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

[Andy_Faber]

Heard the one about the fun accountant, GP? Me neither.

Remember though rA, there are only three types of accountant - those who can count and those who cant

[Andy_Faber]

That's what happens when AF and GP are confronted with facts that don't suit their narrow views. It's consistent with how Trump, Farage and rags like the Fail and Torygraph respond. So much so that one might almost think they read and hear this deflection and then repeat it on a casual basis. Or they just go quiet when a point one has made which they have attacked repeatedly is proven.

Rather like Farage, who has now resorted to accusing the BBC of double standards by having Bernard Manning on in the '70's, whilst failing to acknowledge that anything he might have said or done was unacceptable and also failing to acknowledge that unlike the BBC (or indeed any other media at the time) he has continued into the present day to be divisive, racist and xenophobic!

Totally off the subject at hand Swale but on a point of etiquette, your repeated reference to fellow forum posters in the third person sets you apart for your ignorance and poor social skills. In our previous more adversarial days I would have said it makes you sound a t*t but I guess we’ve moved on from that

[ramAnag]

Totally off the subject at hand Swale but on a point of etiquette, your repeated reference to fellow forum posters in the third person sets you apart for your ignorance and poor social skills. In our previous more adversarial days I would have said it makes you sound a t*t but I guess we?’ve moved on from that

How is it a question of ‘etiquette’ and how on earth does it display ‘ignorance and poor social skills’?
I’m not defending Swale - he doesn’t need me to - but his use of the third person is just his preference.
What he’s saying is perfectly clear, much more so than most of what GP says these days. Surely you should be more concerned with what he says rather than with abusing him for the way he’s said it.

[Andy_Faber]

How is it a question of ?etiquette? and how on earth does it display ?ignorance and poor social skills??
I?m not defending Swale - he doesn?t need me to - but his use of the third person is just his preference.
What he?s saying is perfectly clear, much more so than most of what GP says these days. Surely you should be more concerned with what he says rather than with abusing him for the way he?s said it.

lol I thought it?d be you that responded

[ramAnag]

lol I thought it?d be you that responded

Did you? Well done you. Now how about explaining your etiquette and ignorant lack of social skills comment. Genuinely interested, unless you’re ‘just joshing’ again.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Sounds like time for a rat-a-tat-tat for Christmas

[SithHappens]

Where was the source you used to assert that NF?s children?s first language wasn?t English?

He confirmed it in his interview with James O'Brien. The same one he confirmed he's afraid when he hears foreign languages being spoken on the train.

[Andy_Faber]

He confirmed it in his interview with James O'Brien. The same one he confirmed he's afraid when he hears foreign languages being spoken on the train.

No he didn?t, listen again

[ramAnag]

No he didn?t, listen again

Well, I’ve listened to it now and have to agree with Sith. He (Farage) confuses English as a second language with being unable to speak English - quite deliberately imo - and concedes that English is the second language of both his daughters.

[Andy_Faber]

Well, I’ve listened to it now and have to agree with Sith. He (Farage) confuses English as a second language with being unable to speak English - quite deliberately imo - and concedes that English is the second language of both his daughters.

I’ve done the respectful thing and listened again and no he doesn’t. This isn’t a matter of supporting him or his opinions, it’s a matter of fact. He doesn’t concede. You’re letting your prejudice speak to you, not the fellah at the mic

[Andy_Faber]

Sounds like time for a rat-a-tat-tat for Christmas

You love it don?t you

[ramAnag]

I?’ve done the respectful thing and listened again and no he doesn?’t. This isn?’t a matter of supporting him or his opinions, it?’s a matter of fact. He doesn?’t concede. You?’re letting your prejudice speak to you, not the fellah at the mic

He absolutely accepts/concedes/confirms that his daughters’ first language is German.
Seems very laudable to me that his daughters are bilingual. I have three grandchildren who are the same. It’s impressive.
Pity he can’t see any positivity in the number of other children who are similarly capable, but what he tries to do is identify children for whom English is a second language as being unable to speak English. That’s not true and if you can’t recognise that it’s perhaps you who are allowing you prejudice to show.

