They're not laughing now!
Other than the appalling fiasco over vaccines, and fishing, M Macron and Ms Merkel now have other worries.
Germany's exports to the UK between December '20 and January '21 were down by 30.5%; a loss of £1.7 Billion from their dwindling coffers.
During the same period, French exports to the UK fell by 16%; whilst their imports from the UK rose by 27%. That wouldn't have made Emmanuel very happy!
Macron has now imposed a strict 7 day isolation period for all UK residents who enter France. Whilst back in the UK, France is firmly placed on the 'Amber List' of dodgy countries to visit. If you do somehow manage to get away for a week's holiday to The Riviera, you will have to spend it locked away indoors!
By wishing to punish Great Britain, the tide seems to have turned, and the people who are suffering the most are citizens from the EU's two remaining financial powers; France and Germany.
And, whilst on the subject; whatever happened to those predicted lorry queues at Dover? Here (below) is a picture of the empty 66 acre lorry park in Ashford. It was hurriedly built, and designed to cope with a build-up of 1,700 lorries. It remains unused; I wonder who's paying the electricity bill?
As I said quite recently, a more intelligent EU would have worked WITH the UK, not AGAINST her.
The beautiful little church/house ? surrounded by trees and the empty lorry park. What a mess plus to much light pollution.
ReplyDeleteI imagine it was all farmland there previously; it's an eyesore now, and costing a fortune. All for nothing (so far).
DeleteIt's really interesting what was there before, looks such a beautiful and well-kept area.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very flat area of S E England, with beautiful villages. Seeing the church there, I can but wonder what was there before. A church is usually in the confines of a village, or town.
DeleteEU intelligence? It must be an oxymoron similar to The Socialist Worker.
ReplyDeleteI think they side-stepped some very good opportunities. They will reap what they sowed.
DeleteCome on, Cro. Who "sowed" Brexit? Who tried to wriggle out of the contract at no cost? Try even something comparatively simple as everyday divorce between two people. Many forget that tying the know is not some fairy tale ending but a legal contract with consequences. You can't just walk away from obligations because they don't suit you any longer. And then point the finger at the party who never wanted you to leave.
DeleteTrade, borders, the whole Ireland question, it's complicated. And using emotive language like "in-built hatred" (your reply to Jacqueline) doesn't help.
Correct me if I am wrong but what does France imposing the seven day quarantine law has to do with Brexit and fish wars and "inbuilt hatred"? I thought that was Covid. And goes for either side of the Channel.
As to "wishing to punish the British", my dear Cro, the British punished themselves, and are now at a loss of how to apply damage limitation. The latter the EU is trying to [limit the damage]. With little British co-operation.
U
What total rubbish. Cameron tried to get Brussels to act more responsibly, and they totally rejected him. Had they seen how the tide was turning, they could have made changes. Instead, the UK have left their little club, and gone forwards, leaving them behind. Obviously they're not happy.
DeleteIf it was a marriage it was a forced one.
DeleteAdrian, I was talking about "contracts". Legalities. There are such things as rules and regulations. Just because, eventually, they don't suit doesn't mean you can duck them without repercussions.
DeleteAs to "forced" who held a gun to the UK's forehead? I live here [in the UK], for my sins and by choice. However, there is no evading the fact that Britain behaves like the problem child in a family of more than two kids. The exceptionalism, the Extra Wurst, cherry picking, not to mention raisins in the cake, is breath taking.
U
When a member of a club, you abide by the rules. When not a member of that club, you make your own... it's called 'sovereignty'.
DeleteI think they are cutting off their nose to spite their face don't you ? XXXX
ReplyDeleteBoth Macron and Van der Leyen seem to have an in-built hatred of Britain, and will do anything to try to make Brexit into a failure. So far, both of them are the losers.
DeleteCovid seems to have driven Brexit off our front pages recently.
ReplyDeleteI don't know which is worse!
DeleteFrance is going to have a huge hole in this summer tourist trade, UK visit normally in droves, so many are staying home this year. Brexit has backfired for them, UK is now quicker to make decisions and follow it's own path, I voted to stay in, but can now see the benefits of being out.
ReplyDeleteI also voted to stay, for obvious reasons. Like you, I now see a very different side to Brussels, and am very happy that we've gone. They can now clear-up their own mess.
DeleteIf Macron doesn't watch out the French voters are going to catch him out, shrug and vote Le Pen.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be a very close thing!
DeleteThe British Army are assisting the French Army in Mali/Chad area. Macron needs to remember this and that we could easily withdraw some of our help.
DeleteI didn't know that.... why are we there?
DeleteFrance has never really let go of its colonies and has been involved in long running wars there and British troops have been helping in the Sahel region south Sahara with SAS being there at one time and may still be there and helicopter pilots etc. France needs us militarily on their side in Europe and elsewhere. Macron would do well to remember that.
DeleteIs the so-called United Kingdom female? Looking at the Cornwall peninsula and Lizard Point, I assumed it was in fact male.
ReplyDeleteI think all countries are female; maybe apart from the 'Fatherland'.
DeleteGosh, I'd forgotten all about that lorry park...it's never mentioned on TV.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised, it was a total hoax and has cost a fortune!
DeleteCro better to be prepared and not need it I think for the next few years. We need to heavily invest in farming in the UK now, some more of those massive industrial green houses. All going well this lorry park could be changed to this use. If it all goes terribly wrong it could also be made into a field hospital. If not, I am sure some supermarket will take it, have you seen the Morrisons depot on the M5? blot on the landscape they have the wicker man sculpture and then that depot. they have done some crazy fake camouflage with the big block panels. (why is the willow mans head so small? Anyone know?)
DeleteI haven't seen the Willow man; I'll have to look it up. Yes I'm sure a use will be found for the lorry park; refugee centre maybe? I expect UK farmers are plotting as I write, if they're not they must be crazy. All that produce that's imported from Spain could easily be grown at home.
DeleteI dont know where they get this picture from with all the fields around it. as it is a housing estate and the morrisons depot . but here is a link https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/m5-motorway-landmark-willow-man-1393346
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