What’s your source?
Is that Trade Surplus?
What is the measure?
This is why your posting isn’t respected it’s moronic.
As a function of GDP (measured in US dollars, which has its own implications) France’s Trade Surplus was -2% in 2023, it’s highest ever was about -3%.
So what do your figures correspond to?
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This… absolutely uncoordinated and pathetic campaign.
Funnily enough, the EU has lost from Brexit too. They were as stupid as us with their hostile approach and they´re struggling. Teh reality is that the EU is not one powerhouse economy. It´s lots of interconnected economies and some of those really relied on UK trade.
Basically, overall, everyone lost. I actually think in theory it could have been good but as with anything, it is what you make it.
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While I agree that everyone lost out here, they were far from hostile. They turned up prepared. The UK had to borrow a pen and paper. As in any negotiation you are looking to protect your interests.
We decided to leave the club but some people think we were still entitled to the benefits of that club.
I agree that both lost out, but what do you think this hostile approach was? There were all sorts of special arrangements that the EU offered that the UK threw back in their face.
Just a simple one, that was completely mind boggling, was pet passports. These were introduced to accommodate UK concerns over pet movements. The EU offered to maintain the existing scheme and Johnson threw it out.
That is a minor example, but it is just one example of how EU cooperation was met with UK hostility.
As for how the UK government treated its own citizens is another matter. I ended up finding that my interests as a British national were being protected by the Chancellor of Germany not the PM of the UK who simply regard us as bargaining chips.
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The only thing worth remembering is it was the UK that left. The EU did not ask them to leave!
Do you think that the EU were not aware of the damage the UK leaving was going to do?
There’s really nothing funny about it at all.
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I think Barnier in particular was but in fairness, we also took a very hostile approach.
I thought it was madness. Yeah we´re leaving but doesnt mean the EU is our enemy.
You make a decent point though. There were plenty of opportunities the EU did give and we decided not to. Ultimately we and the EU should have agreed a wayyyy better deal for both of us. Call it soft Brexit if you like.
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You do realise that May had a reasonable deal negotiated and the UK rejected it?
That’s when the EU really started digging in as they had already made where the lines were drawn. That Boris was a complete chump is not the EU’s fault.
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Maybe but no one knew what Brexit they were voting for, and we then go and elect an ignorant buffoon backed by utterly thick hardliners to get a deal. It was never going to end well.
The sooner people collectively agree that it was a mistake the better we’ll be, but we are currently still thinking that politics is a polar choice.
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Yeah I mean thats always the case when you vote. You never truly know what the politicians will do.
Actually you do: vote conservative get chaos, falling living standards and disunity.
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Mate you´re getting the same right now with Labour.
What´s the difference? Both awful.
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That’s incredibly lazy.
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Why should I have to declare this information?
This is the problem, someone can post an article that just because it falls inline with your narrative and justifies your views, you just like the post and let it slide.
My posts aren’t respected because at times I don’t agree with the point being made. Yet, I am happy to accept that I am not always right and happy to be educated.
On this occasion I will let you search for the answers to counter my points. Because, if I am wrong I will still post and stand to be corrected, but if I am right you will just sulk off with your tail between your legs.
Anyhow, it’s irrelevant! the long and short of it is that since Brexit, the Uk, Germany and France have all, for whatever reason, struggled economically wise.
I hope my post hasn’t been too moronic for you.
Edit: Happy to accept the trade surplus figure of -80.4% for France is not an exact comparison to the other two. I think it brought up a figure from 22/23.
True no one knew what Brexit they were voting for. People don’t like change, we all know that. Yet enough people, despite knowing how they were going to be viewed still felt strong enough to vote for it.
I agree it could have been negotiated better but the blame does not completely lie with the Buffoon. It was a Tory Government and the slimeball DC jumped ship, after he tried to correct his election promise by coming back from the EU proclaiming he had negotiated a great deal with the EU.
They didn’t have a mandate and it wasn’t accepted gracefully. Almost half the Country was calling for a second referendum and the MPs made it tough because they wanted to keep certain aspects.
