Is brexit the beginning of the end of the UK? (territories, program)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The majority of NI want to Remain.
So go ahead and put up your border, it will be your own undoing.
You still don't get it.
It's your side that is proposing a hard border.
Ok they called it a 'smart border' for those that aren't paying attention.
It was rubbished even by your own press.
There can't be a hard border under WTO Rules which states borders and trade must be frictionless.
If the EU want to trade under WTO Rules then that's fine, we can sort out appriopriate tariff levels on EU goods.
The EU has free trade deals with 60 countries outide of the EU, and this is totally frictionless border trade, and WTO rules also demand frictionless trade and are administered by a tribunal which can overrule EU laws. The EU can not under any circumstances treat trade with the UK any different to how it treats other WTO countries including the US and many other major economies.
In terms of the UK Parliament, the DUP currently have the decisive vote, and they are never going to agree to seperate customs arrangement for their part of the UK.
If we can achieve free trade with the EU then we will have examine other relations with the EU including defence and security agreements and future coopertation and collaboration on a wide range of issues.
The EU stance is fine with me, if they want to stop their $100 Billion a year trade surplus with the UK which is roughly the same size as the trade surplus the EU has with the USA, a far bigger country then fine. I am also sure Trump will be eager to curtail their trade surplus with the US at the same time.
At the same time if they don't want the £40 Billion we have offered them, then that's fine also, and Britain in such circumstances could remove RAF Aircraft from patrolling the skies over Eastern Europe, and remove Britrish soldiers from Estonia Poland and other places across Europe. Whilst we could also radically change our plans in relation to Northern Europe where we were going to station Royal Marines under our new Arctic Strategy.
This is all fine with me, as it's about time the Germans started pating their way in terms of European Defence, and Britain Pre-WW2 was always a Naval power.
As for being frozen out of the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) Galileo, which paid over £1.2 Billion towards just withdraw from the Lancaster House Treaties including Defence and Security Cooperation with the French as well as the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), cancel the £3 Billion order for 800 German Boxer APC's (Britain's future order could have seen 1500 Boxers), withdraw from the Nordic/UK Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and planned European Intervention Force. The UK could also suspend NATO membership or at the very least withdraw from the NATO Command Structure and training/exercises.
The EU can't cherry pick and expect us to defend them or pledge to lay dowen lives should they be invaded.
Last edited by Brave New World; 12-29-2018 at 11:52 AM..
I have been looking at various web sites, trying to see how continental Europeans view Brexit. One tendency I noticed was a sense of bafflement. The continental Europeans don't quite grasp why Brits would want to leave the EU.
One thing I haven't come across are the sort of reasons mentioned in these threads. I am not sure if they are oblivious, or perhaps discount these reasons.
The British concers were in relation Economic governance or safeguarding interests of countries outside the eurozone, as the UK had already tried to ban Euro clearing in London before brexit and it had become incrasingly clear that many financial transactions would in the future possible only be able to take place in the Eurozone. Britain has no intention of ever joining the Euro and Eurozone, so staying in the EU was becoming increasingly pointless.
Secondly national sovereignty as many people didn't like the fact that unelected officials were making decisions and laws which national parliaments could do very little to question.
Thirdly, national sovereignty comes with control over borders and immigration, currency and other facets of national life.
Fourthly competitiveness, many felt the EU was too protectionist and starved countries of free trade and the ability to export. Whilst Britain had poor trade with the EU, indeed the EU has around a $100 Billiob annual trade surplus with the UK.
Finally the lavish buildings, wages, pensions etc of a growing army of Eurocrats was coming from the pockets of the British people and even after rebates, this amounted to £8.7 Billion annually. So nearly £9 Billion for the pleasure of having an unelected EU President that no one has ever heard of and who earns more than the US President, as well as the pleasure of paying for the UK's $100 Billion a year trade deficit with the EU.
Let me remind practically how farcical the EU dashed well is across the board from the different parts of that fiasco.
In France what a mess up of a nation and the vast decline of President and that of his predecessor. One of the two main players and is state of political mess. Germany also in a mess of political standing and a long time woman boaster of the EU namely the belligerent Merkel. Unable to get the political stature balanced and also led to mass rising of new political things dumping a million people for the country to look after. No continuity to the parliamentary system of the Union's top country in the EU, Belgium the Prime Minister has departed and yet AGAIN a political emptiness. remember the last inability to have a proper government lasting months (oh and some who want Belgium to spit into two different countries!) Malta. Another farce and s system riddled with huh level corruption and been at it for a while.. Italy -youth unemployment at 32.5% and the national debt at 2.5 billion and politically a mess-up. Spain. Youth unemployment at a fraction under 35%. Some 40% of that level have never had a job. Greece. Is simply a financial shambles,entire industries gone and has continued so for years and no sign of improvement in stability. There are other places contradicting EU "principles" and no sign of changing.
The European Study Commission in a recent research showed that 46% trusted the EU and 45% who did not! The highest positives were in Lithuania at 65%, Denmark 60%, Sweden 59%, France 33%, Czech 32%,UK 31%, Greece 21% s a wide selection. Oh and for most immigration a protest.
Back home here in Gt Britain the lowest unemployment for 44 years at only 4.1% and the annual economy growth continuing since 2005. The EU is a basket-place being drummed by their politicians. Oh and remember it can never officially get it's nooks cleared....
NATO is a hangover from another age and a waste of time and money. Surrounding Russia is bad enough at present without further excuses. Meanwhile i stand by my comments on the farce of the EU. Britain first.
NATO is a hangover from another age and a waste of time and money. Surrounding Russia is bad enough at present without further excuses. Meanwhile i stand by my comments on the farce of the EU. Britain first.
Russia is not a threat but pretending it is makes some people very wealthy.
Idk if it's the beginning of the end of the UK but it sure is the beginning of a huge mess.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
