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Discussion > EU must be joking

Is there a chance to see the UK's current bank balance as Osborne seems to be conspicuously absent at the moment.

Jun 24, 2016 at 8:34 PM | Unregistered CommenterMartyn

4:14 PM | Unregistered Commenter golf charlie

GC, You couldn't be more right.

(Juncker laughed at Cameron and the UK).

In the end I'm sure that we will all have to pay. But pay we must.

Jun 24, 2016 at 8:41 PM | Unregistered CommenterDavid Porter

David Porter, I am not celebrating this result. It should never have reached this stage. The EU has been in complete denial that there have been any problems.

Remaining within a REFORMED EU was never an option for the EU to consider offering, so the UK population made the correct choice.

Jun 24, 2016 at 9:16 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

SandyS on Jun 24, 2016 at 6:43 PM

I meant, in the future.

Jun 24, 2016 at 10:41 PM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

"EU Must be joking"

They're not laughing now.

Jun 25, 2016 at 1:56 AM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Robert Christopher
I'm sure the British will continue a long tradition of blaming Johnny Foreigner for most self inflicted woes.

Jun 25, 2016 at 7:30 AM | Unregistered CommenterSandyS

SandyS: hmmm... stereotyping... I'm sure there must be a word for that mentality...

Jun 25, 2016 at 11:58 AM | Registered CommenterRadical Rodent

Radical Rodent 11:58

If there isn't a word, Lewandowsky and 97% of climate experts at Skeptical Science will fabricate one with a peer reviewed paper, given full coverage at The Guardian by one of their in house expert writers.

They could look at MMW 2008 for inspiration. That's the Climate Change Act 2008 by Miliband, Mandelson and Worthington

Jun 25, 2016 at 12:55 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Radical Rodent
Humour bypass?

Jun 25, 2016 at 1:14 PM | Unregistered CommenterSandyS

golfCharlie. Inspiration? The climate change act 2008 ( introduced by Lord Rooker and Hilary Benn) supported by all MPs save 5 and pushed by all represented political parties. It also developed out of an early day motion that got almost unprecedented support. I fail to see how this Act has anything to do with stereotyping.

Jun 25, 2016 at 1:35 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan kendall

SandyS. I'm sure European Erics will continue their habit of blaming perfidious Albian for their woes as well.

It will be a terrible irony if Britain's departure starts a programme of democratic reform in the EU that produces a Europe we would have wished to be part of, but I'm not holding my breath that it will ever happen.

Jun 25, 2016 at 1:45 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan kendall

Alan Kendall, 1:35 Where did the dream of a Federal Europe go wrong?

Maasstricht caused deep rumblings, that nobody got to vote on. I accepted it as progress

Climate Change Act 2008. As you correctly identify, supported by agreement of all parties. Only a few brave dissenters. It was deemed politically incorrect from then on to criticise or oppose anything from the Green Blob. The Climate Change Act is still hailed as the blueprint for much EU legislation, that is successfully driving UK and EU manufacturing and heavy industry to the far east where everything is cheaper.

Gordon Brown had his racist bigot moment, and Emily Thornberry (aka Lady Nugee, champagne socialist) had her white van man sneer more recently. What did the Labour Party do so wrong to offend their reliable stereotypical voters?

Alan Kendall 1:45, it would be a terrible irony if the EU started to negotiate with European people and their mere politicians. Just heard on the radio that the EU want Cameron to hurry up and start negotiations. When did the EU want anybody to negotiate before? Federal Europe was never about Democracy, if it had been, and they had listened, we would not all be in the mess we now are. The UK will survive, but I am not so sure about the EU.

2 months ago, I thought the vote would be closer to 60/40 in favour of Remain, and it would serve as a useful warning shot across the bows. It seems EU arrogance has upset more people than anybody thought possible. This dawning over the rest of Europe.

Jun 25, 2016 at 2:55 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

golfCharlie. I remain to be convinced that the success of the Leave campaign had anything to do with the EU and certainly not a desire on the part of the great unwashed to regain sovereignty and democracy. I think it was more an outcome of outright xenophobia, a desire to strike at the elitism of much of British politics and a reaction against the programme of fear relied upon by the Remain group.

If Boris is successful at becoming pm he had better get a new mandate quickly. If he waits till the end of the five year Tory stint I think he will face the wrath of the newly eligible voters (the present 16-18 year olds) who will enact their revenge for what happened this week. My granddaughter was apologetic on Friday, as were most of her friends at School. They blaim us - the elderly. And they would be right as poll results clearly indicate.

Jun 25, 2016 at 3:19 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan kendall

There's nothing like the thought of contagion after a good referendum. What say you Jean-Claude?

Jun 25, 2016 at 3:22 PM | Unregistered CommenterMartyn

Jun 25, 2016 at 3:19 PM | Unregistered Commenter Alan kendall, is your daughter and her friends worried about EU roaming charges?

