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Maybe things aren’t as bad after all.

Anyone with half a brain should be acknowledging benefits already being felt from having left, this being one pretty big benefit.

However, that doesn't mean current massive negatives that are emerging like the impossibility of export trade and ridiculously short term working visas can simply be swept under the rug and filed as 'will be resolved at some point, eventually, will all be fine in the end'.

Just because the average 'working man' (what does that even mean these days) doesn't work in or is not part of a small or large business that relies explicitly on international custom and trade (with the EU as most UK businesses largest revenue stream), I'm alright Jack doesn't quite cut it.

If not addressed rapidly, the damage will be severe and take many years to repair.

I agree on timeframe, probably longer than that in fairness. But that shouldn’t prevent these things being called out now as they could escalate rapidly if it turns out they’ve not been properly planned for, or that unrealistic assumptions have been made regarding future EU concessions post exit and ratification, simply to get the PR of an agreed deal over the line.

Even more so as they are hardly minor economic issues - certainly more than just ‘teething issues’. That phrase implies something minor that can be relatively easily remedied.

Issue is that the EU is looking to punish us for leaving. That simple. And where I admit to a growing sense of despair. The primary problem is not necessarily the deal itself but rather the notion of how the EU can play it. I have read of exports being held up because the officials have claimed that the ink used on the paper-work is the wrong colour. The mistake has been thinking that a deal could be made to work with the EU.

But it has not been ratified. That is the ace-card in all of this. There is still time for it to fall to bits and that is what we need to make happen. Open up our ports, go zero tariffs on a range of agricultural goods, drop corporation taxes, really break free of the EU once and for all.

The EU are utter s***c***s. Which is fine. They make no bones about that and with all the evidence on offer. But you cannot reason with such people. We need to move to a full-on cold-war mentality with them. Fight fire with fire. Boot all their fishing boats out of our waters NOW. Get ready to impose huge tariffs on all EU agricultural goods so that non-EU foodstuffs are much cheaper on our shelves. Ditto with their cars and anything else they want to sell to us.

Sod all this being good neighbours, at least for now. As to Ireland then rip up any and every limitation between the mainland and NI. And leave outside of the border completely open. Tell Irish hauliers they are free to come and go as they wish. Let the EU impose the hard-border.

Bridges literally need to be burnt with the EU. And this is the year to do it.

Edited by Matov (16 Feb 2021 8.23am)

The future for Europe has to be green imo and I am glad I changed from labour.

First up is Mario Draghi's new italian government.

He has declared it will be an eco-government led by green technology.

To qualify for their share of the EU recovery money, some 200 billion euros, they have to show 37% of it will spent on green and 20% on digital.

Bold stuff, polls are showing italians approval rating of 85%.