What happens when you get something back from the EU for a change

[DimPrawn]

Government borrowing narrows to 17-year low after EU rebate

Britain’s budget deficit halved last month to £2.6bn, helped by an unusually large rebate from the European Union, meaning Chancellor Philip Hammond is on track to meet his borrowing targets this year.

Public sector borrowing in December dropped by £2.5bn, much more than had been expected, thanks to a £1.2bn credit from the EU. It was the smallest December borrowing figure since 2000.

Imagine the UK economy now if was hadn't squandered a £500bn pounds to the EU over the last 45 years....

[darmstadt]

Government borrowing narrows to 17-year low after EU rebate



Imagine the UK economy now if was hadn't squandered a £500bn pounds to the EU over the last 45 years....

Was it an unusually large rebate or a £1.2bn credit as I think they are 2 different things

[BrilloPad]

Its not the money that concerns me Its the lost opportunty. And the issues with untangling us from the EU

[meridian]

Its not the money that concerns me Its the lost opportunty. And the issues with untangling us from the EU

Which lost opportunities concern you, though? Are they actually available without Brexit?

Untangling from the EU is easy - just leave. It only becomes difficult if the other side has something that you want, but that should be apparent in the excruciatingly detailed impact assessments.

[meridian]

Government borrowing narrows to 17-year low after EU rebate



Imagine the UK economy now if was hadn't squandered a £500bn pounds to the EU over the last 45 years....

The U.K. was the sick man of Europe 45 years ago. It wouldn’t have had £500bn pounds to squander on anything.

[BrilloPad]

The U.K. was the sick man of Europe 45 years ago. It wouldn’t have had £500bn pounds to squander on anything.

The UK has been going downhill since Queen Vic died. Or it stopped raping other countries depending on how you see it.

UK was sick 45 years ago. It became alot worse until Maggie came along. The principals of good housekeeping and cutting of red tape went along way(I know she had her faults too). Since Maggie left things have got worse again.

[BrilloPad]

Which lost opportunities concern you, though? Are they actually available without Brexit?

Untangling from the EU is easy - just leave. It only becomes difficult if the other side has something that you want, but that should be apparent in the excruciatingly detailed impact assessments.

Historically UK had good trade relations with alot of English(American?) speaking countries. Culterally UK has been closer to the world outside Europe than Europe. I am concerned the UK did not persue those at the expense of persuing ties with Europe.

I agree about just leaving the EU. Don't pay a penny after March 2019. There is nothing they have we want.

I would also like to send home all the dodgy EU cash parked in London.

[NotAllThere]

Culterally UK has been closer to the world outside Europe than Europe.

Possibly, but not the US.

Having spent a lot of time working and socialising with Americans and Europeans, it's clear to me that British culture and values are far closer to those of most of Europe than the US. Not that I dislike Americans, it's just culturally they really are quite... odd. I guess it's because where we sent our non-conformists and religious maniacs.

I think people get confused because we appear to speak the same language.

[BrilloPad]

Possibly, but not the US.

Having spent a lot of time working and socialising with Americans and Europeans, it's clear to me that British culture and values are far closer to those of most of Europe than the US. Not that I dislike Americans, it's just culturally they really are quite... odd. I guess it's because where we sent our non-conformists and religious maniacs.

I think people get confused because we appear to speak the same language.

I understand your point of view. However I have found more the opposite. Maybe because I work in investment banks in London?

I do agree there are alot of nutters in the USA. My brother(not the army one) went to see his sister-out-law a few years ago. In some hick town. Barbercue there where my brother bumped into some chap who asked where he was going to visit in the USA. My brother said he was ending up in San Francisco. The chap said "Be careful! I am liberal minded. However in San Francisco they have homosexuals and that is just too god dam far!"

Not sure Switzerland in American friendly either. When I worked there for a year, an American lady at the company had her house broken into. The police were obviously not impressed talking to a female - and said "Its all you foreigners who do all the burglaries anyway!"

[meridian]

Historically UK had good trade relations with alot of English(American?) speaking countries.

We still do. We eat NZ lamb and drink Australian wine. We export cars to both countries. We also have a lot of trade with our nearest neighbours, regardless of their first language.

Culterally UK has been closer to the world outside Europe than Europe. I am concerned the UK did not persue those at the expense of persuing ties with Europe.

Culturally the U.K. has been closer to former colonies due to, well, colonialism. Even if the U.K. wanted to pursue closer cultural ties with those countries, they now have their own identities. You may find that the feeling is not reciprocated any more.

Ties with Europe make more sense. There is a shared history and genealogy there also, and it’s the foreign location where most Brits spend more of their time either working or on holiday.

I agree about just leaving the EU. Don't pay a penny after March 2019. There is nothing they have we want.

This is where you’re really verging into the ridiculous. Trade, supply chains, Euratom, Erasmus, EMA, banking, etc.

I would also like to send home all the dodgy EU cash parked in London.

You may be thinking of Russian and Chinese cash....