Brexit Watch

[Mark]

To get consensus on the way forward? Or should the UK lead to the detriment of its citizens?

If you think that the transition away from fossil fuels is to the detriment of UK citizens, then you're probably on the wrong Forum....
We should lead by example, and encourage the rest to follow at COP26 for the betterment of everybody.
Brexit is supposed to herald a bold 'Global Britain', no ?
I'm not seeing much of it so far.

[Stumuz2]

If you think that the transition away from fossil fuels is to the detriment of UK citizens, then you're probably on the wrong Forum....

I have transitioned away for fossil fuels!, not many of my neighbours are following suit.

We should lead by example, and encourage the rest to follow at COP26 for the betterment of everybody.

It will cost more, resources will need to subsidise new methods, those resources will not be put into NHS, education, defence. Again why should the UK taxpayer foot the bill? If, Germany, Ireland do not, Why should we?

Brexit is supposed to herald a bold 'Global Britain', no ?

Correct. NO.
Brexit was a rage against, rentier capitalism, globalisation, the diminution of living standards, and inequality of access to the benefits of a market economy.

[Mark]

Brexit was a rage against, rentier capitalism, globalisation, the diminution of living standards, and inequality of access to the benefits of a market economy.

So, Brexit was a glorified protest vote then ?
Like voting for Corbyn's Labour Party...., except Corbyn wasn't brave enough to get off the fence on Brexit....

[Stumuz2]

Spot on Mark. Brexit was an uber protest vote. The EU to the average UK voter was pretty irrelevant. When cameron gave the electorate a genuine chance to give the establishment ( media, corporatism, political correctness, rigged markets) a great big kick in the nuts, the electorate said, "open wide"

[Mark]

OK, so 52% of the population got the momentary pleasure of saying 'fcuk you' to the establishment - I get that
I guess 90% of us would like to do that nearly every day, but shirley Brexit had to be about more that that ?

Where are the benefits we were promised ?
Where was the promised extra £350 million a week for the NHS...?
I understand that COVID was exceptional, but we've still got higher taxes and longer waiting lists...

Has the immigration system improved ?
Has our trading position improved with the EU and the rest of the world ?
Has the Union with Scotland/Wales/NI been strengthened or weakened ?

[Stumuz2]

OK, so 52% of the population got the momentary pleasure of saying 'fcuk you' to the establishment - I get that
I guess 90% of us would like to do that nearly every day, but shirley Brexit had to be about more that that ?

No, i don't think it was more than that! At a very basic level a lot of peeps knew their life was a bit sh*t but did not know why. But a lot of other peeps(second holiday home abroad types, the BTLers, most allowed on TV academics, said DONT DO IT!!.

[Catweazle]

UK imports from Germany up 2.6%

UK exports to Germany down 11%

A triumph.

[kenneal - lagger]

The general idea is to put tariffs on non Paris compliant, or COP26 compliant, countries so that they don't have an advantage by not complying. It is probably against current WTO rules but those rules will have to be changed. Perhaps someone should take the WTO to the Court of Human rights or to the Hague on genocide grounds. XR are trying to do that with UK politicians at the moment.

[PS_RalphW]

Record house price rises, stamp duty holiday, very low interest rates snd rents outside of London rising rapidly does not suggest that BTL demographic have been given bloody nose. The rich have got richer and the poor have got ever poorer since Brexit. I have landed by chance on the undeserving wealthy side of the divide, which means I can now afford to take a minimum wage job doing something genuinely useful for the local community.

[Stumuz2]

UK imports from Germany up 2.6%

UK exports to Germany down 11%

A triumph.

Silly statistics in isolation. How much is due to shipping containers?, or lack of them, how much to covid? to furlough? to consumption substitution? to switching off cheap labour?

But to engage with your point,

Yes, those minimum wage, eastern european dependent, exploitative manufacturers, especially in the food processing industry have had a good kick in the nuts. Food exports to the EU, down dramatically.A good thing.
The fabled lorry driver, or other jobs where physical work is undertaken, are in nirvana at the moment.
Also, what your statistics don't show is the consumption substitution going on at the moment. When you use at home more of what you produce your exports go down. A good thing.
Your stats also do not cover the pivot from a lowest possible wage, neoliberal economy, to a higher wage, higher skilled economy.

It looks like BP have chosen Anglesey, probably Holyhead, for its service hub for the 8GW joint venture off the North Wales coast but has said there will be plenty more coastal jobs as the UK leads the world with 40 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

Yes, Cat, to the person who voted Brexit, the pivot from a low wage, to a higher wage, higher skill, is an unadulterated, full fat, unequivocal, TRIUMPH.

[Mark]

It looks like BP have chosen Anglesey, probably Holyhead, for its service hub for the 8GW joint venture off the North Wales coast but has said there will be plenty more coastal jobs as the UK leads the world with 40 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

This is the 2nd development in Anglesey that you've credited to Brexit.
Both seem to be good for the locality, but can't see for the life of me how either are the result of Brexit ?
UK Offshore wind has been on a massively upward trajectory for many years - well predating Brexit

Care to explain ?

[Stumuz2]

Simple.
The EU have on three occasions in the last 6 months threatened to cut off the UK from the interconnectors. This is what enemies do. It is a hostile act.

Over the last ten years Crown estates have refused permission for at least three proposals off the Anglesey coast. Then BOJO gave his 'Saudi Arabia of wind' speech.

BOOM, and one of the worlds largest companies is going to base a service hub (Aberdeen is a service hub) in a little forgotten backwater. Very handy all that wind for the Holyhead hydrogen hub.

Yes, i would say it was Brexit related.

[Potemkin Villager]

Wonderfully poetic take on the UK from scarletOwilde on reddit!

" Mad, out of control and inept government. Seem to be following herd immunity strategy on Covid and have “promised” business no more lock downs. NHS on its knees again, but worse because staff burning out and resignations. Massive medical staff shortages, only 2.8 Doctors per 1000 people and 0.4 GP’s per 1000 people. 40,000 nursing vacancies. Food shortages getting worse (Brexit), water companies told by Government to dump sewage into rivers as unable to process it (yes, really!). Mass delivery/freight issues due to HGV driver shortages. Wages are 25 years behind productivity. Labour shortages for min. wage jobs. Further education system corrupted by Universities recruiting unqualified overseas students for expensive courses they haven’t a hope in passing. (This will be a HUGH scandal soon). Teaching staff burning out. 74% people reporting high stress levels and inability to cope. I could go on and on…And income inequality rising, now at highest level in past 10 years. Opposition party is useless. Voters still give government positive ranking in polls.

We’re deep in the shit."

[Stumuz2]

Agree.
Life for scarletOwilde is awful. She's not long for this world, poor soul, with depression like that.

[Mark]

Stumuz, history tells us that referring to others as 'enemies' is a dangerous path to go down....

I agree with your point that we should rely less on interconnectors
However, as we've discussed before, there are plans for MANY MORE interconnectors over the next few years...
Brexit doesn't seem to have changed anything on that front, unless you can provide evidence ?

If I'm not mistaken, Crown Estates belongs to the Queen.
So any previous refused permissions off the Anglesey coast were down to HRH, rather than the EU ?

At least you made me laugh quoting BoJo.....
Didn't he say something like we've got huge gusts of wind going around the north - like it was some sort of revelation to him...
There's plenty of gusts of wind going around Downing Street too....