UK Politics Thread

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ6e2E05tcI

[Jimbuna]

A strange one is this.

A diplomatic row has broken out between the UK and EU over the status of the bloc's ambassador in London.

The UK is refusing to give Joao Vale de Almeida the full diplomatic status that is granted to other ambassadors.

The Foreign Office is insisting he and his officials should not have the privileges and immunities afforded to diplomats under the Vienna Convention.

It is understood not to want to set a precedent by treating an international body in the same way as a nation state.

As it stands, the ambassador would not have the chance to present his credentials to the Queen like other diplomatic heads of mission.

The British decision is in marked contrast to 142 other countries around the world where the EU has delegations and where its ambassadors are all granted the same status as diplomats representing sovereign nations.

Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, has written to the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, to express his "serious concerns".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55742664

[Jimbuna]

And still they keep coming.

https://i.postimg.cc/ZK0vgxjV/Untitled11.jpg (https://postimg.cc/SJFKY8BM)

[Catfish]

A strange one is this.
[...]
Has Farage finally got his place in government? :)

[Skybird]

A strange one is this.
I have wondered about this myself in the past, too. There was such a conflict with Washington some years ago, too, the EU was initially not given full status of a nation, and was "outraged".

Formally, the UK'S position (and that of Washington back then) are and were correct, however. The EU is no state and has no formal powers and legitimations like a state. Its diplomatic status should be different, and less elevated. The EU tries to usurp this status, however. Schleichtiere.

[Jimbuna]

[...]
Has Farage finally got his place in government? :)

I think he is waiting (inside his own mind) to take over from Boris asap :)

I have wondered about this myself in the past, too. There was such a conflict with Washington some years ago, too, the EU was initially not given full status of a nation, and was "outraged".

Formally, the UK'S position (and that of Washington back then) are and were correct, however. The EU is no state and has no formal powers and legitimations like a state. Its diplomatic status should be different, and less elevated. The EU tries to usurp this status, however. Schleichtiere.

I tend to agree, I'd give the option of EU given said status but only if the separate countries in the EU give up theirs and allow the EU to represent their interests.

[Jimbuna]

Good news for the UK and Sunderland in particular.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55757930

Now, someone needs to talk nicely to BMW.....

[Jimbuna]

I think it rather inevitable that matters are starting to deteriorate to this level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFWT-R2ZsvM

[Catfish]

^ this is not snub by the EU, but the rules for every sovereign country in the world not being a member of the EU, from having no trade treaties to those of the WTO, to CCTP, and among each other.

I also would not blame the EU for some dutch custom officers who behave impolite. Oh wait .. always blame .. :D

Regarding Nissan they only did so after a deal had been reached between EU and UK. Otherwise the UK would have had to pay.

https://europe.autonews.com/brexit/toyota-nissan-will-seek-reimbursement-uk-if-brexit-talks-fail-paper-says

Land Rover also produces in England, despite now belonging to indian Tata(?) :hmmm:. The new L Rover 110 400 hp defender engine has been developed in England, at Wolverhampton - a phantastic piece of machinery and good for them. It is nice to drive if a bit heavy, but 86,000 pounds for a car..

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGqDDTIk7BY

[Catfish]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5073643/The-toxic-tweets-Putin-s-pro-Brexit-troll-factory.html

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErDGpdmBZkY

[Catfish]

meanwhile, in Russia

https://i.imgur.com/Ja1B0h4l.png

[Jimbuna]

Scotland's first minister has insisted she did not mislead parliament about when she learned harassment allegations had been made against her predecessor Alex Salmond.

Nicola Sturgeon said "false conspiracy theories were being spun" about her involvement by Mr Salmond's supporters.

A Holyrood inquiry into how the government handled the allegations against Mr Salmond is under way.

She said she expects to give evidence to the inquiry in the coming weeks.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55786673

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMKGs-A9flU

[UglyMowgli]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkq5MmXy9Lg

[Jimbuna]

Brexit: 'I was asked to pay an extra £82 for my £200 coat'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55734277

[Skybird]

I wonder how some people sleepwalk throuhg their lives. I have just placed an order for an Ubiquinol supplement from the UK, and checked the German website of the customs office, now expecting to be asked for an additonal roughly one quarter of the buying price for customs and VAT. Not before calculating that into the total costs I placed the order, its still cheaper than any offer available from the Netherlands, US and UK (German companies seem to not produce what I want).

I will see , its a test run. But when I am aware that things have changed, why are so many others not? Hasn't Brexit been in the news for long time enough...?

[Catfish]

I wanted to order some spoke nipples for a swiss bike in a swiss shop.
Price ~ 12 cent per piece, wanted 50.
Overall cost 67,50 Euros, including customs.
The boss even called me and advised me to order those within the EU, since the customs formalities were so complicated and expensive.. he literally said "that is why the EU was founded, we will move the shop to the EU, swiss law is ridiculous".
If you just buy it in Switzerland yourself and export it there's only VAT :hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

Back in the day my brother-in-law had a mate I would meet every summer on the annual jolly boys outing to the Headingley test and he was always adamant he would never buy anything that had been made in Japan. He told me the reason was he had an uncle who was tortured to death by the Japanese in Burma.

Whilst I understood his reasoning I still thought it a little strange.

I'm now finding myself in the same frame of mind regarding products coming out of China.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIUTbi1-Na0

[Catfish]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErDGpdmBZkY
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/21/russian-meddling-brexit-referendum-tories-russia-report-government

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/21/russia-report-reveals-uk-government-failed-to-address-kremlin-interference-scottish-referendum-brexit

Old, but usually you look at who profits most of a situation. Unless you are "not interested" :hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

It wouldn't surprise me if Russia were involved with interfering in most Western political business but what I'd love to know is how said behaviour can be stopped.

[Jimbuna]

This sounds to me to be nothing more than a load of tosh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbuY2x27mYc

[Catfish]

"Scotch Whisky Association reports £500m loss after US tariffs"
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-55897019

The tarriffs were placed by Trump as a retaliation for Airbus state support.
Good that the US state never supported Boeing [/cynism]:shucks:
And of course it is retaliation for the EU not doing kowtows 24 hours a day, to Trump.

"The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said distillers are "continuing to pay the price for an aerospace dispute that has nothing to do" with them."
This tarriff hampering Scotland's whisky trade is of course nonsense, but trade wars always produce a lot of unrelated fallout.

[Jimbuna]

Hopefully the new POTUS will ease the tariffs and if and when Trump visits one of his scottish golf courses the bar bill he runs up will be reflective of what happened in the past :)

I'm not sure Nicola Sturgeon is fond of him either so there's a surprise.

[Catfish]

I do not quite understand this, the UK which still includes Scotland (:shucks:) is not longer in the EU, so those tarriffs should be abandoned anyway.

[Jimbuna]

Hopefully it is simply a case of Biden getting around to dropping them but heaven only knows how many Trump reversals he has on his list.

[Jimbuna]

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for "urgent action" from the EU amid rising tensions over post-Brexit checks at Northern Ireland ports.

UK and EU leaders are to hold talks to try to resolve the trade issues between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Checks on goods were suspended on Tuesday after threats to staff.

The UK government wrote to the European Commission overnight, calling for temporary lighter enforcement of the rules to be extended until early 2023.

But Northern Ireland's First Minister, Arlene Foster, issued a warning against "just kicking things down the road", telling BBC Radio Ulster: "We need to find solutions that are sustainable, that are workable and long lasting."

On Tuesday, Mr Johnson said the EU had "undermined" the Brexit deal by threatening emergency controls of Covid vaccine exports across the Irish border.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the threat had been a "mistake that shouldn't have happened".

But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was a separate issue to address over trade rules, and it was Brexit "causing all of this tension" - not the measures being put in place. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55913907

[Skybird]

I do not quite understand this, the UK which still includes Scotland (:shucks:) is not longer in the EU, so those tarriffs should be abandoned anyway.
I wondered, too, but the war over subsidies and sanctions between Boeing and Airbus is a different thing from the trade war Biden's predecessor launched, and the UK delivers wings and gear made in UK plants at Flinton and Broughton.

[Catfish]

True, international companies are so intertwined that intentional punishing one company or nation equals international collateral damage, with all that can be expected as a reaction.

[Jimbuna]

Hopefully matters will not escalate between the UK and our 'friends and allies'

The EU has told British fishermen they are indefinitely banned from selling live mussels, oysters, clams, cockles and scallops to its member states.

As the UK is now a separate country, it is not allowed to transport the animals to the EU unless they have already been treated in purification plants.

But the industry says it does not have enough tanks ready and the process can slow exports, making them less viable.

The government promised to continue to "raise the issue" with the EU.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55903599

[Catfish]

"As the UK is now a separate country, it is not allowed to transport the animals to the EU unless they have already been treated in purification plants."
WTO rules? :hmmm:

[Skybird]

Muscles - brrrrr.... :doh:

Some things I only would consider for eating after I crashed with an airplane in the heart of the rain forest. Also, muscles, filter feeders that they are, are formidable pollutant collectors. Eating them is like using the content of a vacuumcleaner's tank as a spice in the kitchen.

Im with the EU on this. Britain, keep your muscles to yourself. :O:


For a comparable reason I have skipped thuna - much liked - from my card with preferred fish. They live long and thus also collect a lot of bad stuff. Fishes with short life spans are better, or from aquafarms that are well-run (never from south America or Asia for that reason, please).

[Jimbuna]

Oh I know that but I'm simply wondering if we are seing the beginning of a series of 'tit for tat' measures which will eventually lead to the demise of the recently agreed treaty.

[Catfish]

What was done with those mussles and clams before?
Were there cleaning tanks on the EU coasts to be used by english fishery before selling? What does the WTO say? I have no idea.

I do not like this stuff anyway, interesting when diving or in an aquarium, but eating?

The way it is presented here looks like tit for tat, though a lot of the latter was mostly coming from the always exceptional UK side. Maybe "17 million f'offs" were perceived as they were meant, by the rest of the EU's 430 million population :D

I take it they will solve the problem, after all it is in no one's interest to block any products. Some points have obviously not been made clear, or are missing in those 2000+ pages :doh:


edit: personally, we are already running into difficulties getting automotive spare parts from England, so some are now ordering elsewhere. We are trying to switch over to personal im- and exports. This may only work in a tiny fraction of trade cases of course..

[Jimbuna]

https://i.postimg.cc/nhngzWWY/111.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/Hk3K72DG/222.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw8VnI_HfVU

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM8XWdfzB5o

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI33riFzzk8

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lEnx0p1_Og

[Jimbuna]

The UK's chief Brexit negotiator has criticised the EU for its actions since the trade deal agreed by the two sides came into force six weeks ago.

Lord David Frost said the relationship had been "more than bumpy" and more "problematic" than he had hoped.

He told a committee the EU's threat to increase controls on vaccine exports to Northern Ireland, as well as "niggling border issues", were two examples.

Lord Frost called for "a different spirit" from Brussels going forward.

Asked about his thoughts on the situation, Cabinet Officer Minister Michael Gove compared it to a bumpy start to a flight, saying: "We all know that when an aeroplane takes off, that is the point where you sometime get an increased level of turbulence.

"But eventually, you then reach a cruising altitude and the crew tell you to take your seatbelt off and enjoy a gin and tonic and some peanuts."

He added: "We are not at the gin and tonic and peanut stage yet, but I am confident we will be."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56002176

[Skybird]

What folly are they talking?


There is a treaty, there are paragraphs in it, these have been negotiated, and they better have been negotiated well, and these will - at least should - be followed by the letter. End of story.


Gin Tonic. Cruising altitude. Nonsense.

[Catfish]

[...] Lord Frost called for "a different spirit" from Brussels going forward. [...]
He calls for the european spirit? :yeah:

[Jimbuna]

What folly are they talking?


There is a treaty, there are paragraphs in it, these have been negotiated, and they better have been negotiated well, and these will - at least should - be followed by the letter. End of story.


Gin Tonic. Cruising altitude. Nonsense.

Well it is Gove after all :)

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4FeZrMUcsI

[Catfish]

Hopefully matters will not escalate between the UK and our 'friends and allies'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4FeZrMUcsI
Hope, or wish?

[Jimbuna]

Both

[Catfish]

Both
Sorry i meant hope it does not happen, or the wish that it will. Since those quotes by you always show the quite one-sided glee and hate towards the Eu, emphasizing UK "wins" :D

[Jimbuna]

Hopefully matters will not escalate between the UK and our 'friends and allies'

[Jimbuna]

The UK and the EU have had a "frank but constructive discussion" on problems implementing post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove met the vice-president of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, in London on Thursday evening.

Both sides reiterated their "full commitment" to the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.

