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.

This seems to be dawning on you very late in the day OP. As PP said, the EU is not some kindly charity looking upon us fondly as a naughty but lovable child. I expect they'll be more than happy to stitch us up for our ridiculous decision.

France is not pushing us into a no deal outcome. Our shit incompetent government is. They have had quite a long time to sort this out. But you know this. I'm not sure what the point of this thread is.

"the EU seems to have split into two."

Nope. Not happened. Because we are such third rate lazy negotiators it has come to this; simple question:Johnson caves or we have No Deal.

@AlwaysCheddar

The eu need us more than we need them.,,, they are slowly crumbling. It’s not a sustainable group.

They don’t need us at all, if you believe that you need some serious education on the matter

This is too funny:

Macron: we will not cede on French fishing rights.

Random person on internet: but what about all the holidays and cheese I bought?

Macron: mais oui! You are so right! Boris - take all of the fishes.

Fin.

I'm sure Macron is crying himself to sleep at the thoughts of you not buying Brie.

Your fishermen sold the fishing quotas to foreign companies. You don't get to be all "oooh takesies backsies" when you decide you don't like the result later on. No different to kids in primary school trading Pokemon cards really - you get what you get, stick to your deal.

Will nobody think of the fish ?

Backwards
😂😂😂😂
🧀 🐠

Yes the fishing rights are the thing that should go. Barely anyone eats fish in this country anyway- a massive generalisation but who has a fishmonger in their town?

France is going to put itself first, just like the UK, just like Ireland etc. The difference is that France, Ireland and the other 25 countries in the EU are working together to preserve their own interests and use their collective bargaining power. The UK, as just one country bargaining alone, is always going to be at a disadvantage. As someone else said, it is not an altruistic NGO, it exists to advance the interests of its own countries. For better or worse (I think for worse) we are outside that now in thee negotiations. This is precisely the reason so many people argued against Brexit.

Fishing is a tiny industry
Exactly. The TEFL sector is worth much more and has been royally shafted but I guess that doesn't appeal as much to the Brexiteers who like to think of our hardy fisherman out on the seas. What a shame that WE SOLD OUR FISHING RIGHTS. Why would you expect someone to just give back something you legally paid for and then blame them for "not acting in good faith "?

OP have you been on the cognac? Or maybe the calvados? How could that mean President Macron not be nice given I go on my hols to France ? We’ve had 100 years of entente cordiale but 900 years of war (on and off) before that.... what did you think would happen?

The difference is that France, Ireland and the other 25 countries in the EU are working together to preserve their own interests and use their collective bargaining power

France and Germany are not working together.

Read an learn. Yet another piece of bullshit from our lovely Tory cronies. Rather like the tampon tax, which was likely to have come into force in 2017... But ooops EU referendum.

It always stuns me that anyone is surprised that the EU would look after its own interests in Brexit negotiations. What else are they going to do? If we are stupid enough to leave, why would they disadvantage themselves to make life easier for us? We wouldn't do that if the boot were on the other foot. Anyone who voted for Brexit assuming anything else was totally deluded.

And as far as the "they need us more than we need them arguement". The UK contributed a lot to the EU and was a major power within it. I am sure that many leaders will be sorry to see it go. I am also sure that they will suffer economically from the effects of a no-deal or even from the UK leaving with a deal. However, make no mistake we will suffer more!

Love the thought of OP climbing off her bike, chucking her beret and string of onions on the floor and storming off to change her Joules Breton top if we get no deal.

Yes the fishing rights are the thing that should go. Barely anyone eats fish in this country anyway- a massive generalisation but who has a fishmonger in their town?

You’re forgetting the Great British National dish: Fish and chips.

There will be uproar when people struggle to get their ‘chippy tea’...

The U.K. is a laughing stock.

If you voted Leave then please take responsibility.

This is all completely unnecessary.

Johnson does not even believe in Brexit ffs.

For him he thought supporting Leave (who would Lose) would get him the PM job.

We have been lied to and yet people still blame others.

@Cygne I believe the arguement in 2016 was

1. The EU is corrupt, buerocratic and undemocratic. The people in charge are awful, silly and petty
2. The EU would need to negotiate a brilliant deal with us if we left. To do otherwise would be silly and petty, and besides the people of Germany would object if they were unable to sell us cars. The people of France would object if they were unable to sell us Brie. The EU would have to cave to them

I do feel strangely protective over them fishing our waters.

"France and Germany are not working together."

Based on what evidence. Snarky shite journalism in the Daily Fail isn't evidence.

Fun fact. The UK hobby fishing industry brings in more money to the economy than the UK commercial fishing industry.

@MrsMiaWallis

The difference is that France, Ireland and the other 25 countries in the EU are working together to preserve their own interests and use their collective bargaining power

France and Germany are not working together.

OK, so they disagree on how the negotiations should work and what should be within them. But they disagree on how they should work together if that makes sense. They are still on the same "team". In fact I think the UK negotiators were suprised that the EU countries were so keen to present a united front. Of course that may all start to fall apart as we reach the final stages, but due to the way the deal has to be agreed to, I dont think it will help us.