Off Topic The Politics Thread

[sb_73]

I for one would be more than happy if NI stayed in the trade union with the EU. I've said on here before that I believe NI is a special case within the UK and some progressive thinking would be a way of heading off significant trouble in the future imo.

Absolutely. NI voted 56% to 44% to stay in the EU, so opposition from there would be in the minority. It would definitely create challenges in movement of goods between NI and the rest of the U.K., but that would be an entirely internal U.K. issue to sort out. If Ireland supported such a solution you would expect the rest of the EU to go along with it. I’m not sure if the government is ideologically opposed to the idea, that leaves the DUP as the blocker, with its ten seats and 292,000 votes.

 

[Steelmonkey]

Absolutely. NI voted 56% to 44% to stay in the EU, so opposition from there would be in the minority. It would definitely create challenges in movement of goods between NI and the rest of the U.K., but that would be an entirely internal U.K. issue to sort out. If Ireland supported such a solution you would expect the rest of the EU to go along with it. I’m not sure if the government is ideologically opposed to the idea, that leaves the DUP as the blocker, with its ten seats and 292,000 votes.

Nearly 62 % of Scotland voted to stay in the EU - can we have a special case too? And Scottish Tories hold 13 seats, and a load more votes (over 750k).

 

[sb_73]

Nearly 62 % of Scotland voted to stay in the EU - can we have a special case too? And Scottish Tories hold 13 seats, and a load more votes (over 750k).

As far as I’m concerned, of course. But you’ll have to ask Arlene Foster, who decides U.K. policy.

 

[Steelmonkey]

As far as I’m concerned, of course. But you’ll have to ask Arlene Foster, who decides U.K. policy.

I'll get big Ruth on the case

 

[sb_73]

I'll get big Ruth on the case

Get big Ruth on everyone’s case please. I know she’s a Tory and will disappoint me at some stage, but I remember her put downs of Boris Johnson in the referendum debates with fondness.

 

[QPRNUTS]

I for one would be more than happy if NI stayed in the trade union with the EU. I've said on here before that I believe NI is a special case within the UK and some progressive thinking would be a way of heading off significant trouble in the future imo.

Again spot on IMO.
I think all sides except the DUP can see this. If May wasn’t so dependent on their vote, I believe they’d be told to swing up they’re arms.
It would simply current trade between the North and South, ROI and GB and Potentially between GB and the EU.

 

[Stroller]

Where's the evidence for that, Strolls? During the referendum campaign it was made clear by Cameron, Gove, Johnson, Osborne, Davies, indeed all but a few insignificant politicos that "Leave" meant leaving the Single Market. Cameron and Osborne in particular were forever squawking that Leave meant leaving the Single Market. It could hardly have been clearer

We've done this before Goldie. A small, but significant amount of Leave voters didn't realise that they were voting to leave the Single Market - probably because 'insignificant politicos' like Farage and several prominent Tories said that that was the case. I would say that it's undeniable that the majority of voters wanted to stay in the Single Market.

 

[Stroller]

I for one would be more than happy if NI stayed in the trade union with the EU. I've said on here before that I believe NI is a special case within the UK and some progressive thinking would be a way of heading off significant trouble in the future imo.

May as well just let the North secede altogether and become part of a united Ireland. Makes sense to me.

 

[sb_73]

May as well just let the North secede altogether and become part of a united Ireland. Makes sense to me.

At the moment the majority of people who live there don’t want to do that. And sufficient numbers in the North never want it to happen to make violence almost inevitable even if a majority voted for it. Maybe in a few years - even Northern Irish Catholics think twenty years in the future would be better than now.

Of course if Brexitbworks out very badly for them it might speed things up.

 

[Stroller]

At the moment the majority of people who live there don’t want to do that. And sufficient numbers in the North never want it to happen to make violence almost inevitable even if a majority voted for it. Maybe in a few years - even Northern Irish Catholics think twenty years in the future would be better than now.

Of course if Brexitbworks out very badly for them it might speed things up.

It's surely inevitably going to happen at some point. Given the Brexit border impasse, maybe now is the right time. Have a referendum.

 

[sb_73]

It's surely inevitably going to happen at some point. Given the Brexit border impasse, maybe now is the right time. Have a referendum.

On the last poll a majority slimmer than the EU referendum in the Irish Republic wanted it to happen. Like you, I think if things broadly stay the same in the world it will happen at some stage, but there are so many completely against it in the North right now it could easily turn nasty again.

If they had a referendum they would have to make it explicitly not binding and/or put a high threshold (above 60%) on changing because of it. And do the same in the Republic at the same time.