But they pledged to meet again to "address all outstanding issues".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56029067

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XD01NLIRRY

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2uvAyvm_qQ

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwoc64SS4oQ

[Catfish]

Maybe a separate anti-EU propaganda thread would be in order? :haha:

[Catfish]

The brexit bill

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/24/bill-for-boris-johnson-brexit-is-coming-punishingly-steep

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-cheese-idUSKBN2A20LD

[Skybird]

Maybe a separate anti-EU propaganda thread would be in order? :haha:
Where is the propaganda in this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2uvAyvm_qQ&feature=emb_logo
It simply is demonstrated, historical fact. Borrel did made an idiot of himself for sure and helped to further damage EU "diplomacy". The Corona crisis is being abused by Nanny Merkel and Super-Uschi to push further powers to the EU that by current treaties and laws it does not hold. People not getting vaccinated, mroe dying than necessary - irrelevant. Germany paying dozens of billions for extending the lockdown - not important. The good cause wants it. The cause wants it!

That it is this incompetent, dilettantic, amateurish, megalomaniac carricature of a wannabe-a-continental-superstate that gives us now planning the extremely costly Green deal policy, and climate agenda and saving the planet, is stuff for hellish nightmares. If even their relatively small plans do not work and spell desaster instead because they are zu doof für alles und irgendwas - how bad will the damage be that gets done by even bigger plans and ambitions of farther reach and more serious consequences? Stuff for nightmares.

And that is why Lavrov humiliated the EU so mercilessly. The EU begs for getting kicked and betrayed, kicking and betraying other sonly who are much smaller and weaker than itself. It wants to be a player at the table of the big geostraegic boys. But it isn't, and I cnanot see it becoming that. And considering that "Europe" and this "EU" are antagonistic, that is good. I will support a "European project" only when the contemporary EU and its isnane ambitions is replaced with an understanding of wanting to have only a European free trade zone - and the united military power to defend and protect this free trade zone and logistic supply and tradeing lines. The latter we alreadsy have inf orm of NATO, it just need to get brought into shape again. The fiorts needs the destryoign of the current EU first. Before you build the new house, you must tear down the old one still standing in its place.

This, and not one bit more. Free trade zone, and the shared defence to defend it.

What has made Europe great and potent and the most influential culture and civilization in history? Creativity, competition, rivalry, and inventions resulting from this (sometimes this went to ugly extremes, granted). What does the EU want, and causes in effect? Planned economy. Lack of competition but solidaric subvention. Undiscriminatory equality. That is enough for the clear-minded to understand what the problem is.

[Catfish]

First: The EU is no state. You can parrott is as often as you want, but it is not.

Then those headlines with UK flags everywhere and all those poor EU sods with badly photoshopped tears in their eyes:

"Gloves are off"
"Brexit victory"
"EU stunned"
"SNP Shock"
"There will be war"
(Macron) "We've overstepped"
(Macron) "We'll go bankrupt"
(Heroic Boris Johnson in victory pose) "That's why we left"
(von der Leyen) "THE END"

I understand how especially the last one suits your general view of the world, but seriously :haha: At least Lavrov's lapdogs can be happy, they sure found some believers here.


edit: here is the russian TASS' take on the situation. https://tass.com/politics/1255751

[Skybird]

First: The EU is no state. You can parrott is as often as you want, but it is not.
I do not parrott that and I indeed say since years it is no state. But I also say:
1. it should never be a state
2. it nevertehless poses as if it were a st5ate already,
3. its defenders want it to become a state.



Then those headlines with UK flags everywhere and all those poor EU sods with badly photoshopped tears in their eyes:

"Gloves are off"
"Brexit victory"
"EU stunned"
"SNP Shock"
"There will be war"
(Macron) "We've overstepped"
(Macron) "We'll go bankrupt"
(Heroic Boris Johnson in victory pose) "That's why we left"
(von der Leyen) "THE END"

I understand how especially the last one suits your general view of the world, but seriously :haha: At least Lavrov's lapdogs can be happy, they sure found some believers here.Yes. And if you look back in this thread when Jim started to post these videos, you will find some now older post by me that AFAIK was the first time a board member mentioned and sceptically asked about the dubious source of these videos. To me it probably is Russia. But proven that is not. Its just a defendable hypothesis.


The video's content however is - tricky. Formally, verbally, the claims are objective fact reports. Quotes given have been said for sure, events happened, no obvious lies are being told, as far as I noticed at least. Still, the robot-generated voice, the repetitiveness of the same quotes being given several times, the endless repetions at times, make it dubious.

Thats why I say: Russian-made. Its a speciality of theirs to hide behind obvious truths given that cannot be denied. Normally, they would mix in untruths into it, here they resist to opening that vulnerable flank - because they do not need to to nevertehless get the obvious effect.

Means: they must no invent and fabricate untrue truths here. The EU does their job of ridiculing it for them all by itself, by its deeds and statements and policies. Its like fighting against an enemy that keeps on slapping his own face. Never stop an enemy doing that!

The purpose of the video probably is propagandistic. But the content, if literally taken, is not - it simply is true.

Very clever warfare at work here. They just should get rid of that robot voice and the too excessive repetitions, then it would be perfect.

[Catfish]

Yes you are right, but i do not think that the EU will become one "state", not with France, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Italy, you name it. The differences are too big – Borrell was sent to the slaughter because the EU was not able to align or even speak out a definite strategy.

And then what else should have been done? Send 27 single diplomats to Lavrov to send the message home, or wasn't it better to send one man to speak for them?

Whether this behaviour by Lavrov was approppriate or "diplomatic" (lmao), or just a frustrated affront caused by the generally deteriorating situation also with the US, is not sure. But the EU will once more willfully take all the blame and roast in it :03:

A hard stance would have caused more win for all, the EU just does not understand that we are back in cave man diplomacy. Of cours it would be easier for Russia to negotiate with single isolated states, instead of a 27-nation block with a lot more leverage.

I also do not think this "UK News" site is "clever" or well made. It is not, it indeed is ridiculous, but when you look at the comments... hook, line and sinker.
They would never have had a chance only a decade ago, but the general level of information and education seems to be in free fall.

[Skybird]

Yes you are right, but i do not think that the EU will become one "state", not with France, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Italy, you name it.

Lets hope so. Thats why I welcome the conflicts between them. That was also my main reason, initially at last, why I supported Brexit. I am a pragmatist. And sometimes manipulative. :D

But it should also be obvious that there is a clear ambition, and clear drive by EU-philes to turn the EU into a superstate. The agenda is clearly on the table. They call it European "harmonization". They do not cvall it a state of cours,e like the de factor EU constitution is not called a consitution while serving in the function of a constitution (I mean the dictate of Lisbon).

Borrell was sent to the slaughter because the EU was not able to align or even speak out a definite strategy.

And then what else should have been done? Send 27 single diplomats to Lavrov to send the message home, or wasn't it better to send one man to speak for them?If you cannot convince in words and cannot fight in muscles, then why not shutting up instead of seeking lecturings and rumbles? Else you make a fool of yourself.
Good advise it would be to be more cautious what kind of treaties and trade agreements in the future get signed with Russia. Why not signing none anymore, for a start?

What have we currently? Krim and Navalny on the one hand, Nord Stream 2 and vaccine and gas exports via other pipelines on the other hand. Checkmated yourself, EU! Europeans should finally gain clarity about their priorities. Instead they loose it all by trying to dance on all parties simulataneously - and even being everybody'S darling while trying to lecture him. Hilarious. Thats how you make a joke of yourself.


Whether this behaviour by Lavrov was approppriate or "diplomatic" (lmao), or just a frustrated affront caused by the generally deteriorating situation also with the US, is not sure. Oh, I am quite certain that it was self-confidence. They leaked just short time later their threat to break all ties with the EU in general, and then "withdrew" it. That means the tools of torment has been briefly shown to the delinquent. The sanctions get felt a bit, but they in no way will seriously hurt them. Russia is too big and too autark to be threatened by sanctions, parts of its autarc economic system have even been boosted and strengthened due to the sanctions, in a reaction. Putin is nervous due to those protests in the streets, but these are triggered not by sanctions or economic crisis, but the Nawalny protests. I currently do not see the latter growing into protests against the first.


But the EU will once more willfully take all the blame and roast in it :03:No, it won't, its always the others fault as long as it is not about the - self-made - misery of the African and islamic world: then its always the white man's fault. The eU instead will bristle at it with many wide open mouths - and nothing else. Oh yes, some sanctions added, the super-sharp super-sword of European diplomacy. Yawn.

Yeah, dear EU. Next time dont send another Borrell. Just stay at home and shut up. Better remaining silent than to sink oneself.

A hard stance would have caused more win for all, the EU just does not understand that we are back in cave man diplomacy. Have we ever been out of that?


Of cours it would be easier for Russia to negotiate with single isolated states, instead of a 27-nation block with a lot more leverage.A block united in limited ambitions (free market zone) but the stronger in willingness and ability to defend that (NATO), would be something. Scrap all the rest, ECB, EU, Euro, away with that. Weakness and indifference never increase but always reduce the degrees of freedom for one'S own options and decision-making. Strength raises it, and if well used and not for attack, only strength can be a virtue. Weakness is never anythign different than just: weakness. The weak suffer must they must, the strong do what they want, for better or worse.


I also do not think this "UK News" site is "clever" or well made. It is not, it indeed is ridiculous, but when you look at the comments... hook, line and sinker.
They would never have had a chance only a decade ago, but the general level of information and education seems to be in free fall.
You see it too one-sided there, as I already explained. The technical craftman quality of the video can be improved (and its the one thing that spekas against the Russians as originators, I do not see why they could not make it better if they would wish), but the content that is used is clever. It cannot be argued with because it is true. Propaganda that cannot be shown to be propaganda, but illustrates just "the innocent facts", is hard to resist to. With the content I often agree. Its is the suspected intentions of the authors I have problems with: if I am right and they are working by Russian orders, their intention hardly is in the best interest of Brexit and Britain, but Russia's.


Its as if the content is ordered for by Russia and in detail, but the video is made by an amateur subcontractor.

[Catfish]

Or to make it short, Lavrov blames it all on the EU and speaks like a brexiter :D
Putin must be laughing from Moscow to his Datscha at the Krim. Water on the brexiter's mills, which is of course what Lavrov intends, to further widen gaps and bring down the EU - since it is easier for Russia to negotiate and apply pressure on single states. If the 27 members of the block would only see this and get their act together. But they only will succeed if there is a political will, and for this you need something like the EU, to bring them together.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics-navalny-eu-idUSKBN2AF1CI

“Don’t confuse Europe with the European Union. When it comes to Europe, we are not going anywhere,” Lavrov said. “We have many friends in Europe.” [Lavrov]
Boris Johnson comes to mind :03:

You can apply political pressure by trade and a trade union, this has always been the case. Any trade union has always been a political entity, with political influence. And Putin knows that very well. Sanctions will hurt Russia, their economy is not going well.

I see this as the usual try to divide others, and while it is comprehensible regarding russian national interest, it is not favourable for the rest of the world.


Re "have we ever been out of the caveman diplomacy" i think humanity was on the right way, but something snapped, something nationalist and chauvinist, and while this phenotype backfall happened only five years ago, the cause is buried in humanity's genes, and probably will never go away. I do not see this as something positive, for mankind.

[Skybird]

Its what it is. We play the game with these cards and by these rules, or we dont play at all.



Thats the core idea of the current evolution model. To adapt to the circumstances.



We can like that way or we cannot like it this way. But that makes no difference. The game stays, the player plays - or drops out.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOk9dY3ATpE

:haha:

[mapuc]

EU is not a union state yet. The question is when.

Denmark and Sweden has lost or more exactly given away 80-90 % of their sovereignty to EU the last 3-4 decades.

Indirectly it is the voters, who is slowly is hammering nails into the coffin.

Markus

[Skybird]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOk9dY3ATpE

:haha:
Why that smiley?


I think it was the same text by Schuman they refer to that a couple of days ago found its way before my eyes. I had almost posted it. The notoreious desire if Brussels and Berlin and Paris to sign further deals with China has beocme one of my biggest arguments why the EU must be overcome. Bewrlin has not managed to untie itself from its obession with Russia - how much less it will be willing to do so regarding economic powerhouse China! I think collapse is the only thing that can stop the EU from continuing at this direction. Or a big though regional war in the Far East.

[Jimbuna]

Why that smiley?




Some of the videos are little more than comedy shows :)

[Skybird]

You have red what I tried to explain to Catfish, and its not a given that Catfish and I agree on something, on many things we don't. But here we kind of do, we just conclude different consequences from that. You underestimate the teeth in these videos if you think they are just laughable. They find the meat they can bite into. I am not sure that is for funny effect.

;)

[Moonlight]

I've no idea who makes those videos Jimbuna is posting but they sound as if they're coming from a different country than the UK, are they doing them to stir up a bit of friction between the UK citizens and the EU ones?. Where ever they're coming from I find them to be laughable as well, only a rabid brexiteer would take any notice of the rubbish they're spouting in them. :up:

[Jimbuna]

I've no idea who makes those videos Jimbuna is posting but they sound as if they're coming from a different country than the UK, are they doing them to stir up a bit of friction between the UK citizens and the EU ones?. Where ever they're coming from I find them to be laughable as well, only a rabid brexiteer would take any notice of the rubbish they're spouting in them. :up:

Precisely :yep:

[Jimbuna]

You have red what I tried to explain to Catfish, and its not a given that Catfish and I agree on something, on many things we don't. But here we kind of do, we just conclude different consequences from that. You underestimate the teeth in these videos if you think they are just laughable. They find the meat they can bite into. I am not sure that is for funny effect.

