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#2081 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 16,475
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Well then.... wow.
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Again, wow. But to paraphrase HL Mencken: "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the (British) public".
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UK plc.
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But at the same time, it's arguable that no better (or "less bad") deal could be had. Incidentally, on this issue I do happen to agree with those who argue that anthing involving an ongoing full customs union or free trade agreement would not be in keeping with what voters reasonably believed they were voting for in 2016 (but to a degree this is a judgement call rather than a black-and-white matter).
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I simply don't interpret the known evidence in the same way as you do. |
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#2082 |
Bandaged ice that stampedes inexpensively through a scribbled morning waving necessary ankles
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cair Paravel, according to XKCD
Posts: 32,362
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Except, of course, that it won't actually do anything, other than give the impression that Boris is doing what he said he would and prepare the way for a claim, if anything accidentally goes wrong, that he did everything he possibly could to prevent it by making it illegal for anything to accidentally go wrong.
Dave |
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There is truth and there are lies. - President Joseph R. Biden, January 20th, 2021 |
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#2083 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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I suppose if the law makes the EU negotiators believe they have a hard deadline to work to (I don't think they believe in the concept of hard deadlines), then it may achieve something.
Without a deadline, it's in the interests of the EU to string out the negotiations forever. They want to keep us obeying their rules and paying them, for as long as possible. |
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#2084 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 16,475
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I think you're missing the point. The point is that by locking this issue down with legislation, Johnson is (most likely) deliberately seeking to give himself no wiggle room in order to expedite negotiations and reach resolutions. Now, one can of course argue as to whether this is a wise move or not.... but you kicked off this area of debate when you suggested that Johnson's reason for seeking this legislation was in order to deliberately try to end up with a no-deal Brexit and/or to try to ensure an erosion of worker's rights.
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Uh what? Firstly (and again), if I wrote "I find it interesting that tall women find it difficult to shop for formal clothing", why would it be at all relevant to ask "what proportion of women are tall by my estimation"? Secondly I hope you understand that by "inbred" I mean "indoctrinated" rather than "the product of incestuous sexual reproduction".
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*sigh* And nor was it a barrier to Labour being elected in safe Labour seats. You're missing the point.
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While I agree with those differences, there's the additional rather large difference that's implied by the words "Scottish" and "Nationalist".
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Well, we'll see I guess. |
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#2085 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 16,475
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#2086 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 11,919
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EU wants the toxic UK out as soon as possible. It contends with the endless extensions upon extensions because it doesn't want to be guilty of the inevitable disaster Brexit will become. In regards to payments EU already won, the EU budget only went on until the end of 2020. UK can renegade to at most 11 months of that and would have to do an equivalent of a soverign default in order to do so.
McHrozni |
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لا إله إلا رجل والعلوم والتكنولوجيا وأنبيائه |
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#2087 |
Bandaged ice that stampedes inexpensively through a scribbled morning waving necessary ankles
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cair Paravel, according to XKCD
Posts: 32,362
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I really don't think they're stupid enough to fall for that one. It's plain to see that this law will not be binding on the one body it applies to, and the evidence seems to suggest that the EU negotiators are intelligent and knowlegeable enough to understand that. I think this law is purely PR directed at the portion of the electorate who have voted Conservative in order to get a speedy resolution to Brexit.
I don't think they're that stupid either. They want to get on with the business of running the EU, and I suspect most of them would really, really like to get the Brexit party out of the European Parliament. Dave |
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There is truth and there are lies. - President Joseph R. Biden, January 20th, 2021 |
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#2088 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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If the trade negotiations "take longer than expected" and "an extension to the transition period is granted to allow negotiations to continue" then the EU will demand that the UK continue to pay during that extension and, of course, we won't be able to conclude trade deals with other countries during the extension(s). What's not for the EU to like? They'll try to delay things for as long as they can.
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#2089 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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My understanding is that the Brexit party (and other UK MEPs) WILL be out of the European Parliament during the transition period - so they'll be gone about six weeks from now. Maybe I'm wrong about that.
