the EU & the UK

[Noivous]

So I guess it's a done deal. They're referring to it as BINO here in the States - Brexit In Name Only.

[mezzaninedoor]

I dont believe its BINO.

The problem is whilst the backstop is in operation we are tied to the EU for that phase, It still a harder Brexit when you get further down the line.

[Noivous]

I just heard this on the radio. Of all European countries it's Great Britain which has most lost its culture/identity. It was also stated that the most common baby boys name in GB is Mohammed. Two heavy weight lefty Democrats just came out and said Europe has been crushed by immigration - Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. Both former Presidential Democrat nominees. Didn't see that one coming. Why can't Europeans see what is so clearly right in front of their faces...that they are losing their countries to massive mass immigration.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I just heard this on the radio. Of all European countries it's Great Britain which has most lost its culture/identity. It was also stated that the most common baby boys name in GB is Mohammed. Two heavy weight lefty Democrats just came out and said Europe has been crushed by immigration - Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. Both former Presidential Democrat nominees. Didn't see that one coming. Why can't Europeans see what is so clearly right in front of their faces...that they are losing their countries to massive mass immigration.

It was mid year but not anymore. May have been a trend thing.

It's Oliver. Harry & George next. Noah, Jack, Jacob, Leo and Oscar also in the top 10.

I think something to remember is that is an extremely common name for a large demographic compared to more Brit names that are not viewed in the same way.

Some may try to use it as a sign we are being "taken over" but it's nonsense. It's a skew issue. It's like how in big years for the royals you will see their names making a comeback e.g. George, which in my day was a one way ticket to bullying. Jack is another good example as it's now popular yet you would be lucky to find any boy called that in my days as it was considered old fashioned.

Perhaps part of it is how do you define our culture? I don't think we have a strong one anyway. For instance, the Welsh, Scots & Irish celebrate their culture yet English culture has often been hijacked by the racists and this has meant people don't put up Union Jack's as it was a symbol of racism for decades. Things are changing though but we just don't make a big deal of it like the other countries of the Union.

St George's Day, no one cares. The other countries in the Union have long celebrated their saints days.

I think you guys are much more patriotic. Whilst many here get patriotic when it comes to the royal family we just don't do things like pledging allegiance, putting up flags, etc. If you asked us to pledge allegiance in school we would have laughed & derided it in the same way we did the hymns we were forced to sing. We would just yawn. You guys get very excited about your presidential elections, I reckon most Brits think our elections are about voting the least worst. There are those that are into politics but I believe for the most part the public vote and then move on with their lives until the next vote.

[mezzaninedoor]

N,

I think that there are huge things projected onto Great Britain because of Brexit that are not true. The Mohammed thing a fib in point, its nonsense. The top names in the UK change all the while as fashion and fads come and go, often names like Kylie can rsie to the top as part of the way some folks laud celebrity these days.

I dont think the English have ever had a particularily strong culture though some areas of England like Cornwall have unique identities and the Welsh,Scots and Irish celebrate their culture more. I dont think even my Grandparents when they were still around where ever bothered about St Georges Day tbh

I've always felt that its important to keep abreast of politics and to vote not for the least worst but for what aligns best with my principles, a personal thing Im sure from person to person but at the moment I do feel a little homeless when it comes to Brexit as a voter.

I think England is culturally diverse especially in its big cities where there appears to be a really good fusion of cultures, a multicultural smorgasbord but I dont think the majority of people feel they have been taken over. We have had immigration and people adding to our culture in England for centuries now.

Its a fact that Indian cuisine is very popular here, however the dishes that are served up are made for the British palette and are not popular in India. We effectively have British curry dishes

[Hollow]

I agree with Terry that Mohammad is a very common name in the Muslim community, although I believe this being the most common name in Britain is probably fake news. There is a plan to flood Europe with third world migration, it's why Libya was destroyed and one of the reasons Syria is being targeted. The refugee crisis was manufactured. Gaddafi warned Blair and Sarkozy that if he was ousted, Europe would turn into Africa within 50 years.