;)

I take them all with a pinch of salt Sky....nothing more and nothing else.

[Jimbuna]

The High Court must overturn Boris Johnson's decision that Home Secretary Priti Patel did not breach government rules on behaviour, a union says.

The prime minister decided not to sack Ms Patel last year after a report found evidence of "bullying" and "some occasions of shouting and swearing".

Mr Johnson backed Ms Patel, saying she had not broken the Ministerial Code.

The FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, said this reaction had "undermined" disciplinary procedures.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56125796

Not the politest of individuals by some accounts.

[Jimbuna]

I was wondering when the shenanigans would commence.

Britain could declare Brexit ‘water wars’ in response to Brussels’ blockade on shellfish.

The import of European mineral water and several food products into Britain could be restricted under retaliatory measures being considered by ministers over Brussels' refusal to end its blockade on UK shellfish.

The Telegraph can disclose that ministers are looking at proposals dubbed "Water Wars" which could see the UK end a number of continuity arrangements it has agreed with the EU.

Senior Government sources pointed to potential restrictions on the import of mineral water and seed potatoes, the latter of which the EU has secured a temporary agreement on until the end of June.

In a warning shot to Brussels, a Government source said: “There is thought being given to where we can leverage in other areas. We have continuity arrangements... we can stop these which means they won’t be able to sell their produce here.”

The discussions over tit-for-tat measures began earlier this month after the European Commission announced that a ban on the export of live oysters, clams, scallops and mussels from Britain’s class B waters would become permanent because it is now listed as a third country.

It can now be disclosed that ministers have escalated contingency planning after Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, snubbed a request to meet the Environment Secretary George Eustice to try and resolve the row.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexit/exclusive-britain-could-declare-brexit-water-wars-in-response-to-brussels-blockade-on-shellfish/ar-BB1dRxOP?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBoPWjQ

[Catfish]

"The UK government has privately accepted the EU’s ban on British shellfish exports is justified, despite publicly declaring otherwise."

UK admits EU's ban on shellfish exports was 'correct' despite complaints (https://www.cityam.com/uk-admits-eus-ban-on-shellfish-exports-was-correct-despite-complaints/)

"It’s not just the EU’s shellfish ban causing Brexit headaches" (https://www.politico.eu/article/brexit-shellfish-europe-ban-agriculture-headaches/)

"Some businesses expect the U.K. government to negotiate with the EU to ease the restrictions, which are standard third-country prohibitions that Britain now finds itself subject to outside of the bloc."

"The government's list of “prohibited and restricted” items includes chilled meat like sausages, ground meat and burgers.

To access the EU's single market, Export Health Certificates state these items must be frozen to below -18°C. “As a member of the EU, we were not subject to this but we are now," a spokesperson for the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) said.

The industry group said the main impact of the new restrictions will be to hit retail sales into Ireland. Chilled minced meat, raw sausages and mechanically separated poultry all need to be imported frozen. “Businesses will likely move some production away from [Great Britain] and into plants in the EU,” the spokesperson said."

So just.. teething problems in blaming.

[Moonlight]

There's not much point in complaining about these retributions restrictions as the UK ministers should have known about this when they negotiated this trade farce deal. :O:
The UK ministers need to toughen up their act or the EU will piss on them like this until the cows come home, a temporary fishing ban of 1 month on all issued EU fishing licences beginning on the 1st of March 2021 should get there attention. :haha:
But we know that Bozo Johnson and his cabinet are all mouth and no trousers, once they've been grabbed by the balls they are unwilling to smack anyone in the mouth and that Bozo is what's bleeding needed here. :O:

[skidman]

Ah, the sweet voice of our friends and allies from across the canal.

[Catfish]

Very good article from 3 years ago, so nobody say he didn't see it coming.

https://www.reddit.com/r/northernireland/comments/7fvgno/irish_border_nationalist_brexit_rhetoric_gets_ugly/

No one will read it i know. :yep:

[Jimbuna]

Well I certainly read it Kai and readily admit it is a good article but there are and will always be two sides of opinion in any debate.

Both sides should try to meet somewhere in the middle and move on as equals in a transparent manner.

[Catfish]

This is quite right, but Johnson shows no understanding of his own brexit and what this means to Ireland. And the whole.. thing is a loss for all.


edit:
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/03/britain-eu-brexit-trade-negotiations-unreality/607282/

The unreality has now arrived

[Jimbuna]

Put anything in a bra and panties and Boris will be a true 'expert' :03:

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoL8yI4PK60

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_xgGPeT3CE

[Skybird]

Very good article from 3 years ago, so nobody say he didn't see it coming.

https://www.reddit.com/r/northernireland/comments/7fvgno/irish_border_nationalist_brexit_rhetoric_gets_ugly/

No one will read it i know. :yep:
Some of us read it. ;)

Its an old news, however. And yes, it has been underrated. I insist, however: not by me.

However, while the problem is obvious and clear, and was back then and is today, this does not mean that a people, the Britons in this case, had no right to leave the EU. They had, and they did.

It illustrates further how absurd and fragile the constellations can become that politicians allow to materialise for any intention and purpose they see fit. And I do not mean the Brexit here, but the structrue of the political problem of the two Irelands.

Londown should have forseen this conflict with the EU over Ireland, it seems they underprioritized it.

Myself, I have recognized the EU's own vital political interest (that is independent from whether I agree with such interests of an opponent, i just see it from his eyes), I always have. Like I recognize the interests and the rights of the Brits. I refuse however to construct the case that because there is the Irish problem, the UK had no reason or even no right to leave the EU. Every membership that cannot be cancelled, is no membership but imprisonment, hostage-taking, slave-keeping.

Regarding the Irish problem, I only see one choice for action: have both sides colliding over it and see who the stronger is. Thats life, thats nature. Sometimes its the brain solving problems. Sometimes its the heart, and sometimes its fangs, claws and muscles. The alternative would be Northern Ireland splitting form the UK and reuniting with the RI. But how likely is that...? :03: I think I waste no time with that.

Not all things in life have solutions. Sometimes we need to live with problems persisting. Life's not perfect. The many dyfunctional fragments in our DNA prove it. Yet, still we live.

[Jimbuna]

Not sure how truthful or accurate this is mind.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HOuG3nTsFo

[Jimbuna]

EU engaged in ‘very serious escalation’ over UK financial services, says Bank of England governor

The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, has accused the European Union of trying to poach business from the City of London in the wake of Brexit, labelling the bloc’s recent activity a “very serious escalation”.

Mr Bailey told the Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday the EU now seems more interested in taking euro-denominated derivatives clearing business out of London and into the EU than making sure the UK’s regulations are “equivalent” to the bloc’s for financial stability reasons.

“That seems to be where the debate is heading,” he told MPs.

“I’m not surprised by that. Brexit has been the stimulus to revise this debate.”

The governor said it looked like the EU was preparing to exert regulatory pressure on EU financial firms to shift their activity out of London and into the EU.

A document from a European Commission working group was reported by Reuters this week to show Europe’s largest banks are being asked justify why they should not clear derivatives in the EU.

“Frankly, it would be a serious escalation of the issue,” said Mr Bailey, and suggested such pressure would be of “dubious legality”.

“I have to say to you that would be highly controversial – and that would be something that we would have to, and want to, resist very firmly.”

Mr Bailey did not specify what form that resistance would take, saying it would be for ministers to decide.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/eu-engaged-in-very-serious-escalation-over-uk-financial-services-says-bank-of-england-governor/ar-BB1dYGuO?ocid=mailsignout&li=AAnZ9Ug

[Catfish]

^ After UK banks recently threatened to just close EU accounts this seems a bit unfair :shucks: If i were a EU company with bank accounts in London i would get the hell out of there.

^^ The post above seems to be from the same producer/creator (Luân Đôn) as the "UK News" videos, which means Russia uses servers based in Vietnam and/or India. According to Google, that is.

OT here i have quite a lot of correspondence with Google and Apple lately, setting up Apps in both stores. To say it is a chore is not coming anywhere close :doh:. Both online now, after a year!

[Jimbuna]

I only give the article credence if the quotes attributed to the Governor are accurate.

[Moonlight]

This is what's been wrong in the UK for quite some time, If they don't know the answer to their question they should put some body armour on and take a walk out at night in a inner city and they will know soon enough, that's providing they survive the experience. :yep:
Do gooders who haven't a clue what's happening on the streets shouldn't be in the job they are in, drain the swamp. :o

COP STOP QUIZ Police watchdog orders forces to explain why black and ethnic minorities are subjected to more stop and searches
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14167412/police-explain-black-ethnic-minorities-stop-and-searches/

[Jimbuna]

Perhaps best if I don't elaborate further but the article title and content speaks volumes imho.

How EU launched spiteful war on our glorious snowdrops
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/how-eu-launched-spiteful-war-on-our-glorious-snowdrops/ar-BB1e51Rs?ocid=mailsignout&li=AAnZ9Ug

[skidman]

Sorry, that article is nothing but self-righteous pathetic moaning. Our house, our rules. None of your business. Exactly what you voted for.

[Jimbuna]

Well my concern is simply that should this behaviour continue....what goes round comes round and both sides will become aggrieved.

[Moonlight]

Yep, even this weak kneed useless government of ours will eventually say "Enough is Enough" and then the blame game is probably going to create a backlash from both sides which will affect businesses on each side of the channel even more. :o

[Catfish]

Brexit promise: Frictionless trade.
Brexit reality: Tradeless friction.

The employers managed to convince the employees to vote against their own interests. A tale as old as time.

[Skybird]

Brexit promise: Frictionless trade.
Brexit reality: Tradeless friction.

https://i.postimg.cc/R0XT97jz/Unbenannt.png (https://postimages.org/)

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_46QGslWvY

[Catfish]

^ I understand the brexiters have not found a new scapegoat yet, but it is not necessary to phone up the EU every day to tell them it's over. Move on. :03:

[Rockstar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfI67wpSdHA&feature=emb_logo

[Moonlight]

So you've taken to Brit bashing now have you, :haha: no mention of the EU or any other country so its all down to the brits fault, have you got a bee in your bonnet over something a brit did to you once or is it something you dreamt up on the spur of the moment. :O:

McDonald's Corporation is an American fast food company, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States.

Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG is a German international discount supermarket chain that operates over 12,000 stores across Europe and the United States. Headquartered in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, the company belongs to the Schwarz Group, which also operates the hypermarket chain Kaufland.

Nando's is a South African restaurant chain that specialises in Portuguese-African food, including its signature flame-grilled peri-peri style chicken. Founded in Johannesburg in 1987, Nando's operates over 1,000 outlets in 35 countries. Their logo is the famous Portuguese symbol, the Rooster of Barcelos.

A bit forgetful of you to miss out the other foreign countries involved in this deforestation and fires caused by the world food chain.
I would say that the McDonald's Corporation is the biggest culprit in the world given the number of excessive outlets that they have all over the world, and that goes for every other junkfood outlet that originates from the USA as well, how say you?.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS3IYYtQQJM

[Catfish]

@Moonlight Don't be so hard on him, in the US cheap food (also called junk food, how racist - indeed most chinese food with a lot of vegetables is much halthier than anything you can get at MacDonald's, but i digress) is one of the major money-making industries, because of.. diabetes! :hmmm:

https://www.vox.com/2019/4/3/18293950/why-is-insulin-so-expensive

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47491964

"In 1923, the discoverers of insulin sold its patent for $1, hoping the low price would keep the essential treatment available to everyone who needed it.
Now, retail prices in the US are around the $300 range for all insulins from the three major brands that control the market.
Even accounting for inflation, that's a price increase of over 1,000%."

10 percent of the population have this meanwhile, and since they have no real health service system (that would be communism!) everyone has to privately buy insuline, accounting to about 1300 dollars per month. Because in the US the price is about 10x as high than in the rest of the world. Excellent report at arte TV right now :yep:

[Moonlight]

@Moonlight Don't be so hard on him, in the US cheap food (also called junk food, how racist - indeed most chinese food with a lot of vegetables is much halthier than anything you can get at MacDonald's, but i digress) is one of the major money-making industries, because of.. diabetes! :hmmm:

Yeah, you're right of course, it gets my hackles up when someone posts a video just blaming one country instead of posting two or three to show that its a world wide problem.
I hope that brit nanny who took his dummy off him gave him a bleeding good slap as well. :haha:

[Rockstar]

Cant help it if you got your panties in a bunch. When I saw the video I wasn't thinking about how British chicken sandwiches was the cause of deforestation and homeless parrots. Honestly my immediate reaction was to chuckle at the thought how similar it was to the BREXIT videos posted here. Its like they were made by the same people.

[Catfish]

^ i'd say those vids are not at the same level by far :03:
You have to admit some things are indeed intertwined in the global economy? Not only chicken food, much more deforestation in central America to create grazing ground for cattle, and beef.

