Macron's behaviour is despicable

[Snowymountainsalways]

I am a moderate remainer, I say that because I do feel we should respect the vote. I am not a remainer who think a second ref will help. A second ref won't help regardless of the outcome, because the other side will simply demand another one, and another and so it would go on indefinitely and it is utterly futile and pointless.

I had come to the conclusion that a good deal would be the best outcome in the end. However I am just appalled at the behaviour and language coming out of the EU, and particularly Macron.

I am now even thinking what is the point? What is the point in continuing with any 'deal'? They are clearly not remotely interested.

May (for all her faults, and she has many) should gather her dignity and call it a day. We were there in good faith, the chequers plan is not perfect but it was a starting point. I had hoped it would work. It would have offered a solution of sorts.

I have cancelled our holiday next year to France. I don't want to go anywhere so openly hostile, despite the fact we have been holidaying there for my entire living life. I can't support Macron's comments that were both needlessly humiliating and rude to our prime minister.

Thoughts?

@littlechocolatechippies
I do not know which papers or websites you read but the EU's Brexit briefing papers were published over a year ago
the UK is finally publishing theirs at the moment

Personally I think Brexiteers would just like a prime minister of England and Wales.

Ethel

People Moaning for 40 years about the 1st one?

Which first one! As far as I am aware the first ever vote on political union was the recent vote.the vote 40 years ago was about a trading block and a trading block only.

@Haste?
If you intend to be a resident in Belgium and many other places in Europe you have to prove you can be 'self supporting' for many months.
I think France you have to have the equivalent of about £9,000 or more.

@isitsixoclockalready this is qualitative data that shows even with Brexit uncertainty overshadowing the economy, businesses in the UK are still hiring, carrying out research, continuing to innovate and adapt, thereby helping the UK grow economically.

Personally these are the values and attributes which makes the UK such an attractive prospect to foreign countries, and why so many overseas nationals settle here.

We are also generally inclusive and tolerant as a society, and we know how to queue!!

{and we know how to queue!!}
With a hard Brexit you can practice all day every day.

Fuck queuing post Brexit. I'm never going to do that. My excuse will be blame Brexit!

placemats, I began to think the same. OP seemed to be quite keen on the no deal scenario.

I have two passports. One is EU. One is British.

Queues?

I guess Ethel is speaking about her experience. She can't possibly hope to speak for that vast country

Yes, my EXPERIENCE, which is informed by actually living in the country under discussion, is that it is not the basket case some people seem desperately to want to believe it is.

FrankUnderwoodsWife at the moment, we are still fully benefiting from the single market. Let's see how confident we are if we crash out with no deal into the wonderful land of WTO.

Crikey some of you are so angry and aggressive. If the EU is such an idyll why are we seeing a huge rise in far right politics? I mean Sweden is always cited as the example nation to aspire to emulate. Do you even know the political crisis they are in?

The EU leaders should just let us bow out, we agree a compensation package and leave us to it. They have enough on their plates domestically

Yes your experience! Entirely coloured by where you live your social demographic, which papers you read etc etc.

I'm not personally saying it is a basket case but you can't possibly represent France.

Right, so other people on this thread can go around unchecked talking about how awful the situation is in France, and then when someone who actually lives there pipes up and says, "Err, not really," their experience counts for nothing because they can't represent an entire country?

OK then...

Do you know that they're also the kneecapping capital of the world?

No ... I was aware that not all the violence had stopped, but admit I wasn't aware of the kneecapping status

Sounds like something I need to look into (though no doubt I'll read that this is all the Brits' fault too )

A lot of us have friends and family who live in France who are experiencing hard times. 8.9% unemployment is incredibly high and young people are finding things very tough. I wonder what sector you work in Ethel?

FrankUnderwoodsWife - people are worried and frightened for their futures and that of their children and are angry that a secure future is being taken away. Several of us have made the point about employment rights being one aspect of our fears. I appreciate that in your opinion everything will be fine and I hope that you are right but this is serious stuff - it's not an argument over who supports the best football team.

The EU leaders should just let us bow out

Isn't the UK the one that's looking for a deal?

A lot of us have friends and family who live in France who are experiencing hard times.

What, so you voted Brexit in solidarity so you could all moan about being in deep shit together?

I'm not saying France is perfect but if you talk to most French people and float the idea that France is a disaster and the UK is doing well by comparison they will laugh right in your face.

Puzzledandpissedoff

Yes. This is the problem. I don't think you all realise what a hornet's nest the province is sitting on.

The kneecappings are carried out by paramilitaries (under the pressure of local communities who don't feel the police are adequately deterring crime). The same paramilitaries who would apparently never pick up arms again.

Tell your friends.

Ethel you said... If you talk to most French people, again you can't possibly speak for most French people.

Anyway. I would venture to suggest as with almost every situation some people have it good and some people have it bad.

Just like with brexit many many people have had an awful time and want to leave the eu whilst others had no idea /experience of that and enjoyed the benefits, and they can't understand why people want to leave.
Now leave won, these people are worried and dismayed about the upset to the status quo. So as ever we are all affected by, benefit from different things.
Some people in France dislike macron some love him and so it was ever thus.

The EU leaders should just let us bow out

Perhaps in bowing out we should all sing this:

1tisILeClerc just asking, but what is the process for these people turning up at the border to show they can support themselves, when and how do they do this?

Tell your friends

I intend to, youlethergo - in fact I've got a couple of tabs open right now, and the level of insensate hatred I'm seeing doesn't make for happy reading

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/15/mother-son-kneecapped-northern-ireland-brexit-border

If you talk to most French people, again you can't possibly speak for most French people.

French people like to moan (it's practically a national sport) but that doesn't mean they think we're doing things better or that they should copy us in any way. As a British person in France I frequently get unsolicited opinions from French people about the UK. Some are stupid and misinformed. Others are more insightful. No one has told me they think Brexit is going well for us. Because it isn't.

Just like with brexit many many people have had an awful time and want to leave the eu

Well then let's get on with it and when those people realise their lot in life hasn't actually improved (and has actually worsened instead) perhaps we can start figuring out what the real cause of people's problems is. Or, you know, find another convenient scapegoat whilst ignoring the real issues.