Brexit, the economy and house prices part 5

Thrugelmir

Filo25 wrote: »

Still not sure how the Irish border issue gets solved though.

Eire leaves the EU. Negotiates directly with the UK. Forms a trade alliance.

Moby

The other countries have been surprised by Brexit because it is so obviously stupid they cannot believe Britain actually chose it, but no one on the continent believed the Brits loved the EU. The real (good) surprise is the fact the young generations do feel European. They will vote for a comeback in a few years. So far GDP has dropped by 3% from where it would have been if Brexit had not started. Our currency has lost 15% of its value and foreign and local investment has dropped markedly. The only question is how bad will things get before the penny drops. The one positive I see from the speech is at least May now understands the ECJ is going to have an ongoing role in whatever deal is hopefully agreed.

gfplux

Herzlos wrote: »

Because Brexit got a lot more people interested in politics and the youth wanted to try and do something to stop it?


Indeed. Can you show me the bit where he says he'd cancel it, rather than making it easier to manage?

Do you think that will be reflected in the May 3rd Council elections. The past turnout of 30%-35% is shocking.

gfplux

Theophile wrote: »

Don't let facts get in the way of some forum grandstanding.

I will stand corrected if you can point out where and when the trade talks are taking place.
A politician saying we would like a nice trade deal does not count.

Herzlos

gfplux wrote: »

Do you think that will be reflected in the May 3rd Council elections. The past turnout of 30%-35% is shocking.

I doubt many will care about local elections

Herzlos

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Eire leaves the EU. Negotiates directly with the UK. Forms a trade alliance.

What do you reckon the odds are that Eire will leave the eu over the uk border?
Haven't they already made it clear that they are sticking with the eu?

buglawton

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Theresa May has, for the first time, ruled out a Canada style FTA or WTO options. That is a change.

So that only leaves options that involve staying much closer to and more involved with the EU than the hard Brexiteers want.

I personally don't think cherry-picking to this extent is an option that will be accepted, so we'll likely end up with a Switzerland type deal, but lets see.

Switzerland had a referendum and voted to control its immigration (25% of population being non-Swiss). At first the EU let it coast while the Swiss planned their implementation. Now (possibly due to Brexit and restiveness elsewhere in the EU) the EU is moving to crack down and force Switzerland into a choice between free trade or controlling its immigration. One early outcome was that Swiss hire cars could no longer be driven into the EU.

Switzerland is being forced to cancel the outcome of that referendum.

I am not holding my breath on any actual progress being made as a result of Mays speech. I suspect that the British reaction to an EU strong-arm will be different from a Swiss one.

Herzlos

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-43246815/uk-will-allow-imperial-pint-bottles-of-champagne-again?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_politics&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=news_central

So the uk is to re-introduce pints of champagne post Brexit. I'd never heard of them.

However, for it to be called champagne is needs to be bottled in France, where there's no such thing as a pint. So will we get them to make some UK only bottles or is this a waste of time?

I can't understand the need; does this fill any real niche between 350ml and 750ml bottles?

gfplux

Rough_Justice wrote: »

She has played an absolute blinder IMHO.

Remainers happy.
Brexiters happy.
Media happy.

But no wonder Tusk was quiet as I said yesterday.
The EU are on the back foot and have been mightily played.
May has shown compromise BUT I suspect in full knowledge that the EU, being the intransigent bunch they are, just cannot themselves agree to do the same.
That will not only show the world just what a political dinosaur the EU are but will turn both global and intra-EU opinion against them for not reciprocating and finalising a Brexit deal.

Simply, although May says she won't threaten to walk away from EU negotiations she doesn't need to.
Because the EU will not ever agree to a deal.
WTO here we come.
And the world will lay the blame at the door of the EU.

Now let's see if the remainers here that were praising Theresa May are still of that opinion. Because it looks like she has played the EU to absolute perfection, leaving them the choice of giving the UK much of what May has asked for OR proving themselves to be the protectionist, intransigent and despotic organisation that many already consider them to be.

To add to your joy the WTO wanted you to know this update.

Quote
DG AZEVÊDO STRESSES NEED FOR INCLUSIVENESS, TRANSPARENCY AND FLEXIBILITY IN WTO TALKS
In a speech delivered to the Graduate Institute in Geneva on 28 February, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo underlined the importance of WTO members taking inclusive, transparent and flexible approaches in all their discussions at the WTO and working to “creatively improve” the functioning of the organization.
Speech: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/spra_e/spra214_e.htm

WTO MEMBERS BROADEN THE DISCUSSION ON IP, INCLUSIVE INNOVATION AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST
WTO members broadened the discussion on the role intellectual property (IP) plays as a driver for more inclusive innovation, and addressed the complex interplay between IP and the public interest. At the meeting of the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) on 27 February, the Least-developed Countries (LDCs) Group put forward a paper asking developed members to fully implement their technology transfer requirements under WTO rules.
News item: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news18_e/trip_27feb18_e.htm
EXPERTS DISCUSS HOW TO MEASURE SERVICES TRADE IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Experts from the WTO Secretariat and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) met at WTO headquarters on 1 March to discuss how to better measure trade in services in the digital age. The event was the first in the “Simply Services” speaker series, an informal platform for sharing the latest information on trends in services trade.
News item: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news18_e/serv_01mar18_e.htm

PANEL ESTABLISHED TO DETERMINE INDIA’S COMPLIANCE WITH SOLAR POWER RULING
At its meeting on 28 February, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) agreed to establish a panel to determine whether India has complied with a previous ruling regarding its domestic content requirements for solar cells and solar modules. The DSB also adopted a panel ruling regarding anti-dumping duties imposed by the European Union on biodiesel imports from Indonesia and a compliance panel ruling regarding Chinese anti-dumping and countervailing duties on broiler products from the United States.
Summary of the meeting: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news18_e/dsb_28feb18_e.htm
Proposed items for consideration at the DSB: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news18_e/dsb_agenda_28feb18_e.htm

SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS ROLE OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN ADVANCING THE SDGS
Innovative medical technologies must be developed and promoted to reach those in greatest need and to realize the health-related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), participants noted at an inter-agency symposium held on 26 February at the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva.
News item: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news18_e/trip_02mar18_e.htm

gfplux

Herzlos wrote: »

I doubt many will care about local elections

That is so sad for a modern democracy. It will show up in the turnout.
I suspect the most vocal complaining of no gritter lorry in their street have never ever voted in a council election.
If you don’t vote you have no right to complain.