OutByEaster? Posted January 26, 2017 Moderator Share Posted January 26, 2017 May has refused to rule out opening up the NHS to US corporations today as part of her desire for a trade deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 43 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said: May has refused to rule out opening up the NHS to US corporations today as part of her desire for a trade deal. She refused to rule it out in the same way that she refused to say if she knew about the trident incident I.e she didn't answer it at all i guess we have to wait for junior minister to walk out the building with a notepad on view to actually find out what the plan is 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 27, 2017 Moderator Share Posted January 27, 2017 11 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: She refused to rule it out in the same way that she refused to say if she knew about the trident incident Ah crap. I was hoping it wasn't true. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted January 27, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted January 27, 2017 Plan? Ha. Hahahaha. Hahahahaha. ...Sigh. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) From the US thread: 16 minutes ago, villa4europe said: Calexit is a shit name, everyone should get their own like when Europe cracks up italeave, espcape, nethershouldhavejoinedinthefirstplace Hungo? NoRomania? AustRaus? Edited January 27, 2017 by snowychap 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Haha love NoRomania Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Adiospana Croatiauf Wiedersehen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Risso Posted January 27, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted January 27, 2017 Czech Out Remoania Departugal Quitaly 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post chrisp65 Posted January 27, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted January 27, 2017 Fuxembourg 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 2-4-6-8 Maltaway. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Quote Those of us who want to eat safe, healthy food awoke to a nightmare on Tuesday, a chilling interview on Radio 4’s Today programme. Bob Young, chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, made it crystal clear that any US trade deal struck by Theresa May would be contingent on the UK public stomaching imports of US foods that it has previously rejected: beef from cattle implanted with growth hormones, chlorine-washed chicken, and unlabelled genetically modified (GM) foods. Wiping the sleep from our eyes, we hoped it was just a bad dream, but the grim reality worsened. Martin Haworth, director of strategy at the National Farmers Union (NFU), was up next. Surely our own farmers, who have worked for decades to stricter EU standards shaped by consumers’ demand for safe, natural food, would reiterate their commitment to keeping them? Not a bit of it. Haworth’s only concern was that if such controversial American products were allowed into the country, British farmers should be able to use the same production techniques to ensure “an even playing field”. Do you find it credible that British farmers could beat the US’s vast industrial feedlots, hi-tech poultry plants and vast GM prairies at their own game? No matter, the NFU does. Later, at prime minister’s questions, the Scottish National party MP Angus Robertson pressed May for the reassurance that everyone who cares about food quality and safety badly wants to hear. Would she tell Trump she wasn’t prepared to lower our food safety standards? Judging from May’s evasive reply – she would improve trade through prosperity, growth, jobs, putting UK interests and values first – it seems entirely possible that she would bin existing food rules in order to clinch a deal. For decades, the food on our plates has been protected – albeit inadequately – by virtue of our EU membership. Food on British shelves differs in critical ways from the US equivalent. Citizens in Europe loudly opposed the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that sought to impose on us the US “Big Food” model. But now it looks as if Trump and May could usher in a bilateral version of TTIP with bells on. So the nightmare is real, although there is a ray of hope. Post-Brexit, we can’t continue to sell British food to mainland Europe unless it meets EU standards. And losing concrete business with the EU in the vain hope of gaining some notional trade advantage with the US sounds like a deal-breaker. Grauniad 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) French Socialist party have gone with Hamon over Valls. Emmanuel Macron now 6/4. Edited January 29, 2017 by snowychap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 'Bob Young, chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, made it crystal clear that any US trade deal struck by Theresa May would be contingent on the UK public stomaching imports of US foods that it has previously rejected: beef from cattle implanted with growth hormones, chlorine-washed chicken, and unlabelled genetically modified (GM) foods.' I'm not in any way trying to downplay the risks of a 'race to the bottom' in standards, because the risks are real for obvious reasons, but it probably is worth remembering that Bob Young is not going to be particularly close to the negotiating table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 29, 2017 Moderator Share Posted January 29, 2017 9 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: 'Bob Young, chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, made it crystal clear that any US trade deal struck by Theresa May would be contingent on the UK public stomaching imports of US foods that it has previously rejected: beef from cattle implanted with growth hormones, chlorine-washed chicken, and unlabelled genetically modified (GM) foods.' I'm not in any way trying to downplay the risks of a 'race to the bottom' in standards, because the risks are real for obvious reasons, but it probably is worth remembering that Bob Young is not going to be particularly close to the negotiating table. I'm not so sure his voice won't be heard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Farm_Bureau_Federation Quote According to a 2012 article in The Nation, the AFBF retains twenty-two registered lobbyists. In 2012, it was the top contributor to federal candidates, parties, and outside groups with payments of over $1 million; 62% to Republicans. Over the past decade, the AFBF spent $16 million, 45% of the total spent by all of the nation’s ten largest agribusiness interests. https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000021832 Quote Total Lobbying Expenditures: $3,799,190 Subtotal for Parent American Farm Bureau: $3,799,190 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Yes, his voice will definitely be heard, and we will almost certainly wish it wasn't, but let's not pretend this is a fait accompli when negotiations haven't even started yet. I just think the Guardian report there is over-dramatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tonyh29 Posted January 29, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted January 29, 2017 On 27/01/2017 at 20:36, Risso said: Quitaly thats just Dem's spelling of quality isn't it ? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amsterdam_Neil_D Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 The polls in France and Holland are a worry. Something bad is going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 1 hour ago, Amsterdam_Neil_D said: The polls in France and Holland are a worry. Something bad is going to happen. This isn't a very original comment but it started in 2008 and this is the public finally catching up - after catching on -to the fact that whole populations have been looted. When the € finally goes down in the next few years it will get much worse and Brexit will look like a side show. I'd be keeping what you need day to day in a local Dutch account and everything else in U.K. When the European banking system collapses their customers will lose everything, and then the real trouble starts. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted January 30, 2017 Moderator Share Posted January 30, 2017 2 hours ago, Amsterdam_Neil_D said: The polls in France and Holland are a worry. Something bad is going to happen. Which is what some have been saying for 12-18 months now. The EU and indeed the Euro are failing, perhaps even have already failed, it's just a question of when it comes crashing down. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 While I'm not suggesting that anything said on this forum matters particularly, I do think it's worth bearing in mind that there exist taboos against predicting bank runs and currency crises for good reason, ie. when they happen they cause hardship on a massive scale. The Euro may not survive forever, or indeed our lifetimes, but I don't think there is any evidence to say that the Euro is failed or to recommend removing euro-denominated bank accounts or investments. It is currently stable, and there exists a political will to keep it and make it successful. That political will can of course disappear, but if eg Marine Le Pen is elected, and decides she wants to leave the Euro, then it will be up to her to create an orderly transition back to a national currency. If she chooses to create a crisis, that needs to be laid at her door, and understood as the political decision it is. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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