Scrapping EU laws and the Ex-Pat?> - Page 5

Shay123 wrote on Sat Feb 11, 2023 12:02pm:

I think that the people who liked the idea of Brexit will allow this to happen and they are pretty silent, unfortunately. Staying silent with their beliefs, unable to express any positive ideas about the benefit of Brexit and ignoring what is going on? Passively allowing the world to crumble arou...

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...nd them because they do not know how to do anything else. It is easier to blame someone than come up with positive solutions.

Lots of talk about the next election and rightly so, because it appears to be the only way out of the mess. However, I think there are lots of other ways to influence what is going on. The residual force of the Remain groups still exist including Lord Hesseltine and have been out on the streets campaigning but that is about Europe and what is lost. It is fighting the action in Parliament that started this debate but is seen as pro-Europe and not anti UK destruction. I think it is important to reach out to other groups (of a growing number) who are also concerned about what is happening and to support any group who can bring pressure to bear on MPs and government departments?

Like Dario, I have lost my right to vote. I haven't been in one place long enough to be registered and was always going to leave the UK anyway. (Who dreamed up the, register every year rule, to retain your vote - the tories), My MP was typical of many. He was photographed more often with prize winning cattle than with people as he sought the agricultural applause of the Shires. The constituency was always Conservative and so he only needs to smile at farmers. Occasionally he was seen with soldiers or a D-Day veteran. Was he ever at a school or hospital? Nope! This is hanging on to an era that does not exist anywhere except in someone's mind. The reason we laughed at the likes of Alf Garnett and Basil Fawlty was because we recognised those values were changing and we knew that something had to give, (laughing is actually a showing of fear) most of us reflected on it and moved with the times.

The world is moving on at a pace that is hard for anyone retired to comprehend, the AI - robots of the world have been around for a while and will impact all societies increasingly. UK politicians are only interested in keeping things as they are and making money out of any changes, like privatising the NHS.

The riot outside a Liverpool asylum centre last night highlights the point I think. Several hundred people gathered to protest at asylum seekers being given  'hotel treatment' more people arrived to defend the asylum and police arrived in large numbers to try and stop the violence. Whatever you make of the asylum situation, attacking it with violence is the option of last resort surely? These people need to understand the asylum seekers are being processed before being allowed to stay, or not. They need somewhere to stay (education) that is not a tent in a muddy field (civilised behaviour). They also need to see that a lot of the leading lights in the Conservative party are 'black' and came from backgrounds abroad, not in the UK (more education).

Ex-pats in Spain do have other ways to influence what happens back in the UK. That is besides an association for ex-pats down the Costa del Sol mainly and an 'ambassador for the Costas' who was seen in the Olive Press a year or so ago, specifically to address ex-pats needs if you prefer a political route? Don't give up, keep resisting :)

Matthew wrote on Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:59am:

We were in Germany for a break and so I've only skimmed recent posts. Let me say with one exception (guess who? - 2 marks) the contributors here are more informed than what some journalists write in some so called quality newspapers. In particular I wish to single out Devo for his posts; I'm sure...

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... he had to swallow some long and hard earned beliefs to post his thoughts. 

The recent protests in Liverpool and Manchester did nothing to improve the international standing of Brits (and some expat-Irish Brits) in the UK. (There are some embarrassing such like protests in Ireland too).  I say this as one who emigrated to the UK during my secondary school education which was never completed. Having spent two years in the UK I returned to Ireland for a holiday to find that I had been successful in a competition for a job in the Public Service. Other than for a holiday break I didn't return to the UK after. So what's the difference between what I did and the asylum seekers? (2 marks). They don't wish to be in hotels wondering what will happen to them next. The recent protests (at least) must frighten the bejazus out of them. When you start doing that you wonder who deserves to be in the UK more. 

Will Basil Fawlty return to our screens? What'll be the format? His wasn't the only tv series to somewhat offend some (Are you being served? Til Death Do Us Part etc). But, in defence of British humour I wish to add that I enjoyed the series too and British humour is world renowned and long may it last. To give Brits more credit the humour was usually against themselves something from which we Irish could learn.

As a humourist picture ID here it was a toss whether I'd use John Cleese or Jeremy Clarkson.  I'm glad I chose the former. 

Shay123 wrote on Sun Feb 12, 2023 12:00pm:

Equating asylum seekers in 'hotel' accommodation with poorer people in the UK is a problem. There is no equation, no comparison. Poorer people should be arguing their status with the government of their country who leave them there. The asylum seekers are there because the government thinks there...

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... is a case to be heard. Don't equate them with economic migrants who pay to get someone into an EU country via a very expensive boat trip across the Med or the channel at risk f their lives. There are three different things here and three different solutions. Emotively they get channelled into one by anyone wanting to make a sensational story or to blame the wrong people for their demise?

Arch contributor to the recent demise of the UK economy was Liz Truss, queen for 45 days who crashed part of the economy at the will of her masters. She was recently reported in the Times to have realised she didn't get her message across to the British  people and that she was misunderstood. Now she is making attempts to put that right and climb back into some kind of respectability according to the article.

Spain recently signed for a special visa to allow Morroccan migrant workers, as the UK has also done for migrant work force because there was no one to pick crops last autumn. Until we sort that kind of madness out we will constantly find a need for migration from Europe. Contrasat this with a growing number of automated warehouses that only employ people to  maintain the machines, security and a couple of people in the office. Likewise car construction and a growing number of businesses that is not being dealt with socially.

Anyway, I wanted to add a couple of things into the scrapping of British laws from the EU era.

