Really very sad with France!

[Friendsoftheearth]

I am quietly furious with France. We have been going to France between three and four times a year, every year for pretty much all of my adult life. We have spent most summer holidays, skiing and all the rest, choosing France as our destination over all over countries.

Every week I buy French cheeses, wine and truffle oils, and we are very big fans of France and French cuisine.

Even taking into account that Macron should hope and push for the best deal for their fishing industry, I still find it incredulous and insulting that they should be demanding ten years of fish, and are offering us a paltry percentage. Ten years.
They are in a total stand off regarding an even playing field, I understand the reasons for this, but honestly they are pushing all of us to a no deal outcome, that will see French fisherman with no catch whatsoever, and high tariffs slapped on all imports from France. Tourism will be destroyed as people will no longer wish to go there. It could poison relations for decades.

I am aware of the history between the UK and France, but rather naively thought we had moved on from that a very long time ago, I am in despair at the eleventh hour demands, and feel this is in very bad faith. It has really highlighted to me how little respect France have for us as a country.

I feel like I never want to go again, despite having a tentative booking for a holiday in the spring of next year.

Look at the population size of Norway and Switzerland yet economically they are significant nations. We have just as much potential. Educated population, very creative thinkers, substantial service industries, fewer social problems than e.g. France

And what do Norway and Switzerland have that the UK does not?

OP writes a lot about their "understanding" with very little to actually show their working. I understand the moon is made of cheese, by the way.

I would be beyond fucking livid if our PM ever treated another country, a close ally in that way

Not quite sure why so many people needed to cross the water - Scotland and Wales have been shat on from a great height by the gaping sphincters of Boris long before the slurry crosses the ocean.

On that note I have to go! I wish you all well wherever you are, and will look out for the next thread when the announcement is made.

I hope for peace, unity and love for 2021 (and no more fur trade - yay!)

I find it increasingly surreal that we regard ourselves as so ineradicably bound by an iffy referendum result from four and a half years ago. If that had been an election result, we would be going back to the polls shortly, and we would have little doubt that it would be overturned.

On that note I have to go!

It's like Clav was in the room (well, not anymore )

What do Norway and Switzerland have that the UK does not?

Access to the single market and freedom of movement.

On that note I have to go! I wish you all well wherever you are, and will look out for the next thread when the announcement is made

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

France is just protecting it's own interests, and nobody should be surprised about that. The UK has had a losing hand from the getgo. We need the EU waayyy more than they need us, #now they are playing hardball and for some fucking reason people are surprised?

Of course you do Friends, you have lied, confused yourself, forgotten your point, backtracked, obfuscated, lied some more and blamed everything on France. You have completed your Brexit Bullshit Bingo card and you're due in the house of commons.

Buh bye.

off for some more mindfulness?

Access to the single market and freedom of movement

Exactly. Also close and friendly ties with the EU.

So the UK can't be compared tp Norway and Switzerland

[quote NobleElephantheThird]@Alondra- nonsense. Look at the population size of Norway and Switzerland yet economically they are significant nations. We have just as much potential. Educated population, very creative thinkers, substantial service industries, fewer social problems than e.g. France.[/quote]
Brush up on geography/economics.
Norway is rich because of natural resources called oil.
Swiss have the banking system.
(and chocolate)

Uk and educated population? Look around, anything but!
creative thinkers? Oh my f..ing god, you don't live in this world do you? Brits -in general- are great at following rules and tradition. As soon as a problem arises they drop everything and look around stupidly at someone else to fix it!
The substantial service industries are going to shit after brexit as we have 3 weeks and still don't know the regulation/rules/tariffs on anything. Many companies have already up and left.
social problems: not fewer, different.

ahh yes that makes sense, wondered where clav had gone.

It is my understanding that some kind of alliance is going to be on the cards very soon with Switzerland and other nordic countries.

We left the EEA / EFTA on 28th January 2020. So we are going to rejoin now?

This is too funny.

@Friendsoftheearth

What will we all talk about once this is done, and everyone has been vaccinated?

Dunno, maybe leave it ten minutes or so before starting to Google 'terms of reentry to EU'?

And actually, on the Ireland issue, my 9 year old was asking me questions yesterday about Brexit, and about a united Ireland. I told him that I would imagine that in his lifetime it would probably happen and that ironically the people in N Ireland who campaigned loudly for Brexit are the ones most opposed to a united Ireland but that Brexit pushes N Ireland to a status somewhat removed from the rest of the UK. And he thought about it for a moment and asked if people will kill each other over it? And I had to tell him that yes, they probably will because people feel so strongly about it. And he said 'so it could be like when you were wee again?'. And I had to say 'yes son, it might be'.

@cygne, referendum results, advisory or binding, need to be honoured. worshipped. lauded. Not overturned like tawdry elections.

Research the food prices in Norway and Switzerland, I'm not sure you would like those.

Bye, Clav. Don't let the door etc etc

The only person you will hurt by not going to France again is yourself.

It's not an insult, they are just trying to do their best for their citizens (as, I hope, is our government).

friendsoftheearth - you have no understanding at all of how much Ireland values its membership of the EU. There is not a snowball's chance in hell of them wanting to leave. I lived in Ireland for 15 years and they were overwhelmingly appreciative and grateful for the benefits that came to them from EU membership. They also engaged fully with EU elections and knew that they were happening, so one never heard the bollocks about 'unelected bureaucrats'.

I have always wondered if the anti British brigade on here are posting from overseas, or if they actually live here with that level of bitterness and revulsion for their own country?

I find it truly fascinating that you can live, and perhaps be born in a country that you find so repellent, that as an adult why on earth would you choose to stay here?

Not anti-British.
Anti-Brexit, Anti-Boris and Anti-Bullshit.

It amazes me all this with the fishing waters
Funny how if a UK fishing boat puts so much a toe over their side they go mental yet they don't seem to notice dinghy's jumping in filled with women and children going into the channel and facing death?

And actually, on the Ireland issue, my 9 year old was asking me questions yesterday about Brexit, and about a united Ireland. I told him that I would imagine that in his lifetime it would probably happen

I keep hearing this over and over (Especially from British people) and they don't seem to have asked if Ireland actually wants Northern Ireland anymore, or whether it's actually a practical proposal? It's not as simple as they think and it is a lot less likely than people imagine.

It also smacks very much of "We fought and killed to keep it but now we've decided its not convenient any more so now you can have it back". It just doesn't work that way.

I certainly won't stop travelling to France so dont speak for us all.