Article 50/Brexit Negotiations

[jonmcity]

The EU is, amongst its functions, designed to facilitate trade and reduce trade barriers between its member states and the rest of the world via trade deals or special arrangements (of which it has 100's of agreements in place). I assume you are arguing none of this is UK specific and therefor of little use. Given that the UK is more service orientated than say Germany this may be correct. Germany and others with a more mixed economy seem more adept at exporting to RoW then the UK.

Trade agreements for services are however way more difficult to achieve than goods. In the EU there are still barriers between member states for services (in the US there are service barriers between individual US states) so personally I don't see any realistic chance of the UK striking any great trade deals by itself and certainly not in areas ie services that would be of any use to us. I actually don't see the UK striking any deals within the next decade as we have neither the expertise or clout to drive a good deal. We can settle for a bad deal but I assume we will choose not to.

 

[inbetween]

So how are German Companies managing to prosper given that the dreadful EU has them playing the game with one hand tied behind their back.

Sounds to me like your Company isn't terribly successful and you are looking for someone to blame rather than looking at your Co's deficiencies.

Germany has a very different economy and they are really only one good example of a handful from the 28 member states.

Have a look at the Spanish, Italian and Greek economies instead, how are they prospering? All once huge nations now seemingly slaves to the Euro waiting on the market picking up.

Remember, these are the people we are able to freely trade with and whom we are relying on buying from us to prosper further.. Where does the real opportunity lie in the world, I would hazard a bet no-one would say in the European Union.

 

[jonmcity]

I agree most manufacturing in the UK is now foreign owned in any case. The only benefit I can see for the financiers is that they can buy companies in low wage/no rights countries and import the goods into the UK without tariffs. very little going the other way, a few luxury goods for the factory owners.

 

[west didsblue]

Gradually coming to the conclusion that not much is going to change. We'll get our blue passports back, queues at the airport might get shifted around a bit and that will be that. There are too many vested interests in keeping the cash cow that is financial services in London for anything to be agreed that will rock the boat too much. Everyone's going to end up disappointed, hard Brexiters in particular.

 

[geoff clipp]

If it's the only one available, you may have to. You've seen the film 127 hours? The guy with his arm trapped so he cuts it off with only his penknife? If he'd had another more effective cutting tool option he'd have used it. The end result however is still the same.

But here's the thing, we DO have other options than the ones the 'doomers' are stating.

This analogy has gone way too far and we still don't agree. Ah well.

 

[Metal Biker]

That would be a certainty though, which is by no means the case in politics, no matter how luridly it is painted.

Jump = certain death
Fire = possible death
"Nah certain death is just a scare story, the fire is way more certain"

depends on your perception of the height of the cliff being 'deadly' though, which is the point. some are saying "we'll end up breaking our legs if we jump" others say "worse, we'll die" and others say "Bones heal". truth is no-one knows anything concrete.

 

[dave_blue12]

Germany has a very different economy and they are really only one good example of a handful from the 28 member states.

Have a look at the Spanish, Italian and Greek economies instead, how are they prospering? All once huge nations now seemingly slaves to the Euro waiting on the market picking up.

Remember, these are the people we are able to freely trade with and whom we are relying on buying from us to prosper further.. Where does the real opportunity lie in the world, I would hazard a bet no-one would say in the European Union.

The Spanish, Italian and Greeks entered in to a currency union with Germany which was a very foolish thing for them to do imho. They were always going to lose out.

The UK is not in the Eurozone and currently our exporters have a big advantage in the value of the GBP. My advice to any UK Co would be to stop making excuses and up your game.

Quite how you expect the UK Govt to get you a better deal outside the EU than the deals the EU gets is beyond me.

The UK Govt can't currently pass wind and so you might be waiting a while for any sort of trade deal, good or bad with anyone !

 

[BobKowalski]

Perhaps they've not forgotten about the decimation of the fishing industry during the 70's? Or the fact that they've had to endure living in one of the most deprived wards in the country year upon year?

I'm not surprised that a City of Culture nomination and a shiny town centre doesn't suddenly appease the majority of folk that have been (and still are) suffering.

The fishing industry was sacrificed as a price for EEC accession by Heath so that's a legitimate point. Living in a deprived ward for the last 40 years is more about domestic policy than the EU.

 

[stonerblue]

They didn't fail to do so. They did so, but the Leave campaign called it 'Project Fear'.

Good shot..

 

[bluethrunthru]

The car manufacturers have always been clear about the fact that they are only here because of the EU. Knowing this to be a fact, the most surreal image of the referendum was voters in Sunderland cheering the leave vote winning in their constituency. What did or do they think is going to happen to the car, and other, plants that have been set up in this country by foreign manufacturers to supply the European market.

Its piss funny living up here to see them on TV news now worried abut what they have done...... what the fuck did they expect????