According to an article in the Observer, reported in the Guardian, there was a meeting recently between senior Cons & Lab politicians about moving forward. I make no comment except to say that it would possibly lead to a collaboration of the confused on both sides as a worse case scenario. Also alongside the article is a reference to a quote from John Major that Boris admitted the Brexit protocol was "a mess". One that we are left to clear up. He, like Liz Truss, is hanging around the recycling point looking for his chance to get back into a position of influence - look how many times Dominic Raab has been in the cabinet?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/11/revealed-secret-cross-party-summit-held-to-confront-failings-of-brexit?CMP=GTUK_email

devo49 wrote on Sun Feb 12, 2023 12:32pm:

Bless all these so called quotes taken from one paper and quoted in another paper . Can anyone truly believe any of it and how many times have you seen where a snippet of a statement is taken out of context. I rely more on actual interviews by a proper journalist that actually asks or preferably ...

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...interrogates these politicians. Nine times out of ten when a simple yes or no answer is required they go off at a tangent. I know this is a forum for mainly uk expats , sorry I know there is a number of other nationalities as well . I never actually see many if any posts referring to politics or politicians in Spain or welfare issues . Or from any other country I fact . It must be good old Blighty that has all the problems . How’s things in Ireland 🇮🇪, South Africa , Holland , Germany . Who knows it’s never discussed . 

Jenni wrote on Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:53pm:

No Devo, its not the UK thats has all the problems, its just that people that have left the Uk and become expats just love to knock the country they have left, why? are they trying to convince themselves (and others) that they did the right thing. I was an expat for many years, living in Portugal...

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..., Egypt and Spain I have now returned to the UK because it is the Mother Country, its has always been known as this, and still is. it wasn't until I returned I realised how wonderfull it is to live here, how easy life is. I can get a doctors appointment within 24hrs (I know other parts of the country have problems) I have had hospital appointments within 2 weeks, the NHS is wonderful. The government is Pants but hay ho you cant have everything.I get a winter fuel allowance, help with the electricity bill, and this isn't just me everyone in the UK now is getting some sort of financial help. I dont need to pay for a translator, but if I should need one it is provided free!!!!! As I have already said the UK is the Mother country and this is why people Asylum Seekers /Refurgees want to live here, better here than being persecuted or having a bomb dropped on your head. I am so glad I didn't read this thread before I came back it would have put me right off, but having done the move I realise what is written here about the UK is written by people that have lost their right to vote (so why do they care, its not their country anymore) and also wont face up to the fact that Spain is not what it is cracked up to be, the Spanish Government dont give 2 hoots about their people and even less about ex pats, as far as they are concerned expats are there to squeeze every bit of money out of them they can, I realise now that I put up with a load of cr*p just to live in the sun.  Have a nice day one and all, beautiful day here, sunny crisp and dry. (sorry Matthew if the punctuation isn't up to your standard) !!!!!

Jenni wrote on Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:53pm:

No Devo, its not the UK thats has all the problems, its just that people that have left the Uk and become expats just love to knock the country they have left, why? are they trying to convince themselves (and others) that they did the right thing. I was an expat for many years, living in Portugal...

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..., Egypt and Spain I have now returned to the UK because it is the Mother Country, its has always been known as this, and still is. it wasn't until I returned I realised how wonderfull it is to live here, how easy life is. I can get a doctors appointment within 24hrs (I know other parts of the country have problems) I have had hospital appointments within 2 weeks, the NHS is wonderful. The government is Pants but hay ho you cant have everything.I get a winter fuel allowance, help with the electricity bill, and this isn't just me everyone in the UK now is getting some sort of financial help. I dont need to pay for a translator, but if I should need one it is provided free!!!!! As I have already said the UK is the Mother country and this is why people Asylum Seekers /Refurgees want to live here, better here than being persecuted or having a bomb dropped on your head. I am so glad I didn't read this thread before I came back it would have put me right off, but having done the move I realise what is written here about the UK is written by people that have lost their right to vote (so why do they care, its not their country anymore) and also wont face up to the fact that Spain is not what it is cracked up to be, the Spanish Government dont give 2 hoots about their people and even less about ex pats, as far as they are concerned expats are there to squeeze every bit of money out of them they can, I realise now that I put up with a load of cr*p just to live in the sun.  Have a nice day one and all, beautiful day here, sunny crisp and dry. (sorry Matthew if the punctuation isn't up to your standard) !!!!!

devo49 wrote on Sun Feb 12, 2023 2:10pm:

Yes Jenni , it’s not all bad is it . I’m lucky that I can enjoy the best of both worlds . Come and go as I please . Enjoy the , what I think , are the nicer months in Spain and retreat from the busy , boiling summer months to nice cooler greener pastures . Must say thanks to my Irish parentag...

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...e ☘️

DarioMartin wrote on Sun Feb 12, 2023 3:19pm:

You can’t resist knocking Spain can you? “Government don’t give two hoots about their people” - sorry, Jenni - I’m calling you out on that, because that is an outright lie, and worse, you know it is.

The level of financial support myself and my wife received during 2020 / 2021 as MIGRANT business owners completely destroys your assertion that the government don’t give two hoots - about either their own people, or migrants....

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...

As for medical appointments … I can get one in 24 hours as well but that’s nothing remarkable here - it’s taken as granted.  I don’t need a translator either.

It’s funny, but the biggest complaints always seem to come from those who come to Spain but expect English to be spoken …

I’m just glad I live in a country that isn’t trying to back out of the ECHR and push laws back to the late 19th century.