LOL
You're never going to be able to admit you were wrong will you? Even now? Even in the future?
Interesting that you consider GDP growth to be "dick size".
Considering the entire reason we were supposed to not leave according to those who opposed Brexit was supposedly it would hit our GDP, instantly according to the then government but then you guys kept postponing it because "you haven'ttriggered Article 50/left the EU/ left the Single Market yet" now we've reached the end of the road rather than admit you're wrong its a case that GDP is "big dick measuring".
OK guys.
I have never been behind the silliness that Brexit would hit instantly.
This was always going to be a decades-long decline, led by the shrinking of the City.
As we have already noted in this thread, the City is already shrinking. Trade decline is now also starting to impact the economy. UK firms now hastily setting up logistics and distribution hubs on the continent to handle their exports, hiring locals not Brits.
I also have hope that things will adjust as the next couple of decades come and go. Things do adjust and amend.
The shrinking of the City may not be quite as significant as some predict. New trade terms with the EU may overcome the current expenses that were not there pre-Brexit. The UK may be in a position to negotiate preferable deals with other countries/blocs that it would not under the EU, though being a far smaller trading power it will always start in a weaker negotiating position.
To my mind, why put the UK in this weaker economic position in the first place. But as I'm continually reminded, Brexit wasn't about the economy. In that, abstract sovereignty concepts are meaningless to me compared to the British people having jobs to go to to put food the table, but there you go. *shrug*
Is the City shrinking? Overall as opposed to cherrypicking segments moving to PO Box European locations?
Last figures I saw showed City employment was up compared to where it was in 2016, not down. Do you have newer figures? Net how many City jobs have been lost since 2016?
Smaller does not mean weaker, I can't believe people are still making that claim now five years later, especially after the last couple of months. Small is a strength not a weakness, it allows you to be nimble, agile and adapt. Being oversized without integration just leaves you a sclerotic, slow moving laggard. The UK has the best of both worlds, we're a large G7 economy, one of the largest markets in the world, plus we're small enough that one government (indeed one party) negotiates our deals.
I expect the UK to grow faster than Europe this decade, just as we did last decade despite the Brexit referendum halfway through it. If the UK is growing this decade then we're still able to have jobs to put food on the table aren't we?
The UK will be stronger negotiating our own trade deals than the EU are, just as the UK was stronger negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for vaccine procurement than the EU were. Supposedly the EU being bigger meant they were supposed to get the vaccines first people were claiming this time last year, how's that worked out? The UK on its own can get first mover advantages time and time again.
You really take your cues from whatever De Pfeffel says don't you? I'd almost think you get paid for regurgitating Downing Street propaganda.
Congratulations America
You are wrong on both counts.
Congratulations America
EU are burning bridges with the rest of the world if you think that anyone is going to care a damn about postponing paperwork checks in Northern Ireland when this insanity is happening. Worth remembering that Pfizer is an American company, so if the EU blocks exports they're contractually obliged to send out then it will be interesting what Joe will think about that.
Twitter Link
Puts everything into context.
I'm curious about what will happen at the end of this month. Strictly speaking there no longer is an agreement on the temporary application of the TCA by the 1st of April. My guess is that the EU is going to keep the UK hanging for a bit; not formally ratifying, and unilaterally not ending application immediately.
Congratulations America
The UK's moved on already, we're not hanging around waiting. Sort yourselves out, your Parliament isn't our issue.
I haven't seen the EU Parliament ratification process mentioned even once in the UK media. Its not even a process issue here, the deal's been agreed and implemented already, your Parliament is a you problem.
So on Saint Patrick's Day Biden has made it abundantly clear he won't be getting involved in the NI Protocol. Funny that!
Turns out the US President has better things to worry about and keep the Special Relationship going with than whether supermarkets are filling in forms for sausage rolls.
"Not getting involved" only means that he will not step in now. If you guys choose to blow up the GFA then he will get involved - you do realize that the US government consists of more people than just Biden, right? Some of whom have strong opinions about the UK trying to pull shit? You think Biden will just ignore his own people?
When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?
Putting up a border in Ireland blows up the GFA.
Putting up a border in the Irish Sea blows up the GFA.
The UK has no intention to do either, so no problem with America. America has no reason to care about what happens in the Irish Sea, that's Europe's problem not the GFA's.
Actually the joint statement calls for something entirely different. It's a thinly veiled accusation that the UK is not acting in good faith.
Congratulations America
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
.
Meanwhile, London is now a mere 1 point ahead of Shanghai in the latest GFCI.
Faith is Hope (see Loki's sig for details)
If hindsight is 20-20, why is it so often ignored?
And both of these would be YOUR fault. It's not us who decided to put up borders to begin with. And before you begin to lie through your teeth yet again: Brexit means putting up fucking borders. That was your whole reason for pulling this shit in the first place - your atrocious xenophobism and your superiority complex.
When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?
As discussed in the Covid thread the EU seems to be on the brink of tearing up the rule of law and voiding contracts. They've already done so targetting Australia, but now seem again to be trying to target the UK because they're so humiliated by our tremendous national success and their own dismal failure.
Steely, Tim, Gogo - if the EU do decide to rip up the rule of law and void legally signed contracts by blocking vaccines from the EU to the UK then how should Britain retaliate in your eyes?
I think invoking Article 16 of the NI Protocol and saying NI will be 100% within the UK's own market and customs union would be a good starting point retaliation, but do you have better ideas?
"because they're so humiliated by our tremendous national success and their own dismal failure."
Christ on a bike.
I could have had class. I could have been a contender.
I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum
Which is what I am
I aim at the stars
But sometimes I hit London
How would you phrase it Ziggy?
That is entirely why they're acting like headless chickens in such a hysterical manner. Because they're humiliated.
Having Israel rollout faster isn't a problem, nor the USA. But to have Britain doing so and showing up how European nations can succeed better on their own than within the EU? It strikes to the very core of their psyche.
I could have had class. I could have been a contender.
I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum
Which is what I am
I aim at the stars
But sometimes I hit London