Brexit

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Brexit

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

A Beeb report of arguably particular interest to Bob.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

And, of course, the net migration expected figures published this week seem to have come as rather a shock to the nation:

Last year we had the highest net influx ever, at over half a million.

This year it will be higher.

And supposedly forecast to be nearly a million

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/05/11/net-migration-million-home-office-government-conservative/#:~:text=Analysis%20by%20the%20Centre%20for,work%2C%20study%20or%20other%20reasons.

Of course, the Ukranian figure is important in that number. Hopefully not a regular occurence.

But all miles higher than it was pre-Brexit

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Friday 12th of May 2023 11:02:16 AM

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
A Beeb report of arguably particular interest to Bob.

More so than you think SC. I actually know people that work in that town hall as it is very close to where I live. When I was trying to find contacts on the sports council in the town hall of San Fulgencio, a friend of mine (and captain of the cricket team I still help) with told me that his girlfriend's mum worked there. That would be Samantha from the article.

I just sent the link to him and he recognised her instantly.

Small world eh ?

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
A Beeb report of arguably particular interest to Bob.
More so than you think SC. I actually know people that work in that town hall as it is very close to where I live. When I was trying to find contacts on the sports council in the town hall of San Fulgencio, a friend of mine (and captain of the cricket team I still help) with told me that his girlfriend's mum worked there. That would be Samantha from the article.
I just sent the link to him and he recognised her instantly.
Small world eh ?

Certainly is, Bob. Something similar happened to me once, many moons ago. It was in the days when journalists at The Times were on strike & the paper was therefore not being published, so I was reduced to buying The Grauniad, having tried The Torygraph & been driven to distraction. One day, it published an interview with a professional (dentist? Can't remember) Latvian lady in Leeds who was heavily involved with a local women's charitable/volunteer organisation (I think the Soroptimists). I had an Australian penfriend whose parents had immigrated from Latvia after the Second World War. I'd met her when she visited London as part of the world tour so many young Aussies seem to make. During her time here, she met a chap from Leeds who followed her out to Oz after she went back & where they eventually got married. I cut out the article & sent it to her, thinking that she & Juris might be interested. Turned out she was his aunt! biggrin She eventually migrated to Oz herself & I had the pleasure of meeting her on my first visit to Melbourne in 1992. Quite a character!

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
A Beeb report of arguably particular interest to Bob.
More so than you think SC. I actually know people that work in that town hall as it is very close to where I live. When I was trying to find contacts on the sports council in the town hall of San Fulgencio, a friend of mine (and captain of the cricket team I still help) with told me that his girlfriend's mum worked there. That would be Samantha from the article.
I just sent the link to him and he recognised her instantly.
Small world eh ?
Certainly is, Bob. Something similar happened to me once, many moons ago. It was in the days when journalists at The Times were on strike & the paper was therefore not being published, so I was reduced to buying The Grauniad, having tried The Torygraph & been driven to distraction. One day, it published an interview with a professional (dentist? Can't remember) Latvian lady in Leeds who was heavily involved with a local women's charitable/volunteer organisation (I think the Soroptimists). I had an Australian penfriend whose parents had immigrated from Latvia after the Second World War. I'd met her when she visited London as part of the world tour so many young Aussies seem to make. During her time here, she met a chap from Leeds who followed her out to Oz after she went back & where they eventually got married. I cut out the article & sent it to her, thinking that she & Juris might be interested. Turned out she was his aunt! She eventually migrated to Oz herself & I had the pleasure of meeting her on my first visit to Melbourne in 1992. Quite a character!

Great story

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

So it's finally official.

Nigel Farage has admitted that Brexit has failed.

twitter.com/BBCNewsnight/status/1658234370409263106

Of course, it's not his fault ..... yada yada

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

House of Commons figures 12th May 2023:

Compared to the pre-pandemic level, UK GDP in Q1 2023 was 0.5% lower.

This compares with Eurozone GDP being 2.5% higher than its pre-pandemic level, while US GDP was 5.3% higher.

OECD figures March 2023:

The OECD forecasts UK GDP to fall by 0.2% in 2023, the lowest figure in the G7.

The Eurozone is predicted to rise by 0.8%.

Thanks, Nige !

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
House of Commons figures 12th May 2023:

Compared to the pre-pandemic level, UK GDP in Q1 2023 was 0.5% lower.

This compares with Eurozone GDP being 2.5% higher than its pre-pandemic level, while US GDP was 5.3% higher.

OECD figures March 2023:

The OECD forecasts UK GDP to fall by 0.2% in 2023, the lowest figure in the G7.

The Eurozone is predicted to rise by 0.8%.

Thanks, Nige !

And best not mention the Net Migration figures or Food Price Inflation wink

Shhh · Challenger level

twitter.com/i/status/1659871761033248768

What a nice clear simple video

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Genuine discussion here, but I don't quite understand this Shhh

Member states of the EU vote for Members of the European Parliament

So you and I (when in the EU) vote for our city councillors, vote for our Members of Parliament, vote for our European Members of Parliament

They are all democratic elections. They are all our voice in voting for policies etc at different levels.

Of course, there are EU committees etc that we never get to vote on

But we don't get to elect our Minister of Health either, or the Ministry of Education, or any other government department. We don't even get to elect our Prime Minister.

And it implies there is no international law

Britain has signed endless international treaties. We are bound by all those treaties. We cannot make policies that go against them. (Unless we break the law, or withdraw from them, or get a special exemption). So why is the argument here that we have to have complete freedom, when we don't.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

On a lighter subject

A Master's student's proposal for her dissertation

2.4.1 Europe.
2.4.1.1 How was the GDPR act submitted?
2.4.1.2 What are the consequences of the UK Brisket?

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

At least the Aussies are happy biggrin biggrin

https://twitter.com/AlexTaylorNews/status/1664543922381807618

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
At least the Aussies are happy
https://twitter.com/AlexTaylorNews/status/1664543922381807618

On a more serious note, this is why the Aussie presenters were laughing. It is the detailed story of how Boris Johnson sold out the British farmers in one evening over a meal, upsetting his own trade negotiators (and Liz Truss) in the process.

https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-sold-out-uk-farmers-australia-trade-deal-uk/

"To their amazement, Johnson gave way on tariffs and product weights. Brandis, the high commissioner, moved like a flash, writing down Johnson's pledge on a piece of paper and then excusing himself to go to the washroom. On his way to the toilet he handed the paper to an aide, the same former Australian official added.

The aide digitally scanned the note and sent it instantly to the Australian High Commission on the Strand, where a waiting colleague quickly turned it into a formal trade document. This was sent back and remarkably printed out inside No. 10, and then placed by the Australian team into an official-looking folder. The folder was handed back to Brandis as he headed back into the dinner.

As the meal continued, Brandis and Morrison pulled out the new documents, asking Johnson to sign an Agreement in Principle for the U.K.-Australia trade deal which would formalize his verbal concession on beef.

Of course, said Johnson, signing the documents before those present."

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Saturday 3rd of June 2023 07:41:13 AM

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Latest Omnisis poll on Rejoin/Stay out (ignoring don't knows)

Rejoin: 61%
Stay Out: 39%

At a 22% lead, that is probably the biggest yet and every indication that it is growing. 65% believe Brexit is at least partly to blame for the very high food price inflation.