The Brexit referendum thread: potential consequences for GB, EU and the Brits in CH

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	marton
	Rockall is part of the United Kingdom.

That would be a no!

And pity the poor Irish & Royal Navy ratings that get dispatched ever so often to establish a ‘presence’ on the stupid thing

[marton]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	That would be a no! And pity the poor Irish & Royal Navy ratings that get dispatched ever so often to establish a ‘presence’ on the stupid thing

According to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Rockall is in the UK.

The Irish Govt., along with others, does not agree.

[JackieH]

I've lived in the UK for 2/3rd of my life, all my adult working life actually. And only get my British work and State pension as I have never worked in CH- I was just a kid when I left here, and retired when I came back - with my children and grand-children in the UK- so NO, thanks.

How long did you live in the UK and when, that makes you an expert? I guess you only gave up your American citizenship to stop paying tax.

[Urs Max]

	Quote:	JackieH
	I've lived in the UK for 2/3rd of my life, all my adult working life actually. And only get my British work and State pension as I have never worked in CH- I was just a kid when I left here, and retired when I came back - with my children and grand-children in the UK- so NO, thanks. How long did you live in the UK and when, that makes you an expert? I guess you only gave up your American citizenship to stop paying tax.

No need for a pissing contest.

Please stay on topic.

[st2lemans]

	Quote:	JackieH
	I guess you only gave up your American citizenship to stop paying tax.

I stopped paying US tax when I moved here, though I did fill out forms to show that I owed no tax until I gave it up, as it brought no benefits whatsoever, just wasting my time to fill out useless forms.

Giving it up was the only thing that the US embassy ever did for me for free.

US citizenship is useless, should have avoided the paperwork by giving it up immediately upon becoming Swiss.

Tom

[st2lemans]

	Quote:	JackieH
	I guess you only gave up your American citizenship to stop paying tax.

What tax?

Tom

[bowlie]

	Quote:	urs max
	no need for a pissing contest. Please stay on topic.

+1

[greenmount]

	Quote:	Urs Max
	No need for a pissing contest. Please stay on topic.

Your order includes st2lemans too? Or just JackieH?

It is a fairly decent pissing contest. Let's let both sides vent, not only one. Otherwise we're hypocrites.

[bowlie]

	Quote:	greenmount
	Your order includes st2lemans too? Or just JackieH? It is a fairly decent pissing contest. Let's let both sides vent, not only one. Otherwise we're hypocrites.

All pissers of all races, genders, heights, sexual orientation, and everything else.

[greenmount]

	Quote:	bowlie
	All pissers of all races, genders, heights, sexual orientation, and everything else.

We don't discriminate any pissers.

We welcome all.

[Ato]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	The Republic of Ireland is the named of a football team not a state. The name of the state is Ireland or Eire in Gaelic. The British government normal refers to it as Eire so as not to upset Unionists.

That's some quick thinking by the football team to name themselves after some rubbish the Oireachtas had a chat about in 1948, something about being a republic or something.

[greenmount]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	The Republic of Ireland is the named of a football team not a state.

They should have called themselves Tír na nÓg. I mean the football team.

(before everyone starts booing and throwing empty cans I should confess: I don't watch football!)

[curley]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	Tom, frankly you have not got a clue! The beauty of the current arrangement is that it allows Unionists to pretend that they are still part of a strong union with Great Britain while Republicans can pretend they live in a United Ireland. A Unionist and a Republican can go into a post office in NI, ask for a passport application and walk out with two different forms (usually the assistant can tell by the accent which form to hand out: Irish or UK). Everyone in NI is a dual citizen so they can be whatever they want to be and by extension they are all EU citizens. The border commission of 1921 never completed their work so there is no agreed physical border. In the 80s we used to patrol this none existed border and when you encounter a British patrol the big debate between the officers was if we were on the right side of the imaginary line. Since no one knew the usual conclusion was to return to barracks and pretend the encounter never happened! That is how far from reality the border is. To allow the EU and the UK to meet their trade agreements under WTO rules there must be a functioning border and as bad as it is the Irish Sea is the only solution because trying to survey and officially agree the land border would be an even bigger can of worms to open up. I don’t know of any other border where all the citizens of a third state are also citizens of the EU. Everyone in NI still retain the same rights as before BREXIT, the still get EU health cards, participate in the Rasmussen program etc... , It is not remotely like the CH/EU situation.

