the EU & the UK

[MyNameIsTerry]

Terry…. good stuff in reply.

Fiat/Tesla versus VW is a clear example of: fiddle the rules amateurishly and get caught; fiddle the rules expertly and win the day! This is one of the reasons why Britain consistently loses in the EU game (‘C’mon, chaps – play up and play the game! Oh damn, blast and confound it all! The game’s over and we lost…again! What a rotten egg. Still, better luck next time, eh?’). Has no one in the upper echelons noticed there’s a forty-five degree slope on the playing field (that bears no resemblance to the ones at Eton) and we’re nearly always at the muddy bottom end facing into the sun?

Perhaps a lot of folks aren’t aware of the ‘black economy’ or what the term really means. But my point is, if you can only get someone legit to do the work for living wage (even as cash-in-hand), and then you miraculously find someone to do it for half that price; shouldn’t you ask yourself: how or why? Sorry, that’s looking a gift horse in the mouth – how many folks do that? And a gift horse trumps niggling doubt every time.

Hmm… Mr Fox might actually be useless, sadly. How would we know? With whom are we comparing him? Define your parameters of uselessness (bearing in mind his job description and who appointed him).

Those trade figures, along with the truth, are almost certainly out there (but you’ll probably need three geeks to find them).

Me? A federalist? I’ve been called some things (many justifiably and some unrepeatable) but never a federalist! I’ll settle for pragmatist (and even that might be stretching the truth).

That’s a rather unpleasant emoji – where do find them? You’re going to have the RSPCE round (an Aretha Franklin song?... Maybe not).

Remember from way back I posted about a second Scottish referendum (don’t make me go looking for it, please!). I mentioned about a ‘weighting’ system based on population size. That could work in a future, redefined UK.

National advantage or national disadvantage? It becomes nicht so einfach when your country could secure a corner of the market (say, like non-EU Switzerland with cuckoo clocks ) but you’re blocked from half your non-EU potential market because the EU doesn’t want you trading directly with those non-EU countries (the technical term for this is ‘being a dog in a manger’ – have you got a suitable emoji, Terry?). I know of some companies who’ve had experience of this. They were made to jump through hoops, even though theoretically it was possible via the EU trade protocols. Those hoops turned into a very effective deterrent.

Ah! was the truth included with those BBC business trade data out there? They look complicated, so I’ll have a mooch through them and see what’s what. I did notice “trade deficit” in them – and hasn’t it always been the fact of the matter that we import more than we export (certainly since WW2)?

I’m not going to append that daft CE compliance mark to this, but if I could get a British Standards kite mark….

Indeed and the EU's unwillingness to close loopholes in the same way our own governments are over tax. But then look how far Juncker has got and now he is tackling problems at EU level that he personally caused when leader! Look at the likes of Draghi.

Yes, I think you do need to weigh up the saving and look at the person doing the work. We do that every time travellers call because we know the work is likely to be poor, the waste dumped (any cost to you in tax) and whilst we don't mind saving a bit of tax here & there it's different when you know the person doing the work doesn't put into the system at all.

Illegal immigrants are just doing what they can do get ahead, in many cases. Businesses are a different matter though and the book should be firmly thrown at them.

All trades do their black market jobs or "foreigners" as my dad calls them. But that's not exploitative to the labour.

Well, I do hope someone is keeping an eye on Mr Fox's expenses so we don't find out later he has been taking his "personal male advisor" with him

Figures for import/export can be found on the ONS website, they tend to be monthly though so other sites might have created yearly reporting if they haven't got round up reports available for annual trade available to the public. They probably will though. The map is interesting to see quickly whether we do much trade with other nations but it would be good to see a league table. I do question just how much they benefit us and how many we would replicate in value by a few bigger deals.

Emoji's available here http://yoursmiles.org/ with many relevant ones to anything political

So, you are more for a fairer system for all countries of the union rather than US set up? But weighting is something I just can't see working as you just get the other end of the argument, why Scottish votes are worth more than English ones. Some argue regional governments would be better as we also have the issue of the under represented North.

Don't forget the industries that are "encouraged" to put up with things that are of disadvantage for the sake of the unwavering direction of travel. Bones get thrown at them.

Yep, we export more in services because that's our economy now but we gave up on manufacturing a long time ago. Agriculture will only ever go so far with our smaller island but the much larger nations (by area) will have more clout in terms of export to the ears of the EU I would think.

