I just want a simple answer

[Pasty]

I think the 'EU' have shown themselves to be little more than petulant children in the last couple weeks. Send a random invoice for £50bn. Get short shrift so send another for £100bn. Who do these people think they are? Who has been PAYING for the EU dream all these years? It's certainly not Mr Juncker and his Luxemburg economy. How many of the remaining 27 are net contributors? How much has the UK paid into it? How much? Who has paid for this failed project?

We don't owe them a damned thing and they will be smart if they get rid of all the children running the show and put some business people in their place.

Junker reminds me vey much of Jean-Marie Balestre. A serial nutcase who thought he was bigger than Formula 1 and then found he wasn't and then died. But caused much chaos in the mean time. He needs to go if the EU is to survive in any form.

 

[Henarar]

Many businesses will cope due to exchange rates etc. and WTO rules rules preventing grossly unfair prejudice against imports.
However for banks, there are no WTO rules and most countries ban banks from operating from outside, the same applies to insurance companies. London has profited massively by becoming the hub of EU banking and insurance.
To retain this access will be difficult to say the least

 

[Henarar]

There will be some cheap ex banking premises then just like farms perhaps

 

[Exfarmer]

I think the 'EU' have shown themselves to be little more than petulant children in the last couple weeks. Send a random invoice for £50bn. Get short shrift so send another for £100bn. Who do these people think they are? Who has been PAYING for the EU dream all these years? It's certainly not Mr Juncker and his Luxemburg economy. How many of the remaining 27 are net contributors? How much has the UK paid into it? How much? Who has paid for this failed project?

We don't owe them a damned thing and they will be smart if they get rid of all the children running the show and put some business people in their place.

Junker reminds me vey much of Jean-Marie Balestre. A serial nutcase who thought he was bigger than Formula 1 and then found he wasn't and then died. But caused much chaos in the mean time. He needs to go if the EU is to survive in any form.

These are just opening shots in the discussions, they mean little or nothing in reality, they may well reflect a certain Mr Junckers liking for a tipple. Probably TM never fed him enough Port, she looks like the sort who frown when you accept a refill
The truth is of course he should never ever have been President of the EU. Cameron was totally correct 3 years ago when he predicted Junckers could destroy the EU and he is certainly doing his best.
Mind you the Brexiteers really should be campaigning for a Sainthood for him.

 

[JohnGalway]

I think the 'EU' have shown themselves to be little more than petulant children in the last couple weeks. Send a random invoice for £50bn. Get short shrift so send another for £100bn. Who do these people think they are? Who has been PAYING for the EU dream all these years? It's certainly not Mr Juncker and his Luxemburg economy. How many of the remaining 27 are net contributors? How much has the UK paid into it? How much? Who has paid for this failed project?

We don't owe them a damned thing and they will be smart if they get rid of all the children running the show and put some business people in their place.

Junker reminds me vey much of Jean-Marie Balestre. A serial nutcase who thought he was bigger than Formula 1 and then found he wasn't and then died. But caused much chaos in the mean time. He needs to go if the EU is to survive in any form.

But, no one is stopping the UK from walking away and paying nothing. All it will mean is, possibly, no access to the common market.

The problem is the amount of people who believed good old Nige and all his blather of having your cake and eating it.

World doesn't work like that.

Even the Japanese foreign ministry are telling ye so now.

To paraphrase Trump "Brexit, who knew it'd be so hard?"

 

[Pasty]

But, no one is stopping the UK from walking away and paying nothing. All it will mean is, possibly, no access to the common market.

The problem is the amount of people who believed good old Nige and all his blather of having your cake and eating it.

World doesn't work like that.

Even the Japanese foreign ministry are telling ye so now.

To paraphrase Trump "Brexit, who knew it'd be so hard?"

The world does work like that though. It should be all about business, until you introduce nutters like Junker. The UK IS LEAVING THE EU. It would be best for all concerned to forge a positive deal. Unfortunately the EU is in a state of fear and paranoia. Their main concern at this moment is to stop any other member doing what the UK public was brave enough to do. To say 'no thanks, we are out'. They have no procedure for that which is why they are now going onto meltdown and just firing out random numbers. That is what they are best at but they are not used to being scrutinised on those numbers.

 

[JohnGalway]

The world does work like that though. It should be all about business, until you introduce nutters like Junker. The UK IS LEAVING THE EU. It would be best for all concerned to forge a positive deal. Unfortunately the EU is in a state of fear and paranoia. Their main concern at this moment is to stop any other member doing what the UK public was brave enough to do. To say 'no thanks, we are out'. They have no procedure for that which is why they are now going onto meltdown and just firing out random numbers. That is what they are best at but they are not used to being scrutinised on those numbers.

I can't understand why you type in caps that the UK is leaving the EU.

No one is stopping you, seriously.

No one stopped you having the vote either.

The world works in such a way as those with the best bargaining power get the best deal, in a huge mix of issues covered under that bargaining power.

I see no evidence for meltdown.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I'll have a go......

The first significant point is the EU's bill. This is what they want us to pay above and beyond are annual fees and they want it agreed before any other discussions.
Unless we only agree to pay it IF we accept the final deal offered at the end of the 2 years of negotiations, we may as well decide to walk away now. British courts have already ruled we have no legal obligation to pay and paying for good will up front will end in tears with the EU having no incentive to offer us a good deal.
It's almost certainly going to have to be a hard brexit.
This will be like pressing a reset button and will certainly cause short term problems while difficulties are prioritised and addressed.
The main advantage will be the ability to create a more diverse and sustainable economy. Details are going to be difficult to forecast and things are likely to change quickly in a more dynamic and locally led atmosphere.

