New EU Treaty - a good deal or not?

There's absolutely no need at all for Labour to vote for the 'deal' It's a rotten deal but the bill will pass without their help. It would take a huge tory rebellion to defeat it, even if all other MPs voted against or abstained.

Pantglas2

It can go in the bin Nezumi, along with the other saddos opinions, John McDonnell and groupies maligning Sir Keir for recommending passing it!

Saddos (Saddoes?) indeed Pantglas ??

Just get good travel insurance cover, the EHIC cards were never meant to cancel a need for it especially for older people who have a slew of health conditions.

I renewed ours in November just as they were about to expire - instead of listening to the disaster merchants! The six Ps and all that!

and valid EHIC cards were to be accepted

Only until they expire. Then it's the, as yet non-existent, Global medical card...

vegansrock

The Republic of Ireland is to fund EHIC cards and Erasmus scheme for residents in Northern Ireland. Lucky old them.

The BBC news last night were reporting that reciprocal health care would continue between UK and EU. and valid EHIC cards were to be accepted. (Some folks forget to renew them)

It can go in the bin Nezumi, along with the other saddos opinions, John McDonnell and groupies maligning Sir Keir for recommending passing it!

Apparently the ERG ‘star chamber’ (what a bunch of saddos) are giving their verdict at 2pm

The Republic of Ireland is to fund EHIC cards and Erasmus scheme for residents in Northern Ireland. Lucky old them.

This is an interesting analysis of Johnson’s claim to be a one nation Tory journals.openedition.org/rfcb/5693

Yes. I suspect it is another spin put out, from a populist government.

Most of the front bench are wealthy, not as a result of running a successful business in the traditional sense of buying and selling or manufacturing.

Their wealth comes from the money markets and the rentier class.

I do wonder why Johnson is described as a one nation Tory when he clearly isn’t.

I was reading an interesting article a couple of days ago that argued that the current government should be seen as the rentier class and not as Tories were traditionally seen as the party of business.

I think that their is strong evidence for this argument.

If the President of the CBI, a vocal remainer, can see positivity in this deal then why can't we?

' This is a big step and a mighty relief for many firms. With a trade deal agreed, vaccine roll-outs starting and rapid mass testing, this can be a springboard to make 2021 a year of recovery. '

All I can see here is massive relief that we didn't end up with no deal, which would have been completely disastrous for most businesses. Some recovery is inevitable next year, if mass testing and vaccination are successful. But the given the constraints of non tariff barriers and no foreseeable new (not the current rolled over ones) large FTAs (and not a lot to offer in negotiating them) the prospect for future years is more one of slow decline than of increased prosperity.

' Importantly, a deal provides a platform on which to build and strengthen the UK-EU relationship in the years to come .'

It could do that, but only if our government wills and enables it. 8,000 lorries on a disused airfield just before Christmas may have forced Johnson into agreeing a deal but who's to say that he and his government have any intention to stick with it?

There's another agenda being pursued by the hard right which doesn't fit with a closer relationship with the EU. Low taxes (for the wealthy), low wages (for the rest), emasculating the judiciary, sidelining Parliament, repealing the HRA, and deregulation is their objective.

We have accepted it , I am not chaining myself to the railings. It's too sleety here for a start. Talking about the deal is not the same as not accepting it. I didnt vote Tory I accept that they are in government but continue to discuss their policies and disagree with many of the decisions they make, this does not mean I dont accept they are in power.

The issue with fish, for instance, as agreed by Johnson, means the negotiations will go on for a full TEN years.

Why do you keep saying we’re not accepting a done deal?

The deal isn’t complete, lots to still be negotiated. We don’t now sit in suspended animation forever with nothing ever changing. Why on earth wouldn’t someone try to campaign for a better future?

Most of my campaigning energy goes on improving the rights of people with learning disabilities. So thank you.

Good luck with your campaigning, Nezumi65

Galaxy

And if all discussion was pointless then GN and MN would not exist. I find the trying to stop different points of view quite tiring.

I'm not trying to stop different points of view at all. I did vote to stay in the EU and am saddened we've left.

However I am entitled to express my opinion. I just can't understand the mindset of those who cannot accept a done deal. Not that it's a great deal.

I find it quite interesting actually.

We are still European after all. Nothing can change that.

If the President of the CBI, a vocal remainer, can see positivity in this deal then why can't we?

'This is a big step and a mighty relief for many firms. With a trade deal agreed, vaccine roll-outs starting and rapid mass testing, this can be a springboard to make 2021 a year of recovery.

'Importantly, a deal provides a platform on which to build and strengthen the UK-EU relationship in the years to come.'

And if all discussion was pointless then GN and MN would not exist. I find the trying to stop different points of view quite tiring.

I'm sure that a few years from now nobody will be talking about our decision to leave the EU.

I wouldnt be betting on that, the agreement has been left very open to changes in the future which will make the headlines. I genuinely hope there are positive aspects to leaving the E.U. , so far I have only heard aspirations. Any new trade deals we do have are going to have to take into account the trade lost with the E.U.
I would be less concerned if we were about to become a great trading nation at the forefront of technology, ready to manufacture and sell our goods around the world. But we’re not most of our GDP is consumed internally, our trade deficit increases annually, we have been selling our infrastructure and are increasingly dependant on overseas finance to plug the gap.

I really would like a reason to be optimistic for the New Year

And given one way this government works seems to be to leak their latest plan to certain members of the press then sit back and judge the reaction, for once it makes sense to shout.

Of course we can change things. Over the next few years is when a lot of negotiating will still be going on. We can campaign to keep us closer to Europe.

The Turing scheme looks extremely underfunded if it is to replace Erasmus & is one way only - we can campaign about that.

I campaign for human rights for people with learning disabilities anyway and will continue to do so - especially with the rise of populism.

That’s for starters. Certainly won’t be sitting back until the next election and leaving this shower to it.

We don't know what's in the future

I'm sure that a few years from now nobody will be talking about our decision to leave the EU.

At the moment the pandemic is what's concerning people.

We tend to think we're incredibly important. We're not. We are on this earth for a very short time.

It's quite pointless to be discussing this as if we can change it. We can't.

Certainly not in our lifetimes

And anecdotal evidence is pointless. I've been told that many times on GN.

Jane10

Check out the new Turing scheme. Looks good.

The Turing scheme is an unfortunate name given the way the poor man was treated by the government and establishment.

The scheme benefits the wealthy and not the poorer student..

I expect nothing more from this rentier government.