Iceland has rejected commencing talks to join the EU.

I think it was very close with it being thought at one point that it would be a 'yes'.

I am not surprised. I think it will almost certainly have been its fishing grounds that swung it.

Of course it benefits from being within the EEA, Erasmus and Horizon etc.

It has the freedoms of goods, capital, people and services and works closely along side Norway and others.

This will remain.

Iceland benefits from very close working with the EU and so would we.

I'm actually really surprised that as many as 47.5% of the population wanted to join.

But it would have probably mean a lot of investment for the remote communities in the north.

The fishing grounds, good point WhiteWave.
Look at how our fishing communities were let down by Farage.

Do they realise the sky is going to fall in, catastrophes of biblical proportions will befall them, and economic ruin awaits…oh, hold on…

Wonder if the Left are going to start labelling Icelanders as far right? 🤣

Waiting for the inevitable excuses that the No side was spreading disinformation financed by Russia etc.
The playbook really is…global (ist)

Not surprised, don't think they have forgotten about "The Cod Wars", that went on for years.

Cold

I'm actually really surprised that as many as 47.5% of the population wanted to join.

But it would have probably mean a lot of investment for the remote communities in the north.

That's the percentage who voted. It's about 38% of the total population.

Maremia

The fishing grounds, good point WhiteWave.
Look at how our fishing communities were let down by Farage.

How were our fishing communities let down by Farage? Wasn’t it Starmer who gave the EU a 12 year extension to continue fishing in our waters?

Yes he did, until June 2038.

Farage was in charge of and was paid for being our representative during the pre BREXIT negotiations.
How many times did he attend those meetings to speak up for, and defend our rights and position?
He took the money, and is now receiving a pension.

As a member of the Fisheries Committee he attended only 1 out of 42 recorded meetings over a three year period.
He used his time, when he was supposed to be working for us, as a platform to campaign and promote his own anti EU agenda.
Still playing the same game in Clacton.

Iceland is close to the EU and has working agreements. We should do the same. Brexit remains a disaster but we could do much better with the EU than that buffoon Johnson achieved.

25Avalon

Maremia

The fishing grounds, good point WhiteWave.
Look at how our fishing communities were let down by Farage.

How were our fishing communities let down by Farage? Wasn’t it Starmer who gave the EU a 12 year extension to continue fishing in our waters?

One of the difficulties the fishing community faced was that they catch a great deal of fish that the British won't eat and exported much of it to EU countries. Brexit has made this considerably harder.

According to AI, the number of boats has fallen, mostly the smaller ones, though the overall catches and and value has grown, though not dramatically.

It all depends on whether you look at it as an economic success or think that the depletion of the small boat fleet is a bad thing for individual communities

So, Farage managed to 'stop the boats',
only it was our fishing boats.

Maremia

So, Farage managed to 'stop the boats',
only it was our fishing boats.

It was the EU who destroyed our fishing fleet.

Meandrogrog

Maremia

So, Farage managed to 'stop the boats',
only it was our fishing boats.

It was the EU who destroyed our fishing fleet.

How?

Im just amazed Iceland wanted to be full member of EU, it's been an EFTA member for many years just like Norway, on fisheries alone it's a big issue

Of course it’s the fishing issue. They would have all manner of EU trawlers plundering their seas and decimating their fish stocks.

It only was pursued after the banking crash in 2008, when full membership and the protection it afforded was thought to be the best decision. However a Euro-sceptic government came into office in 2015 [I think) and negotiations were stopped.

Iceland benefits just like Norway etc as I have posted above.

I wish we would take the same course.

Maremia

The fishing grounds, good point WhiteWave.
Look at how our fishing communities were let down by Farage.

I think you might find that Boris shafted our fishermen with his Brexit deal. Farage didn't start it.

Meandrogrog

Maremia

So, Farage managed to 'stop the boats',
only it was our fishing boats.

It was the EU who destroyed our fishing fleet.

Ably assisted by Boris!!!

Sarnia

Meandrogrog

Maremia

So, Farage managed to 'stop the boats',
only it was our fishing boats.

It was the EU who destroyed our fishing fleet.

Ably assisted by Boris!!!

It is ironic that the destruction of the UKs fishing fleet is being blamed on the EU, when we are discussing Iceland.

The biggest blow ever to British fishing was the cod wars and Britain losing the right to fish in Icelandic waters.

Basically Iceland - with a population the size of Coventry - was told it might even be able to secure a carve out for fisheries, yet Starmer said go on have our fish.