Mate, we are just going in circles here, but nonetheless, hold my hand and walk in a circle with me one more time..
Other than that, you can have the last word - i just think we need to focus on clear economic facts, many of which are emerging in a post-EU and (hopefully) post covid world.
https://tradingeconomics.com/calendar is a superb website and lists daily data (todays shows Germany factory orders in a big fall, construction stagnating in the EU, retail sales falling in France and UK construction growing, but more slowly than the last few months btw..)
1 - Nah, sorry, I don’t think ‘food shortages’ is an appropriate term here. Supply chain issues sure, food shortages? That’s hyperbolic language. I shop around so have been to every supermarket bar Waitrose and not failed to buy anything I want. I did note that orange juice was unavailable in McDonalds once a couple of months ago, but food shortages..come on. Even the strongly anti-brexit guardian summarise it today as: Tesco profits double as shelves stay stocked despite supply chain problems | Tesco | The Guardian
2 - Your point on inflation is weak. You are saying inflation is being caused by brexit, but inflation is higher in the Eurozone. Quite clearly what is driving global inflation is not brexit – does it help? Maybe not, but you need to deal in reality here and the facts don’t back you up on it. Now I’m not saying the UK won’t overtake the Eurozone or the EU. It may, and then it will fall behind it again. That’s what happens, but my point stands – Inflation is higher in the eurozone and many EU nations. I’ll repeat the data here:
https://tradingeconomics.com/country...ntinent=europe
3 - I’m not answering a question with a question as much as identifying myself as favouring mixed economies. It now seems you do too. I think society and economies are very complex and I favour our government having greater control over those levers. Remember, leaving the EU doesn’t prevent us doing anything. We can have totally open immigration in future if we want. We can apply to rejoin the single market if we want. What it does do is give us options – no bad thing in my opinion
4 - I don’t make life out to be binary at all. In fact, if there is a running theme through nearly everything I say on political or social issues, it’s that life is complex and shades of grey and there are pros and cons to everything.
5 – Your reference to Hitler (whilst simultaneously not equating them!) is of course pretty absurd, although we are all used to it for the last five years. I’ve said, campaign to re-join the single market by all means. Go for it, but by any definition it isn’t happening any time soon, so we need alternative solutions to problems at hand.
6 – It doesn’t solve anything, because all you are doing is ignoring economic, social and democratic facts, stamping your feet and saying the answer is to rejoin the EU, but that’s not happening, so it’s a waste of time.
7 – The UK processed 6m cases for people to work in the UK. Right up to the pandemic immigration from the EU was significantly higher than emigration to it (although it had slowed since the vote) so the idea that ‘everyone left cos of brexit’ just doesn’t hold water. Obviously there will be some cases of that, but the pandemic is clearly the factor here. Would you want to be stuck here in an uncertain locked down country or stuck at home with your family?
8 – We hear lots about “lazy brits” who think work is beneath them etc. I hear you, but the issue is that a lot of sectors have reconfigured to only suit immigration; farming is the classic example, where the hours and wages suit those who can come over and are happy to live on the farm in basic accommodation. The whole sector has become totally reliant upon. It’s less that Brits won’t do it, it’s just few can do and maintain a quality of life. I would agree with you that fixing this is a problem, and where things like temporary visas, or working holidays etc would be very welcome.
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Originally Posted by Feedback
