Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Reports in the FT today saying that the Government is getting close to business again. Unlike Gove and Farage, it's been running its slide rule over the figures and realises that a sudden hard Brexit would cause large scale economic and social problems which are not what people voted for. Hopefully a sane, soft Brexit will prevail.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

i haven't seen a slide rule since the seventies its out of date tech- no one wants to work it out ,these days we have buttons to press with instant answers;)

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Some would say that a 'soft' Brexit would mean little change, with us still remaining within the common market or customs union. Others see it as a smooth transition to where we want to be. And of course there are shades of opinion in between.

We are unlikely to achieve the former because apparantly we have to be 'punished' for having the audacity to pull out of this nightmare organisation and we would have to accept free movement and contributions to the EU for the 'privilege' of tariff free trading with Europe. Additionally, if we continue to belong to the customs union, we would have to apply tariffs to countries outside the EU. None of that was what the majority of British people voted for and therefore it will simply not do.

The latter I could tolerate if all it meant was a two or three year transitional period to allow us to set up new trade deals and to put in place measures designed to soften any financial impact of this major change for businesses to cope with. Attempts to avoid a dangerous 'cliff edge' are perfectly acceptable, given that EU rules prohibit us from forging trade deals while still a member of the EU.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Since the majority of British people did not vote to Leave, the best course is to minimise the financial impact on the country as a whole.

After all, you cannot punish the whole country to satisfy the zealousness of the minority. There are those who are willing to pay any price, on our behalf, to achieve their aims. I am glad to see that so far, the PM is ignoring them ..

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

There's a difference between wanting Brexit, and wanting a quick Brexit - quite a few people I know don't want a Brexit, but now that it has been decided we are having one, they want it to be done as quickly as possible to minimise uncertainty and to allow everyone to plan and move on.

Here is the actual question that was asked I have to agree - it's going to happen, so let's get it done.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Theresa May heading for major Brexit battle over 'divorce bill' that could last many years, say leading academics
Britain faces a monumental tussle with the EU that could last years beyond Theresa May’s 2019 Brexit target and involve bitter court rows over unpaid bills, a group of academics has warned.

LSE professor Iain Begg, among the group, said: "I suspect that the money issue is going to be far more potent than has been allowed so far. We've heard whisperings of a £50bn to £60bn divorce bill coming out of the negotiations.

He went on: "[European Commissioner Michel] Barnier comes along and says 'Here's a bill for €60bn’. Britain says ‘get lost'. Barnier says, ‘if you don't pay, we'll sue you'. 'Fine, sue us'. That's the kind of contest it could end up being, which people haven't really envisaged."

Angus Armstrong of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, said there was "little or no evidence that EU member states have moved beyond their reflexive - and understandable - rejection of the UK's desire to 'have its cake and eat it'."

He argued that the key moment in Brexit talks will not be Ms May's tabling of Article 50, but the EU's response to it.

He said: "If the continental consensus is that the UK is still living on fantasy island, we could be heading for a showdown sooner than anyone expects."

London School of Economics assistant professor Sara Hagemann said that Ms May's post-referendum tour of EU capitals "seems to have generated little support for the British cause".

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-a7491291.html

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

12,949,258 didn't vote either way but feel free to try to bolster your argument with them .again and again and again

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

The majority of voters did vote to leave and no-one knows whether the split was the same amongst non-voters.

If you don't vote, you don't get a say anyway.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

No need to "bolster" facts.

is a fact. Deal with it ...

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

It's also a fact that the majority of the British people didn't vote to remain. Deal with it ...

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Agreed. Just stop saying that the "majority of British people voted for" Leave ... they did not.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

They did. Those that were eligible and who actually bothered to vote.

So stop being a dick about it and wind your neck in.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Technically correct, but a piece of pedantry that has little relevance except perhaps to try to de-legitimise the referendum result.

Democratic votes are decided by those who turn up and put a X in one of the available boxes. Everybody understands that, whether they vote or not.

To fail to vote, or to deliberately spoil a ballot paper, is to consciously put the choice into the hands of others.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Disagree, it has all the relevance in the world. Firstly, it misrepresents the perceived "will of the country" as a whole. If you go about claiming that Brexit "was what the majority of British people voted for" you are just plain wrong and, more importantly, you misrepresent the reality of where we are today.

The UK is divided and, as Gary would say, Dave divided it. Mrs May has the unenviable job of trying to unify this divided nation and she will not do that that pandering only to the views of one side or the other.

She must find a middle ground and both sides must make compromises in finding a Brexit solution that causes the least economic damage but still fulfilling the referendum decision to leave the EU.

Re: Post-Brexit Thread
 

Vast majority of the population didn't vote for the last Labour government but I bet you were really happy. :erm: