EU blackmailing the UK

[houseinthesnow]

So it comes to pass. The EU have decided unless we agree to their unreasonable demands they will halt all travel, including air and road travel whilst still fishing in our waters apparently!

It is nothing short of piracy.

The true nature of the EU has been exposed for some time, hence our departure - but now no one can be any doubt just to the levels they will sink to.
The EU have no interest in trade relations, nor cooperation, they only seek control and power. The trading relations is and was always, window dressing to create a superstate - and it seems they are now not afraid to inflict as much damage as possible to stop a member leaving.
Even the most passionate remainer will now see how deeply disturbing this behaviour actually is.

One could argue it is an act of war in fact.

It should be treated as such.

I will happily eat beans to the end of my days than be blackmailed by the EU. We all knew it would get nasty at the end, but who they knew they were capable of this. I suppose we can't be that surprised given the past. The gloves are off now for sure - and that goes both ways we should remind them.

Hard hats on.

EU citizens will now be on the same playing field in the UK as non EU citizens and they are still plentiful. Fact is, we have, in comparison to some countries, better pay, better working conditions, better employment rights and opportunities, better healthcare and a reasonable way of life. If non EU citizens have wanted to come to the UK to work and live for the past 40 odd years, EU citizens will want to do the same. They are all on the same playing field.

@Emilyontmoor

I imagine other countries will start to follow Leave cultists have been saying that for four years, no sign of other countries and their electorates doing anything but become more committed to the EU. But say it three times and touch a unicorn and it might come true and justify us being the only country stupid enough to be faced with the choice of shooting ourselves in the leg, or head......

Except for those pesky Celtic types. But that's COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, don't you know?

What the pesky Celtic types that want b to leave uk and rejoin eu?

Except for those pesky Celtic types. But that's COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, don't you know?
Erm, the pesky Celtic types aren't clamouring to leave the EU, are they?

They are all on the same playing field. This doesn't make a lot of sense. You are saying people want to come for better working conditions etc but to do that you want to make the UK less attractive to EU citizens?

@AuldAlliance

Except for those pesky Celtic types. But that's COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, don't you know? Erm, the pesky Celtic types aren't clamouring to leave the EU, are they?

No, they're wanting to have independence from the people who think the EU is an awful thing. But the people who think the EU is an awful thing and 'Independence' from it is to be pursued at all costs claim that It's Not the Same when it's independence from them that's wanted.

We've shifted from sunlit uplands where we held all the cards to "it's not quite as bad as the bubonic plague or WW2." Don't remember that on the side of a London omnibus

Wonderful

We CANT house everyone in Europe, it is just not physically possible, and without controls how on earth do we ever manage it? Answer that, anyone.

There were always controls available that we didn’t chose to use. Lots of EU countries had stricter immigration policies than the U.K.

The EU was never the issue. Big business wanted cheap labour. The Tories did a fine job in convincing everyone that immigration was the EU’s fault rather than their fat cat mates.

We CANT house everyone in Europe, it is just not physically possible, and without controls how on earth do we ever manage it? Answer that, anyone.

There are controls available to the UK government - and always have been. I have lived in a number of European countries and have always had to register with the authorities, show how I intend to support myself, register again after 3 months and jump through a set of more stringent hoops including providing a copy of my police record, proof of where I am living, what I am earning, how much money I have in the bank, proof of adequate healthcare cover and showing that my earnings are more than enough to cover my outgoings. The UK has never implemented this system for EU citizens and really has no idea how many people, EU and other citizens, are actually in the country or what they are doing.

What the UK does know is that since 2016, over 60% of immigration has come from non-EU countries.

As for housing everyone in Europe, other countries have just as many, if not more, EU migrants than the UK has. Germany has huge numbers of workers from across the EU. 20% of workers in Austria come from elsewhere in the EU.

Migration also takes place out of the UK and into the EU. There are 1.5 million British people permanently resident in the EU, and many thousands more (students, seasonal workers, retirees) who are temporary residents. In addition, there are hundreds of thousands of British workers whose work regularly takes them to the EU - 33,000 truck drivers, coach drivers, engineers, project workers, even people who in normal times would be commuting between the UK and their offices in Frankfurt, Paris, Copenhagen and elsewhere in Europe. It is usually as easy to commute between London and Paris or Brussels as it is to commute between London and Edinburgh or Newcastle, and before Covid, airports across Britain were full of these commuters every Monday morning. After January 1st, all of these jobs become more difficult, and in some cases impossible, which means thousands will be losing their jobs and companies will be losing income - for example if their engineers can no longer fly or drive to a customer in the EU in order to install or service their machinery.

@Emilyontmoor, let's hope no one come across on the boats. It's heartbreaking to see.

Well perhaps people using ferries might be fine. And container ships. Though they don't seem to be moving as much as normal.

Still, I expect the French police and border security will redouble their efforts to manage their side so it might become less of an issue. Gallic pride and all that.

@ReadyFreddy, yes, it's almost as if there's a link between remain voters not coming on board the Brexit express and it being harder for the PM to secure a deal even better than an Australian arrangement.

They vetoed our entry on two separate occasions.
Because they knew we’d be more trouble than we’re worth. And we’ve proved them right, haven’t we?

The fishing thread about France was a good example. So many people defending the French and yet they never even wanted us in the EU! They vetoed our entry on two separate occasions.

The French didn't trust the UK and were afraid that the UK would want to take over the EEC and run it for their own benefit, or demand better terms, rebates and other benefits. They knew back in the 1960s that the UK considered itself to be exceptional and the natural born leaders of whatever club they joined.

It turns out that this is exactly what the UK wanted - and having been denied yet another round of concessions, Cameron decided to hold the referendum. Since then, all of the Billy Big-Bollocks politicians have thrust themselves forward to make demands and accuse the EU of whatever came to mind that particular day, without ever achieving any of the fantasies that they promised their followers.

On Sunday, they will become Billy No-Mates; the offensive drunk sitting in the corner of the pub shouting at imaginary demons while everyone else quietly gets on with life and keeps their distance.

On Sunday, they will become Billy No-Mates; the offensive drunk sitting in the corner of the pub shouting at imaginary demons while everyone else quietly gets on with life and keeps their distance.

While the wife sues for divorce.

'On Sunday, they will become Billy No-Mates; the offensive drunk sitting in the corner of the pub shouting at imaginary demons while everyone else quietly gets on with life and keeps their distance.'

Honestly this pity party is going from bad to worse. Get a grip fgs.

Is there any point debating the leave vote anymore? This is where we are now and surely everyone wants the best for the UK?
Or do people really want us to suffer?

Laughing so hard that OP gives a flying flip for our country’s homeless people!

Get shopping this month - food shortages start in January.

truck drivers are massively in demand so finding work won't be hard. I was on £35k within three months of getting my license and still get offered work several times a week.

And what exactly will trucks be carrying when no goods are entering or leaving the UK and the factories have closed because of a lack of parts and materials? Export drivers might well be earning £35k, but their firms are going to be bankrupt within months if instead of making 3 return trips a week to Europe, the drivers spend six days out of seven sitting stationary on the motorway or on a cold muddy lorry park, pissing in a portaloo.

www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/the-van-driver-being-put-out-of-business-by-brexit/

Well the UK has been perfectly attractive enough for non EU citizens to want to work and live here for decades so why should it be any different for EU citizens? It's now an even playing field.

It's not about wanting people to suffer - quite the reverse. Oliver Dowden says it's going to be a bit "choppy" Gove mentioned bumpy - do you ever wonder what that means for you and me?