There is a very powerful pro Israel and anti-Islam group operating from the US, Tommy Robinson is working for this group. Their mission is to stir up hatred against Muslims meanwhile completely ignoring the bigger problem which is mass migration from African countries.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I agree with Terry that Mohammad is a very common name in the Muslim community, although I believe this being the most common name in Britain is probably fake news. There is a plan to flood Europe with third world migration, it's why Libya was destroyed and one of the reasons Syria is being targeted. The refugee crisis was manufactured. Gaddafi warned Blair and Sarkozy that if he was ousted, Europe would turn into Africa within 50 years.

There is a very powerful pro Israel and anti-Islam group operating from the US, Tommy Robinson is working for this group. Their mission is to stir up hatred against Muslims meanwhile completely ignoring the bigger problem which is mass migration from African countries.

It was reported as the most common name mid year but it has sunk again since. It's slightly lower. I really expect it's been pretty high for a long time as it's so popular. Imagine looking at the surnames in Wales? I'm not going to be surprised if my local Asian community have a lot of surnames such as Singh, am I? It's dog whistle stuff.

I think you are right about Robinson. The same media recruited Hopkins after she finally went too far and got her butt kicked. Since Farage left UKIP they have been imploding and have now moved further right into an anti-Muslim party. They've just taken Robinson on as an "advisor". BNP-lite. I've previously said if the government backs out of Brexit I would see UKIP as a way to punish them but that was for a single issue and their current incarnation wouldn't be someone I could even consider (and I wouldn't have voted for them before under Farage either, it was only a way to kick both Tory & Labour if they pulled something sneaky on Brexit).

Erdogan is holding back some flood gates too. He will milk the EU for years of the back of that and the problems his migrants are causing politically in the EU.

[MyNameIsTerry]

So, can any of us plebs get on the Newsnight panel now? If self proclaimed vicars can come on with a collar will we start seeing doctors represented by someone with an unsuitable degree that doesn't entitle them to call themselves doctor despite the academic name for the honours passed?

Someone at the BBC really needs their backside kicked for that.

Next up High Priestess of the Church of the Holy Felt Tip Pens gives her opinion on the state of education

Perhaps this was the height of BBC sarcasm? "Just look how far we had to search for someone who supports May's deal"

[Noivous]

Macron's Waterloo:

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/201...-his-downfall/

[MyNameIsTerry]

Macron's Waterloo:

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/201...-his-downfall/

France seemed to have a situation like ours, and yours for many, choosing someone because the alternative was worse. On your side that seemed to split across Rep & Dem. For us it was choose the Tories because Corbyn was worse. For France it seemed like choose anyone or Le Pen will get in.

Other candidates were open about there sponsors but Macron hid his. I wonder if his sponsors were the big green energy suppliers? As Pain has said on a couple of threads, green energy is big business and they will be lobbying just as the old fuel giants did.

Some of those "yellow shirts" are simply the anti-capitalist anarchy mob. Smashing up art treasures if nothing to do with this, that's the "we hate property owners" militant activists.

So, will the French feel they had no choice but to vote for Macron? And will they kick him out for "anyone but Le Pen" again if a donkey with a rosette shows up?

Popularism does set a good environment for the establishment to drum up the fear levels and put any old numpty up telling you he/she is the best choice to stop X.

Corbyn is just a figurehead after all. Easily replaced and will be soon as he's getting too old and has alienated too many with his fence sitting approach. He's weak. But will it be someone younger or one of the old guard like McDonald, a man you could easily see lobbing a house brick at the bobbies just doing their jobs on the picket lines?

Popularism makes me laugh anyway. It's apparently really bad now. It was good when Blair was sweeping to power though. It was good when it was used to persuade people to vote to stay in the old EU in 75 when they were happy to be getting more for their money. Isn't the majority of politics popularism anyway? They promise the earth in their manifestos and it quickly disappears afterwards (looking at you Vince Cable, the students remember your uni fees about turn ). Corbyn "the many, not the few" seems to fit.