[Noivous]

I've been following this so long that I finally gave up. Parliament cant agree on anything, Theresa May is promising to retire if they just approve and pass something, the dates keep changing....too much

I agree, Maria. The people have spoken. Get it done. And not in some half assed fashion either. Parliament is intentionally obfuscating to thwart the will of the voters. There are a lot of similarities between Brexit and President Trump's election. In either case it's the will of the voters vs. the Deep State. Stay tuned.

N.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Brexit Day + 11

A very brief bulletin: The word on the streets (or in the lanes for we hicks) is Article 50 will be revoked on Friday when the EU blocks Mrs May's pleading for 'one last chance'.

The Lords vote was always going to be a slam dunk.

My question is what will the EU do? Will they take pity on May and give her a few months? Or will they stick to their stance about it needing to be worth the bother? I expect they will extent but insist on the longer time frame because they will care less about revolting Tories () and more about securing the cross party vote. Tusk's Flextension with the option to end earlier would be the compromise.

Do they really want to back May into a corner where all she can do is revoke? That's some petrol to tip all over the fire. If she then puts A50 back in again I can see the EU taking it to the ECJ to rule on it being a carry over and forcing a change in legislation...which is quite reasonable to prevent such political silly buggers.

[Noivous]

Hi Terry! How's it going?

Check it out.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/201...-wants-brexit/

[mezzaninedoor]

Hi Terry! How's it going?

Check it out.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/201...-wants-brexit/

I seldom find Breitbart on the nail but Theresa May has lost the plot.
She is trying to wiggle through whatevers happening with Brexit so that she can say 'It wasnt my fault'.
Watching the Houses of Parliament with the sound of and subtitles on is the best approach with the noisy children that sit there.

[mezzaninedoor]

The Lords vote was always going to be a slam dunk.

My question is what will the EU do? Will they take pity on May and give her a few months? Or will they stick to their stance about it needing to be worth the bother? I expect they will extent but insist on the longer time frame because they will care less about revolting Tories () and more about securing the cross party vote. Tusk's Flextension with the option to end earlier would be the compromise.

Do they really want to back May into a corner where all she can do is revoke? That's some petrol to tip all over the fire. If she then puts A50 back in again I can see the EU taking it to the ECJ to rule on it being a carry over and forcing a change in legislation...which is quite reasonable to prevent such political silly buggers.

Political commentators are edging towards the EU offering 31st December 2019, however with heavy caveats on there needing to be outcomes sooner rather than later from the HOC. This means the joke of EU elections !?!?!

[mezzaninedoor]

Brexit Day + 12


(I got) The Brexit Blues by Pherris ‘Tone-Deaf’ Ainsthorpe 2019

Woke up this mornin’
Heard the shout
Woke up this mornin’
Britain is out
Woke up this mornin’
Sun’s gonna shine
Woke up this mornin’
Brexit’ll be fine.

Hey man what went wrong
These are my words to this song
The votes were cast
Halfway mark passed
I got the Brexit bl-ues so bad

Woke up this mornin’
With Pain in my head
Woke up this mornin’
Heart hangin’ like lead
Woke up this mornin’
The news’s all done
Woke up this mornin’
Leave never won

Hey, man what went wrong
These ain’t my words to this song
The May queen lied
The dream just died
I got the Brexit bl-ues so bad

Woke up this mornin’
Nothin’ but quiet
Woke up this mornin’
No fightin’ no riot
Woke up this mornin’
Can’t believe it’s whatever
Woke up this mornin’
In Europe forever

Hey man it ain’t that bad
Forty-eight ‘cent are oh so glad
Democracy come
Democracy dumb
I got the Brexit bl-ues so bad,
I got those blues so bad, so bad, so bad


(Music to follow - probably in E(U) Major)

Noice!

This was my Brexit poem written in November

http://tonyamis.blogspot.com/2018/11...oemparody.html

[MyNameIsTerry]

Political commentators are edging towards the EU offering 31st December 2019, however with heavy caveats on there needing to be outcomes sooner rather than later from the HOC. This means the joke of EU elections !?!?!

Does that line up with the end of budgets? I remember last year May as talking about maybe having an extra month over our end date and the EU said they didn't want to extend budget contributions pro rata but would accept full years. There was something about an EU document with a year date on it last week but I didn't read the article. Funny date though, New Year when everyone is in limbo.

[mezzaninedoor]

I’m sure people will see this as one sided.
Brutall inventive with a nod to the so called Project Fear.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/...onathan-meades

[pulisa]

So now it's Hallowexit?