British Politics

[DiamondGooner]

You lot are talking proper sh*t in all honesty.

"Why would the EU extend article 50" ......... because their worst nightmare is a No Deal Britain that's why.

Fine, watch and see, Parliament will NOT allow No Deal, they have made that clear as day, the EU are not ready for it and their entire market of businesses will lose their sh*t if over night the profitable British customer market doesn't want their goods because their prices are no longer competitive, UK kicks France out of our fishing waters, Gibraltar cuts off from Europe and Ireland has a border go up because we're out of the Customs union.

............... how much more clear do I have to make it?

No Deal is not happening.

We'll either have three things, an extension of Article 50 which is already being demanded, a Deal scurried together like Norway (unlikely in time) or a cancellation of the whole thing to Remain.

If the EU are being stubborn about extending its because its a calculated gamble of playing chicken, they know Parliament won't allow No Deal so they're betting we cancel Brexit instead, if it looks like No Deal will happen then watch the EU hand us an extension on a silver plate right before the deadline.

They can play political cat and mouse all they want, but the end results are clear as day.

Humorous how we're talking shit while you simultaneously act like you're an expert.

While both parties lose with No Deal, the UK needs the EU more than the EU needs the UK, thus it's not unreasonable to say the EU holds the cards. And besides, the EU didn't vote to kick the UK out, so there's no reason for them to be held hostage over the dipshits in Parliament. It's 2019, not 1900. The British Empire is dead. The UK doesn't have the clout of America, China, or even Russia to be making demands.

Your PMs can demand an extension of Article 50 all they want, but the EU has made it clear there won't be an extension without May shifting her red line, which she doesn't appear to be in favor of doing. So we can throw that out the window for now. Then there's the revoking of A50, but will Parliament have the votes? Would they even have the votes for May's deal if it came down to that or No Deal? Based on what's happened thus far, No Deal Brexit seems like the likely scenario due to the sheer incompetence of your government (a lot of it stemming from no uniform meaning of the type of Brexit). Maybe you can get a Norway or a Switzerland deal a few years after March 29 when May is no longer PM.

Its not about the "British Empire" its that Britain is practically Europes best customer, we put money into the EU and we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods.

Anyone notice how fags and booze are cheaper abroad? we get fleeced quite frankly and losing a customer base of millions who spend like theirs no tomorrow will hit the EU hard, plus minus our billions of membership money and the biggest economy in the EU outside of Germany and France.

Quite frankly I'm not going to argue with you, you will see in due time, No Deal happening is not even a question, no one in a decision making position wants or will allow it ............. if you choose to believe different then that's your ignorance, you've obviously either not being paying attention or your falling for spin.

BBC reporting that May still wants to get her deal through, is she that stubborn and deluded!

Do you want the short answer?

[Luzh 22]

"fags & booze" are cheaper abroad, because their governments don't tax the fuq outta it. The base price is exactly the same.

Also "we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods." is utterly wrong. We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U. That's the whole point the E.U was set up for in the first place...

[DiamondGooner]

"fags & booze" are cheaper abroad, because their governments don't tax the fuq outta it. The base price is exactly the same.

Also "we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods." is utterly wrong. We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U. That's the whole point the E.U was set up for in the first place...

It doesn't seem that way when I'm abroad, my money goes a lot further, our elevated prices do come from our tax on this end, but regardless ............................

There will be no "No Deal" and we are a big part of EU income and one of their 3 biggest economies.

I'd be willing to bet on it.

[EliteKiller]

"fags & booze" are cheaper abroad, because their governments don't tax the fuq outta it. The base price is exactly the same.

Also "we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods." is utterly wrong. We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U. That's the whole point the E.U was set up for in the first place...

We don't even have the same currency as the EU, we might levy the same tax on goods but that has very little to do with the price we pay. The EU do not dictate market prices, they don't even dictate taxes or VAT ...

We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U.

That's 100% wrong, UK companies just like their European equivalent negotiate their own contracts ... the only thing the EU customs union controls are import and export taxes, they have nothing at all to do with prices ....

