BY number not value?

Thanks for the heads up. Having worked for 42 years in construction, for the last 10 years managing a half billion pound construction spend I had not been made aware before. Steel effectively roams the oceans on giant ships waiting for the highest bidder. I am pleased, also, that you admit trading with the world's second biggest economy post-Brexit will be a disaster.

[quo

Everything you say is conjecture. No-one knows what will happen. The cataclysmic scare stories we heard have not come to pass. I have little doubt there will be a not insignificant hit, but in my view it's worth it and ultimately we will recover. When I look ahead 10...20...50 years I don't like where the EU is going and the effects it would have on the UK.

/quote]

Aside form your fears of being "ruled" from Brussels the above paragraph is the nub of the whole issue.
You quite rightly state that any views of an economic hit are conjecture, however, what we do have, when taken over the longer term is proof that being within The EU has had huge benefits for it's members, even those who are net contributors (like The UK) and you are happy to play "risk" with the livelihoods of not just yourself and your fellow leavers but also with the livelihoods of those who either didnt vote or voted remain.

AND we still have the very large elephant in the room which is N.Ireland, a situation which appears to have reached an impasse.
Either create a new customs union, which so many Tories (and others) will never agree to or, have full border control's, which neither "half" of Ireland want (mind you, both halves also want to remain within the EU so, something will definitely have to give.

I said many months ago that "no deal" was looking more likely and I still stand by this.
It will leave both sides in a position where they can blame the other side but, still wont solve the Irish situation.

Oh; and Labour still hedging it's bet's so that they cant be wrong

Interesting times

Someone who used to help conduct checks on Irish border crossings in his youth told me this.

Firstly you need (at a minimum) 2 serving members of the police, then you need a 4 man 'brick' of soldiers (at a minimum) to protect these police. Times that by two because if you have police and army personnel from one country on one side of the border, they'll more than likely be replicated by Garda and Irish Army on the other.

It takes between 10 and 20 minutes to check a vehicle for contraband and sort out customs and excise, check the identity (of everyone) in the vehicle... and these people will not be best pleased. Check for illegal immigrants. Check documentation regarding goods. Check for hidden compartments containing contraband/people... queues form, big queues and there are over 200 public roads and a heck of a lot more 'hidden' tracks the provos and INLA used for smuggling... mainly diesel.

Why do you need armed men at all?, I hear you asking. Well these border checkpoints/customs points will be deeply unpopular and a spark to tinder to dissident republicans who have been itching for an excuse to dig up the Armalites and Semtex. Border checks imposed by a power they don't recognise at a border they don't recognise will provide it. Boris' numberplate recognition devices will last about 10 minutes.

Then, after half a dozen border police have been shot and a few posts and or personnel have been blown to smithereens, politicians will poke holes in the air and the PBI (Poor Bloody Infantry) will be sent in to provide a deterrent to naughtiness - or 'a target rich environment' for the gunmen.

The locals, who have been moving back and forth freely since the GFA won’t really appreciate you stopping them travelling through a border that a substantial amount don't recognise it and you're going to have your work cut out getting these people onside.

There is bound to be some form of 'atrocity/accident' as a nervous 18 year old 'Tom' blows away a family as perhaps a women late for a doctor's appointment drives through a checkpoint... and Belfast and Derry go up in flames again, more troops are sent in... a few weeks later a bomb goes off in Manchester/London... Birmingham

And the loving madness starts off all over again... just because some extreme Thatcherite Tories want a 'Singapore of the North'.

Wouldn't fancy being on border duty in South Armagh TBH. It looks like a logistical nightmare. Plenty of country lanes where the only indication you are crossing any sort of border is the road signs change to KPH!

Not to worry, everything will be o.k. - In a generation!

Only twenty odd years to the land of milk & honey.

What I don't get is that Cronus repeatedly refuses to accept that he/she is even mildly racist, yet the basis of his argument is immigration and being overwhelmed (not to mention being told what to do by Germanic politicians, pick pocketed by romanies, undercut by polish electricians and don't mention the Irish.....apparently we should just screw them!

Good for the goose, but not for us British GANDERS eh?
As say, Circular, especially when your racism goes unacknowledged......

Oh...and Nigel's "popular vote" poll on facebook saw him lose 2 to 1....funniest thing on FB ever...

House!

Move with the times - even the most blinkered lefty snowflake now understands that pulling the racist card on anyone questioning EU immigration is not only pointless, it actually damages their agenda.

I do find it amusing that some gobby paddy in New Zealand is trying to tell me what's going on in the UK. Of course it's all rosy and mass immigration is wonderful. Keep telling yourself that. I visit towns and cities all over the country every week and the problems are the same. They're not even hidden any more; they're on the high streets.

Those of is who have seen the UK change for the worse under the EU and the influx of mass immigration, especially since Blair's tenure - have had enough. A pretty EU-funded dockside development does not mask the underlying problems. And every time some muppet shouts 'racist', my resolve is strengthened. So I say again, well done, people like you and your corrosive attitude actually helped win the Leave vote.

And yes, screw the Irish if they continue to sit on their hands and refuse to work together and resolve the border issues. As I said previously - it isn't what anyone wants but let's see how smug they look if all of sudden they find armed customs checkpoints along the border. Of course, that's precisely what some of them want.

Calling me a "Tea Caddy" is racist. Just because I'm white doesn't excuse your racist comment, but in your narrow minded opinion, calling me a "funny name" does no harm......you're a relic of the 70's and it's becoming obvious with every post that you're a bigot who will blame anyone but the British for a problem made in Britain



I think you'll find that it's the Irish who have screwed the British so far...Twice IIRC. Once in 1921 when you admitted you were fighting a war you'd never win and left with your tails between your legs and the second time at the turn of the Century when your armed forces left the North but you didn't get a single gun in return but instead released convicted terrorists and took steps to prosecute your own armed forces.......yeah, scew us some more why don't you ......and believe me, if your right wing rhetoric comes into play and we do have a check pointed border, it'll be back "on like Kong" and you'll end up losing 3-0.

GB used to stand for Great Britain......now it's Going Bust!

Cry me a river. No it's not. It's the diminutive form of the name Patrick (yer know, St Patrick n'all that); actually more often used in an affectionate manner (after all, who doesn't love the Irish and their endlessly witty banter ). Don't melt on me, Call Me Snowflake, you've come so far.

I bet you also insist jazz hands is more inclusive than clapping.


I won't even go into why the Republicans surrendered with a pathetic whimper and chose the diplomatic path, but suffice to say if you've screwed us so badly why is NI still firmly part of the UK?

Christ if the IRA or one of their offshoots couldn't win back in the day, they haven't a prayer in the age of 24/7 deep surveillance/intelligence. There's a reason the phrase 'paddy factor' was a thing. Omagh ain't the Wild West anymore, your cannon fodder are in for short careers.