City of Culture "shock". Reality bites ?

[LurkingHusband]

Whilst a lot of things have been happening under the table out of sight, the recent decision by the EC to reject bids from the UK could be argued to be one of the first tanglible and widespread intimations of a post Brexit life for many that were not really aware of what "Brexit" means.

Obviously the Brexit Bias Corporation will spin all the "nasty EU" stories it can find. But that said, how will the decision - and it's reverberations through the affected communities - play out ?

From memory, when previous UK cities have bid, there's been a strong educational element. Am I alone in picturing quite a few schools having to explain to their pupils why all the work they put towards the bids was wasted ?

I'm probably thinking the wrong way, now I type. It's probably a good idea that our next generation of citizens gets used - and gets used early - to being fucked over by a minority elite.

A very patient MEP from Malta was on PM this afternoon explaining very clearly why the UK no longer qualifies for European City of Culture. She was quite baffled that it needed spelling out. This from wiki:

The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union (EU) for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong pan-European dimension.

Durr.

Rosie Millard, who organised Hull's City of Culture events, was blaming it all on the EU "throwing its toys out of the cot" .

But isn’t Turkey part of this yet isn’t in the EU?

But isn’t Turkey part of this yet isn’t in the EU?

Cities outside the EU which have been recognised ...

Stavanger, Norway (Norway is in the EEA with the EU)
Reykjavík, Iceland (Iceland is in the EEA with the EU)
Istandbul, Turkey (Turkey has long had - frustrated - ambitions to join the EU).

So how would you align a post-Brexit UK with any of those countries ?

Notice that Turkey wants to join the EU. The UK - apprarently most definitely - wants to leave.

I'm pleased there are some people that don't get this. It might just start to dawn on them what else they didn't get before they voted. Although it's frustrating it's taken a beauty pageant, rather than the complete collapse of the economy to do it.

Turkey is applying, therefore eligible. Think I read something about Turkeys EU membership on a poster once.

Rosie Millard, who organised Hull's City of Culture events, was blaming it all on the EU "throwing its toys out of the cot"

Millard ?

Or Dullard ?

Turkey is also part of the customs union with the EU so arguably closer to the EU than the UK wants to be (albeit, it is still a long way from membership, imo).

To be fair to her, I was up in Hull during October half term and I do think she did a great job there. But she is a former journalist (BBC/Times etc) and I thought her fury must be a little bit manufactured because she must have known that the UK was out of contention. Or perhaps she should have made some calls to check like journalists do.

From what I remember of Rosie Millard, I'd have put her more in the 'columnist' category than under 'actual journalist'.

mobile.twitter.com/GuitarMoog/status/934089100730257409

Minister @JohnGlenUK, was aware of the legal restrictions for capital of culture.
His outrage was fake, & blaming a COM decision misleading.

Did no one working on the bids read the detailed T&Cs? And realise that they were no longer eligible?

Kinda beggars belief TBH, unless someone gave them false assurances that it would all be OK

Ok, genuine question. If the EU insists that we have to pay, in the future when we have left the EU, for commitments we have made whilst being a part of the EU, then why aren’t UK cities eligible for EU City of Culture after Brexit, when the bidding process has been ongoing whilst we are still a member?

unless someone gave them false assurances that it would all be OK

Boris probably.

And his previously 'close' acquaintance the newly promoted Penny.

Judas - think of it like a divorce. The UK has a divorce bill to pay the EU, but can't expect to host the birthday party for the EU's grandmother even though that had been the plan before they decided to split

Ok, genuine question. If the EU insists that we have to pay, in the future when we have left the EU, for commitments we have made whilst being a part of the EU, then why aren’t UK cities eligible for EU City of Culture after Brexit, when the bidding process has been ongoing whilst we are still a member?

Because it's not that simple (as has been explained) ?

It all makes perfect sense to me.

Because our divorce bill is for commitments we have made whilst being a member or this financial period plus things like pensions for U.K. staff and MEPs which are lifelong commitment. The city of culture is for the next financial period which we won’t be paying towards as we won’t be members.

Just wait for the outrage when things like reciprocal healthcare, preferential imports for cancer drugs and seamless customs access disappears. Not to mention the 20% jump in food prices if we fall back on WTO terms. Brexit means Brexit after all.

Ok, genuine question. If the EU insists that we have to pay, in the future when we have left the EU, for commitments we have made whilst being a part of the EU, then why aren’t UK cities eligible for EU City of Culture after Brexit, when the bidding process has been ongoing whilst we are still a member?

I imagine that it was because it was for 2023, when TM has made it clear that she wants a transitional agreement for two years after we are supposed to leave which puts it at March 2021 at the latest.

Yes, we know about Turkey trying to join for more than 30 years. Indeed Brexiters implied that it was imminent and the the UK would be swamped with Turks wanting to come here.

I think that Turkey was probably closer to joining the union then than it is now under Erdogan.

Iceland has also had debates about applying for membership ...

Does this mean no Eurovision then?

Does this mean no Eurovision then?

Now if Leave had used that as a benefit, I would have voted to leave ...

I don’t get the outrage about this tbh. FFS what did Leavers imagine would happen when we left the EU? You can’t have your cake and eat it. I didn’t vote Leave and think a lot of pp have cut off their nose to spite their face but think pp have no right to moan about this. “Brexit means Brexit” after all, and it works both ways.

#biggestmistakeever

One comedian on 'The Now Show' this evening on R4, summed it up pretty well.

It shouldn't mean the end of Eurovision because that started in 1956 and was an initiative of the European Broadcasting Union. But who knows? They probably would like to pull out of that, since they haven't won for however many years. No doubt with a bit of a tantrum about how it's not fair.

How, how, how is this a surprise to anyone?

I could understand people being shocked by future economic consequences, because they didn't believe "project reality fear".

But on the radio the other day, they were lots of interviewees who were furious at the EU for doing it, and for not telling them sooner.
As I understand it, the rules are that the competition is open to countries who are member of the EU, EFTA, EEA or who are applying for membership.
So, I can understand why UK cities weren't immediately disqualified following the Brexit vote because it wasn't confirmed for definite then that we would going for a hard Brexit.
Now we are definitely leaving not only the EU but as many European organisations and treaties as possible, of course UK cities don't qualify for European capital of culture!

I really feel for those who have done an awful lot of hard work for their cities for nothing, but I think they are pointing the finger in completely the wrong direction.

Just goes to show that leaving the EU won't stop leavers and opportunistic politicians alike from blaming the EU for every damn thing under the sun. That's one thing Brexit wont change!