Oh god, sorry Swale, just realised I've dragged myself into politics on this thread. Apologies.
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Oh god, sorry Swale, just realised I've dragged myself into politics on this thread. Apologies.
Well yes. Every other economic entity prioritises its workforce so I’m not sure why you would expect the EU single market not to either, though the language requirement you mention is plainly ridiculous. Obviously the UK has done this to such an extent that there are now labour shortages in many different sectors. I don’t know how that’s a good thing.
Forward magpie, I know the right wing press got very excited by Barnier’s comments, so it’s no surprise you have as well. His job was the EU’s chief negotiator in the Brexit talks, in which he ran rings around the UK representatives. He’s now just another French politician seeking election in his own country, and after support from as wide a range of voters as possible, some of those will be anti EU. Big deal. And what does he have to do with Emma Raducanu anyway?
Of course it's not a good thing. But it's no better to restrict the freedom of companies and public organisations to the extent they are forced to appoint people who are less competent than others. And that's exactly what happened. When you can't appoint an outstanding Dr from India who has done their medical degree at a top Indian uni, in English, but you have to appoint someone from the EU instead, that's madness. And terrible for patients. At least now, if a post is left unfilled by a person with a right to work in the UK, it's open to the world. That's a better principle, although tbh I'd like to see the shortage occupation list extended to make the visa process for those from the EU and the rest of the world easier.
And I'd best not even start on the effect of the EWTD on medical training and patient care.
I wish we were still in the EU, but it'd be foolish to suggest there weren't also immense problems within it. I say that as someone who spent a number of years working on the implementation of one piece of EU legislation in an NHS region.
Sorry Swale!
A quick google search tells us that;
‘There are 25,281 India-qualified doctors in the UK, accounting for 9% of doctors registered with the General Medical Council.12 Apr 2017’.
Whatever rule it was stopping Indian qualified doctors from coming to the UK, it wasn’t a very strict one, though you obviously have knowledge that those figures don’t reflect. No idea how many EU qualified doctors there were or are now but in 2014 the Times said;
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/s...eu-x8l72tbgw9p
Is there any actual evidence that we were bringing in less competent doctors or patients came to harm because of EU rules? Happy to see it if there was, but if so I’m surprised they didn’t put it on the side of a bus rather than make up the stuff they did.
Anyway the bigger picture is that restricting the number of people who can work here in the way that we have is causing major headaches in the short term and will more than likely continue to do so in the medium and long term.
That's the ridiculous thing about the way this thread has gone.
I haven't actually seen any poster, nor for that matter heard anyone on my travels, who isn't delighted by Emma Raducanu's success. This thread was begun and continued by people (including me) who desperately wanted her to win and celebrated when she did, as a British player. Nobody was disputing her Britishness, nor for that matter disrespecting her Chinese and Romanian heritage.
The problem is the subsequent warped inference that anyone who maybe voted for Brexit, and/or maybe voted for a right-wing party at the General Election, is somehow not entitled to cheer for her without being labelled a hypocrite. It's such complete twaddle that it barely dignifies a response. Then again, I shouldn't really complain, because it's precisely that kind of sanctimonious, intolerant attitude which has kept the so-called 'progressives' out of government for quite a while now.
Can we go back to talking about the final?
Her serve , a previously identified weakness in her game, more than stood up in New York. And as mentioned by the commentators her forehand and backhand were equally impressive and there wasn't an obvious weakness to target for her opponent.
Yes.
Her game looked rock solid and showed an intelligence and spatial awareness at least seven years beyond her age. She doesn't have the kind of physical attributes that, say, Serena Williams had to dominate opponents, where she could literally overpower them, but her defensive and offensive shots are so consistent and at such a high level that she did dominate a succession of quality opponents, achieving straights sets victories just like Serena did in her prime.
And Raducanu's body language and demeanour on court was so confident. There's a swagger - in a positive way, not an arrogant one - about the way she walks about and plays the points. Even in her post-match interviews she looked like she had all the answers ready, like she expected it. I think her coaching team must put a lot of emphasis on envisaging success, picturing herself winning, otherwise how could she be so calm?
As someone said earlier in the thread, here's a player who lost in the first round of the Nottingham Open and suffered a potentially dispiriting setback after several good wins at Wimbledon, but not for one moment in that final did she look to have any self doubt or fear. She even closed out the match with an ace. She said herself that she views every match as a 'free hit' and was pleased that she focused on nothing other than the task in hand. That's the kind of mindset which could see her win multiple titles if she can stay true to it in the face of fame and celebrity and expectation. It's incredibly difficult to do.
I really hope she fulfills what appears right now to be her destiny, but ironically the best way to do that is probably not to focus on destiny or get carried away with the adulation or the hype. Just live and play in the moment. She's got a Slam in the bag already and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone. She should play purely for herself, leave it all on the court in every match and let the results take care of themselves. This seems to be the common ability of all the greats in tennis - especially the Williams sisters - and in sport generally. In the nicest possible way, you've got to be selfish and self-absorbed, otherwise the elements around you can start to play with your mind.
Good summary, and where she goes from here will be very interesting to watch. She has the world at her feet, but the problem could be that it's not only in a tennis sense. I really hope her future isn't sidetracked by commercial interests, because she can earn more than enough by concentrating on her real career. I think the women's game is at the changeover stage, and she seems to possess every quality required to be at the forefront of the next generation.