Brexit Watch

[Mark]

So we should be preparing for war with France & Belgium ?
Think we've been down that road a couple of times before....., and it didn't do anybody much good.....

[Stumuz2]

We should definitely be preparing for when the French threaten to cut off the power. Core of good sense. Especially when you have a president whose popularity goes up when he turns on the anti UK rhetoric.

[Mark]

More generic sabre rattling - reminds me of an old soldier propping up the bar... or those old Kenny Everett 'bomb the b@stards' sketches....

Exactly what preparations should we be making......?
For example, should we be building our own interconnector to Jersey ?
Or should we be planning for their President to have a little crash in a Paris subway ?
Or should we be boycotting French cheese and wine ?

[Stumuz2]

More generic sabre rattling - reminds me of an old soldier propping up the bar... or those old Kenny Everett 'bomb the b@stards' sketches....

Classic

Exactly what preparations should we be making......?

Well, on a personal level i live on a smallholding that can go 'off grid' at the flick of an isolation switch. On a national level, we should not be blowing up any more working coal and gas plants until things settle down a bit globally

For example, should we be building our own interconnector to Jersey ?

If private money wants to build a connector that's fine, it's their money, but not a penny of public money should go in to it.

Or should we be planning for their President to have a little crash in a Paris subway ?

You are a very silly person.

Or should we be boycotting French cheese and wine ?

I have boycotted French cheese for over a decade on environmental grounds, just not as good as mature unpasteurised blue stilton. UK local cheeses cannot be beat. Unless you are an English lefty socialist, then French cheese is far superior.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/738334 ... ropeanized

I do have six bottles of 2013 claret in my cellar.

[BritDownUnder]

I say no more interconnectors with France. Enough already. Jersey will have to find their own power generation and/or battery and pay for it if they want their lights on and fishing boats working.

I don't think the interconnector with Norway will reduce UK power bills but will be another source of electricity that is not gas. What will probably happen is that for short periods the UK's fickle excess wind generation will be sold cheaply to Norway and for most of the time the UK will pay more to import Norway's reliable hydro electricity. I have heard it described as using Norway as a battery. The link to Denmark will probably be a far more equitable affair as they have excess wind generation which they can sell to the UK when it is not windy and vice versa. Similar to the situation with Ireland's interconnector now.

From what I recall Norway is not an EU member but whether the UK's energy trading with them is covered by EU law is another matter. Don't forget that Iceland is also another possibility to interconnect to and they are also not an EU member.

Why drink French wine when you can drink Australian and NZ wine?

[Stumuz2]

Why drink French wine when you can drink Australian and NZ wine?

Absolutely! I have about 200 bottles in my cellar. Not only do they taste great, they are holding their values well.

Since QE the wine market, like any physical market, has risen hugely. When I buy wine, i buy two cases drink one and hold the second, if it's maturing, i sell a few years later. Drinking for free!

[Catweazle]

Why drink French wine when you can drink Australian and NZ wine?

Absolutely! I have about 200 bottles in my cellar. Not only do they taste great, they are holding their values well.

Since QE the wine market, like any physical market, has risen hugely. When I buy wine, i buy two cases drink one and hold the second, if it's maturing, i sell a few years later. Drinking for free!

Altenatively, find a good bottle and stock up, enjoy for years. I found a good Penfolds Bin 28 a few years back, bought a load, enjoyed it for ages, even when it had risen in price past where I would normally have bought it. It surprises me how good a cheap wine can be sometimes, like it slips through the net, recent example Barefoot Malbec - was £5.00, still near that, delicious.

[kenneal - lagger]

We should consider building another interconnector to France if we ever have enough wind power to export to them through it and all the others. I wouldn't trust the French over much at all; they're still trying to avenge Napoleon's honour and the fact that we had to rescue them from the Germans last time round! I do know some very pleasant French people though.

[Stumuz2]

Interconnector has caught fire

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/20 ... e/#comment

[adam2]

Interconnector has caught fire

Yes but not certain that this is brexit related. Please continue talk of interconnectors in the electrical forum.
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=26255&start=225

[kenneal - lagger]

........ I wouldn't trust the French over much at all; ............

Probably sabotage in revenge for Brexit!!

[BritDownUnder]

........ I wouldn't trust the French over much at all; ............

Probably sabotage in revenge for Brexit!!

Not quite Brexit but Australia has just cancelled a plan for buying French diesel submarines in favour of US/British nuclear submarines and a new security pact "AUKUS". Only slightly marred by Biden forgetting the Australian PM's name. I suspect the French threats against the UK power system may not have had much to do with it - more a case of Australia keeping up with the nuclear Jones in the neighbourhood - but you never know.

This French deal was widely criticised here for giving Australia obsolete and useless subs at high cost. I suspect that Australian ministers, including the now fired Malcolm Turnbull, were subject to some form of unlawful French persuasion to take this deal in the first place but I don't want to say more libellous things on this forum. What the cancellation fees are is anyone's guess?

Good to see Australia going nuclear though. It's getting dangerous around here and we are living in interesting times.

[Stumuz2]

It most is certainly related to BREXIT. Remember ten years ago it was all about greater integration with the EU defence force, When UK politicians were saying things like being part of a large trade bloc will give the UK added leverage on the world stage? yardy yardy yardy.

In this March year the UK defence policy 'pivoted' away from Europe to the Indo pacific. Primarily to boost trade through joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Transpacific Partnership as most of the new growth will be in this region.By 2030, the UK plans to “be the European partner with the broadest and most integrated presence in the Indo-Pacific.”

Germany is also trying to do the same but will not put its hand in its pocket for defence, so will suffer in a trade mutatis mutandis.

So, in the meantime China has been trying to apply pressure to Australia, banning its wine, tariffs on crops etc. It is clear that china is trying use Australia as an example of the bad things that can happen if you disrespect china.
Well, they are getting a fleet of nuclear powered, and they will be nuclear armed subs capable of taking out 50% of China's population at the push of a button. A major shot across the bows has been fired.

And a major French Submarine contract was cancelled. Would not have happened if we were in the EU.

[adam2]

More generic sabre rattling - reminds me of an old soldier propping up the bar... or those old Kenny Everett 'bomb the b@stards' sketches....

Exactly what preparations should we be making......?
For example, should we be building our own interconnector to Jersey ?
Or should we be planning for their President to have a little crash in a Paris subway ?
Or should we be boycotting French cheese and wine ?

A UK to Jersey interconnector would be a good idea, but in view of the affluence of Jersey should be paid for by them and not by us. There are also technical problems in such an interconnector.

I DO boycott French cheese and wine.

The other suggestion is presumably lighthearted, but if meant seriously, then I can not support murder of foreign politicians in peace time.

[clv101]

Population of Jersey is ~100k, without heavy industries or electric transport - not worth a cable IMO. Could be a nice renewable micro grid.