Here's what Nigel Farage is up to this weekend.

[RobinInTheCrabApple]

Nigel Farage is flying more than 3,000 miles to speak at a pro-Trump U.S. think tank.

For around 12 hours’ work this Saturday the Reform UK leader is expected to collect £27,856.88 from the Club for Growth, a Washington-based anti-tax lobby group that has pledged to work closely with Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterms.

This group helped raise £120m for Republican candidates in the 2024 election.

So while people in Clacton deal with rising costs, poverty and cuts Farage is being paid the equivalent of many people’s yearly salary to give a single speech in America.

The UK would be better off - financially better off?

Wilnis7
the vaccine was developed with the blessing of the eu (while in the eu)

We had actually left the EU but still in the single market/transition year (2020).

Fortunately for us, the UK signed its own vaccine contracts (successfully led by venture capitalist Kate Bingham) - instead of joining the EU's vaccine scheme.
One of the main reasons we declined to join the EU's scheme was due to Brexit.

Although we were in a transition year in 2020, we had already left the EU politically - which meant we would not have been allowed a position on the EU's vaccine procurement committee. This turned out to our advantage as the EU machine is slow and cumbersome. Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands were persuaded by the EU Commission to give up their four-country vaccine alliance (formed early in the pandemic) and their provisional contracts - to join the EU's scheme. Much to the detriment of Germany in particular.

Also here:

Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier admits to EU vaccine rollout 'mistakes'

Both the UK and the US have had a much faster start to their vaccine rollouts, while EU leaders have been engaged in disputes with vaccine manufacturers and faced heavy internal criticism over the bloc's jabs programme.

https://news.sky.com/story/brexit-negotiator-michel-barnier-admits-to-eu-vaccine-rollout-mistakes-12296579

Farage is

And now some other Brexiteers are receiving MAGA money.

To be fair, I've seen quite a few Hong Kongers in John Lewis, Fenwick and Waitrose over the last couple of years - I assume they have money to spend.

The UK may have started covid vaccinations first but the roll out was faster in some European countries. My son, then late 20s with zero vulnerabilities, had his jab several weeks before me at 61 and living with a vulnerable husband.

Stop telling other people what they think and what they "agree to", this was the mistake made by the Remain campaign, and that worked out well didn"t it?

No that"s right, economic migrants with not much money, so why come here if the "economic collapse due to Brexit" that some posters are trying to promote was an actual reality?

It does, the trading bloc known as the EU can make deals with the UK if it decides to, if it split into single countries again those single countries can make deals with the UK if they want to, my opinion is that the latter would be better for certain EU countries but the bloc can still be sensible and deal with the 6th largest global economy on their doorstep.

What a ridiculous comment. He has a job he's paid to do - being the MP for Clacton. Most MPs spend their weekends in the constituency, holding surgeries, meeting community groups and that sort of thing. All outside earnings by MPs should be banned (with some small exceptions that absolutely do not encompass NF's activities).

I have been on enough Brexit discussion threads with you to know which European country your son lives in. He was obviously an outlier. Comparing the official vaccine schedules for the two countries strictly by age, you should have been offered your first vaccine dose three months before your son in his country (you, from 1st March 2021 - your son's age group from June 2021 in country x). Was he a volunteer or 'friend of a friend' walk-in, receiving a dose that would otherwise have gone to waste? That did happen in the UK as well.

As you know my family lives in the Netherlands. They had their first jab later than us but their second jab a lot sooner.

Malta, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Ireland overtook UK in fully jabbed percentages

The vaccine rollout had nothing to do with Brexit.

It was a great achievement nonetheless

Malta, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Ireland overtook UK in fully jabbed percentages

Perhaps by the summer of 2021 - however, the crucial window for us was earlier in the year.

The vaccine rollout had nothing to do with Brexit

It did, as per my previous post (yesterday).

It didn't, the UK could have followed the same course of vaccine action if it were an EU member

But if it is the only benefit you can think of then continue claiming it.

It didn't, the UK could have followed the same course of vaccine action if it were an EU member

I can only repeat, read my post from yesterday.

But if it is the only benefit you can think of then continue claiming it

Well, I know that the Government's VAT cut on household electricity bills announced today would not be allowed if we were still in the EU/single market (not allowed in Northern Ireland who will have to be compensated another way).

Finally a Brexit benefit!

Totally makes up for the massive hit to investment, productivity and employment.

Vote Clouston for Clacton!!!

Why not NI?

Brexit innit?

It’s almost like some people pointed out the island of Ireland was going to be really complicated and nobody believed them.

Not a volunteer or a friend of a friend and his wife and friends got heir vaccinations at the same time.

Removing VAT is a Brexit benefit as is adding VAT.

Northern Ireland still follows EU VAT rules for goods, including electricity.

Why are you being so coy regarding how your ds was able to get an early vaccine? I'm not bothered if he received a dose that would otherwise have gone to waste.

However, you appear to be claiming that he and his wife/friends received their first dose when the country they live in had only vaccinated 5% of the population (with at least one dose) - far behind the UK at that point. Even towards the end of March 2021, the country your son lives in had only vaccinated 15% of the population with at least one vaccine dose, compared to the UK's 43% (Our World In Data charts).

Are you accusing me of lying? Because that would be a personal attack which is against the rules.
I don't know how come he got his vaccine then. I do know that he messaged me to say he had gone along with a group of friends from his course and they had the vaccine a full 3 weeks before I had mine.
Maybe, just possibly, you are human and don't know everything.

I haven't accused you of lying, I suggested several times that your son may have received an end-of-day dose that would otherwise have gone to waste. Nevertheless, that doesn't reflect the overall vaccine rollout for that country, who had only vaccinated 5% of the population when your son and his friends received their first dose.

It is a bit weird to hound a poster for personal information like that.