The Brexit Arms: Here it is! MERRY BREXIT!!!

[DustyDiamond]

We did it!!!

We saw off Jezbollah, Mao-ZeMcDonnell & Head-Girl Jo 🙌🙌🙌

✊🥀

We got Brexit! (...finally... 🙄)

The HoC is painted Blue for Brexit & it's oven ready 😍

Dominic Raab is looking sexier than ever & will be returning for my our viewing pleasure which is the BEST RESULT OF ALL! 🥰🥰

To the tune of Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody':

🎵 🎶 🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶

IT'S CHRIIIIIISTMAAAAAAS!!!!!!!

So we booted John & Jez & head-girl Jo-o-o
And we gave our vote to Bo-oris & co-o-o

We can GET THAT BREXIT DONE now...
We can start to hope again!
Now the Marxists have been consigned to the biiiiin

So here it IIIIS - MERRY BREXIT!
Everybody’s having fun!
Loook to the future now, it’s only just be-gu-u-un

Now we’re laughing at the Corbyn Cult implo-o-ode
And we’re snorting as momentum start to fo-o-old...

Coz we’re on the Boris love train!
And it’s going full steam ahead!
How we CHEERED when all those seats flipped BLUE from re-e-ed

So here it IIIIS - MERRY BREXIT!
Everybody’s having fun!
Loook to the future now, it’s only just be-gu-u-un

🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶

Much festive cheer to all in the Arms!
🍾 🥂 🍻🍷

As ever, all are welcome - only one rule:

DON'T BE A TWAT!!

Note: I am a shit host, and not a patch on previous Landladies - I don't cook, I don't clean & I don't prepare drinks. I am a selfish bellend. If you want feeding, there's a microwave in back & a shop down the road. If you want drinks just help yourself 😘 - it's a free bar 🎉🥳🎈

Fair comment, Autumn. What I was trying to say, probably badly, was that I see the benefits of immigration and of inclusion, having been the beneficiary of both. Canada was particularly welcoming to immigrants and that shaped my views at a very young age.

But you're quite right. We are not our parents.

 the Boris thread has been locked!
I hope MNHQ delete it tbh....a shameful thread all round.

I can see the benefits of a system for immigration, but not for open door immigration.

Mr Noisy is stopping his ...noise.

www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-steve-bray-conservative-party-general-election-a4316531.html

Also agree with that, Autumn. People have to want to come here and to integrate here - and we have to want them to come here and be prepared to help them integrate - for it to work.

Australia's points system actually meant more immigration, but of the kind that the country wanted and needed.

good chat about integration on the other thread in Feminism

I think that other thread should be allowed to keep going tbh!

I have a friend who is now resident in Australia, got in with her relevant skills on the points system. For some reason, she is irate about the Brexit vote.

Mr Noisy is stopping his ...noise.

Excellent news! I noticed he was conspicuous by his absence on Friday morning. I hoped it wasn't temporary.

In my view the nature FOM is completely misunderstood. It was meant for Brits and citizens of the other 27 members of the EU to move freely within the bloc much like Americans do within the US, albeit abiding to certain rules (being employed, self sufficient or a student- it was never meant for beggars or benefit cheats)
Now EU citizens are going to be subject to an immigration system - with many hoops to jump through and the pressure of government scrutiny (through the HO or that new department Boris is thinking of).
My point is that EU migration was, through FOM, extremely fluid and casual so almost impossible to compare to non EU migration. The mind set and constraints are radically different.
I can use my parents as an example: under FOM they were planning to go back and forth between their country and the UK during their retirement. Now, they will have to essentially choose and make sure that if they decide to stay in the UK, they can retain their status. Whatever they decide or are able to do in their old age will place a much bigger burden on all of us (and potentially on the UK if they stay). Bear in mind they are currently a huge help as their childcare allows me and DH to work full time and pay taxes.
I don't think getting rid of FOM is the magic bullet so many are hoping it is.

Just popped on ‘that’ thread Boswell to say what a sad person the OP is only to find it’s been locked as Arse needs a venting rest.

It deserves to be deleted but on the other hand locking it so that people can still read it has its merits. Arse by name and arse by nature!

I’m very much in the ‘fuck em’ camp too. 🌹✊

But I know some of his friends, who were also passionate Remainers, voted Conservative to get Brexit done.

