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

[roger_ramjet]

On the other hand it might be the time for the emergence of a centrist, common sense, compassionate party (CCCP).

Such a party might well be usurped by a slightly differently inclined United Sensible Socialist Republicans though (USSR)

[ramAnag]

I'm in Europe at the moment.. They still love us..
Official..

That's just because you're so soft and lovable Angry.

You're right about Matthew Paris Swale...with the 'for a Tory' proviso. Talked some good sense after Brexit too.

Agree about the possibility of the right (and possibly centre) of the Labour Party joining up with 'like minded' Libs too. Hope it's more successful than previous examples.

[AngryRam]

That's just because you're so soft and lovable Angry.

That's what the wife says.. Bit worried about the soft bit.. Age?
Anyone got any blue pills.

[swaledale]

That's just because you're so soft and lovable Angry.

You're right about Matthew Paris Swale...with the 'for a Tory' proviso. Talked some good sense after Brexit too.

Agree about the possibility of the right (and possibly centre) of the Labour Party joining up with 'like minded' Libs too. Hope it's more successful than previous examples.

Thou must live not too far from me then if your in the same consitutency, I knew there were sentient beings around, just hadn't met many.

[swaledale]

Bugger it make it 425 why not eh?

[ramAnag]

Thou must live not too far from me then if your in the same consitutency, I knew there were sentient beings around, just hadn't met many.

It's a big constituency Swale. Not far from Ashbourne. Lovely area. Know what you mean though...and taking us back on topic...lots of Brexiteers.

[ramAnag]

Looks pie in the sky - trendy crowd funding based party? I cant see the great British public putting their hands in their pockets to pay for it. Especially a centrist party - the extremes tend to attract the lion's share of the money - which is why the Liberals were in the doldrums for so long.

Don't think it's a 'party' Rog...more a cross party movement that subscribes to the independent scrutinisation of political campaigns and pledges. Probably, almost by definition, going to appeal more to centrists but would certainly have been useful and relevant during the recent Referendum campaign. Can only be a good thing imo.

[Andy_Faber]

Regarding Ashdown's idea, strikes me that there should be a publicly funded body in place for that, basically the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception', a bit like the current Office Of Budgetary Responsibility. The '£350m a week to the EU' thing is a great case in point - that number, although technically true, was clearly a deception, but all it caused was a pantomime of oh yes it is oh no it isn't, when what would have actually been useful to the public was to understand how the £350m gross number became a smaller, but still substantial actual number. The BBC did their best on this but were too PC to actually call either side out as liars

[ramAnag]

Regarding Ashdown's idea, strikes me that there should be a publicly funded body in place for that, basically the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception', a bit like the current Office Of Budgetary Responsibility. The '£350m a week to the EU' thing is a great case in point - that number, although technically true, was clearly a deception, but all it caused was a pantomime of oh yes it is oh no it isn't, when what would have actually been useful to the public was to understand how the £350m gross number became a smaller, but still substantial actual number. The BBC did their best on this but were too PC to actually call either side out as liars

Fair point Andy...alternatively the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception' could be replaced by the purchase of industrial quantities of gaffer tape and enforced application to the mouths of the majority of MP's starting with Boris Johnson who, when he isn't lying, appears to already be suffering from 'foot in mouth' syndrome.

[Andy_Faber]

Fair point Andy...alternatively the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception' could be replaced by the purchase of industrial quantities of gaffer tape and enforced application to the mouths of the majority of MP's starting with Boris Johnson who, when he isn't lying, appears to already be suffering from 'foot in mouth' syndrome.

Hmmm, I was a bit disturbed by the fact that Boris couldn't even stand at the lecturn next to John Kerry without having a bit of a giggle. I went through a stage like that myself where I just couldn't help ending even the most serious of statements with a witty (I thought)/ throwaway line at the end, BUT a) I grew out of it my early 20's and b) I wasn't foreign secretary at the time. I think we'll get some LOLs out of Boris but I'm not sure its LOLs we are after. On a sort-of-related subject, there has been a lot of bad press for Jeremy Corbyn for his appearance, notably his clothes, but I think Boris trumped him (no pun intended) at the Kerry press conference, he really looked like he'd just turned up from an all-night jolly up. Interesting times.

[ramAnag]

Spot on Andy...again where's the like button gone? Quite funny on a certain topical quiz show. Beyond that...he's meant to be our Foreign Secretary ffs...'Maggie May's' first big mistake or a superb piece of political brinkmanship that'll see the end of Johnson as a credible politician by bonfire night?

[Trickytreesreds]

Ok, I said I was done but have to bring this back into it.

The upturn of attacks into Europe. The Schengen free movement has aided this, as much as Merkels and the EU's soft stance.
Juncker is again screaming no deals without free movement, despite the blood spilling going on.
We was warned a year ago, that ISIS were sending thousands hidden among the refugees.
If free movement is allowed to be introduced IN ANY DEAL or exit strategy, these sleepers will eventually find their way here. All those given european passports will get that chance.

Why oh why, does the EU not see it's own stupidity, when it stares them in the face.
Worrying times ahead and despite all these financial threads, immigration IS high on the agenda, as a condition of the EMPIRE.

[Ram59]

These queues in Dover must be down to retaliation from the French to brexit. Why are they checking people coming from Britain when they have all of their other borders completely open.

[Andy_Faber]

These queues in Dover must be down to retaliation from the French to brexit. Why are they checking people coming from Britain when they have all of their other borders completely open.

The guy responsible for border control at Calais (French) was on the radio this am and he was in what appeared to be a genuine rage about the situation, stating that he was 'embarrassed for France' that this FUBAR had happened. 59, they might wonder why they are doing this but it has a very real value to UK - it is part of the bi lateral agreement that enables UK border force to use Calais as the UK border and helps keep non-UK undesirables out. We do these checks too, it just appears we are a million percent better/more organised than the French.

[ramAnag]

TTR...stop glory hunting. This is our 500 thread

More seriously...let's keep a sense of perspective please. Tragic though the recent attacks in Germany have certainly been - and maybe Merkel was too welcoming/'soft' - there were tens of thousands of refugees/migrants welcomed into Germany. The last week has seen four attacks, all - as far as I'm aware - by seemingly disturbed individuals (arguably all terrorists are I know) at least one of whom was German born. Bad things happen, evil is perpetrated by all colours and creeds, but three out of tens of thousands hardly represents a reason for condemning Merkel's and 'the EU's soft stance'.