I wager that the the worsening economy is down to far longer term affects and consequences.

However, Brexit is hardly at fault for our current situation as the inflation and economic situation in other European countries testify.

The huge debt levels over the last thirty years that came to a head in 2008 (when finance finally accepted that it could never be paid back normally), allied to the covid economic response of telling huge numbers of the workforce to sit on their arsse at home (which you supported) and then this absolutely nutty war in the east of Europe to feck people on energy bills...well that's put the icing on the economically disastrous cake.

Now that's what you are looking at....not sodding Brexit, which has been sold down the line anyway.

As for inflation in the US dropping to 2 percent next year....I'll hold you to that....as I don't think it'll get anywhere near it.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Joe Biden is doing fine, he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but experience and a steady hand counts for a lot in the White House.

The main things I like about him are that he is not a sociopathic pathological liar, unable to form normal relationships with those around him and consumed by the need for attention, affection and wracked by paranoia and jealousy, with the conflict resolution skills of a 3 year old during a tantrum over not getting ice cream.

Trump lost. Badly. Hahahahahahaha.

I think that the "core membership" have already proved that they are a bunch of clueless buffoons so a more sensible approach might be in order to appoint the next leader like limiting the vote to the MPs who actually know the candidates best of all

Edited by Midlands Eagle (17 Oct 2022 6.09am)

That many things impact our economy is obvious. Some good, some bad, some long term, some short, some in our control, others not.

Deflecting away from those things we have control over is pointless. We must trust the government to handle them but concentrate on those things we do have control over.

So whilst blaming Brexit for everything is stupid, so is refusing to acknowledge that Brexit has not made matters worse than it would have been without it. It was an unnecessary, voluntary act by us which has backfired in circumstances which have themselves deteriorated beyond expectations. It was always anticipated, by everyone, to have a negative effect in the short to medium term (and by some in the long term), and has just added to what would have happened without it.

Of course I supported the measures to try to limit the impact of the then poorly understood Covid pandemic. We had no vaccines and the threat to our health service, and the potential for a large loss of life, demanded an extra-ordinary response. I supported it then, and do so now. That was the right decision. We survived. So did our health service. The jobs came back.

The Ukrainian war is 100% down to Putin. No invasion, no war. You wanted the Nato countries to stand back and let him overpower another country which, despite it's known faults, is making headway towards becoming a modern democratic state. It is also a buffer between other former Soviet states who have succeeded in their quest for democracy. Supporting Ukrainian resistance and wearing down Russia's military was an imperative unless we were prepared to see an emboldened Russia camped on the borders of western Europe. Of course it's costly and painful, but, on balance, the alternative was worse. This was an event over which we had no control. Only the need to react.

The forecast I gave for the USA, which is their official one, was 3.5% not 2. Not my forecast. Theirs! If it goes pear shaped you had better address your sarcasm to them.

Edited by Wisbech Eagle (17 Oct 2022 9.46am)

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Absolutely. As I have said many times Biden did his job as soon as he defeated Trump. Anything else was a bonus. The USA's institutions can function pretty well with any President who can listen and act on sound advice. So Mickey Mouse could have managed it better than Trump ever did.

The most important thing is who the Democrats put up in 2024. They need to defeat who-ever is the Republican candidate and then stop the people who seem intent on destroying democracy, mostly those endorsed by Trump. Trump's influence over the GOP needs to be curtailed asap.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I am not taking sides here, but please provide ONE president who could cast the first stone.

All are nuanced personalities; none are without fault and/or sin.