BS: Brexit & other UK political topics

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 31 Mar 21 - 02:27 PM

Irregular noun:

I am an ex-pat.
You are a migrant.
He/she is an illegal immigrant.

I wonder if Spain is going to miss the English pubs and fish and chip shops in Costa Del Pequeña Inglaterra.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Rain Dog
Date: 31 Mar 21 - 02:43 PM

No doubt like so many countries, Spain will miss the income from tourists and expats. Of course certain places here in the UK will also miss the tourists buying Ye Olde Fish & Chips

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Raggytash
Date: 01 Apr 21 - 10:20 AM

Yet another, albeit small, side effect of Brexit we were never told about.

A small company in Scotland manufacturing dog chews is to relocate it's operation to France after it became too difficult to obtain ways through the trade barriers now in place.


link

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 01 Apr 21 - 01:53 PM

With the damage the government has done to exporters, particularly in the fishing industry, I am surprised that they haven't replaced cash welfare benefits with seafood vouchers.

If some people have severe allergic reactions, then that would be a saving on pensions and universal credit. (irony).

Subject: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 03:58 PM

Today is the day of the Argentine veterans and fallen of the Falklands war. We stood by the Malvinas Memorial in Buenos Aires on April 2 1998, 2000,2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 & 2011. It was very sad to see the mothers crying for their lost sons.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 07:13 PM

Look at a bloody map. Those islands belong to Argentina. The war was all about Maggie getting herself re-elected. So what if a few hundred Argie teenagers were slaughtered. We kept those benighted islands so that the UK can support the lives of a couple of thousand spoiled imperialistic brats.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 08:15 PM

When that all blew up lots of people in England were puzzled why Argentina should be claiming a bunch of islands off the coast of Scotland.

Maybe when the Scots go for independence the Westminster government, in the dying days of the United Kingdom, will detach the Shetlands from Scottish control, and set up a swap with Argentina so that the Falklands stay English, and the Shetlands go to Argentina.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 08:45 PM

No matter one's opinion as to the reason for it all, it gave us a very moving song that says nothing about the politics of it.
Some friends of mine were in a pub in England, when the author, just back from The Falklands, sang it from his handwritten copy. They asked to record it, and he agreed.
Here's the words and tune.
http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/song-midis/Survivor_Leave.htm

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 09:26 PM

Powerful song. Could as well be about survivors from either the Sheffield or the Belgrano. That's true for so many war songs, the best ones.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 09:55 PM

Yeah.. could be about a number of different events. My friends' group was "The Boarding Party" and taking the lead on that song was Bob Hitchcock, originally from Suffolk. He did an excellent job.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Rain Dog
Date: 03 Apr 21 - 04:36 AM

Saw mention of this in current issue of Private Eye.

More vets are needed now in order to provide documentation for exports to the EU.At this time there is a shortage of them in the UK. Hence the need to relax the rules on English language qualifications for those coming here to fill the vacancies.

Language requirements for veterinarians in the UK

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 03 Apr 21 - 04:58 AM

You really couldn’t make it up, could you?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: DMcG
Date: 03 Apr 21 - 01:20 PM

Since Brexit good news is in short supply, here is some from a friend of mine. Admittedly, it only gets a small part of the haulage business back to where it was in the first place, but every little helps. As it seems to be due to the generosity (and self interest!) of France, I do not expect much praise from the leave side, but there you are.


Guess what. The French have given us Brits back the right to have access to their abnormal load roam permits, yay / phew. I played a key part in this win. I said to our diplomats exactly the right things to make it happen. I am ecstatic. Convoi Exceptionnel Ltd should be fêted in the mass media, but nobody cares enough about transport, so - not, hey-ho, it does mean I can still fit my pride-swollen head through a door... But this is a huge victory for British hauliers, and for many hundreds of UK industries, and a top achievement of my life. Must mention my colleague Caroline Ward, who did some excellent research, that was just as crucial to the win. Also the Heavy Transport Association, esp John Dyne, who is a brilliant and very insightful person. And I adore the French, for doing this. Entente cordiale it still is. Yay.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Rain Dog
Date: 03 Apr 21 - 02:01 PM

Good and bad news.

