The Italian guy was reported to have said he wanted to Remain to disrupt and destroy from within. We simply want to leave - not disrupt and destroy.
As you say interesting times ahead …
Just “try something new” to me seems a recipe for disaster, unless you actually have a plan for the something new, based on realistic expectations. Simply changing in the hope that it will be better does not seem to me to be a sensible strategy.
Rather like my wife, who never learns of figures out what all the buttons are on various bits of kit, and so just presses buttons randomly in the hope that it will somehow do what she wants. Hasn’t worked so far, but has always left me trying to figure out which branch of which menu she has wandered down.
2 Likes
Are you sure?
This may well be your intention and I take you at your word, but Nigel Farage has something of a past record on this one.
Yet these are all domestic matters over which the EU has no say so leaving the EU won’t do a thing to help with any of them
Of course - we aren’t a nasty party.
So what do you think about another Scottish referendum?
David Cameron & Gordon Brown lied to the Scots so I think it’s only fair.
Has anyone pointed out the irony that the greatest numbers of MEPs we have elected belong to a single-issue party who’s entire function is to pull out of all European institutions including the European Parliament!
A variation of Turkeys voting for Xmas?
I understand the wish of the electorate to protest, and the two major parties should be very worried indeed about their support, but this still seems an odd result to me.
And what if we end up remaining? What on Earth does the Brexit party contingent do in the European Parliament? Work against the UK interests out of spite?
What an unholy mess our politics are in. I think we can all agree on that anyway.
Bruce
Are you saying the EU does next to nothing?
No wonder people I meet question what the EU does for its money.
So EU giving us greater security is a myth?
I’d sooner have more police and nurses than more bureaucrats.
I know it is not £350m, that was just silly Boris, but it is still a substantial amount and every little helps.
Exactly as Farrage has done since he was first elected: get paid for doing nothing most of the time, not even turning up, and otherwise be an complete embarrassment to Brits. (That’s putting it mildly).
Hopefully, however, a few might try and do some good for the British interest. Once they accept that Brexit isn’t happening, should that be the case.
I still believe that “some” who voted for Brexit in the Referendum weren’t just voting on leaving the EU but were sending an anti-establishment message. A recurring theme of Nigel Farage’s campaigning firstly before the Referendum and then in the run-up to the EU Elections was “it’s us against them, the Westminster elite”.
Therefore, it is my opinion that there is a large percentage of our voting population who voted for anti-EU MEP’s in the European Parliament to do nothing more than sow discord and be disruptive, even if the Country doesn’t leave and on that note - not one candidate for the PM’s job has said they will run a second referendum or stop the process. Therefore, I think it is safe to say the outcome is assured, deal or no deal.
Simon Sweeney from the University of York maybe puts it a bit better than I can
Not much, apart from: providing 57% of our trade; structural funding to areas hit by industrial decline; clean beaches and rivers; cleaner air; lead free petrol; restrictions on landfill dumping; a recycling culture; cheaper mobile charges; cheaper air travel; improved consumer protection and food labelling; a ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives; better product safety; single market competition bringing quality improvements and better industrial performance; break up of monopolies; Europe-wide patent and copyright protection; no paperwork or customs for exports throughout the single market; price transparency and removal of commission on currency exchanges across the eurozone; freedom to travel, live and work across Europe; funded opportunities for young people to undertake study or work placements abroad; access to European health services; labour protection and enhanced social welfare; smoke-free workplaces; equal pay legislation; holiday entitlement; the right not to work more than a 48-hour week without overtime; strongest wildlife protection in the world; improved animal welfare in food production; EU-funded research and industrial collaboration; EU representation in international forums; bloc EEA negotiation at the WTO; EU diplomatic efforts to uphold the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; European arrest warrant; cross border policing to combat human trafficking, arms and drug smuggling; counter terrorism intelligence; European civil and military co-operation in post-conflict zones in Europe and Africa; support for democracy and human rights across Europe and beyond; investment across Europe contributing to better living standards and educational, social and cultural capital.
All of this is nothing compared with its greatest achievements: the EU has for 60 years been the foundation of peace between European neighbours after centuries of bloodshed. It furthermore assisted the extraordinary political, social and economic transformation of 13 former dictatorships, now EU members, since 1980.
But yes, apart from that, not a lot.
4 Likes
But what have the Roman’s ever done for us?
1 Like
From EU election final UK figures:
Brexit + UKIP parties = 5.8M out of total 17.2M votes cast. Nothing like the 17.4 M that voted for Brexit in the 2016 election, and only 33.7% of those who voted. So anyone who suggested that the EU election would be a resounding endorsement of the 2016 figures is clearly completely wide of the mark: If they indicate anything at all in that regard it is quite the reverse (but of course the results can’t be taken as such an indication because that was not what the election was about, and it can’t be assumed that people voted specifically to indicate their Brexit intent).
Brexit+UKIP seats = 29 out of total 73 (39.7%), 5 seats gained from other parties, presumably Conservative and/or Labour, who between them lost a mammoth 25 seats, with just 20% of them picked up by the pro-Brexit parties. So, on balance, a success for Farrage, with a 20.8% increase in seats in his party compared to 2014 - but some way short of being the majority of the seats predicted in some quarters.
Turnout 36.9%, slightly up on the last EU elections in 2014, that one having been fairly typical. And overall a trouncing for Labour & Conservative, in keeping with the predictions based on disillusion with those parties following the shambles that has been UK Parliament in the recent past.
Tho Romans built the real-life version of The Wall in Game of Thrones - to keep out the Whitewalkers and Wildlings. The Wildlings were an unruly bunch, fiercely independent, and although later their descendants joined with the Romans’ successors they still hankered after independence, and one day would seek referendum after referendum to break free - which of course would be a disaster for those south of the wall…
The Romans also made lovely straight roads efficiently linking everywhere, straighter even than the best motorway designers can achieve with modern technology today. (I suspect the Romans had their own special technology capable of dealing with people or property obstructions in a way more efficient than compulsory purchase or protection of heritage sites.)
iii) they gave us Roman numerals, and an alphabet even if they oddly named it after the first and last letters of the Greek one, and forgot to include the letter U at the time, forcing everyone to go around saying awkward names like Clavdivs.
And they gave William Shakespeare a play ready written.
Not sure if they gave us pizza?
2 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.