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  • DruttDrutt Posts: 1,124

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502
    edited July 2019
    RobD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    Verbally, May also said the same.
    The government refuses to bring forward legislation , as they don’t want it amended . The UK is fucked. The lunatics have taken over . Scotland needs to escape ASAP.
    Haven't the rights of UK citizens in the EU been guaranteed verbally too?
    The EU can’t legislate for each member state as to how they deal with third country nationals in the future . Each country has its own rules . Most countries have already brought in legislation in the event of no deal to protect Brits .

    And I’ll stress , legal and not some verbal promise .
    Well you won't have to wait much longer. It'll be one of the first bills introduced by the new government -- https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-to-enshrine-eu-citizens-rights-in-preparation-for-no-deal-11770128
    I thought the government was planning to avoid any legislation at all, to avoid it getting hijacked by Grieve, etc.
    The report suggests the proposal was approved at Cabinet.
    It won’t come forward till after October 31st .
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,238
    At least on Guardianista has woken up and smelled the coffee...
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/25/left-oppose-boris-johnson-divisive-brexit

    Corbyn's Labour party, not at all.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208
    RobD said:

    RobD said:

    I’ve been in an eight hour meeting. Have I missed anything of interest?

    I don't think PB has discussed the merits of pineapple pizza in that time, which is quite unusual.
    I might have a Hawaiian tonight.
    I'm actually in Hawaii right now. I was disappointed I wasn't greeted with platters of pineapple pizza. :(
    As we know, Hawaiian Pizza is the epitome of Canadian gastronomy. Trudeau got into a diplomatic spat about it with, of all people, the president of Iceland, who presumably thinks pizza should be topped with guillemot

    https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/835225645932216324
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,413

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    Quite. I doubt I will ever go to Australia- the airfare and the length of flight alone make it prohibitive. A weekend in Bucharest or a holiday on the Black Sea coast is quite doable though.
    I suspect the only difficulty would be a chat with the locals. Even then there would be a few youngsters wanting to practice their english...
    So beam your ave Canada?

    What planet are you people on?
    I spend my entire working life in obscure places in Europe - there are few places where you couldn't sort out a bed and food within a few minutes and a asking a couple of people.

    30 years ago I would accept your argument nowadays mobile phones, google translate and the internet remove all the difficulty...
    I’m not claiming it’s not easier than it was, to win.
    Of course it would. The problem is not that many Canadians fancy coming to the UK for anything beyond a holiday or studying.

    Rightly or wrongly successive govts have wanted immigration as we have an aging population that wants to live a comfortable lifestyle which requires a lot of low paid workers to support them. Boris is saying he wants immigrants. Those workers in care, nursing and services are not going to come from the rich countries we might most want immigrants from. They will come from poorer countries like Romania, those in Eastern Europe, Asia or Africa.
    or they wont come at all as AI hits in and the last thing you need is more people, especially low skilled ones.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,869
    Drutt said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.
    Almost all of that you could say about the US - yet so many visitors come back saying they never felt so European. So there must be something deeper, about culture and values, that marks us apart.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,936
    FF43 said:

    RobD said:

    RobD said:

    I’ve been in an eight hour meeting. Have I missed anything of interest?

    I don't think PB has discussed the merits of pineapple pizza in that time, which is quite unusual.
    I might have a Hawaiian tonight.
    I'm actually in Hawaii right now. I was disappointed I wasn't greeted with platters of pineapple pizza. :(
    As we know, Hawaiian Pizza is the epitome of Canadian gastronomy. Trudeau got into a diplomatic spat about it with, of all people, the president of Iceland, who presumably thinks pizza should be topped with guillemot

    https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/835225645932216324
    Ontario Pizza doesn't have the same ring to it. :p
  • OnboardG1OnboardG1 Posts: 1,589
    IanB2 said:

    Foxy said:

    If the question was whether we have more in common with the Dutch or Danes than Australia, or of course the Irish, the question is much more difficult.

    It's still the wrong way of looking at it. We are European by definition. You can ask which European countries Australia has most in common with, but to ask whether we have more in common with Australia than some other European country is to get history backwards.
    It’s an interesting question, since it touches on an oft-had discussion that cropped up here the other week; visitors to the US regularly report an alien non-European feel and culture despite the common language and history. The question would be why Australia doesn’t feel as different as the US?
    Less diverse in terms of immigration over the last couple of hundred years, achieved independence later, achieved independence on collegiate terms so there was never a cultural reaction against Britishness, retention of the monarchy. Quite a few reasons.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    edited July 2019
    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    How many Australians live and work in Nuneaton for example? What about Warsall? Burnley? Sunderland? How many people can afford thousands of pounds for flights to Australia on holiday?
    Ive worked with and met loads of Australians in the UK, Ive only ever worked with one Romanian. I'd suggest youre pushing a daft argument, Romanians really only made an impact post 2008 our relationship with Australia is much older and more deep.
    That’s absolute rubbish. People as recently as 1750s England likely had no idea Australia even existed - whereas we have had relationships with the whole of Europe, including Romania, from time immemorial. We were both provinces of the Roman Empire when no one had a slightest inkling Australia was there.
    lol

    Romania didnt exist in the 1750s

    you really are pushing a fuckwit argument
    Romania was occupied by Turkey at the time but the Romanian people and the area that now constitutes Romania were well known here. The Australian landmass was completely unknown
    The original topic was about culture today, so why you're talking about knowledge of landmass centuries ago is beyond me?

    So what if our ancient ancestors didn't know that Australia's landmass existed? Guess what, the ancient ancestors of the vast, vast majority of Australians didn't know that either, so we are identical in that respect.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,238
    WTF are we debating Romania vs Australia ?

