Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

fred - DC certainly isn't my icon, and in honesty, i haven't been following at all what is in the media about what is or is not going on in brussels/strasbourg

however, i am delighted the conservatives beat the odds and got re-elected, and not for what you might think are the obvious reasons

i am particularly pleased that
1) there will indeed be an eu referendum - and of course it is greatly amusing that labour suddenly think it's a spiffing idea too
2) there will probably be some concessions emanating from brussels, though how many of them will be truly meaningful and not just so much politico-speak remains to be seen
3) with only a small amount of luck (i hope), we will re-gain control of our borders, so we can at least limit the number on non-eu migrants
4) with rather more luck, we can restrict access to benefits even for eu migrants

as far as i can see, labour were not remotely interested in any of the above, and that is yet another reason why the electorate rejected them

1) I guess it is that labour expect referendum will split the tories.
2) Nothing that couldn't have been got by normal negotiation and at far lower cost.
3) Not a real chance in hell unless we opt out. The cost will be higher for the UK the EU.
4) If happens then the Brits in Europe will receive the same treatment. Administration costs will be colossal.

What happens to the guy who breaks his leg at work after working in the UK for 1 month and has no financial resources. Black bag and send him home!

Multiplicity of reasons for labour losing election.
=-=-=-=

Have a guess that either proportional representation will be introduced, or an alliance of SNP/LibDems/Labour before the next G/election is on the cards.

Airline food is prepared in a similar way.

JB,

60 years ago that could have been me on the corner in Paris.

I hitch-hiked to Paris and actually slept on the banks of the Seine underneath the Pont St Michel, near Maigret's old home, the Prefecture on Quai du Marche Neuf.

Strong memories for me.

Showed my grandson where I had slept.

He said I was mad.

=-=-===

Beautiful city!

fred - labour never even wanted to try to change anything ......

i don't often agree with MrT, but i am pretty sure he tells the truth when he says that trying to use an EHIC card in much of europe just causes guffaws of laughter, so why should we not act likewise?

of course, you can set up your own website to encourage all these "worthy cases" to send you and your colleagues the bill, which you would seemingly be more than happy to meet

Manuel,

You are becoming as daft as the Tinker was.

Childlike wishes, without thinking of, or taking into consideration of the consequences of actions.

Any changes to "welfare responsibilities" have to be addressed through EU agreement and be of mutual advantage to all benefiting from the union.

Cameron is stirring up a hornets' nest trying to placate his reactionary self interested short sighted party.

He is a u-turn!

fred - i'm not sure that you are exactly right, but cannot prove to the contrary

if DC is stirring up a hornets' nest, then i'm delighted ..... and assuredly i do not subscribe to your alleged motives for him so doing
if stirring said nest creates a storm, then a damn good job, for then something just may get done



no doubt you adopted a similar doctrine when uk stood alone in pointing the finger at fifa ..... quite how US judiciary became involved i am not sure, nor how the swiss were miraculously stirred from their cosy, protective cocoon .... however, there will certainly have been much behind scenes cooperation and coordination

so, a good example of how stirring the hornets' nest can be most beneficial, even if many tend to be all mouth and trousers until others actually make a stand for them

The great David Cameron EU referendum U-turn – how it happened


How the prime minister abruptly changed his line on whether ministers would have to support government in EU referendum



Andrew Sparrow


Monday 8 June 2015 17.39 BST


David Cameron’s problems started with a briefing to British journalists at the G7 summit in Germany on Sunday.

He was asked twice about ministers being told they would have to back the government’s position in the EU referendum. The second time the issue came up was when the BBC’s Norman Smith said he wanted to check that he was right in thinking Cameron had “absolutely closed [his] mind to allowing ministers a free vote”.

Cameron replied:

I’ve been very clear, which is I’ve said that if you want to be part of the government, you have to take the view that we are engaged in an exercise of renegotiation to have a referendum, and that will lead to a successful outcome


So anyone in government who opposed that would have to resign, Cameron was asked. He replied:

Everyone in government has signed up to the programme set out in the Conservative manifesto




more u-turns here:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/08/david-cameron-eu-referendum-ministers-vote

The hornets nest is the UK. which may blow up in his face.

The best way to deal with a hornets nest is to sedate it and examine it carefully.

Much safer.

At least you can deal with the problem at a leisurely pace.

FIFA or some of their members seem to be transferring money via American Banks and Financial services.

I think they have been investigating FIFA finances for 4 years.

