Whitey Grandad

They appear to be moving apart. Or time itself might be slowing down. Or the light might get tired on it's long journey. Mathematically it would look much the same to us mere mortals. It all depends on how you look at it. Congratulations to the young man. He is asking the right questions. http://www.wired.com/2007/12/scientists-time/ http://estfound.org/ http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/156618/tired-light-red-shift-hypothesis

Or stay where they were?

That was my first thought too. it just didn't seem to fit into the her speech otherwise.

The Conservatives only have a very small majority in the Commons so their possible courses of action are limited. For every person that wants to change to UKIP there'll be a youngster registering that wants to stay in the EU. If the Conservatives don't pull the plug prematurely they will never govern again. This was a vote to leave with a very small margin which doesn't mean that it can be discounted but does mean that the scenario you describe is unlikely.

Thanks for the reply. Of course there are many other contributory factors, the exchange rate being one of the most important. I have been held up to ridicule by some on here by saying that I thought not joining the Euro was a missed opportunity but I can understand the strength of feeling against. In my view the Single Market would be even more beneficial to us if we used the same currency with all the stability (sic) that this would bring. In order for us to extend the trading opportunities down from deals of a few hundred €s down to the tens of €s I believe that we would need a quick cheap and effective European-wide postal and parcel service but achieving this would probably be a greater challenge than establishing the Eurozone in the first place. The question is of course entirely academic since until we leave we have a full veto over anything that we don't want to do and we could never have been forced into using the Euro. Given the amount of misinformation over the recent vote there woudlbe no chance of a reasoned and balanced debate.

I didn't mean to be offensive or critical. So let me ask you your views on these two questions - and anybody else who feels up to it. Would being outside the Single Market make it... a) Easier to trade with the EU b) More difficult to trade with the EU C) About the same And regarding the rest of the world... a) Easier to trade with them b) More difficult to trade with them C) About the same

From the tone of your reply it would appear that you never have. There are costs and delays associated with not being in the Single Market that are major disincentives to bothe supplier and customer.

Yes I agree, but this venture from Boeing does not count as foreign investment. In effect we've contracted out an important part of our defence structure to a foreign company who will then employ mainly UK personnel. This is better than having them seting up a repair and maintenance base in north Germany, for example, but let's not kid ourselves that this is not paid for by the UK. Also let us not forget that foreign investors in general will want to get their money back over the long term.

Indeed you can't. I discount everything that's written

He said he was going to give it up: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11413801/Boris-Johnson-clears-way-to-Number-10-by-renouncing-US-passport.html That may also have been because of his threatened liability for US tax.

Boeing are investing nothing. The U.K. Taxpayer is paying for it. These 2000 jobs are the equivalent - or at the expense of - taking on more service personnel.

£223bn of exports a year?

There were a couple of poll results (YouGov?) on the BBC the other night (for what they're worth). One said that 66% wanted to stay in the Single Market. The other said that 52% wanted to end free movement of labour. Somebody is going to be disappointed. I couldn't help but notice this part of May's speech: "The full title of my party is the Conservative and Unionist party and that word unionist is very important to me. It means we believe in the union, the precious, precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland." It seemed to me to be a bit early to lay down that marker of all the things that she could have said. I just wonder whether this might be a prelude to using the Scots propensity to leave the UK as a means of limiting the extend of the EU divorce. What was that Chinese curse? 'May you live in interesting times'

Really? (raised eyebrow mode) Verrry interesting...

Even this is not guaranteed. After the banking crash of 2008 the pound dropped (20% I read) but there was no boost to exports. It's not just the tariffs that affect EU sales, it's all the customs red tape, delays and procedures that had been swept away. For a company importing within the EU there is the added cash-flow advantage of not having to pay VAT on the imports. Everything depends on what trade system eventually applies.

And you didn't not seem to understand irony. But it's not all about us

It can't have been all that secret.

Still way down on what it used to be.

Brexit?

I think I've eaten some of that in Asda.

Man crush? Great news about Bertrand. At least somebody is pleased to be here.

I'm sure Barnsley would have him. http://www.winnersports.co.uk/confirmed-lloyd-isgrove-wants-leave-southampton-fc-barnsley-fc-16713

Thanks, Verbal. I always try to learn a new word every day and now you've given me two

The dice really are loaded in their favour. Whatever they come up with we can either walk away from the table or... ...we can leave the EU. What are we going to do, threaten not to leave? The negotiations of which you speak would not take place for several years and can only officially begin once we have actually left. In the meantime there will be one big mess of uncertainty. Where have I said that we should re-run the referendum? My reading of the situation is that the eventual settlement will need some form of public mandate and approval. Don't expect me to try to make a success of it, I'm far too old.

There is no negotiating once A50 is triggered. That's why it hasn't been triggered yet. It is unclear whether it is possible or feasible to change our minds after we have invoked it but once set in motion what negotiating power do we have? They will just say 'this is what you'll get' and if you don't like it, so what? We can't change our minds and remain, certainly not without the approval of the other member states. A further complication is that there can only be informal talks until formal notice is given. There's some discussion here: http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/the-mechanics-of-leaving-the-eu-explaining-article-50/ And one view here. I tend to agree with the first part about responsibilities. http://www.reformist.org/blog/eu-referendum/