Brexit

Cramp · Jun 12, 2016

In that case, some examples of EU regulations that have harmed the population of the UK would be good! My vacuum cleaner is bloody amazing, and it's from a UK company.

James D. Macdonald · Jun 12, 2016

Diana Hignutt said:
You make children vacuum? There are child labor laws, you know. Poor little things, forced to use low HP motors!

No, no, you want to use low-horsepower vacuums when you're vacuuming crumbs off your children. High-suction models could be harmful!

waylander · Jun 12, 2016

Cramp said:
In that case, some examples of EU regulations that have harmed the population of the UK would be good! My vacuum cleaner is bloody amazing, and it's from a UK company.

The fisheries policy

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 12, 2016

waylander said:
The fisheries policy

Please forgive me as an uninformed American, but I have no idea what that is.

The only thing I know about UK fisheries is when the UK lost the Cod Wars with Iceland and those were forty to sixty years ago.

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 12, 2016

... And the only reason I know about the Cod Wars is that elsewhere after I asked whether the EU had had anything to do with the relative lack of big ugly European wars the last seventy or so years, someone mentioned them as proof that it was not so.

oneblindmouse · Jun 12, 2016

The so-called Cod Wars were in the seventies, and were about Iceland's territorial waters vs. Britain's (correct me if I am wrong). Today's EU-imposed fisheries regulations are to prevent over fishing of stocks.

waylander · Jun 12, 2016

And gave open access to European vessels to areas that had been British . Now there are an awful lot of ex-fisherman and fisheries workers, and a major employment sector is greatly reduced while French and Spanish boats take the fish. It also results in thousands of tonnes of fish (bycatch) being dumped at sea because the boat owners don't have a quota for those fish.

oneblindmouse · Jun 12, 2016

waylander said:
And gave open access to European vessels to areas that had been British . Now there are an awful lot of ex-fisherman and fisheries workers, and a major employment sector is greatly reduced while French and Spanish boats take the fish. It also results in thousands of tonnes of fish (bycatch) being dumped at sea because the boat owners don't have a quota for those fish.

And gave open access to British vessels to areas that had not been British before! For example, Spanish territorial waters. There are also many Spanish and French (and other) ex-fishermen and fisheries workers who no longer have employment in the fishery industry and complain equally bitterly.

But I quite agree about the by-catches being dumped. Though that varies from country to country, depending on individual national markets (what fish is popular in supermarkets). Some countries (and I won't name names) are very picky with their catches, and discard huge amounts of fish or fish parts, while other countries waste nothing, and process all the 'unwanted' bits into fish meal. The former vessels are easily spotted by the amount of seagulls following them, whereas the latter tend to be seagull free.

MythMonger · Jun 13, 2016

Norwegians to UK: Don't be like us. Stay in the EU.

Norway not only has to accept the E.U.’s rules for commerce, it also has to embrace its core principles. Among them is the free movement of people, a critical sticking point for Brexit advocates who chafe at record immigration levels to the United Kingdom.

Eager to halt a possible contagion of defections, E.U. leaders have signaled that they will not be in a generous mood. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker noted pointedly last month that “deserters will not be welcomed back with open arms.”

It seems like leaving the EU would put the UK in the position of following all of the same rules as before, with none of the representation it currently has.

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 13, 2016

waylander said:
And gave open access to European vessels to areas that had been British . Now there are an awful lot of ex-fisherman and fisheries workers, and a major employment sector is greatly reduced while French and Spanish boats take the fish. It also results in thousands of tonnes of fish (bycatch) being dumped at sea because the boat owners don't have a quota for those fish.

oneblindmouse said:
And gave open access to British vessels to areas that had not been British before! For example, Spanish territorial waters. There are also many Spanish and French (and other) ex-fishermen and fisheries workers who no longer have employment in the fishery industry and complain equally bitterly.

But I quite agree about the by-catches being dumped. Though that varies from country to country, depending on individual national markets (what fish is popular in supermarkets). Some countries (and I won't name names) are very picky with their catches, and discard huge amounts of fish or fish parts, while other countries waste nothing, and process all the 'unwanted' bits into fish meal. The former vessels are easily spotted by the amount of seagulls following them, whereas the latter tend to be seagull free.

I wondered about that.

Fisherfolk are out of work everywhere. The US coasts are loaded with devastated ex-fishing communities because we humans have done such an efficient job of shlurping up all the fish out of the sea that either we have to pause now or there eventually will be none for anyone.

Teinz · Jun 13, 2016

I'm not an expert in fisheries, or the relevant EU regulations, but perhaps a large segment of fisherfolk out of a job is due to the upscaling of the fleet? You can't really compare the floating factories that roam the high seas to the smaller vessels of the past. Just as we see a shrinking segment of the workforce being employed in agriculture due to mechanisation and such, doesn't the same go for the fisheries?

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 13, 2016

It does look as though environmentalist groups of every political stripe pretty much all support staying in the EU.

I can hardly fathom that people are embracing the rolling back of EU protections of the environment and wildlife and eliminating restrictions on pumping raw sewage into waterways, to name but two EU policies the UK did not have previously.

WriterDude · Jun 13, 2016

MythMonger said:
Norwegians to UK: Don't be like us. Stay in the EU.

It seems like leaving the EU would put the UK in the position of following all of the same rules as before, with none of the representation it currently has.

