OT. The futures Bright, the Futures Brexit!!!

[Andy_Faber]

Society and good manners has suffered, not due to the result, but the divisions that the associated campaigns, social media echo chambers, tabloid and mainstream media fanning of flames... have driven. When was the vote promised, 10 years ago? That was the point it went downhill.
Leaving has had no impact on me in my work or my finances, for better or worse. I guess if I wanted to work in Greece it would be an inconvenience, though as I don't speak Greek it makes no difference.
It's not done Derby any favours anyway

That just about sums up my view. Apart from on this forum I never get into political debates but I do listen a lot and I can?t think of an occasion since 2016 when I?ve come away from a discussion feeling better about those involved (including friends), it seemed like Brexit just opened a Pandora?s box of bitterness

Getting a gig in Greece is easier than you think though?

[MadAmster]

Luxury items such as holidays have increased in cost due to weakened pound.

If you're looking at European holidays then any changes in exchange rate since Brexit would have affected the price of holidays.

Jan 1st 2019. 1 GBP = 1.11 Euro. By December 2019 it was 1.20. Ergo, the pound had strengthened against the Euro.

July 1st 2024 1 GBP = 1.17 Euro. January 2025 saw it open at 1.20, drop to 1.18 in mid January and it's now back at 1.20 (good for my pension).

The pound hasn't weakened against the Euro.

Aviation fuel cost around $70/bbl in January 2019, it is mid $90s today. The rise is due to the war in Ukraine, mainly. Source https://www.iata.org/en/publications.../fuel-monitor/

Are there other influences on holiday prices? I'm quite sure our resident bean counters will inform me.

[Ramshank72]

I went to Dublin last week, ?30 return flight from Gatwick. Food and beer was (outside the tourist hub) less than what I'd pay here. My parking ticket cost me more!
The reception and bar staff had a good few Spanish people working there, which was fun for my practise and I'm learning it. So, the right to work within the EU means the places in the EU we visit, are still run by cheaper / imported labour. (Anecdotal observation, uh oh!).
AF my comment was more about the biggest barrier to working in the EU isn't the application form and fiver, but the cultural, distance, and mainly language barriers, and Brexit doesn't impact those things. But yes, I'd quite like a little job working in a sunny Greek island, wouldn't we all

[Andy_Faber]

If you're looking at European holidays then any changes in exchange rate since Brexit would have affected the price of holidays.

Jan 1st 2019. 1 GBP = 1.11 Euro. By December 2019 it was 1.20. Ergo, the pound had strengthened against the Euro.

July 1st 2024 1 GBP = 1.17 Euro. January 2025 saw it open at 1.20, drop to 1.18 in mid January and it's now back at 1.20 (good for my pension).

The pound hasn't weakened against the Euro.

Aviation fuel cost around $70/bbl in January 2019, it is mid $90s today. The rise is due to the war in Ukraine, mainly. Source https://www.iata.org/en/publications.../fuel-monitor/

Are there other influences on holiday prices? I'm quite sure our resident bean counters will inform me.

The Euro / sterling rate has been volatile since the euros inception, Brexit or no Brexit (almost 1 for 1 in 2008 anyone?)

Two things have had a much bigger impact on holiday costs (certainly to the two countries I visit regularly).

Since 2016 theres been the virtual disappearance of ‘low cost’ air travel, as the competition in the market has been whittled away, flight costs have risen way faster than underlying inflation

And in-resort costs have also escalated - accommodation, ‘beach’ costs, food and drink, all have escalated by (again I can only speak for the places I go to) as business owners creep upmarket from 70s/80s happy go lucky outlooks to more businesslike

All these issues dwarf Brexit impact imo, on a cost basis at least

[SithHappens]

If you're looking at European holidays then any changes in exchange rate since Brexit would have affected the price of holidays.

Jan 1st 2019. 1 GBP = 1.11 Euro. By December 2019 it was 1.20. Ergo, the pound had strengthened against the Euro.

July 1st 2024 1 GBP = 1.17 Euro. January 2025 saw it open at 1.20, drop to 1.18 in mid January and it's now back at 1.20 (good for my pension).

The pound hasn't weakened against the Euro.

Aviation fuel cost around $70/bbl in January 2019, it is mid $90s today. The rise is due to the war in Ukraine, mainly. Source https://www.iata.org/en/publications.../fuel-monitor/

Are there other influences on holiday prices? I'm quite sure our resident bean counters will inform me.

