To ask what you think about a British government openly declaring that it will break international law?

[Pepperwort]

This is regarding Johnson’s government’s new stated dislike of the Withdrawal agreement, which Johnson turfed May out over, negotiated, and signed.

For those not watching the news (living under rocks as it’s the top headline), the new Internal Market Bill they are presenting has a clause to the effect that any international law or court can be ignored at will. There are severe repercussions for the GFA and NI. The government have openly confirmed they will break the Withdrawal Agreement and any international law they don’t like. The EU has of course objected, and Gove has confirmed the government does not care. Not only could this scupper talks with the EU, but with the US, who have always been broadly supportive of Northern Ireland. It damages our international reputation in general and risks us being seen as a rogue state. This is beyond political posturing, just as it is beyond the old remain/ leave arguments, because we have already left. A former Tory leader and lord has spoken against it.

For voting, let’s say it’s aimed at the government. So YABU - Britain should not start its independent existence as a sovereign state by breaking laws. YANBU - go ahead, international laws are there for the breaking.

"DoubleDolphin

"but those people spend money in shops, restaurants, nail salons, hairdressers (where you may well work)."

That's incredibly rude. Should I say the same to you dear, do you work in a checkout counter?

How is that rude?"

You were being incredibly derogatory saying I more than likely worked in a nail bar, hair salon, or a shop. You know that's rude. And when I did the same back, you reported it. Talk about calling pot kettle black.

"DoubleDolphinhow is the deal too costly?"

If it wasnt too costly, it would have been agreed wouldnt it.

At the age of 56, l have NEVER known a government so low and self serving as this

I'm 65 and can remember Alec Douglas-Home resigning, and I've never seen a government as low and self-serving as this!

I can also remember thinking that it would be inconceivable that we could ever have a government as bad as that led by Thatcher, but it only took 30 years. She hated the EU, but even she wouldn't have done this.

At the age of 56, l have NEVER known a government so low and self serving as this

And yet such a landslide. Not defending but I do wonder how the next election will go.

Yes, any country can ignore international law and treaties. But that's how you become a pariah state.

The UK needs to make trade treaties with other countries. Showing a willingness to rip up the treaties and agreements we've already signed is not going to make any other countries trust us. It's shooting ourselves in the foot, big time.

Excellent. Childish insults. Well done. Maybe you could apply to be on the UK negotiating team? Obviously as well equipped as the rest of them.

@DoubleDolphin

"DoubleDolphin

"but those people spend money in shops, restaurants, nail salons, hairdressers (where you may well work)."

That's incredibly rude. Should I say the same to you dear, do you work in a checkout counter?

How is that rude?"

You were being incredibly derogatory saying I more than likely worked in a nail bar, hair salon, or a shop. You know that's rude. And when I did the same back, you reported it. Talk about calling pot kettle black.

It's me you intended to pick this fight with.

I didn't actually specify which role. If you are an accountant in the head office of one of these shops, or the company lawyer of a restaurant chain, you're still in trouble if your customer base stops having disposable income.

I'm not bothered - doesn't France,Spain,Greece,Italy break lots of international laws all the time - fishing in the wrong place .etc .
All that will happen is the EC gets more cash and a few diplomats get send home .

We've given up trying to talk to Leavers. We might as well be speaking Klingon. So we're now on the side of emigrate, before it's too late for this household. That's assuming we can find anywhere that will still let us in.
Where are you thinking of going?

Hope every criminal turns up in court and claims only to be guilty of breaking the law in a specific and limited way.

Great example this arse of a government is giving.

I'm not bothered - doesn't France,Spain,Greece,Italy break lots of international laws all the time - fishing in the wrong place .etc .
All that will happen is the EC gets more cash and a few diplomats get send home

Really, @bobbikato? You don't think prices will rise as a result of the imposition of tariifs? Or people will lose their jobs as companies like Honda and Nissan move production to the EU? That there'll be shortages of food, medicines and other essential items because there has been no investment in customs arrangements? That the imposition of a border between NI and ROI might lead to civil unrest and an upsurge in terrorism?