Start of February Dover District Council announced they were looking to create 100 jobs as they expand the Dover Port Health Authority.

The Department of Transport and the local councils, seem set on creating an inland clearance facility to undertake border controls for up to 1200 trailers. They plan to build very, very near to the local village of Guston. While the jobs created by the building and running of the facility are very welcome, the disruption that will be caused to the villagers and local people will be less welcome.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: mg
Date: 03 Apr 21 - 08:19 PM

i always assumed that Eric Bogle had written it. He recorded it.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Apr 21 - 08:50 PM

?? I can't find any mention of Bogle's version. If he really did, I'd like to hear it.

Here's the original recording Survivor Leave. The Boarding Party

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 04:29 AM

Look at a bloody map. Those islands belong to Argentina.

Look at a bloody map. Argentina belongs to those islands.


How about "Those islands belong to the islanders" ?

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 05:20 AM

Possession is 10 points of the law. The glorious British Army gave the ill equiped, ill experienced Argentine army, navy and airforce a good biffing!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 05:35 AM

The islanders are all Brits. We promise to defend 'em at hang the expense and we do their foreign dealings for them. They are scarcely independent, are they? We abandoned the islands in the late 18th century and swanned back in in the 19th when we were marauding around the world doing what we liked. So we set up a colony thousands of miles from the British Isles but very close to South America and then claim the right to self-determination for a bunch of Brits. We have steadfastly refused to negotiate this morally-dubious position time and time again. It's very difficult to make the moral argument that we should have dominion over territory so far from home and so close to others' home. Imagine an exclusively Chinese colony occupying Orkney or an exclusively Russian colony occupying the Isle Of Man...

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 05:58 AM

That's all irrelevant, the islands were occupied at the whim of a military dictator, whose foul regime dropped opponents from a helicopter into Rio De La Plata. The. ragtail army largely made up of conscripts who almost certainly didn't want to be there!!'

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 06:31 AM

I'm not really arguing about the rights or wrongs of 1982, am I? Though if you really want me to, I'd say it was like a lot of wars: two lots of bad guys...

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 06:39 AM

Incidentally, Bonzo, your hero Thatcher was supporting an even worse murderous dictator at the time, you know, that bloke in Chile...

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: BobL
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 07:08 AM

Trouble is it wasn't just the Flaklands (a typo, but let it stand). If they'd been surrendered to Argentina, or even made over as part of a negotiated settlement, what would be the effect on Gibraltar? Or Northern Ireland?

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 07:28 AM

Yes indeed. As with any country, for the most part the Argentines are lovely people, and we have always been made most welcome during our 7 visits there.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 08:46 AM

Little bits of territory with attachments to other countries in principle isn't a bad idea - if we had a little Spanish town in Sussex or. Norwegian enclave in Northumberland for example it could be quite a good arrangements. Being able to go for a trip abroad while staying local might be good, especially for a country confined to an island. I've never heard that the people of Newfoundland have any oroblem with having the French island of St Pierre and Miquelon on their doorstep.

The trouble is, much of the time it's all tied in with a history of foreign conquest and imperialism and si forth. Ii'd be good if it could be sorted out with a bit of territorial exchange, so a foreign enclave on the shores of Spain would be matched by an analogous Spanish enclave on the shores of England, and so forth.

Subject: RE: BS: Day of the Argentine veterans
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 09:40 AM

I suppose by the same argument:-
Ireland belongs to England
England belongs to France

and Hitler was right

Poland belongs to Germany

The Canaries belong to Africa

and I'll have the bloke next door's car if he puts it on my drive again.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 12:18 PM

But say it wasn't the bloke next door. Say it was a bloke from 200 miles away who kept parking his car on your drive. You'd have more justification then, no?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 03:26 PM

If you choose to link up with the bloke from 200 miles away, then it has nothing to do with the bloke next door.

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 05:11 PM

?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 06:05 PM

If the residents of those islands choose to link up with the UK, rather than with Argentina, then that's up to them.

