dougalmartin.bsky.social
66 posts
390 followers
591 following
Active Commenter
comment in response to
post
VP Vance gave a nod to Brexit in his Munich speech.
comment in response to
post
For the same reason-both Russia and Trump wanted to separate the UK from continental Europe, and thereby weaken both.
comment in response to
post
Into the upside down world, where friends and allies are treated like enemies, and enemies are treated like friends.
comment in response to
post
Why are they deployed all over the world? The war is in Europe, the UK is in Europe.
comment in response to
post
Exactly. And European policymakers need to understand that a Euro/pound of financial support now is worth 10 Euros of extra military expenditures in 2030.
comment in response to
post
Zelensky is an exceptional leader.
comment in response to
post
And preferably Gripens and Mirages…..
comment in response to
post
The war criminals have no limits or boundaries.
comment in response to
post
Outstanding! Other European countries need to step up too.
comment in response to
post
Absolutely! Every single square kilometer.
comment in response to
post
Increasingly difficult to see a difference between Labour and the Conservatives on various issues…..
comment in response to
post
Excellent initiative to force Parliament to recognize and discuss the elephant in the room.
comment in response to
post
Spot on!
comment in response to
post
This is huge since it appears that politicians’ perception that the UK public is opposed to freedom of movement is the biggest reason that they try everything under the sun except rejoining the European Economic Area.
comment in response to
post
It’s not just about trade and economics. It’s also about values. The UK is very European in terms of values.
comment in response to
post
But it failed even to control the borders. They can’t point to any benefit. There are only losses and downsides.
comment in response to
post
Leading Brexiters can’t do arithmetic; they studied Latin, Greek and history. They told us not to trust the experts/economists about the economy.
comment in response to
post
Why does the government cater to 30% of the population and ignore the clear majority?
comment in response to
post
Nuclear - always late and always massively over-budget. Why is this expensive power source still discussed?
comment in response to
post
You are discussing as though there are only 2 parties in the UK. Greens and SNP are already consistent with the electorate on Brexit - LibDems are moving that way. LibDems likely to get there before Labour, and will reap the political benefits.
comment in response to
post
The British economy desperately needs to be back in the European economic area. The EEA will also be a useful stepping stone for the UK to regain lost credibility.
comment in response to
post
The EU has strong incentives to let the UK back in the European economic area (budgetary contributions, bigger internal market, greater regulatory coverage). However, some may have concerns about the UK returning to full EU membership.
comment in response to
post
This is not only sound policy, it will be a winner for the LibDems. Please keep being strong on Europe. The majority of the country will be behind you.
comment in response to
post
The country doesn’t have time. Economic growth and fiscal repair depend on rejoining European economic area.
comment in response to
post
Good neighbors indeed…
comment in response to
post
Thank you
comment in response to
post
Beautiful!
comment in response to
post
Harmonized standards and tariffs etc are key for the single market; use of the Euro is not. Witness effective single market while multiple countries were outside the Euro.
comment in response to
post
There are opt-outs and opt-outs. While there is no case for opt-outs on regular EU policies, there is a strong case for “peripheral” countries like Sweden and the UK having their own choice about adoption of the Euro.
comment in response to
post
He was the “chosen one”.
comment in response to
post
We need to listen more to Ukraine, the Baltics and the Nordics. Roughly speaking, understanding of Russia is inversely proportional to distance from Russia.
comment in response to
post
British people miss the clean water, clean air and safe food that we enjoyed while a member country of the EU.
comment in response to
post
Welcome
comment in response to
post
Won’t the markets correct this? Who would rationally finance/invest in a coal mine in 2025?
comment in response to
post
Polish presidency couldn’t come at a better time….
comment in response to
post
Into the upside down world, where friends and allies are treated like enemies, and enemies are treated like friends.
comment in response to
post
EEA is not full benefits of the club. Benefits to EU: 1) money - budgetary contributions; 2) increased scope of Single Market (in a fragmented world); 3) increased trade with the UK; 4) more prosperous and secure neighbour.
comment in response to
post
I assume you are a Russian bot: you raise false barriers to the UK trying to get closer to the UK and are trying create divisions between the constituent parts of the UK.
comment in response to
post
By contrast, the EU has incentives to let UK back into the EEA: new budgetary contributions; increased scope of Single Market; increased trade with the UK. There is no downside or risks — the UK would be a rule taker.
comment in response to
post
EU membership would require a new referendum on the UK’s part. On the EU side, what credibility does the UK still have?
comment in response to
post
I agree that a Switzerland-type agreement will not be on offer and that HMG is the bottleneck. But why do you think getting back to the EEA would be as hard as full membership?
comment in response to
post
Is it the case that joining EFTA is the only way that the UK can rejoin the Single Market and Customs Union? I can understand the EFTA countries not wanting the UK as part of EFTA. But surely a UK application/request to rejoin the Single Market and Customs Union depends on the EU, not Norway.
comment in response to
post
Yes. Norway is the model (at least for the short to medium term).
comment in response to
post
Ouch - worse than I thought.
comment in response to
post
Oh man! If the Tornado is already 35 yrs old, what does that make me?
comment in response to
post
People are craving for the government to stop the rot.
comment in response to
post
“All” that is needed is for some British politicians to listen to the polls, talk honestly about Brexit damage, and respond to the will of the majority of the population which now knows that Brexit was a con, that it has damaged the economy and so much else.
comment in response to
post
Yes, Brexit Bin has it right. The referendum was simply for Brexit - it did not decide whether it should be a soft Brexit or a hard Brexit. No referendum needed to rejoin the Single Market and Customs Union.
comment in response to
post
This is a very astute observation. And a reminder that upside risks/possibilities may be unseen or under-considered.