this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2023
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UK Politics

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[–] [email protected] 49 points 1 year ago

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but that flag really hurts me

[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 year ago

Politicians can stop complaining, they're the one that gave the ~~idiots~~ masses the choice to f**k the country up.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I thought Brexit was beyond stupid, but is getting back into the EU really going to work out that well now? I’m sure Britain could get back in if it really wanted, but not with the favorable terms it had before. Which if that wasn’t good enough before, people are going to be even saltier about the concessions they’d have to make this time around. While this is funny, I’m not sure what the point is now.

[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A good chunk of the Brexit votes were protest votes. A lot more were misled, and didn't do proper fact checking. Finally, a lot of people wanted a different (often impossible, or mutually incompatible) version of Brexit.

Unfortunately, once the vote was done, it was used as an excuse by the extra rich. It let them dodge EU tax rules.

At this point, one of the best things that can happen would be to go back to the EU, hat in hand. A lot of people now realise what Europe was actually doing, Vs the lies they were told. A nice big dose of humble pie, and a more reasonable deal, will help sort a lot of issues.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I would be shocked if they were let in and could keep the £. I am curious if a vote to rejoin would be successful if adopting euro were to be a condition? Has there been any polling related to that?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are a few countries already in the EU who have no plans to adopt the Euro. I’m sure we could do the same.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If I understand correctly, they are countries that joined before adopting the euro was a prerequisite, which it now is.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

It may have changed recently, but my understanding of it is that you are expected to aim to join the Euro but there is no set timescale.

The ECB summary seems to indicate that they would rather a country is in a stable, fit condition before adopting the Euro. (We probably have Greece circa 2008 to thank for that.)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

You don't understand correctly. There are a bunch of requirements which (were they not waived, which there's a nonzero chance they might be) are little more than establishing aspirations - adopting the Euro is one of those.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Is it really such a big deal to expect nothing more than an equal footing?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It shouldn't be, but as soon as Britain went back in, the same people who hyped up Brexit will be going, "They got us over a barrel now, see, they even took our God-ordained currency away!" Granted, they'd complain about anything, but to the masses who weren't paying attention, it would appear as though they had a point. "We were in the EU before and we kept our same money, why do we have to change now?" Maybe I'm just cynical about the average person's intelligence, but I think going back in, even on equal footing with every other member state, it'll be seen as the EU "punishing" Britain, there will be resentment from the get-go.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

The first promise we will have to make regarding EU membership will be to join the Euro and Schengen. This is part of the newer rules for admission. So yep we will have to make aclimb down on old stuff, but many more see where the benefit is now.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You're not being cynical, if anything you're being too generous about the average intelligence of us brits.

The regions that received the most money European development fund still voted for Brexit despite having "Funded by the EU" plaques on everything and you're expecting them to comprehend geopolitics.

They haven't got the luxury of thinking about that when they're worrying about where their next meal is coming from.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As someone who remembers the effect of crashing out of European fiscal union (I was just start university), the prospect of not having fiscal independence worries me. We tried before and it didn't work. It's the one aspect of the EU I am against (of any substance). The situation we had before was a good one IMHO, but I doubt we can get that back now.

If we can build some bridges, get back the joint ventures and co-operations, then maybe we can get 80-90% of the damage of Brexit mitigated. I'm so angry that we left, but if the road back in means fiscal union then I'm not sure it's worth it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

At this point I think it would help interest rates and a great many other indicators if Britain adopted the Euro. Shit, it’s not like our economy is booming. Sick man of Europe and all that.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Imperial decline is so fascinating to watch

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just rename London to Trantor.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Enjoy the peace

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

At the rate we're going it literally will be Scotland, Wales, and a unified Ireland in the EU and England not even being empire, but some red cross thing 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

Good, fuck 'em.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I had to double check if it was a NewsThump article.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

You couldn't make this shit up.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It happens every year, and every year my dad sits through the whole thing complaining like a broken record - the worst time was when someone waved a pride flag during rule Britannia a few years ago; he wouldn't shut up about it for days

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's so silly. The pride of the UK should be that it's so connected with the world, and not that it's an isolated island where the Brits hiss "revere the king, expell the barbarians" at outsiders. Britain was not strong because the Brits are some kind of Übermenschen, but because of its many friends and allies. Brilliant brits adding to other countries, brilliant people from other countries adding to Britain. British culture is not something that was created in isolation, it's something that has additions from all over the world, and in turn British culture has added to the world.

It was always good to see Britain connected with the world in the Proms, not Britain sitting in a bunker shivering in fear of other ideas and countries.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You have to remember that the Brexiter's viewpoint is getting smaller everyday. The irony is that most see this as a good thing for the EU in the long run. It shows just how weak the UK is outside of the EU trying to be a solo entity. The fact we have a clown show for a government just reinforces that fact. It is highly unlikely this stunt will be pulled again.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Oh, absolutely. All the Brexiteer equivalents in the countries of the EU flipped from "leaving. now." to "reforming". And people appreciate the EU as they haven't before.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, technically when that song was written, we were strong due to our navy and forces connections across the world, lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I am not talking about the song. I am talking about the attitude of brexiteers.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Didn't the Brexit Brigade do the exact same thing with the Union Jack?

~PS and none of that 'It's not called the Union Jack guff.~

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The Union Flag has historically always been present and waved during the proms. It's part of the pomp and circumstance of it all. To be fair so has the EU flag and many others but primarily the Union Flag because the concert is held in London, totally weird right? This was even before Brexit became a news headline.

Like so many things these days the Proms now has to be politicised. An organised group of pro EU attendees are upset that the Union Flag is being waved and an unorganised group of pro Brexitiers are just upset in general. It's laughably pathetic. Just enjoy the fucking music.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Considering the right to protest is hampered by police discretion, I don't see it in the same light. There are only a few platforms left to make yourself visible.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Snowflakes.