Light bulb moment

Granny23 when i saw the start of your post I thought you were going to say that you just SHOUT LOUDER. I know its an old joke.

Thing is most Europeans,many others too, especially those under 50, but many older too, can usually speak excellent English. Those of us with a smattering of a foreign language or two usually drift back to our mother tongue after a few sentences. At least I do. I know when I am beaten.

Franbern I think your plan would work...if only .....

The trouble is that in the EEC Referendum in the 1970s we did join a trading block (as my parents used to tell me when they were alive and voted for it).

What they didn't vote for was a European Parliament dictating how the UK should operate its laws.

What started off as a good idea, became much more than trade and far too intrusive!

If you read GN as far back as possible, the complaints back then were about the way we were treated by the muscles from Brussels. I voted remain and I’m sorry we left, but one thing Brits are good at is grumbling and finding fault.

Great idea, my kids hope to travel across this block for work and pleasure, I could travel freely, live and retire anywhere in this block... Free trade locally will be great for reducing emissions, we're safer and strongether IMHO... What's not to like!

Puffernutter could you please list ANY law that was forced on UK by European parliament?

What if we asked the unemployed to apply for jobs then benefit payments would be reduced and income from tax increased.

puffernutter The trouble is that in the EEC Referendum in the 1970s....they didn't vote for was a European Parliament dictating how the UK should operate its laws.

Absolutely correct. That's what we voted for in the period 1970-2016

My Irish friends tell me of their massive housing crisis , huge delays and queues at airports also. My 82 yr old Mum has paid DOUBLE the usual cost of oil for her central heating . Shortage of staff in hospitality and retail . Crazy waiting lists for hospitals in spite of large taxes. Doctors charge for visits and prescription fees too . Rooms for uni students exorbitant!! Prices in grocery stores increasing by the week . Oh yes and a government that everyone is unhappy with again. This is an EU country . A lot of problems ( I’m not saying all of them ) are Europe wide. Most worldwide. Am I happy with Boris & Co. No but we need to look at the bigger picture.

Pittcity

Wonderful idea Franbern. But what colour will the passports be?

They could stay the sort of dark blue/black - never any reason for them to have been changed in the first place.
You know, we might even find a company in the UK who could produce them for us.

Ah, but we'd lose our incredibly valuable sovereignty and be ruled by a load of Europeans who don't speak a civilised language like English and the Minister for Brexit Opportunities would lose his job and there'll be an uncontrolled horde of foreign fruit pickers every year and .....we would all have to emigrate to the Moon.

Great idea .. you should run the country
Can’t be any worse than Boris .. that’s for sure

@franbern
What a fabulous idea. I cannot fathom why no one has thought about it before...

But it's not just us here that's having these cost of living rises! Most of this niverna like block of countries on our doorstep have the same problems as us, as does the rest of the world at present.

Maria59

What if we asked the unemployed to apply for jobs then benefit payments would be reduced and income from tax increased.

We do. There are so many applicants for each decent job (not zero hours) that some people apply for dozens, even hundreds, without being picked, and they lose heart.

Wow genius... We could all vote on the idea.. And get the right wing newspapers to put adverts in, with some spurious information.

Excellent idea Franbern I’m quite sure we would all benefit so much from such an alliance. It might well get us out of this unholy mess we’re in at the moment.

M0nica

Yes, but the other countries do not speak English and they are very different.

We, British, have always prided ourselves on muddling through, even if it means constant inefficiencies, We always manage some how. We pride ourselves on being the 'different' from the rest. If currently thata means going backwards economically, so what.

We should pride in our past, and ignore tomorrow, we will all be dead anyway.

I'm hoping that's a satirical response!

But I'm still waiting to see all those millions if not billions of pounds that were going to fund the NHS... Anyone know where they are? Stuck in queue outside Dover? Running away in Dido's pocket? Stacking up interest in an off-shore account for A B de P Johnson? Must be somewhere; they sure as hell aren't in any NHS institutions near me, 18 months on waiting list for local dentist just to get put on their patient list, goodness knows how long after that before I can have a check up. Better stop now as high blood pressure might provoke heart attack and there'll be no ambulance or room on any ward in the local hospital grrrr grrrr

Wasn't that the original 'common market' we had in 70's?

Is the travel chaos and shortages only in the UK? No, every country is struggling. Flights are being cancelled all across Europe, the USA, South America, Africa etc.
I’ve got family in NZ and the shortages and price rises there are much worse than here.
You can still travel across Europe even with your British passport.
You may not have voted for Brexit but the majority chose to do so and it still works that majority rules.
I get so bored of all the bashing on GN and some of it is down right nasty to other members, just proving that having a difference of opinion now is not allowed and doesn’t create debate but creates hate.

I see Kier Starmer has had a change of heart. If he gets into power there will not be a referendum to re-join.

She777. As I remember the brexit vote 17.5 million voted leave. We have 68 million people of voting age. That doesn't equate with a majority only a majority of those who voted. There is a lot to be said for mandatory voting. That would obviate any complaints of unfairness

MerylStreep

I see Kier Starmer has had a change of heart. If he gets into power there will not be a referendum to re-join.

Thank goodness for that - there really isn't money to throw at that, and anyway not sure that I have the energy for yet another lengthy period of acrimonious chatter rehashing all the old arguments on the news.

puffernutter

The trouble is that in the EEC Referendum in the 1970s we did join a trading block (as my parents used to tell me when they were alive and voted for it).

What they didn't vote for was a European Parliament dictating how the UK should operate its laws.

What started off as a good idea, became much more than trade and far too intrusive!

Clean beaches and rivers?