    Are they at war or something ?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,869

    The whole Romania v Australia debate is one of the weirdest I remember on here, think the sun might be having an impact today!


    The weather today is more Australian?
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,617
    38.1 C? Pah. We were promised record heat.

    I blame the EU.....
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,816
    Last thing on Romania- In Bucharest there is a great little funny museum in the Old Quarter called the Kitsch Museum . Takes the mick out of a lot of what we associate with Romanian or Eastern European- clapping when the plane lands , Over the top Gypsy bling, bad taste clothing and crap cars. Cheered me up anyway !
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,936
    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    Verbally, May also said the same.
    The government refuses to bring forward legislation , as they don’t want it amended . The UK is fucked. The lunatics have taken over . Scotland needs to escape ASAP.
    Haven't the rights of UK citizens in the EU been guaranteed verbally too?
    The EU can’t legislate for each member state as to how they deal with third country nationals in the future . Each country has its own rules . Most countries have already brought in legislation in the event of no deal to protect Brits .

    And I’ll stress , legal and not some verbal promise .
    Well you won't have to wait much longer. It'll be one of the first bills introduced by the new government -- https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-to-enshrine-eu-citizens-rights-in-preparation-for-no-deal-11770128
    I thought the government was planning to avoid any legislation at all, to avoid it getting hijacked by Grieve, etc.
    The report suggests the proposal was approved at Cabinet.
    It won’t come forward till after October 31st .
    Where does it say that? How can it be in preparation for something if it occurs after it?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,847

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    I suspect the only difficulty would be a chat with the locals. Even then there would be a few youngsters wanting to practice their english...
    So beam your ave Canada?

    What planet are you people on?
    I spend my entire working life in obscure places in Europe - there are few places where you couldn't sort out a bed and food within a few minutes and a asking a couple of people.

    30 years ago I would accept your argument nowadays mobile phones, google translate and the internet remove all the difficulty...
    I’m not claiming it’s not easier than it was, to win.
    Of course it would. The problem is not that many Canadians fancy coming to the UK for anything beyond a holiday or studying.

    Rightly or wrongly successive govts have wanted immigration as we have an aging population that wants to live a comfortable lifestyle which requires a lot of low paid workers to support them. Boris is saying he wants immigrants. Those workers in care, nursing and services are not going to come from the rich countries we might most want immigrants from. They will come from poorer countries like Romania, those in Eastern Europe, Asia or Africa.
    or they wont come at all as AI hits in and the last thing you need is more people, especially low skilled ones.
    How is AI going to look after a dementia patient at 3 in the morning? Im sure it can help but it is many decades away from replacing that kind of job.
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    The whole Romania v Australia debate is one of the weirdest I remember on here, think the sun might be having an impact today!

    Brexit + Scottish independence + Boris Johnson + 35 degree heat = insanity
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,413

    Last thing on Romania- In Bucharest there is a great little funny museum in the Old Quarter called the Kitsch Museum . Takes the mick out of a lot of what we associate with Romanian or Eastern European- clapping when the plane lands , Over the top Gypsy bling, bad taste clothing and crap cars. Cheered me up anyway !

    sounds like Limerick
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,238
    Drutt said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.
    On the other hand, Ryanair don't do Australia for the weekend.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,464

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    Quite. I doubt I will ever go to Australia- the airfare and the length of flight alone make it prohibitive. A weekend in Bucharest or a holiday on the Black Sea coast is quite doable though.
    I suspect the only difficulty would be a chat with the locals. Even then there would be a few youngsters wanting to practice their english...
    So beam your ave Canada?

    What planet are you people on?
    I spend my entire working life in obscure places in Europe - there are few places where you couldn't sort out a bed and food within a few minutes and a asking a couple of people.

    30 years ago I would accept your argument nowadays mobile phones, google translate and the internet remove all the difficulty...
    I’m not claiming it’s not easier than it was, to win.
    Of course it would. The problem is not that many Canadians fancy coming to the UK for anything beyond a holiday or studying.

    Rightly or wrongly successive govts have wanted immigration as we have an aging population that wants to live a comfortable lifestyle which requires a lot of low paid workers to support them. Boris is saying he wants immigrants. Those workers in care, nursing and services are not going to come from the rich countries we might most want immigrants from. They will come from poorer countries like Romania, those in Eastern Europe, Asia or Africa.
    or they wont come at all as AI hits in and the last thing you need is more people, especially low skilled ones.
    Quite. At least someone is sane on here tonight.

    The rest appear to be on the verge swatting up on Balkan verbs in an ideological brain fart.
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 3,060
    I propose we try and get Romania to play test cricket.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,869
    welshowl said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    If the question was whether we have more in common with the Dutch or Danes than Australia, or of course the Irish, the question is much more difficult.

    It's still the wrong way of looking at it. We are European by definition. You can ask which European countries Australia has most in common with, but to ask whether we have more in common with Australia than some other European country is to get history backwards.
    Of course, the reason that Canada and Australia are liike the United Kingdom is that our ancestors were very adept at ethnic cleansing and replacement of indiginous peoples.

    That’s as may be or may not be, but it’s not remotely going to guilt trip innocent old me into thinking Romania is our best buddy over Australia,

    Those nasty Italians did a fair bit of ethnic cleansing when they were branded Romans. You going to guilt trip them too or is it just us that gets the historical hand wringing?
    But the secret of Rome’s astonishing success was significantly because, for the era, they were remarkably uninterested in ethnic cleansing.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:



    Just as previously if Her Majesty had told the Prime Minister where to stick her election it would not have happened.

