Relationship between France and UK

I don't think that the English have yet got over the Napoleonic wars...

Oh, is that what it is? - dawning realisation for this confused Scottish person.

I recently heard a 'joke' about the French, told by an English character in an audiobook.
The other character didn't see the joke and neither did I.

But there's a centuries-old animosity? Okay.

Johnson as PM, unfortunately, means the joke is now on the whole UK.

FarNorth

^I don't think that the English have yet got over the Napoleonic wars...^

Oh, is that what it is? - dawning realisation for this confused Scottish person.

I recently heard a 'joke' about the French, told by an English character in an audiobook.
The other character didn't see the joke and neither did I.

But there's a centuries-old animosity? Okay.

Johnson as PM, unfortunately, means the joke is now on the whole UK.

I expect there are one or two English who still have a bit of a crow about Flodden, or Culloden...

Mea culpa, mea culpa, for making a throwaway remark in my earlier post...

Excuse me if I dwell a bit on the clown imagery, as used by Macron about Boris, and in Kali's acquaintances' comments.
Clowning about is obviously a concept which is totally alien to the French and they dislike it. Maizie is right to say that on the other hand many in the UK actually like Johnson for it. It intrigues me. I believe that Boris is actually winging it and flying by the seat of his pants, (I don't know if the French have an expression fir this?) It is madness, sheer folly, but it pulls people in and somehow it works. It's that weird ability he has to fall down, laugh at himself, then get up again and dust himself off, only to start all over again. French people prefer to be dead serious, and if that works for them, so be it.
As the lady in the video hinted, the two are not really compatible and never will be.

I suppose it might work in persuading people to vote for him Josianne, but the serious business of government? I think not.

I think when the UK was within the EU, France could keep up the pretence of having equal weight as Britain. But now we are out and starting to do stuff, successful vaccination procurement and roll out, free trade deals, AUKUS, pacific tilt, a faster growing economy, far less youth unemployment, companies like Nissan, Unilever & Shell locating to Uk rather than staying in the EU, they cannot hide their reduced stature. It must make Macron smart. And his election is sooner than Boris’. - Hence the tub thumping.

Oh I do like a good laugh on a Saturday night ???

Urmstongran ????

I'm watching Strictly. Is the Pacific Tilt a move in the tango?? ?

I think you have touched a nerve Urmston ?
Certainly AUKUS has enraged Macron and he doesn’t take slights easily, an over proud man I think.

Of course the whole world isn’t watching the UK and politics here, am guessing the average person in France is supremely uninterested ( as the average person here is supremely uninterested in French politics.)?

Gosh UG you're quite a comedian.

A loveable chancer is all very well, Josianne, in some circumstances but not pretending to run the UK.

By the way, Google told me - The Pacific Tilt Square Hitch 4 Bike is a hitch rack for easily transporting up to four bikes. It has been designed for use with Hayman Reese style square hitch tow bars.

....although I have enjoyed reading about all these imaginary French country people covering their eyes and tapping their bonces.

I think pride in one's nation is a good thing lemongrove and the French have that in spades.
As for Macron, it's when amour-propre turns into arrogance that it doesn't look so good.

That faster vaccine rollout. How's that going?

I prefer the old-fashioned ‘comedienne’ FarNorth. ?

We lived in France for 16 years. never came across anti anglais. We paid our bills on time.
A few times I asked locals what they had against us. Most had never thought about it, Except one who asked why we didn't change to the euro? but a few said the (??? local word I forgot) were much worse. North Africans.
OTOH When I was at school we had a programme to have french teenagers to do an exchange. My Mum refused, said they were dirty and didn't wash their knickers.
Personally, I think this rift is because we are an island nation with an independant streak.There will always be some issue to cut us off from France. Expectations of politicians being one.

I wasn't thinking of being proud of one’s country Josi but of himself and his own image.
Johnson has always enjoyed clowning around when he thinks the occasion warrants it, and it does go down well with many people. Of course there is a time and a place etc.
Nobody in the UK harks back to any ancient wars with France despite what a couple of posters seem to think.

Nobody in the UK harks back to any ancient wars with France despite what a couple of posters seem to think.

Oh aye?

Not looking backwards but forwards. ...

Apparently the OECD's latest GDP growth forecast:
In 2021 the country with the fastest GDP growth will be .... the UK at 6.9%

In 2022 the country with the fastest GDP growth will be ... the UK at 4.7%
Again. “Despite Brexit”. ?

Its almost enough to put a smile on an objective observer's face.

And London's financial crown remains intact - despite Europe's attempts to lure workers overseas in the aftermath of the referendum!

The head of Luxembourg's government finance agency said relocations from the City are “basically over” with London’s crown as Europe’s financial services capital intact.

Nicolas Mackel, chief executive of Luxembourg for Finance, said: “It's obvious London is and will remain Europe's most important financial services industry."

?

How many times does this need saying....at least once more I suppose...

The reason our GDP is growing fastest is because it fell off a very steep cliff two years ago. If you're starting from a very low number, even a small absolute number is a large percentage.

Plus you missed the bit in the OECD report that said that Britain could suffer a setback if supply and worker shortages do not ease.

Oh, and this bit: On the UK, it said: 'A prolonged period of acute supply and labour shortages could slow down the recovery by forcing firms into a more permanent reduction in their operating capacity.'

And this bit : A worsening trade relationship with the European Union could also weigh on the economic outlook in the medium term,' it added.

Aleg ....oh, the Mogg! ?He does seem to live in a different timeline.

I wonder if any posters who had predicted the downfall of the City will appear on here and admit that they were wrong. I'm sure that some of them must have a bit of integrity.

Ooh Alegrias an awful lot of coulds in that post. Might? Maybe? Perhaps?

The Mackel thing? The quote doesn't make sense UG... London is not an industry but I can see its a direct quote from the Express, so that explains a lot.

Bit of a misquote there.

What Mackel said is that nobody else will leave because all the main companies left 2 years ago.