Some youngsters in tv debates admitted that this was their main concern!!!!!

If not, what are they worried about? What do they perceive will be negative for them in the future?

Jun 25, 2016 at 3:34 PM | Unregistered CommenterSteve Richards

Actually Alan I think it was a desire to strike at the elitism and arrogance emanating from the European Commission who seem to want to bludgeon their ambitions onto 500 million people.

Jun 25, 2016 at 3:45 PM | Unregistered CommenterMartyn

Steve Richards. Difficult to definitively say (usual problems of wrinkly-teenager communications) but she has had several exchange visits to Germany, visited other European countries with us, and so considers herself to be part of a much bigger whole than just the UK (to which she apparently holds no special allegiance). She views positives with greater weight than the negatives (of which I'm not sure she is even aware or fully appreciates). She blames us lot for depriving her lot of her European birthright. If she is typical and their resentment persists, I think politics in a few years time can look out.

When I asked whether roaming charges would have been a factor, she treated this with the contempt it deserves. Don't feel bad, her contempt of wrinklies is near permanent.

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:00 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan kendall

SandyS: that’s a phrase, not a word. Unless you are referring to me – but that would be admitting that you don’t read most of my comments; if so, you don’t know what you are missing (… or … perhaps you do).

My desire to leave was, and always has been, based on simple logic: do I want to live in a country ruled by an elected parliament which can be ousted, or do I want to live in a country ruled by an foreign-based, unelected elite, many of whom don’t actually like us, and who we will never be able to kick out?

I hope you can guess my choice; I am surprised so many can be in such a quandary about it.

Martyn sums it all up quite nicely.

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:14 PM | Registered CommenterRadical Rodent

Martyn. I knew as soon as I posted that someone would come up with your 3.45pm response. I don't think so, I don't believe many of those voting make much distinction between elites whether they be home grown or in far away Brussels.

Looking at interviews broadcast by all the TV media (not just the BBC) it was clear that the overwhelming factor propelling people to vote Leave was immigration, much of it verging towards xenophobia. Interesting that some of first statements this morning given by pro Brexit politicians were that they never promised to be able to curb immigration. Politics at its most raw.

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:16 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan kendall

My little MintCake: perhaps you should point out that she could establish her own European birth-right (whatever she may consider that to be) by going to join (or to oppose – her choice) the many anti-EU factions that have now been given heart, and are starting to campaign in their own countries. This vote has never been against Europe or the Europeans, but against the behemoth that the EU elite have created, to the detriment of the European citizens.

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:21 PM | Registered CommenterRadical Rodent

David Cameron was quoted as saying in private "why should I have to do all this shit? He then made a speech explaining that he chose to resign (without activating article 50) for the good of the country and just as an (extremely long) aside because he was noble, brave, honest and unselfish. The news reported his speech and the cameras were set up in a way I have never seen before, not only was there the normal frontal view of honest unselfish Dave, there was also a side view enabling us to see his wife as she listened. Upon the face of the very attractively dressed Samantha was an expression of excruciating pain as she listened to her poor, suffering husband. As Dave finished his speech they turned to each other and Sam joined her husband before they walked away together but not before she had given her husband an enormous and smug smirk, performance over and job done.

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:37 PM | Registered CommenterDung

RR. You miss the point. My granddaughter feels she belongs to Europe. She wants to be European before being a UK citizen. She pays even less attention to the status of other European countries and is unlikely to support groups who are anti EU.

Why do you think she would accept ANYTHING I might point out?

She admires the behemoth that has given her her European identity (she actually knows little about it, but then so do most adults).

You may be right about the EU, but I fear Brexit has occurred for the wrong reasons. Because of this I cannot remonstrate with my granddaughter's idealism, and it would be counterproductive if I tried.

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:45 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan kendall

Radical Rodent
My comment was in reply to one by RC. As it appeared semi-humourous I thought a semi-humourous response would be OK. I take Alan Kendall's in the same vein.

As we're now on a race to see whether the EU or the UK breakup first perhaps humour is the only way to go. It would ironic if the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland lasted 100 years exactly. (21st January 2019)

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:49 PM | Unregistered CommenterSandyS

Radical Rodent
I'm thinking that Northern Ireland is likely to leave the UK before any where else. Demographics suggest that by should there be a remain leave referendum in Northern Ireland then a leave vote with a small majority is the likely outcome.

Jun 25, 2016 at 4:58 PM | Unregistered CommenterSandyS

SandyS. Why don't we ask Entropic Man for his, on the ground, opinion? I dread to think what might happen in NI if there is a referendum and old emotions are reactivated.

Jun 25, 2016 at 5:08 PM | Unregistered CommenterAlan kendall