JonnyF

Maybe you can dig up another Guardian article where an "Unnamed Source" confirms that "They" are terrified of the mighty EU and the "Rumoured" consequences. That would be case closed ????. Don't link it though. The pop ups begging for donations to keep paying the hacks blind me.

Which only proves that their obsession with their precious single market supersedes their concerns with the war in Ukraine in which thousands of innocent women and children are being killed. Not to mention their fake concerns about peace on the island of Ireland. Classic EU. Very telling that you find it so amusing as well. The true nature of hard leftist Europhiles is often easily exposed.

It's a Guardian article ????. Who said it? Who are "They"? You just accept this at face value ? ????

We will have to see if it is deemed that international law has been broken. I do not believe that it will be. What is the EU going to do? They have enough problems trying to agree on Russia. https://www.ft.com/content/854d129e-7eac-44a6-b097-449ffca9b586 Unity? What unity?

Who in the government said that? The article doesn't say as far as I can see. The Northern Ireland Secretary doesn't agree. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61774429

Article 16 of the protocol is a safeguard clause within the Northern Ireland Protocol that allows either party to take unilateral "strictly necessary" measures if applying the protocol "leads to serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist, or to diversion of trade".

It allows us to take unilateral measures pertaining to the protocol. Hence, there should be no need to abrogate it, we can simply change parts of it within international law.

I am not pointing fingers at anyone. We are independent now, and we can hold our government to account if they do not enact article 16 as the protocol allows i.e. we can take take unilateral measures without breaking international law.

Except that the commission (that represents the EU's interests and is 'selected' not 'elected') holds all the power. MP's are there to rubber stamp the decisions and little else. Ferried around in chauffeur driven cars from one cocktail party to the next, very few cause an issue for those with the real power, best not to ruffle any feathers when the perks are so generous. Jobs for the boys, simply there to create the illusion of a functioning Democracy. Clare Fox documented her experience very well, describing the experience as an MEP as a 'gravy train'. Worth a read if you have an open mind. https://ukandeu.ac.uk/gravy-train-a-first-taste-of-life-as-an-mep/ Anyway, I'm happy that you like the EU system. I prefer the UK's system of governance and I am delighted that due to Brexit, that system now has full sovereignty over the country and we escaped the federalist project before it was too late.

Could the European MP I voted for initiate EU legislation? No! The Commission inititates it and then my MP is one of 700 odd MP's who votes to rubber stamp it. A token gesture to present the illusion of Democracy. Can my UK MP initiate UK legislation? Of course. What can I do if I don't like the EU leadership? Errr, nothing. Just wait to the next leader to be 'selected' by people I didn't vote for, behind closed doors. What can I do if I don't like The Tories leadership? Vote for Labour or the Lib Dems (assuming I was that stupid). Maybe best you just accept you lost. It's been 6 years now. No point continuing to whine about it. After all, once we've made amendments to the protocol we'll be one more step away from the corrupt, failing federalist project ????. You can scream about breaking international law all you like but I suggest you check article 16.

Again. The EC has one member per member state, but those "selected" members are bound by oath to represent the general interest of the EU as a whole rather than their home state. So I can vote for an MP who has very, very limited powers but I cannot vote for the 'selected' member of the commission that supposedly represents the UK. I say supposedly because the member that represents my home state, the UK is in fact bound by oath to represent the interests of the EU, not the UK. If that is what you class as Democracy, you're welcome to it. The UK electorate saw it for what it is and decided to leave despite the Europhiles doing their best to block the democratic vote of 2016. Well you failed and we're out, live with it.

You vote for an MP that has no real power. 1 of over 700. The EC has one member per member state, but members are bound by oath to represent the general interest of the EU as a whole rather than their home state. The commission president (VDL) is proposed by the European Council (the 27 heads of state) and elected (approved) by the European Parliament. The European Council then nominates the other members of the Commission in agreement with the nominated President, and the 27 members as a team are then subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament. That MP you voted for is one of hundreds of MP's that give a vote of approval on a proposal by the Council. The members that are selected are bound to represent the EU, not the home state. That's some great representation I have there!!! I get to vote for 1 MP who gets a token gesture vote to approve the selection for someone who must represent the EU, not the UK ????. Oh yeah, and the MP I voted for cannot inititiate legislation. Only the EU commission can do that. Yeah, totally democratic ????.

Very sad. I saw the video and the car pulled out from the side street onto the main road and immediately moved into the overtaking lane, possibly to U turn further up the road, and the bike went up the back of it. The rider didn't look to be speeding. It was a bit curious that whilst he clearly didn't have enough time to stop, he did appear to have enough time to move into a different lane to avoid the collision but he stayed on the same lane. It looked like he could have gone to the left or the right of the car to avoid it. Maybe he thought there was something coming from behind in those lanes? Or maybe he had target fixation. Anyway, the driver was at fault IMO. She could have pulled out and stayed in the left hand lane and it would have been fine. RIP Keith.

That would be true if he was proposing nobody else had to wear a mask. But no, this hypocrite believes his status affords him special priviliges. In his little mind, masks are for the peasants, not the 'good people'.

Nonsense. Does the UK Civil service initiate new legislation? No. Yet the European Commission does. Not even nearly the same thing. Ridiculous comparison.

Except in the UK, the MP that I vote for has powers along with other MP's to propose legislation, to introduce a bill. In the EU, the right to inititate legislation is reserved for the EU Commission. So the people we vote for have very little power, and the people who really run the show, those with the real power are 'selected'. EU Parliamentarians are like a toothless tiger, which is just the way the commission likes it. Give the illusion of being democratic without actually affording those elected by the voters any real powers. If you're happy to pretend that is real Democracy, great. I'm not and neither were the UK electorate which is The BRexit party had so many seats before we swiftly left.

Yes. Selected, not elected. Glad we're in agreement.

I am talking about the commission. They are 'selected' and not elected. That's how you end up with drunks like Juncker in positions of power or now the useless Von Der Leyen. Useless bunch of technocrats. Not exactly a shining light for diversity either.

Well, now the decisions about the country are taken by people we elected. As opposed to some unelected Bureaucrat in Brussels who is selected by their peers and cannot be voted out. I will always take Democracy over Technocracy.

He should stay out of politics. His virtue signaling on climate change is particlularly irritating given his and his families carbon footprint.

I'll probably buy some from the shop in Ladprao just for the novelty factor, seeing as I'm often on the MRT Blue line anyway. Haven't smoked it for years but one of my housemates at Uni in London sold it so there was always copious amounts of it laying around the house which we could smoke if we wanted in exchange for not complaining about his 'operation' and the constant coming and going of customers. A friend of mine gave me a hash brownie a while back and I enjoyed the high but I did end up eating the contents of the fridge before going to bed so it will have to be an occasional thing for me. I've also asked my gf to get a licence so we can grow some on our farm in Korat for personal consumption, again just for the novelty factor really, I've also got 3 Kratom trees but never eat the leaves.

Mine was clearly said tongue in cheek. So you are saying that you were also joking and you don't really think the Brits that you so despise are obsessed with Empire? If so, we are in agreement.

We were discussing nationalism which is very much related to Brexit, the subject of this thread. I was pointing out that if you have disdain for Nationalists, it must apply to all Nationalists not only British ones. It's amusing how certain people only dislike nationalists if they come from a certain country. Not naming names of course ????.

You must have quite a low opinion of the majority of the Thai population.

Really? How do you come to that conclusion? 'Irish' Joe Biden making a few uneducated comments about it?