on โ22-06-2016 09:50 PM
Warnings about global economic fallout if Britain votes to leave the European Union are reaching fever pitch a day out from the so-called Brexit referendum.
In an op-ed in the Guardian, billionaire currency trader George Soros said a "Leave" vote could severely damage British living standards and potentially trigger a major crash in the British pound.
Economists divided on Brexit
BlackRock managing director and global chief investment strategist Richard Turnill said if Britain does exit, he expected to see volatility and significant declines in the Sterling.
"We expect to see significant declines in domestic UK assets, particularly smaller, mid-cap equities, but actually as you've seen over the last few days, the volatility I think is going to extend to broader European assets and global assets. I think you'll see flows into safe havens in the event of an exit, back into treasuries, back into gold," Mr Turnill said.
But British economist Roger Bootle, the founder of Capital Economics disagreed, arguing the UK would not be necessarily worse off if it left the EU.
"It's not going to be a case of European politicians saying to their own industries and to us we can't trade, that would be illegal under WTO rules," Mr Bootle said.
"It's going to be a matter of the EU if worse comes to worse, treating us exactly as they treat all sorts of countries around the world, including the United States, India, China, Japan, etc."
My son, who lives in England and works in the finance sector in London, wants England to stay in the EU. I say they should leave. We've been sending each other terse emails.
on โ29-06-2016 10:52 AM
@the_great_she_elephant wrote:What left me gobsmacked was Nigel Farage bragging that it (Brexit) had been achieved "withut a bullet being fired". And that less than a week after parliament had united to honour Jo Cox.
Excuse me, but why are you making a connection between Nigel Farage saying "without a bullet being fired". and the tragic, heartbreaking, and the appalling and untimely death of Jo Cox ? How long after someone is killed by whatever means, do you suggest is a reasonable elapsed space of time before the way in which they died, is mentioned again ? You claim a week approx, yes ? That had absolutely nothing to do with it.
I don't know about in Oz, but the saying is pretty current here for something that is achieved with ease. Sometimes it's 'bullet' other times 'shot', and I suppose this harks back to WW1, but that's my guess. You see this is how our red tops - perhaps this is where you got your quote - vilify Nigel Farage as being racist. They are looking for every little nuance in his rhetoric, to enlarge and magnify this to suit their own agenda.
And incidentally, Nigel Farage's wife is German.
Scroll down for Nigel's barnstorming EU triumphant Brexit speech. Another classic.
on โ29-06-2016 02:50 PM
i heard a rumour from a friend of a friend who i think read it on the interweb so it must be true that...
the EU wants to leave the EU!
โ29-06-2016 03:54 PM - edited โ29-06-2016 03:55 PM
@electric*mayhem*band wrote:
@the_great_she_elephant wrote:What left me gobsmacked was Nigel Farage bragging that it (Brexit) had been achieved "withut a bullet being fired". And that less than a week after parliament had united to honour Jo Cox.
Excuse me, but why are you making a connection between Nigel Farage saying "without a bullet being fired". and the tragic, heartbreaking, and the appalling and untimely death of Jo Cox ? How long after someone is killed by whatever means, do you suggest is a reasonable elapsed space of time before the way in which they died, is mentioned again ? You claim a week approx, yes ? That had absolutely nothing to do with it.
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Totally agree, of course it was said with no malice or innuendo. this is what can cause so much trouble, purposely misconstruing someone's remark to mean something else. A bit like political correctness. Almost seems like soon we will all have to bandage our mouths as we'll be too scared to say anything.
on โ29-06-2016 04:00 PM
@davidc4430 wrote:i heard a rumour from a friend of a friend who i think read it on the interweb so it must be true that...
the EU wants to leave the EU!
on โ29-06-2016 05:49 PM
oh goody, i have a fanboy
on โ30-06-2016 11:42 AM
You either have free trade and free movement of people both ways or not at all. There was a time when business trading with other countries had to pay both export and import duty; it was cumbersome and expensive , and slowed everything down.
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I was reading this from another messageboard.
The last trade figures I read had the UK importing 150 billion dollars a year more in goods from the Eurozone than they exported there.
All the tough talk from the EU will moderate when the likes of the French farmers start feeling the pinch from the lack of UK markets.
Tariffs always work to the advantage of a country with a trade deficit.
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So, on a positive note, even though the UK may end up leaving the EU (and that won't happen overnight), then I would say there is a very good chance they will still be able to renegotiate trade with some EU countries without too many hassles.
on โ30-06-2016 07:20 PM
โ30-06-2016 07:22 PM - edited โ30-06-2016 07:26 PM
The best part is.......................................................... The Netherlands for instance does not allow you to remain n the country without a job for longer than 6 months.You are monitored upon arrival.. your papers checked. throughout your stay etc.You are NOT eligible for any assistance i.e. dole until you have worked in full time employment for at least 6 months.You will NOT get a job that can be done by a Dutch person.(a la USA) and you will not be deemed a resident for 5 yrs Hence there is no flood of immigrants to NL. SO It's the UK's policies or lack of in regard of EU migrants.. OR there are in fact jobs for them? I suspect the latter Immigrants from outside the EU.. well.. Thats that old chestnut the handing out of British passports to people from the old Empire.. AGAIN nothing to do with the EU. Refugees... Thats ENTIRELY due to the UK's friend and special relationship buddy the USA. AGAIN.. Nothing to do with the EU. Given the above .I can't believe my fellow countrymen are so thick they haven't been able to work this out by now.. Apparently many are...They needed to have got off their butts yrs ago and sorted out their own country first before blaming the rest of the world and especially the EU now for their self inflicted ills................ The EU dosent give you free money or houses . The Uk does that..
on โ01-07-2016 09:25 AM
on โ01-07-2016 09:37 AM
Tommy: As you so succinctly put it "I'm a 75 year old nutcase..."
Regetfully, I have to agree with you...