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.

Seriously, these threads are hilarious. Boris and co want no deal and they will make sure they get no deal. All this recent 'oh, poor bullied Britain and isn't its Brexit nonsense amazing' must be part of the nudge unit's Christmas bingo. A check for each time we can make the people clap for their own misery.

I remember when people told me to not take Brexit personally after the referendum....

All we have in common with Canada, Australia and NZ is language and the fact we used to own them.

OP, I agree - my family are from Saint-Étienne, and we have lived in a London Borough for the best part of 15 years due to work, obviously still travelling back to visit family many many times. I feel Macron is being disgraceful, but it is nothing new, and not surprising. Don't be too downhearted, the UK is a wonderful country, as is France, and everything will come good in the end! X

@ghostyslovesheets , nailed it.

Oh, ffs. The UK trashed its fishing industry years ago - by choice, because it chose not to fight for it when it existed, what with being more interested in financial services. Why would France agree to trash its own fishing industry to help the UK build its one back up? Would the British expect their Government to do that for France if the situation were reversed?!

@ClaireP20 , and my family are from Cork and we think the chickens are coming home to roost.

We have a fishing industry decimated by what’s gone in with French and Spanish fishing in our waters and it’s right we stand by our fishing industry, just as those two countries stand by us

You the mean the French and Spanish fisherman fishing using the quotas that the British fisherman sold them?

🇪🇺🇫🇷🇫🇷Vive La France!🇫🇷🇫🇷🇪🇺

I haven't RTFT but more than one person on the first page said that the UK is acting in the UK'S best interests, and I'm just baffled as to how anyone could believe that. The UK government seems to be actively destroying the UK's best interests.

Expect visible evidence of power applied if Financial Services get adversely affected beyond some limited relocation. Once Brexit is done and the Brexit decision-makers and influencers go quiet, the Conservative's traditional City power base (not farmers and small businesses, they will be screwed) will reassert.

New Ireland to France ferry route

www.export.org.uk/news/541135/New-Ireland-to-France-ferry-route-established-amid-fears-of-UK-border-disruption.htm

Takes a bit longer - but you have a rested driver, instead of a driver who has had to drive through the UK.

I don't think Macron is very popular in France.

Is this a joke?

Sabrina, bringing facts to a patriotism fight? (yes, UK quota holders decided to sell quota to France and Spain rather than dish themselves. Gove seems quiet on that though I could have missed him say something).

I suppose it's easy for the Government to talk about fishing though - as most people won't bother to find out about the economic size of the fishing industry relative to the economy, fishing rights in the past etc

It's an easy win for Brexiteers.

@MarieG10

"These are waters that the French have fished for centuries."

Reference please. They have had full access since 1974 ish and to a far lessor degree prior.

What has been a game changer is Covid. Whilst a no deal is painful..it is no way as painful as Covid has been. The latest bombshell of the EU re demanding what was settled months ago (reported in today's Times) is a result of EU infighting and power struggles....and as Yanis Varoufakis (former Greek Finanance Minister) said this is exactly what would happen.

Yes there will be queues at Calais, but as one Irish government official gloomily put it...yes the British will be queuing but what incentive have they in getting Irish freight through...there is non so the pain the Irish will feel will be magnified several times over.

There won't be anything easy in this but it will be shared out

You are absolutely right. Also been very interested in Varoufakis' comments since the start of this.

This is what brexiteers VOTED for.

And this was one of the only things they didnt lie about. We're leaving Europe and that means we lose friends, we lose ease.
No sight of the £350million per week though.

Like did the people who voted for brexit expect peace and harmony with all of the countries? NI is in deep doo doo without a soft deal. And the government are planning to push through with no deal whatsoever.

Its almost like the people who voted for brexit were either willfully ignorant or didnt read up on what they were going to do and decided they wanted foreigners out only, not realising that foreigners means US too.

This is an acrimonious divorce at best and we, as brits, are going to lose custody of the kids. (Scotland FOR sure, i wanted them to stay part of britain in the last indy election but now they have to go for any kind of security.)

It baffles me how some people in Britain seem amazed that other countries want to look out for their own best interests exactly the same way Britain does.

This isn't a game of snakes and ladders, other countries aren't just going to let you win because you buy their cheese sometimes.

@depopsa

Seriously, these threads are hilarious. Boris and co want no deal and they will make sure they get no deal. All this recent 'oh, poor bullied Britain and isn't its Brexit nonsense amazing' must be part of the nudge unit's Christmas bingo. A check for each time we can make the people clap for their own misery.

I remember when people told me to not take Brexit personally after the referendum....

Spot on.

OP, you could always switch to Dairylea.

Since when do we have to do what the French say

The French treatment of the UK's EU membership was one of the reasons anti-EU sentiment was so strong.

Do you not remember Jaques Chirac blocking the UK's rebate?

When we bought our village shop (in a very rural agricultural village), the previous owners told us the locals won't buy anything French.

Except almost without exception they all had French cars

@ReturntoSpamfritters

Hilarious how this entitled thread has brought out all the Brexitrolls.

By "Brexitrolls*, you mean the democratic majority?