    The Crown would never have done that since Queen Anne's days.. Parliament might however....
    Parliament won't. Parliament has no real choice when the LOTO and PM are both calling for one.
    Once again you assume the LOTO will call one.

    There is zero need for one to be called when waiting just a few weeks destroys your opposition...
    The LOTO has called for one, on a daily basis for years now. All May needs to do is goad him into calling for one, then announcing that "yes we will have one" and he will be trapped with no way out. The idea that after saying on a daily basis for years including probably earlier that day and the day before that we need an election, that he can then turn around and say 'no thanks' is preposterous.

    Maybe under a different LOTO it could be different, though unlikely. Under Corbyn? No chance!
    All May has to do....
    Yes we were talking about how May could have made the WDA a Confidence motion remember? Or have you forgotten that?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,869
    CatMan said:

    I propose we try and get Romania to play test cricket.

    Why drag them down?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,238
    CatMan said:

    I propose we try and get Romania to play test cricket.

    We might stand a chance for a couple of years at least.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502
    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    Verbally, May also said the same.
    The government refuses to bring forward legislation , as they don’t want it amended . The UK is fucked. The lunatics have taken over . Scotland needs to escape ASAP.
    Haven't the rights of UK citizens in the EU been guaranteed verbally too?
    The EU can’t legislate for each member state as to how they deal with third country nationals in the future . Each country has its own rules . Most countries have already brought in legislation in the event of no deal to protect Brits .

    And I’ll stress , legal and not some verbal promise .
    Well you won't have to wait much longer. It'll be one of the first bills introduced by the new government -- https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-to-enshrine-eu-citizens-rights-in-preparation-for-no-deal-11770128
    I thought the government was planning to avoid any legislation at all, to avoid it getting hijacked by Grieve, etc.
    The report suggests the proposal was approved at Cabinet.
    It won’t come forward till after October 31st .
    Where does it say that? How can it be in preparation for something if it occurs after it?
    You’ve just made my point . The government doesn’t want any legislation that can be amended till after Independence Day!
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,318

    RobD said:

    I’ve been in an eight hour meeting. Have I missed anything of interest?

    I don't think PB has discussed the merits of pineapple pizza in that time, which is quite unusual.
    I might have a Hawaiian tonight.
    You break my heart.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,464
    Drutt said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.

    Another voice of sanity!
  • chloechloe Posts: 308
    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,816
    IanB2 said:

    CatMan said:

    I propose we try and get Romania to play test cricket.

    Why drag them down?
    They of course play rugby to a reasonable standard
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    Foxy said:

    RobD said:

    Good. That’s one daft Cameron policy junked:

    https://twitter.com/goodwinmj/status/1154419545366573056?s=21

    Yes. Definitely a good one. It was unworkable anyway.

    What about counting students as immigrants ? That's another daft May legacy.
    I believe including students is the international standard.
    Those that leave disappear in the net migration figures, but 20% of students (particularly those from Subcontinent and MENA) get permanant status, about 50 000 per year. It is right to include them in the figures.
    Why wouldn't you include them?
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    Nigelb said:

    Drutt said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.
    On the other hand, Ryanair don't do Australia for the weekend.
    That's geography not culture.

    I could get a flight to the Middle East cheaper than Australia. I know which is culturally more akin there too!
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,413
    edited July 2019

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    I suspect the only difficulty would be a chat with the locals. Even then there would be a few youngsters wanting to practice their english...
    So beam your ave Canada?

    What planet are you people on?
    I spend my entire working life in obscure places in Europe - there are few places where you couldn't sort out a bed and food within a few minutes and a asking a couple of people.

    30 years ago I would accept your argument nowadays mobile phones, google translate and the internet remove all the difficulty...
    I’m not claiming it’s not easier than it was, to win.
    Of course it would. The problem is not tha, Asia or Africa.
    or they wont come at all as AI hits in and the last thing you need is more people, especially low skilled ones.
    How is AI going to look after a dementia patient at 3 in the morning? Im sure it can help but it is many decades away from replacing that kind of job.
    becuase it will free up lots of people doing repretitive jobs in manufacturing and services to do different ones. You are aware people can reskill I assume ?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,733
    OnboardG1 said:

    IanB2 said:

    Foxy said:

    If the question was whether we have more in common with the Dutch or Danes than Australia, or of course the Irish, the question is much more difficult.

    It's still the wrong way of looking at it. We are European by definition. You can ask which European countries Australia has most in common with, but to ask whether we have more in common with Australia than some other European country is to get history backwards.
    It’s an interesting question, since it touches on an oft-had discussion that cropped up here the other week; visitors to the US regularly report an alien non-European feel and culture despite the common language and history. The question would be why Australia doesn’t feel as different as the US?
    Less diverse in terms of immigration over the last couple of hundred years, achieved independence later, achieved independence on collegiate terms so there was never a cultural reaction against Britishness, retention of the monarchy. Quite a few reasons.
    Until 1948 we had common citizenship with the Dominions. We were all British Subjects, it was only then that seperate citizenship of Canada, Australia and New Zealand became seperate things. A lot more recent than 1776.
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    rcs1000 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    Verbally, May also said the same.
    The government refuses to bring forward legislation , as they don’t want it amended . The UK is fucked. The lunatics have taken over . Scotland needs to escape ASAP.
    Haven't the rights of UK citizens in the EU been guaranteed verbally too?
    The EU can’t legislate for each member state as to how they deal with third country nationals in the future . Each country has its own rules . Most countries have already brought in legislation in the event of no deal to protect Brits .