Me neither and it looks a bit like nobody really does?

However, thanks for that, it gave onlookers a glimpse. On the other hand, I've never been to Belfast but they say, the "non-existing border" is marked clearly by a wall? "Peace wall" - not even DDR thought of such a name for their wall. LOL.

I must say, all these complications are fascinating and I'm sure it drives the EU absolutely crazy.

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	Ato
	That's some quick thinking by the football team to name themselves after some rubbish the Oireachtas had a chat about in 1948, something about being a republic or something.

The Oireachtas are free to debate whatever they like, but they are subservient to the constitution which was enacted by the people and can only be amended by the people. And Article 4 of the Constitution of Ireland, adopted in 1937, provides that "the name of the State is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland".

Since 1949 the Republic of Ireland Act has provided that the Republic of Ireland (or Poblacht na hÉireann in Irish) is the official description for the state. However, Ireland remains the constitutional name of the state.

[amogles]

	Quote:	JackieH
	I've lived in the UK for 2/3rd of my life, all my adult working life actually. And only get my British work and State pension as I have never worked in CH- I was just a kid when I left here, and retired when I came back - with my children and grand-children in the UK- so NO, thanks. How long did you live in the UK and when, that makes you an expert? I guess you only gave up your American citizenship to stop paying tax.

Does spending more time in a country make you a better citizen?

Which would mean that by implication immigrants are second class citizens.

Does paying more tax make you a better citizen?

Which would by implication mean the poor are second class citizens.

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	curley
	I must say, all these complications are fascinating and I'm sure it drives the EU absolutely crazy.

Crazy was when British diplomats used to refer to Eire in their discussions at EU meets as many other diplomats had not a clue what state they were referring to.

[amogles]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	Since 1949 the Republic of Ireland Act has provided that the Republic of Ireland (or Poblacht na hÉireann in Irish) is the official description for the state. However, Ireland remains the constitutional name of the state.

The term republic is however commonly used to avoid ambiguity in situations where it makes a difference whether the speaker is referring to the geographical island of Ireland or to the country.

People professing allegiance to the republic often even call themselves republicans. So it's hardly a dirty word.

[amogles]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	Crazy was when British diplomats used to refer to Eire in their discussions at EU meets as many other diplomats had not a clue what state they were referring to.

Some EU diplomats continue to confuse the UK and England to this day. Even Merkel has said England.

And anyway, the naming confusion only helped prepare them for Cyprus, Macedonia etc etc.

[marton]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	Tom, frankly you have not got a clue! The beauty of the current arrangement is that it allows Unionists to pretend that they are still part of a strong union with Great Britain while Republicans can pretend they live in a United Ireland. A Unionist and a Republican can go into a post office in NI, ask for a passport application and walk out with two different forms (usually the assistant can tell by the accent which form to hand out: Irish or UK). Everyone in NI is a dual citizen so they can be whatever they want to be and by extension they are all EU citizens. The border commission of 1921 never completed their work so there is no agreed physical border. In the 80s we used to patrol this none existed border and when you encounter a British patrol the big debate between the officers was if we were on the right side of the imaginary line. Since no one knew the usual conclusion was to return to barracks and pretend the encounter never happened! That is how far from reality the border is. To allow the EU and the UK to meet their trade agreements under WTO rules there must be a functioning border and as bad as it is the Irish Sea is the only solution because trying to survey and officially agree the land border would be an even bigger can of worms to open up. I don’t know of any other border where all the citizens of a third state are also citizens of the EU. Everyone in NI still retain the same rights as before BREXIT, the still get EU health cards, participate in the Rasmussen program etc... It is not remotely like the CH/EU situation.

Will be interesting to see how the Gibraltar situation is finalised.

[greenmount]

	Quote:	amogles
	Some EU diplomats continue to confuse the UK and England to this day. Even Merkel has said England.

Nothing surprises anymore. Maybe they were thinking of football teams?