Off Topic The Politics Thread

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Should the UK remain a part of the EU or leave?

  • Stay in

    Votes: 56 47.9%
  • Get out

    Votes: 61 52.1%

  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .
Well, now I'm confused. Theresa May said in the Commons that she doesn't think that anything she has said implies that there will be a 'hard' Brexit, it's not a binary choice between control of immigration and having a trade agreement with the EU. Which implies to me that immigration isn't a 'red line' issue for her. Or that she hasn't got the faintest idea what she wants.


Or she isn't letting on about what she really wants.
 
How about 1 million people coming into the country every 3 years? Is that sustainable, when England has one of the most dense populations in the world?
plenty of space in the UK for free movement IMO have a look when you are next in the air
We have a new PM amazed how people just follow her and support her like programmed sheep
Open your minds a bit please
None of us have a clue in truth what is going on but to defend or support it is plain madness
 
so you can be a rampant consumer at times

We are all rampant alright
I witnessed animal behaviour when water ran out in Hailsham East Sussex for two days ... Wait until something more important like a ginster pie is in short supply then we will see proper zombies fighting
 
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plenty of space in the UK for free movement IMO have a look when you are next in the air
We have a new PM amazed how people just follow her and support her like programmed sheep
Open your minds a bit please
None of us have a clue in truth what is going on but to defend or support it is plain madness
Look for a field next time you drive!
 
You cannot separate capitalism from globalization sb. Capitalism knows only the concept of unrestricted growth and so what we politely call 'globalization' is simply the expansion of capitalism. Capitalism does not know the concept of such a thing as a post growth society, in which we collectively decide that we already have enough, and that what is now needed is fairer distribution. My starting point is that our biggest problem is that of global warming. In order to combat this it is not enough to wait for governments and global solutions - but rather to think globally, but act locally. It means individuals, communities, towns and regions taking over their share of the responsibility - by saying ' I am responsible for my own emissions'. Communities and regions must be looking towards a fossil free future )independently of what their national government does), and this does not mean by replacing one technology with another. What it does mean is regions freeing themselves from their dependency on global systems (of oil and finance) which could collapse at any time. It means increasing levels of self sufficiency, wherever possible, and, in this context I would be happier if the local firm were locally run (ie. either a small family firm or, even better, a worker's cooperative, than part of a global player. Because then I can have more confidence that their decisions will respect my environment, than if those decisions are made in Beijing etc.

By the way you are wrong in thinking that Socialism/Communism started out as global movements - they are both far older than Marx, and even Marxist theory saw the dissolution of the state as being the final state of Communism.

Not too keen on capitalism Koln? In that case try making a chicken sandwich from scratch ...

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A question: Why is coming to the UK so important for the refugees in France to come to the UK??

Because despite all the recent shenanigans in the press and on social media the UK is one of the most generous, tolerant and welcoming countries to immigrants and refugees. We also speak English which is a global language and makes it easier for newcomers to assimilate.
 
A question: Why is coming to the UK so important for the refugees in France to come to the UK??
I thought French was the second language in Syria so you would think France would be a good place? They have the right to settle and work in Germany and France but seem to want to come here. I find it strange but they seem to prefer the UK.
 
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Because despite all the recent shenanigans in the press and on social media the UK is one of the most generous, tolerant and welcoming countries to immigrants and refugees. We also speak English which is a global language and makes it easier for newcomers to assimilate.
Plus we have plenty of low end jobs which the locals don't want. Apparently.

I thought French was the second language in Syria so you would think France would be a good place? They have the right to settle and work in Germany and France but seem to want to come here. I find it strange but they seem to prefer the UK.
A lot of the Jungle people seem to be from Afghanistan which has a long history with us.
 
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I thought French was the second language in Syria so you would think France would be a good place? They have the right to settle and work in Germany and France but seem to want to come here. I find it strange but they seem to prefer the UK.

I wouldn't want to come here; too many foreigners :)
 
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you are up late stan
or have the clocks changed
I was waiting for my daughter to arrive home from some assignation or other. Then the Bundesliga highlights were on telly. Only highlights but it looks really good and huge noise from the fans. The other teams I follow, Hertha Berlin and AC Milan (who beat Juventus last weekend) are both 3rd in their leagues. Pull your socks up Rs. Clocks go back on Saturday.
 
...our new isolationist stance won't help there.

It's not isolationist to want to leave a failing, over-regulated, protectionist club with its economic basket case countries in order to reach trade agreements with the rest of the world, including Commonwealth countries which I know, felt excluded when we joined the Common Market back in the 70's.

On the topic of Scotland, the wee angry ginger lassie is finding herself marginalised. Having flown to the Continent within days of the Brexit vote, expecting to be greeted with open arms by Brussels, she's been told the EU wouldn't have Scotland as a member because its deficit is worse than Greece and the Spanish would rather stick pins in their eyes than allow a separatist country into the club.

So angry lassie returns, ready to threaten Theresa May with another independence referendum and become an orphan state - except that all polls show the Scots don't want another referendum or to become an orphan state. So she's jumping up and down but without a stick to beat anyone with. May's playing it exactly right. Negotiate ourselves out of the EU, and then, once agreement has been finalised, if the Scots want one, give them another vote on independence
 
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It's not isolationist to want to leave a failing, over-regulated, protectionist club with its economic basket case countries in order to reach trade agreements with the rest of the world, including Commonwealth countries which I know, felt excluded when we joined the Common Market back in the 70's.

On the topic of Scotland, the wee angry ginger lassie is finding herself marginalised. Having flown to the Continent within days of the Brexit vote, expecting to be greeted with open arms by Brussels, she's been told the EU wouldn't have Scotland as a member because its deficit is worse than Greece and the Spanish would rather stick pins in their eyes than allow a separatist country into the club.

So angry lassie returns, ready to threaten Theresa May with another independence referendum and become an orphan state - except that all polls show the Scots don't want another referendum or to become an orphan state. So she's jumping up and down but without a stick to beat anyone with. May's playing it exactly right. Negotiate ourselves out of the EU, and then, once agreement has been finalised, if the Scots want one, give them another vote on independence
Of course making Brexit a success is predicated on everyone else failing, and gleefully watching them do it. What a mean spirited bunch we have become.

Excellent Reith lecture on R4 now, part of a series by philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah. All are about identity. Last week was on religion, which I didn't listen to very closely. Today is on nationality, very good, worth a listen. He has just been asked what he think of May's dig at cosmopolitans 'if you think you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere'. One word answer "No".
 
Of course making Brexit a success is predicated on everyone else failing, and gleefully watching them do it. What a mean spirited bunch we have become.

"Everyone" meaning everyone in Europe. There's a world outside Europe, with commercially far more promise.

As far as Europe is concerned, its the euro, the unwieldy structure and narrow minded protectionism that will cause it to fail, not Brexit. As to mean-spirited, there's no gallantry in going down with the ship when the rest of the crew are busy hacking holes in the hull.
 
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