The Politics Thread

[Lost Leopard Spot]

And when you trade with China, milk made out of plastic, and lead based paint on dog's toys, and Nike goods that have never been anywhere near a Nike factory...

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Norway and Switzerland have their own preference rates with these countries (China excepted), but it isn't as good as the agreement with the EU...

This interests me. Is there anyway we can quantify what this difference is for the purposes of this discussion (both here, and in the wider sense of in British public debate generally)?

And can we speculate on whether we could negotiate a better deal than that which those countries have, either because we are a bigger market/have more soft power for historical reasons?

I agree with LK that a vague tutting about Brussels bureaucrats is senseless and that this sort of stuff has to be thrashed out for the discussion to be meaningful. Equally it won't do simply to quote the numbers of how much trade we do with the EU.

[Bruce Rioja]

And when you trade with China, milk made out of plastic

Phthalates, but I take your point.

[boltonboris]

I'll do some digging for you, but I'm not entirely sure we can just organise our own agreements that would better what we have as part of the EU without the WTO (World Trade Organisation) giving that the ok.. They act as intermediaries like the Monopolies commission.. They're notorious bastards.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

And when you trade with China, milk made out of plastic

Phthalates, but I take your point.

I knew it was made out of sommat that had never seen a cow. Couldn't quite summon up phthalates though.

[thebish]

And when you trade with China, milk made out of plastic

Phthalates, but I take your point.

I knew it was made out of sommat that had never seen a cow. Couldn't quite summon up phthalates though.

isn't that the older lady exercise thing?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

That's Pontius Pilates.

[TANGODANCER]

That's Pontius Pilates.

Nah. Pontius the Pilates was captain of the plane in the flight out of Egypt.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

That's Pontius Pilates.

Nah. Pontius the Pilates was captain of the plane in the flight out of Egypt.

I've got a vision of pencilbiter nibbling his pencil, muttering to himself "oi you lot, just get the fxck off of this thread, take your juvenile mature humour someplace else where it's appreciated, I'm trying to have a serious discussion"

[CrazyHorse]

That's Pontius Pilates.

Nah. Pontius the Pilates was captain of the plane in the flight out of Egypt.

I've got a vision of pencilbiter nibbling his pencil, muttering to himself "oi you lot, just get the fxck off of this thread, take your juvenile mature humour someplace else where it's appreciated, I'm trying to have a serious discussion"

Ok then, let's get back to the political nitty gritty....
William Hague, Theresa May & Eric Pickles. Shag, marry or kill?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

That's Pontius Pilates.

Nah. Pontius the Pilates was captain of the plane in the flight out of Egypt.

I've got a vision of pencilbiter nibbling his pencil, muttering to himself "oi you lot, just get the fxck off of this thread, take your juvenile mature humour someplace else where it's appreciated, I'm trying to have a serious discussion"

Ok then, let's get back to the political nitty gritty....
William Hague, Theresa May & Eric Pickles. Shag, marry or kill?

Easy peasy. Kill, all three, by elephant sitting on them.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

That's Pontius Pilates.

Nah. Pontius the Pilates was captain of the plane in the flight out of Egypt.

I've got a vision of pencilbiter nibbling his pencil, muttering to himself "oi you lot, just get the fxck off of this thread, take your juvenile mature humour someplace else where it's appreciated, I'm trying to have a serious discussion"

You all have my full support for doing whatever it takes to get through the day.

Honest.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

I'll do some digging for you, but I'm not entirely sure we can just organise our own agreements that would better what we have as part of the EU without the WTO (World Trade Organisation) giving that the ok.. They act as intermediaries like the Monopolies commission.. They're notorious bastards.

I wasn't suggesting we could better them... just wondering aloud as to how close we could get.

I suppose it's a start if we understand that we can't make a rational decision on whether we're better in or out without these numbers and attendant hypotheses.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'll do some digging for you, but I'm not entirely sure we can just organise our own agreements that would better what we have as part of the EU without the WTO (World Trade Organisation) giving that the ok.. They act as intermediaries like the Monopolies commission.. They're notorious bastards.

I wasn't suggesting we could better them... just wondering aloud as to how close we could get.

I suppose it's a start if we understand that we can't make a rational decision on whether we're better in or out without these numbers and attendant hypotheses.

And its probably far too complex to calculate on here. I imagine it would need expert economic insight and probably a lengthy study. And even then I'm positive there would be debate. I believe a range of studies showed a variety of scenarios from large net cost to neutral to large net benefit.

Most likely nobody really knows the full effect it would have, at least not to any degree of certainty as this is a very complex issue.

Which is why everyone is relying on "hunches" and it becomes very polarised.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I have just learnt the name of the Northern Ireland health minister - Edwin Poots.
Superb.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I have just learnt the name of the Northern Ireland health minister - Edwin Poots.
Superb.

His father is Charlie Poots, one of Paisley's boys.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Ulster politics is not my Big Thing, so I've never heard of Charlie either. Nay Sayrenda.

[Bruce Rioja]

Ulster politics is not my Big Thing, so I've never heard of Charlie either. Nay Sayrenda.

Aye well, they're kicking off now over how many times a year they'll fly the Union Jack outside Belfast City Hall.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Ulster politics is not my Big Thing, so I've never heard of Charlie either. Nay Sayrenda.

Aye well, they're kicking off now over how many times a year they'll fly the Union Jack outside Belfast City Hall.

They shouldn't fly it at all - they should paint it on the outside, extra large with a mural of an SAS soldier sighting down his rifle barrel.

[Bruce Rioja]

Ulster politics is not my Big Thing, so I've never heard of Charlie either. Nay Sayrenda.

Aye well, they're kicking off now over how many times a year they'll fly the Union Jack outside Belfast City Hall.

They shouldn't fly it at all - they should paint it on the outside, extra large with a mural of an SAS soldier sighting down his rifle barrel.

In which case they should get someone that's good at it in to do it. Most of the murials that I've seen on the Shanklin/Falls/Crumlin Road etc. are embarrassingly shit.