I know a couple as well (they don't do SM so not on my FB)

Thing is re pp about 300k Labour Remainers voting Tory (worth noting that is small in the context of a drop in their vote count since 2017 of 2.5m). They come into this category and are in a Red Northern seat which went Blue for the first time since pre WW1. They aren't particular either anti-Blair or anti-Corbyn either. They just think politicians should respect democracy

That was my understanding of FOM too. It was exacerbated by not applying the criteria allowed for and by not placing a careful brake on the Visegrad countries until those countries had benefited from some levelling up. Tony Blair again.

Still. We are where we are now.

Just popped on ‘that’ thread Boswell to say what a sad person the OP is only to find it’s been locked as Arse needs a venting rest.

Ahh, that's explains all. I'd hidden the thread so didn't follow its progress but if Arse has been doing what Arse does best, I'm not missing anything.

For some reason, a saying popped into my head. If you've met one difficult person today, you've met a difficult person. If you only ever meet difficult people all day long...you're the difficult one.

Songs do your folks not have "settled status"?

On FoM - it wasn't a major factor in my vote, but it was a factor

I think it was a PP on here (but could have been the Douglas Murray thread?) who said separating immigration (policy) from immigrants (people) is an important part of being able to speak frankly on the subject

I do see your point re your example of your parents being able to flit easily between countries & it's that aspect of FoM which is fantastic

The problem is the other fall-outs from FoM

It's a tricky area to navigate & find the right balance definitely

(I've no grand ideas on the subject - just general musings)

Songs do your folks not have "settled status"?

No, too many back and forths due to their work. Only settled here properly (retirement) in 2016.

I've been here since 97 but am an only child so will need to look after them somehow!

Boswell - that’s good to hear as it was a vile thread.

Sorry to see you go Epic but quite understand why, hope one day you'll come back again! The place won't be the same without you

Love today's cartoon Lily and it's only just struck me that Labour and Santa share the same colour of costume!

FOM for me, and practically everyone I've ever spoken to, has always been about controlled vs uncontrolled. To fill the skill shortages. The other issue for me is overpopulation. The hexagon map of the GE clearly shows that some areas of the country have hugely more people than others. We can't keep on growing the population like a gigantic Ponzi scheme - where will everyone live, what about the additional infrastructure needed, decimation of our native wildlife, how will we supply the water/energy/food requirements, etc. And having an EU open door immigration policy positively stymies any potential to plan for the future.

Scotland's an interesting case. I know a couple of families who have considered moving there, but have been put off by the constant anti-English messages that they perceive.

Just popping in to say thanks @DustyDiamond and @SingingLily for the kind words.
About to go on my works do. Promise not to drunk post, or indeed get drunk

FOM for me, and practically everyone I've ever spoken to, has always been about controlled vs uncontrolled. To fill the skill shortages. The other issue for me is overpopulation.

I think the question is what's the impact of short term v long term migration, ie people who come here for 1 or 2 years then leave versus those who properly settle with a family and ultimately even bring extended family to the UK. Is there a difference in terms of impact on infrastructure? How do you measure it? If you take the overpopulation argument, I guess the difficulty with FOM is to understand what the long term growth of EU population in the UK has been like over the last 20-30 years. I suspect many people have dipped in and out of statistics.
As for skills shortage I would strongly argue that it's better to have a more casual system allowing for easy access to labour. That but also coupled with real investment in training programmes/ apprenticeships for young people in the UK.

Very good points Songs and in the absence of a crystal ball, such questions aren't easy to answer. In terms of actual numbers, I'm going to be interested in the 2021 census.

Totally agree re casual/seasonal labour, lots of countries issue something like a temporary work permit to cater for this, my own DS went to Australia & NZ for 18 months' casual work.

About to go on my works do.

Enjoy!!!

Have a great evening, Bellini. There'll be a nightcap for you on the bar when you get back

Epic just wanted to wish you all the best. I know from lurking on these threads things have been difficult for you in RL. As others have said do what’s best for you.
We have been battling uphill for over 3 years, at times looking like we had lost.
You have been a great addition and contributor to the Arms with your insightful posts and witty comebacks but also taken some nasty shit.
Hope you’ll feel able to come back in the future, and in the meantime come join me at the roaring fire in the snug and together we’ll dream of Dominic Raab putting up... a straight shelf.

A crams out to EPIC... Don't go!!!

We've managed to forge such a cosy little group of regulars at last!!

And don't because of arse, of all people!!

Boswell, I'm also frome way back in the day and remember Winchester and... SF.

I don't really go on the other threads now, it's mostly radicalised die hards.

I had some good news to post and now I cant remember what it is because I've got caught up in epics naughty flounce...