hobinfoot   25 #1633 Posted December 11, 2020 58 minutes ago, L00b said: The current furore about Merkel and Macron rejecting Johnson's call requests is quite funny, too.  Merkel and Macron didn’t reject Johnson’s call the EU did because they don’t want any possible attempt to divide them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
retep   68 #1634 Posted December 11, 2020 29 minutes ago, Mister M said: It's going to hurt them, more than it's going to hurt us? I think we've all grown rather wise to Brexiteer homilies that have been uttered over the last 5 years. Wait while RoI have to pick up the bill, I can see dominoes and I don't mean pizza's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
El Cid   212 #1635 Posted December 11, 2020 50 minutes ago, West 77 said: Considering the UK had an overall trade deficit of -£79 billion with the EU in 2019 then a no free trade deal will hurt the EU. We have roughly doubled our exports to the EU over the past 20 years and they have roughly doubled their exports to the UK.  https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/imports-from-european-union  https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/exports-to-european-union?fbclid=IwAR3P3ERGOrCOTx2fE9bR005u9BJB6ro2kw1Ew5KhCHTF50ib4dNFr8K8Kh8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
RJRB   688 #1636 Posted December 11, 2020 1 hour ago, West 77 said: Considering the UK had an overall trade deficit of -£79 billion with the EU in 2019 then a no free trade deal will hurt the EU. Germany and Ireland will be hurt the most. The UK by comparison had a trade surplus of £49 billion with non-EU countries in 2019. Any country that has a huge overall trade deficit shouldn't be afraid to walk away from trade deals. It makes sense to trade on WTO terms from 1st January if the deal on offer from the EU is not right for the UK and doesn't respect our sovereignty. A future trade deal can always be agreed at a later date with the EU. Why do you insist on arguing from the standpoint of which party will suffer the most. If we have a trade deficit with any country or trading bloc it is because we see the need to import goods or services as a necessity or for our quality of life. If we continue to want the goods and services which will now be subject to tariffs then our trade deficit will increase with the EU bloc unless we miraculously find a way to increase exports. I am sure that Germany will have a substantial trade surplus with nonEU countries as well (much more than the U.K.)because they have been successful in developing their engineering sector as the UK declined. Our financial sector has been a world leader,but Brexit has opened the door for others  to step in. Not only has Johnson wasted at least a couple of years in preparing for an orderly exit,but latterly he seems to have created a particularly toxic relationship with the major countries of the EU,which does our nation no favours. His gung ho stuttering rallying calls are just bluster that didn’t work in negotiations and don’t wash with the majority of those in industries that have to try to develop their business.  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
El Cid   212 #1637 Posted December 11, 2020 1 hour ago, RJRB said: Why do you insist on arguing from the standpoint of which party will suffer the most. If we have a trade deficit with any country or trading bloc it is because we see the need to import goods or services as a necessity or for our quality of life. That is it exactly. If we import more goods, do we need to up our game, or is it just that we have expertese in other areas. Will leaving the EU help, since we have free trade already, I guess not. That is what the Brexiteers want, 100% free trade. Will leaving the EU help in other areas, that is what they think. Lets get on with it. Might be a good idea to stock up on essential items though, things are not going well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Longcol   594 #1638 Posted December 11, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, El Cid said: That is it exactly. If we import more goods, do we need to up our game, or is it just that we have expertese in other areas. Will leaving the EU help, since we have free trade already, I guess not. That is what the Brexiteers want, 100% free trade. Will leaving the EU help in other areas, that is what they think. Lets get on with it. Might be a good idea to stock up on essential items though, things are not going well. Given that the £ is dropping all the time against the euro, stocking up will cost more all the time.  100% free trade between nations doen't exist - it's regulated by trade agreements or WTO rules - rules / agreements which impinge on "sovereignty". Edited December 11, 2020 by Longcol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
melthebell   862 #1639 Posted December 11, 2020 3 hours ago, RJRB said:  Not only has Johnson wasted at least a couple of years in preparing for an orderly exit,but latterly he seems to have created a particularly toxic relationship with the major countries of the EU,which does our nation no favours. Exactly my thoughts, all this shouting at, foot stamping, laying blame, telling lies, threats, threatening to ditch already agreed agreements does not paint us anything other than untrustworthy petulant children which people wouldnt want to do business with, or not from close range anyway. We are supposed to be "great", morally upstanding, someone you would be proud to do business with, sadly we are destroying our own image...for what? a load of crap basically Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Mister M   1,608 #1640 Posted December 11, 2020 7 hours ago, L00b said: The current furore about Merkel and Macron rejecting Johnson's call requests is quite funny, too.  The responses to Brexiteer MP Andrew Bridgen on this issue are worth a read: Andrew Bridgen on Twitter: "I am with Imran" / Twitter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Pettytom   1 #1641 Posted December 12, 2020 1 minute ago, West 77 said: It's good to hear the Royal Navy have put four boats on standby to patrol our sovereign fishing waters.  It's now time the Remainers stopped thinking themselves has victims of Brexit and embraced it instead. Good times and opportunities lay ahead for everyone.    Especially for chefs with an expertise in ling recipes.   Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Mister Gee   812 #1642 Posted December 12, 2020 7 minutes ago, West 77 said: It's good to hear the Royal Navy have put four boats on standby to patrol our sovereign fishing waters.  It's now time the Remainers stopped thinking themselves has victims of Brexit and embraced it instead. Good times and opportunities lay ahead for everyone.    Our English Nationalist government playing to its base again I see. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
RJRB   688 #1643 Posted December 12, 2020 (edited) 24 minutes ago, West 77 said: It's good to hear the Royal Navy have put four boats on standby to patrol our sovereign fishing waters.  It's now time the Remainers stopped thinking themselves has victims of Brexit and embraced it instead. Good times and opportunities lay ahead for everyone.    They can multi purpose and pick up a few boat migrants whilst they are at it. Just another example of building walls and barriers in our quest to become Little Britain. I suppose they could assist by transferring the British catch to the EU boats as that would save landing them in the U.K. Edited December 12, 2020 by RJRB Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Pettytom   1 #1644 Posted December 12, 2020 13 minutes ago, Mister Gee said: Our English Nationalist government playing to its base again I see. You’d think that the military would have other, more important business to attend to.  Wouldn't you?  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...