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Brexit. We never stood a chance. The elites were against it.

(249 Posts)
FriedGreenTomatoes2 Mon 21-Jul-25 12:49:19

“The World Economic Forum (WEF) has been accused of rigging research to make Brexit look like a failure.

Klaus Schwab, the face of the Davos conference in Switzerland for years, allegedly intervened in the WEF’s annual Global Competitiveness Report, which ranks countries on productivity and long-term prosperity.

In the 2017/2018 report, the UK’s ranking improved from seventh to fourth after a change in methodology.

But Mr Schwab, 87, wrote to staff that the UK “must not see any improvement”, as otherwise it would be “exploited by the Brexit camp”.

The final report published in 2017 showed the UK had dropped one place to eighth.”

Well well. Colour me surprised. Not.

PoliticsNerd Tue 22-Jul-25 10:29:26

All the polls suggest that we would exit Brexit if a referendum was held today.

This is simply not true and people really shouldn't be misled in this way. Some polls give a result closer than others but a quick check shows they generally and currently positively polling for return.

Whether that is the best way or whether we should be more like Norway in this is a separate but important discussion.

How can you even assume a polling company, asking if you would leave the EU today, is done by any sort of sound organisation? We have left. The question is irrelevant.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 22-Jul-25 10:29:21

No good blaming everyone else for your vote..

Most of us understood what Brexit would entail, and called it out long and hard. The fact that you chose to ignore the warnings is entirely at your door.

No good blaming all and sundry and then suggesting we would be better off with Trump😮😮.

Let you into a secret - we wouldn’t.

Cossy Tue 22-Jul-25 10:26:25

As for Trump being a better ally 😱😱😱😱😱

Nice to see you back though FGT, hope all is good with you flowers

Cossy Tue 22-Jul-25 10:24:44

Sorry, but I completely disagree that our country has benefited in any way at all since Brexit, and given the high finance cost of us leaving and no tangible benefits I feel we are worse off.

Yes, being a member was expensive but we got all kinds of benefits, not just good trade deals, we received huge grants in many different areas, including farming and training.

Please point me in the direction of the EU army? Actually given our current position with Russia and Gaza would this be such a bad thing?

Also we had the right to veto, we vetoed having the Euro and we had representation with our MEPs, including the hypocritical Farage, paid very well to represent our interests.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Tue 22-Jul-25 10:23:08

PoliticsNerd

I delight in being able to agree with you Maizie.

When will people people see that the Trump's, the Nigels, etc., do not see surfdom as a bad thing as long as it doesn't include them or theirs. They will just go back to saying it's God's will, or something equally puerile.

Serfdom. What rot.
God’s will? Now you really are clutching at straws!

I’d vote for a proper Brexit in a heartbeat. Sadly I realise we were sold a pup because The Establishment were shocked to the core at the referendum result and did their best not to grasp opportunities before us.

Starmer wanted a second referendum.
Never mind he will get the result he wants by binding us in ever tighter. Ursula von de Leyen will squeeze us until the pips squeak for the privilege.

I’d tell them to stuff it.

Trump would be a better ally. O’Biden wanted to be with Varadkar and Michel Martin so didn’t side with us. Obama told us trade deals we would be at the back of the queue. Boris with his huge majority squandered his chances. All puff and no substance. No plan, no bravery.

No Brexit.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 22-Jul-25 10:17:21

Hardly fits with a democratic society does it, if it lasts in perpetuity? Referendums should always be revisited after a period of time, and sooner if there is a clear majority who think that the original decision was a mistake.

LizzieDrip Tue 22-Jul-25 10:15:24

Because the owners of the Telegraph are part of the wealthy global elite who want to run the world entirely in their interests. They want to continue to acquire more and more wealth, which means no, or minimal, taxation, minimal government interference in the means of acquisition and privatisation of every wealth making opportunity. They have no interest in, or concern for, the bulk of the population whose labour they use to increase their wealth and whose money they suck up, by way of rents and profits, at every possible opportunity. Of course the Telegraph aren’t going to examine Tufton Street. One day the penny might drop

Oh MaizieD you are so right! 👏👏👏👏

The media oligarch owners of the Telegraph et al are the wealthy elite doing harm in this country.

They promoted Brexit, contributing to the deceit, because it was in their interests. They’re far more dangerous to us than some old ‘has-been’ bloke.

Why don’t people see this?

Will the penny ever drop…?

M0nica Tue 22-Jul-25 10:10:07

PoliticsNerd

Maremia

Wonder how much support there would be for a BREXIT vote today?
Not going to happen, I know.

Not for a while but I can imagine us ending up with a truly British "special relationship".

All the polls suggest that we would exit Brexit if a referendum was held today.

But this raises another question, wwhich I have mentioned before. For how long should a referendum be binding? Does the decision of an electorate that is always changing binding for 5 years? 10 years? 50 years? in perpetuity?

With Parliament, governments are elected for 5 years, and even within governments the same government can issue - and rescind a law within one parliament and when governments change - then no law is unrescindable or unchangeable.

