Off Topic Brexit

My brother heads up the UK operation of an international company that deals with countries throughout the world.
He can't see an issue with no deal (World trade organisation rules) . He says that once implemented it will be no more complicated to handle than pulling up your chair on a morning and turning on your p.c..

Watching the telly this morning the BBC had the boss of wetherspoons on (Pro brexit) and the interviewer was asking questions and badgering him before he had chance to answer the questions.

 

That's pretty interesting. May I ask what type of company your brother works in?

 

I speak to Americans a lot and they honestly cannot see why there's such a fuss. Of the EU's 27 countries, 2 matter - ours and Germany. Germany runs itself anyway, it's a closed market and they aren't very "EU friendly" from a business sense.

The problem isn't with leaving or staying, as such - it's the ****ing clowns in charge of it all.

 

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/252570/sponsors/new?token=LwVC7XD9a5bvvugvW4q

The removal of the House of Commons and House of Lords. Restart the government.

 

I think farage needs decapitating in the riots in a few years.

 

They make the machines that make micro chips. They sell to the likes of Samsung.

 

Cameron proposed the referendum because he feared losing circa 10 to 15 seats to UKIP. it was done in my opinion purely for short term self preservation.
It would appear he put his party before the good of the country, but surprise, surprise, years down the line and nothing has changed from any of them.
Just out of interest, has anyone looked at The Lisbon Treaty? And if so, what do you make of that ?

 

Exactly.

 

Yes - it's truly bloody scary

 

Re-entry isn't something that needs stipulating in any deal. If we are leaving, we are leaving. The option will always be there to re-apply. We can raise another vote any time we like.

Do you want to apply to rejoin the EU? Yes or no. If yes we apply, if no we don't. If we do apply we'd then have to assess what the deal offered to rejoin. The EU might not entertain it or they may welcome it. The EU might break down completely in the next 10-20 years, who knows. We need to stop over thinking this, get done what the people decided after you asked them and move onto the next stage. This purgatory is ****ing killing business for some people. Its having zero effect on my business but I feel for those it is affecting.

 

Was using a German firm for my photography printing etc - had an email the other day to say they wouldn't be shipping to the UK in the current political climate

This has resulted in a UK firm getting my work now - closed my account with the guys in Germany and won't be using them going forward even if they do reverse their decision.

So, UK business benefits to a tiny extent as a result - hopefully this is being replicated across lots of business sectors

 

There is a lot of scaremongering about the treaty from both remain and leave. Its gathered enormous pace since Xmas. As is the norm with all things Brexit each side is twisting it to suit their needs. This treaty has been operational since 2009.

My personal opinion, regardless of Brexit, is The Lisbon Treaty needs re-examined (rather scrapped to be honest) as its no longer fit for purpose. The EU is in desperate need of reform as it has changed massively since 2009. To be fair the EU was aware this was coming as when it was signed they hoped and said it would be the last changes to the constitution until 2020. So they knew the landscape would change again, but perhaps didn't envisage the problems the EU is currently facing. Brexit is compounding that situation for the EU, our timing is not great.

If we listen to what Putin says about the EU, he sees that as the pawn in the battle between the worlds great superpowers in his eyes, China, Russia and the US. The EU will need to combat this and its one of the reasons people were looking so closely at whether Brexit was influenced. Brexit is right up Putins street. He wants them fragmented in the hope the economic sanctions will be lifted. He has his old allies France and Italy to help him out in this regard - Italy want them lifted and France has made similar efforts. Rejigging the treaty or creating its replacement to make it more fit for purpose can help prevent the fragmentation of the union.

I am staunchly against the remoaners and their anti democratic approach. However on this particular subject, the leavers are far worse for what they are presenting as fact. I've seen some weird and wonderful suggestions but some headliners which entertained me were:

• We lose our veto in 2020 - we don't
• The Treaty comes into force in 2020 - it doesn't, its been in force since 2009
• We become one federal state in 2022 - this is not stated anywhere in the Treaty of Lisbon
• We must join the Euro by 2022 - The treaty does reference the ultimate goal of “the euro becoming the currency of all Member States of the Union”, but that doesn’t override the UK’s opt out, and it does not set a time limit on that goal.
• We hand over our army and nuclear deterrent to the EU - I mean I know the EU army has some support but this is just a nuts assertion

 

I like it.

 

While I accept that Cameron proposed the referendum to protect the Tory party it doesnt disguise the fact that there had been growing public apathy/dissatisfaction with the EU prior to this. This was manifested in the election of Eurosceptic UK MEPs at the European elections and the actual rise of the UKIP party, a party standing on essentially a single issue - leaving the EU. And then there was the actual referendum result.

The impact on my business is obviously minimal although I am more likely to subcontract work to UK laboratories and consultants as they have been relatively cheaper since the referendum due to the fall of the pound against the US dollar. UK companies we represent have become more competitive for the same reason.

What does worry me though is this attitude that the UK can replace EU trade with global agreements. I notice a real lack of enthusism to seriously commit to trade with the Asian market but maybe this was a result of the ease of trading with the EU and will change as we detach ourselves.

 

I’m not really in a position to comment about global trading as I don’t and don’t have to. But not being in a position to comment never stopped anyone else on here from commenting so I won’t let it stop me.

If the UK business community is prevented/restricted from trading in the EU area then, IMO, they will go more aggressively to trade outside the EU as they will have to trade elsewhere. It may take a little time to set up new arrangements but it will happen. As a Nation we have done this for centuries. No reason why it would stop now. All we need is to believe in ourselves. It won’t be easy but nothing worth having is.

 

You do realise that it will be a lot harder to do it now we are not allowed to invade, steal all their resources and enslave their population to produce goods for us - or expanding the Empire as we used to call it.

 

Why can’t we? Damn it man, we’re British.

 

Seems to me that the main motivator for people voting UKIP and or leaving the EU was not a dissatisfaction with or an apathy for the EU, but immigration and racism as the primary motive.

 

I don’t think you can class it as racism if they feel that increased immigration has put pressure on jobs, NHS and schools.

I don’t agree that is the case though - the stats say immigration has brought financial benefit to the country, its just the government has chosen not to spend that benefit on making sure that services keep up.

 

Not with the people I know.

When Sky Sports interviews clubs fans they always choose the thickos that are a blight to every club and an embarrassment - pretty much same as this is happening with those who voted Leave.