Boris gets the check book out.

[BrilloPad]

And having decided that for the UK, you think Ireland and the EU should just relax their standards too.

Surely Ireland and the EU can do as they please?

Though I still reckon giving NI to Ireland is the way forward.

[meridian]

"They are labelled with a CE mark to show that they conform to European regulations, including safety standards"

yes, so why wouldn't that be the case for chickens from the USA?

Because they don’t meet the EU’s standards.

“Your position appears to be, let in anything we like even if it does not conform to our standards and let the public decide. If a child catches fire because their parents bought substandard pyjamas you seem to think that that is on the parents’ risk and that the state should not interfere by mandating minimum standards?"

that a great leap of assumption from you. Look at what I said about fags. Despite the warnings, many are still sold.

They are sold under the standards issued by the EU (which at the moment still includes the U.K.). Substandard manufacturing would kill people in greater numbers, before people knew that the products were substandard. Is that what you want?

What I'm saying is that all these imports should be labelled appropriately under UK standards and it will be for the public to decide if they buy them. What everyone appears to be suggesting is that chickens from the USA will not carry any information which will allow the consumer to decide whether or not to buy them. I don't think this will be the case.

In Tesco's I buy small green beans every week. Some are labelled as grown in Egypt and some in Kenya. I buy those from Kenya, because they seem to taste better. That's just an example of labelling which helps my choice of product.

Labelled under U.K. standards is not the same as the product conforming to U.K. standards.

Beans have nothing to do with it.

“History has shown that the public is not very good at deciding, and that companies are very good at deceiving."

agreed, but this situation has changed to a certain extent in recent years.

No, it hasn’t. That’s why we have labels on packets of peanuts warning people that it may contain nuts. Because people are stupid.

[JohntheBike]

And having decided that for the UK, you think Ireland and the EU should just relax their standards too.

I don't understand what you are saying. The UK, independent of the EU, should continue to maintain and improve its standards. If the reality of the so called "special deal" between the USA and the UK would be to allow imports of goods which do not reach our current or future standards, then importation should not be allowed.

In some ways, we had stiffer standards than the EU, but were obliged to use their lower standards. My electrician maintains that much of our electricity system, e.g. thee pin plugs with earth, earthed lighting etc, is superior to EU standards. I can't verify this, but I bet someone will be along here shortly to disprove this.

[JohntheBike]

Because they don’t meet the EU’s standards.






They are sold under the standards issued by the EU (which at the moment still includes the U.K.). Substandard manufacturing would kill people in greater numbers, before people knew that the products were substandard. Is that what you want?






Labelled under U.K. standards is not the same as the product conforming to U.K. standards.

Beans have nothing to do with it.




No, it hasn’t. That’s why we have labels on packets of peanuts warning people that it may contain nuts. Because people are stupid.

we are at cross purposes here.

I'm saying that if goods which might not necessarily adhere to UK requirement standards clearly carry markings which comply with UK standards, then most except the less intellectually endowed will know what and what not to buy.

I don't know if the beans from Egypt or Kenya fulfil EU or UK growing standards. I buy based on the fact that I would expect that there is no risk of eating either, but that the labelling helps me to determine that I prefer to eat those grown in Kenya.

If on the other hand some research concludes that the Kenyan beans are more radio active as a result of being grown near to granite sediments that those in Egypt, then I might change my buying habit. But who is to know, unless it were published, that there were something more insidious about Egyptian beans? As I've said, look at the effect on the sales of eggs that that silly woman created when she claimed that all eggs contain salmonella.

[Lance]

I don't understand what you are saying. The UK, independent of the EU, should continue to maintain and improve its standards. If the reality of the so called "special deal" between the USA and the UK would be to allow imports of goods which do not reach our current or future standards, then importation should not be allowed.

In some ways, we had stiffer standards than the EU, but were obliged to use their lower standards. My electrician maintains that much of our electricity system, e.g. thee pin plugs with earth, earthed lighting etc, is superior to EU standards. I can't verify this, but I bet someone will be along here shortly to disprove this.

it's true.

[Lance]

we are at cross purposes here.

I'm saying that if goods which might not necessarily adhere to UK requirement standards clearly carry markings which comply with UK standards, then most except the less intellectually endowed will know what and what not to buy.

I don't know if the beans from Egypt or Kenya fulfil EU or UK growing standards. I buy based on the fact that I would expect that there is no risk of eating either, but that the labelling helps me to determine that I prefer to eat those grown in Kenya.

If on the other hand some research concludes that the Kenyan beans are more radio active as a result of being grown near to granite sediments that those in Egypt, then I might change my buying habit. But who is to know, unless it were published, that there were something more insidious about Egyptian beans? As I've said, look at the effect on the sales of eggs that that silly woman created when she claimed that all eggs contain salmonella.

this is not true though.
Granite radioactive effects are based on inhalation of Radon, which has a very short half life. SO only a problem for people in the area in enclosed space.

[Old Greg]

this is not true though.
Granite radioactive effects are based on inhalation of Radon, which has a very short half life. SO only a problem for people in the area in enclosed space.

What if the Freemasons manipulate the isotopes?

[meridian]

we are at cross purposes here.

I'm saying that if goods which might not necessarily adhere to UK requirement standards clearly carry markings which comply with UK standards, then most except the less intellectually endowed will know what and what not to buy.

We’re not at cross purposes, we’re disagreeing.

I don't know if the beans from Egypt or Kenya fulfil EU or UK growing standards. I buy based on the fact that I would expect that there is no risk of eating either, but that the labelling helps me to determine that I prefer to eat those grown in Kenya.

If on the other hand some research concludes that the Kenyan beans are more radio active as a result of being grown near to granite sediments that those in Egypt, then I might change my buying habit. But who is to know, unless it were published, that there were something more insidious about Egyptian beans? As I've said, look at the effect on the sales of eggs that that silly woman created when she claimed that all eggs contain salmonella.

Case in point. The less intellectually endowed (you, in this case) can not fathom the mere fact that the beans are within the EU borders means that they comply with our standards. They would have been rejected at Customs if that were not the case.

Anything after that is pointless cretinism, and about as relevant as arguing whether you prefer Tesco’s Own Brand or Tesco’s Finest.

[meridian]

it's true.

It’s both not true, and I don’t know.

Not true, because you can’t make a blanket statement like “x is better than the EU”, simply because “the EU” only sets minimum standards, and it’s up to individual member states to set their own that should be equal or higher. For example, Ireland is also in the EU and also uses the same plugs. “The EU” doesn’t have plugs, individual member states do.

“I don’t know” because I’m not an electricity expert but this site appears to indicate that standard two-pin plugs common across other countries are also grounded. So why are 3-pins better? (Genuine question, not trolling)

Plug & socket types - World Standards

[Zigenare]

Surely Ireland and the EU can do as they please?

Though I still reckon giving NI to Ireland is the way forward.

You're an advocate of ethnic cleansing then?