I agree that there should be no need for the law - Boris's promise to not extend the transition period should be sufficient and equivalent. But if the law makes the EU negotiators think they have less chance of stringing the negotiations along, then it may have some value. |
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#2090 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sir Fynwy
Posts: 31,328
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I was arguing that it's a way to engineer a no-deal Brexit.
The erosion of workers' rights is the inevitable result of having a Conservative government during the Brexit process. I have literally never encountered that definition of "inbred" in my 52 years of being a native English speaker. The two I'm familiar with are:
Neither of these seem to relate to your definition. Labour were pummelled by both the Conservatives and the SNP and yet somehow this is a clear indication that their anti-Tory rhetoric is the cause - nope not getting it. ![]() |
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#2091 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 11,919
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UK won't be able to conclude trade deals after the extensions either. UK faces a cliff edge Brexit unless it ends up in a customs union with the EU. A few trade partners might roll over the deals to cover the UK as well, most won't. UK doesn't have negotiators for any one of those deals, so it's not like making any sort of a deal like promised by BJ and his ilk benefits the UK.
McHrozni |
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لا إله إلا رجل والعلوم والتكنولوجيا وأنبيائه |
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#2092 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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#2093 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 11,919
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لا إله إلا رجل والعلوم والتكنولوجيا وأنبيائه |
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#2094 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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I don't want to argue about the skill of UK negotiators.
But your argument has a logical error in any case. Having unskilled negotiators doesn't prevent you from concluding trade deals - it merely prevents you from concluding trade deals that work more in your own favour. |
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#2095 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 11,919
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لا إله إلا رجل والعلوم والتكنولوجيا وأنبيائه |
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#2096 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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One key difference is that the SNP consistently opposed Brexit, holding a referendum, and respecting the result.
Labour voted in favour of holding the referendum, promised to respect the result, and then broke their promise. SNP stuck to their word and were rewarded by voters. Labour broke their word and were punished by voters. |
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#2097 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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#2098 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 11,919
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لا إله إلا رجل والعلوم والتكنولوجيا وأنبيائه |
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#2099 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 96,862
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I wish I knew how to quit you |
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#2100 |
Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Usk, Wales
Posts: 26,370
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"Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut |
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#2101 |
should be banned
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Earth, specifically the crusty bit on the outside
Posts: 16,089
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If we get a free trade deal with the EU then the UK will be unable to agree any trade deals with third countries that significantly differ from the deals the EU have with those countries, until until the UK can guarantee that goods travelling from and to the UK can not be diverted to/from the EU.
If we get a free trade deal with America then the EU will only give us the deal the US has. If the EU values free trade with us they will want to get in first. |
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#2102 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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#2103 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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#2104 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 96,862
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#2105 |
Philosophile
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Osaka, Japan
Posts: 29,307
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I think it is more of a case of Scotland voting against Brexit in the referendum and therefore in favour of a Remain Party in the SNP or even in the Lib Dems who lost their leader but increased their vote share and kept the same number of MPs.
Whereas England and Wales voted Leave and therefore voted the most obvious choice in the Tories. Northern Ireland which just has different politics because of the sectarian divide actually voted for more remain MPs with the SDLP and gave the DUP a rebuke. Labour were the losers because their position on Brexit was incoherent and had been since the referendum. Of course, they also lost because of Corbyn but the two things are not easily disentangled. He is a figurehead of the middle that Labour were in. And also, frankly I agree with you in one way. Although I am against Brexit and although many people have said it is like turkeys voting for Christmas it seems undeniable by now what the turkeys have voted for. |
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"The thief and the murderer follow nature just as much as the philanthropist. Cosmic evolution may teach us how the good and the evil tendencies of man may have come about; but, in itself, it is incompetent to furnish any better reason why what we call good is preferable to what we call evil than we had before." "Evolution and Ethics" T.H. Huxley (1893) |
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#2106 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 16,475
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Well, I mean both "inbred" and "indoctrinated" in the sense of growing up and remaining within a household and a community which has a strong particular political affiliation, such that one's inbuilt instinct is to support that political affiliation almost to the point of blindness. I didn't realise it needed this degree of explanation, but there you go. |
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#2107 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sir Fynwy
Posts: 31,328
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#2108 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 16,475
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#2109 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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No, I don't accept that either. Where's your evidence that he voted against his own deal? I think you imagined that. He stopped pushing it when it was apparent that his opponents were sabotaging and delaying it. Perfectly correct of him to do that, and subsequent events have shown that he did exactly the right thing.
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#2110 |
Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Usk, Wales
Posts: 26,370
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"Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut |
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#2111 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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#2112 |
Bandaged ice that stampedes inexpensively through a scribbled morning waving necessary ankles
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cair Paravel, according to XKCD
Posts: 32,362
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__________________
There is truth and there are lies. - President Joseph R. Biden, January 20th, 2021 |
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#2113 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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Boris never made that promise. He said that it wasn't his intention to prorogue it to prevent discussion on Brexit - there was no promise.
As Prime Minister, he HAS to prorogue parliament to end a session and have a Queen's speech. When he did prorogue it, because of the scheduled party conferences, parliament would only have been closed for five days extra anyway. Of course, his opponents made a huge overblown fuss over it. Look where it's got them now. |
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#2114 |
Uncritical "thinker"
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 22,777
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OECD healthcare spending Expenditure on healthcare http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/health-data.htm link is 2015 data (2013 Data below): UK 8.5% of GDP of which 83.3% is public expenditure - 7.1% of GDP is public spending US 16.4% of GDP of which 48.2% is public expenditure - 7.9% of GDP is public spending |
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#2115 |
puzzler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,460
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His opponents had already forced a delay to the current date (31st January) by delaying it, and were planning to vote through pro-remain amendments that would have modified the bill beyond recognition.
At that stage, Boris and his government pulled the bill, and proceeded to their current triumph. Let's see his opponents try to delay or amend the bill again now. |
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#2116 |
Orthogonal Vector
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 50,412
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Look you have to remember the core principle at stake here, and sacrifice is worth it, be it the ecconomy, national health care, british standing in the world, all of it can be safely traded away to preserve the great british institution of the prawn cocktail crisp! That is what got Johnson into the position he is in and that is what is driving their faith in his ability to deliver a prawn cocktail crisp rich brexit.
It might be the only thing to eat but damn it they will be there! |
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Sufficiently advanced Woo is indistinguishable from Parody "There shall be no *poofing* in science" Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Force ***** on reasons back" Ben Franklin |
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#2117 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,348
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There is nothing left to sort out. Everyone knows what the 3 options are, all that is left is for Parliament to approve one of them.
If BJ has Parliamentary backing he just needs to move forward either with the Theresa May deal or No Deal Brexit. If he doesn’t, attempting to usurp Parliamentary authority should be grounds for a non-confidence vote and new election. |
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"Anything's possible, but only a few things actually happen" |
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#2118 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,348
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Get this though your head. There is no shape or form of Brexit where the UK can keep trading with the EU under current terms and have it’s own side deal in force. Either the UK is outside the EU market area with appropriate trade borders and customs between the two markets, or the UK cannot have side deals in effect. Pick one or the other, you can’t mix the two.
This isn’t something that you can negotiate your way around. The EU has no choice but to enforce it’s own borders and trade agreements just like the UK will need to if it leaves the EU. The only delay here is that the UK is still trying to have it's cake and eat it too. If you really want Brexit pick one and move forward and stop blaming everyone else for your own inductiveness. |
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"Anything's possible, but only a few things actually happen" |
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#2119 |
should be banned
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Earth, specifically the crusty bit on the outside
Posts: 16,089
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The EU can't unilaterally extend the transition period. The end date is hard coded into article 126. It will only be changed if we want to change it. We can agree a deal with the US and start it the day after transition. We have already rolled over many desls. Admittedly not with a major player or deals improving on our current deal but there is nothing to stop us agreeing a deal with America and starting it on 1/1/21.
America won't want to start a deal before then for reasons previously given. |
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#2120 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 20,757
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Blott en dag, ett ögonblick i sänder, vilken tröst, vad än som kommer på! |
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