[DiamondGooner]

"fags & booze" are cheaper abroad, because their governments don't tax the fuq outta it. The base price is exactly the same.

Also "we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods." is utterly wrong. We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U. That's the whole point the E.U was set up for in the first place...

We don't even have the same currency as the EU, we might levy the same tax on goods but that has very little to do with the price we pay. The EU do not dictate market prices, they don't even dictate taxes or VAT ...

We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U.

That's 100% wrong, UK companies just like their European equivalent negotiate their own contracts ... the only thing the EU customs union controls are import and export taxes, they have nothing at all to do with prices ....

Is that right Luzh?

Hmmmm

[Luzh 22]

"fags & booze" are cheaper abroad, because their governments don't tax the fuq outta it. The base price is exactly the same.

Also "we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods." is utterly wrong. We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U. That's the whole point the E.U was set up for in the first place...

We don't even have the same currency as the EU, we might levy the same tax on goods but that has very little to do with the price we pay. The EU do not dictate market prices, they don't even dictate taxes or VAT ...

We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U.

That's 100% wrong, UK companies just like their European equivalent negotiate their own contracts ... the only thing the EU customs union controls are import and export taxes, they have nothing at all to do with prices ....

You're saying exactly the same thing that I am saying. British firms are not being charged more because they are British. You know very well what I was saying about being part of the customs union, and paying the same prices for goods from companies inside the union.

[DiamondGooner]

"fags & booze" are cheaper abroad, because their governments don't tax the fuq outta it. The base price is exactly the same.

Also "we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods." is utterly wrong. We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U. That's the whole point the E.U was set up for in the first place...

We don't even have the same currency as the EU, we might levy the same tax on goods but that has very little to do with the price we pay. The EU do not dictate market prices, they don't even dictate taxes or VAT ...

We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U.

That's 100% wrong, UK companies just like their European equivalent negotiate their own contracts ... the only thing the EU customs union controls are import and export taxes, they have nothing at all to do with prices ....

You're saying exactly the same thing that I am saying. British firms are not being charged more because they are British. You know very well what I was saying about being part of the customs union, and paying the same prices for goods from companies inside the union.

Funny because I thought he was saying the same thing that I was saying?

You made out every country in the EU pays the same cost which is obviously wrong, we're not talking about just import tax we're talking about how much the product is when it hits the end customer.

[Luzh 22]

"fags & booze" are cheaper abroad, because their governments don't tax the fuq outta it. The base price is exactly the same.

Also "we buy at elevated prices from the EU on their goods." is utterly wrong. We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U. That's the whole point the E.U was set up for in the first place...

We don't even have the same currency as the EU, we might levy the same tax on goods but that has very little to do with the price we pay. The EU do not dictate market prices, they don't even dictate taxes or VAT ...

We are part of the customs union, we therefore pay the same prices as other European nations in the E.U.

That's 100% wrong, UK companies just like their European equivalent negotiate their own contracts ... the only thing the EU customs union controls are import and export taxes, they have nothing at all to do with prices ....

You're saying exactly the same thing that I am saying. British firms are not being charged more because they are British. You know very well what I was saying about being part of the customs union, and paying the same prices for goods from companies inside the union.

Funny because I thought he was saying the same thing that I was saying?

You made out every country in the EU pays the same cost which is obviously wrong, we're not talking about just import tax we're talking about how much the product is when it hits the end customer.

If the product is more expensive at the end customer, you're blaming it being more expensive for Brits, because "we get fleeced quite frankly" by the E.U? Am I correct in saying that's how you see it?

If Marlboro sell bulk cigarettes to a vendor who sells in both Britain and say Spain, and the British gov put 80% tax levy on those cigarettes, and Spain's gov put a 30% tax levy on those cigarettes, is it the E.U fleecing the British customers or the British gov?

[DiamondGooner]

If the product is more expensive at the end customer, you're blaming it being more expensive for Brits, because "we get fleeced quite frankly" by the E.U? Am I correct in saying that's how you see it?

