@stevep59 You really don't get it, do you? Been listening to Gollums Ugly Cousin and the rest of his UKIP gang too much?
a) They're negotiating the status of each others citizens after Brexit, which is just a decent thing to do. Wouldn't you want to know what your rights and duties are in case of a major change like this? Whether you're a Brit in the EU or a European in Britain? If you think this is extra-territorial rights then you basically say that the UK is claiming the whole EU as theirs. Talk about territorial claims...
b) Britain has engaged in a number of programs to be paid in the course of the next years. A lot of these programs also take place in Britain, so there they basically get money back. You can't sign a contract to do stuff over the next 10 years with some business partners and then after 2 years be like: "nah, whatever, I don't care anymore! And stop your attempts in forcing me to pay anyway! Bullies!" That's not how it works.
c) No, that's not what's happening. An open border also means being part of the internal market of the EU and that's what Britain is opposed to. For the EU it would just be very convenient to keep Britain in the market, they don't complain. But Britain hasn't come up with a single workable alternative to both leave the internal EU market AND leave the EU in a way to have independent trade agreements with exciting commonwealth destinations like Kiribati, Antigua and Barbuda and Nauru. I'm sure that you're better off with deals with them than with access to the open market in the EU and I wish you all the best with it in the future, but you can't blame that EU market for also being willing to having a say in any agreement that affects it. As there was (and still is, sadly) no viable plan, the backstop was proposed to just have a temporary solution for a very complicated problem. To me, the backstop just shows how badly informed politicians on both sides are. May's proposal to 'just solve it with technology or so' and the EU's proposal to just put a backstop on it as they see no possibilities makes me sad. It lacks vision, creativity and the will to make tough decisions.
d) I have no idea what dummy photo op you're talking about. Or why anyone would mock Britain. As said, it's YOUR decision to hang yourself up in a non-binding public referendum, it's YOUR decision to issue article 50, and it's YOUR decision to vote 'no' against any of the given alternatives so far, even in your own Houses. As for the EU, every single leader has expressed their hope that you wouldn't leave. None said that you should fuck off. But still you go and blame EU for it. On false grounds, no less.
e) Teresa May expected the EU to just bow and tremble with fear for the Mighty British Empire when negotiations started. Which Empire? The one that existed a long time ago? What she wanted was impossible, a utopia from day one. It's very common when both parties negotiate, that you give some, lose some or even find alternative solutions in which no one really wins or loses, or where both parties lose or benefit. That's how negotiations work. Nothing new there.
I nevertheless hope that you feel better now that you emptied your underbelly. Or almost emptied it: I just lack blaming the EU for having red passports, despite there not being a single EU rule that describes the colour of passports. You could have had blue ones all the time. Or green ones. Black ones if you want. Fluffy pink ones that glow in the dark, even. Or the £350 million pound per week that you're not paying to the EU and put in the NHS instead. Except that you also got buttloads of money from the EU back for many projects, institutions and well-being and that the EU doesn't cost you £350 million a week to start with. Not by a mile. Or blame the EU for the UK having so many foreigners. Please remember that Britain once was an empire and as such already had loads op people with different colours and beliefs on board before the 1970s. Also remember that Britain is no part of Schengen and as such, already largely has its own border control and rules in place.
Britain already had a special treatment and most advantages of all EU members. If you still insist on getting a unicorn, well, then go ahead and find one. But don't blame the EU if you can't find any.
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@stevep59 You really don't get it, do you? Been listening to Gollums Ugly Cousin and the rest of his UKIP gang too much?
a) They're negotiating the status of each others citizens after Brexit, which is just a decent thing to do. Wouldn't you want to know what your rights and duties are in case of a major change like this? Whether you're a Brit in the EU or a European in Britain? If you think this is extra-territorial rights then you basically say that the UK is claiming the whole EU as theirs. Talk about territorial claims...
b) Britain has engaged in a number of programs to be paid in the course of the next years. A lot of these programs also take place in Britain, so there they basically get money back. You can't sign a contract to do stuff over the next 10 years with some business partners and then after 2 years be like: "nah, whatever, I don't care anymore! And stop your attempts in forcing me to pay anyway! Bullies!" That's not how it works.
c) No, that's not what's happening. An open border also means being part of the internal market of the EU and that's what Britain is opposed to. For the EU it would just be very convenient to keep Britain in the market, they don't complain. But Britain hasn't come up with a single workable alternative to both leave the internal EU market AND leave the EU in a way to have independent trade agreements with exciting commonwealth destinations like Kiribati, Antigua and Barbuda and Nauru. I'm sure that you're better off with deals with them than with access to the open market in the EU and I wish you all the best with it in the future, but you can't blame that EU market for also being willing to having a say in any agreement that affects it. As there was (and still is, sadly) no viable plan, the backstop was proposed to just have a temporary solution for a very complicated problem. To me, the backstop just shows how badly informed politicians on both sides are. May's proposal to 'just solve it with technology or so' and the EU's proposal to just put a backstop on it as they see no possibilities makes me sad. It lacks vision, creativity and the will to make tough decisions.
d) I have no idea what dummy photo op you're talking about. Or why anyone would mock Britain. As said, it's YOUR decision to hang yourself up in a non-binding public referendum, it's YOUR decision to issue article 50, and it's YOUR decision to vote 'no' against any of the given alternatives so far, even in your own Houses. As for the EU, every single leader has expressed their hope that you wouldn't leave. None said that you should fuck off. But still you go and blame EU for it. On false grounds, no less.
e) Teresa May expected the EU to just bow and tremble with fear for the Mighty British Empire when negotiations started. Which Empire? The one that existed a long time ago? What she wanted was impossible, a utopia from day one. It's very common when both parties negotiate, that you give some, lose some or even find alternative solutions in which no one really wins or loses, or where both parties lose or benefit. That's how negotiations work. Nothing new there.
I nevertheless hope that you feel better now that you emptied your underbelly. Or almost emptied it: I just lack blaming the EU for having red passports, despite there not being a single EU rule that describes the colour of passports. You could have had blue ones all the time. Or green ones. Black ones if you want. Fluffy pink ones that glow in the dark, even. Or the £350 million pound per week that you're not paying to the EU and put in the NHS instead. Except that you also got buttloads of money from the EU back for many projects, institutions and well-being and that the EU doesn't cost you £350 million a week to start with. Not by a mile. Or blame the EU for the UK having so many foreigners. Please remember that Britain once was an empire and as such already had loads op people with different colours and beliefs on board before the 1970s. Also remember that Britain is no part of Schengen and as such, already largely has its own border control and rules in place.
Britain already had a special treatment and most advantages of all EU members. If you still insist on getting a unicorn, well, then go ahead and find one. But don't blame the EU if you can't find any.