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 07:34 PM

A bit of undeliberate gerrymandering cures all, then, Doug...

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Apr 21 - 02:25 PM

But say it wasn't the bloke next door. Say it was a bloke from 200 miles away who kept parking his car on your drive. You'd have more justification then, no?


Well no. Not in my view. That did actually happen to me. This bloke asked me if he could leave his van on my drive for a night - and it was still there three years later, rusting away.


Probably I should have been more warlike. But its one of my many failings.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Apr 21 - 02:31 PM

At least he didn't come back, saying that because his van had been there for a long time it was now his drive...

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Apr 21 - 05:12 PM

maybe not Steve, but it was a damned difficult negotiation and turned very unpleasant several times. My friends tended to get more outraged on my behalf than I was.

I'm not sure what this has to do with the Falklands. except maybe when narrow advantage is being pursued - (Like Galtieri's imperial ambitions and the man who thought he was entitled to have a nice drive, but I wasn't)). Then someone has to stand up to them.

Thatcher was being reckless with our defence commitments. Ultimately it was young soldiers who pulled her chestnuts out of the fire.....I don't think she choreographed the entire conflict. The result wasn't that certain, and anyway she wasn't that bright.

Like America has discovered with Trump - you can't really let someone totally irresponsible into the the top job. Argentina paid a heavy price for just that.
And as we discovered with Kinnock and Corbyn - it not the smartest thing to let a complete loser into the Leader of the Opposition job either.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 05 Apr 21 - 05:24 PM

”And as we discovered with Kinnock and Corbyn - it not the smartest thing to let a complete loser into the Leader of the Opposition job either.”

It seems to be working for the Tories with Johnson though, Al.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Apr 21 - 06:04 PM

Johnson is no loser. He's killed tens of thousands of people via sheer incompetence. He's wasting 37 billion on a useless track and trace system. He's trashing the ordinary working people of this country. He's going to waste even more on a pointless passport system. Everything he's doing, he's doing in order to control us ever more. He lies in his teeth at every juncture. But he's nine points ahead in the polls. Believe me, he knows how not to be a loser. The real loser is Starmer, who is bloody useless, and he's leading into perdition millions of ordinary people in this country who at least deserve an opposition that they're not getting.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 04:39 AM

Cheer up mate! You could be supporting Birmingham City.....

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 04:47 AM

Johnson may not be a loser, but that pathetic waste of space is now making people fill in customs declarations for sending presents to family and friends in the EU. If that piece of trash wants to inflict unnecessary paperwork on decent people then this has to be down to Hillingdon Council employing a form filler at every post office in the UK instead of wasting tax payers money on education, adult social care, libraries, refuse collection, public health, child protection on a handful of people who live in Uxbridge and South Ruislip which is of no benefit or use whatsoever to the vast majority of the public in the UK. (End of ironic rant).

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Rain Dog
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 05:28 AM

It is the EU who require the declaration for presents sent from the UK to people in the EU

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 12:05 PM

Customs declarations have to be completed for goods sent everywhere outside the EU. It therefore follows that, as a minority of the electorate sold the majority down the river by voting to Leave the EU, our membership of the EU Customs Union has ended, and we are required to follow the same rules that apply to all other countries outside the EU, which means that Customs Declarations must be completed.

Just another little thing that the Blond Buffoon, the Lying Scottish Viper, and The Wide-Mouthed Frog didn’t put on the side of their God-forsaken big red bus.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 01:15 PM

Blond Bufoon = Boris
Frog = Farage
Lying Scottish Viper = ?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 01:32 PM

That lying, treacherous little scrotum, Gove.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 02:42 PM

I have posted this before. All my own work. See if you can work out who is who, Al :-)

A fable.

Neither long ago nor in a galaxy far away the animal world was in harmony. The farm had grown large and unwieldy but still safe and strong. The sheep lived with the cattle and horses and worried not about the world. They were still hunted but the mighty animals, the lion and the wolf, were kept in check by the powerful elephant and strong wildebeest who had united with the sheep to ensure fairness to all.