The pound dropped significantly from over 1.30 vs the euro the morning the result was announced and continued until it almost hit parity. Prior to the vote it was circa 1.45 but slowly dropped in the run up to the vote.

It has rallied some but is still well below pre referendum levels.

Yes if you look at before and after the 31st Jan 2020 there isn't a significant difference the damage was done well before that.

[Andy_Faber]

The pound dropped significantly from over 1.30 vs the euro the morning the result was announced and continued until it almost hit parity. Prior to the vote it was circa 1.45 but slowly dropped in the run up to the vote.

It has rallied some but is still well below pre referendum levels.

Yes if you look at before and after the 31st Jan 2020 there isn't a significant difference the damage was done well before that.

Accepted pov and if your prosperity is impacted more by fluctuations than others, doubly so. Sounds like for others who?ve commented, Brexit impacts are sort of lost in the mix economically

[MadAmster]

The pound dropped significantly from over 1.30 vs the euro the morning the result was announced and continued until it almost hit parity. Prior to the vote it was circa 1.45 but slowly dropped in the run up to the vote.

It has rallied some but is still well below pre referendum levels.

Yes if you look at before and after the 31st Jan 2020 there isn't a significant difference the damage was done well before that.

Good points. I had only looked post Brexit, rather than post referendum. Possibly fuelled by my getting my partial OAP in 2020 and seeing any fluctuations hitting my bank account each month

[Andy_Faber]

Good points. I had only looked post Brexit, rather than post referendum. Possibly fuelled by my getting my partial OAP in 2020 and seeing any fluctuations hitting my bank account each month

My trigger point was the anniversary of Brexit proper but looking back further is valid

[SithHappens]

Accepted pov and if your prosperity is impacted more by fluctuations than others, doubly so. Sounds like for others who?ve commented, Brexit impacts are sort of lost in the mix economically

Yeah and that's probably the same for us. Holiday costs there are multiple reasons, Holiday companies going out of business being one and i suspect the losses through covid have pushed costs up.

Spending overseas will cost more, so I suspect those who need to trade overseas, including imported food etc, will cost more too.

The haulage industry is affected significantly, we know that although I don't pretend to understand what my wife is telling me when she's complaining about red tape etc.

For those who take pets abroad it definitely costs more, from circa 60 pounds to several hundred. That said i feel that's a benefit of brexit as my brexit voting sister and brother in law were complaining about the cost to take their dog to the Netherlands. That did cheer me up I must admit.

It's one of those though and we repeat ourselves i know, brexit wasn't supposed to be only making our lives a little more expensive or inconvenient etc etc it was supposed to he better, and significantly so.

The argument that it's the fault of our politicians doesn't stack up to me, those who voted leave did so knowing who was going to be delivering it.

[swaledale]

Given Trump's erratic behaviour, Brexit is looking even more like a massive "own goal" for the UK. Happy days!

[MadAmster]

Trade deal in 3 weeks is rumoured. At what cost? Growth hormones in beef? Chlorinated chicken? No more DEI? Less humanity in our dealings with the less well off? US take over of the NHS so we can all go bankrupt if we get ill? Less ties to EU and China?

Any deal is better than no deal?

It won't happen but I'd like the world to unite against the States to show that this kind of "hostile takeover attempt" will not be tolerated.

[Ramshank72]

The Trump administration is temporary, I'd rather we focused on good relations rather than battle, as when the next administration gets in, we'll have better foundations to build on, than other entities will have.

[ramAnag]

The Trump administration is temporary, I'd rather we focused on good relations rather than battle, as when the next administration gets in, we'll have better foundations to build on, than other entities will have.

I’m not sure that our relationship with the Trump administration will have much bearing on what follows in the U.S. and the way things are going I can’t see him surviving, either physically or politically, for another four years.

Given all the circumstances, I understand that Starmer isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I do think he is doing a good and statesmanlike job of trying to maintain cordiality with a variety of administrations.

[MadAmster]

I’m not sure that our relationship with the Trump administration will have much bearing on what follows in the U.S. and the way things are going I can’t see him surviving, either physically or politically, for another four years.

Given all the circumstances, I understand that Starmer isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I do think he is doing a good and statesmanlike job of trying to maintain cordiality with a variety of administrations.

Starmer has, thus far, hit the pensioners, the farmers, Shut down the one oil refinery in Scotland and moved its refining to an English refinery despite most of UK oil being "Scottish". Then there's all the expensegate crap that's been going on. He's upset more folk by temporarily postponing some of the local elections so proposed boundary changes can take place and the elections will happen between 6 and 12 months down the road. Doesn't really matter when they take place, he'll lose them.

