Current Politics in the United Kingdom

[Wendigo]

Originally Posted by palo5

Hmmm... not to be rude, but everyone knows you only elect unrepresentative governments, that have little to do with the "will of the people"

So what are your fears about integration with democratic states?

Historically, a politically united Europe is by far the best solution

Yawn..... again

Why are you so confused we just want the choice we had to return to live as a sovereign nation fulfilled.
You really should leave your worn out obsession with UK democracy on the doormat as it's a one trick legless pony.

[Nobody1]

Originally Posted by judy84

Why doesn't Russia join ...i'm sure the EU would welcome fellow democrats.

That is the plan.

It's just not public yet, but the relationship with Washington is already dead meat. And no, it's not all about Trump. America has lost its face.

It is actually very simple. The permanent political, diplomatic and not least military defeats within the last 20 years are not without effect. Brussels is fed up with betting on the eternal loser. There is just nothing but defeat after defeat after defeat, accompanied by utter cluelessness. At some point, the patience is over. The bills for Washington's unsuccessful adventures simply become too expensive over time. And too unpredictable. We have not infinitely room in our welfare systems for the millions of refugees and terrorists, produced by Washington's war madness. Politically, social peace has long been endangered here. And we have not forgotten that coup d'état in the midst of Europe that has put once again a Nazi regime into power with the unsuspecting help of millions of US taxpayers and a few soft baked cookies. After Europe was almost completely destroyed by Nazi retards.

Furthermore, the completely absurd sanctions policy has hurt us as well, politically and economically. A wanted effect. We must not forget that the US and the EU are competitors on the world market. What harms one is beneficial to the other. Friendship always ends with money.

All this leaves a lot of scratches over time in the European consciousness.

Officially, Brussels is still busy doing the kowtow. But this purely symbolic gesture is more than deceptive. They know exactly where European key markets will be when the petrodollar says goodbye, an event that is already on the horizon. And they know exactly where to find their rare earth, without which a modern industry can not properly function. The political signs from Brussels rely on the transatlantic friendship. But the unmistakable signs of time say US out, and Russia in.

The only real hurdle in this regard would be London. We all know that the Russophobia of British government circles is notorious. But there is this one magic word that makes a political and economic reorientation of European 'values' towards the East possible and very likely.

It's called Brexit.

[gordian_knot]

I think our 'Russophobia' is really just a perceived need to keep the Americans happy, rather than an entrenched position. Combined with a succession of mediocre Foreign Secretaries desperate to blow their own trumpet and sound important, hoping, as they do, that the post is a stepping stone to the top job.

[Wendigo]

I have a healthy distrust of all politicians whether American, Russian, European or even British, pretty much any nation.

Look at Aung San Suu Kyi who has gone from a symbol of freedom in Burma to an international pariah in the past year

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men (or women ) are almost always bad men (or women) even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you superadd (great word) the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority. "
Lord Acton

[bloke57]

Originally Posted by judy84

Why doesn't Russia join ...i'm sure the EU would welcome fellow democrats.

Well yes! In all seriousness why not?

As Nobody1 says, Russia will be a more important player in Europe than America in coming years, as the US becomes more isolated and its power drifts away to China et al. We should overcome the cold war mentality and look after out region in our own self interest. Russia could be a huge boon to Europe as a whole - no matter what its internal politics are like (and is it any worse than the US or UK?)

Funny that the US "ambassador" said of the recent UN Israel vote "It will determine how the US sees the United Nations".

Well guess what America, it also illustrates how the rest of the world sees you.

[scoundrel]

May I just respectfully remind everyone that the ethos of General Discussions and News is that all members can come here to speak their mind? Even an avowed EU integrationist and advocate of British democracy such as Comrade Palo has a perfect right to enlighten us with his wisdom.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42443253

I observed the blue passport story with no great excitement, but must comment:

• I never had a blue passport and from the BBC's image I don't think it is the "classic" blue at all; sort of a washed our muddy blue. It doesn't look a bit like the New Zealand passport, for example, which is a rather handsome document as these things go. Be still, my beating patriotic heart. Frankly, the burgundy colour looks better.
• The point about colour being a national delegated choice is significant. We have always been allowed to believe that this was an EU passport and had to be burgundy, couldn't be blue. Turns out it could have been blue all along, but our governments since fuck knows when have chosen the EU default colour and told us that was the EU colour and we could lump it.

The second point is very interesting to me. It begs a lot of questions. What else have we been told we had to put up with because it is a mandatory EU requirement when actually it is something the UK government invented or gold-plated onto existing EU regulation?

I wonder.

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by bloke57

Funny that the US "ambassador" said of the recent UN Israel vote "It will determine how the US sees the United Nations".

Well guess what America, it also illustrates how the rest of the world sees you.

I not only illustrates this, it influences and guides this. The Americans have been very unwise, first in openly endorsing the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, then in openly threatening the rest of the world community with consequences if we choose to vote to express our non-acceptance of the American decision. American foreign policy is now reduced to threats and gesticulation, and impulsive and erratic behaviour very alike to someone using recreational drugs. Britain has been America's friend and ally for a very long time, but we have our own interests to consider and we cannot afford to be seen to be going along with idiotic shit like Nikki Halley telling everyone that America is taking note of how we dare to vote. TBH, if we had not already decided to vote Yes, that threat would have forced us to vote Yes and show by actions that we will not submit to blackmail. I am sure Ms Halley influenced a number of governments to vote against America who might otherwise have abstained.

America is on the fast track to isolation and the loss of her most important allies. What this should tell Britain is that our European relationships are still crucial to our security, whether we are inside the EU or outside the EU. America is going down the wrong road and we must not go down that road just because she is beckoning us to follow.

[otokonomidori]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

Turns out it could have been blue all along, but our governments since fuck knows when have chosen the EU default colour

First red passports appeared in 1988 - issued by the Glasgow office.
I've still got my blue one from 1979 and I don't look a day older now.

[vinceprince]

According to a YouGov Survey Blue Passports is the 2nd most popular thing that leave voters want 52%, just behind Capital Punishment 53% and just ahead of a return to Pounds and Ounces 48%.



About half of Leave voters obviously see Al Murray's Pub Landlord as a role-model rather than satire.

[gordian_knot]

This is my old 'blue' passport.



It's actually black, though I had one previously that really was blue, of the same design. It's better quality than the burgundy one which I also have.

It's a minor matter, but symbolic. Would you want the England football team to play in burgundy (even though it wouldn't make them any worse)? It's just an indication that we're a sovereign nation.