If Marlboro sell bulk cigarettes to a vendor who sells in both Britain and say Spain, and the British gov put 80% tax levy on those cigarettes, and Spain's gov put a 30% tax levy on those cigarettes, is it the E.U fleecing the British customers or the British gov?

But I never said that so you jumped the gun.

I said we get fleeced in this country and we buy EU products at elevated prices.

............ and we do?

"We" as in us, the customers, I didn't say Britain pays elevated prices, I said we do......... hence my money goes further abroad comment.

Everyone know's we get taxed to sh*t and that our taxes are what separate us from lets say Gibraltar, I never once laid all of that on the door of the EU I was simply stating a fact and what sort of customer base we are, spend, spend, spend even whilst getting fleeced.

[UFGN]

When you go to Spain items such as Cadbury chocolate, imported beer and british branded breakfast cereals are much more expensive than they are here

Imported goods are always more expensive. We are at a disadvantage because we import a lot of our food including over half our fruit and veg.

[DiamondGooner]

When you go to Spain items such as Cadbury chocolate, imported beer and british branded breakfast cereals are much more expensive than they are here

Imported goods are always more expensive. We are at a disadvantage because we import a lot of our food including over half our fruit and veg.

I agree on all points except farming produce.

For a variety of reasons British farmers charge an arm and a leg more than Chicken from Thailand etc.

Likely due to very stringent taxes and running costs from having a farm in Britain compared to over there.

[Santi]

you also don't throw your guts up from our chicken

[EliteKiller]

There seems to be a lot of uninformed comment ... get your heads out off your arses and educate yourselves ...

Stuff is cheaper abroad because we pay more tax

Nice line but look at the facts .... EU VAT rates, the tax with by far the greatest impact on the greatest number of products ... for example VAT in 2017/18 generated 125 billion for the UK exchequer .... so are we the top VAT tax payer in Europe?

Finland 24%
Greece 24%
Ireland 23%
Portugal 23%
Italy 22%
Slovenia 22%
Belgium 21%
Latvia 21%
Lithuania 21%
Netherlands 21%
Spain 21%
Austria 20%
Estonia 20%
France 20%
Great Britain 20%
Slovakia 20%
Germany 19%
Romania 19%
Malta 18%
Luxembourg 17%

You might pick up some cheap fags and cheap booze but overall you will pay more sales tax in most EU countries than you will in the UK

[Luzh 22]

That's not the whole story though. In many E.U countries, they only pay VAT for over the counter sales, not in every step of the supply line like the UK. Britain also has many "special taxes" for certain products. For instance, fags get 20% VAT charge, and then another 18% special tax on top.


At one time, the UK put a special tax on tampons and sanitary towels too... Not sure if that's still a thing or not.

[EliteKiller]

That's not the whole story though. In many E.U countries, they only pay VAT for over the counter sales, not in every step of the supply line like the UK. Britain also has many "special taxes" for certain products. For instance, fags get 20% VAT charge, and then another 18% special tax on top.

At one time, the UK put a special tax on tampons and sanitary towels too... Not sure if that's still a thing or not.

Not going to argue ... go and look at the VAT tax take by country and you will see the total picture ... picking out 'fags' which make the UK government £9.7 billion in excise duty plus £2.6 billion in VAT is telling us what exactly? we spend five times that on smoking related diseases, from a financial viewpoint we should be taking smoking off the table completely, are you advocating fags should be cheaper?

No denying that the UK have the most expensive cigarettes in the EU ... but isn't that a good thing?

As for the "Tampon Tax" the UK has tried to get rid off it even going to the European Court, it's 100% the fault of the EU, and will remain even after Brexit until 2022, here's a clip from the media:

British women will be forced by Brussels to pay the hated tampon tax for at least another three years, despite Brexit and the EU finally moving to change rules that stopped the UK's attempt to remove the 5 per cent VAT rate on sanitary products.

The European Commission today launched long-overdue reforms to EU law that would let Britain put a 0 per cent rate on tampons but they will not come into force until January 2022 at the earliest. Current EU VAT rules ban a 0 per cent rate on products in its member countries unless the rate existed before the Brussels law.