RayC

A barrier to the free movement of labour is a benefit?

See your comment above and your first few lines below: Pot, kettle, black comes to mind. How did I work around anything? I took your comment at face value and made a counter argument. Some examples of these improvements would help. Fortunately, my life is pretty good (and has been for the best part of my existence). You are the one claiming there have been improvements, you supply the list. We are discussing Brexit related issues. Look back over the various threads and you will see examples of the numerous problems that this has caused. One generic example being the problem of implementing the Irish Protocol. What the hell does "socialist guff" mean? If you want to have a discussion about the relative merits (and disadvantages) of free market capitalism and centrally planned ("socialist") economies, start another thread and I'll willingly contribute. I assume that you didn't re-read that before you pressed the 'Submit' button? Uncle, Aunt, testicles. Btw: I have no affiliation to the Labour Party

???? Oh here we go again! How many more times???? No one held a gun to the UK government's head. If they couldn't accept the contents of the Withdrawal Agreement, then they shouldn't have signed it. If they didn't understand the implications of what they were signing, then they were incompetent. If the UK government had no intention of honouring the Agreement, then they were duplicitous. It really is as simple as that. No amount of belly-aching about how unfair the EU is being in implementing the Agreement will change that.

The only relevance that Article 50 has to the Withdrawal Agreement is that invoking it was a pre-requisite for negotiations to commence. Other than that, it is completely irrelevant. It has no relationship to the contents of the Withdrawal Agreement.

You severely underplay the effects if the UK unilaterally ignores the Protocol. Imo as a minimum, the EU will impose sanctions of some sort. The matter will go to (non-binding) arbitration. Let's assume the ruling isn't respected (by either side), where do we go from there? Probably to increased sanctions, and then possibly to the Agreement being torn up. Let's hope that it doesn't get that far.

Then I am guilty of going off-topic (as are you!). You obviously didn't read the thread title either.

I've made no comment about the situation at Dover.

Playing Devils Advocate for a moment and accepting your comment as correct, then 'So what?'. If the Withdrawal Agreement is ill-defined and ambiguous, why did the UK government sign it? Didn't they foresee that the EU would use to their advantage? (Please don't use the 'honour and trust' argument. They was none of that during the negotiations).

You are wrong. The Irish Protocol forms part of the Withdrawal Agreement. It's hardly a "minor side issue" as you suggest.

????That is the ultimate rhetorical question.

???? Taken a while but we finally seem to agree on something.???? Hope for us all yet. We had best quit now while we are winning

The referendum was years ago but how can you ignore the ongoing effects? The fact that the UK government wants to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement demonstrates that:Brexit' is still a 'live' issue today.

I know that I shouldn't encourage you, but I'm curious how you arrive at these assumptions (especially the bizarre nonsense about visas and the Costa de Lotta)?

That is your recollection of events. I'm sure many others would disagree with it.

You could but, presumably, you wouldn't want to cut benefits for those in genuine need (as opposed to those who might be labelled 'workshy'. I'd suggest that developing the criteria to differentiate isn't an overnight job. I'm all for improving workers' T&C but perhaps, today's economic climate isn't the best time to add to the inflationary pressures.

Then just own the shambles that you helped create instead of forever blaming Remainers and the EU. The UK government needs to take responsibility and be accountable for its' actions; something that it has almost completely neglected to do since 2016. We've been done this road so many times before.

You're welcome ????

The UK cannot fill these unskilled, relatively low-paid jobs from the domestic workforce. Besides which, I thought that one of the by-products of Brexit was meant to be the up-skilling of the workforce?

Not whining just asking Brexiters to justify your position by supplying a rational argument to support your position. After all, you did keep insisting that you knew what you were voting for, right?

Welcome, Bruno. As we are dealing in generalisations, this might be classified as a typical comment from the Brexiter camp: A statement without any supporting evidence

And that's a benefit?

Invoking Article 16 may not be illegal - justified is another matter - but it is a temporary measure. It does not negate the wider Treaty. That can only be done with the agreement of both sides. Seems like that explosion might be a damp squib.

The overall security climate may not have changed much in the last two years, but border control procedures have for Brits entering the EU. As you say, pre-Brexit passport holders were waved through, nowadays you join the scrum for third country entrants with all the accompanying palaver.

Congratulations. Just when I think that you may have reached a floor when it comes to ridiculous comments, you keep surprising me by offering something even more absurd. Taking your comment at face "value", if someone of the WW2 generation complains, perhaps they should be told to pull their socks up; those around at the time of the 'Black Death' had it harder? The relative plight of different generations is tangential. The actions of the government of the day are meant to improve the welfare of its' citizens. They should be judged on their time in office. There is no evidence (to date) to suggest that things will have improved during this government's tenure.

Sunak is a serious politician, so if he becomes PM there is a chance that he will drop this ridiculous posturing, that common sense will prevail and that the UK government starts to abide by the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement and work with, rather than against, the EU to find practical solutions where there are difficulties. If the opportunistic Truss becomes PM who knows what might happen, but I fear that it won't be anything good.