Today there was a good speech from John Major setting out just how the approach being taken by the UK government was faulty, and that was from someone who had spent plenty of time talking to the EU. He was asked about Scotland in the questions that followed his speech, and said that he would be making a "lengthy speech shortly on that subject", so would rather not answer for the moment. John Major had some faults, but when you see people like him, Michael Heseltine and Ken Clarke prepared to go against the party because they believe in people working together rather than taking their own way, then I know which ones I would like to talk to, rather than the ones who are simply trying to progress their own careers. I still believe that Scotland should be a part of the UK, but that they should be taken a whole lot more notice of. Numbers suggest they are a small part of the UK, but it is a country that has a distinct difference to say Hertfordshire, and there should be a way of finding a path that suits both. Not easy I will admit, but if it could happen in N. Ireland it is possible anywhere. If things go pear shaped in N. Ireland I will be furious as something that a Tory started, a Labour politician continued, and has great input from the EU, then I will stop believing in doing right for the normal human being who just wants to live in peace.
The issue is we shouldn't have had a referendum in the first place! I still remain a remainer but we have to get on with the new reality and not ask for more and more referendums. What we need is government that governs and doesn't keep coming back mid term for advice from the electorate. My favorite English county being the most impacted by hate crime is sad. Bornemouth is a massive meting pott with the international schools there.
There are hundreds of 'holiday' language schools dotted around the south of England - mainly taking their students from the EU. According to studies made by ELT institutions, they spend, on average 378 pounds per week, per person, bringing 1.1 Billion into the British economy. This helps to keep tens of thousands in jobs - be it teachers, textbook writers for EFL, shopkeepers, cafe owners and host families offering B & B. 650,000 students studied English, in England, last year. They all came, spent their money, and went. For smaller country towns on the south coast, such as Bournemouth, Brighton, Eastbourne etc. this can make a valuable plus for their economies - which would be sadly missed if those towns start getting a reputation for hate crime against foreigners. One important fact which the Brexiters forgot to mention is that for every one potential immigrant coming from the EU. there are about 15 times as many tourists - who come, enjoy themselves, don't bring any financial strain on resources, spend their money and then go. They will only continue coming if they feel welcome.
It looks as if us pensioners who live in the EU are doing the UK a favour. Paul MacNaught told the health select committee that the 190,000 British pensions living in Europe, mainly in Spain, France, Ireland and Cyprus, cost an average of £2,300 a year to the UK in payments to local health providers. This compares to the £4,500 average annual cost of supporting a pensioner in Britain. In total this amounts to savings of £450m a year in health care costs. With that sort of money I doubt that they want to see us all back.
https://www.theguardian.com/politic...ts-asked-if-they-back-brexit?CMP=share_btn_tw So this is what the Tories actually meant by 'taking back control'? Presumably it means that our tax money will not buy the best or cost beneficial simply because of politics - or, worse, businesses will simply cave in and comply. I wonder what sort of dark mutterings and/or outraged spluttering would emanate from Westminster had the Scottish Government tried something similar? Not that they would, being a damned sight more ethical - and compliant with EU Law.
I learnt yesterday from watching the select health committee at work in Westminster, that it is not known if the rights given to UK citizens over health care in the EU can be dealt with as a single issue discussion. It seems that legally it is an arrangement with 27 individual countries, not with just the EU. No papers have been given to the department of health telling them how to prepare for Brexit, and they are still waiting to be told by government what the plan might be. (Sharp intake of breath from the MPs) The civil servants were trying to keep quiet, but did eventually have to admit that the department of health has just 8 people working on all EU related matters.