Nice and slowly without bluster, or up and at them techniques.

well fred, you called everything but everything wrong about the outcome of the election and i wouldn't be at all surprised if your latest predictions proved well wide of the mark too

i even recollect you braying loudly about how DC wanted UK to pull out of EU ..... bit off course of course

you're clearly more mystic meg than cassandra

David Cameron has confirmed that he will do anything to keep us in the EU

Every continent on the planet is experiencing economic growth except Europe. We can do better than this





By Daniel Hannan

10:02AM BST 08 Jun 2015



EU leaders are giddy with relief. They had expected a series of tough demands from David Cameron, armed as he was with a new electoral mandate. They knew that the Euroscepticism of the British electorate had hardened. They understood that, unlike in some Continental countries, there is no appetite here for political union, as opposed to commerce and collaboration, with neighbouring states. They were, accordingly, prepared to make big concessions to the British leader. Jacques Delors emerged from retirement to propose a “privileged partnership” for Britain, based on free movement of goods and services but not political integration. Guy Verhofstadt, the federalist Euro-liberal leader, made a similar offer, calling it “associate membership”.


But, to the incredulity of Continental Europhiles, David Cameron is pushing only for token changes, most of which can be achieved through domestic legislation without requiring treaty change. He has ruled out campaigning to leave the EU. He has told Jean-Claude Juncker that he intends to use the referendum to, as the President of the European Commission puts it, “dock Britain to the EU”. He has altered the question on the ballot paper, disregarding the Electoral Commission’s recommendation to pick the form of wording which opinion polls show is likeliest to elicit a Yes vote. He is even altering the rules to allow the government to campaign, with taxpayers’ money, to stay in.


His EU counterparts get the message very clearly. No serious concessions are being sought. All they are being asked to do is play along with a charade, to feign annoyance, to talk of “tough negotiations”, to tell British journalists that something had to be dragged out of them.



More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/politics-blog/11658810/David-Camerons-has-finally-confirmed-that-he-is-pro-European-and-wants-us-to-stay-in.html

some (fred!) will bray that it's a cop-out, but in truth, nothing that required an actual treaty change was ever likely to be achieved or even likely to be pursued ..... it's very much a case of how far one can push the boundaries of variation ....

for example, and certainly perceived as very important by the public at large, will be the question or ability of refusing benefits to migrants for an extended period of time or until certain other criteria have been met

I believe this requires no treaty change, but will certain ruffle the feathers of some eu members

Manuel,

I was wrong about the outcome of the GE.

Like many I expected a coalition with a overall labour led government.

But your crowing about a Cameron led government with a 12 seat majority is laughable.

He can't even control and lead his own party.

Also, I was well aware that Cameron claimed to be preferred to be in the EU. and although I think he is a psychopath, he is a realist, unlike yourself and the reactionary neo-cons in the present tory party.

But what Cameron seems to be proving to me, is that he is an implausible liar who will do anything to appear to be in control.




----=-=-=-=

fred - i have never crowed, and unlike you i do not keep droning on and on and on and on and on with the same old monotonous mantra

get a life while you still have a little breath in your body and live with the hand of cards you have been dealt, whether you like or not .... i would have said "learn to live" but i fear you are far too entrenched in your ways to even dare to try

Manuel.

Thanks for you advice.

I am content with my life and feel very lucky with the hand which has been dealt me.

But a little reflective insight on your part might relieve of your own delusional qualities of yourself.



=-=-=-=-=

PS.

Everyday your icon Cameron appears to be more a more a clown.

Have a better day!

Jeremy Corbyn is standing for Labour leadership, supported by Diane Abbot, Dennis Skinner plus the usual lefty suspects. He has said that Milliband was brilliant but the voters were 'Racist and Confused'.

http://order-order.com/2015/06/09/corbyn-miliband-was-brilliant-voters-were-racist-and-confused/

Good on you Fred for hitching to Paris all those years ago ,must have been a very different experience from today , I did the same when i was a kid although in the US .

Take cynics advice , if you were once a lad of adventure try to live a bit rather than droning on ,although i suppose we all get older and kind of lose some of our original free thinking .

One of my daughters hitch hiked around USA and into Canada and another around Australia for 3-4 month periods they were in their twenties.

They enjoyed themselves.

I think my wife lost weight.

-===-==-=-

Politics and hypocrisy has always interested me and those who know me also know that I have always challenged "false" beliefs. Often with tongue in cheek, as my grandson says "Oh Gramps hmmmmmh".

But with a shower which is "governing" at the moment and incidentals like Manuel around, somebody needs to challenge them!

Otherwise their delusions, or beliefs may become another religion!