Really fucked off with Euro exchange rate

[GrumpyOldBag]

We have been going on holiday self-catering to the same place in Europe for over 10 years.

This year everything feels prohibitively expensive - to the point where it is really inhibiting what we can choose to do.

We are here for 2 weeks and it's really hard as family of 4 (with 2 teenagers) to spend less than £100/euros a day on activities/eating out.

Not in a beach resort type place, so taking a picnic to the beach for the day isn't an option - nearly everything there is to do here costs money. 3 euros for a coffee, 3 for an ice-cream - it all quickly adds up. Even the 'cheap' food in the supermarket is expensive. Practically at parity with £.

Bloody Brexit!

Don't forget about Blackpool!

Personally, I don't think it's anything to do with Brexit. The rates have been worse than this before.

When exactly?

And what would you blame it on if there was no Brexit?

DH and I are from NZ and we through it crazy Leadsom thought it viable to sell jams. NZ makes it night jam we are not interested in British marmalade. The rest of the world that aren't British descendants don't want to buy jam. It's delusional.

And what would you blame it on if there was no Brexit?

A fucked economy, same as Brexit,

But surely Jam can save us?? And maybe single malt whisky? And ooh I dunno, willow cricket bats?? Knotted hankies??
Cos lord knows those modular and highly transportable factories that make cars etc will be off to mainland EU as soon as. But it's OK because we can trade on what is truly British right ??

But surely Jam can save us?? And maybe single malt whisky? And ooh I dunno, willow cricket bats?? Knotted hankies??
Cos lord knows those modular and highly transportable factories that make cars etc will be off to mainland EU as soon as. But it's OK because we can trade on what is truly British right ??

Flip-flops...

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/liam-fox-trade-deficit-sunglasses-flip-flop-exports-imports-secretary-products-ice-cream-a7887801.html

It's a good thing we can trade with the USA...because Trump is up for a good deal. #AmericaFirst and all that.

I can see the positive effects but then again, I love Europe.

I love Europe as a place rather than a political system. I've travelled most of it, have family members from it, have spent some of the happiest times of my life in it. Some of my closest friend and family are from there.

But as a political system I hate Europe. They are seperate.

I hate the way Europe can apparently tell the UK that we must allow terrorist to stay here because of their 'rights' but they can't tell our government we have a right to affordable housing or a living wage.

I hate that we can't vote them out when we don't like it.

But I love Europe.

I hate that we can't vote them out when we don't like it

Last time I checked we had European elections...just like we have UK elections.

I hate the way Europe can apparently tell the UK that we must allow terrorist to stay here because of their 'rights' but they can't tell our government we have a right to affordable housing or a living wage

Maybe Europe as a whole should be able to do both....

I hate the way Europe can apparently tell the UK that we must allow terrorist to stay here because of their 'rights' but they can't tell our government we have a right to affordable housing or a living wage

That pesky European directive on worker's rights, eh?

I hate that we can't vote them out when we don't like it. By them I take it you mean us? We vote for our own MEPs. Of course if you vote in a Ukipper as your MEP then you get what you deserve!

I like Europe but hate what the EU has become. Glad we're getting out. If it ever actually happens.

Oh - and the European Parliament is perfectly capable of giving directives on minimum wages, housing etc.

And human rights has nothing to do with the European Union. But I am sure you know that....

ECJ? ECHR? Easy to get them mixed up ... is that you, Theresa?

Last time I checked we had European elections...just like we have UK elections.

Many powerful European Institutions are unelected. And it's also so big, unwieldy and has so many different parties and such an odd voting system that elections for it are often pretty meaningless and have little effect, it's generally a pretty unrepresentative system, particularly as each country has different parties so it's almost impossible for them to follow any manifesto voted for, but instead have to depend on horse trading and voting blocs.

Maybe Europe as a whole should be able to do both....

That pesky European directive on worker's rights, eh?

It does have the power to do both but it chooses not to. And workers rights are pretty irrelevant as many employees have few because they are forced into self employment or zeros hours contracts which they can't turn down in a marketplace which is so unfavourable for workers. In practice they're largely a meaningless opt in system.

Oh - and the European Parliament is perfectly capable of giving directives on minimum wages, housing etc.

Exactly. But they choose not to address the concerns of the poorest people in Britain despite that.

And human rights has nothing to do with the European Union. But I am sure you know that....

Actually it does. Because membership of the EU makes membership of the European Court system mandatory under the treaty of Lisbon.

Working class here who rarely goes abroad but has family who live in Ireland and I try and visit as often as I can.
Last visit was prohibitively expensive. Party as kids are older but also due to Euro rate.
Only silver lining is that things will be cheaper for my relatives to visit UK.
Although they are broke too.
So no it not just middle class / middle income people affected by this and Yes I blame Brexit.

Sovereignty bollocks. The only sovereign country is North Korea.
We live in a world where the UK needs to be plugged into international trade markets and we have just walked out of the best one. People who throw that word around really are hugely ignorant. Read a decent paper.

Many powerful European Institutions are unelected
As are many British ones. You can't expect to vote on everything or we wouldn't get anything done!

and such an odd voting system
Why odd? If you don't understand the system, there are plenty of resources online that help. My MEP is also very good at using social media to keep us up-to-date with what she is doing - much more than our MP.

But they choose not to address the concerns of the poorest people in Britain despite that.

Not true. One of the aims of the EU is to invest in poorer areas - such as parts of Wales and the North which have been ignored by successive British governments. These areas will undoubtedly be worse off now.

Sovereignty bollocks. The only sovereign country is North Korea.

trade deals require cooperation, not losing control of what happens domestically. A lot of what happens in the EU is definitely not required for international trade. If people object to that it is rather ignorant to just dismiss it as 'bollocks'.

Read a better newspaper

Yes, specifically avoid the DM and the Guardian, which print equal amounts of sensationalist bollocks about this subject.

We have just been to Minorca and thought it was still pretty cheap.

And thanks to the falling £1 our almost non existent steel industry is employing and investing again. We live in Rotherham and steel was a pretty important employer.

Also as the £1 weakens it should in theory mean UK produced produce and food becomes cheaper against imports. Which will be good for farming and manufacturing. All the farmers I know voted leave despite the fact they would lose the EU subsidies.

And the building trade is pretty healthy at the moment. Not without issues but we are turning work down.

I voted remain but am willing to sacrifice a few cheap sangrias if it means that we have work and our local economy improves.

And workers rights are pretty irrelevant as many employees have few because they are forced into self employment or zeros hours contracts which they can't turn down in a marketplace which is so unfavourable for workers. In practice they're largely a meaningless opt in system

I would suggest that that is something that the UK Parliament should look at - and take action over. The UK Government has the power to address such issues about false self employment etc but chooses not to...for some reason.

Many powerful European Institutions are unelected

As are UK ones - often chosen by the Government of the day. Bank of England - did we elect the Head of that?

How many quangos do we get to choose the Head of?

But they choose not to address the concerns of the poorest people in Britain despite that

Where does the investment go from the EU towards infrastructure in the UK?
Why those areas?

Of course - if you are discussing such issues as immigration, housing, low pay....then that should have been addressed by the Government.

It's the same as the UK but on a bigger scale. People flock from poorer parts of the UK to where the jobs are such as the South East and there's an impact there.

People in poorer parts of Europe flock to where the jobs are such as the UK and have an impact there.

Maybe we should have immigration quotas into the South East?

Once they move to the south they start only caring about their holidays

Thoughts of work and wages and industry leave their heads completely