[Andy_Faber]

He absolutely accepts/concedes/confirms that his daughters’ first language is German.
Seems very laudable to me that his daughters are bilingual. I have three grandchildren who are the same. It’s impressive.
Pity he can’t see any positivity in the number of other children who are similarly capable, but what he tries to do is identify children for whom English is a second language as being unable to speak English. That’s not true and if you can’t recognise that it’s perhaps you who are allowing you prejudice to show.

Just dealing in fact rA, please provide the transcript that proves your point, otherwise back off because no-one needs another (to quote GP) ratatat.

To be clear, I said to Sith ‘where was the source you used to assert that NFs children’s first language wasn’t English?’

Sith responded ‘He confirmed it in his interview with James O’Brien’

He didn’t

[ramAnag]

Just dealing in fact rA, please provide the transcript that proves your point, otherwise back off because no-one needs another (to quote GP) ratatat.

To be clear, I said to Sith ?‘where was the source you used to assert that NFs children?’s first language wasn?’t English??’

Sith responded ?‘He confirmed it in his interview with James O?’Brien?’

He didn?’t

Please don’t try and throw your weight around by telling me to ‘back off’ and please don’t quote GP’s silliness. Neither will work or do you any favours. Just listen to the interview, particularly around between 12-14 mins in.

[Trickytreesreds]

Oh for the days when politicians said what they meant and meant what they said (apparently it has happened but septegenarians and younger folk probably can't remember that time).

Farage "if Brexit is a disaster, I will go and live abroad, I'll go and live somewhere else"

Why is he still present?

Disaster compared to what exactly, Germany/ France/ Italy? Are you trying to tell me, we?d be swimming lovely in that pond when the 3 biggest economies there are sinking?

Over the last five years (roughly 2020-2024), economic growth in France, the UK, Italy, and Germany has been marked by the pandemic dip (2020) and recovery, with significant variation, but recent trends show slowing growth, with Germany seeing near stagnation, Italy recovering well in 2021 but slowing, France showing modest growth, and the UK slightly outperforming the Eurozone average by late 2025.
Here's a breakdown by country (approximate figures from sources):

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/1200px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png

Germany: Experienced a low GDP growth, even contracting in 2024 (-0.2%), following a dip in 2020 (-4.1%) and modest rebounds in 2021/2022, showing the lowest growth among G7 in the post-pandemic era.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg

France: Saw strong rebound in 2021 (around 7%), but slowed to ~1% in 2023 and ~1.2% in 2024, with overall growth sluggish compared to the US/UK in the 2019-2025 period.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/1200px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png

Italy: Hit by a major contraction in 2020 (-8.87%), followed by a huge rebound in 2021 (8.93%), but growth moderated to under 1% by 2023-2024.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg

United Kingdom: By late 2025, UK GDP was growing, with levels above pre-pandemic, generally performing better than the struggling Eurozone average in recent years, though facing its own challenges.
General Trends (2020-2024):
2020: All countries saw significant contractions due to COVID-19.
2021-2022: Strong rebound fueled by pent-up demand and stimulus.
2023-2024: Growth slowed considerably, with high inflation and interest rates impacting all economies, especially Germany.
Key takeaway: While all four economies are major European players, Germany has struggled the most recently, while the UK showed relative strength by late 2025 compared to the Eurozone, with Italy and France experiencing moderate, uneven growth after their pandemic recoveries.



Lets be honest here, both the Tories , nor Labour have never pushed Brexit in the slightest to use the freedoms we could have. Both are a prime example of a ruling elite, who hate having the electorate reject their ideals, so behave like kids. They stalled the exit for 5 years trying every trick in the book.
The least that should happen, is government that DID WANT IT, AND TO PROVE THE POINT OF ADVANTAGES