Brexit, for once some facts.

[flecc]

Works for me (just checked again) - but on my PC the PDF downloads and does not open in browser. Could that be happening for you?

I agree it is (still) speculation.

Which actual countries would be good prospects?

Yes it was downloading automatically, most odd, no PDF has ever done that before and I think it a bit naughty from a security point of view. I like to control such permissions.

Oddly enough some of the Middle Eastern countries are keen to get into nuclear energy, not for any hidden militaristic reasons but just from a wish to go green with that and solar. They can see the writing on the wall for large reductions in oil usage and want to join the modern world while they can still afford to.
.

 

[Danidl]

The Irish pipes or uileann pipes, Uilleann meaning elbow ,are a lot sweeter and smaller , and can be played for hours on end . They would have been used in house parties as a source for dances and slow airs. They are capable of incredible expression in the hands of a master. The Scottish pipes are more warlike.

 

[oldgroaner]

I see Boris has been making noises that there will be little or no restriction on the free movement of "Professional and Technical " qualified people.
Meaning that Brexit effectively means less training and jobs for our own bright young people, and another class of exempt immigrants.
Pretty soon we will be back to free movement for foreigners into this country, and have sacrificed our free movement into the EU for their benefit.
You really couldn't make this sort of Brexit insanity up.

 

[oldgroaner]

And of course on there is this to consider
https://www.scribd.com/document/439174830/Antisemitism-the-Conservative-Party

The only problem with this document is the assumption that being opposed to what Israel does is antisemitic and they should never by criticised.

Isn't it odd that this was never mentioned when the Labour Party was being attacked for the same reasons?

 

[oldgroaner]

In the Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/27/brexit-eu-sombre-as-uk-prepares-to-end-47-years-of-membership?CMP=share_btn_tw

 

[oldgroaner]

There's money to be made by parasites
In the Daily Mirror
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/richard-bransons-virgin-healthcare-paid-21366075
Richard Branson's Virgin Healthcare has paid no tax on £2billion NHS deals
EXCLUSIVE: Virgin Healthcare has been exposed as a parasite on the NHS as a campaigner slams the firm as it's revealed it paid no corporation tax

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin healthcare group has not paid a penny in corporation tax while being handed £2billion worth of NHS and local authority deals.

Health campaigner Dr John Lister branded the billionaire’s firm “parasitic” over its involvement in UK health.


Virgin did not pay any corporation tax on its healthcare arm because it has consistently racked up losses since being created in 2010.

Dr Lister, secretary and health policy academic at the group Keep Our NHS Public, said: “Virgin continues to play a parasitic role in the NHS, fragmenting services and poaching NHS-trained staff and undermining nearby NHS trusts.

“This is made worse by the fact that the company pays no corporation tax and therefore only takes resources from the public sector while contributing nothing of value.

“The fact the firm is not making a profit suggests its continued involvement with the NHS is either based on ideological opposition to public services or a series of loss leader contracts hoping to force the prices up and cash in later.”

Consistent losses that result in a profit and to pay no tax.

 

[Wicky]

It'll be a process of gentrification of immigration, that govt know will earn enough that they can them tax with impunity with extra charges - there's already an extra immigration health surcharge, walking on cracks pavement tax etc.

Immigration health surcharge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Aneurin Bevan dealt with the political issue in his essay In Place of Fear (1952)

One of the consequences of the universality of the British Health Service is the free treatment of foreign visitors. This has given rise to a great deal of criticism, most of it ill-informed and some of it deliberately mischievous. Why should people come to Britain and enjoy the benefits of the free Health Service when they do not subscribe to the national revenues? So the argument goes. The fact is, of course, that visitors to Britain subscribe to the national revenues as soon as they start consuming certain commodities, drink and tobacco for example, and entertainment. They make no direct contribution to the cost of the Health Service any more than does a British citizen.

He pointed out that the cost of treating visitors was negligible, but the costs of administering checks would be great:

For if the sheep are to be separated from the goats both must be classified. What began as an attempt to keep the Health Service for ourselves would end by being a nuisance to everybody.

The whole agitation has a nasty taste. Instead of rejoicing at the opportunity to practice a civilized principle, Conservatives have tried to exploit the most disreputable emotions in this among many other attempts to discredit socialized medicine.

A pilot scheme to check whether patients were entitled to free NHS care in 18 NHS trusts, 11 in London, for two months in 2017 asked 8,894 people for two forms of ID prior to non-emergency care. Only 50 were not eligible for free NHS treatment.