2017, don't know whether this helped, but seems companies are aware:

"When a large, global food company commits to deforestation-free commodities, its entire supply chain listens. And when McDonald’s does so, other global food companies follow suit. That’s why the company’s commitment (http://corporate.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/AboutMcDonalds/2.0/pdfs/sustainability/McDonald's-Beef-Sustainability-Report.pdf) to source only deforestation-free beef by 2020 in regions with identified risks (https://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/living-forests-report-chapter-5-saving-forests-at-risk)relating to the preservation of forests holds such promise to protect critical habitats, including Latin America’s most valuable ecosystems."

https://www.worldwildlife.org/blogs/sustainability-works/posts/the-future-of-beef-is-deforestation-free

[Jimbuna]

@Moonlight Don't be so hard on him, in the US cheap food (also called junk food, how racist - indeed most chinese food with a lot of vegetables is much halthier than anything you can get at MacDonald's, but i digress) is one of the major money-making industries, because of.. diabetes! :hmmm:

https://www.vox.com/2019/4/3/18293950/why-is-insulin-so-expensive

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47491964

"In 1923, the discoverers of insulin sold its patent for $1, hoping the low price would keep the essential treatment available to everyone who needed it.
Now, retail prices in the US are around the $300 range for all insulins from the three major brands that control the market.
Even accounting for inflation, that's a price increase of over 1,000%."

10 percent of the population have this meanwhile, and since they have no real health service system (communism!) everyone has to privately buy insuline, accounting to about 1300 dollars per month. Because in the US the price is about 10x as high than in the rest of the world. Excellent report at arte TV right now :yep:

WOW!! I had absolutely no idea about those prices :o

I'm a type 2 diabetic (tablet controlled) and here in the UK insulin for type 1 diabetics is free of charge via a prescription.

I'm surprised Steve has never alluded to this over the years during our regular conversations.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOdab3HMx5E

[Catfish]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSMr-3GGvQ

[Catfish]

WOW!! I had absolutely no idea about those prices :o [...]
I'm surprised Steve has never alluded to this over the years during our regular conversations.
I won't speculate, but i guess having served he has some insurance?

Re EU "shocked" or "crushed", the only shocked seem to be the UK. But Rishi Sunak would probably be a better PM than Johnson :03:

[Jimbuna]

I'd be a better PM than Johnson :O:

[Catfish]

^ .. and i believe it :)

But you see, for us in the EU, the faces of brexit are Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, Anne Widdecombe, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Dominic Cummings and a few others. "Right honourable" alright. No one here would trust any of them. Maybe Rees-Mogg, but you know..
Then Facebook (did you watch the video with Carole Cadwalladr further north?) and Cambridge Analytics and Rupert Murdoch, add Aaron Banks.
I think you have been betrayed, but it was not the EU.

[Skybird]

They got and get lied to by both, their own as well as the EU. And we do get lied to as well.

I orderd from the UK as a test ballooon in the 20s of January, and still wait for the delivery, its on the way but stuck somewehre.

I have ordered from the USA, Canada and Korea before (and involuntaril from China, not realising the the shipping was from Shenyang). Took never longer than 3 weeks.

If the UK would be treated by the EU like any other foreign country, I would expect procedures to be comparable in duration to procedures doen with these other countries. Obviously they aren't. And the EU has a clearly defined interest to not let become the UK a successful story after Brexit. I said this since four years now. Thats why I see the lions share of responsibility for these issues on the EU's score card. The UK gets a tougher treatment than lets say the US, Canada, Brazil or anyone. Britons should noit complain - they should and could have seen this coming instead, its not about being kind, but about defined interests to turn Brexit into a mess, whatever it costs. A warning example to any other nations sympathetic to the idea of dropping out.


My advise to the UK: start retaliating on equal terms. As long as the eU feels no pain from its chosen way, it will not change. But this advise also is four yeras old already.

[Catfish]

edit: ^ Your conspiracy theory again. I see it the other way round, why does the EU make it so easy for the UK, why is it so lenient, always remains polite and open for talks all along even during all those BS attacks from Johnson or Farage? Retaliate! Screw them!

Regarding your experience, we have orderd quite some automotive parts lately from UK countries, and it did not arrive here as well in six weeks. But you are certainly aware that other than food stuff like this 0,01 percent fishery drama, this is due to Her majesty's customs and excise, and not the EU?

I take it you did not see the video, this is not about brexit or the EU but the threats to democracy, and how it is done. The US is also under attack by social media, as is the rest of the world.


B.t.w. there is no need for anyone external to turn brexit into a mess. Brexiters are long since running away from the consequences of what they have inflicted. But still, England/UK is treated like a third country, not a third world country. No need for the drama.

[Jimbuna]

I can agree with both of you (Sky and Catfish) to a certain extent but it is still early days and the British public will soon grow tired of the 'games' the EU are giving the impression they are playing.

The reference to 'Third World Country' is actually something I have been pondering for a few weeks now.

I remain thoughtful of an old customary saying 'What goes round comes round'

Only time will tell.

[Jimbuna]

The EU is "negotiating with a partner it simply can't trust" in post-Brexit talks, Ireland's foreign minister has said.

On Wednesday, the UK said it would unilaterally extend grace periods for Irish Sea border checks, a move the EU said was a breach of international law.

Simon Coveney said he preferred "engagement", but the UK government was driving the EU towards legal action.

The grace periods mean procedures and checks are not yet fully applied.

Northern Ireland has remained a part of the EU's single market for goods so products arriving from GB undergo EU import procedures.

The first of these periods will expire at the end of March, but the UK has said it will be extended until October.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56278125

[Jimbuna]

Saddens me to see the above deletion because it is pretty accurate imho but I won't reinstate it.

[Catfish]

^ you do not mean me? I did not delete anything, only added :hmmm:

The term "the UK being treated like a third world country by the EU" was coined by Johnson or Gove (?not sure), and what i wanted to say is that this is not true. It is "treated" like it was outside the EU, like a "third country", which is exactly what the brexiters wanted(?)
Even this is not quite true since England already again has gained at least one Extrawurst in the negotiations :)

The link you posted is a bit critical, too, of the UK? Or is the Irish government playing some game?

[Jimbuna]

^ you do not mean me? I did not delete anything, only added :hmmm:

The term "the UK being treated like a third world country by the EU" was coined by Johnson or Gove (?not sure), and what i wanted to say is that this is not true. It is "treated" like it was outside the EU, like a "third country", which is exactly what the brexiters wanted(?)
Even this is not quite true since England already again has gained at least one Extrawurst in the negotiations :)

The link you posted is a bit critical, too, of the UK? Or is the Irish government playing some game?

No not you Kai, your unable to see deletions and as for the Irish, just looking at past history should answer that question.

[MGR1]

Found this on Conservative Home:

... George Galloway, who “is going to vote for Beelzebub, I’m going to vote for a Scottish Tory” (https://www.conservativehome.com/highlights/2021/03/profile-george-galloway-who-is-going-to-vote-for-beelzebub-im-going-to-vote-for-a-scottish-tory.html)

Welcome aboard, George. The Conservatives have gained a new and at first sight unlikely supporter in the Holyrood elections.
George Galloway is a ferocious orator, who rejoiced Unionist hearts during the 2014 Scottish referendum campaign by carrying the fight to the Nationalists with a brio unmatched by any other speaker.
He has now announced, in the course of his talk show on Russia Today, in answer to a call from David in Glasgow:“Here’s a declaration, David, you never expected to hear from me. I’ll be voting Conservative in the elections in May, on my constituency vote, for the first time in my life, because my local MSP is a Conservative and the challenger to him is the SNP.
So my view is that everyone should vote for the best placed candidate standing against the SNP. Because this is a one-off election. It’s a referendum on a referendum. It’s an attempt to stop the neverendum. It’s an attempt to get Scotland off the hamster wheel of endless constitutional peregrinations.
It’s an attempt to get the country back from the brink. And therefore it qualifies as an existential threat not just to Scotland but to Britain as a whole.
So frankly, I’d vote for Beelzebub himself [David starts to chuckle] rather than the SNP, and I’m going to vote for Beelzebub, I’m going to vote for a Scottish Tory.”
Galloway, a left-wing socialist, is in normal times a sworn enemy of the Tories, and has also shown a marked ability to fall out with people on his own side.
A Tory who has often crossed swords with Galloway in the past, and takes a low view of him, responded with Churchill’s remark:“If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.”
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear - no idea whether to laugh or cry.:doh:

Mike.:o

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUZDDs_OizY

[Skybird]

Got a refund for my order form the UK. They kindly apologized, pointed out that the item had left the UK weeks ago already and is now gone lost at their cost, and politely and vaguely indicated that the resistance by the bureaucratic system is so immense that they consider to stop delivering into the eU. Wowh. I do not seem the first one.

Catfish, note: the item has left the UK. Hence the problems are caused not by the UK authorities, but continental autorities. The UK side processed it with comparable speed as earlier deliveries I got from the UK in past years, maybe a few days longer that I would not mind for. Before I got parcels from the UK - via Amazon mostly - sometimes in five days, sometimes in 12 days, and all in between.

[Jimbuna]

^ I can't say I'm surprised Sky if other examples I'm hearing and reading about are true.

[Skybird]

Ubiquinol costs 3 times as much over here than in the UK, even with adding customs it still is much cheaper getting it from the UK, than buying it here. Must find other buying options. :hmmm: That stuff works wonders, but is really expensive.

[Jimbuna]

Can't be any more expensive than insulin in the US :o

[Jimbuna]

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator has said that legal action is imminent over the UK's move to unilaterally extend grace periods on Irish Sea border checks.

Maroš Šefčovič told the Financial Times that "infringement proceedings" are being prepared.

He said: "We are currently preparing it and it would be really something coming to our table very soon."

The EU has two legal avenues open to it under the Brexit deals.

Under the NI part of the Brexit deal, the Protocol, it can launch infringement proceedings which could lead to a case at the European Court of Justice

It took this action at the time when the UK threatened to breach the NI deal through the Internal Market Bill.

In that case the legal proceedings were overtaken by political agreement.

The EU could also seek arbitration under the terms of the wider EU-UK trade deal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-56285874

[Skybird]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/the-military-strategy-that-helped-the-brexit-campa/p098lmn7

[Jimbuna]

That is quite uncanny, brings back memories of a particular training lesson I underwent when becoming a LEO

[Skybird]

There is a cosim that reflects this simple principle very well in its playing sequence and the degrees of freedom you may have or have not per turn, that was one design feature that I always liked: Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm, not the Bohemia Interctive FPS, but the strategy and cosim title.



That was in principle a very good game, but some questionable numbers choosen to characterize certain units had me kind of loosing patience with it. M1 with hit probabilities of only 40%? C'mon! Even if it were the first fielded M1, the very early versions with much less advanced sights and thermals as today...

The merciless Sovjet artillery plow and their as devastating gunship strikes were uncomfortably well depicted, however.That game really made me fearing and hating these two. I added some substantial contributions to my treasury of swear words due to this game.

[Jimbuna]

The UK's lead Brexit minister has called on the EU to "shake off any remaining ill will" over the UK's decision to leave the organisation.

Lord Frost said the EU's previous threat to block vaccine exports had "significantly undermined" post-Brexit measures in Northern Ireland.

He insisted the UK's unilateral move to extend grace periods on border checks was legal under the Brexit trade deal.

The EU disputes this, and is preparing to launch a legal challenge.

The UK has said it will delay new checks on goods arriving into Northern Ireland from Great Britain, agreed as part of the UK's withdrawal deal.

EU Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič has called it a "violation" of the part of the deal relating to Northern Ireland and said legal action was imminent.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56311605

[MGR1]

All I'm going to say about the fall-out from the Harry and Meghan interview is I automatically thought of Prince Andrew when skin colour was mentioned.


My dad had quite a few dealings with the Royals when he worked for British Rail during the 70's and he always maintains that the best was Princess Anne and the worst Prince Andrew.


Mike.:hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

Sad me but I'm actually looking forward to seeing it on ITV tonight.

[Moonlight]

^Anyone can make unsubstantiated allegations and until Me-me-me-again Markle and halfwit Harry name names then that's what they'll always be, :doh: put your money where your mouth is Markle or STFU. :D

For someone who supposedly wants to lead a private life she certainly isn't going the right way about it but that doesn't make money does it.
This Markle currant is trouble with a capital T, she can smell the $$$$s rolling in from a continent away and if she can fabricate some info on the Royal family without incriminating herself she'll end up coining it in from all those thick yanks who believe her.

You only have to look at her history to know that this currant is a bad apple, she fell out with her siblings first and then her husband (sent him a letter with the engagement and wedding rings in it) she didn't have the guts to tell him that he wasn't any good for her career celebrity aspirations.

To top that off she fell out with her father, and then the future queen had to put her in her place when her unrealistic demands weren't being met by the palace aides, and finally she fell out with the Royal Family, if you can't see the pattern here then all those who can't must be as thick as planks. :haha:

[Bilge_Rat]

I saw part of the interview last night. "She -who-must-be-obeyed" wanted to watch it so I watched part of it.