    And I’ll stress , legal and not some verbal promise .
    Well you won't have to wait much longer. It'll be one of the first bills introduced by the new government -- https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-to-enshrine-eu-citizens-rights-in-preparation-for-no-deal-11770128
    I thought the government was planning to avoid any legislation at all, to avoid it getting hijacked by Grieve, etc.
    Perhaps even Boris realized that he can't hold off trying to pass legislation until May 2022.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,406
    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208
    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    I'm feeling sad and doomy and gloomy.

    I know it's my fault. I ought to be pumped and energized by the notion of national renaissance under a Winston Churchill for the 21st century but it just isn't ringing true to me. It's all feeling a bit ... not sure how best to put this ... kind of simultaneously silly and shoddy.

    No, it's worse than that. We are being abused. And regardless of how dim we are we don't deserve it.
    If journalists' take on Johnson's election strategy is correct, we have an utterly cynical prime minister. There is no purpose to Brexit negotiations, workable relations with other countries and possibly the Union itself, except as devices to win Johnson power.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,413

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    I suspect the only difficulty would be a chat with the locals. Even then there would be a few youngsters wanting to practice their english...
    So beam your ave Canada?

    What planet are you people on?
    I spend my entire working life in obscure places in Europe - there are few places where you couldn't sort out a bed and food within a few minutes and a asking a couple of people.

    30 years ago I would accept your argument nowadays mobile phones, google translate and the internet remove all the difficulty...
    I’m not claiming it’s not easier than it was, to win.
    Of course it would. The problem is not tha, Asia or Africa.
    or they wont come at all as AI hits in and the last thing you need is more people, especially low skilled ones.
    How is AI going to look after a dementia patient at 3 in the morning? Im sure it can help but it is many decades away from replacing that kind of job.
    because it will free up lots of people doing repretitive jobs in manufacturing and services to do different ones. You are aware people can reskill I assume ?
  • anothernickanothernick Posts: 3,591

    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_P said:
    So you can lay an October 2019 election at just 3.85 on BFE and win if it falls in any other month or year.
    I do not understand the logic of the article. So what happens on 31st October ? If BJ can get Brexit through why should he call an election ? Surely, the election will be held before 31st October.
    A September election works for me.
    A September election is now impossible.

    Heck I think the earliest possible date is now October 10th...
    October 24th I am told.
    That was if a vote of No Confidence occurs on in the first 2 days of Parliment returning.

    Things hit November incredibly early...
    Or, BJ challenges Corbyn on the day they return.
    For an election - as discussed elsewhere - Labours response will be that they are happy to have one but we have 2 months of acts that need to go through parliament so if you extend to 31st December we will vote for said election.
    Then Boris says no. And then what?
    No election. And parliament votes to block no deal. So Boris either has to swallow his pride and ask for an extension or be ousted by a VONC.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,936
    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    Verbally, May also said the same.
    The government refuses to bring forward legislation , as they don’t want it amended . The UK is fucked. The lunatics have taken over . Scotland needs to escape ASAP.
    Haven't the rights of UK citizens in the EU been guaranteed verbally too?
    The EU can’t legislate for each member state as to how they deal with third country nationals in the future . Each country has its own rules . Most countries have already brought in legislation in the event of no deal to protect Brits .

    And I’ll stress , legal and not some verbal promise .
    Well you won't have to wait much longer. It'll be one of the first bills introduced by the new government -- https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-to-enshrine-eu-citizens-rights-in-preparation-for-no-deal-11770128
    I thought the government was planning to avoid any legislation at all, to avoid it getting hijacked by Grieve, etc.
    The report suggests the proposal was approved at Cabinet.
    It won’t come forward till after October 31st .
    Where does it say that? How can it be in preparation for something if it occurs after it?
    You’ve just made my point . The government doesn’t want any legislation that can be amended till after Independence Day!
    Who says it won't come forward until after October 31st?
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,541

    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    How many Australians live and work in Nuneaton for example? What about Warsall? Burnley? Sunderland? How many people can afford thousands of pounds for flights to Australia on holiday?
    Ive worked with and met loads of Australians in the UK, Ive only ever worked with one Romanian. I'd suggest youre pushing a daft argument, Romanians really only made an impact post 2008 our relationship with Australia is much older and more deep.
    That’s absolute rubbish. People as recently as 1750s England likely had no idea Australia even existed - whereas we have had relationships with the whole of Europe, including Romania, from time immemorial. We were both provinces of the Roman Empire when no one had a slightest inkling Australia was there.
    lol

    Romania didnt exist in the 1750s

    you really are pushing a fuckwit argument
    Romania was occupied by Turkey at the time but the Romanian people and the area that now constitutes Romania were well known here. The Australian landmass was completely unknown
    Total drivel.
    What part of “Cook didn’t chart the east coast of Australia until 1770” is drivel? Unless her were keen on Dutch cartography the average Englishman would have known nothing of Australia. On the other hand, although nothing to proud of, folk tales of Vlad the Impaler became one of the first horror “bestsellers” in Europe (including England) soon after the invention of movable type.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,914

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    How many Australians live and work in Nuneaton for example? What about Warsall? Burnley? Sunderland? How many people can afford thousands of pounds for flights to Australia on holiday?
    Ive worked with and met loads of Australians in the UK, Ive only ever worked with one Romanian. I'd suggest youre pushing a daft argument, Romanians really only made an impact post 2008 our relationship with Australia is much older and more deep.
    . Everyone knows you're twinned with Alice Springs. How I remember all the Sheila's pouring out of the Conservative club at Haloween. Romanians wouldn't get past the border guard at the Ludlow station
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,936
    tlg86 said:

    Foxy said:

    RobD said:

    Good. That’s one daft Cameron policy junked:

    https://twitter.com/goodwinmj/status/1154419545366573056?s=21

    Yes. Definitely a good one. It was unworkable anyway.

