Thought I'd start a new thread as this is going to be a major talking point this year...have not made up my mind yet...(unlike bucksfizz)....but thinking of voting for an exit as Europe is not doing Britain any good at all it seems....

brexit remainers fighting wrong battle?
All is not that bad as the "remainers" have been trying to portrait
Their mistake was to exaggerate the economic effects of Brexit. The long-run consequences are hard to gauge. What we do know, so far, is that the result did not cause an immediate crisis .......


Britons more confident of UK economic outlook in January, Lloyds says

(ShareCast News) - Britons' were significantly more confident about the UK economy's prospects at the start of 2017, even as concerns about the outlook for their disposable income mounted.

A gauge of their confidence in the UK's financial situation leapt higher by five percentage points in January to 40.0%, even as sentiment towards the UK housing market increased by four percentage points to 46.0%, the results of the Lloyds Bank Spending Power Report revealed.

Perceptions of job security also improved, with the corresponding gauge rising by three points to 79.0%.

However, there was a "significant" five percentage point decrease to 19% in those believing that in six months' time they would have more money left over after all household bills and essentials had been paid.

Purchases of petrol and diesel soar

Referencing its own current account data, Lloyds said the year-on-year increase in consumer spend on essentials had halved from 2.0% in December to 1.0% in January.

Spending on drink and food rose by over 1.0%, which was much lower than the approximately 3.0% rise recorded in the month before.

Purchases of petrol and diesel on the other hand continued to soar, rising by almost 10.0% yaer-on-year - the highest rate of growth since Spending Power records began in early 2013.

Commenting on the data, Robin Bulloch, Managing Director, Lloyds Bank said: "There's little doubt that the performance of the UK economy has been more resilient than expected in the aftermath of the EU referendum vote. Consumer sentiment is reflective of that in early 2017 with a greater confidence in both the country's financial situation and their personal finances. However, with the economic outlook still uncertain, people remain cautious about their future finances, with the rising cost of essential spending predicted to have a negative impact on their disposable income in the coming months."

Mentor, you are an immigrant. What makes you feel so special? There is a difference between teasing someone and nasty offensive remarks. Some of your comments may be because of your poor understanding of English but you go too far. When in doubt, stay quiet.

iturama

You are guessing, keep this way is good for you and is one way of me playing the game.

Do not forget this is a Platform for business where I can give lessons to TOM, DICK and HARRY and "iturama" included.

re -stay quiet
Now no one give orders to the Master, so try to keep it for your Kids if you have any.

There is a way of teasing as you say up to a point, then if it does not work one goes for the " yugular "

note - If you where in need on the street I would be the first one to save you, and it would not be the first time I have done it with success many times

TAKING the P!SS

The latest "Remainers" speaking loudly during the last few days, still don't get it
But who can trust those "vile " pesonalities " >>>

Tony Blair
The manner of Blair's decisionin in Iraq was hotly disputed,
including question marks over whether he had misled the country
to build his case for committing British troops.
The spectacular failure to bring peace to Iraq led to many years of recrimination.

John Major
Has mellowed since the days of Chancellor and later PM,
but the only good thing he done was to take Mrs "EGG" to bed
( but not on the wife's eyes )

George Osborne
Managed to bring down the deficit created by the previous Labour Party,
but is remembered by Robbing the poor to give to the rich
and that is why he lost his job as Chancellor

Well it looks like the ping ponging is about to begin , as i said before more concern for others than the core British hardworking tax paying person . How many pings are they going to pong now then , silly old farts .

Musings from the Tower of Babel




Revealed: Jean-Claude Juncker's five 'pathways to unity' blueprint for the future of Europe after Brexit

By Peter Foster, Europe Editor
1 March 2017 • 3:10pm




Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, has drawn up a White Paper setting out five options for the future of Europe after Britain quits the EU in 2019.

The plan sets out five “pathways to unity” for the 27 member states who will remain in Europe after Britain leaves in 2019.



More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/01/revealed-jean-claude-junckers-five-scenarios-future-europe/

Fury over European Parliament threat: 'No free trade on seafood without access to British waters'


By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor
1 March 2017 • 7:19pm



A powerful group of MEPs has prompted fury after insisting that the Brexit deal must force the UK to surrender access to its fishing waters in return for a free trade deal on seafood.

The European Parliament’s fisheries committee said it would be “unacceptable” to give the UK’s seafood producers free access to EU markets if trawlers from the Continent “no longer had access” to British fishing grounds.

It recommended that the parliament agree that the two issues should be treated as a “single block” in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, stating that one is “inseparable” from the other.

But Ian Duncan, a Scottish Conservative MEP, said this was “peculiar, unprecedented and counter-productive” as no other trade deal brokered by the EU has included access to fishing grounds as a requirement.

He wrote to Alain Cadec, the French MEP who chairs the committee, warning that the recommendation endangers the chances of the two sides striking a deal and pointing out this was not the basis of deals reached with Norway and Iceland.

Scotland’s fishermen reacted with fury, warning the MEPs that they would be told to “sling their hook” and arguing that the British seafood industry would instead sell its produce to China, India or Canada.


More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/01/fury-european-parliament-threat-no-free-trade-seafood-without/

What? >>>> closing loopholes that allow migrants to abuse the system

It took years to realise of something that almost everyone knows ( or a least should know )..............

EU Calls On Member States To Step Up Migrant Returns - Thu, 2nd Mar 2017 11:24

BRUSSELS (Alliance News) - EU member states should intensify efforts, close up loopholes and increase cooperation to more effectively return migrants who do not qualify for staying in the bloc, the European Commission said Thursday.

The set of recommendations presented by Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU commissioner for migration, comes after EU leaders called for a review of the EU's return policy during a summit in February.