Honestly, they both come off as entitled spoiled brats. Meghan knew exactly what she was getting into when she married into the Royal family. She wants the wealth and presitige that comes from being a "Royal" while having the freedom to do and say what she wants.

[MGR1]

Harry takes after his mum, for good or ill.:doh:

I've always maintained that the Royal Family wouldn't be in this type of mess if:

1. Charles hadn't dithered and married Camilla when he had the chance.

2. Camilla had been more patient and waited for him.

3. The Queen and Prince Philip had been more strict with Prince Andrew rather than indulging the spoiled self-entitled brat.

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

https://i.postimg.cc/RZrDkwfD/158705170-979474909126549-8844310468481655885-n.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[AVGWarhawk]

I'm at a loss here. Megan and Harry are leaving the UK due to the racist attitude of some folks in the royal family and the UK in general. They plan on going to the USA that has been labelled systematically racist and loaded with white supremacists.

Can someone help me understand what in Sam Hill is going on?

[Jimbuna]

I not sure anyone has the faintest idea Chris.

[AVGWarhawk]

I not sure anyone has the faintest idea Chris.

It seems to me Megan's movie career is over. She wanted the benefits of royalty but none of the work duties or requirements.

[Jimbuna]

That is certainly one train of thought over here in the UK :yep:

She's made some serious accusations but refuses to name those she says are responsible and Harry isn't much better.

[AVGWarhawk]

That is certainly one train of thought over here in the UK :yep:

She's made some serious accusations but refuses to name those she says are responsible and Harry isn't much better.

Harry will side with Megan. After all, she is his wife and should get his support with everything.

[mapuc]

If I should believe what has been said in the news here in Denmark and Sweden.

The English monarchy is in some type of crisis, and the English newspaper is filled with the interview.

No I did not see it-Have no interest in it.

Markus

[AVGWarhawk]

If I should believe what has been said in the news here in Denmark and Sweden.

The English monarchy is in some type of crisis, and the English newspaper is filled with the interview.

No I did not see it-Have no interest in it.

Markus

Nor do I. I just find it astonishing what is being said. Where they plan to go. Their position in life does not lead to peaceful afternoons at the park. I would think Megan thought this out before getting married into royalty.

[Catfish]

I'm at a loss here. Megan and Harry are leaving the UK due to the racist attitude of some folks in the royal family and the UK in general. They plan on going to the USA that has been labelled systematically racist and loaded with white supremacists.

Can someone help me understand what in Sam Hill is going on?
Millions of people missing royalty and being interested in stuff that is not interesting anywhere else, and millions of dollars to be made there :O:

[Skybird]

Did not care to watch it, but took note of the summaries flooding the media short time later. Harry and Meghan always reminded me of this, with Meghan on the left.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/His_Master%27s_Voice.jpg


I must say that I find it a bit rich that Harry complained that his family cut him off of all financial supports. Royalty often is referred to as "the firm" (translated back from the German, "die Firma"), and what this firm produces, is a wanted and asked-for product: soap opera and Royalty, and heck, are they good at it. Nobody does this kind of show like the Brits. It also provides many people with a sense of national solidarity and shared identity, something that motivates them to want to be a part of it or stick to it. In this regard I think critics of Royalty underestimate the key value that it has. When I compare this with the equivalent in Germany, the federal president: boy, what a bore, both the office and the current place holder seating on its chair! Nobody gets motivated for nothing by this, its boring, boring, boring! For this Royalty show the British tax payers pay fees, and this is the income of Royalty. In other words, Harry complains about being cut off from tax funds for which he neverthelss refuses to deliver the service: acting his role in the royal soap opera and pleasing the crowd, the media and all that. That is rich, really: not doing anything for the public but wanting to get a - stinking rich - living provided by it. Whether the show is worth the taxes, the British and them alone must judge, I do not get involved in that.

Experts say that the interview has fundamentlly raised market value of the couple, and that they could make around 500 millions of their new prestigous status due to it. Who said that Earth holds intelligent life?

Meghan has been accused by former friends in the past of being manipulative, and it springs to the eye that her claims in parts meet the current contemporary hot themes that other celebrities also love to pose with.

Anyhow, further than this I do not really care.

[AVGWarhawk]

I'll just wait for the Lifetime Movie Channel to make a movie.

[Skybird]

Die Welt wrote:




The fact that representatives of minority organizations and of "Black Lives Matter" raised severe criticism of the royals may have worried the Queen even more. Because the monarch sees herself as the head of all British and above all of the Commonwealth, in which the majority of the people are not white.

In addition, there is a risk that the Windsors will also lose respect among the young British. A YouGov poll after the interview found that 61 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds see Meghan and Harry as being unfairly treated by royalty. Of those over 65, it is only 15 percent.

[Gorpet]

How can anyone with a functional Brain not see this whole mess for what it is!
Young Harry flies to America cause he is a privileged jet setter. Megan knows who's party he will be at. She gets invited and she knows this will be her only chance to Capture a prince and she will have compete against many other women there.
It is now do or die for her, everything she has learned in her life as an actress must be brought to bear at this party. Will she become a Princess in 9 mos or a one night stand.I will say your young Prince enjoyed every fruit that his face could enjoy. And the result is what we see today, You will have your Prince back in a couple more years after Hollywood and The Political left in America are done with him.And your Royal Monarchy will be destroyed.

Personally i believe we or under attack from the Global families we put into power. Unchecked for years now they will create more horrors in the future than anything we old folks remember from the past. They are changing it every day. What was that old saying my dad told me? Son never let your guard down The Bitch of destruction is always in heat.

It's a good thing you and i have a place where we can still communicate with one another. I'm not sure how long it will last.Anyway u Brits are my Brothers and Family Hell my parents named me George Edward i will leave out the last name. It's not Windsor .

[Onkel Neal]

Hey, what the heck is going on with your Royals, eh? I just learned a pair of them are living in a $14 million mansion over here and getting silly on TV? Has someone told the Queen?:03:

[Jimbuna]

Piers Morgan has said he stands by his criticism of the Duchess of Sussex as ITV's Good Morning Britain aired for the first time since his departure.

Morgan left the show on Tuesday after saying he "didn't believe a word" Meghan said in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Ofcom is investigating his comments after receiving 41,000 complaints.

It is also being reported the duchess formally complained to ITV about Morgan's remarks.

Chris Ship, the royal editor of ITV News, tweeted: "Meghan raised concerns about how Piers Morgan's words affect the issue of mental health and what it might do to others contemplating suicide." Neither those representing the Sussexes nor ITV have confirmed the complaint.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56343768

:doh:

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEvelYWDD_Y

[Moonlight]

Piers Morgan has said he stands by his criticism of the Duchess of Sussex as ITV's Good Morning Britain aired for the first time since his departure.

Morgan left the show on Tuesday after saying he "didn't believe a word" Meghan said in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Ofcom is investigating his comments after receiving 41,000 complaints.

It is also being reported the duchess formally complained to ITV about Morgan's remarks.

Chris Ship, the royal editor of ITV News, tweeted: "Meghan raised concerns about how Piers Morgan's words affect the issue of mental health and what it might do to others contemplating suicide." Neither those representing the Sussexes nor ITV have confirmed the complaint.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56343768

Being a Duchess does have it's perks doesn't it, the ITV head honcho must have been wetting his pants like an excited puppy when he heard she'd been in contact with ITV, the Woke and Bame nutters allied with the leftist nutters are taking over the asylum. :o

[ET2SN]

Just a reminder, the Queen is getting old. :yep:

Someone will take over once she's gone, what we're seeing is the selection process. :03:

[mapuc]

Just a reminder, the Queen is getting old. :yep:

Someone will take over once she's gone, what we're seeing is the selection process. :03:

I thought UK have some kind of Inheritance rules. Like we have it both in Denmark and Sweden

Markus

[Jimbuna]

I thought UK have some kind of Inheritance rules. Like we have it both in Denmark and Sweden

Markus

The current line of succession to the English throne.

Queen Elizabeth II is the current monarch, having reigned for nearly seven decades. After the queen, her firstborn, Charles, Prince of Wales, will rule, followed by his firstborn, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and then his firstborn, Prince George.

[mapuc]

The current line of succession to the English throne.

Queen Elizabeth II is the current monarch, having reigned for nearly seven decades. After the queen, her firstborn, Charles, Prince of Wales, will rule, followed by his firstborn, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and then his firstborn, Prince George.

Thank you Jim.

I should have said that in both countries I mentioned there has been a change in the Inheritance rules.

In Sweden it was the government and in Denmark it was through a referendum.

Before the rules said the first born male shall rule-Which meant if the first born was a girl she didn't have the right to it.

So that's why crown princess Victoria is the first in line to rule in Sweden.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

UK goods exports to the European Union fell 40.7% in January, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), while imports tumbled 28.8%.

Both imports from and exports to the EU fell "markedly" in January, the ONS said. The value of goods exported from the UK to the EU fell by £5.6bn in January 2021, while imports dropped by £6.6bn.

However, the ONS said data showed that things had begun to pick up. Firms were reporting that trade was getting easier and trade levels started to recover towards the end of the month.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56370690

[Jimbuna]

https://i.postimg.cc/tCr7vFTQ/Untitled1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/VdCYdrnD)
https://i.postimg.cc/qvzqPght/Untitled1a.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Moonlight]

'Shameful day for Scotland' Fury as SNP's bill 'restricting free speech' approved

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1408968/Scotland-news-hate-crime-bill-SNP-free-speech-nicola-sturgeon-holyrood

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl9GYHprRXQ

[Catfish]

Too bad not enough paid attention back then..
Surely there's a trawler man out there who would like to use Farage as an anchor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pyYoL9ngtE

[Moonlight]

Why are you bringing up interviews from 16 May 2014, are you stuck in a bloody time warp or something, post some bloody news we don't know instead of dragging stuff up from over half a decade ago.

As for the trawlermen, they wanted Brexit and voted for Brexit so they can tie themselves to that bleeding anchor as well and then toss themselves off at the same time as Nigel. :O:

They can't go shifting the blame on to someone who got them what they wanted and what they voted for so if there is anyone at fault here it is Boris Johnson and his Brexit negotiators. :o

[Catfish]

I guess Boris was alreday born when the pro and cons were discussed, hardly possible for him not to notice :hmmm: I remember he was anti-brexit back then.
Of course back then he could not expect to become pm and have to sort out the mess, but if i look at what he did then, yep, blame him.
Why did i bring up this?
Why does Jim post russian propaganda vids all the time?
Why isn't the moon made of green cheese?
Why am i even here? :hmmm:

[Catfish]

https://i.imgur.com/jLz0sIL.mp4

[Moonlight]

What it means to be British, :hmmm: let me think :hmmm: is it "because we can post internet images correctly" or maybe not, :har: :har: :har:

your image link is an mp4 and not a gif, that's why it isn't working. :up:

[Commander Wallace]

What it means to be British, :hmmm: let me think :hmmm: is it "because we can post internet images correctly", :har:

https://imgur.com/jLz0sIL


Ouch. :haha:


You forgot the British propensity to drive on the wrong side of the road and eating cucumber sandwiches. :D

[Moonlight]

Sarah Everard vigil and Political Correctness Gone Mad.

This was a time for the mourners to remember that this young ladies life was taken away from her by apparently but not yet convicted serving police officer. The police had the opportunity to have a massive Public Relations Propaganda hit on their hands by handing out free masks to anyone who hadn't got one. As usual the top brass don't have the brains to see this for what it could have been and not for what happened, the scenes plastered all over the newspapers is a stark reminder of what is to come from these muppets.

MET Police chief Cressida Dick and her assistant Commissioner Helen Ball should be removed immediately from their positions as they've been promoted into a job that far exceeds their abilities, the Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade Danielle Amara Cotton was another one promoted for there gender and not their experience level and we all know what happened at the Grenfell tower fire.

London mayor Sadiq Khan should fall on his sword too but he won't do, the useless bastard will never take any of the blame and that folks is why we're always going from one ****up to another, the real culprits are the Lefty Woke pillocks who are promoting the likes of Dick, Ball and Cotton, into positions that they can't handle.

Bloody hell!, Dick, Ball and Cotton?, there's a massive joke there somewhere, we're only missing the kitchen sink and we would have had a Full House. :haha:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14326449/sarah-everard-vigil-news-cancelled-clapham/

[Catfish]

^ yes the "picture is not working" because there is an "mp4" ending at the end of the external link. Congrats!

re "The Sun" = "where the misled go to get misinformed" :yeah:
There was no way to kill the fire because the type of highly inflammable insulation was used, so blame the firefighters? Blame the mayor? Or blame your company-friendly politics that do not care for people?

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/06/25/why-grenfell-tower-burned-regulators-put-cost-before-safety.html

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/grenfell-tower-cladding-company-knew-21373755

[MGR1]

The main impression I get from the Tories regarding the SNP seems to be waiting for the Nats to implode and hoping that SLab makes a comeback in Scotland whilst also tacitly supporting any anti-SNP movement.:hmmm:

Are the SNP going to get a majority in May's Holyrood election? Probably - I wouldn't give the polls much credance at the moment but based on observation once Glasgow and the surrounding areas start voting for a particular party they do so mindlessly until another lot promising "bread and circuses" comes along.:doh:

As the Clyde Valley conurbation contains 40% of Scotland's population any political party that hopes to control Scotland has to control that area.