2026 should see both shades of Tory ousted at the Holyrood elections. Hopefully the SNP will get more than 50% of the seats and can push for Indy via the UN as Wastemonster won't permit another referendum. This despite the NI Law on this permits one after 7 years there if the Secretary of State for NI decides to call one.

I have no idea what it is Starmer et al are trying to do but I do not believe it's going to work out positively for the general population. It wil, I fear, see Reform get in next time and that scares the living daylights out of me.

Meanwhile, here in Clogland, we have a 4 party right wing coalition, led by the ultra right PVV of Geert Wilders and they are not doing what they said they'd do in their manifesto. In fact they've done the opposite. Not increased the minimum wage. Not scrapped the excess on medical insurance bills. What they have done, which wasn't in the manifesto, is to give tax breaks to the rich, big business and the multinationals. A similar thing to what right wing Meloni is doing in Italy.

Have the right wing and the rich got a stranglehold on the rest of us or can we get back to common sense and doing what's best for the vast majority as opposed to the silver spoon brigade? The richest paying the most in taxes, be they companies or individuals. Looking after those who can't look after themselves.

To me, that was always the right way, the human way, the decent way. I have no truck with paying taxes to help those who can't help themselves. I abhor paying taxes to help those who won't help themselves. I also abhor tax evasion and tax avoidance and the using of loopholes to not have to pay taxes. IMO, that make me sensible rather than left/right/whatever.

[ramAnag]

Starmer has, thus far, hit the pensioners, the farmers, Shut down the one oil refinery in Scotland and moved its refining to an English refinery despite most of UK oil being "Scottish". Then there's all the expensegate crap that's been going on. He's upset more folk by temporarily postponing some of the local elections so proposed boundary changes can take place and the elections will happen between 6 and 12 months down the road. Doesn't really matter when they take place, he'll lose them.

2026 should see both shades of Tory ousted at the Holyrood elections. Hopefully the SNP will get more than 50% of the seats and can push for Indy via the UN as Wastemonster won't permit another referendum. This despite the NI Law on this permits one after 7 years there if the Secretary of State for NI decides to call one.

I have no idea what it is Starmer et al are trying to do but I do not believe it's going to work out positively for the general population. It wil, I fear, see Reform get in next time and that scares the living daylights out of me.

Meanwhile, here in Clogland, we have a 4 party right wing coalition, led by the ultra right PVV of Geert Wilders and they are not doing what they said they'd do in their manifesto. In fact they've done the opposite. Not increased the minimum wage. Not scrapped the excess on medical insurance bills. What they have done, which wasn't in the manifesto, is to give tax breaks to the rich, big business and the multinationals. A similar thing to what right wing Meloni is doing in Italy.

Have the right wing and the rich got a stranglehold on the rest of us or can we get back to common sense and doing what's best for the vast majority as opposed to the silver spoon brigade? The richest paying the most in taxes, be they companies or individuals. Looking after those who can't look after themselves.

To me, that was always the right way, the human way, the decent way. I have no truck with paying taxes to help those who can't help themselves. I abhor paying taxes to help those who won't help themselves. I also abhor tax evasion and tax avoidance and the using of loopholes to not have to pay taxes. IMO, that make me sensible rather than left/right/whatever.

We invariably have much in common, MA, in terms of both political and sporting views.
I always respect your views, but do you really think he’s ‘hit’ pensioners and farmers or is that just the view of the anti Labour press?

As someone of an almost identical age to you I could easily make a case for being a poor hard done to pensioner where the winter fuel allowance is concerned, but it wouldn’t be true.
I’m comfortable, as opposed to well off, and we don’t actually need that 300GBP WFA. It’s something that I understand the country can’t currently afford in terms of a universal benefit for all those over 70. There are lots of folk in the same position as us and a great many who are much better off and I can’t for the life of me understand why millionaires should be entitled to the WFA just on the basis of being over seventy years of age. Like you, all in favour of decency, fairness and support for those who need it, but I can understand the logic of cancelling the WFA as a universal benefit especially IF by doing so those in genuine need are better supported.

As regards farmers. I’m not knowledgeable enough to pass genuinely informed comment, but while I wouldn’t want genuine farmers to be ‘hit’ and believe that it should be possible to pass on the rewards of generations of family farmers…there are, as I understand it, a group of posturing ‘farmers’ who are in fact nothing more than people who have recently acquired large amounts of land in an ultimate attempt to avoid inheritance tax. If they get ‘hit’ I couldn’t honestly care less.