That is a real concern I think. The line between politics and business needs to be clear. However not sure I'd shout too loudly about ethics north of the border. Liam Fox is a fully paid up Scot
OFH it is a concern I'm sure to many. More to yourself in France than me here in Spain (although Spain shooting itself through the foot would come as no great surprise). Here Spain needs the Brits as they largely ask for little and spend UK money. While an ageing population can be a burden on the health services tax rates here are high and the resident brits on the whole pay the tax due which is more than can be said for many Spaniards, especially those with the most money. But the obvious solution is for every one, the 27 and the UK, to continue as now. And then negotiate changes as required. Because until migration, tax and employment issues are resolved I can't see how anyone can estimate what if any population movement will occur. Here in Spain I'm hearing of more brits preparing to return to the UK. It boils down to fear of the unknown I guess. However the biggest fear is not health care but double taxation. Of course even though I'm married to a spaniard I could still get shafted
'Anglicised' Scot - the Tories have taken control of him. One of those few for whom EVEL rules apparently don't apply.
http://www.isbuc.co.uk/expenses/#police Whatever has happened to the Tory Expenses Fraud Investigation? Some kind people have made everything available one easily accessible spot - and have begged the interesting question - what if everything the Conservative Government has enacted since 2015 turns out to have no democratic legitimacy? Surely the Police and CPS can't all be part of a mammoth cover-up?
So if Scotland get indi you want us to take all your rejects and get back to the highland super race? God luck with that You've added new spice to the Calcutta cup for me BB
Not at all - we don't have rejects, just those who have chosen to leave and make a life elsewhere. A little like England really... And we don't view ourselves as a super race - unlike some politicians south of the border, who apparently view some in their electorates as untermensch.
Of course, Brexit could all come to nothing if this guy gets his way. An American placed this ad in the Times today...
That has no impact on IoM in relation to the EU, as they're not in it. Also, as has been shown through Danny Dyer and Greg Davies in this series of "Who Do You Think You Are?", there are several people who can trace their ancestry to Royal Houses. If HM lives to the same age as her mother, she'll be around for another 10 years.
British Empire 2.0 - should go down well with the likes of Ghana (Happy Independence Day by the way), Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe. And if it includes Freedom of Movement, what will the UKIP Brexiteers have to say?
http://archive.is/Tq8lH Given that the Times is a government mouthpiece, is the Tories attempting to rewrite history? Biggest load of tripe I've read in a while - don't they teach History in schools anymore?
History is actually very often taught extremely well in schools. There is an awful lot of history of course, and no two people agree about which bits should be taught in the limited time available. Politicians and journalists who assume there was once a golden age when everyone knew everything about their own country's history are confusing the ability to repeat a few dates with real understanding of the complexities and interpretations that run through all histories. That's what I think anyway!
Maybe so, but there are some what you might call generalisations in that article which are little more than alternative facts - such as the core of her claim being that, before the emergence of Scotland and England as nation states (early middle ages?), there was a British nation which encompassed the whole of the British Isles. That is a particularly nonsensical claim. And, speaking of politicians, this from Liam Fox, who really should know better (and yes, I know he's Scottish, but was educated in Glasgow at the height of Tory rule Again, that is utter nonsense - which a little research would totally prove.
He also is a product of the British School system BB. Nearly all countries teach their own history in a selective way - how many British schoolchildren (or adults for that matter) know about the scale of some of the atrocities committed in the British Empire ? How many German kids know what their own grandparents did in World War 2 ? How does a nation come to terms with its own nightmares ? In the area where I live (Engelskirchen - about 40kms east of Cologne), local histories are 'silent' about the period between 1933 and 1945 - they recommence around 1945 with the bombing of the town. Up to that period it is a history of cotton production and mining - but where is the history of the weapons factories inbetween - or of the Jewish population, which was once here, but disappeared ? Or of the forced labourers who were here ? The same is true for the histories of some of Germany's biggest firms. A Russian Jewish friend of mine, who worked for Kühne+Nagel, wanted to find out what the firm had done between 1933 and 1945, who knows, as a transport logistics firm, we can only imagine - total silence. The same is true of other countries as well - according to the history books, France and the Netherlands where full of only resistance fighters and Italy (according to their books) was on the winning side. And the Americans have, apparently, killed so many millions since the War in order to preserve freedom and democracy in the World ? What they teach the kids in Putin's Russia I can only imagine.