The recommendations include better coordination among services and authorities involved in the return process, faster and more effective handling of return decisions and asylum requests and closing loopholes that allow migrants to abuse the system.

"Our aim is to call on member states to take coordinated actions to implement a fair but efficient return system," Avramopoulos said.

He urged EU countries to "use the possibility" of placing migrants in detention for the time period needed to arrange the return procedure if there is a risk of absconding.

He noted that EU guidelines allow detention for a maximum of six months, however, many member states have shorter national limits on detention, which means that migrants are released before the readmission process to their country of origin is complete.

Avramopoulos urged countries to "fully use" the flexibility granted under EU law, noting that all guidelines were in line with the EU's human rights policy.

"It should never be considered something like a concentration camp: it is far away from our principles, from our values, from our policies, from our law and from our will," he said.

Me think's there are some elections looming.

And what about the House of Lords (What people thinks of them >>>> the old farts ) decision ..................

UK still on track to trigger Article 50 this month - Brexit minister

COPENHAGEN, March 2 (Reuters) - Britain remains on track to trigger the legal process for leaving the European Union by the end of March despite a setback in the House of Lords, Brexit minister David Davis said on Thursday.

"The process is on track. The most important thing is that we'll conclude in time to present the Article 50 letter and we'll do so both in the interests of ourselves and the European Union," Davis told reporters during a trip to Copenhagen.

Britain's upper parliamentary house dealt a defeat to Theresa May's government on Wednesday, voting for a change to her Brexit plan that says she can only trigger divorce talks if she promises to protect EU citizens' rights.

Re: The House of Lords recent utterly daft 'amendment vote' on Brexit:

I like how the Express 'Comment' on this topic in today's paper:

The Prime Minister has tried desperately to sort out a reciprocal agreement protecting both EU citizens living in Britain and British citizens living in the EU.

Her counterparts on the continent have refused to discuss it until negotiations begin.

A deal on residency will almost certainly be done quickly and easily once discussions are underway.

But if peers get their way and Mrs May enters talks having already committed to protecting the status of EU citizens, it would drastically weaken her hand.

She could end up forced into all sorts of concessions just to get the same deal for expatriate Britons.

This is not in the national interest.

Guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens living in Britain is the right thing to do but we have to approach it in the correct way.

That means trusting the Prime Minister to make this a priority when talks begin, not amending Brexit legislation and forcing her into an impossible negotiating position.

Would you trust T May, or this government to do anything correctly unless forced into doing it?

6 years of austerity, looking forward to another 5years of austerity for the majority as a banana republic.

It looks like someone skidded with a banana skin and now talk like ONE on the post above

Everything is gloomy if is not Labour made
and
Freda talk like a government opposition party

Gina Miller Considering New Brexit Lawsuit Over Parliament Vote

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-02/gina-miller-considering-new-brexit-lawsuit-over-parliament-vote-izsf59a3?utm_content=brexit&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&cmpid%3D=socialflow-facebook-brexit

Gina Miller . I saw her live on TV say that she was finished with politics and had no intention of continuing with any more discussion on the EU . Is she being used i wonder .

She needs to get a life.

Fascinating.

The Tory Matron devolves England from the EU but refuses the same "rights" to Scotland.

One rule some and another to others.

"By Russell Cheyne | GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
British Prime Minister Theresa May took aim at Scotland's ruling party on Friday, accusing nationalists of sacrificing not only the United Kingdom but also Scotland with its "obsession" with securing independence.

In a damning critique of the Scottish National Party (SNP), May told Conservatives in Scotland she would lead the whole of the United Kingdom out of the European Union."

It's hardly the same is it . Any opportunity with you though Freda .

Fred barking up the wrong tree again...

The UK aren't devolving from the EU, they are LEAVING(disentangling) ourselves
from that organisation, the fact that it was a 'UK' wide vote, for which the Scots
were part of, and are bound by the 'UK' result.

The "Mary's" are UP on arms after the decision to ban gatherings in Calais Port ............

Charities slam Calais ban that could halt food aid for migrants

PARIS, March 3 (Reuters) - Charities expressed outrage on Friday as the mayor of French port Calais, which has symbolised Europe's refugee crisis, signed a ban on gatherings that could stop aid groups distributing meals to migrants and refugees.

A decree published on Thursday said the Calais authority believed that handing out meals at the site of the former "jungle" migrant camp was one reason for a rise in ethnic tensions and conflict between rival groups of migrants.

The decree, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, said food distribution by charities had led to large numbers of people gathering at the site of the now-closed camp, with fights breaking out and risks posed to the safety of local residents.

It did not expressly ban food distribution, but said it was "necessary to ban all gatherings" at the site and banned people from entering it. The decree said gatherings tended to take place "after the distribution of meals to migrants".

Migrants have been streaming into Calais for much of the last decade, hoping to cross the short stretch of sea to Britain by leaping onto trucks and trains, or even walking through the railway tunnel under the English Channel.

Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart, a member of conservative party The Republicans who signed the decree, defended her decision on the grounds of public safety and the damage to the local Calais economy caused by the refugee problem.

In a statement, Bouchart said it was also up to the national government to deal with the problem, and that she had always sought to act with "humanity" towards the refugees.

But human rights groups criticised the move, with some saying they would still hand out food to migrants and refugees.

"You're talking about young people and children. You just can't deprive them of food," said Gael Manzi, who works for local aid association Utopia 56.

Manzi said Utopia 56 would continue to distribute food, but at a new site elsewhere in Calais.

Last month, non-government associations said hundreds of migrant children had been returning to Calais, despite the dismantling of the "jungle" camp late last year.

The influx of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa is a key issue in France's upcoming presidential election, with many voters concerned about competition for scarce jobs, security, and the risk of further terror attacks.

Police forces are still deployed permanently in the area where the "jungle" camp stood.