No deal Brexit it is then

There’s the problem. Apart from the obviously idiotic reason for the referendum itself (tory party unity) the idea that you can expect anything other than confusion and division from a yes/no referendum, when the subject of the question refers to something so unbelievably complicated that probably nobody in the world actually understands all its foibles , is frankly jaw dropping.
It’s the real life equivalent of Douglas Adams ascertain that the meaning of life, the universe and everything is 42.

 

For me Cameron, when PM was a key instigator in the Brexiteer’s ‘patriotic rhetoric’ of their referendum campaign with his claims, nay boasts and chest- banging Rhetoric of EU reform. Telling all and sundry what he was going to get. Each time coming back from any EU meetings with nothing.Edit: They didn’t learn from that you can shout and demand all you want, but protocol will have to be followed if you at least want to be heard.

 

You obviously cast your vote with the best intentions and I respect yours and others reasoned views even if I don't share them. Where I do agree is that at the moment we don't have a political cohort capable of leading us to any kind of decent outcome. That may change given time. I still think it's a possibility Boris won't see out his term but I don't like the look of any of his likely successors either

 

From any of the main stream parties

 

The snag with that argument is that the only thing left standing is the status quo.
If you believe that is the case it surely follows that you are saying Scotland....or anywhere else for that matter must not be allowed a referendum on independence.

 

You haven't been lambasted, you've been given the opinion of someone who works in the field, the polite respectful opinion.

 

Agreed. But to me there’s a huge difference between then and now. In those faraway days we had something resembling a conventional government. Now power is concentrated in the hands of Johnson and Cummings – a lair and narcissist who (as he admitted once he became PM) owes everything to the manipulation of a revolutionary who welcomes chaos to achieve his ends. A no deal Brexit will be just fine. We’ll experience the chaos and he’ll manipulate us into believing his dictatorship is the only answer.

 

No, what I’m saying is, a yes/no referendum is more suited to a question like “shall we have sauce on our ice cream “

 

With the greatest respect I think you have chose the wrong analogy. The fields of Medicine, accountancy mathematics, linguistics and many other fields of science do indeed require, aptitude, knowledge acquired through learning and experience (none of those pre-requisites proven by 'qualifications sadly. However, unlike the field of mathematics where there is only one correct answer. Economics is NOT a science as many Economists given the same data often have completely opposing views. None of them proactively prevented the 2008 World crash and all but a handful (ridiculed at the time-see movie 'The Big Short) predicted it..

The old joke ' If you laid all the economists in the World head to toe they would still not reach a conclusion' is apt. I, for one, do not consider economists 'experts' in the true sense. They offer opinions but rarely, if ever, real solutions. Friedman and Keynes are pretty much opposites and yet both have their acolytes.

 

what type of sauce? ;-)

 

Is it fair to say then that " Should Scotland be an independent country" "Yes or No" is unacceptable?

 

Cameron resigned straight away, we only ‘had’ him long enough for the farcical leadership race.
Boris was favourite with Gove as his wing man, then he chucked his hat in the ring and wrecked it for both of them.

As I recall they then both backed out embarrassed leaving Leadsom v May, the Tory press then blew a Leadsom quote out of all proportion leaving just May.

that left the ERG to regroup and put their weight behind Boris as the next leader whilst undermining May.

 

Yet is was the 'discard' policy throwing perfectly good fish back into the sea dead and people like Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall I recall leading the 'Fish Fight' campaign in 2010

https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/meat-fi...l-winners-of-hughs-fish-fight-/520688.article

In one episode he confronted arrogant senior EU official outside the European Parliament and being told that " you do not understand the complexity of the problems" It took years of intransigence and wrangling for the EU to address the scandal. It was only in January 2019 that the ban finally came into effect
If you saw the series the Fishermen of the UK do understand better than politicians and (the UK ones at least) do realise that overfishing is commercial suicide.

 

Doesn’t solve the problem that British waters don’t supply the fish desired by British shoppers.

we need both a supply of deep water cod and haddock and a market for what we actually catch. Both of which were better supplied by the EU than they could be in a WTO deal.

 

As a matter of interest how much deep water cod and haddock are caught in EU waters?...EU fishing boats catch the bulk of cod in UK waters...France takes over 80% of the Channel Cod and sells it back to us....most of our Cod and Haddock is imported from Norway and Iceland, neither of which are Members of The EU.

 

Agree on that. The Great British Public are, shall we say...ahem...'Conservative' when it comes to eating fish. MY late mother in law thought only Cod and Haddock swam in the oceans. It is tragic when I think of people who turn their nose up at sea bream , sea bass, calamari (squid) ., Monkfish, mackerel and other delights. Not to mention the vast range of seafood available, clams mussels , Prawns and shrimps, Seppi (Cuttelfish) that is readily available over here. Frenchand Italian fish markets are amazing Italians and many Europeans love their fish so it is no wonder so much is exported from UK fishermen. If only people in UK tried some of these species cooked in a variety of ways. And yet Fisherman's pie one of the most popular dishes in the UK has prawns and mussels as a major ingredient.

 

I was told that most Cod/ haddock in Fish 'n chips shops is deep sea stuff. Contrary to what most people think, I prefer Cod processed and frozen on factory ships within minutes of being caught. For me Cod loses its flavour very quickly unless that is done. Haddock less so. 'Locally' off shore fishing grounds Cod oftencomes from smaller boats going out for a few day at a time. Each 'haul' is stored with covered with ice in the hold until their quota is reached and they return to market and offload. The problem is you don't know if you are getting two or three day old stuff or the last catch before heading in. Also parasites with fresh Cod can be a problem. Frozen fish eliminates any risk.
We buy our Cod (as well as many other species) from a specialist frozen fish supplier nearby. Unfortunately Haddock is not available here and all white fish is generically called 'Merluzzo' including whiting and hake etc so you have to be careful . I have to say the Cod is excellent and makes great Fish 'n chips on par with anything I have had (I get a supply of beef dripping and freeze it) which is essential for that true chip shop flavour. MY missus however insists it is done outside under the Loggia otherwise it smells like a chippy for days in the house.
EDIT.. I forgot to add that freezing processes on the factory ships is not like freezing processes say at home where when you defrost the fish much of the juices come out and you get a dry fibrous texture when cooked. Deep sea Icelandic stuff from factory ships is IMHO superior.

 

Oh dear. I read a degree in economics. My lecturers told me it was a science and is generally referred to as the "gloomy science".
There was a joke at uni:
A man is making his first solo balloon flight and is messing it up. He is out of control, lost and skimming the tree tops of the english countryside. He spots a man in a field and shouts:
Excuse me, can you tell me where I am please?
Man: you're 30 feet off the ground in an hot air balloon.
Pilot: You're an economist aren't you?
Man: yes I am. How on earth did you guess that?
Pilot: Simple. The information you gave me, though factually correct was totally f@@king useless

 

14 pages later...

 

That was the point I was making...80 odd percent of Britain's cod and haddock comes from outside the EU.