 

[rangercol]

We've done this before Goldie. A small, but significant amount of Leave voters didn't realise that they were voting to leave the Single Market - probably because 'insignificant politicos' like Farage and several prominent Tories said that that was the case. I would say that it's undeniable that the majority of voters wanted to stay in the Single Market.

Farage has been the most significant politico for many a year.

 

[Stroller]

Farage has been the most significant politico for many a year.

Possibly. I was quoting Goldie, Col. 'Insignificant politicos' was his description of Leave advocates that said we wouldn't have to quit the Single Market - Farage being the most prominent.

 

[kiwiqpr]

cant find the cheese thread so heres a good british story
The world's best cheese has been named (and it's British)
No doubt this will be a Christmas sell-out...

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• 5 days ago
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Cornish Kern, winner of the World's Best Cheese Award
Cheese lovers, rejoice - if you want to try the world’s best fromage, there’s no need to hop over to France. The world’s best cheese has officially been crowned and it’s… British.
Cornish Kern, a dark-rind, cow-milk Cornish cheese from the Southwest of England took the top spot at The World Cheese Awards in London. The competition, now in its 30th year, sees 250 judges annually select their favourite pressed curd and this year, it received over 3000 entries from 35 countries.
Produced by Lynher Dairies, the medium-hard cheese is matured for around 16 months and is described as “buttery with caramel notes and a deep savoury aroma”. It is said to be a “flaky and almost dry” in texture and one judge, Whole Foods cheese buyer, Cathy Strange, even called it “visually stunning”.
Scoring 75 points out of a possible 80, the makers were predictably thrilled by the result. Sarah Barnes, technical manager at Lynher Dairies, said: “I’m on top of the cheese world! Throughout the course of the day our Kern went through so many layers of judging, going from 3,001 to 66, to the top 16 and then World Champion and the judges said some wonderful things about our cheese."

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Oh my gouda! A real life cheese village is coming to Brixton
“Cornish Kern is a new concept so to see it come to this is so exciting for the company, and a great start for this cheese’s career.”
An Italian Blu Di Bufala made by Quattro Portoni Caseificio had previously been the runner-up in 2012 but scored second place this year with 69 points. Third place was a tie between an Austrian Capellaro from Almenland Stollenkaese and a South African Dalewood Huguenot created by Dalewood Fromage. Both cheeses scored 67 points each.

 

[kiwiqpr]

The Irish Gov seems very principled over #Brexit.
Not the sort to be ordered around.
Unless, of course, your people vote against the Nice Treaty & Lisbon Treaty and the EU orders you to vote again.
And they did.
Twice.

 

[QPRNUTS]

The Irish Gov seems very principled over #Brexit.
Not the sort to be ordered around.
Unless, of course, your people vote against the Nice Treaty & Lisbon Treaty and the EU orders you to vote again.
And they did.
Twice.

That Kiwi is a total lie.............
Ok maybe it’s not

 

[QPRNUTS]

The Irish Gov seems very principled over #Brexit.
Not the sort to be ordered around.
Unless, of course, your people vote against the Nice Treaty & Lisbon Treaty and the EU orders you to vote again.
And they did.
Twice.

In defence, we did get the small changes we wanted on both occasions

 

[ELLERS]

If unresolved, the UK may move rapidly to a no-deal option. The EU would then be faced with losing a massive part of their budget (who will fill it - Germany and France? I doubt it)

Exactly, the 'remoaners' can panic and spread 'project fear' as much as they want but it will all come down to money and the fact that they are losing their second biggest contributor.
As for leavers not knowing what they voted for? The goal posts are continually being moved to stop us leaving.

 

[GoldhawkRoad]

Possibly. I was quoting Goldie, Col. 'Insignificant politicos' was his description of Leave advocates that said we wouldn't have to quit the Single Market - Farage being the most prominent.

Nigel Farage didn't want to stay in the Single Market, and he said so in Feb 2016 (source - New Statesman, Sept 2017)

 

[sb_73]

Nigel Farage didn't want to stay in the Single Market, and he said so in Feb 2016 (source - New Statesman, Sept 2017)

Quite right. He and Aaron Banks talked up the ‘Norway Option’. But their campaign was more about immigration.

It was Johnson (even after the referendum) and Daniel Hannan that said we would continue to be in the single market (Hannan) and have ‘access’ to it (Johnson). I suppose Johnson can wriggle out of it by saying ‘access’ doesn’t mean ‘in’, but every country in the world has ‘access’ to the Single Market, just on much worse terms than being in it.

Given the way things are going the Norway Option sounds fine to me.