Mike.

[Moonlight]

That's how I've been seeing things as well, the Central Belt, which includes Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Lothian and Fife will decide who is going to win the election.

The Tories or Labour are going to have to use underhanded tactics and they'll need to focus in those areas above, I think the poison dwarf will still win but she'll have an even tougher time to make any gains for the SNP which she desperately needs.

This election the other parties will be muck spreading as though it's going out of fashion and it's going to be far more brutal than she's ever faced before.
Whether she can come out of it smelling of roses all depends on her ability to slap down all the slurs that are going to be thrown in her direction, and I think this Salmond inquiry might have opened some wounds which they could exploit.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDti_dJVujY

[mapuc]

If I should go after what have been said in some of the video clip you have posted here in this UK Politics Thread

I would say we are on the brink of a war(I think is the correct phrase)

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Not a military conflict though.

[Catfish]

@mapuc you do not really believe what Russia posts in those videos?

[Catfish]

"Northern Ireland protocol is solution, not problem, says EU envoy to UK"

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu/north-ireland-protocol-is-solution-not-problem-says-eu-envoy-to-uk-idUSKBN2B80RL

[Jimbuna]

^ Now this part (below) is probably the closest to the true/real reality.

“Those who oppose the protocol today, they are not presenting any alternative because in fact there isn’t (one),”

[Skybird]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/15/cap-on-trident-nuclear-warhead-stockpile-to-rise-by-more-than-40

The UK planms to play it serious with its foreign and defence policy. Trident cap is to fall, increase of 40% planned. The focus shifts from Russia to China as main threat, the playing field more being the pacific region instead of the North Atlantic.

Watch and learn, EU. Some lessons to learn in that.

Will be not working out however the moment Johnson does not get re-elected. I expect any follow-up government to scrap the plans immediately.


P.S.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/16/europe/uk-security-defense-review-intl-hnk-gbr/index.html


Including a German article I read I get totally conflicting news on whether the UK puts the threat rating of Russia over that of China, or the other way arounds. Well.

[Catfish]

^ Now this part (below) is probably the closest to the true/real reality.
I partially agree, though the whole situation is artifical and bad since so much decades.. Would it be such a problem in today's view, to just let Ireland unite and become independent as a whole? Who is against it?

[Skybird]

Who is against it?


Quite some of the Northern Irish, I would say. Religion, history, all that.

[Moonlight]

THE IRISH TIMES
Sinn Féin’s McDonald says there will be united Ireland within 10 years.

That's one hell of a bold statement, if they can't get the Unionists to play ball on this it's doomed to fail.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sinn-f%C3%A9in-s-mcdonald-says-there-will-be-united-ireland-within-10-years-1.4432211

[Jimbuna]

I partially agree, though the whole situation is artifical and bad since so much decades.. Would it be such a problem in today's view, to just let Ireland unite and become independent as a whole? Who is against it?

As Sky correctly states, the sizeable portion of the Northern Ireland population.

[Catfish]

It was a bit of a rhetorical question; with demographics and the general behaviour i think that it might not take too long.
I take it catholics will soon be the majority, and there even seem to be some more supporting it. I guess(!) that in case a hard brexit had happened, it could now have been underway.

[mapuc]

@mapuc you do not really believe what Russia posts in those videos?

Of course not.

These videos seem to paint a devil on the wall, where there in fact aren't any.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Of course not.

These videos seem to paint a devil on the wall, where there in fact aren't any.

Markus

Sometimes so and sometimes not so.

[Catfish]

Especially those vids take rumours, twist them and additionally amplify them out of proportions in best propaganda fashion. Only look for evidence of those rumours, and you know what to make of the rest.

[mapuc]

To use a phrase from Commander Data.

It's time to initiate a self-diagnostics

Meaning
if you like or dislike a video posted in this thread or other threads then ask
yourself

Did I like/dislike it because I support/do not support it(politicians, organisations like EU/country)

Markus

[Moonlight]

I don't think this is enough to bring the Poison Dwarf down, if they haven't got any more evidence than that she should breeze through a vote of no confidence.

Alex Salmond inquiry: Nicola Sturgeon’s future in question as Committee concludes she ‘misled Parliament’
"It is understood the cross-party committee decided by five votes to four that Ms Sturgeon had given an inaccurate account of one of her key meetings with Mr Salmond".

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/alex-salmond-inquiry-nicola-sturgeon-s-future-in-question-as-committee-concludes-she-misled-parliament/ar-BB1eJtXG?ocid=msedgntp

[Jimbuna]

^ The BBC take on the matter.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-56451170

[Jimbuna]

Now this I certainly do agree with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBZvlgTQPNU

[Rockstar]

Cap on Trident nuclear warhead stockpile to rise by more than 40%

Exclusive: Boris Johnson announcement on Tuesday will end 30 years of gradual disarmament

The increased limit, from 180 to 260 warheads, is contained in a leaked copy of the integrated review of defence and foreign policy, seen by the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/15/cap-on-trident-nuclear-warhead-stockpile-to-rise-by-more-than-40


Five areas of interest from UK defence and foreign policy review

Leaked document likely to disappoint Tory China hawks while the EU barely gets a look in

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/15/five-areas-of-interest-from-uk-defence-and-foreign-policy-review

[MGR1]

I don't think this is enough to bring the Poison Dwarf down, if they haven't got any more evidence than that she should breeze through a vote of no confidence.

Alex Salmond inquiry: Nicola Sturgeon’s future in question as Committee concludes she ‘misled Parliament’
"It is understood the cross-party committee decided by five votes to four that Ms Sturgeon had given an inaccurate account of one of her key meetings with Mr Salmond".

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/alex-salmond-inquiry-nicola-sturgeon-s-future-in-question-as-committee-concludes-she-misled-parliament/ar-BB1eJtXG?ocid=msedgntp

^ The BBC take on the matter.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-56451170
Robert Burns:
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy! Mike.:D

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK3VL2XCWEE

[MGR1]

It would be prudent for both sides to refrain from "counting their chickens" - as Burns wrote even the best laid plans can go awry.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens in May, assuming the elections go ahead as planned.:hmmm:

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

My prediction is the SNP will maintain their majority and the poison dwarf will tough it out and go nowhere.

[MGR1]

Technically the SNP don't have a majority - Holyrood uses a hybrid PR system, not pure FPTP. What they are is the largest party in terms of MSP's. Adding in the Scottish Greens, who are also pro-Indy, then yes, there is a pro-independence majority in terms of MSP numbers.

What the SNP have ultimately done is to take over SLab's share of the vote, which goes to show both how SLab mismanaged it and how little loyalty to the UK that vote had. Mind you SLab had to play the sectarian card to get anywhere in Glasgow - as I wrote earlier you have to control that area if you want to control Scotland politically. Unfortunately Scots who are of Irish Catholic decent are the group most likely to support independence and there's a fair number of them in the Clyde Valley constituencies.:hmmm:

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

Nicola Sturgeon has been cleared of breaching the ministerial code over her involvement in the Alex Salmond saga.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-56482878

[Moonlight]

Eurostar on brink: French pleaded with UK to save company as 'catastrophe is possible'

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1414259/eurostar-news-france-uk-save-company-bailout-coronavirus-infection-europe-spt

Eurostar is 55 percent owned by the French state railway SNCF, 40 percent by infrastructure funds CDPQ and Hermes, and five percent by Belgian railway SNCB.

The British Government has so far been reluctant to step in, saying it is the French government's company to save.
Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, said in February “It’s primarily a French lead, but we’ll be as helpful as possible.
“It’s not our company to rescue – it’s majority owned by the French state.

Hey Micron you tosser, go and rescue one of your companies or go and ask the EU for financial help if you need any, a EU Member State company asking the British taxpayer to bail them out, you couldn't make this crap up, we finally leave the EU shambles and they're still holding the bleeding begging bowl out.
As Princess Anne once said to the press reporters "Naff Off" well, not really those two words but you can give a good guess at what she actually said. :O:

[Jimbuna]

To Macron "Aucune chance"

[Catfish]

We had this before, but still:

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/24/uk/boris-johnson-greed-gaffe-eu-vaccine-row-intl-gbr/index.html

"During the weekly "1922 Committee" meeting of Conservative backbenchers, Johnson made an unguarded comment in which he claimed that the UK's successful vaccine rollout was "because of capitalism, because of greed, my friends," multiple sources who were on the call have confirmed to CNN.

Realizing how controversial his comments could be if made public, Johnson then retracted them almost immediately, according to the sources, saying "actually I regret saying it ... forget I said that." "

He meant exactly what he said.

[Jimbuna]

^ He most likely did but I wonder how many EU country leaders wish they were dealing with the vaccination rollout as successfully.

[Catfish]

I better not write what i think of this, and why it is like it is :yep:

[Moonlight]

^OH come now Catfish it's never stopped you before, spit it out man and just tell it as you see it, you can always finish with "and you disbelievers can go and bollocks as well" if you want to finish with a flourish. :haha:

[Catfish]

I'm not in the mood to post Murdoch-level The Sun pieces or Jim's russian propaganda videos (seems they really hate or fear the EU lol). Only because others of this "quality" make propaganda against the UK.

I'm also tired of all the hindsight bull, if only the biggest bigmouths would be in politics and have to do what they spread over the 'net. Klugscheißer.

[Moonlight]

I'm not in the mood to post Murdoch-level The Sun pieces or Jim's russian propaganda videos (seems they really hate or fear the EU lol). Only because others of this "quality" make propaganda against the UK.

I'm also tired of all the hindsight bull, if only the biggest bigmouths would be in politics and have to do what they spread over the 'net. Klugscheißer.

Alright then Catfish, I'll post some Free Speech bollocks from the Sun newspaper comic instead which just shows the hypocrisy of the modern day media.

TREVOR KAVANAGH Free speech is no small thing – without it, our democracy dies
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14483210/trevor-kavanagh-free-speech/

Ooooh, is it free speech day today, wow, I'm going to give that sanctimonious pillock a good rollicking for taking pillockhood to a brand new level.
WHAT!, we can't comment on an article about Free Speech?, but it's our democratic right to complain about these spurious claims isn't it Mr Kavanagh.

(Kavanagh) "Not in this bleeding newspaper matey, if you don't like it you can **** off somewhere else".

So it's true then, you can only enjoy your democratic right to Free Speech when the Establishment figures allow it, well then that means Democracy and Free Speech is for the few and not for the masses doesn't it.
(Kavanagh) "I've told you once, **** off . :o

Democracy and Free Speech is dead and buried. :up:

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y28QMkoY-2M

[Catfish]

I did not watch the video but the Trans-Pacific Partnership was modelled and based on the European Union’s single market. Trump did all to get the US out of it, as also was Farage's intention. Maybe the US will now rejoin, with Biden being Potus.

The EU has been invited to join some months ago:

"I think it would be fantastic to get the EU into the CPTPP, but they would not be able to join at the moment. With their approach on agriculture and standards, it is impossible for them to accede."

"This doesn't mean they can't change their approaches."
He noted: "It would be good for the world if they did and I am hopeful that somebody in the EU trade department is trying to figure out what to change in order to become an accession country."

Now wouldn't this be nice :haha:

[Moonlight]

Eurostar warning: UK must NOT invest in ailing rail franchise ‘Not a cash cow’

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1416067/eurostar-news-sncf-investment-france-channel-tunnel-macron-johnson-brexit-news

This drama will not go away.
Damned if they do and damned if they don't, giving money to a French state owned business is going to bring more political trouble than it's worth Bozo.
Why don't France ask the EU to bail out Eurostar, don't the EU have some emergency plans drawn up for eventualities like this one. :o

[Catfish]

Does not really make sense, but hey ..

UK pays Eurotunnel 33 million pounds over 'secretive' no-deal Brexit ferry contracts (https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-eurotunnel-idUKKCN1QI4BR)

[Moonlight]

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has paid out 33 million pounds to settle a claim with Eurotunnel which runs the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France after the firm took legal action over the process to award ferry contracts to cope with a no-deal Brexit.

Bloody Hell!, Bozo you'd better not give these EU sharks another bleeding penny, what a bleeding cheek holding their bleeding begging bowl out and trying to scrounge even more money out of the UK. :o
Piss off and **** off for good you bleeding vampires, just give Macron the grannie shagger a knock on his door and tell him they own most of the Eurotunnel so they can stump up the bleeding cash, bloody EU currants. :yep:

I'm slightly annoyed. :O:

[Moonlight]

Britain is starting to thrive freed from EU shackles and Brussels is terrified JAYNE ADYE
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/britain-is-starting-to-thrive-freed-from-eu-shackles-and-brussels-is-terrified-jayne-adye/ar-BB1feQfi?ocid=msedgntp

[Catfish]

^ Jayne Adye, the self-appointed chief of "get Britain out"

"I approve."

https://i.imgur.com/5fIBCWWl.jpg

[Moonlight]

Hey Catfish, I hope you stood to attention and saluted our glorious leader while whistling Land of Hope and Glory, if you didn't I'll come over there and stick your head up Merkel the muppets ass. :haha:

[Catfish]

"God save Queen Boris"


He'd have us to also vote for him if he only showed up here like this :haha:

https://i.imgur.com/ASfu92dl.jpg

[Skybird]

He does better than our Supernanny and her circles of chairs and demands for party-ordered collective consensus.



