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.

the key period when the British Empire finally crumbled.
More Remainers mentioning the British Empire as if that's something that Leavers had in mind all along.

@Friendsoftheearth, you have started many of your posts with I understand.... All this thread has done is shown that you don't understand politics, geography, the lack of importance of fishing, the economy and environmental concerns. Can you really call yourself a friend of the earth and choose the Maldives as a holiday destination?

Are you sure you're not an arch Remainer taking the piss out of Brexiteers?🧐

@TheNighthawk

Haven't RTFT, but:

France and England (not UK) have a very long history of antagonism going back more than 1000 years. This has been exacerbated by France's continuing shame over its collaboration in WW2 and particularly by De Gaulle's humiliation and embarrassment at his indebtedness to Britain for succour and support at that time. De Gaulle consequently did a lot to further sour relations between France and GB.

Some may not think history is relevant but it definitely is.

France has never been and will never be well disposed towards GB.

Er no, the French have moved on from the war, just like everyone else (but the Brits!) Otherwise they'd hardly be so chummy with Germany now would they.

@Applesonthelawn

the key period when the British Empire finally crumbled. More Remainers mentioning the British Empire as if that's something that Leavers had in mind all along.

Funny you should say that... blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2019/01/26/backwards-march-brexit-canzuk-and-the-legacy-of-empire/

Some Leavers obviously did have it in mind all along.

Er no, the French have moved on from the war, just like everyone else (but the Brits!) Otherwise they'd hardly be so chummy with Germany now would they.

Keep your enemies close.

Hmm that's an idea. Maybe it IS all a ploy to destroy England. Then while they're down, Scotland gains independence, France would help fast-track their EU membership (Auld Alliance, remember!) and HURRAH England can be used for, oh, I don't know, grazing land for rare breed sheep or something and everyone else will be happy, and have a big party that's just like EUROVISION.

Another country for the OP to be cross with:

bylinetimes.com/2020/12/08/britains-cod-awful-fishing-fiasco-as-52-million-trawler-sits-idle/

Britain’s latest state-of-the-art trawler, the £52 million Kirkella, has been laid up in Hull as the Government failed to negotiate new fishing quotas with Norway in time for Brexit Day on 1 January.

Instead of ‘taking back control’ with the revival of the UK’s fishing industry, trawlermen in Hull face losing their jobs and the country faces the demise of the distant-waters fishing industry.

I am not insulted one bit. Mr Macron working for his country, unlike Mr Johnson and his government, not working for the interests of most of the people of the UK.

France has prepared for Brexit
far better than the Brexiters

@YoniAndGuy

Hmm that's an idea. Maybe it IS all a ploy to destroy England. Then while they're down, Scotland gains independence, France would help fast-track their EU membership (Auld Alliance, remember!) and HURRAH England can be used for, oh, I don't know, grazing land for rare breed sheep or something and everyone else will be happy, and have a big party that's just like EUROVISION.

France has always used Scotland

Amazing how some chumps on here have a loooooong memory when it comes to France and no memory at all about Ireland.

This. With bells on.

The fishing grounds are one thing but as the uk still doesn't hold the quota or have a market to sell the fish too Brexit really wont help the uk!

It is an interesting sentiment. My parents come (used to come, before this pandemic) to the UK several times a year, spend money here, and still my brexiteer neighbour comments every time how delighted they must be that they were allowed in, and that he is of course happy for me - but isn't this country crowded enough already?
Maybe the French have the same attitude. People coming there with dirty foreign money, eating their cheese, drinking their wine.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55229681

My over riding feeling reading some of the posts on this thread is pity.

A lack of vision and confidence, precious little education about the history between our two countries and the EU as a whole, a chronic lack of self esteem that we are not a good enough country - when the reverse is true. Some posts actually seem to believe the world will end on the 31st of December, and that the UK is only being kept alive by oxygen from the EU. A classic case of Stockholm syndrome.

Frightening. There is no evolution of thought whatsoever as to the reasons why we are in this situation. One can imagine that the EU project will be dead and buried, and it will still be revered by some on here. Like a church or cult of some kind.

The British people voted many times to leave - with the referendum, and two elections. It is more than enough to convince me that the British people on the whole, know exactly what is going on with the EU, and moreover they are not prepared to sign up for a superstate any time soon. The French in many parts of France feel the same. And we won't get into Italy, Holland, Sweden, Poland and others.The French election in 2022 will be very interesting, after all this is why Macron is making a dramatic fuss, he is playing to his anti British audience, it is truly pitiful.

I am a 100% behind the UK. You can keep cheering on our demise, but it will take more than that to bring us down.

The British people voted many times to leave

No. The English people voted many times to leave.

Most of the Scottish islands voted to leave.
Many scots are passionate leavers, and we all know how Wales feels.
So thanks for trying to correct me, but I did intend to use the word British and not English. You just can't bear the truth can you.

Some posts actually seem to believe the world will end on the 31st of December, and that the UK is only being kept alive by oxygen from the EU

The UK will survive. Obviously.

But we could be so much better.

The French in many parts of France feel the same. And we won't get into Italy, Holland, Sweden, Poland and others

So are you dropping Ireland from your ‘leaving the EU in 5 years’ predictions? 😂

I guess that demonstrates some modicum of self awareness, we’ll done.

Ireland main trade is with the UK and US. I stand by my statement. I think other countries are likely to leave before Ireland though.

Many scots are passionate leavers

How do you know ?

@Friendsoftheearth

Ireland main trade is with the UK and US. I stand by my statement. I think other countries are likely to leave before Ireland though.

We have no intention of following the UK into a scenario that allows you more power to bully us. The mood in Ireland is very much against leaving the EU in the wake of Brexit.

@Friendsoftheearth

Most of the Scottish islands voted to leave. Many scots are passionate leavers, and we all know how Wales feels. So thanks for trying to correct me, but I did intend to use the word British and not English. You just can't bear the truth can you.

Scotland’s islands are exactly densely populated 😂

The link I just posted: