The Political Thread

[Professor Bear]

Why stop there at listing the UK's many growth areas since Brexit was announced? Islamophobia is also at an all-time high, and racist attacks are increasing in frequency.

[Hawkmumbler]

Why stop there at listing the UK's many growth areas since Brexit was announced? Islamophobia is also at an all-time high, and racist attacks are increasing in frequency.

Oh, but we don't want to make the UK look bad, do we?!

[Theblazeuk]

Spinning faster than the Earth's orbit there.

This isn't strictly political but in relation to some recent drama - Groups of nice people will always come off worse in any interaction with a minority of nastiness. When the nice people stand together and ever-so-gently stand against nastiness, they'll feel bad because they ganged up on someone.

It occurred to me that in more complicated ways this is one of the many reasons why politics is such a pain. Civility and kindness protect those who abuse it most.

[IndigoPrime]

Oh, but we don't want to make the UK look bad, do we?!

When there are any downsides to the economy, it's baffling that Brexit voters seem to think this is down to Remainers 'talking down' the UK. Nothing to do with spooked markets, the UK being kicked out of science projects, the film and TV industry suddenly finding itself in some pretty serious shit, exporters freaking out about the prospect of cargo inspections when sending anything outside of the UK.

But people also forget the shit hasn't hit the fan. It's been fired, but it's now soaring across the air in slow motion. It would be possible to catch before the worst happens, but I doubt there's the political will. Plus there are at least a chunk of 17 million people out there who'd be furious if we didn't quit the EU after all — although I suspect at least as many will fume at whatever the end result happens to be.

[Theblazeuk]

When the hell has 'Talking down' ever amounted to anything other than injuring the pride of the overly sensitive.

And plenty are already fuming at the minor issues experienced so far. Local comic shop has to raise its prices because pound has dropped 15c against the dollar. Local brexiteer is very annoyed he has to pay more now.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

You lot should be listening to 'Wake up to Money' each working day at 05:15 on Radio 5 Live. That'll give you a more factual account of what's going on in just 45 minutes, each day.

When the Brexit vote came in certain people were quick to post up how the stock markets had gone down, along with the pound. The 100 bounced back straight away, the 250 is back above pre-brexit levels as well. The Pound hasn't recovered but it will and having it at the current value is good for other reasons, as you well know.

If you truly think that the government aren't doing their job and sorting out what is going to happen next then keep thinking that.

From what I have heard on the radio, seen on the TV etc... they have already started sorting trade agreements out with Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, India, Pakistan, The Commonwealth, etc.... Yes it's a long process but not as long as what some people negatively hope.

Remember when Obama said we would be back of the queue for trade, that changed overnight after the vote.
Remember when GlaxoSmithKline said they would not be good for them if the vote went leave, well they changed their tune overnight as well and put in a 275 million investment after the vote.
The German car manufacturers have warned Merkel of messing up their sales to the UK.
The French farmers are along the same lines with their government.

I see the government have said that they will back the money to the sciences, that they had from the EU.

There are good and bad things about the EU and Brexit and I'm a positive person and see a bright future for all in the UK.

[Hawkmumbler]

Positivity is all well and good but can it save the NHS from overwhelming privatization should May agree to sign TTIP (which she almost certainly will)?

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Have you got proof that she will do that, or are you just guessing?

I have to say that if the NHS is this shining beacon that says to the world, this is the best way to do it. Then why is no other country using the same model.

There are parts of the NHS that need to be privatised as far as I'm concerned. Procurement for one, as that's a bloody joke.

Front line staff, equipment and infrastructure should be heavily invested in and not managers and the non-job lot with their insane pay-packets and lovely pensions. The NHS needs to be looked at. I'm sure you saw the other day how much was wasted on prescriptions for paracetamol. That's the sort of thing that is a joke.

Yes the NHS is brilliant but not at everything, so new thinking needs to be brought in.

[Theblazeuk]

I am a very positive person - I was very positive about the EU and the benefits it has brought to not just my life but millions of others.

That New Thinking has been around for a while. Look how well it sorted out the trains! Certainly put paid to high wages and fat pensions and cut out managers...

[COMMANDO FORCES]

There you go, the EU is great. It's so great that borders and fences are going up all over the continent. Places are banning the burka but not here in dear old Blighty. It's so great that Germany has just built a load of COAL powered power stations (Climate change anyone).

As far as I'm concerned the EU can't fall apart quick enough. Replace it with what it was supposed to be in the first place and then everyone will be happy, apart form the powerful people!

[Grugz]

i'm with block positive burdis...as for the nhs thing that has been on the cards for years only they won't admit it even when I was at a conference where residential support workers were being told they were being moved to a ...private company naturally we questioned the 100k a year "managers" but blow me if they wouldn't do well as politicians by not answering the question.  I reckon most of the vitriol from Europe is that we're taking money out of their pockets and they have no real concern for us or our wellbeing in the happy club of the eu or did they bail us out of debt the last couple of recessions? or help by sending personell to the recent floods? etc

   

[Jim_Campbell]

or help by sending personell to the recent floods? etc

You know there were EU funds specifically available for flood relief that Cameron pointedly refused to claim, right?

[Grugz]

 I didn't mention funds, I thought more actual boots on the ground would've been more helpful

[Professor Bear]

But where will these extra boots come from when you've cut back emergency services funding, Grugz?

I have to say that if the NHS is this shining beacon that says to the world, this is the best way to do it. Then why is no other country using the same model.

What are you talking about, man?  Most countries in the world are actively copying the UK's NHS model: defund it and run it into the ground and then announce "SEE?  SEE?  Free medicine doesn't work!  Only paid healthcare can fix this problem!"

Even in the sorry state the current government have reduced it to, the NHS remains the world's highest-rated healthcare provider by standards of care.  Privitisation will not fix it, it will make it worse like it has every other public service.

[Jim_Campbell]

I didn't mention funds, I thought more actual boots on the ground would've been more helpful

Whose boots? How would that have been helpful? We have an army that steps in when the emergency services are strained... what personnel could the EU have sent that would have assisted?