And with the Kafkaesque NHS Business Services Authority involved god help everyone.

...new figures from the National Audit Office show 1.7 million fines for false claims were overturned in the past five years. The majority were cancelled after it was shown that these patients were in fact eligible to claim.

 

[oldgroaner]

Well now!
Scotland is changing the rules!
https://www.eureporter.co/frontpage/2020/01/27/plan-for-scottishvisa/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Proposals for a new Scottish visa to address depopulation and cut skills gaps have been unveiled by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon


The proposals have been designed to work with devolution – but the principles and the practical measures proposed could be adapted should Scotland become independent in future.

Under the current constitutional arrangements, the Scottish government plan would see responsibility for immigration policy split with the UK government.

Migrants wanting to live in Scotland could choose to apply for a Scottish visa, or one of the existing immigration routes offered by the UK government.

Residence in Scotland and maintaining a Scottish tax code would be a requirement for such a visa.

These proposals are important and urgent. In contrast to the rest of the UK, all of Scotland’s population growth for the next 25 years is projected to come from migration, and yet new UK government immigration controls and the end of free movement after Brexit are expected to exacerbate the risk of skills gaps and labour shortages in Scotland.

I wonder just how long the Kingdom will remain united?

 

[oyster]

And of course on there is this to consider
https://www.scribd.com/document/439174830/Antisemitism-the-Conservative-Party

The only problem with this document is the assumption that being opposed to what Israel does is antisemitic and they should never by criticised.

Isn't it odd that this was never mentioned when the Labour Party was being attacked for the same reasons?

Isn't that why they won't give Bercow a seat in the Lords? (Ho Ho.)

 

[oyster]

In the Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/27/brexit-eu-sombre-as-uk-prepares-to-end-47-years-of-membership?CMP=share_btn_tw

Song of the Week

[ALL CHILDREN]
There's a sad sort of clanking
From the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple, too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say "cuckoo"
(Cuckoo! Cuckoo!)

Regretfully they tell us (cuckoo!)
But firmly they compel us (cuckoo!)
To say goodbye (cuckoo!)
To you...

So long, farewell
Auf wiedersehen, goodnight

[MARTA]
I hate to go
And leave this pretty sight

[REMAINING CHILDREN]
So long, farewell
Auf wiedersehen, adeiu

[FRIEDRICH]
Adieu, adieu
To yieu and yieu and yieu

[REMAINING CHILDREN]
So long, farewell
Au revoir, auf wiedersehen

[LEISL]
I'd like to stay
And taste my first champagne

[REMAINING CHILDREN]
So long, farewell
Auf wiedersehen, goodbye

[KURT]
I leave, and heave
A sigh and say goodbye
Goodbye...

[BRIGITTA]
I'm glad to go
I cannot tell a lie

[LOUISA]
I flit, I float
I fleetly flee, I fly

[GRETL]
The sun has gone
To bed and so must I

[ALL CHILDREN]
So long, farewell
Auf wiedersehen, goodbye

Goodbye...
Goodbye...
Goodbye...

[GUESTS]
Goodbye

 

[oyster]

Well now!
Scotland is changing the rules!
https://www.eureporter.co/frontpage/2020/01/27/plan-for-scottishvisa/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Proposals for a new Scottish visa to address depopulation and cut skills gaps have been unveiled by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon


The proposals have been designed to work with devolution – but the principles and the practical measures proposed could be adapted should Scotland become independent in future.

Under the current constitutional arrangements, the Scottish government plan would see responsibility for immigration policy split with the UK government.

Migrants wanting to live in Scotland could choose to apply for a Scottish visa, or one of the existing immigration routes offered by the UK government.

Residence in Scotland and maintaining a Scottish tax code would be a requirement for such a visa.

These proposals are important and urgent. In contrast to the rest of the UK, all of Scotland’s population growth for the next 25 years is projected to come from migration, and yet new UK government immigration controls and the end of free movement after Brexit are expected to exacerbate the risk of skills gaps and labour shortages in Scotland.

I wonder just how long the Kingdom will remain united?

Long enough for Sturgeon to demand their own Master caird, as well, I'd guess. But not that much longer.

 

[oyster]

I wonder just how long the Kingdom will remain united?

The consequences of disuniting could be interesting. Both Scotland and Wales appear to have more electricity generation than they need for themselves. The corollary would appear to be that England has not got enough.