    What about counting students as immigrants ? That's another daft May legacy.
    I believe including students is the international standard.
    Those that leave disappear in the net migration figures, but 20% of students (particularly those from Subcontinent and MENA) get permanant status, about 50 000 per year. It is right to include them in the figures.
    Why wouldn't you include them?
    Ask surbiton.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,413
    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,847

    IanB2 said:

    CatMan said:

    I propose we try and get Romania to play test cricket.

    Why drag them down?
    They of course play rugby to a reasonable standard
    Only way to settle this is for them to play the national sport at Wembley and whoever wins is declared the winner. Romania small favs.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,464

    The whole Romania v Australia debate is one of the weirdest I remember on here, think the sun might be having an impact today!

    Only for those who think Vlad the Impaler is culturally closer to us than Kylie Minogue. I can only assume that there’s a shortage of strait jackets for these poor individuals who deserve our sympathy and support during their ( hopeful) recovery.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,464

    IanB2 said:

    CatMan said:

    I propose we try and get Romania to play test cricket.

    Why drag them down?
    They of course play rugby to a reasonable standard
    Only way to settle this is for them to play the national sport at Wembley and whoever wins is declared the winner. Romania small favs.
    Not against Wales.:-)
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,847

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    I suspect the only difficulty would be a chat with the locals. Even then there would be a few youngsters wanting to practice their english...
    So beam your ave Canada?

    What planet are you people on?
    I spend my entire working life in obscure places in Europe - there are few places where you couldn't sort out a bed and food within a few minutes and a asking a couple of people.

    30 years ago I would accept your argument nowadays mobile phones, google translate and the internet remove all the difficulty...
    I’m not claiming it’s not easier than it was, to win.
    Of course it would. The problem is not tha, Asia or Africa.
    or they wont come at all as AI hits in and the last thing you need is more people, especially low skilled ones.
    How is AI going to look after a dementia patient at 3 in the morning? Im sure it can help but it is many decades away from replacing that kind of job.
    becuase it will free up lots of people doing repretitive jobs in manufacturing and services to do different ones. You are aware people can reskill I assume ?
    Good luck getting enough carers to work minimum wage overnight care shifts from the domestic population. Some of us live in the real world.
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,816
    edited July 2019
    welshowl said:

    The whole Romania v Australia debate is one of the weirdest I remember on here, think the sun might be having an impact today!

    Only for those who think Vlad the Impaler is culturally closer to us than Kylie Minogue. I can only assume that there’s a shortage of strait jackets for these poor individuals who deserve our sympathy and support during their ( hopeful) recovery.
    Well in a way Vlad is as he was made famous (or his alter ego) to the outside world by an English/Irish author!
  • DruttDrutt Posts: 1,124
    IanB2 said:

    Drutt said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.
    Almost all of that you could say about the US - yet so many visitors come back saying they never felt so European. So there must be something deeper, about culture and values, that marks us apart.
    Difficult for me to give an Englishman-in-New-York perspective, as my only trip stateside was (1) to Disney world and (2) almost thirty years ago. But I think for a provincial Brit, the familiarity heirarchy goes UK-CANZ-US-WesternEurope- HK and Singers-central and Eastern Europe.

    Logging off to go to the gym now, as it's got aircon.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,413

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    eek said:

    welshowl said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    I suspect the only difficulty would be a chat with the locals. Even then there would be a few youngsters wanting to practice their english...
    So beam your ave Canada?

    What planet are you people on?
    I spend my entire working life in obscure places in Europe - there are few places where you couldn't sort out a bed and food within a few minutes and a asking a couple of people.

    30 years ago I would accept your argument nowadays mobile phones, google translate and the internet remove all the difficulty...
    I’m not claiming it’s not easier than it was, to win.
    Of course it would. The problem is not tha, Asia or Africa.
    or they wont come at all as AI hits in and the last thing you need is more people, especially low skilled ones.
    How is AI going to look after a dementia patient at 3 in the morning? Im sure it can help but it is many decades away from replacing that kind of job.
    becuase it will free up lots of people doing repretitive jobs in manufacturing and services to do different ones. You are aware people can reskill I assume ?
    Good luck getting enough carers to work minimum wage overnight care shifts from the domestic population. Some of us live in the real world.
    by the time you get to retire a lot of those jobs will have changed too.
  • chloechloe Posts: 308
    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected
    Thanks Eek. As the EU has always said. It doesn’t matter what German carmakers think, the EU’s position is not going to change.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,733
    welshowl said:

    The whole Romania v Australia debate is one of the weirdest I remember on here, think the sun might be having an impact today!

    Only for those who think Vlad the Impaler is culturally closer to us than Kylie Minogue. I can only assume that there’s a shortage of strait jackets for these poor individuals who deserve our sympathy and support during their ( hopeful) recovery.
    I think that Tommy Robinson would be quite happy with Vlads robust approach to Turkish migration. He may not be such a Kylie fan.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,406
    edited July 2019

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
    No - I'm expect us to end up making Romania look rich in the future.

    And for our youth to head there to earn more money as cleaners...
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,869
    Perhaps Wales is more weird than either Australia or Romania?

    With that I must go walk the dog
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,464
    IanB2 said:

    Perhaps Wales is more weird than either Australia or Romania?

