holystove

wow..

10 hours ago, Chach said:

Fortunately the public service has plenty of intelligent hardworking people who understand the practicalities of the situation who are not driven by politics and they'll get it done. 
 

I don't see how it is fear-mongering though, if people right now are working on this problem, it is no longer hypothetical.  

10 hours ago, Chach said:

And all the "extra cost and administration" of doing it, everyone will be trying to see how they can profit from Brexit.

Extra cost and administration will be very real though.  Double certification, customs clearance, more warehousing, .. brexit = increase of red tape = increase of cost for business = higher price for consumers.

5 minutes ago, Chach said:

BBC: Public may have to stockpile medicine.

Balance my arse, these will be all the articles brexit knobs will be looking back at saying "told you so, that was all fear mongering"

I disagree.  Planning for food and medicine shortages is not preparing for the worst case scenario, but for the most plausible scenario.  No-deal looks more likely than ever. 

I can't see no-deal lasting longer than a couple of months, but government has a duty to make sure in the interim, people keep access to their medication.  

This is not fear-mongering, this is what is happening right now.  These are plans discussed by a Cabinet set on taking the UK out of the EU at all costs.

2 hours ago, MikeO said:

This is very worrying for many, me included. I take four prescribed drugs a day and my wife more than twice that, people will die if we don't get it sorted; but at least we'll have "taken back control" so we'll know who to blame.

FT report today emergency ships will be chartered by UK government to bring in food and medicine... to mitigate the blockade you have put on yourself..

Tragic absurdity.

On 13/10/2018 at 13:19, Palfy said:

Flying to Brisbane tomorrow from Sydney staying in the Versace hotel for 3 nights the one they use in I'm a celebrity, got my Everton shirt to wear around the pool COYB I wonder what reception I'll receive from the hooray Henry's, if I'm asked to take it off they will be offended by my full back tattoo of George and the dragon under written with for England, you can't win sometimes.

Caricature of an English tourist ☺.. have fun.

This is good; should be read by everyone with a remote interest in Brexit

https://share.trin.cam.ac.uk/sites/public/Comms/Rogers_brexit_as_revolution.pdf

Ross Geller playing the keyboards comes to mind. 

Sounds like you had fun making it though.

59 minutes ago, johnh said:

I agree, he wasn't mocking May but he wasn't dancing either.  Just pissed out of his head as usual.

I'm not his biggest fan but the man does have a sense of humour.  His little dance was obviously spur of the moment.

He wasn't mocking May, just the opening of her conference speech.  She should be glad he watched it.

8 hours ago, rubecula said:

It seems strange to go away fpr a few weeks and to come back to the same old arguments.   ok  I am not going to join in any more as we have all made our points.  But before I vanish I want to point out something.  no matter what you think about brexit be it good or bad,  remember we are the first nation to leave,  so nobody can say what will happen   (they may believe what they say but a forecast is not a prediction)  so those who say it will be bad for us or those who say it will be good for us may very well be totally wrong.

Pedantic me:  Greenland left the ECC in 1982  ...ever since then they have remained very close to the EU (and there is now talk of (re)joining)

It's an accepted fact the UK (and EU) will take an economic hit from the UK's decision to break trading relations.  However there are indeed other aspects (political, cultural, etc) to take into account that are inmpossible to predict.

Unrelated : this is ace 

In light of the yesterday's Climate report, bunch of people saying they can't individually do anything about climate change as its too big an issue which can only be solved at global level.

Such nonsense, there is a lot each individual can do which will make a difference.   Everyone should take responsibility.

4 minutes ago, johnh said:

I also had a post go missing last week.  I thought it might generate a response but when it didn't I checked back and couldn't find it.

I saw you come out in favour of a People's Vote but assumed you deleted it yourself .

48 minutes ago, johnh said:

So, what you are saying is that insults are the sole prerogative of the EU?

Who has insulted the UK?

Surely you are not talking about the Instagram post of Tusk jokingly offering May a piece of cake "without cherries".  How does that compare to this?  

Just look at the reactions coming from Eastern European states expressing their deep discontent with Hunts' comments.  These people actually suffered under USSR regimes.

Ummm.. your foreign secretary just compared the EU to the Soviet Union in dealing with countries wanting to leave.

Wasn't he supposed to be a step up from Bojo?

EU has stated numerous times if you want to leave, then leave.  Problem is UK feels entitled to keep a bunch of advantages that are intrinsically linked to EU membership.

How is that USSR? Are there continental troops ready to invade London? 

When desperate for a deal, best not to insult.  If regular people in the EU start realizing this is the rethoric from the UK most senior diplomat they will turn against the UK and there will be electoral gain for politicians in member states that take a very hard line on brexit.

Replace Corbyn with Starmer, get rid of Abbott and McDonnell and Labour would have a lot more traction with middle of the ground voters.. the ones that gave Blair his huge majorities.

Tbh, I don't see how there is going to be a new election before 2022.  Tories wouldn't dare risk a Corbyn government by calling one now.

His couple of days at the UN have been comedy gold.  Here are the highlights from his closing press conference.

Well...

https://www.haaretz.com/amp/us-news/nikki-haley-to-fox-news-world-leaders-laughed-at-trump-out-of-respect-1.6511189?__twitter_impression=true

love this; 

Disregard the title of this blogpost as it might be perceived as offensive. 

It is a great piece of analysis by former Cambridge Professor, shows UK academia is still top notch.

http://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/britain-is-humiliating-itself.html?spref=tw

5 hours ago, MikeO said:

My Qashqai has all round sensors and a camera, Audi just has rear sensors. Handbrake problem is that Audi does have one and I've been known to forget this small detail and find the car rolling downhill as I open the door. Have you got lane warning sensors? Bloody annoying, turned mine off.

Handbrakes are optional on your island? I've never seen a car without one here.

Great blogpost; every word true.

https://mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2018/09/why-brexiters-look-defeated.html

On 15/09/2018 at 21:37, MikeO said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/45535153

No doubt the odd Belgian will cast aspersions but a grand tour winner with no drug fuelled Sky association? Won't happen, except it did.

You make it sound like I'm anti-UK-cycling which I'm most definitely not.  

I'm am merely pro-clean-cycling, so here's how I look at it:

- Froome: caught using banned substance

- Thomas: won TdF aged 32 after, in his previous 13 years as a pro-cyclist (including his prime years), never having finished better than 15th in any majour tour.  Suspicious.

- Yates: great job, well done, thoroughly deserved

23 hours ago, Palfy said:

The biggest problem with Brexit wasn't so much with the vote to leave it was with the incompetence of the conservative party to carry out a leave plan, not because of remainers but because of in house fighting between the conservative party, again conservatives have put themselves before the country once again this time the country will suffer for years to come.

It is brexit that is the problem, not the UK party that is 'negotiating' it. Actually I'm quite sure if Corbyn was in charge, Brexit would be an even bigger mess than it is now.