After Brexit - am I stupid or what?

The NI protocol - I don't understand why lorries from GB are being stopped for customs checks - if the goods are for use by NI. Surely these lorries should just drive straight through to the shops. What am I missing here?

I see that Boris is looking at triggering Article 16 if the EU start acting silly - to protect the Union - quite right as well.

 

I dont understand what was agreed on regarding N. Ireland, I think they just fudged it in order to get a deal through, and both sides just interpret it how they like.
I think this mess could go on for years.

I dont understand why, there cannot be the border in Ireland, as at the moment there appears to be one in the Irish Sea.

 

I've got an idea - Ireland leave the EU...

 

Oh Simon - Boris can simply invoke the provisions of Article 16 to change the protocol. I suspect that in 4 years time, it will in any case, be dumped entirely by Stormont.

The Northern Ireland Protocol agreed between the UK and the EU "isn't going to be changed", the Irish foreign affairs minister has said.

Michael has also said in his letter that if this isn't sorted out then Article 16 will be used. Don't threaten the integrity of the Good Friday Agreement - you will not like the response of the UK Government.

 

Who's Simon.
Not sure about Michael either.

I'm looking up what Protocol means as it seems to be creeping into lots of conversations these days, for some reason.
Hope its not just another word for Backstop.

 

Ooookay, without reading the whole lot of posts out there, I think I get the general idea.

I am not a UK citizen.
I am not even British.
I have no intention of interfering with the inner workings of UK politics.
But I would like to at least offer the view of someone watching it from the outside (Germany to be precise) and I'm will try to be polite.

First thing that comes to mind is: why in the heavens would you do such a thing? I know I am basically talking to the 50% voting leave here, but.... WHY?
We had such a good thing going on. Everyone was cooperating and prospering from trade without borders. It was a blessing to have a centrally controlled airspace, consumer friendly products, health, safety and working standards...

Does anyone here REALLY believe that upper class graduates from private schools and trust fund heirs do this kind of thing for the people? That they actually CARE about the NHS, food safety and regulations that prevent pregnant women from being fired out of convenience over lining their own pockets?
Do you really believe your PM knows anyone earning less than 50k per year by name besides his cleaning lady and the driver?

And even without looking at the inner workings of the UK, what kind of weight does a single country with a few millions of inhabitants have on an international scale? I'm not just talking UK or GB. I'm talking every singly country in Europe including my own. Without a strong community and family we are nothing compared to the US and China. And they know it.
Heck, even your children know, that without the EU you might well be the last generation to dwell in relative wealth. What's to come after that? Reopen the coal mines? Be the European Banking hub like Singapore? Without access to the EU, what's the benefit?

You are a lovely people. You are innovative and industrious. But hell you are so stubbornly naive to think you can fight in your own. We have learnt that lesson in two world wars and by making the mistake of trading with the Chinese. They Don't Care About You.

I sure am hoping that one day, you will realise the mistakes you made and come back. We miss you.

Until then, please give my best regards to the Scots and Northern Irishmen. Please tell them the same you told us: "Freedom from oppression! Go, forge your own destiny without another power above you". We will welcome them all

 

Wow @Black Dog ! What a well-put viewpoint !!

Regarding the vaccine (not sure which thread this should be in), as @noisette47 said, you are seeing things from the biased viewpoint of the UK press, so I’d just like to give a little bit of the other side of the story, from the other side of the Channel. (I get both news feeds...).

the Phizer vaccine - an international company, with the vaccine made in Europe (Brugge, Belgium, to be exact). Belgium was, and is, happy to export it to the UK.

the Astra-Zeneca vaccine - a UK development (really? Sorry, I’d not heard !! ), with the vaccine being made in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium (probably elsewhere as well, but these are the places that I’ve heard of). The vaccine development was supported by the UK in May (well, it was happening in the UK) and by the EU in August. Vaccine started being produced in all three sites, with doses being stockpiled until the vaccine was approved.
UK did emergency approval, the EU full approval. The EU’s EMA was still waiting for some of the trial data to be sent from Astra-Zeneca, in order to make a decision, in mid-January. This is why the approval took so long. Meanwhile, all the stockpiled vaccine in NL and BE was sent to the UK. ....and yet you say that it is unreasonable for the EU to ask for some vaccine to be sent back?

 

Well always good to see it from a different angle, especially about the vaccine, I think personally the Brexit thing has been over talked and until we unwind from the EU the results are yet to be seen.
I dont think anyone who voted for Brexit was expecting an easy ride or a fast change, obviously covid had also got in the way and cause many other problems.

It was the slow creeping of EU power that did it for most people I believe, the ever closer union and not just a group of trading nations, which was how it started out.

Also I dont think the EU was or is actually working for the people, not come across a western government yet, including the EU officials that actually care about the bloke in the street.

 

'The EU' isn't perfect, far from it. For a long time now, it's been a gravy train for ex-ministers of all the member states, and thousands of hangers-on , oups, bureaucrats. It went badly wrong in admitting too many financially unstable countries. It's bureaucracy is possibly even slower and more cumbersome than that in France. But the principle was and is good. It needs reforming. Perhaps the powers-that-be realise that now
But there was an incredible amount of legislation passed that would have been beneficial to 'the man in the street'. I distinctly remember one of the UK Prime Ministers (might have been Blair) systematically blocking all the legislation designed to improve working conditions for 'ordinary' people..
Not sure if you're aware of the immensely strong ties between the USA and Britain, @Black Dog. Politically, culturally....and traditionally fostered by the UK press and media. I think that plays a big part in explaining what's going on.

 

I think everyone knows the EU needs reforming apart from those that actually run the EU.

If the EU had been prepared to look at reforming and changing its ways we might not have ended up leaving.

 

Time will tell.....

 

Well i dont believe the EU ist perfect. Far from it actually. But who can actually say that about their respective governments? Besides China, North Korea and Russia of course (okay, no more sarcasm in this post - promise)

I really think if we would do the referendum again right now, the outcome would be quite different. But before i get bombarded with angry mails about that statement being undemocratic I want to ask you this:

Did you really choose to leave the EU because you geniuinly believe life will better outside of it or was it mostly based on "some gut feeling", pride and the percieved need to "show the uppers who is really boss"?
In the first case you made a choice while disregarding any evidence.
The second one - well go ahead and be prideful
The last one - Awesome job, you really showed all those billionaires and cultural Elites. I am sure they are really sad with their money already safe on the caiman islands and personalized healthcare.

And yes the UK has really deep ties with the US. But are you sure they are as deep now, as they have been during the World Wars? I am geniuinely interested to see what kind of trade deal you might get. I dont wish for you to get the short end of the stick, but i fear the US is gonna press for even lower standards regarding labor, helthcare and food safety.