Brexit Update

[flamingpig0]

I worry that the "solution" worked out for the Ireland/Northern Ireland/GB border is going to unravel very quickly.

I worry about a return of violence and the lack of concern seemingly shown by the  British public at large

[mmcv]

I worry about a return of violence and the lack of concern seemingly shown by the  British public at large

I'm wary that talk of brexit matters can get a tad uncivilised so not intending to raise any hackles, this is just my "local" perspective.

I'd say there's a general sense here that the government would be glad to be rid of NI, and most of the UK wouldn't really care (except maybe Scotland?). It has certainly pushed the case for a United Ireland forward a few years and made a lot of people who were previously ambivalent or soft unionists look at it more seriously. There's been a lot of concern that hard unionists will make serious trouble, there's been a fair bit of "chatter" amongst hardliners and threats against those working the new border ports. The leading unionist party (DUP) have seen a massive popularity drop as many of their core blame them for the issues and are flocking to the even more hard-line unionist party (TUV). This is likely to result in SF taking the first minister position in the next election and treating that as a mandate for a border poll, provided the DUP don't try and collapse the executive like they and SF did for three years pre-covid. I suspect uniting Ireland would end up as complicated and messy as brexit mind you and the calls for immediate border polls are irresponsible without a plan for what it would look like and proper discussions on how it would work given the differences between the North and South. Still, definitely a risk of some violence this riot season...eh I mean summer...given the anger amongst unionists towards what they perceive as a betrayal and a push away from Britain towards Dublin's orbit.

Regardless, between NI and Scotland, and shifting opinions amongst younger generations, I'd not be surprised if the UK ceased to be as a political entity in my lifetime, or at least shrunk considerably. Even the future of the monarchy is looking uncertain these days.

[paulr]

... Couldn't believe it when the Maori was thrown out of the New Zealand parliament because he wasn't wearing a tie. Mark Rutte is seen as often without one as with.

The Speaker had surveyed members late last year and the feedback was that ties should still be required, he had to enforce the existing rules...

Standing orders committee met that evening and made ties optional

[Orcs]

I think it's not a lack of concern by the UK populace abut N.I , but a lack of understanding of the historical and religious context behind the divisions. Particularly where most of society in the UK has little to do with religion in any form. People do not see why they can,t get along and much of the senseless killing seemed to be almost at random.

To fight by SF to be taken as serious force then refuse to take your place as an MP does seem daft. Particularly when the Labour Party  orriginally only had one MP and managed to get great changes in only 24 years. ( i.e. The welfare state).. We are now 22 years since the Good Friday agreement  and 37 years since SF got their first MP and they do not seem to have chafed anything.

Is it not also an issue true that  the para militaries of both sides have continued as criminal gangs?

[mmcv]

I think it's not a lack of concern by the UK populace abut N.I , but a lack of understanding of the historical and religious context behind the divisions. Particularly where most of society in the UK has little to do with religion in any form. People do not see why they can,t get along and much of the senseless killing seemed to be almost at random.

To fight by SF to be taken as serious force then refuse to take your place as an MP does seem daft. Particularly when the Labour Party  orriginally only had one MP and managed to get great changes in only 24 years. ( i.e. The welfare state).. We are now 22 years since the Good Friday agreement  and 37 years since SF got their first MP and they do not seem to have chafed anything.

Is it not also an issue true that  the para militaries of both sides have continued as criminal gangs?

Yeah that's a fair appraisal. To be honest even many of my generation and especially younger have a hard time understanding it as the country is becoming more secular and mixed. As a kid growing up from a Protestant background I could count the number of Catholics I met on one hand. But as an adult many friends, colleagues and family are from Catholic backgrounds, though very few of them practicing. Typically those who are genuinely religious tend not to be particularly hard line politically in my experience, though that may not be true across the region. I do hope this shift in secularism and global perspective continues. Certainly politically we've seen a moderate non sectarian party grow to become the third biggest, and I suspect if more of my peers actually bothered to vote rather than spouting nonsense about it not making any difference we'd see that swing even more.

I'd say the sectarian divide is largely a non issue amongst a growing swathe of the population, particularly amongst younger and more educated and affluent areas. In truth religion is only really paid lip service by many of the sectarians these days, being more an issue of "tradition" and "culture". The political divide between unionist and nationalist is the real underlying division.

You're completely right about the paramilitaries being criminal gangs. They always were criminals but past attempts to legitimise it as freedom fighting and the like doesn't really hold water. Now they present themselves as "community leaders" which is a euphemism for extortion racketeers and drug dealers, and will punish those who step out of line. This primarily happens amongst the poorer areas and estates, so sadly keeps a segment of the population stuck in the past and continue to be brainwashed about their respective traditions and small perspective.

I do think SF approach of absenteeism has done more harm for them than good, as they could have provided a counter balance to the DUP in Westminster in any number of matters, particularly where social matters were at stake, but with both of them pride is more important than sense.

Oof that ended up more of an essay than intended!

In other news, it seems Boris has ditched his idea of a bridge between NI and Scotland and instead is going to build a tunnel. Though how exactly it'll avoid the munitions dump in the middle I don't know.

[sultanbev]

"Though how exactly it'll avoid the munitions dump in the middle I don't know."

Isn't that the one thats full of mustard gas?

(Couple of good posts by the way on the situation in NI)

[mmcv]

"Though how exactly it'll avoid the munitions dump in the middle I don't know."

Isn't that the one thats full of mustard gas?

(Couple of good posts by the way on the situation in NI)

Thanks

Yep, Beaufort's Dyke, the one full of all the dumped munitions from the world wars as well as nuclear waste up until the fifties...could end badly!

[Aksu]

This will be an exciting spring for me re Brexit. I left the UK 10 years ago to move back to the old country. Every year I've still had to fill in my tax return for Her Majesty, stating that "nothing to declare, nothing to pay, not in the UK anymore". Easy enough with self assessment. Let's see if this year the system realises that I am not really a subject anymore
Also realised over the weekend that in the UK you can cash out your pension when you are 55. Which august milestone I did reach two months before the UK parted ways with Europe. I wonder what is going to happen now to my meager savings in the coffers of the pension scheme. Perhaps I can transfer it to a UK bank account and from there to Pendraken
Cheers,
Aksu

[John Cook]

I wouldn't bother filling in a self assessment return if I were you.   

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Far as I'm aware you can ionly cash out private pensions -the govt one you have to wait for, but you will get it.

[sean66]

Far as I'm aware you can ionly cash out private pensions -the govt one you have to wait for, but you will get it.

:- not too sure on this, in 12 years time who knows where the pension date will be.
Regards
Sean

[Techno II]

99.99999999999% certain Ian's right on that !

I don't think there's anyway you can get your State Pension early..(or cash in a lump sum)....and of course, the State Pension 'age requirement' is going up and up.
Like Sean says....goodness knows where it will be in 12 years time.

Cheers - Phil.

[sean66]

Luckily i have a Military pension.
that I'm already getting. 55 next month so that goes index linked (just in time for my final divorce bill) 
Regards
Sean

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

99.99999999999% certain Ian's right on that !

I'm always right - NOT

Got my state pension from 06/01/2020, I was 65 in May 2019. The original ages for pesions were set so that most people would never get them - average age of death for males in 1906 was 65 1/2, and women 59 ish.

[mmcv]

I'm fairly sure those under 40 will never see a state pension as it's predicted to run dry in the next 15-20 years even as they raise the retirement age more and more.

Just have to focus on building up workplace and private pensions and save what we can for the future (assuming interest on savings ever becomes a thing again...).