Open Britain - Hard Brexit

Thanks Ww I remember that as well. Just seems so worrying that things are happening already and the government are just keeping quiet-ostriches with their heads in the sand!

I cannot fathom the hard hard line being taken by the Govt

The, admittedly pro-remain, commentaries I've read suspect that May is in hock to the hardline brexitters, notably the press, and fears going for anything but a 'hard' Brexit. Whether this is to keep the Tory party together against the threat (which seems to be diminishing) of losing voters to UKIP or a genuine fear of popular uprising is a moot point. Would a popular uprising really happen if we were to go for 'soft' or 'no' Brexit (i.e.stay in the EU). How willing would people really be to cause serious unrest and are there actually enough hardliners to cause trouble given that the Leave vote only represented 37% of the electorate?

Of course, having no meaningful opposition and being way ahead in the polls must give her the confidence to press on, but I wonder how she manages to sleep at night given the serious prospect of the break-up of the UK and the economic difficulties the UK (England/Wales?) would face if either of her options go ahead.

www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/18/nhs-eu-nurses-quit-record-numbers

Petition to sign.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171869

The government response is silly. It doesn't addresss the problems of the NHS at all.

Today Herr Schulz was voted in as leader of the German SPD(socialist) party. He got 100% votes

Whether he will dislodge Fr Merkel is another matter but he's the first for along time who has a chance.

I wonder what ALDI and Lidl will do when their Geman produce is no longer so cheap. Since moving to the UK their shops have become half full of trashy clothes and oddments for the garden and kitchen. I no longer like shopping there but of course some things are still very good value and I tend to get them in regularly but their veg is tasteless.

Iam sure that ALDI has a plan B for Brexit even if David Davies hasn't.

www.theguardian.com/cities/video/2017/mar/17/undocumented-workers-american-cities-video

This is an interesting video about undocumented workers in Charlotte in the US.
It's similar to what would happen here if we stop EU workers coming here.
Be careful what you wish for.

* Since moving to the UK their shops have become half full of trashy clothes and oddments for the garden and kitchen *

Snobbery par excellence right there!

That's interesting, Margaret. Why have Aldi and Lidl products become worse?
I never go there because I prefer organic. They have a few organic, but not enough to make shopping there regularly cost effective, as it would mean more petrol to get there for the few things I could get.

I don't think it's snobbery to state the obvious, Chewbacca. Snobbery would be looking down on people for shopping there.

So referring to their clothing as "trashy", is a compliment? And, by default, what does that ,are the people who but their clothing from Lidl or Aldi? Poor and unable to afford better? Or trashy? And you call yourselves socialists!

Come off it, Chewbacca.
I don't buy clothes there because I don't buy clothes anywhere.
I buy organic food, so don't shop there because they don't have much organic food. Is that snobby too, or am I allowed to have that choice?

I believe Margaret has lived in Germany for a long time and has noticed how Aldi's product range has changed. I used to shop in Aldi when I lived in Germany. It was a food supermarket, whose range was cheaper but more basic than other supermarkets. Produce was displayed in cardboard boxes rather than on shelves.

I live about equidistant from a Tesco and an Aldi. I don't go to Aldi that often, because their queues are always so long. I don't find their prices much cheaper for the things I buy either. If I have time, I do spend a few minutes mooching about the 'trashy' aisle and have sometimes found some bargains.

PROUD TO BE POOR!

PS. There was an article in one of yesterday's papers, saying that Aldi is leading the way for supermarket organic food.

PPS. I also live about the same distance from Waitrose, but I only go there for the free coffee.

On supermarket.com they list seven foods, and the rest are smoothies and babyfood at Aldi.

I can have organic red wine delivered, too, but it would be a lot of bottles to get free delivery - and I only drink white wine.

We can buy organic food and wine in Lidl in France. Not a huge range but definitely there. We find the garden stuff good (love my lightweight strimmer) and enjoy the Spanish and Italian weeks. The fruit and veg is much better quality than the local supermarkets here. We know a lot of French people who were sceptical at first, but now go there regularly. There are huge queues for DIY week.
We have used their shops in Spain and Italy and they do have good ranges of local products.

All of which serves to identify how important the fast, free movement of goods is. The issues around the Customs Union seem incredibly complex to me.

Brexit, it is becoming more and more clear is an utter car crash. Whatever posssessed this country? The 3 Brexiters are as light weight as is possible for a minister to be. The PM simply attaches herself to mantras and repeats them until people are heartily sick of them. No one has a clue. The world thinks we are insane. The only supporter is Trump - that tells it all. We live in a world of unreality.

Whitewave you put it exactly as it is. Aside from writing to your MP (most of whom are simply following like sheep!) there is not a lot individuals can do. Bombard the press, get in touch with the BBC and ITV, join Open Britain and join the Liberal Democrats.

I wish there was a way of telling TM to bite the bullet, eat humble pie and cancel the whole thing.

When former PM's all of whom made mistakes in the past are united as one against Brexit you would think that something would get through but...

I Have Email my MP many times on Brexit but to no avail. People power with enough volume could make a difference.

I see that Brexiteers got upset about Tom Heap's piece about farming on Coubtryfile last evening - farmer talking about the seasonal workers he needs. They want the programme banned for being anti-Brexit. They did retaliate about not being able to take the facts as they are - the spat it seems was on Twitter.

Welsh wife

I am not on Twitter so can you name those whom you state are wanting the piece on Coubtryfile 'banned' please.

Yes well maybe Brexiteers need a lesson in reality from the farmers and food producers, they are the people who will have o deal with the reality of this mess. I was also narked this morning to hear Leanne Wood stating that of course Wales would expect the same subsidies as they were receiving from the EU ( despite a majority Brexit vote in Wales!). Is she as popular in Wales as Sturgeon is in Scotland I wonder?

I did not see it on Twitter but a report of it showing the tweets and also the names people are using on the site - bit like on here. Will see if I can find that report again and look for more detail.

There's a march in London on 25th March.

I can only find reports in the Sun, Telegraph and Express.

Here's a link to the Express report (the others are behind a paywall).

www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/661894/Countryfile-viewers-turned-off-Tom-Heap-doom-and-gloom-Twitter-famers