Current Politics in the United Kingdom

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by palo5

Of course he did, because they stopped paying and stole what wasn't theirs. What would you have done?

Good question. I might have taken away Yanukovych's gold toilet seat as a first step and made him defecate into a carrier bag. If he couldn't pay for the gas, he couldn't afford a gold thunderbox.

Somewhere along the line, Russia's relationship with Ukraine has failed disastrously. I think in Putin's shoes I would want to rebuild it. That is a long term project and will require reciprocity from the Ukraine side, who have very good reasons to be both hostile and suspicious. But these two countries are strongly linked by history, culture and traditions and should be allies.

In order to gain that outcome, I'd work something out with Ukraine about the gas supply.

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by palo5

I think they're both in EU "bad-books" for undemocratic practices and refusal to co-operate with agreed refugee policy. I don't know what the undemocratic practices are in Hungary, but in Poland it has to do with politically appointed supreme court judges who will support a government nationalist agenda. The EU have not found a way to resolve this yet

Just for clarification, did Poland and Hungary agree with this agreed refugee policy, or were they merely told to follow it because other EU countries had agreed it while Poland and Hungary had disagreed?

[palo5]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

Just for clarification, did Poland and Hungary agree with this agreed refugee policy, or were they merely told to follow it because other EU countries had agreed it while Poland and Hungary had disagreed?

I'm not a migration expert, but this page will tell you what Member States have agreed to. My understanding is that they are under an obligation to accept migrants, which is why the EU are suing Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic for non-compliance. But from then on it gets complicated, particularly when there is a crisis, such as now

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsh...gration-policy

[dohupa]

Looking at the migration crisis from the Orban/Salvini standpoint is hypocritical, at best. The problem will worsen gradually due to the dramatic climate changes (which are inevitable) and will cause according to UN estimates, hundreds of millions from South East Asia and Africa migrating and trying to reach Europe.

Right now, Erdogan keeps 3 million Syrian refugees in his bare hands as a human nuclear bomb. Should he decide to detonate it, there will be something the world has never seen before.

Also, Egypt seems pretty stable at the moment. If it fails though due to some political turmoil, where do you think 80 million will try to go? Australia?

[jokerman]

Originally Posted by palo5

Of course he did, because they stopped paying and stole what wasn't theirs. What would you have done?

voted for comrade palo. of course.

[haunted]

US National security adviser John Bolton speaks about a post Brexit US-UK trade deal
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...ls-says-bolton

House speaker Nancy Pelosi also comments
https://www.politico.eu/article/nanc...s-irish-peace/

[frankoboff]

Originally Posted by haunted

US National security adviser John Bolton speaks about post Brexit US-UK trade deal
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...ls-says-bolton

House speaker Nancy Pelosi alos comments
https://www.politico.eu/article/nanc...s-irish-peace/

Re: Bolton- The American right have been pushing the idea of a new trade bloc that bypasses the need for the WTO. A caveat of any US-UK trade deal might be that we agree to become part of a new US-centric trading bloc and the UK having to drop standards on food and other imports and other things that prevent the US from competing in the UK marketplace.

[palo5]

Originally Posted by frankoboff

A caveat of any US-UK trade deal might be that we agree to become part of a new US-centric trading bloc and the UK having to drop standards on food and other imports and other things that prevent the US from competing in the UK marketplace.

From what I read, the areas they're worried about are agricultural products and anything to do with health. Fwiw, I think they're right, and so are you

Not that they don't know it, but the better strategy must be to go for separate deals in other sectors, not one big package. That way they can still get benefits for both countries

[frankoboff]

Originally Posted by palo5

From what I read, the areas they're worried about are agricultural products and anything to do with health. Fwiw, I think they're right, and so are you

Not that they don't know it, but the better strategy must be to go for separate deals in other sectors, not one big package. That way they can still get benefits for both countries

Yes Bolton talking on a sector by sector basis but that's how trade deals are done. Why does he need say it?

The sectors they're interested in are agriculture and healthcare, the rest are of a lot less consequence.

[palo5]

Originally Posted by frankoboff

Yes Bolton talking on a sector by sector basis but that's how trade deals are done. Why does he need say it?

The sectors they're interested in are agriculture and healthcare, the rest are of a lot less consequence.

Good question. But it's probably better for the British if they follow that strategy -- just leave out food and anything to do with health, no matter what pressure they get

I must say, I think their farmers will be screwed, almost whatever happens. Very bad news for a country that can't feed itself. Do any of their bright lights have an answer to this, apart from "zero tariffs" which is something only an imbecile could say?