Why should referendums be any different. Should referendums, were we ever stupid enough to have another one, have a stated life length. Binidng for 5, 10 years etc.

David49 Tue 22-Jul-25 09:10:34

vegansrock

Brexit has cost billions and has stunted growth we were promised by Farage a Norway style deal, instead we have implemented economic sanctions on ourselves. Increased immigration, higher cost of energy than any other country, worse pollution, NHS in decline - how is any of that better? Brexit was a huge con and was never deliverable. We were told lots of other countries would follow suit when they saw how well we were doing - hmm???

A “Norway style” deal would have been better that the outcome we got but the zealots wanted autonomy. The reality is that Norway is not the UK it has special reasons to be an EFTA rather than EU member but has to comply with EU rules for most things.

9 yrs on all we can do is get on with the system we have and try to build bridges to get some barriers reduced, it’s going to be a very slow process.

PoliticsNerd Tue 22-Jul-25 09:00:04

I delight in being able to agree with you Maizie.

When will people people see that the Trump's, the Nigels, etc., do not see surfdom as a bad thing as long as it doesn't include them or theirs. They will just go back to saying it's God's will, or something equally puerile.

MaizieD Tue 22-Jul-25 08:51:16

Mamie

I always thought Tufton Street held the global elite that had the most influence over Brexit?
Why are there not articles about them in the Telegraph?
🤔

Because the owners of the Telegraph are part of the wealthy global elite who want to run the world entirely in their interests.

They want to continue to acquire more and more wealth, which means no, or minimal, taxation, minimal government interference in the means of acquisition and privatisation of every wealth making opportunity.

They have no interest in, or concern for, the bulk of the population whose labour they use to increase their wealth and whose money they suck up, by way of rents and profits, at every possible opportunity.

Of course the Telegraph aren’t going to examine Tufton Street.

One day the penny might drop…

PoliticsNerd Tue 22-Jul-25 08:49:37

Maremia

Wonder how much support there would be for a BREXIT vote today?
Not going to happen, I know.

Not for a while but I can imagine us ending up with a truly British "special relationship".

Maremia Tue 22-Jul-25 08:44:43

Wonder how much support there would be for a BREXIT vote today?
Not going to happen, I know.

escaped Tue 22-Jul-25 08:23:00

Sterling has been dropping for years now.
Yes, 2008 was abominable. I think that was pre Brexit.

To be honest, I'm not surprised that European countries have made it more difficult for Brits to move there in their latter years. I know nothing about Spain, but even 20 years ago in France there were rumblings about inactive retirees entering to live there, (and of course not speaking more than two sentences of French).

PoliticsNerd Tue 22-Jul-25 08:13:31

FriedGreenTomatoes2

We are just lied to constantly.

And when you were told you were bring lied you chose to believe the liars.

I heard someone call this ignorant arrogance. I can't think of a more accurate way of describing it.

PoliticsNerd Tue 22-Jul-25 07:12:53

Mamie

I always thought Tufton Street held the global elite that had the most influence over Brexit?
Why are there not articles about them in the Telegraph?
🤔

Because people want to be shocked. They don't actually want information or knowledge.

Mamie Tue 22-Jul-25 06:01:11

I always thought Tufton Street held the global elite that had the most influence over Brexit?
Why are there not articles about them in the Telegraph?
🤔

vegansrock Tue 22-Jul-25 04:11:38

Brexit has cost billions and has stunted growth we were promised by Farage a Norway style deal, instead we have implemented economic sanctions on ourselves. Increased immigration, higher cost of energy than any other country, worse pollution, NHS in decline - how is any of that better? Brexit was a huge con and was never deliverable. We were told lots of other countries would follow suit when they saw how well we were doing - hmm???

MaizieD Tue 22-Jul-25 00:11:09

And an interesting article about the WEF from Al Jazeera. Written before the December 2024 meeting.

www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/14/is-the-world-economic-forum-still-relevant

MaizieD Mon 21-Jul-25 23:52:10

I think I’ve found a transcript of the Telegraph article on Reddit. Full of ‘allegations’. Though, to be honest, I really don’t think that Davos is really that influential. Brexit never was going to live up to the unrealistic expectations of its devotees.

www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/1m5mqo4/world_economic_forum_rigged_data_to_make_brexit/

growstuff Mon 21-Jul-25 23:07:30

Yes, I think that governments working together gives us some kind of chance. Fighting each other plays into their hands.

growstuff Mon 21-Jul-25 23:06:18

Of course it's not going to happen, so what's the alternative? Do you just roll over and let these people walk all over us? (And waste our time getting all outraged on GN.)

Allira Mon 21-Jul-25 22:59:26

That's never going to happen.

Can Governments work together to stop such organisations such as WEF having so much influence?

growstuff Mon 21-Jul-25 22:56:52

Allira

*TerriBull Mon 21-Jul-25 22:09:24* 😂

We're just the little people!

Of course we are and we always have been. That's why it's so important we're in the same team as all the other little people.

Allira Mon 21-Jul-25 22:48:02

TerriBull Mon 21-Jul-25 22:09:24 😂

We're just the little people!