Bobbikato - are those countries breaking treaties (if indeed that has happened) that their Government negotiated, signed and used for the purposes of winning a general election?

Cars - where did they come from? Hardly any are still made in the UK by British companies, and the ones that are, are either high-end (Bentley, Rolls-Royce, for instance) or fall apart (I learned to drive in a Ford Fiesta).
Not sure what the point of this is but it's mostly inaccurate if you care.

At a time when the UK is already economically vulnerable, due to covid (okay, everywhere is, but the UK has been pretty severely impacted), and at a time when this economic vulnerability is going to be compounded by Brexit, whichever way it goes, but it looks like it will go the worst way possible - is it particularly wise to make it obvious to all potential trading partners and allies that the UK's word is not worth the paper to which it has been sighed?

Where are you thinking of going?

Ireland, as long as the common travel area still applies. Although I could almost certainly get an Irish passport as two of my grandparents were born on the island of Ireland.

This is not the country I grew up in. It's become openly xenophobic, backwards looking, elitist, sexist...I could go on. I despair for the entity formerly known as the United Kingdom, and my contempt for those short-sighted muppets who persisted in voting for this lot is pretty much boundless

Completely agree. I’m so pleased that I’m nearer the end of my life than the beginning. I don’t want to live in the cesspit this country has become.

You were being incredibly derogatory saying I more than likely worked in a nail bar, hair salon, or a shop. You know that's rude. And when I did the same back, you reported it. Talk about calling pot kettle black

Think youve got your posters mixed up

@LakieLady

Where are you thinking of going?

Ireland, as long as the common travel area still applies. Although I could almost certainly get an Irish passport as two of my grandparents were born on the island of Ireland.

I'm not sure that'll be the place to be when the GFA goes up in smoke.

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

You were being incredibly derogatory saying I more than likely worked in a nail bar, hair salon, or a shop. You know that's rude. And when I did the same back, you reported it. Talk about calling pot kettle black

Think youve got your posters mixed up

Yes sorry Rufus, it was meant for me, I claimed it a bit further up the thread and await a response.

@Hingeandbracket, do share the list of British car manufacturers that still build cars here, and exclude all the high end ones like Bentley, Aston Martin, Morgan etc.

I can't get beyond the company that makes the Caterham 7, but they only build 100 or so a year, so don't make a massive contribution to the economy.

Yeah i missed that crunchy

I Was so busy going 😳

@VinylDetective

This is not the country I grew up in. It's become openly xenophobic, backwards looking, elitist, sexist...I could go on. I despair for the entity formerly known as the United Kingdom, and my contempt for those short-sighted muppets who persisted in voting for this lot is pretty much boundless

Completely agree. I’m so pleased that I’m nearer the end of my life than the beginning. I don’t want to live in the cesspit this country has become.

I'm sorry you both feel this way. I am baffled at anyone (except for Sir Bufton Tufton) voting Tory, always have been - but I console myself that I lived through all the vile hatred of the Thatcher years thinking I was out of line with most people. There's still a lot to value in the UK IMHO, even if that doesn't include Boris or his fans.

Whoever asked what was the worst that could happen: the worst starts with a return to the troubles of Northern Ireland and continues with the acrimonious breakup of the United Kingdom, with both Scotlandand NI pulling away. That’s why, Clavinova I think it’s a bit more important that the perennial arguments about medical v illegal cannabis. We’re talking about the borders of national and international territories and the identities of states.

The next worst thing is the food shortages. I don’t know what people don’t get about this. We do not produce enough to feed our own; we need trade, and for the quantities of food we’re talking about, trade with our nearest neighbours. Annoying the EU, a union of 27 other countries with rather more power than we have, whether we’re in or out, just is not healthy for us. SophiaFour is quite right about what we produce here. We don’t produce anything so vital, that a union of 27 countries on our doorstep needs so badly, that they need to do what we say.

I'm appalled but not really surprised because i see Boris as a completely immoral person. Unfortunately i think a section of the public, my parents for example, will think it's great to stick it to foreigners and show them who's boss. Immoral people voting for an immoral government

I very much fear that the not so United Kingdom could be going to get a very unpleasant lesson about their current place on the world stage.