This makes me want to weep

We have always punched well above our weight and will continue to do so.

Just what does this mean? Presumably it wasn't in the 1970's when we were described as the sick man of Europe. But now we'd better start punching hard and fast.

Why did the Brexit party follow bagpipes? . Scotland wants to stay. Perhaps they should have been preceded by Morris dancers.

Greta you ask what I mean by punching above our weight.
Since 1980 the UK has been ranked either 4th, 5th or 6th largest economy in the world by nominal GDP.
We are only the 78th or 79th largest country in size.
Our population is 21st largest in the world.
That is punching above our weight. ?
Let's all try and praise our country not bring it down.

Isn't it a tragedy then that in such a wealthy country many of its citizens have to rely on foodbanks, sleep in our streets, rely on abysmal public transport, unable to even afford so called 'affordable' houses, waiting for weeks for a GP appointment...

But yes, we do have many very wealthy people as well.

I did wonder why bagpipes were included in this farce. I’m pretty sure people world wide, upon hearing bagpipes, associate them with Scotland.
Completely inappropriate in this case as Scotland wants to stay in the EU! ?

'Greta you ask what I mean by punching above our weight.
Since 1980 the UK has been ranked either 4th, 5th or 6th largest economy in the world by nominal GDP.
We are only the 78th or 79th largest country in size.
Our population is 21st largest in the world.
That is punching above our weight. ?
Let's all try and praise our country not bring it down.'
….so how come we've done so well whilst being members of the supposedly tyrannical EU during that time?. In what way did they prevent us being, say, 3rd?

This is the gloom mongers thread, so I accept their right to put a negative spin on everything positive.

Labaik - that's a hypothetical question that no-one can answer because we don't know what life would have been like if we were not in the EU ?

But you can't prove that being in the EU was detrimental to our economy during that time, can you?

People on here have talked of closing down their business, families emigrating and concerns over access to medication. And you just poo poo that as gloom mongering etc. Bit insensitive imo.

I think we'll stop being gloomy when we have something a bit more concrete than hopes and trite cliches to be cheerful about.

Such a good question, Labaik

.so how come we've done so well whilst being members of the supposedly tyrannical EU during that time?.

Dismissing it as 'hypothetical' really just means 'I'm ducking this one'

Labaik But you can't prove that being in the EU was detrimental to our economy during that time, can you?
As it's all hypothetical, I will only be able to answer that if you can prove that being in the EU hasn't been detrimental to our economy during that time. Maybe it was. Can you prove it wasn't? Such ridiculous questions.

No; it isn't a ridiculous question. People voted to leave the EU in the belief that they would be better off by doing so; but there is no proof that this is the case. Perhaps a campaign saying 'we might be better off if we leave the EU' would have been more honest. Usually you only leave something if you know for a fact that you'd be better off by doing so? Especially if it doesn't just affect you personally but lots of other people too.

Exactly Chestnut, who knows what our economy would look like now if we had never joined the EU? Something tells me we would have been a lot bloody better off if we hadn't been sending billions to them every year!

Macron is already giving out dire warnings and the Dutch are saying don’t buy British.

Not missing us much then. Or being filled with kindnesses. The bonhomie lasted a few hours.....
?

Maggiemaybe it's sad that they are the only ones who got any publicity.

It is, Callistemon. Of course it makes for a better headline.

MaizieD Fri 31-Jan-20 16:12:26
Have you totally failed to understand that we will be the EU's competitors after 11 pm this evening?

Exactly.

nannypink1 Fri 31-Jan-20 16:47:59
For Gods sake let’s have a bit of positivity instead of this constant doing down of the country ....it so depressing ..project fear alive and well still I see...

If the best you can do is ape the words of a despicable multi-millionaire who has moved ALL of his money overseas to protect it from Brexit, you don’t exactly make a convincing point.

Greta Fri 31-Jan-20 17:40:27
Isn't it a tragedy then that in such a wealthy country many of its citizens have to rely on foodbanks, sleep in our streets, rely on abysmal public transport, unable to even afford so called 'affordable' houses, waiting for weeks for a GP appointment...

Can’t see HOW we envisage that improving post Brexit either. Particularly as Savid Javid has backtracked on the end to austerity.

Urmstongran Fri 31-Jan-20 20:06:26
Macron is already giving out dire warnings and the Dutch are saying don’t buy British.

As MaszieD said at 16.12, of COURSE they are. We are the business competitors now. We left.

Ah, you slightly missed the point I was making there GagaJo.

Of course we are now competitors with the E.U. I get that of course and expected it.

My point about Macron & the Dutch government was in reply to the OP ‘this makes me weep’ which referred to how kind they were being to us. My post said their kindness was short lived.

Hugh Grant was right when he said Britain's finished. God help us all now. That's all I'm saying.

Hugh Grant is a prat. Who on earth would take any notice of him?

Oh of course Britain isn't finished!!! What a load of b******t.

I got that Urmstongran. My point, as you say, was a different one. Just because they're sorry to see us go doesn't mean we're not in a trade war now.

Project Fear has gone into overdrive on this thread, still it is the thread set up for those who want to wallow in grief. ???

Hugh Grant was right when he said Britain's finished. God help us all now. That's all I'm saying.

Bloody Hilarious!! ? ??

Oh use your own words FFS. Constantly repeating meaningless slogans is so boring.