UK and the EU

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by clanless, Nov 9, 2015.

  1. PeterS

    PeterS Total Gardener

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    Fat Controllers and others - thank you for agreeing with me. I am not for one instant suggesting that we are racist in wanting to control the number of people in this country. But it would appear that some people are calling that racism.

    Clueless gave a very good example of the need to control numbers. I am concerned about the total number of people in the UK, not where they come from.

    Official EU figures have projected the UK population to rise from 65 million now to 85 million in 2080. That may sound a long way in the future, but there will be people who voted in this referendum who will still be around then. And there is no reason to believe that it will stop there if immigration is uncontrolled.

    I believe that we don't want that many people. We can't even grow enough food to support the present population. Some aspects of the infrastructure could be increased such as hospitals and schools - if we had the money, but some aspects such as roads and rails are much more difficult to increase.
     
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    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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      Well, depending on how you visualise how, and what, a person's daily diet should be then the UK hasn't been able to grow enough food for the UK population for around 500 years.:dunno:
      So we have increasingly become dependent on imports to bring in more exotic "essential" foods that we have become dependent on in day to day life.:snorky:
       
    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      500 years, stretching it a bit mate.

      I hate historical facts like this, they just dont have any real bearing on what is happening these days:biggrin:
      Best look at my history books, narr, dont think so, the future is more important :smile:
       
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      • Freddy

        Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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        I've just become aware that the online petition was started by, get this, a 'brexiter'. The ironies are just stacking up :)
         
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          Last edited: Jun 28, 2016
        • Phil A

          Phil A Guest

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          Maybe they were hoping to get even further out of Europe a second time around :heehee:
           
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          • Freddy

            Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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            It was started before the referendum, as he assumed the 'out' vote would lose.
             
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            • Phil A

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              They'm need a lesson on eggs and counting chickens then :chicken:
               
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              • ARMANDII

                ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                Have you noticed that the main theme of this thread of the result of the referendum has switched to, perhaps temporarily, immigration???:scratch::heehee:
                So, with the Conservative Party split, the Prime Minister effectively unable to negotiate the UK's leaving of the EU, the Chancellor hiding in a Panic Room somewhere, the Labour Party Shadow Cabinet in revolt and approaching half of it resigning, with Mr Corbyn knowing he can't lead the Labour Party to victory in the next General Election and yet hanging on to his Leadership, we're turning inwards and focusing on what the Media and perhaps the more extreme Politicians say is the prime reason to vote out.:dunno:
                We can argue/discuss about racism, and we should, and whether or not the UK is predominantly racist until the Cows Come home, and some will say we are and some will say we're not. It's an allegation that I think most people will refute while some will not because of their own individual views. There will also be those who will allege that the seemingly national desire to control our borders, cease the EU freedom of movement ruling, bring down the number to immigrants to a "reasonable" number by using, possibly, the Australian Points System or the like, as racism. We will never be able to change individual views, or certain political parties, on racism. But, I believe we are viewed by outside countries as one that will defend the rights of individuals, is a fair and open democracy, and is more of a attraction to live in than a great many other countries.
                What is focusing my attention is not racism but the catalyst of the Referendum triggering the long coming falling apart of the Labour and Conservatives, where Corbyn has long been recognised as a person unable to be supported by long standing Labour voters, and a large number of Conservative MP's rebelling over the last two Parliaments against David Cameron.
                There is a earth shaking decision that has been taken by the UK which has affected global financial markets dramatically, albeit it temporarily, caused other EU members to question the viability of the EU club and whether or not they are satisfied with their lot. Those that disagree with the UK's decision, inside the country and out,. will allege gaining control of our borders and reducing immigration numbers is racism.......but I think that you, and I, know it is not.
                 
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  As @Freddy says, the petition was set up way before the voting, sometime in May.

                  Just to set the record straight:-
                  It wasn't a petition for rerunning the result of this referendum. It was for the political purpose of asking for all, and any, voting to have at least a 75% vote before it became ratified.

                  Nobody took any notice of it until they found the result was not in their favour. :doh:

                  It's just a humorous coincidence that the person who set it up was a Brexiter and now, after the fact, it's being used to try and change that result.

                  It's a clutching at straws gambit!

                  The government, and all Remain voters, should have taken the opportunity whilst it was there. I'd have voted for it in order to try and get more people out voting. It should be everyone's duty to vote. Including the over 50's :old: :snorky:

                  If anyone's interested here is what William Says about his petition.

                  ***CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!!***

                  Dear All
                  Re: EU Referendum Rules triggering a 2nd EU Referendum petition
                  This petition was created at a time (over a month ago) when it was looking unlikely that 'leave' were going to win, with the intention of making it harder for 'remain' to further shackle us to the EU. Due to the result, the petition has been hijacked by the remain campaign. Admittedly, my actions were premature however, my intentions were as stated above. THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE OF A LEAVE VICTORY AT THAT TIME!!! Having said that, if it had not been mine, it would have been orchestrated by someone on the remain campaign. However, since I am associated with the petition and before the press further associate me with it I felt the need to better clarify my position on the issue even if it looks bad. I am it's creator, nothing more! The logistical probability of getting a turnout to be a minimum of 75% and of that, 60% of the vote must be one or the other (leave or remain) is in my opinion next to impossible without a compulsory element to the voting system.

                  I have been opposed to the bureaucratic and undemocratic nature of the European Union as an institution privately for many years and for all of my political career. I have openly and actively lent my support to both Vote Leave and Grassroots Out campaigns - why would I do this if I wanted to remain in the EU? I am genuinely appalled by the behaviour of some of the remain campaign, how they are conducting themselves post-referendum not just with this petition but generally. The referendum was fairly funded; democratically endorsed, every vote was weighted equally and I believe this was a true reflection of the mood of the country. To my fellow leavers, now doubting their decision please keep the faith, we will be fine just stick with it. I believe what we need to do now for the good of the country; is get behind the will of the British people, unite, issue Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon and move forward, with the process of leaving the European Union.

                  William Oliver Healey
                   
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                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                    Hey!! Don't forget the sheep!!! Or are you a sheepist? :nonofinger:
                     
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                    • ARMANDII

                      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                      [​IMG]
                       
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                      • Freddy

                        Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                        I sincerely hope I haven't been misunderstood. I've never thought that the majority that voted 'out' for reasons of immigration, are xenophobic. My contention was that a minority of 'outers' that voted on the grounds of immigration, are. My apologies if it came across differently.
                         
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                          Last edited: Jun 28, 2016
                        • PeterS

                          PeterS Total Gardener

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                          I have just been watching an interview with Mitch Feierstein. I have seen him several times before and have a great respect for him as well as his book Ponzi Planet. He talks a lot of sense.

                          As an American, he suggested that Britain would be the great winner after Brexit. He pointed out that the financial system of the EU was about to collapse. For instance the Italian bond market is the fifth largest in the world, much bigger than the UK. European banks are full of Italian bonds, which cannot be repaid. from 2000 to 2106 there are only two countries in the world with a lower growth rate than Italy - Zimbabwe and Haiti. But the Italians have still been issuing massive amounts of bonds, ie borrowing massive amounts of money. He also suggested that France is not far behind.

                          He stated that this will all collapse soon and that the EU would have to bail out Italy and France, as well as Greece, Spain and other countries. He said that Britain would be well out of this.
                           
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                          • Phil A

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                            No, we knew what you meant Freddy :thumbsup:
                             
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                            • ARMANDII

                              ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                              Perish the thought, Freddy:nonofinger:. I don't think it ever remotely entered anyone's mind that you were.:love30::snorky:
                               
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