    With that I must go walk the dog

    Of course it is!
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 26,624
    IanB2 said:

    welshowl said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    If the question was whether we have more in common with the Dutch or Danes than Australia, or of course the Irish, the question is much more difficult.

    It's still the wrong way of looking at it. We are European by definition. You can ask which European countries Australia has most in common with, but to ask whether we have more in common with Australia than some other European country is to get history backwards.
    Of course, the reason that Canada and Australia are liike the United Kingdom is that our ancestors were very adept at ethnic cleansing and replacement of indiginous peoples.

    That’s as may be or may not be, but it’s not remotely going to guilt trip innocent old me into thinking Romania is our best buddy over Australia,

    Those nasty Italians did a fair bit of ethnic cleansing when they were branded Romans. You going to guilt trip them too or is it just us that gets the historical hand wringing?
    But the secret of Rome’s astonishing success was significantly because, for the era, they were remarkably uninterested in ethnic cleansing.
    Given that Julius Caesar killed a million Gauls and enslaved a million Gauls in under a decade I'd say that they were very good at in when they chose to be interested.
  • welshowlwelshowl Posts: 4,464
    Foxy said:

    welshowl said:

    The whole Romania v Australia debate is one of the weirdest I remember on here, think the sun might be having an impact today!

    Only for those who think Vlad the Impaler is culturally closer to us than Kylie Minogue. I can only assume that there’s a shortage of strait jackets for these poor individuals who deserve our sympathy and support during their ( hopeful) recovery.
    I think that Tommy Robinson would be quite happy with Vlads robust approach to Turkish migration. He may not be such a Kylie fan.
    I am though. Sighs.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 42,005
    edited July 2019
    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected
    Seems like only a day ago that we were being told that the EU had blinked.
    Once more.
    Again.
    For the umpteenth time.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502
    The only way to rid the country of the ERG vermin and finish the Tories off is sadly to have a lot of pain inflicted by a no deal .

    Hopefully the country will recover it’s soul and can turn a chapter on the horrible toxic mess it finds itself in.

    The Tories bar some moderates , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK .
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 26,624
    eek said:

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
    No - I'm expect us to end up making Romania look rich in the future.

    And for our youth to head there to earn more money as cleaners...
    Do you have a timescale for this prediction ?
  • eekeek Posts: 28,406
    nico67 said:

    The only way to rid the country of the ERG vermin and finish the Tories off is sadly to have a lot of pain inflicted by a no deal .

    Hopefully the country will recover it’s soul and can turn a chapter on the horrible toxic mess it finds itself in.

    The Tories bar some moderates , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK .

    You may want to revisit the last sentence - I don't think it reads the way you think it does...
  • eekeek Posts: 28,406

    eek said:

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
    No - I'm expect us to end up making Romania look rich in the future.

    And for our youth to head there to earn more money as cleaners...
    Do you have a timescale for this prediction ?
    20-30 years if we leave without a deal...
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    IanB2 said:

    Perhaps Wales is more weird than either Australia or Romania?

    With that I must go walk the dog

    Wales is more like New Zealand.

    They even both have the same amorous intentions to animals.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502
    eek said:

    nico67 said:

    The only way to rid the country of the ERG vermin and finish the Tories off is sadly to have a lot of pain inflicted by a no deal .

    Hopefully the country will recover it’s soul and can turn a chapter on the horrible toxic mess it finds itself in.

    The Tories bar some moderates , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK .

    You may want to revisit the last sentence - I don't think it reads the way you think it does...
    Enlighten me ! The heat has got to my brain !
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,914
    edited July 2019
    FF43 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    I'm feeling sad and doomy and gloomy.

    I know it's my fault. I ought to be pumped and energized by the notion of national renaissance under a Winston Churchill for the 21st century but it just isn't ringing true to me. It's all feeling a bit ... not sure how best to put this ... kind of simultaneously silly and shoddy.

    No, it's worse than that. We are being abused. And regardless of how dim we are we don't deserve it.
    If journalists' take on Johnson's election strategy is correct, we have an utterly cynical prime minister. There is no purpose to Brexit negotiations, workable relations with other countries and possibly the Union itself, except as devices to win Johnson power.
    Don't fret! This is going to unravel faster than the rubber bands on a golf ball. I wasn't sure until I saw a very pleased looking Rees Mogg. Boris might think he's a jolly good egg but most people think he's as loopy as a bat! '

    Things sweet prove in digestion sour' and the old bard never gets it wrong
  • eekeek Posts: 28,406
    edited July 2019
    nico67 said:

    eek said:

    nico67 said:

    The only way to rid the country of the ERG vermin and finish the Tories off is sadly to have a lot of pain inflicted by a no deal .

    Hopefully the country will recover it’s soul and can turn a chapter on the horrible toxic mess it finds itself in.

    The Tories bar some moderates , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK .

    You may want to revisit the last sentence - I don't think it reads the way you think it does...
    Enlighten me ! The heat has got to my brain !
    The Tories, bar some moderates , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK .

    Bar some moderates, the Tories , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK.

    The Tories (bar some moderates) , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK.

    are far clearer sentences. Yours is missing at least 1 oxford comma...
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,847
    FF43 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    I'm feeling sad and doomy and gloomy.

    I know it's my fault. I ought to be pumped and energized by the notion of national renaissance under a Winston Churchill for the 21st century but it just isn't ringing true to me. It's all feeling a bit ... not sure how best to put this ... kind of simultaneously silly and shoddy.

