So Democracy is Fake in the UK? (1 Viewer)

[The Z Machine]

Little Britain

 

[msommer]

Little Britain

England+

(If the Scots go, I think the Welsh may leave as well)

 

[The Z Machine]

I thought Wales went strongly for Brexit.

 

[timschochet]

I can Scotland going, and maybe Wales, but no way does Northern Ireland unite with Ireland. I can’t see that happening. 

 

[The Z Machine]

I can Scotland going, and maybe Wales, but no way does Northern Ireland unite with Ireland. I can’t see that happening. 

Why not? It's certainly more logical than Wales splitting from Britain.

 

[timschochet]

Why not? It's certainly more logical than Wales splitting from Britain.

Because Protestants in Belfast are not going to allow themselves to be governed by a Catholic majority from Dublin. Never have and never will. 

 

[msommer]

I thought Wales went strongly for Brexit.

Welsh independence is on the table

 

[The Z Machine]

Because Protestants in Belfast are not going to allow themselves to be governed by a Catholic majority from Dublin. Never have and never will. 

I think the sectarian stuff is dying in Ireland.  Hell, they legalized abortion and same sex marriage against the wishes of the Church within the last decade.  I haven't looked it up, but I bet religiosity is declining across the island, as it is all over Europe.

 

[msommer]

I think the sectarian stuff is dying in Ireland.  Hell, they legalized abortion and same sex marriage against the wishes of the Church within the last decade.  I haven't looked it up, but I bet religiosity is declining across the island, as it is all over Europe.

Northern Ireland just stopped throwing bombs at each other 25 years ago. It'll be awhile before they forgive and forget for real

 

[timschochet]

I think the sectarian stuff is dying in Ireland.  Hell, they legalized abortion and same sex marriage against the wishes of the Church within the last decade.  I haven't looked it up, but I bet religiosity is declining across the island, as it is all over Europe.

Not so much in Belfast. 

 

[The Z Machine]

Not so much in Belfast. 

To be fair, I've never been there.

 

[msommer]

Elon Musk just said that Brexit and the uncertainties that brings played a large role in not placing the gigafactory in the UK.

Germany says, "Thanks, Boris!"

 

[msommer]

Could a UK-EU trade agreement be negotiated in months?

Is there enough time to negotiate a trade deal?

The aim is to have a deal done in time for the end of 2020. That is a very challenging timetable.

Trade negotiations tend to take several years to complete. They are technically challenging and politically contentious. Both those features can make them drag on.

To take one example, the EU's deal with Canada took more than five years for negotiators to complete and another three before it came into force, on a provisional basis.

The UK-EU negotiation will be unusual in that it is intended to establish a trade relationship that is less integrated than what the two sides have now.

Usually, trade negotiations make for closer commercial relations, so past experience isn't necessarily a good guide to the likely timetable.

Some people say that because we are already fully aligned with the EU the negotiation will be easy and quick.

But for many Brexit supporters the freedom to depart from EU rules is one of the main prizes. How much we depart - on food standards for example - will be important for the EU in judging what restrictions to impose on British goods. That could be a time-consuming process.

If we don't get a FTA with the EU is that a "no-deal Brexit"?

The term "no-deal" was often used to mean no withdrawal agreement. So the scenario of no FTA at the end of next year is not no-deal in that sense.

Ratifying Mr Johnson's deal would mean an agreement covering citizens' rights (EU citizens here and British on the continent) the financial contribution and the Irish border.

But "no deal" is also sometimes used as meaning no trade agreement and a WTO terms trade relationship with the EU and that scenario is a possible outcome of Mr Johnson's approach.

 

[H Jass]

Today's the day: Election Day.

I originally thought Labour would surge a while back, but the anti-semitism past of key figures has been making me less sure lately.  Gonna be an interesting evening.