All of this was discontent and bickering was aired in public - great way to negotiate- and I can imagine there were also a lot of secret meeting between MPs wanting to Remain with their EU counterparts informing them of the sticking point an attempt to force a revote.
The EU was always going to play hardball, they were losing an important member, one that carries a lot of “Soft Power” internationally and also they didn’t want this to Snowball with other Countries.
I don’t blame them.
Your final paragraph highlights the ever increasing problem in Politics today.
Despite the Country voting for Brexit, forcing it through with an increasing majority for the Tories in 2019 and the recent surge of support for Reform, this after Starmer had voiced his support for closer ties with the EU. You come out and say that the “sooner people collectively agree” with the “but we are currently still thinking that Politics is a Polar choice”. I am not sure if that was the exact wording you intended to use but it is still relevant. By your own words, you dislike the Tories, blame them for their policies and expect people to turn round and accept something was a massive mistake based on your view. Isn’t this Polar Politics?
We are all entitled to an opinion. I think most people would agree that there was mis-information, that maybe they didn’t understand the process after the Vote and maybe would Vote differently. Would the result be different? Who knows, it is irrelevant. We are where we are and in “my opinion” people still holding resentment after 10 years is not productive and will only manifest a divisive population.
I can’t comment on your experience personally, I just hope that your situation hasn’t been affected by Brexit personally.
I can happily accept that both the EU and the UK used its population as bargaining chips and played on our fears to influence our opinion, whether that be the EU or the Leave/Remain Parties. I think to suggest anything different would be to imply that the EU, the UK or any other Countries ruling infrastructure didn’t sacrifice sections of its population.
I think the term Hostile is maybe a bit too strong, but the EU definitely used its position to bully the UK. It would have happened to any Country, the vagueness of the Article 50, the fact a Country leaving had to follow their rules, etc.
In hindsight, we were maybe too keen to trigger article 50, without actually having agreed anything cross party. By triggering it, we started the 2 year clock and handed all power to the EU. They could play hardball on the Brexit package without actually negotiating. It was in their interests to not be helpful.
I can understand the EU’s stance, I can understand the difficulties the Government had to get a deal through parliament that made the MPs happy and also fell within the EU’s requirements. I can empathise that people weren’t happy about the result and appreciate that it has affected people differently so my perspective won’t be the same as people importing/exporting.
If i ask myself honestly, how Brexit has affected me I couldn’t tell you. I still have to pay taxes, I still have a useless Government, I still have to wait to get a Doctor’s appointment, I still have to wait in road works/traffic and avoid Potholes.
However, I still have my Health and an NHS although not perfect to help me. I still have my family and friends, I still have the Football and other interests, I still have my freedom and I still have people who have different opinions to me.
Could my life be better/easier? Yeah most definitely but I am just as guilty of not achieving my full potential than any Government or Brexit vote.
I am not referring to you here 
, just society in general.
Being bitter about a vote 10 years ago and bemoaning it, is a waste of time and energy. Focusing/celebrating on any article or statistic to support the fact that you were right 10 years ago achieves what exactly? I have said it before, people are so wrapped up in their own self pity, so happy to say ‘I told you so’, that they forget that their willingness for failure of a Government/person they oppose/hate could result in further hardship for so many people, including themselves.
How many people would openly state on this thread that they would vote for Farage if it resulted in a more civilised and prosperous society, reduced inequality???
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Wasn’t the May deal voted down on the Irish Backstop?
It was Cameron and Osbourne. Their previous election campaign was based on ridiculing Labour rather than promoting their own policies. The only one they did promote was the referendum and that was to head off UKIP.
Remain struggled to sell the benefits of the EU and why because a lot of the 40+ people had become tired of it. All they could do was sell the dangers of leaving. Because let’s face it, what is there to sell? It is pretty pathetic when you resort to weaponising the ability to go on holiday with in the EU.
Well aside from the fact that I no longer live in my own country and my family are no longer welcome to live there. I’m actually doing OK.
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Yeah Flobs , do your own research !
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