Seriously, Catfish, as a citizen of a country that has not only not covered itself with fame in the pandemic crisis, but since late summer last year has not missed an opportunity to make a fool of itself, you sit in a glass house that makes it seem inadvisable to constantly throw with stones after the British just because you do not forgive them their Brexit. The Germans are to blame for messing up the vaccination - not Johnson. Biontech is a German company and fed with german tax money. Nobody than ourselves stopped us from making better use of this constellation, like the British used their ace card best to their advantage.



There is one answer Germany and the EU could give to the Brexit: getting our homework done better and accepting the British challenge and becoming better and more competitive and more combative ourselves instead of dozing endlessly on a thick, fat pillow of tax plundered loot and GDR 2.0-affinity and lamenting the oh so unfair selfishness of the Brits.



The way Angie Supernanny is talking to Germans, is in word, sound and behaviour exactly the same like adults use to talk to little babies. Her style alone tells everything one needs to know about what she think of the citizens.



Compared to that, Johnson's voltes, comical or not, are almost refreshing. Merkel just lulls Germans to death. Since 16 years. And thats why life over here feels like being trapped in a giant drop of hardening honey.

[Catfish]

Oh please. :doh:

[Jimbuna]

He does better than our Supernanny and her circles of chairs and demands for party-ordered collective consensus.



Seriously, Catfish, as a citizen of a country that has not only not covered itself with fame in the pandemic crisis, but since late summer last year has not missed an opportunity to make a fool of itself, you sit in a glass house that makes it seem inadvisable to constantly throw with stones after the British just because you do not forgive them their Brexit. The Germans are to blame for messing up the vaccination - not Johnson. Biontech is a German company and fed with german tax money. Nobody than ourselves stopped us from making better use of this constellation, like the British used their ace card best to their advantage.



There is one answer Germany and the EU could give to the Brexit: getting our homework done better and accepting the British challenge and becoming better and more competitive and more combative ourselves instead of dozing endlessly on a thick, fat pillow of tax plundered loot and GDR 2.0-affinity and lamenting the oh so unfair selfishness of the Brits.



The way Angie Supernanny is talking to Germans, is in word, sound and behaviour exactly the same like adults use to talk to little babies. Her style alone tells everything one needs to know about what she think of the citizens.



Compared to that, Johnson's voltes, comical or not, are almost refreshing. Merkel just lulls Germans to death. Since 16 years. And thats why life over here feels like being trapped in a giant drop of hardening honey.

I'm not up to speed with the situation in Europe but I wish they'd realise they are not dealing with a third world country but rather a large economic sovereign nation with a population fast growing in resentment because of the same resentment we are witnessing coming from across the channel.

Only one thing is certain and that is the fact that both parties or sides of the arguments are harming themselves in the process. Macron in particular is happy because it is Germany who is footing the bill.

Word is out that the hypocrite has recently stated publicly he is willing to accept the AstraZeneca jab if offered it.

[Moonlight]

Here we go again. :o

ROAD RAGE Kill the Bill protesters cause mayhem by sitting in MOTORWAY while violent clashes with cops see 28 arrested
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14537418/kill-the-bill-protest-uk-police-warning/

What is the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and how will it change protests?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56400751

The quicker this new bill comes into law the better, I'm sick and tired of these Wokie leftists riding roughshod over decent citizens lives, no more glueing themselves to tube trains, no more damaging historical monuments, no more protesting outside school gates, no more disruptive protesting about something that has happened in another country, if you don't like it here you have the option to **** off somewhere else don't you?.

Iran anyone, how about Syria, Pakistan, Yemen, lets cast the net further afield shall we, how about South America, Africa, Asia?, what! no takers, I thought there wouldn't be many, as for the left wing Labour Party and their dickhead leader Starmer they can go to hell and back before I'd consider voting for the red flag again. :haha:

[Jimbuna]

https://i.postimg.cc/RhP26LWw/Eb-TCKKHXs-AAk2t-R.jpg (https://postimg.cc/zHgx4WSf)

[Moonlight]

There'll always be an England, I'm not one who cares for the current National Anthem but if they ever decided to change it this one would be one I could be proud of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qhLPWcm-0w

https://i.ibb.co/7CmMDc6/gettyimages-52116164.jpg (https://ibb.co/GpSYDwb)

[mapuc]

Regarding Jim's picture in post #13714 on this page.

The Leader of Labour is doing what every other politician in opposition of the government, selling their own soul for thousands of votes.

He couldn't care less about these BLM(Black Life....)

Markus

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJrjcCmoRwc

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsPzE2FWy9Y

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adqLpHiUi_A

[Skybird]

Laurence Fox, who got, in his own words, "excommunicated from the church of woke".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcw0KDjPk-g



German Wikipedia:
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace is a think tank and library at Stanford University in California. It was founded in 1919 by the future President of the United States Herbert Hoover. The Hoover Institution has a large archive on Herbert Hoover, World War I and World War II. It is mainly financed by donations from foundations of large American corporations such as JP Morgan, General Motors, Exxon or Procter & Gamble. Since 2001 she has published the journal Policy Review.

The Hoover Institution has a major influence on the conservative and libertarian movements in the United States. Conservative members of US governments (such as Donald Rumsfeld) have given lectures at the institute. A meeting between President George W. Bush and researchers from the Hoover Institution was prevented in 2006 by students from Stanford University and other demonstrators. Fellows of the institute include or were politicians such as Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan and Condoleezza Rice, but also the writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the economist Milton Friedman and the co-editor of the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit, Josef Joffe and guest author Andreas Umland.

[MGR1]

Henry Hill opining again on Conservative Home:

Scottish Conservative supporters should not vote for ‘All for Unity' (https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/04/if-they-cherish-the-union-conservative-supporters-should-not-vote-for-all-for-unity.html)

The problem with the concept of tactical voting for the Holyrood elections is that very few people up here truly understand the voting system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additional_member_system). As a result they vote for the same party for both constituency and list which can be counter productive, as Hill outlines. On my own part the most likely pro-UK choice for Aberdeen Donside is SLab and I will never vote for them under any circumstances so that leaves the SCons and SLibDems as my only real choices. I learned to hold my nose when voting a long time ago!

However a FPTP only system would be even worse as the Nats would be as over represented in terms of their actual vote share as they are for Westminster elections.:doh:

As an aside if you wish to see what passes for Unionist thinking in Scotland I think this site will give a very good idea: ThinkScotland (https://www.thinkscotland.org/).

At the end of the day the main problem that Unionists in Scotland and Northern Ireland have is English public opinion - I think it would be fair to write that English people are not, broadly, instinctively Unionist. In the UK context Unionism effectively means subordinating your own national identity (be it English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish) to that of the UK of GB and NI. Put simply the UK is the bigger and stronger entity than the four Home Nations individually, hence the constant mention of the "Broad Shoulders of the Union" by Scottish Unionists to ram the point home - the much derided and resented "Too Wee, Too Poor, Too Stupid to survive on your own" argument. Not only does this not apply to England as whole economically, it's also at odds with the English tradition of rugged self-reliance. Hence the increasing degree of indifference south of the border, particularly from the political right. The way the COVID pandemic has been handled across the UK has merely exposed what are actually pre-existing tensions.

How that circle can be squared, if at all, remains to be debated in a meaningful manner.:hmmm:

Mike.

[Moonlight]

This is getting bleeding ridiculous now, these bloody idiots want their independence from the UK and then give it straight to the EU, how the hell is that independence?.
Give them another referendum Bozo and let them **** off for good. :haha:

Nicola Sturgeon should demand Scottish independence talks after election, says Salmond
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/alex-salmond-nicola-sturgeon-must-open-immediate-independence-talks-with-whitehall-after-election/ar-BB1fme7r?ocid=msedgntp

[Catfish]

https://i.imgur.com/sq4y9ful.jpg

[Jimbuna]

:har:

[mapuc]

I have a Prime Directive I must follow.

So saying how the politicians in UK should run their shop is forbidden.

I can predict/try to predict

The question is will Scotland accept their share of UK's debt, if the Parliament agree on letting Scotland have their second referendum ?

Next question is:
If Scotlands EU's membership is a failure-Will the rest of UK let them come back into the union ?

Markus

[MGR1]

I have a Prime Directive I must follow.

So saying how the politicians in UK should run their shop is forbidden.

I can predict/try to predict

The question is will Scotland accept their share of UK's debt, if the Parliament agree on letting Scotland have their second referendum ?

Next question is:
If Scotlands EU's membership is a failure-Will the rest of UK let them come back into the union ?

Markus

1. In theory, yes. How much of said debt would be subject to negotiation and would be a substantial sticking point - define "Fair Share"? Based on population, GDP, taxation, public spending etc, etc? IIRC when what is now the Republic of Ireland gained independence after WW1 it's share of the UK's national debt at the time was something in the order of 80-90% of it's own GDP.

My own view on such a hypothetical is this: Yes I expect Scotland will take it's fair share of the debts, BUT it'll do so only if it also gains a proportional share of the assets needed to service that debt. That means the gold reserves and gilts amongst others.:03:

2. Doubt it. Even if it were possible the terms of any new Union with England would be so unacceptable to the Scottish Elites that it would be a non-starter. For the same reason the RoI will never re-join the UK.

Either way, hopefully it shouldn't come to that.:hmmm:

Mike.

[Moonlight]

The more I hear about this Priti Useless Home Secretary the more I disbelieve her, she dances to the medias tune and the reporters, journalists, thicktards "oh I like that word" write it down in there comics as bleeding gospel. "The goddess has spoken, deport the scum" are the usual headlines and the strange thing about it is, they'll probably still be here come the next decade. All mouth and no action, it's been the same bloody nonsense from all Home secretaries for bleeding decades. :o

PRITI'S FIGHT Priti Patel pledges to deport Rochdale sex-ring monsters who abused girls as young as 13
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14565053/priti-patel-deport-rochdale-sex-ring-monsters/

The sad thing about all this is, we have an opposition party who are hell bent on giving Plastic British citizenship to all and sundry whether they are criminals or illegal immigrants and that is what their voter base does not want, the elites of this party are out of touch with their voters and the Hartlepool by-election might just be the punch in the mouth they need to wake them up. It's up in the air for now, but I remember my folklore and Hartlepool is where they supposedly hung a bleeding monkey for being a French spy, so anything could happen there, we shall know soon enough.

[Catfish]

^ all those bloody raping foreigner monsters, i wonder how the english have survived after all those centuries in all those foreign countries? :O:

[Catfish]

More than 420,000 Irish passports issued in Britain
Now that's an idea :03:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-irish-passports-britain-coveney-b1826580.html

[Moonlight]

What a pointless bloody article you've posted Catfish, even a German citizen should be able to see the irrelevance of it. :O:

They're probably just another set of remainer dickheads making another meaningless statement, this country is overrun by the bleeding currants, what would be more interesting to know is how many of them have actually pissed off to Ireland?.
I would say none as these muppets know which side of their bread is buttered and it probably isn't Irish butter they're using either. :haha:

[Jimbuna]

LABOUR'S hard left were sharpening their knives for Sir Keir Starmer after a shock poll predicts they will lose the upcoming Hartlepool by-election.

The survey commissioned by the leftie Communication Workers Union shows the Tory party on course for a win with 49 per cent of the vote - a bump of 20 points.

The above is from The Sun so it must be true :hmmm:

[Moonlight]

^Paul Routledge a journalist at the left wing comic "The Mirror" and also a member and supporter of the Labour Party recognises that fact too. :haha:

'Labour losing Hartlepool after 62 years a heavy but unsurprising blow for Keir Starmer'
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/labour-losing-hartlepool-after-62-23865620

[Catfish]

What a pointless bloody article you've posted Catfish, even a German citizen should be able to see the irrelevance of it. :O:
[...]. :haha:
The irrevelance of freedom of travel, open borders and Ireland's general reaction to brexit; that England and especially its government in Westminster sees all this as irrelevant is nothing new indeed.

https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2021/04/violent-clashes-northern-ireland-show-brexit-isn-t-done

https://www.politico.eu/article/northern-ireland-brexit-trade-deal-loyalist-clashes-police/

[Skybird]

Humanistic value order, freedom to travel, free trade - all that could be had without a topping of bureaucracy, centralism and ambition to be a full blown-up super state with a poltically run economy and deletion of self-repsonsibility, that also reserves the right to delete people's way to feel about their historically grown identities and construct the new and uniform homo servilis as the ideal of modern socialist citizenship.

