I genuinely get and respect that position, and as somebody whose primary ambition is to shrink my own world to two specific locations, with everything and everyone I ever want to spend time with to be within less than a kilometre from my front door meaning I can walk everywhere I need to be, I am probably the epitome of a screaming hypocrite. Would happily withdraw to a world in which I live in tiny communities and where people pass on their property by way of legacy rather than seeing bricks and mortar as an easy way to riches.

But on a macro level, sadly, the world does not work like that. We are caught in a growth trap that means the tax base needs to increase and given our demographics, we need more people to come to the UK. The only rational conclusion I can make. Therefore where those people come from has to be the consideration. Hence why I am in favour of a version of the FOM we had in place when we were in the EU. Not that exact model but a version of it. Pole or pakistani. The choice we need to make.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

I was doing this back in the 90's centralising corporate back offices in Europe 17 different legal systems at least 10 different languages. The Greek banking unions threaten a national strike when I arrived in the country to move my department from Athens to London.

In Athens I simply told the Central Bank that we were starting a new business model in London and the branch would just be run down as the old business completed so nothing was actually transferred. A bit of a white lie and they knew it but it got around their rules.

The main obstacle to doing this is not legal or regulatory it's about a pool of expertise. London is the Financial capital of the world for that reason.

Moving business to India say I had to find experts in Trade Finance who also spoke European languages as well as English. If however the company are prepared to train staff the people are smart and hard working with a great attitude.

Not all jobs can be moved so what I did was to break up a job moving the easy bits offshore and creating new roles of expertise in London for the difficiult bits.

One more point

But what if that evolution is beyond insane.

Today a Croydon based Police Detective is facing a disciplinary panel, with his job on the line, because of his supposed use of 'racist' names for characters he used in a computer game.

And we live in a culture in which it is technically a hate crime, with all that entails, to call the Soham murderer Ian Huntley by that name as he is now Trans.

This is modern British culture. This is how it is evolving. And after 10 years of supposed Conservative rule. I cannot even blame the Left for this. This s*** has magnified under Conservative rule.

Something is truly rotten in the UK.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

Michel Barnier the EU negotiator is planning on running for the French Presidency. Apparently he is rather keen on restricting immigration. I can't think where he got that idea from or why that it would be popular.

[Link]

Maybe something rubbed off on him during those negotiations.

One more point

It's not really that newsworthy until he actually runs next year. However it is more about a politician who had a front row seat during Brexit and picked up that not everything we said was all bad.

Macron's biggest rival next year is LePen however Barnier is trying to position himself as the moderate centre right alternative.

One more point

Thanks I didn't realise that I was being marked.

Same story from the Independent just to cheer you up.

[Link]

One of the issues for Brexit voters was taking back control of our borders and setting a level playing field for migrants coming from in or out of the EU.

As I said in my previous post Barnier is positioning himself for a run at the presidency which may come to nothing. Just interesting that he has picked up on this issue to start his campaign with.

One more point

You obviously have a high level of tolerance. Presumably, you've reported the Express to the police for their outright racism. You always have to watch out for that massive powerful far right in Britain. Glad you're vigilant.
Those terrorists with their Union Flags must have been quite something to see. Only you saw them, but that's your area of expertise. Gold star.

Red and Blue Army!

Exports to the EU bounce back.

[Link]

Seems to be good news Imports to the UK from around the world are up as well.

So hopefully we are starting to stabilise.

One more point

Something bloody odd going on with France at this moment. Its clear that there is a centralised effort to not report on how France is experiencing some serious social unrest be it the ongoing effective break down of control in numerous suburbs to the ongoing Yellow Jacket protests and the damage to traffic cameras and so on. Throw in that letter from both retired and serving personel in the French Military and now Barnier, who is a serious politician, to start voicing such sentiments, and it speaks of a nation that is heading for a major crisis.

And it does matter. If France implodes, there is a real potential fall out for the UK.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

This is what is so strange. To even question the wisdom of immigration is usually considered beyond the pale but for a politician of Barnier's standing to propose what he has with almost no reaction?

Why?

Macron is a busted flush. He appears to have pissed off almost the whole of France and I am beginning to think he is considered potentially in danger of losing to Le Pen next year. My understanding is that many on the Left will boycott him. Not necessarily voting for Le Pen but in a two-horse race, not voting is a genuine expression of political will.

Meaning the establishment might be looking to scupper Le Pens chances of making the last round?

Interesting times.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.