Current Affairs

[oldbluefox]

http://www.leavehq.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=128

Thank you for the link Jack. I rather like this idea................
"We then propose a third phase, which involves breaking free of the Brussels-centric administration of European trade, building a genuine, Europe-wide single market, with common decision-making for all parties. This will be fully integrated into the global rule-making process, through existing international bodies".
I expect this would put the fear of God up Barnier, Juncker & Co.

[Jack Staff]

Blimey Jack, are you a manic depressive ?

I just like to see the bigger picture. The situation I mentioned is currently unlikely, but is gaining ground with some goggle eyed Brexiters.

Our country has managed to do pretty well for numerous centuries, but will end a as nation simply by leaving the EU, after 40 years membership??

Quite possibly, if you consider the loss of Northern Ireland and Scotland as the end of our nation.

We might as well spend all of our money on cruises and then top ourselves.

Good idea! Though perhaps investing in Dollars and Euros might be better than topping yourself.

I think that the end game will be that life goes on pretty much as it does now.

For that to happen we would have to stay members of the EU.

[Jack Staff]

Oddly you haven't mentioned Corbyn and the Labour Party doing a complete about turn presumably to try and capture the Remain vote?

Don't get me started on Corbyn! The man does not understand the meaning of the word 'opposition'.

[Jack Staff]

http://www.leavehq.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=128

Thank you for the link Jack. I rather like this idea................
"We then propose a third phase, which involves breaking free of the Brussels-centric administration of European trade, building a genuine, Europe-wide single market, with common decision-making for all parties. This will be fully integrated into the global rule-making process, through existing international bodies".
I expect this would put the fear of God up Barnier, Juncker & Co.

Yes, as a true Brit, the idea appeals to me too.
But just not going to happen. It smacks of the UK taking control of Europe, which won't go down well.
Here's someone who can explain it better than me.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37iHSwA1SwE

[oldbluefox]

Here's someone who can explain it better than me.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37iHSwA1SwE

Oddly you haven't mentioned Corbyn and the Labour Party doing a complete about turn presumably to try and capture the Remain vote?

Don't get me started on Corbyn! The man does not understand the meaning of the word 'opposition'.

Thanks for the humour

[barney]

.... just a shame that all the remoaners won't be able to stay in the EU, we would certainly put on great farewell party for you as you leave.

We will shortly be seeing a new wave of immigrants, sorry ex-pats, turning up on our shores because of Brexit. Pensioners mostly, suffering with all that that brings. A real drain on our social services and NHS. Unfortunately, we have decided to kick out so many of our doctors and nurses just when we will need them. We are even kicking out the bum wipers.

Your final sentence told me all I need to know.

Another absolute lie by the Remainers
Nobody is kicking anyone out.
It was never on the agenda and never will be.
I'm sure that even the thickest Remainer can understand that it's about controlling immigration, not stopping immigration.
If immigrants choose to leave, that is their choice, just as it was to come in the first place.

People who voted to Remain often claim intellectual superiority and denigrate anyone who voted the other way.
Take a read of The Guardian comments on any EU related story, which is pretty much every story they publish, and you'll see the real bigots and thickies.
Liberals are only liberal while they are getting their own way, it seems.
They can't keep re-running the past.

As for Farage, he is and always has been a fringe politician who has the knack of reading the real position, and exploit it.
He has never even been an MP let alone hold any position of power, yet Liberals claim that every ridiculous word that comes out of his mouth is legitimate.
I put his extreme view on par with Guy Verhofstadt.
Both have over blown opinions of themselves.

[Jack Staff]

Another absolute lie by the Remainers
Nobody is kicking anyone out.
It was never on the agenda and never will be.
I'm sure that even the thickest Remainer can understand that it's about controlling immigration, not stopping immigration.
If immigrants choose to leave, that is their choice, just as it was to come in the first place.

People who voted to Remain often claim intellectual superiority and denigrate anyone who voted the other way.
Take a read of The Guardian comments on any EU related story, which is pretty much every story they publish, and you'll see the real bigots and thickies.
Liberals are only liberal while they are getting their own way, it seems.
They can't keep re-running the past.

As for Farage, he is and always has been a fringe politician who has the knack of reading the real position, and exploit it.
He has never even been an MP let alone hold any position of power, yet Liberals claim that every ridiculous word that comes out of his mouth is legitimate.
I put his extreme view on par with Guy Verhofstadt.
Both have over blown opinions of themselves.

96% drop in EU nurses registering to work in Britain since Brexit vote
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/9 ... a35ca11fe5
We have not kicked them out YET. But they know what's happening here, so they are now not coming in the first place.

[barney]

That is very different to what was stated as a fact Jack.

Let's be realistic here.
Not one single immigrant, whether highly skilled or a bog cleaner has come to the UK for the betterment of this country.
They have come because it's better than where they came from.

When I had my knee replacement last year, I had it done privately and was looked after by a lovely Portuguese nurse.
We chatted a fair bit and she said that she came to the UK because A. there were much better employment options and B. because the wages were much better.
If things have picked up a bit in their own countries, then good luck to them if they want to go home.
At the end of the day, they were trained there and should probably be there anyway.

I will add that over 80% of EU immigrants are considered unskilled and are doing menial, low paid work.
It's fine to talk about the crème but that isn't the norm.
Most decent size towns now have five or six Costa's, mainly staffed by immigrants, paying ridiculously high rents and living six to a house.
Do we really need all these?
I expect not.
This prices local families out of the rental market.

