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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Really very sad with France!

999 replies

Friendsoftheearth · 08/12/2020 06:52

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.

OP posts:
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Muckish · 08/12/2020 16:45

The French are taught this tactic, it is a pretty grim and an underhand way to behave though. Do you suppose their house sales, car sales and everything in between is carried out in such a way?

You are wasted pissing into the wind on the internet, you know. I'm sure you could work up a stand-up routine based on your imperfect understanding of politics, both international and domestic, and national stereotypes from back before the days of cheese-eating surrendermonkeys.

derxa · 08/12/2020 16:49

@Friendsoftheearth

I love the British, I really do - it is a fantastic country in every way.
OP Although you are merrily winding everyone up, I agree with this sentiment. I don't agree with those that say that we live on a shitty little island a la Emma Thompson. She was quick to flee from Italy to 'shitty' Scotland when the pandemic struck.
Friendsoftheearth · 08/12/2020 16:49

Shall we list what is great about the UK:

The Queen - the most revered Queen in the world
World class universities and boarding schools
Amazing finance sector and hedge funds
Fin tech industry is exploding with potential and industry
London is the most incredible city in the world
The Justice system which is used all over the world was born here
Democracy, fairness and decency
We are one of the least corrupt societies in the world
6th largest economy in the world
An incredible free health service available to every single person
Science field is one of the best in the world
World class galleries and museums.

Feel free to add to my lovely list!

We WILL help those with so little belief and self confidence feel better. That is my pledge to end this gorgeous little joyful thread.

OP posts:
DGRossetti · 08/12/2020 16:50

The Queen - the most revered Queen in the world

Not really a sell to a Republican such as myself (and others on this thread).

Friendsoftheearth · 08/12/2020 16:52

But you are not objecting to the rest? Thats good, 9/10!

OP posts:
TrySarahTops · 08/12/2020 16:54

"It is not so much the French pushing for the best deal, of course they will, but the fact they sprung it on us at the last minute just as the deal was looking likely. It is in bad taste. I feel it is not right at all."

This was discussed on radio 4 this morning - about ten to eight. Some Lord or other was saying anyone who knows anything about politics, esp EU politics knew this was going to be an issue and France would play hard ball.

Unfortunately, people didn't listen and it was dismissed as "project fear".

However, I don't think you can say this has been sprung on us. We're the ones who wanted to renegotiate the deal we had agreed.

ReturntoSpamfritters · 08/12/2020 16:54

@DGRossetti

The British people voted many times to leave

No. The English people voted many times to leave.

Exactly. Or some of the British people, I mean 51.9% is a massive majority, isn't it?
DGRossetti · 08/12/2020 16:55

@Friendsoftheearth

But you are not objecting to the rest? Thats good, 9/10!
No, I stopped processing at the first one I didn't agree with.

Why waste time beyond that ?

TheSunIsStillShining · 08/12/2020 16:55

The Queen - the most revered Queen in the world
The most useless piece of relic

World class universities and boarding schools
See how good the clown rutned out. and jrm, and the rest.

Amazing finance sector and hedge funds
yeah, cheers for the hedge fund managers who have cayman island bank accounts and don't really pay too much tax here

Fin tech industry is exploding with potential and industry
You do know that the financial industry center now is germany. And fintech companies are moving as well. (I work in software dev, I know)

London is the most incredible city in the world
Yeah, but not because of anything happened now, but mostly because of the architecture

The Justice system which is used all over the world was born here
again, not something that has happened in the last few decades

Democracy, fairness and decency
Hilarious

We are one of the least corrupt societies in the world
Excuse me??? You really don't keep up with the news.

6th largest economy in the world
At the moment. Let's revisit in a year's time

An incredible free health service available to every single person
Because the EU doesn't have this? Or other countries?

Science field is one of the best in the world
Well, not for long. Lack of funding is going to do a hell of a job erasing it.

World class galleries and museums.
Yeah, let's forget about Moscow, PAris, Milan, Torino and all other European and non-european museums. Who want's to see the Louvre when we have BM? OR go to Berlin. Or the Guggenheim(s) or MET... Just because you don't know better/haven't been to bigger/better ones doesn't mean that brit museums are "the best"

Leaannb · 08/12/2020 16:58

@Friendsoftheearth

But you are not objecting to the rest? Thats good, 9/10!
What makes your health system so incredible besides ots free? Long wait times, poor service ,nasty wards etc....The ward system its self is extremely outdated and contributes to hospital transmitted diseases. So besides free what is so incredible about it? BTE...I got 3 British personal in our local hospital and rehab center because they waited 3 years for joint replacement
sonjadog · 08/12/2020 17:00

"London is the most incredible city in the world"

This is not fact, it is just opinion. What is so incredible about London that is the most incredible in world? I like London myself, but I think of many cities I would put above it in "incredible" rating.

chomalungma · 08/12/2020 17:03

The UK is pretty good at lots of things. There are also things that other rich democracies do better. What do you think of our GDP per capita? How about our wealth distribution? How do we rank as an affordable country for the people who live here?