However not all was well for the baboon wanted to lead the animals and the toad, with its bulging eyes, saw that the animals that no-one trusted could become powerful if they united against the farm. So the baboon, waving his arms and behaving like a fool, began to gather allies to their cause. The viper that had poisoned everything that it had touched became their friend and the drunken hyena, who used to feed on the weak, turned against the lion for he also wanted more power. They saw that the sheep loved to hear the donkeys bray and whatever the donkeys brayed became the mantra for the sheep. So they befriended the donkeys and told them to bray a song that half the sheep loved and half the sheep hated. This way the sheep became disunited and fought amongst themselves, ignoring the insidious manoeuvring of the unholy alliance.

“See how the farm steals your hard earned fodder,” brayed the donkeys.
“Remember how much better things were when the lion ruled you.” They sang across the land.

But the song that did the most harm was “Look at the rabbits. The farm let them in. They are eating all your grass and it is their fault that the lion eats your kin.” For this not only divided the sheep but also caused much resentment against the innocent rabbit.
So, the lion, the wolf, the elephant and the wildebeest sat together to determine what was to be done. None would lead, as they knew that whatever they did the baboon, the frog, the viper and the hyena would tell the donkeys to bray against them and the sheep would become more discontent. The mighty animals saw that the only way to silence to unholy ones was to ask the sheep who they wished to rule them. But they had not seen how divided the sheep had become and they did not understand that many would believe the donkeys over them. Half the sheep wanted to stay safe in the farm and the other half wanted the new life promised by the others. So they began to fight amongst themselves until, at last, none of them knew what was the truth and what was not.

The bald eagle and the bear, who had been bitter enemies in the past, joined with the voice of the donkeys as they wanted to rule the entire animal kingdom and saw that while the farm survived it would be in their way. The baboon and the frog knew that this was the perfect time for them to begin their reign so the sheep were forced to decide between living in thrall on the farm or trying to survive on their own in the jungle. They were evenly divided but one more sheep wanted to try the jungle than wanted to stay on the farm. So they were all forced out. The lion shook his head in disbelief and left. The frog grinned with his wide mouth. The baboon frolicked and the donkeys sang his praises while the sheep who wanted to stay in the farm wept.

Many ages later a new alliance formed. It is outside our fable to say what it will be. But the sheep survived. The lion still ate some. The old ones still went for mutton. The donkeys still brayed.
And the children were still sent to market…

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Apr 21 - 07:04 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Big Al Whittle - PM
Date: 06 Apr 21 - 04:39 AM

Cheer up mate! You could be supporting Birmingham City. quote
you could be supporting Brechin City, or sheffield united

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 09 Apr 21 - 07:11 AM

Good that police in Northern Ireland used water cannon against rioters, now it should be used against troublemaking agitators in Bristol and elsewhere!!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Jos
Date: 09 Apr 21 - 07:23 AM

Not sure if this counts as 'political', but UK news is going to be wall-to-wall Prince Philip for who knows how long.
It will be interesting to see how the islanders in Vanuatu take the news.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: DMcG
Date: 09 Apr 21 - 11:41 AM

During WW2, Princess Elizabeth (as was) was quite keen on going through what the rest of the population was, in the ATS, training as a mechanic and so on.

It would be quite something if she decided that the covid rules for funerals should apply to her.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Apr 21 - 05:18 AM

As from tomorrow up to 30 people can attend funerals. I understand that at Philips funeral the royal family intend to adhere to that. Good on them but it is difficult to see how they could do anything else. Of course if it was, heaven forbid, any of Boris's family there would be an exeption...

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: The Sandman
Date: 11 Apr 21 - 05:24 AM

Elsewhere.... indeed ...Troublemaking agitators in Croydon should be silenced, perhaps capital punishmen, take agitators from croydon and put them in the stocks in the capital

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Apr 21 - 07:02 AM

{{Deep, Heartfelt Sigh}}

Dick, all of Bonzo’s Prince Philip threads have been closed or **disappeared**, presumably because of posters’ bad behaviour. Please don’t get this, our one permitted U.K. Politics thread, closed too.