    No, it's worse than that. We are being abused. And regardless of how dim we are we don't deserve it.
    If journalists' take on Johnson's election strategy is correct, we have an utterly cynical prime minister. There is no purpose to Brexit negotiations, workable relations with other countries and possibly the Union itself, except as devices to win Johnson power.
    Normally a sociopathic leader isnt a disaster as the threat from other parties essentially ensure they direct their energies to deliver for the country. Unfortunately we have no Corbyn, a divided threat and therefore a much higher risk of disaster. Labour members are responsible for this mess just as much as Tory members imo.
  • chloechloe Posts: 308

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected
    Seems like only a day ago that we were being told that the EU had blinked.
    Once more.
    Again.
    For the umpteenth time.
    Don’t worry, the giddy optimism just hasn’t reached Brussels yet
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    eek said:



    Procedure is different, practice is the same. In theory the PM didn't call the election pre-FTPA, Her Majesty the Queen did on the PM's advice. What matters is practice more than theory or procedure.

    When Theresa May stood in Downing Street and called for an election to the world's gathered media she called the election, not the Commons. The Commons just ratified what she'd already called and the media had already moved into election mode before the Commons even voted. She could have done the same by proxy with the WDA thus making the WDA a confidence vote by proxy.

    In which case may I suggest you read what the law actually says.

    The amount of fun a Labour party could have in September as Boris tries to call an election will be a sight to behold.

    Granted we do need an election but I think the pound of flesh required for Boris to get his wish will rather put him off...
    Remember that this is the Parliamentary Labour Party that in 2017 was quite prepared to support a motion dissolving parliament when it looked like at least a 1/3 of them would lose their seats, albeit on the assumption (which they shared) that the Conservative Party under May was capable of fighting a half decent election campaign.
    You make a fair point there - and I was appalled at Corbyn's meek response to May's election announcement in April 2017. On the other hand , the parliamentary arithmetic is now a fair bit different in that we have a Hung Parliament - and there is some possibility of an alternative Government being formed from the existing House of Commons. That was not really true in 2017 - though Corbyn could have been far less co-operative.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,534
    Drutt said:



    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.

    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.
    We're all just describing what we're used to. Urban Germany, Austria, and Poland all feel exactly like home to me (Spain and Italy a little less), but rural England feels different, partly because I grew up with hay fever so anything with trees looks vaguely menacing to me (yes, and I live in Surrey, sigh). Why should we all feel the same way?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,237
    I suppose on the whole the typical Englishman may well feel they are closer culturally to a cricket loving 'fair dues mate' Aussie bloke from Chumba Wumba than to a wild-eyed Roma from Roma who was born in the wagon of a travelling show.

    Is that why we should be leaving the EU? I guess it is. In which case let's drop all this other bullshit. Trade deals, sovereignty, all of that euphemistic nonsense.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,914

    IanB2 said:

    Perhaps Wales is more weird than either Australia or Romania?

    With that I must go walk the dog

    Wales is more like New Zealand.

    They even both have the same amorous intentions to animals.
    An Australian shepherd bumps into a friend with a sheep over his shoulder. 'Hi mate are you shearing?'

    'No way! Find your own.'
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 26,624
    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
    No - I'm expect us to end up making Romania look rich in the future.

    And for our youth to head there to earn more money as cleaners...
    Do you have a timescale for this prediction ?
    20-30 years if we leave without a deal...
    The UK's gdp per capita is approx $42k, Romania's is approx $12k:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita

    Try out on a spreadsheet what would be needed for Romania to look rich compared to the UK in 20-30 years.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,406

    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
    No - I'm expect us to end up making Romania look rich in the future.

    And for our youth to head there to earn more money as cleaners...
    Do you have a timescale for this prediction ?
    20-30 years if we leave without a deal...
    The UK's gdp per capita is approx $42k, Romania's is approx $12k:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita

    Try out on a spreadsheet what would be needed for Romania to look rich compared to the UK in 20-30 years.
    Imagine an economy where most importers of our goods no longer want them...
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,936
    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
    No - I'm expect us to end up making Romania look rich in the future.

    And for our youth to head there to earn more money as cleaners...
    Do you have a timescale for this prediction ?
    20-30 years if we leave without a deal...
    The UK's gdp per capita is approx $42k, Romania's is approx $12k:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita

    Try out on a spreadsheet what would be needed for Romania to look rich compared to the UK in 20-30 years.
    Imagine an economy where most importers of our goods no longer want them...
    You are predicting exports will drop by more than half in the event of a no deal?
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,502
    eek said:

    nico67 said:

    eek said:

    nico67 said:

    The only way to rid the country of the ERG vermin and finish the Tories off is sadly to have a lot of pain inflicted by a no deal .

    Hopefully the country will recover it’s soul and can turn a chapter on the horrible toxic mess it finds itself in.

    The Tories bar some moderates , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK .

    You may want to revisit the last sentence - I don't think it reads the way you think it does...
    Enlighten me ! The heat has got to my brain !
    The Tories, bar some moderates , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK .

    Bar some moderates, the Tories , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK.

    The Tories (bar some moderates) , the BP and the ERG are a cancer on the UK.

    are far clearer sentences. Yours is missing at least 1 oxford comma...
    Comma gate ! Lmao . Thanks .
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,936
    edited July 2019
    New thread
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 26,624
    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    chloe said:

    Evening all. Did Boris have the phone call with Juncker this afternoon? Seems to me we are headed for No Deal exit. Risky strategy. If it turns out really badly, Boris and the government will be blamed, including by Brexit inclined voters.