Muckish · 08/12/2020 17:04

@Friendsoftheearth

Shall we list what is great about the UK:

The Queen - the most revered Queen in the world
World class universities and boarding schools
Amazing finance sector and hedge funds
Fin tech industry is exploding with potential and industry
London is the most incredible city in the world
The Justice system which is used all over the world was born here
Democracy, fairness and decency
We are one of the least corrupt societies in the world
6th largest economy in the world
An incredible free health service available to every single person
Science field is one of the best in the world
World class galleries and museums.

Feel free to add to my lovely list!

We WILL help those with so little belief and self confidence feel better. That is my pledge to end this gorgeous little joyful thread.

With respect, Brexit is going to lay an axe to an awful lot of that. Leaving aside the size of the economy, I work in a university, and being cut off from European research cooperation and funding is fatally weakening the sector already, in the sciences and other areas -- many in my field have left the UK. Likewise it has already become far more difficult to move artworks freely around between European institutions and collections for exhibitions because of extra bureaucracy, and the necessity for visas is going to make it far more difficult for major British orchestras and opera companies to draw on European talent, or to hire in a replacement for an ill singer or soloist at the last minute, as frequently happens. London is a great city, but it's going to be considerably less appealing to Europeans to come and live in, and part of its appeal has always been as a magnet for talent. Overseas talent will find it significantly less appealing.
akerman · 08/12/2020 17:10

What muckish said.

That list is fantastic and is a large part of the reason why Brexit is such a damaging act of suicidal violence.

Plus - I really hate the way my EU friends and family have been made to feel while living here in a place that is their home.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 08/12/2020 17:15

No, I stopped processing at the first one I didn't agree with.

Why waste time beyond that ?

You should definitely have bothered with the rest @DGRossetti. It's quite the list of things that the current government are trying to dismantle or things disappearing to Europe with Brexit.

akerman · 08/12/2020 17:19

(Except for the bits about lack of corruption and democracy, fairness and decency. That's long gone.)

Walkaround · 08/12/2020 17:19

I don’t think our flourishing finance sector and hedge funds did much good for any of our other industries, as we worshipped at the altar of the Finance God and didn’t do a huge amount to support other industries. Nor did they do much for our reputation as one of the least corrupt societies in the world, given the blind eyes turned to money laundering and the behaviours that caused the global crash. And our politicians have been trying to bring our judiciary into disrepute by arguing they are biased and political (not to mention being the playthings of wealthy Russians while the little people have little access to Legal Aid). As for the 6th wealthiest nation in the world having so much poor health and wealth inequalities: isn’t that reminiscent of the shame of the Boer War and realising how unhealthy the inhabitants of the richest nation in the world were? Surely we have more than this to be proud of?

Songsofexperience · 08/12/2020 17:21

The French are taught this tactic, it is a pretty grim and an underhand way to behave though. Do you suppose their house sales, car sales and everything in between is carried out in such a way?

For someone who claimed to LOVE France, you really do make it clear you actually hate it and its people. This goes way beyond politics.
Awful.
No French people I know are even remotely that insulting to Brits or the UK.

Greysparkles · 08/12/2020 17:22

Silly OP,

You know that your not allowed to point out anything that is great about the UK.
Apparently our country is shit! And that narrative must never be changed!

Cygne · 08/12/2020 17:23

An incredible free health service available to every single person

Do we have to repeat yet again that it's obviously not a free health service? And that we will all end up paying much more to keep it going post Brexit? And that it is going to struggle with international co-operation for medical research, let alone importing drugs etc?

Cygne · 08/12/2020 17:25

@Greysparkles

Silly OP,

You know that your not allowed to point out anything that is great about the UK.
Apparently our country is shit! And that narrative must never be changed!

Yet no-one is saying that. It's amazing how right-wing types instantly jump to the stereotype without bothering to read the thread. The general tenor of this thread is that the UK is the reverse of shit, but it has a totally crap government currently and an awful lot will get significantly worse post Brexit. Although we would all be absolutely delighted to be proved wrong.
timeforanewstart · 08/12/2020 17:25

No deal means france don't bet the fish they want either

wellthatsunusual · 08/12/2020 17:25

@Cygne

An incredible free health service available to every single person

Do we have to repeat yet again that it's obviously not a free health service? And that we will all end up paying much more to keep it going post Brexit? And that it is going to struggle with international co-operation for medical research, let alone importing drugs etc?

And it's not even very available, with waiting lists as they are.
CloudMoon · 08/12/2020 17:27

We sold the fishing waters - it was our initiation and totally our decision, all geared towards financial benefit for GB with no thought to anything else. No coersion involved. Now the Tories once again are relying on the utter stupidity of joe public to not question their blatant lies.

TheSunIsStillShining · 08/12/2020 17:27

Let's be fair: it is free to those who are not in work and don't pay taxes.