For none of your ideas it needs the EU, Catfish. For none. I agree with your ideas. Thats why I want the EU being destroyed. It stands in the way, manifestating right the oppposite of what it claims it wants to represent. And different to you I see njo chance of reformsing it could ever have a chance of success.

When an ugly, shaking, dysfunctional building blocks the space and nothign can be doine with it anymore, tear it down and shuttle the debris away. Then build a better house in the now free space. Just do not commission the same architect again, that would be extrenely stupid a thing to do.

And do not forcer together what does not fit together. And have nobody ever being expected to load the other's burden on his own shoulders. Have everybody carrying his own weight. Limitations teach modesty. From modesty comes better management. Thats a death sentence for the EU as of today.

[Jimbuna]

New poll puts SNP on course for majority in Scottish election with Alba Party unlikely to win single seat.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/2115811/new-poll-puts-snp-on-course-for-majority-in-scottish-election-with-alba-party-unlikely-to-win-single-seat/

[Catfish]

Humanistic value order, freedom to travel, free trade - all that could be had without a topping of bureaucracy, centralism and ambition [...]
Tell this to the UK?

https://i.imgur.com/r7DTNOLm.jpg

You know how much bureaucrats the UK has, compared to the EU? :03:

Also:
"The Commission is important, but doesn’t run the EU..
Claims that the EU is run by the European Commission, or that the Commission is the government of Europe, aren’t correct.
They exaggerate the power of the Commission, and understate the role of other institutions, which it’s generally correct to say debate, amend and pass EU laws.
They also ignore the influence of the EU’s member countries.

This may be because the European Union is a political system that borrows from many places without taking any one in particular as a model."

https://fullfact.org/europe/eu-facts-behind-claims-brussels-bureaucrats/

Your opinion about a "socialist" (what?) superstate once again, and that nationalists and brexiters will certainly applaud you does not necessarily mean it is true, on the contrary.

All this has not much to do with the problems in Ireland, and how all try to ignore them. But thank god it is not a EU-made problem. Mr Murdoch might disagree, but.. screw him.

[Jimbuna]

"The Commission is important, but doesn’t run the EU..
Claims that the EU is run by the European Commission, or that the Commission is the government of Europe, aren’t correct.
They exaggerate the power of the Commission, and understate the role of other institutions, which it’s generally correct to say debate, amend and pass EU laws.
They also ignore the influence of the EU’s member countries.

My response to the above would suffice with three words....Germany and France :)

[Skybird]

Tell this to the UK?

https://i.imgur.com/r7DTNOLm.jpg

You know how much bureaucrats the UK has, compared to the EU? :03:

Also:
"The Commission is important, but doesn’t run the EU..
Claims that the EU is run by the European Commission, or that the Commission is the government of Europe, aren’t correct.
They exaggerate the power of the Commission, and understate the role of other institutions, which it’s generally correct to say debate, amend and pass EU laws.
They also ignore the influence of the EU’s member countries.

This may be because the European Union is a political system that borrows from many places without taking any one in particular as a model."

https://fullfact.org/europe/eu-facts-behind-claims-brussels-bureaucrats/

Your opinion about a "socialist" (what?) superstate once again, and that nationalists and brexiters will certainly applaud you does not necessarily mean it is true, on the contrary.

All this has not much to do with the problems in Ireland, and how all try to ignore them. But thank god it is not a EU-made problem. Mr Murdoch might disagree, but.. screw him.
I think you very naively believe in that what the EU opportunistically describes itself as, necessarily is true.
But that are claims of an old rhetorical pattern that is used by the "People's" Republic of China or the German "Democratic" Republic as well. Those countries are/were neither the people's republic (but a party's), nor was it a democratic country.
The people of the European states have no awareness and no control ove rthe many backroom deals the EU decision makers do. They cannot evej vote to get rid of kley perosnnel that is being decided on not by the voters, and not by transparent and democratically legitimising procedures. The key personnel maintains itself, is a closed society, the members of which provide each other with alibis. Aristocracy. You knowm that kind of ariostiocracy that was finally smashed into the ground by the French revolution, which came at costs by itself.

You believe in the ink on paper. I don't, and would never - not even when i have a real bad, messy day.

The Irish problem, to which i also have no other solution than to suggest that it is the Irish people'S duty to come to terms with each other and nobody else's, since it is their country and place and lives, and nobody else's, indeed is one of the main reasons why I always have been against any form or Brexit treaty between the UK and the EU.


I stick to it: the EU and "Europe" are mutually exclusive. The more of the one, the less of the other, and vice versa.

[Catfish]

Yes, it all must be a conspiracy of the "EU". The great reset and all that.

Ireland, it is a complicated situation, the Republic, Northern Ireland, religion, the unionists, the royalists, terrorism, the fissures are going all through the society.
by Skybird: "The Irish problem, to which i also have no other solution than to suggest that it is the Irish people's duty to come to terms with each other and nobody else's, since it is their country and place and lives, and nobody else's, indeed is one of the main reasons why I always have been against any form or Brexit treaty between the UK and the EU." [...
"The irish people" would probably like to decide for themselves (and all of them), but you see that last decades and centuries they never were allowed to, and they are still scared for good reason. They have tried to come to terms with each other, with terrible results sometimes perpetrated on them from outside.

I do not think that the average english citizen has a personal grudge against "the Irish", or all irish have one against "the english" (though still a father or relative of either side may have been killed in the "troubles" and not all are neutral), but politicians, strategy and military have a definite stance on the situation.
The outsider's view of what i hear and read is that Westminster does not care much about "the irish" idea of sovereignty and control.

[MGR1]

All campaigning for the devolved elections in Scotland and Wales as well as those for the English local elections in May have been suspended as a mark of respect for HRH Prince Philip.

Mike.

[mapuc]

Are Ireland and Northern Ireland on it's way back how it was before the peace treaty ?

Seems the ongoing riots are growing for each day.

Northern Ireland fear UK will leave them alone.
Ireland fear-Well now I can't remember what they fear-Sorry

Markus

[Moonlight]

There are some idiots who would like nothing better than the troubles of the past re-visiting Northern Ireland, these so called teeny boppers are being controlled and egged on by adults who would probably like to make a name for themselves much like their grandfathers did.

The majority of the thick young pillocks won't have a bloody clue why they're throwing petrol bombs and stones but they won't let that get in there way while they're having some bloody fun eh.

The Republic of Ireland would never let these Northern Ireland muppets join their fair isle when they continue to act like bloody nutters, until they start acting their age and not their penis size it will not change.

As for the rest of the UK "well mainly England" they will continue to help the Unionists because if they left NI to it's own devices there would be blood again and a lot more than has ever been spilt before.

[Moonlight]

^That post of mine is my thoughts on the recent troubles in Northern Ireland, the link below is a summary of what the Newspapers are publishing.

EXPLAINER: What is behind the latest unrest in N Ireland?
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/us/explainer-what-is-behind-the-latest-unrest-in-n-ireland/ar-BB1fve3V?ocid=msedgntp

@Mapuc, it's a lot more complicated than what I've wrote or what the newspapers write but at least you'll see the swamp before you step in it.

More thoughts from me.
The politicians remain silent as of now, I use the word "Silent" loosely because if the politicians wanted it stopped in the first place this nonsense would be over with in hours and not days, Or Else. "ignore that Or Else at your peril"
Lets not pull any punches here, the masters of NI are the political wing of these so-called groups and therefore they wield an enormous amount of power, nothing goes down in NI if these politicians don't want it to go down, so lets get that clear from the start.

That's how it is and I'm assuming that's how it's going to stay.

[mapuc]

Thank you for your answer Moonlight.

Seeing the news clips from Belfast and Londonderry the last week, gave me a Deja Vu from 80's and 90's

Following phrase from the article

"The British Army was deployed in 1969, initially to keep the peace. The situation deteriorated into a conflict between Irish republican militants who wanted to unite with the south, loyalist paramilitaries who sought to keep Northern Ireland British, and U.K. troops. "

Gave me a bad feeling-Are Northern Ireland on it's way to some kind of civil war ?

Markus

[Skybird]

A Brexitr necessarily created one of two possible hard borders. Either between NI and
the RoI, or in the Irish sea between NI and the UK.

There is no formal solution possible. Its logically not possible. Even if there would not have been a Brexit treaty, there would then be a hard border, between NI and the RoI.

Illustrates how absolutely idiotic and ridiculous this Northern Ireland problem is. I must honestly say, my sympathies for the Irish are extremely limited here. They run this foolish freak show for hilarious reasons and since generations - i do not respect the given historical foul excuses - and so rightfully earn what they sow: an insolvable contradiction for which a solution is not imaginable and that can only stop to be dangerous by seizing to exist, just that.

Having had no Brexit, also is no solution. Because we currently see that the peace was quite illusory, and hat the conflict still can bring the blood to boiling temperature with relatively little effort. And that is called a "peace"...? No, it was only a cosmetic formality declared. Peace is more, is a deeply anchored state of heart.

Maybe the UK would be best off if kicking NI out and forget about it. Let the Irish solve their precious oh so important and no doubt extremely relevant conflict all by themselves. And let them and nobody else pay the price for their Irish games.

Do I overlook something?

[mapuc]

^ There's another solution to this everlasting problems in NI
Which can be read in the article Moonlight posted in his answer to me.

"By the 1990s, after secret talks and with the help of diplomatic efforts by Ireland, Britain and the United States, the combatants reached a peace deal. The 1998 Good Friday accord saw the paramilitaries lay down their arms and established a Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government for Northern Ireland. The question of Northern Ireland’s ultimate status was deferred: it would remain British as long as that was the majority’s wish, but a future referendum on reunification was not ruled out"

If and it is a big if, the people in NI decide in a referendum to join land with Ireland the problem could be solved.

Well yes there's a chance for a hard border between Ireland(+NI) and UK.

Markus

[Skybird]

^ There's another solution to this everlasting problems in NI
Which can be read in the article Moonlight posted in his answer to me.

"By the 1990s, after secret talks and with the help of diplomatic efforts by Ireland, Britain and the United States, the combatants reached a peace deal. The 1998 Good Friday accord saw the paramilitaries lay down their arms and established a Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government for Northern Ireland. The question of Northern Ireland’s ultimate status was deferred: it would remain British as long as that was the majority’s wish, but a future referendum on reunification was not ruled out"
I am not inmpressed. I know the hisotric tretay of the good friday agreement - and it is what I referred to when speaking of the past peace deal having been just a fomrlait,y but no heart affair. You can repeat somehtign like that, yes. I tell ypou before the end of our lives we will see again that int he hearts the peace nevertheless will not have grown lasting roots.





If and it is a big if, the people in NI decide in a referendum to join land with Ireland the problem could be solved.

Well yes there's a chance for a hard border between Ireland(+NI) and UK.
Thats not a chance, but an inevitable necessity then. Because the Republic of Ireland, in which Northern Ireland then would melt into, is not member of the UK.

For the EU it would mean new costs, since the RoI would no doubt need to pay the lion's share of the costs for reunification, and woudl ask for and get additional funding from Brussel. And about reunifications Germans know a thing or two. Especially about the costs. It costs us until today, even over one generation after German reunification. It was and is hilariously expensive.

[Jimbuna]

A Brexitr necessarily created one of two possible hard borders. Either between NI and
the RoI, or in the Irish sea between NI and the UK.

There is no formal solution possible. Its logically not possible. Even if there would not have been a Brexit treaty, there would then be a hard border, between NI and the RoI.

Illustrates how absolutely idiotic and ridiculous this Northern Ireland problem is. I must honestly say, my sympathies for the Irish are extremely limited here. They run this foolish freak show for hilarious reasons and since generations - i do not respect the given historical foul excuses - and so rightfully earn what they sow: an insolvable contradiction for which a solution is not imaginable and that can only stop to be dangerous by seizing to exist, just that.

Having had no Brexit, also is no solution. Because we currently see that the peace was quite illusory, and hat the conflict still can bring the blood to boiling temperature with relatively little effort. And that is called a "peace"...? No, it was only a cosmetic formality declared. Peace is more, is a deeply anchored state of heart.

Maybe the UK would be best off if kicking NI out and forget about it. Let the Irish solve their precious oh so important and no doubt extremely relevant conflict all by themselves. And let them and nobody else pay the price for their Irish games.

Do I overlook something?

No. I think you adequately summed it up :yep:

[MGR1]

The situation in NI is due to the unfortunate fact that the religious attitudes of the Protestant hardliners haven't moved beyond the 17th Century. The concept of the "Protestant Ascendency" should have been knocked on the head during Ireland's Union with the rest of Great Britain in the 19th Century, sadly it wasn't. The maladministration of Ireland by it's pre-independence ruling classes is the gift that keeps on giving. Sadly that bad governance has had a long term effect in Scotland due to Irish migration into the Western Central Belt.

England doesn't have a "Scotland Problem" per se, what it has is a "Clyde Valley Problem". That's where pro-independence sentiment is highest.

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

No10 rejects Nicola Sturgeon's claim that Boris Johnson will allow second referendum.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/no10-rejects-nicola-sturgeons-claim-23898911