    Tonight's telegraph headlines

    EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier rejects Boris Johnson's 'unacceptable' Brexit plan
    PM's call for removal of Irish backstop flatly rejected


    were you expecting Barnier to say its a fair cop guv, keep your £39 billion ?
    No - I'm expect us to end up making Romania look rich in the future.

    And for our youth to head there to earn more money as cleaners...
    Do you have a timescale for this prediction ?
    20-30 years if we leave without a deal...
    The UK's gdp per capita is approx $42k, Romania's is approx $12k:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita

    Try out on a spreadsheet what would be needed for Romania to look rich compared to the UK in 20-30 years.
    Imagine an economy where most importers of our goods no longer want them...
    Why would they not want them ?

    But lets take your idea and say it happens - demand for UK exports falls and then so does sterling and then demand for UK exports rises.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,627

    38.1 C? Pah. We were promised record heat.

    I blame the EU.....

    I saw 43° today :)
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    edited July 2019
    NEW THREAD
  • FF43 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    I'm feeling sad and doomy and gloomy.

    I know it's my fault. I ought to be pumped and energized by the notion of national renaissance under a Winston Churchill for the 21st century but it just isn't ringing true to me. It's all feeling a bit ... not sure how best to put this ... kind of simultaneously silly and shoddy.

    No, it's worse than that. We are being abused. And regardless of how dim we are we don't deserve it.
    If journalists' take on Johnson's election strategy is correct, we have an utterly cynical prime minister. There is no purpose to Brexit negotiations, workable relations with other countries and possibly the Union itself, except as devices to win Johnson power.
    Frankly you don’t get to be PM without being utterly cynical. Last one I can think of who wasn’t (IMO) was James Callaghan

  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,869

    Drutt said:



    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.

    This is madness.

    When I went to Australia I watched the tennis and the cricket, played a 20-over game for a mate's team, visited the set of a programme I had watched occasionally since I was a child, hired a Ford, drove down the coast surfing, drank lager and ate pizzas and burgers, spoke English to everyone I met, and the systems of parliament, government, law and order and so on were at least wholly recognisable and often practically indistinguishable. It was just like being at home but with awesome weather, more swearing, and occasionally girls think your accent is charming rather then nerdy.

    It was more immediately familiar than Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy or Poland, each of which I visited five years either way of the Aus visit. I can only imagine Romania is another level removed.
    We're all just describing what we're used to. Urban Germany, Austria, and Poland all feel exactly like home to me (Spain and Italy a little less), but rural England feels different, partly because I grew up with hay fever so anything with trees looks vaguely menacing to me (yes, and I live in Surrey, sigh). Why should we all feel the same way?
    Says the man who works for a farming charity!
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,490

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:

    RobD said:

    DougSeal said:



    Simple. Romania is in Europe as is the UK, both with European roots. Our native languages are Indo-European, the native languages of Australia are of –Pama–Nyungan family. Australia is an alien country literally in the other side of the world with roots in Asia and the Pacific. Admittedly there have been some European outposts established in the coast since 1789 but that doesn’t mean we are like them.

    Australia is more alien than Romania?

    Can I have some of what you are smoking?
    Considering I have never been to Australia, never met an Australian and never dealt with an Australian company but have met plenty of Romanians, have been to Romania and have dealt with Romanian companies - I would agree with DougSeal.
    I wouldnt take your experience as representative.
    I didn't say it was. However you can't say for sure that yours or RobD's experience is representative either.

    How many Australians live and work in Nuneaton for example? What about Warsall? Burnley? Sunderland? How many people can afford thousands of pounds for flights to Australia on holiday?
    Ive worked with and met loads of Australians in the UK, Ive only ever worked with one Romanian. I'd suggest youre pushing a daft argument, Romanians really only made an impact post 2008 our relationship with Australia is much older and more deep.
    That’s absolute rubbish. People as recently as 1750s England likely had no idea Australia even existed - whereas we have had relationships with the whole of Europe, including Romania, from time immemorial. We were both provinces of the Roman Empire when no one had a slightest inkling Australia was there.
    Yes, but then Australia was colonised/invaded (whatever takes your fancy) by the English. To argue they are alien is absurd.
    Australia was colonised/invaded (and very definitely ethnically cleansed) by the English you say?
    Rightly queried. It was by the British. Scots were amongst the biggest and best Empire builders.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,490
    RobD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    RobD said:

    nico67 said:

    nico67 said:

    Astonishing .

    EU citizens rights are now just being verbally guaranteed . So Bozo says don’t worry and that’s that .

    The UK is fast turning into a Banana Republic and a failed state. Hopefully the EU will have a sympathetic refugee programme.

    Verbally, May also said the same.
    The government refuses to bring forward legislation , as they don’t want it amended . The UK is fucked. The lunatics have taken over . Scotland needs to escape ASAP.
    Haven't the rights of UK citizens in the EU been guaranteed verbally too?
    The EU can’t legislate for each member state as to how they deal with third country nationals in the future . Each country has its own rules . Most countries have already brought in legislation in the event of no deal to protect Brits .

    And I’ll stress , legal and not some verbal promise .
    Well you won't have to wait much longer. It'll be one of the first bills introduced by the new government -- https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-to-enshrine-eu-citizens-rights-in-preparation-for-no-deal-11770128
    I thought the government was planning to avoid any legislation at all, to avoid it getting hijacked by Grieve, etc.
    The report suggests the proposal was approved at Cabinet.
    I think they are probably doing Leadsom's idea of getting the essential and non-contentious parts through parliament. Grieve and pals are not going to rebel over guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals. That would be a bad look and a half.
This discussion has been closed.