UK - in or out of the EU? Travel Issues?

[alieninperth]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

I guess this is one of the strengths of compulsary voting we have in Australia.

If the referendum were compulsary, they would have received a more accurate consensus and representation of age groups that didn't vote that wanted to remain.

I have always been slightly against compulsory voting but every election that I go through I come to appreciate it more. I would say that the Australia public are, in my opinion, better politically informed that their counterparts in the UK and Ireland. It's also one of the things that most bemused me about the UKs relationship with the EU government and bureaucracy.

If we accept that bureaucrats will always be appointed (ultimately by politicians), rather than elected, as they are all over the world then we need to elect better politicians. They say you get the pollies you deserve, and I think this table reflects this sentiment nicely European Parliament election turnout | UK Political Info

 

[wandering_fred]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

I have always been slightly against compulsory voting but every election that I go through I come to appreciate it more. I would say that the Australia public are, in my opinion, better politically informed that their counterparts in the UK and Ireland. It's also one of the things that most bemused me about the UKs relationship with the EU government and bureaucracy.
...

Though compulsory voting ignores one thing. Informal ballots. I would have a great deal more (emotional rather than intellectual) support for the system, if the candidates had to achieve 50%+1 of the final preferred count of ALL votes rather than all "formal" votes. I think this premise would be far more important in the Australian Senate elections, given the latest voting changes. OTOH the preferential system offers a better alternative than most. As to better informed, when the nature (and history) of a grouping of independent states to form a unified government is no longer taught in school (or even worse considers old fashioned and irrelevant), I question the premise.

Other places have commented on the uncontrolled nature of the EU bureaucratic rule making process. Comments have been made (though primarily referring to the USA - though the EU and the Indian sub-continent come to mind) that the unfettered and abundant nature of such rules is one of the greatest impediments to the formation of profitable (and new) businesses. Note that does not mention tax rates. Though sometimes the associated fees should be called taxes. Consider the fees associated with the creation of new building lots in many locations, comparing the costs in the 1960s with now. And people wonder why new housing is so expensive in the suburbs?

The reaction in Britain may just be the start of the reaction of the "silent majority"

(While you still can) happy wandering

Fred

 

[PLANT]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Um can we become a republic now ?????

 

[vetrade]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

There really have been some extraordinarily ordinary performances from all persuasions in recent history.

Most people would struggle to name a single good one no matter what side you "bat for"!

 

[wandering_fred]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Um can we become a republic now ?????

Not unless you can convince a lot of British migrants in WA...

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Happy Trails]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Not unless you can convince a lot of British migrants in WA...

Happy wandering

Fred

QLD and TAS were both ahead of WA last around.

David Cameron's mistake was not getting John Howard to frame the question.

 

[farstar]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

I have always been slightly against compulsory voting but every election that I go through I come to appreciate it more.

It is only compulsory to get your name check off the electoral role. You don't have to vote, you can put an blank ballot paper in the ballet box.

 

[dajop]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Um can we become a republic now ?????

I suspect there wouldn't have been a Brexit if the EU was merely symbolic, like our head of state, with very little actual power.

 

[Boca68]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

It is only compulsory to get your name check off the electoral role. You don't have to vote, you can put an blank ballot paper in the ballet box.

you don't even have to put a blank paper in, cross off your name and walk away. Done! no need to pick up a pencil.

 

[farstar]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

If you don't want to cast your vote you don't have a right to complain about the result. If you don't vote you are saying you don't care, at the end of the day only the majority of those who could give a damn to vote should be the number that counts.

 

[drron]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

So after 2 trading sessions the UK is down 5.3%,Italy 16.4%,Spain 14.2%,France 11% and Germany 9.82%.
Seems to indicate it is the EU in trouble.
UK is off it's years lows-

.

Whereas the European banking index has not recovered since the GFC and has been in downtrend for 12 months-

Possibly the "little Englanders"got it right.

 

[andye]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

So after 2 trading sessions the UK is down 5.3%,Italy 16.4%,Spain 14.2%,France 11% and Germany 9.82%.
Seems to indicate it is the EU in trouble.
UK is off it's years lows-

.

Whereas the European banking index has not recovered since the GFC and has been in downtrend for 12 months-

Possibly the "little Englanders"got it right.

The FTSE 250 is probably a better marker than the 100

Not to say they won't bounce back-a trade deal with India would go well

 

[Pushka]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Recession in GB mentioned by Kohler tonight.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?



"................

 

[amaroo]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Recession in GB mentioned by Kohler tonight.

Pfft, your bog standard after market expert.

 

[Pushka]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Pfft, your bog standard after market expert.

Sure. But will be interesting to see. Sometimes even experts get it wrong. And idiots are right sometimes too.

 

[Caversham04]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Interesting proposal in the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper today - Brexit frees the UK to join NAFTA, which is a genuine free-trade area rather than a wannabe super-state. The article also points out that NAFTA's combined GDP is $3 trillion MORE than the EU.

I did some quick research - the International Monetary Fund forecasts from January predict the EuroZone to have the 2nd-worst growth rates of any advanced economy for both 2016 and 2017 (only Japan is forecast to perform worse). The UK's projected growth rate of 2.2% per year in both 2016 and 2017 is significantly better than the Eurozone's 1.7% per year. The forecasts for the USA for 2016 and 2017 are 2.6% in each year, with Canada forecast at 1.7% then 2.1% i.e. NAFTA (which is dominated by the USA) is forecast to outperform the EU by a massive margin.

Interestingly, the IMF also notes that the UK significantly out-performed the Eurozone in both 2014 and 2015, growing at rates of 2.9% in 2014 (compared to 0.9% for the Eurozone) and 2.2% in 2015 (compared to 1.5% for the Eurozone). Equivalent figures for the USA and Canada in 2014 were 2.4% and 2.5% respectively, followed by 2.5% & 1.2% in 2015. Again, better performance than the Eurozone, admittedly dragged down slightly by Canada's 2015 performance

Summary: The UK has been doing better than the EU for the past two years, as has NAFTA (by extrapolation from the separate figures for the USA and Canada). The UK and NAFTA are both ALSO forecast to outperform the EU by a significant margin for the NEXT 2 years...... From a pure economic standpoint, it's a no-brainer (boosted further by easier trade with the Commonwealth and other countries), particularly given that the UK's trade with the EU is dropping steadily as a percentage of the UK's total trade......

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Don't jump to conclusions...

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Lots of Mad Cow in London then, was there?

Those bankers ...

 

[whatmeworry]

Re: UK - in or out of the EU?

Sure. But will be interesting to see. Sometimes even experts get it wrong. And idiots are right sometimes too.

Even people born with silver spoons in their mouths are wrong and right occasionally.