Its the threats that make me most inclined to leave. Not the immigrants or the straight bananas.

Eager to halt a possible contagion of defections, E.U. leaders have signaled that they will not be in a generous mood. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker noted pointedly last month that “deserters will not be welcomed back with open arms.”

Of course. The defectors take the power with them, no members, no European Commission President. Stay in the EU or else.

I hear talk of an EU army now. What might that be for then?

Don · Jun 13, 2016

Diana Hignutt said:
Federalization with with minimal representation. What's not to love.

Personally, I'd vote to leave before someone says, "Now, youse can't leave."

MythMonger said:
Norwegians to UK: Don't be like us. Stay in the EU.

It seems like leaving the EU would put the UK in the position of following all of the same rules as before, with none of the representation it currently has.

WriterDude said:
Its the threats that make me most inclined to leave. Not the immigrants or the straight bananas.

Of course. The defectors take the power with them, no members, no European Commission President. Stay in the EU or else.

I hear talk of an EU army now. What might that be for then?

It looks like it might be too late already, Diana.

phoenixwings89 · Jun 13, 2016

I'm voting to remain.

I know there's a lot of speculation from the vote remain, groups, that if we were out of the EU then our rights will be gone with them.

I don't know whether I agree with this.

What I do know is that I don't trust the guy.

It wasn't so long ago that he was banging his drum about leaving the EU. And now he wants us to remain.

That in itself smells fishy to me.

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 14, 2016

Stock markets are declining worldwide. It would appear that many people outside the UK are deeply worried that it may leave the EU.

Dow Jones Industrial Average Drops As Brexit Worries Push Down World Stock Markets (International Business Times)

Australian stock market expected to plunge amid Brexit fears (The Guardian)

Brexit fear factor sends stocks spinning (Channel News Asia)

Asian Stocks Retreat for Fourth Day as Brexit Concerns Intensify (Bloomberg)

Rising Brexit fears set to drive more losses on Asian stock markets (The Straits Times)

CANADA STOCKS-Futures drop as oil tumbles over Brexit worries (Reuters)

Stocks fall on terrorism fears, Fed uncertainty, possible UK 'Brexit' (USA Today)

Brexit could trigger European stock market crash (CNN Money)

Helix · Jun 15, 2016

This is how it's done.

The Brexit Flotilla

#brexitflotilla on Twitter is a hoot

Old Hack · Jun 15, 2016

During the aforementioned Brexit Flotilla delight, Bob Geldof proved his worth once again.

Addressing Mr Farage over a PA system as his boat, the Sarpedon, pulled alongside the boat carrying the UKIP leader, Mr Geldof called Mr Farage a "fraud"."Here are the facts about fishing. One, Britain makes more money than any other country in Europe from fishing. Two, Britain has the second largest quota for fish in Europe after Denmark. Three, Britain has the third largest landings. Four, you are no fisherman's friend.

"You were on the European Parliament Fishing Committee and you attended one out of 43 meetings."

Helix · Jun 15, 2016

This piece by parliamentary sketchwriter Michael Deacon (who was on Farage's boat) is very entertaining.

One day, years from now, when I’m sitting in my armchair beside the fire, my son will come up to me and ask, “Daddy… what did you do in the EU referendum?”

And I’ll put down my newspaper, remove the pipe from my mouth, and I’ll say, “Well, son. I went on a boozed-up boat trip down the Thames with Nigel Farage while men from Ukip shouted ‘Get a job!’ at Bob Geldof as he flicked V-signs at them from a pleasure cruiser and a load of Scottish fishermen squirted water at rival campaigners in a dinghy and Members of Parliament gazed in disbelief from the Commons terrace and 100 people on a bridge sang Rule Britannia.”

They say it’s difficult to engage the young in politics. But I reckon that story should help spark their interest.

Parametric · Jun 16, 2016

A British MP is critically injured after being shot and stabbed by a man allegedly shouting "Britain first".

MythMonger · Jun 16, 2016

Parametric said:
A British MP is critically injured after being shot and stabbed by a man allegedly shouting "Britain first".

Truly awful.

For the clueless Americans like myself, MP is Member of Parliament and not a soldier that's Military Police.

Reservoir Angel · Jun 16, 2016

For all that a lot of British people like to poke fun at American electoral politics, we now live in a country where the phrase "Brexit flotilla" is being used straight-faced.

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 16, 2016

Parametric said:
A British MP is critically injured after being shot and stabbed by a man allegedly shouting "Britain first".

She was Jo Cox, very outspokently in the "Remain" camp. She had also been an advocate for Syrian refugees.

Old Hack · Jun 16, 2016

Jo Cox MP has died. Her husband has issued a statement which is heartbreaking.

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 16, 2016

In the wake of Ms. Cox's assassination, British politicians on all sides have suspended all planned speeches and commentary on the EU referendum.

Brexit

Pain in the writing wrist

Your Genial Uncle

Who's going for a beer?

Sophipygian

Sophipygian

The new me

Who's going for a beer?

The new me

Willing to Learn

Sophipygian

Back at it again.

Sophipygian

Writer?

All Living is Local

Sophipygian

socially distancing

Such a nasty woman

socially distancing

Willing to Learn

Angelic by name, fiendish by nature

Sophipygian

Such a nasty woman

Sophipygian