altus   540 #3013 Posted May 22, 2017 Yes more than ever. In a post-Brexit world we've got to create our own club where UK acts as gatekeeper. It wouldn't surprise me if we see the Commonwealth rebranded or the creation of British "union" to bring other countries into the fold. That is then very reason why the Brexiters vision of a future based on a reinvigorated Commonwealth is going to fail. The other Commonwealth countries aren't interested in an organisation dominated by the UK - their reactions to talk of "Empire 2.0" show that. If it's not a union based on equals they'll just focus on further developing their relationships with China, the US and the EU and the Commonwealth will continue to wither. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Hairyloon   10 #3014 Posted May 22, 2017 In a post-Brexit world we've got to create our own club where UK acts as gatekeeper...  So why would anybody want to join our club after the way we are flouncing out of the EU? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Puggie   10 #3015 Posted May 22, 2017 That is then very reason why the Brexiters vision of a future based on a reinvigorated Commonwealth is going to fail. The other Commonwealth countries aren't interested in an organisation dominated by the UK - their reactions to talk of "Empire 2.0" show that. If it's not a union based on equals they'll just focus on further developing their relationships with China, the US and the EU and the Commonwealth will continue to wither.  One of our many strengths is our understanding of the wider world because of our history. British diplomacy is respected the world over, and relationships centred on trade are often the most resilient. People are forgetting the exercise of 'leaving' is something we've done many many times over on a much grander scale!  Our EU membership means we cannot tap the Commonwealth for trade that that is mutually advantageous. We cannot talk or enter into bilateral trade deals with individual nations or other existing trading blocs like the GCC (the Gulf Arab states).  We understood all these limitations when we joined the EU but the world has changed and so has the politics of the EU. We're now in an unfavourable position where the EU is holding us back and preventing us from doing business and striking trade deals with countries and continents that are outpacing the EU.  In a post-Brexit world doing business with Britain will no longer require the blessings of a Germanic union. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Hairyloon   10 #3016 Posted May 22, 2017 Our EU membership means we cannot tap the Commonwealth for trade that that is mutually advantageous. We cannot talk or enter into bilateral trade deals with individual nations or other existing trading blocs like the GCC (the Gulf Arab states)...  What is it that you think we produce that these countries have to come to us for? If they can get it from somebody else, then why would they buy it from us unless it was cheaper? How is that advantageous to us? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Jeffrey Shaw   90 #3017 Posted May 24, 2017 Yes more than ever. In a post-Brexit world we've got to create our own club where UK acts as gatekeeper. It wouldn't surprise me if we see the Commonwealth rebranded or the creation of British "union" to bring other countries into the fold. We've got to play to our national strengths, protect what we hold sacred, and offer the world several 'tiers' of access with the UK being central to everything we do.  It's an uncomfortable proposition for many because we've resigned ourselves to the status quo - a dormant nation state that's pre-occupied with the politics of the EU. A good post.  The first step might be suggest enlargement of the UK. Invite membership applications from: Channel Islands Isle of Man Falklands Gibraltar and all other UK-associated overseas territories of which HM is the Head of State. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
tzijlstra   11 #3018 Posted May 24, 2017 We understood all these limitations when we joined the EU but the world has changed and so has the politics of the EU. We're now in an unfavourable position where the EU is holding us back and preventing us from doing business and striking trade deals with countries and continents that are outpacing the EU.  In a post-Brexit world doing business with Britain will no longer require the blessings of a Germanic union.  'Germanic Union' - grow up. you do know where Angles and Saxons came from right? In the end we are all human, your fixation with Germany is pathetic.  Second point - yeah of course the world has changed, that is why the EU has been negotiating trade deals with other nations for decades. More often than not these were scuttled because the UK didn't like it, or indeed because the people of the EU didn't like it. The EU Is swinging away from TTIP in a hurry, the UK is accelerating towards it.  You guess who is going to gain from an agreement where US corporations can take the British government to court to force through legislation in their favour? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
tinfoilhat   11 #3019 Posted May 24, 2017 One of our many strengths is our understanding of the wider world because of our history. British diplomacy is respected the world over, and relationships centred on trade are often the most resilient. People are forgetting the exercise of 'leaving' is something we've done many many times over on a much grander scale!  Our EU membership means we cannot tap the Commonwealth for trade that that is mutually advantageous. We cannot talk or enter into bilateral trade deals with individual nations or other existing trading blocs like the GCC (the Gulf Arab states).  We understood all these limitations when we joined the EU but the world has changed and so has the politics of the EU. We're now in an unfavourable position where the EU is holding us back and preventing us from doing business and striking trade deals with countries and continents that are outpacing the EU.  In a post-Brexit world doing business with Britain will no longer require the blessings of a Germanic union.  Why can't we deal with the commonwealth? I've got loads of stuff direct from India - have done for years. Have I broken an EU law? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
crookedspire   10 #3020 Posted May 24, 2017 Why can't we deal with the commonwealth? I've got loads of stuff direct from India - have done for years. Have I broken an EU law?  We still trade with the Commonwealth ok it's not a lot now but new trade deals could be done also Crown dependents may have things to trade with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
I1L2T3   10 #3021 Posted May 24, 2017 A good post. The first step might be suggest enlargement of the UK. Invite membership applications from: Channel Islands Isle of Man Falklands Gibraltar and all other UK-associated overseas territories of which HM is the Head of State.  Tax havens!! Most of them anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
tinfoilhat   11 #3022 Posted May 25, 2017 We still trade with the Commonwealth ok it's not a lot now but new trade deals could be done also Crown dependents may have things to trade with.  And how much do we send and receive from China? Billions and billions.  We sent £6.35bn in goods and £2.24bn in services in 2014 to India. And i understand its a pain getting stuff in, its certainly a pain getting stuff out. Not like that in the EU you can send something to or from somewhere like Warsaw as easily as Wallsal.  Not for much longer though obviously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Litotes   63 #3023 Posted May 25, 2017 And how much do we send and receive from China? Billions and billions. We sent £6.35bn in goods and £2.24bn in services in 2014 to India. And i understand its a pain getting stuff in, its certainly a pain getting stuff out. Not like that in the EU you can send something to or from somewhere like Warsaw as easily as Wallsal.  Not for much longer though obviously.  Ahhh, but look on the bright side at least we have our freedom and our £350M a week!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
NigelFargate   10 #3024 Posted May 26, 2017 'Germanic Union' - grow up. you do know where Angles and Saxons came from right? In the end we are all human, your fixation with Germany is pathetic.  Second point - yeah of course the world has changed, that is why the EU has been negotiating trade deals with other nations for decades. More often than not these were scuttled because the UK didn't like it, or indeed because the people of the EU didn't like it. The EU Is swinging away from TTIP in a hurry, the UK is accelerating towards it.  You guess who is going to gain from an agreement where US corporations can take the British government to court to force through legislation in their favour?  Could you provide evidence that it has been the UK which has been the main obstacle to the EU signing trade deals? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...