 

[oyster]

So the need for forms, and whether they can put put in the waste paper basket, continues to be an issue:

Barnier refutes Johnson's claims over Irish Sea trade checks
EU’s chief negotiator says UK agreed to checks as part of withdrawal agreement

 

[oyster]

I am confused. (Which is usually quite easy to achieve.)

Take this possible scenario: I hop on a ferry from Pembroke Dock to Ireland and do some shopping in Dublin. I then decide to sample the delights of Belfast and do some more shopping. Then, hop on a ferry back direct from Belfast to Birkenhead.

Exactly what rules apply re tax and duties on the items I have bought. How do HMRC get to know about these goods? Do I have to fill in any forms? Or tell a customs officer what I am bringing in?

Bringing goods into the UK after 31 December 2020

Some rules will temporarily change when you bring goods for your own use from the EU to the UK.
This guidance does not apply to bringing goods from Ireland to Northern Ireland.
You can:

• continue to pay tax and duties where you bought them, and bring back an unlimited amount of most goods (including alcohol and tobacco)
• use your duty-free allowance to bring in a certain amount of goods without paying duty or tax - these are the same as allowances for goods brought in from non-EU countries
• claim a refund of the VAT you paid where you bought the goods

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/bringing-goods-uk-after-31-december-2020

 

[Barry Shittpeas]

The consequences of disuniting could be interesting. Both Scotland and Wales appear to have more electricity generation than they need for themselves. The corollary would appear to be that England has not got enough.

Perhaps Scotland and Wales could take some people, a cross section to reflect the makeup of the population? Then England wouldn’t need as much electricity and the extra people could use some of the surplus in Wales and Scotland.

Additionally, The Barnett formula payments could be halted and then Wales & Scotland could sell their electricity instead of receiving the Barnett charitable donation? Problem solved.

 

[oldgroaner]

Perhaps Scotland and Wales could take some people, a cross section to reflect the makeup of the population? Then England wouldn’t need as much electricity and the extra people could use some of the surplus in Wales and Scotland.
Additionally, The Barnett formula payments could be halted and then Wales & Scotland could sell their electricity instead of receiving the Barnett charitable donation? Problem solved.

Where does this notion of a charitable donation come from?
More little Englander thinking? This is supposed to be a union of nations, not England deigning to be charitable to a subject nation.
If England loses Scotland and possibly Wales it’s done for, it’s simply can’t afford it, There is nobody carrying England now.
It will be reduced to the status of an American airbase,A dumping ground for chlorinated chickens
A worthy fate for the one time worlds largest empire

"England the was wont to exploit others
Hath made a Chlorinated Chicken dump of itself"

 

[Barry Shittpeas]

Where does this notion of a charitable donation come from?
More little Englander thinking? This is supposed to be a union of nations, not England deigning to be charitable to a subject nation.
If England loses Scotland and possibly Wales it’s done for, it’s simply can’t afford it, There is nobody carrying England now.
It will be reduced to the status of an American airbase,A dumping ground for chlorinated chickens

I agree, it is supposed to be a union of nations and that is how I would like it to stay. It was someone else who made a divisive comment about how Scotland and Wales had too much electricity and England not enough. I was just trying to be helpful by proposing a solution to their problem.

 

[oldgroaner]

I agree, it is supposed to be a union of nations and that is how I would like it to stay. It was someone else who made a divisive comment about how Scotland and Wales had too much electricity and England not enough. I was just trying to be helpful by proposing a solution to their problem.

I believe you, thousands wouldn't
I used to agree in principle, but now I have started to doubt that conviction, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, which is tragic.
its not so much me lacking faith
As lacking trust

 

[oldgroaner]

In the Times

EU demands its judges keep control after Brexit
Luxembourg court would rule on UK trade rights

updated
Brussels is demanding that European Union judges have the power to rule on any post-Brexit agreement with the United Kingdom. An internal Brussels diplomatic document, seen by The Times, reveals that the EU will insist that the European Court of Justice be able to enforce the terms of a...


Oh Dear!

This too
"
the row has heated up with US ambassador Woody Johnson writing to The Sunday Times insisting that the modified meat and poultry should be accepted by Britain.

"These products should absolutely be included in a US-UK free trade agreement that will create new markets for farmers from both countries and offer more choices to British and American consumers." he said, calling on the UK food standards agency to "recommend" the products.

This "Taking back control 'aint all it's cracked up to be is it?

 

[Woosh]

This "Taking back control 'aint all it's cracked up to be is it?

maybe not in 2021 but we are not there yet.