What are your thoughts on this?

[Penfield]

It’s from another thread, but I wondered what more knowledgeable people here might think about this opinion?

TBH brexit was always going to be a rough departure but even though I wanted to remain .I don't think after covid it's necessarily a bad thing. As well as managing our debt left by covid we would of been bankrolling many EU counties where covid has crippled them finically for years .

Imports moved to Rotterdam. Not to say that Rotterdam wouldn't have eventually become a bigger port but it was speeded up and happened in what felt like overnight.

I think that had already happened. I remember learning in A level geography 1967- 69 that Rotterdam was the leading port in Europe. It's partly location - facing the North Sea but serving the European hinterland via the Rhine, which London could not do.

In case anyone's interested:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/14/tory-government-low-wage-economy-immigration-crisis?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR17jsABN6e69hP1JDXLSzY9wT4fM_16_2o4otpE3na647cIS7tMYfesciQ

@Peregrina

Imports moved to Rotterdam. Not to say that Rotterdam wouldn't have eventually become a bigger port but it was speeded up and happened in what felt like overnight.

I think that had already happened. I remember learning in A level geography 1967- 69 that Rotterdam was the leading port in Europe. It's partly location - facing the North Sea but serving the European hinterland via the Rhine, which London could not do.

One wonders if Rotterdam's rise in the 60s (and London's decline) might possibly have had something to do with the Common Market? By that time the UK was begging asking to join (and de Gaulle was in hindsight with good reason saying Non) as we were in decline/the sick man of Europe (having wasted our Marshall Aid money ) while continental Europe was going from strength to strength

@prettybird,

Ironically war losers often do better economically because, as well as aid money, they get to build from the bottom up with new technology, rather than adapting existing tech.

That is, at least in part, the explanation of the economic miracle in both Germany and Japan after WW2.

Simultaneously, as altruistic victors, the UK was hobbled by a massive debt to the U.S, which we did not attempt to take from the defeated nations (after the fiasco post WW1).

You do realise that the UK received nearly as much Marshall Aid as France and Germany combined

@prettybird

You do realise that the UK received nearly as much Marshall Aid as France and Germany combined

Oh prettybird there'll be some convoluted explanation as to why that didn't matter and why the UK was the victim in the whole situation whilst 'loser' European countries walked away with the goodies . I mean, if Daniel Kawczinski can get away with it, so can someone on a random forum.

Also the UK's waste of the Marshall Aid money on retaining its crumbling Empire must not be mentioned as a factor.

Probably best not to mention, either, what the UK chose to do with North Sea oil revenue, rather than investing it in infrastructure, education, etc.

Guess which country has the world's largest Sovereign Wealth Fund?

@prettybird

Guess which country has the world's largest Sovereign Wealth Fund?

Norway?

Yup. Followed by China.

Just think what it is worth per capita

And given that Norway has only been building it since 1990, it makes the UK's decision to fritter away the benefits of North Sea Oil & Gas all the more criminal

Norway made the conscious decision to plan for a future after the North Sea reserves are no longer available to be exploited. What did the UK do?

(I suspect that once the UK oil & gas fields have been emptied, WM will be more amenable to "allowing" Scotland its independence )