The UK and EU are travelling the same way at the moment so the view out the windows are not going to change much. In 2 years time we will be in a car driven by Westminster while the other 27 countries are on a train being driven by a few unelected and accountable individuals who refuse to ever change direction.
We can follow as long as we want but it will not be long before our democracy will be agreed on a change of direction.

 

[Exfarmer]

It is not correct that a British court has ruled that we do not have to pay over and above.
It was a judgement by barristers employed by the UK government and has no actual power.
Like everything we are hearing they are all bargaining chips just as when you go to buy a second hand car, and your first response on viewing it is, "not quite the condition I was looking for", then you start finding chips here and there followed by the tyres etc. This is all before you test drive. After this you get down to the hard bargaining.
The Eu are trying to set the price first, then we get to look at the goods.
We have to remember they have only one customer and we are in the same boat

 

[Pasty]

I can't understand why you type in caps that the UK is leaving the EU.

No one is stopping you, seriously.

No one stopped you having the vote either.

The world works in such a way as those with the best bargaining power get the best deal, in a huge mix of issues covered under that bargaining power.

I see no evidence for meltdown.

It just seems to me that the reality is lost on some and they still want to score points over it. Not very grown up.

 

[JohnGalway]

It just seems to me that the reality is lost on some and they still want to score points over it. Not very grown up.

Reality lost on who? Who is point scoring?

 

[two-cylinder]

Get the tax structure right here and companies will flock here,

Slashing taxes to attract business sounds rosy, until the bills have to paid and the difference results in more personal taxation.

 

[turbo]

Slashing taxes to attract business sounds rosy, until the bills have to paid and the difference results in more personal taxation.

But if we are not sending however much a week to Brussels we won't need so much,if you tax to hard and they move away or don't come here what has that achieved

 

[Old McDonald]

The following is harsh because you were harsh on the OP for comments which are fair and reasonable.
You sir are a stinking hypocrite, you have your nice little spot in Portugal , collecting your English pension and enjoying the good life in the sun.
Yet you are happy to campaign vociferously to cut ties between Britain and Europe.
Do you still come home to enjoy the services of the NHS ?

I was not harsh on the OP. I gave a simple and straightforward answer to his simple and straightforward question.

He then expanded his question and I gave a more expansive answer.

I accept your right to consider me to be a stinking hypocrite. No doubt others will agree with you.

My (now) "nice little spot in Portugal" was a run-down piece of land when I bought it. I have put in many thousands of hours of hard graft and tractor work to make it productive. I still work every day of the week. I spend an average of about 3 hours a week in town for necessities in connection with the home and my businesses. Other than that I go nowhere except for extremely important family events such as my son's wedding and my mother's funeral.

It is true that I have a partial UK old age pension from my years of NI contributions, which at times were very substantial. I paid in, I collect, irrespective of where I live. The same applies to anyone else. Most countries pay pensions to those who have contributed sufficient to qualify, even if they move to another country.

Are you actually suggesting that the likes of the posters on here who now live in France (some of them permanently according to their posts) should be refused their OAP when the time comes? They paid their contributions so surely they are entitled to the rewards?

I enjoy life wherever I live. The fact that I am temporarily in Portugal is of no concern to you or anyone else. I am not prepared to debate whether my reasons for currently being here are reasonable and just. Nor when I will be permanently returning to the UK.

I have campaigned to a greater or lesser extent that the UK should not be a member of the now EU on a continuing basis since before the first referendum. As a UK citizen - something I would never ever give up, that is my prerogative.

It is very insulting that you should suggest I am a cheat and make use of the NHS.... and you said I was harsh on the OP!! Of course I would not stoop to such stealing of the UK taxpayers' money. As it happens I am subject to income tax in the UK too, also in Portugal and the USA, despite the fact that I have never been there.

 

[Old McDonald]

I can assure you that it is very easy here to get treatment without being resident.
The easiest is to just quote the address of a close relation who is resident here. I have a family member who spent many years in France working but always came back here for treatment, as they did not qualify there, having no identity card. They were working in the black economy, in the tourist industry paying no tax, but making a good living.
They and their family never had any problems having treatment for a number of issues including broken bones and 2 pregnancies. All put through her fathers address

Apart from telling them they were stinking hypocrites what did you do about it?

 

[Muck Spreader]

But if we are not sending however much a week to Brussels we won't need so much,if you tax to hard and they move away or don't come here what has that achieved

The amount we save will be a drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things. We will have to spend billions on reproducing or buying in all the services that we currently get from the EU.

 

[turbo]

The amount we save will be a drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things. We will have to spend billions on reproducing or buying in all the services that we currently get from the EU.

What services are these

 

[Muck Spreader]

What services are these

There are probably about a 100 of them covering everything from aircraft, medicines vet and human, chemicals, environment, research, food safety, satellites, police, technology, communications, etc etc. Some we may not need at all, others I am sure we can cobble together quickly, or we can by from the EU, but many will have to be built from scratch again having closed ours down.

 

[czechmate]

But if we are not sending however much a week to Brussels we won't need so much,if you tax to hard and they move away or don't come here what has that achieved

Maybe you are a bit young to know it?

You know the Beatles split before the uk joined the EEC?

 

[czechmate]

Was it only those of us with a nasty divorce of our own under our belt that knew that this was surely only going to get very unpleasant ?