc/d6318e46d6f44baf9d5a22199091592f

Lornapink

UK universities report 10% rise in applications from EU students.
These Europeans are choosing to leave the EU to come spend years in the 'laughing stock' UK.

Lornapink

Many EU nations have endured a decade of hell with vast youth unemployment and wealth destruction.
A growth spurt from a very low base is hardly something to crow about given the UK recovered quickly and became the jobs factory of Europe.


UK is enjoying steady sustainable growth which would be higher were it not for the dampening effect Remainers spread around.


Last figures I saw had our growth at about the same level as that of Japan and France. I suppose Japan's 'low' growth must be because they're not in the glorious EU?

buglawton

gfplux wrote: »

I know what I know and what I said.
Both systems are similar.

Paid for by social security contributions.
Government additional financial support.
Nearly free at point of delivery.

Where the differ
Luxembourg system adequately funded
Every prescription and procedure has a price and in many instances the citizen make a modest contribution.

Agree, and the Luxembourg model seems to make it more politically acceptable for the public to spend more of their income on healthcare than the 'appears to be free' UK model.

Herzlos

Lornapink wrote: »

UK universities report 10% rise in applications from EU students.
These Europeans are choosing to leave the EU to come spend years in the 'laughing stock' UK.

I'd be interested to know why this is. Is it being considered a back door into the UK, as is common from some other regions (get a student visa, arrive, disappear)? Is it because UK university courses get cheaper with a weaker Pound?

We still have some world class universities regardless of Brexit, at least for the forseeable future in STEM. There's still huge benefit in getting a UK university education, and if we're trying to price locals out of courses then we should be glad to be able to replace them with foreigners.