Brexit 3

And of course Brexit's the only possible reason for food prices to increase - last time it was floods in some areas, drought in others...

Food going up 20%. Look on the bright side. We keep being told we have an obesity epidemic and diabetes is going to cripple the NHS. So maybe, just maybe it will make people buy less or think about what they are buying.

www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2016/10/12/labour-s-170-questions-for-the-government-on-brexit

There are going to be several Parliamentary debates about it, have a little patience ww we won't even be invoking article 50 until March.

Watched PMQs still no answers except Brexit means Brexit. UK will be leaving, people's decision to leave -I'm optimistic blah blah blah yawn yawn yawn.

No plans, no strategy.

...as in ' the sky is going to fall on our heads' ! or ' we are all doomed'.

Goodness, are you still going on about Chicken Licken? Nothing to do with being brave, the story is just a warning against panicking without really knowing what you're panicking about.

Sorry I've been out. pogs I am still unclear as to why the European Commision has anything to do with the way the U.K. Conducts itself. I simply used two examples - where no one is given the opportunity to debate the decisions. That is not true of Europe.

Thank you JessM. I do remember chicken-licken; but not sure I read it to my kids. It was quite a nice story, but I think I prefer granjura's story which is far more grounded in the truth. Oh and Ana, I can't see any real likeness between me and chicken-licken. As well as living in the real World rather than Never Never Land, I am actually quite brave.

Markets will find markets, too early for all the hand wringing.

Let's face it, someone buying a Mercedes Benz won't mind paying a few hundred extra tax for their luxury car, not something you buy every week, but will people really want to pay 20% extra on their food?(40% food in this country is imported much of it from the EU.) They obviously won't mind as they keep saying it will all be tickety boo in Brexit land and we don't need a free market etc.

Thinking of the UK as not in the EU, the EU exports around 17% of its goods to the UK, compared with around 16.5% going to the USA. Germany is actually the largest importer of goods from other EU countries.
Looking at exports as a percentage of the size of the economy then the UK exports goods and services to the rest of the EU to the value of about 12% of the UK economy - exports from the rest of the EU to the UK is about 3-4% of the EU's economy.

The bottom line ( when EU posturing has finished) is that the the 27 countries want trade deals with us....of course they do, we import so much in the UK, not only Germany who sell us their cars, (although that is a huge trade deal, they would be lost without us as a market) but all or almost all of the EU countries sell us things.
There will be bluff and counter bluff, posturing and blustering coming from the EU officials , but they cannot do without our sales.

In a divorce which is requested by one side only the concept of

'Surely to goodness it is not beyond the wit of man, supposedly intelligent politicians to come up with an agreement.'

has to include being fair to the partner who didn't want to divorce in the first place. The UK wants its cake and eat it- and it is not vindictive of other partners to say 'no way'... Why should other EU countries, including Switzerland, and Norway, have to agree to have freedom of movement for members- and not the UK. Why oh why? Switzerland btw has a much higher proportion of foreigners and a much smaller country too.

One British expat I know is currently unemployed and getting benefits equal to ...

£80.000 a year. Not bad hey.

'Does the EU 'demand' in it's negotiations with other countries outside of the European Union the 'Free Movement of People', NO. '

yes it does with those with whom they have very close ties and agreements, like Switzerland. The Swiss voted, by a very narrow margin, in Feb 2014- to limit immigration- and this has caused a really really ambiguous and difficult situation with the reciprocal agreements it has with Europe- with much at stake, EU research programmes, Erasmus, and possibly reciprocal agreements re health care, etc. The Swiss Government finds itself in an absolutely ridiculous situation- where they have to implement the will of the people (well a tiny majority- mainly on German speaking part) as per Swiss Law where a referendum is binding, unlike in the UK where it is advisory- and at the same time trying to keep the Trade and other agreements in place- at a time where Swiss industry is really suffering (and us too of course) due to the very high value of Swiss Franc (CHF) against the Euro and now even more with Sterling at its lowest ever point.

The EU has made it absolutely clear- you want Trade and other agreements- then free movement of people is not negotiable.

I'm sorry POGS, but I don't really understand why accusations that the EU Commission takes decisions behind closed doors, true or not, has any relevance as to how the UK government makes its decisions.

Whitewave your post 09.11

"170 questions -about time!!! It is now time for everyone to step up and defend the democratic process in parliament. Policy behind locked doors is for countries like Russia and North Korea not the UK"

My point is you 'implied' the UK government are making policy behind closed doors the same as countries with a known authoritarian/dictatorship governance. I chose to remind you the EU Commission are accused of doing the same.

Mind you as the EU Commission/Parliament are favoured by some posters perhaps that won't be a reminder that will interest them.

pogs not sure of your point. We voted Brexit to retrieve our sovereignty. I for one am not prepared to sacrifice it on the alter of the 3 amigos plus 1,who clearly are clueless.

Granjura

"Imagine a divorce - where one partner decides to leave and break up- then expects the other party to take all the losses?
I want to leave you, but I want the house, the CDs, the furniture, the car and you can have the lawn-mower and the small tv from the bedroom. Oh, but I want half your pension and the kids to myself."

You think that doesn't happen.

A divorce should be an arrangement that makes sense for both parties and cause the least disruption as possible for a non acrimonious , harmonious parting should it not?

That will take the two parties showing maturity in their negotiations for the sake of both parties future will it not.

The point of a divorce surely is they can no longer agree so what is the point of a divorce if the rules, the term of engagement , the day to day living has to be maintained for the divorce to go ahead.?

The UK and the other 27 countries are not in a position to come up with anything other than a trade agreement that will benefit all 28 countries. The people of those 28 countries will not forgive the EU Commission/Parliament/UK Government if they do not .

The question is will the mantra/the European panacea of 'Ever Closer Union' enshrinement take precedence over common sense and the need for ALL 28 countries to trade with each other.

Does the EU 'demand' in it's negotiations with other countries outside of the European Union the 'Free Movement of People', NO.

Does the UK require workers from other countries including those in the EU of course it does. Workers not those who will rely on welfare. That applies to all countries and is becoming an issue for others too.

Surely to goodness it is not beyond the wit of man, supposedly intelligent politicians to come up with an agreement.

I remain concerned if this could/will happen given the choice of Arch European Federalists such as Guy Verhofstadt and Mr Seeuws it's a dead duck before one word 'officially' is spoken.

Whirewave

"Policy behind locked doors is for countries like Russia and North Korea not the UK"

You missed out the likes of the EU Commission.

First Brexit debate today.

Oh yes, I remember ;) thanks.

Well I am not being served- and at £ the lowest ever in history- I am in a weird and angry mood, scared even.

I am however so looking forward to paying very little tax next year

UK tv show from the 70's 80's

....in other words 'Are You Being Served?'

Brown shop uniform,pink hair, never works late, as she needs to get home and see to her pussy!