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....

below (from today's FT), according to fred, is one of the excellent reasons why UK should stay in EU where we have never ever had any control over the uncontrolled budget or the unaccountable profligacy of the MEP's and their hangers-on.....

Brussels prepares for battle over EU budget contributions
Brussels is preparing to call for a big increase in EU budget contributions during the 2020s in an effort to sustain the union’s post-Brexit spending power and cope with extra policy goals.

Manuel,

I suppose some in the UK are always looking for something for nothing.

But, if Brexit occurs, I wonder who will be waiting at the table looking for scraps.

not the fat plutocrats in brussels that's for sure

it's not a case of wanting something for nothing but rather a case of being totally fed up with brussels becoming ever greedier with no accountability ..... at least uk won't be called upon to pour money into that particular gaping maw

Scraps from the EU come with a 30% tariff Fred , be able to get them much cheaper elsewhere after we leave.

Once again, Jacob Rees-Mogg tells it very clearly, very concisely and very simply....

Come on, Theresa! I know he's a 'Leadership Threat' to you, but get this man into your cabinet and into the Brexit Negotiating Team!

‘There’s your answer‘ Rees-Mogg presents BRILLIANT system to finish Brexit impasse
Kaplan Contributor
January 1, 2018

The prominent Brexiteer put the ball in Ireland and the EU’s court to be the ones to erect a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic if they pleased.

European Union bosses have been adamant that Britain will not be allowed to start trade talks until Brussels’ three key issues are met – the so-called divorce bill, EU citizens’ rights and the Irish border.

Simon Coveney, the Republic’s newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, warned , despite seemingly settling two of the three issues, Theresa May still has one major hurdle to jump.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Coveney reminded phase two Brexit talks can not begin without credible unstinting of the implications for the Irish border.

Brexit news: Jacob Rees-Mogg says it is up to the EU to impose a hard border on Ireland

JR-M says, It is up to the European Union and the Republic of Ireland if they want to impose their own hard border.

Responding to the Irish politician’s comments, Mr Rees-Mogg told : “The solution was actually set out to the committee by the head of HMRC, on Wednesday, when he said that there was absolutely no need for hard border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. HMRC could implement Government policy and there are declarations that people could make on customs, the same way they do with VAT, and he had no problem with implementing Government policy."

“Therefore, it is up to the European Union and the Republic of Ireland if they wanted to impose their own hard border, but the UK wasn’t going to, didn’t need to, and there is your solution.”

Mr Rees-Mogg added: “This is a very straightforward issue and particularly if the UK maintains zero tariffs on the rest of the EU, which I expect it will want to do, then there is very little in the way of customs declarations."

“Some things are already done on an all-Ireland basis, animal standards are done on an all-Ireland basis, so that is all covered.”

Mr Coveney says “there is still work to do and we want to be positive in terms of how we approach that, but we will also be insistent on there being no fudge” to resolve the border issue.

The Irish Deputy Prime Minister added they must “get something that is real and credible that allows us to reassure the Irish people over the concerns around the border issue and the protection of the Good Friday Agreement”.

The Irish border issue could also rock Theresa May’s Westminster Government, with the DUP threatening to pull out of the deal keeping the Conservatives in power.

Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s Brexit spokesman, said any attempt to “placate Dublin and the EU” could result in the withdrawal of DUP support at Westminster.

New Year Hopes.



Get the brooms out!

450 days to go Fred.

Can't wait !

You should be able to sober up before then.

Fred i have stated here before i don't really drink ,have you gone senile ? or just spent the whole of Xmas and New Year looking for silly pictures to post ?

Could be less than 450 days, Dil

And speaking of 'time limits'....

Tomorrow is '12th Night'. Don't forget to take down your Christmas decorations or you might get cursed to hell (or maybe, back into the EU).

It's in the guardian, so it must be true..



https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/07/brexit-why-buyers-remorse-hasnt-hit-the-uk-economy

UK manufacturing output pushes GDP up 0.6%, says thinktank


Manufacturers benefit from weaker pound and stronger global economy, according to analysis from the National Institute for Economic and Social Research



Richard Partington and Larry Elliott

Wed 10 Jan ‘18 11.03 GMT


The longest spell of rising output from Britain’s factories in 23 years has left the economy on course to record its fastest rate of growth since late 2016, one of the country’s leading thinktanks has forecast.

The National Institute for Economic and Social Research said it was pencilling in expansion in gross domestic product of 0.6% in the final quarter of 2017 – up from 0.4% in the previous three months and above the latest City estimates.

Amit Kara, the institute’s head of UK macroeconomic forecasting, said activity had picked up in the second half of 2017 following a weak start to the year in which GDP increased by just 0.3% in both of the first two quarters.

“The recovery has been driven by both the manufacturing and the service sectors, supported by the weaker pound and a buoyant global economy, while construction output continues to lag,” Kara said.


He added: “In November we had forecast final quarter GDP growth at 0.5% and as such today’s revised estimate suggests that activity has strengthened by more than we had previously anticipated.”




More: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/10/uk-manufacturing-output-rises-eighth-month-in-row

I blame Brexit and for recent record levels on the FTSE100.

Three cheers for the happy leavers , remoaners numbers dwindling by the day along with their credibility.

Cue Fred just to prove my point :-)

Dil,

Dream on!

There we go , happy as bloody Larry ... as always :-)

Another awe-inspiring speech of platitudes by Theresa Speech to-day, while petulant David Davis is scolded by Brussels and "hoisted with his own and Brexiters' petard".

What a party.

Dil, you should become a paid-up member of it.

I was once. There was only one club on Barry Island and it was a Conservative Club. You had to swear your allegiance to the party when you became a member. Overwhelming majority of the club were Labour voters including me.