Part of the reason I'm moving is because the south east has become so congested.
The population spike is such that KCC need to find 26,000 additional school places.
26,000 - That's a lot of kids to find schools for.
Maybe you would blame KCC for not planning but that is not the issue.
The issue is over population of certain areas.
And most of that is due to mass immigration.
I'm sure that you are aware of the actual statistics Jack.

Headlines last week were that internal immigration was 25,000 DOWN for the year
What was glossed over was that it was still + 250,000
How many more years can this country sustain this growth before something gives?

[Mervyn and Trish]

As a change from Brexit (please!) a thought on the impact of Storm Irma. I number of islands have been hit hard, including some UK dependencies. So how about splashing some of our bloated overseas aid budget helping them get back on their feet, instead of sending it to corrupt despots in banana republics and countries with space programmes?

[david63]

how about splashing some of our bloated overseas aid budget helping them get back on their feet,

Have we not just allocated £32 million as a starter?

[qbman1]

Bit of a drop in the ocean, if you'll pardon the pun.

A fraction of what we send to India - barely pay for the ice creams for their space programme people

[Stephen]

Perhaps the EU beaurocrats won't mind if we skip a £350 mil payment this week to help out the poor bu99ers in the Caribbean. I won't hold my breath though.

[qbman1]

I see loads of cruises have either been cancelled our re-routed this week. All American-based lines of course - at least P&O have the good sense not to schedule cruises to the Caribbean during the height of hurricane season. You can always rely on the Yanks......

[towny44]

I see loads of cruises have either been cancelled our re-routed this week. All American-based lines of course - at least P&O have the good sense not to schedule cruises to the Caribbean during the height of hurricane season. You can always rely on the Yanks......

You cannot blame the cruise lines for placing ships in the locations with high demand. If you frequent any of the US lines fora (ums) on CC, you will see countless threads bemoaning the lack of summer Caribbean cruises, and they are also very quick to lambast any cruise line that dares change a ships deployment from their to Europe.

[Mervyn and Trish]

how about splashing some of our bloated overseas aid budget helping them get back on their feet,

Have we not just allocated £32 million as a starter?

I believe so. But I was thinking a lot more. That's barely a pop group in Africa

[david63]

how about splashing some of our bloated overseas aid budget helping them get back on their feet,

Have we not just allocated £32 million as a starter?

I believe so. But I was thinking a lot more. That's barely a pop group in Africa

I never said that it was enough and at this stage I doubt that anyone has the first clue as to how much will be needed.

[Frank Manning]

Fine by me. Our Caribbean friends should be at the top of our list for aid.. Personally I don't think we should give a penny to any country boasting possession of nuclear arms. They should look to helping their people before developing atom bombs.

[barney]

Situations like this is exactly what I feel out foreign aid budget should be for

British overseas territories rely very heavily on our assistance

My brother sold his business in Malta a couple of years ago and has retired to the island of Montserrat, just south of Antigua.

He's been in touch and is luckily fine.

He lost a few trees and some chickens, but beside that, minimal damage.

They were VERY lucky as Irma veered north at the last minute and into Barbuda, which is pretty well wiped out.

[barney]

I was speaking to my brother last night about the situation in the Caribbean and he says there is a fair bit of anger out there because none of the UK Foreign Aid budget can be spent helping them rebuild.
They are asking what the budget is for if not for emergencies like that?
Quiet hard to argue against that logic.

Allegedly, they are considered too wealthy to qualify so the UK is paying via the Treasury and out of general taxation.

Another in the series of 'you couldn't make it up'

[Mervyn and Trish]

I heard that too. How does that work? Are they wealthier than India? Anyway it's our money so let's change the rules.

[towny44]

I heard that too. How does that work? Are they wealthier than India? Anyway it's our money so let's change the rules.

Totally agree, where is Deli Alli's middle finger when you need it?

[towny44]

On a different subject. My suspicions that sterling has been driven down by the remain leaning foreign currency market makers has been confirmed. Otherwise why would a possible threatened quarter per cent increase in bank rate lead to a 3.5% increase in its value?

[barney]

A currency's value seems to be governed by confidence more that anything else.

We are very fortunate that we didn't go in the Euro when the opportunity arose or we would be in a similar position to Greece.

Many experts at the time said we were crazy not to. Remember?

The £/$ is now back to it's average trading rate over the last few years (excluding the spike last June when a remain result was nailed on)
Pound/euro has always fluctuated wildly.
I can remember 1.30 euros and I can remember 1.05 euros. All of which while being in the EU.

At the end of the day, currency fluctuation is simply so traders can make or lose money.

BTW, anyone listen to Junckers speech this week.
He and Verhofstadt are doing Leave's job for them.
Any doubts about a United States of Europe now ?

The absolute fallacy about leave the EU or the status quo has been well and truly blown out of the water.
More EU is coming for the remaining countries, like it or not.
I think we've dodged a bullet there.

[oldbluefox]

It seems a vicious circle. The more the Remainers delay and interrupt the process the greater the uncertainty and the decline of sterling, which in turn, the Remainers can blame on Brexit.
Of course Carney is fuelling the fires by keeping interest rates down. So much for everybody pulling together for the benefit of the common good. Music to the ears of Juncker & Co and their push for a Federal Europe.

[towny44]

I agree Barney, a federal Europe was never anything I voted for in the 1970's, but what surprises me most is that the ex Soviet satellites, after only just getting rid of rule from Moscow, now seem acquiescent in being subservient to Brussels, beggars belief.