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

[Castro]

	Quote:	fatmanfilms
	It just goes to show what happens on a level playing field.........

Lets not forget our pretty controversial performance-based funding system. In the last cycle, £275 million was spent predominantly on those sports and athletes likely to earn us the most medals e.g. cycling and rowing, whilst wrestling, basketball and other 'minority' sports battle for the scraps.

[fatmanfilms]

	Quote:	Castro
	Lets not forget our pretty controversial performance-based funding system. In the last cycle, £275 million was spent predominantly on those sports and athletes likely to earn us the most medals e.g. cycling and rowing, whilst wrestling, basketball and other 'minority' sports battle for the scraps.

So making investments that have a good chance of paying off, I like that as a starting point. The EU could learn a great deal from this.

[Urs Max]

	Quote:	fatmanfilms
	So making investments that have a good chance of paying off, I like that as a starting point. The EU could learn a great deal from this.

You don't get a successful elite without a very strong base, if you make sports a matter of medals vs broad participation both are likely to lose in the long run.

From the beeb last year, commenting on the 29% funding rise for UK Sports:
"However, community sport depends much more on local authority funding than it does on Sport England. And with a 24% cut to local government grant funding, non-statutory leisure budgets are bound to continue to dwindle."
"This is a crucial time for sports policy; participation rates have been falling, obesity is rising, and a new national sports strategy will be unveiled in the coming weeks"

[amogles]

	Quote:	Urs Max
	You don't get a successful elite without a very strong base, if you make sports a matter of medals vs broad participation both are likely to lose in the long run. From the beeb last year, commenting on the 29% funding rise for UK Sports: "However, community sport depends much more on local authority funding than it does on Sport England. And with a 24% cut to local government grant funding, non-statutory leisure budgets are bound to continue to dwindle." "This is a crucial time for sports policy; participation rates have been falling, obesity is rising, and a new national sports strategy will be unveiled in the coming weeks"

I am not convinced there is a direct link between child obesity and olympic medals.

But I like the idea of fostering grassroots sports and fitness activities, as well as a competitive spirit among young people.

Maybe regional level shows and tournaments would be a better tool here as your average kid might have a more realistic chance of actually being able to take part if they put in the extra effort.

[Medea Fleecestealer]

Which is why:

"ITV is switching off all seven of its channels for an hour to encourage people to get off their sofas and take part in sport following Team GB's Olympics success.

ITV will stop broadcasting from 09:30 on 27 August as part of the I Am Team GB campaign.

The move, organised with the National Lottery, will also see thousands of sports clubs open to let people try new sports for free.

Olympic medallists, including long jumper Greg Rutherford, will take part.

The Bank Holiday weekend event is part of the celebrations to welcome home Team GB from the Rio Olympics."

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-37116263

[Medea Fleecestealer]

The Swiss seem pretty happy about it all.

http://www.thelocal.ch/20160822/surv...-brexit-effect

	Quote:	Don Molina
	First analogy is sensationalist, out of touch with reality, and obviously exaggerating for effect. Nice going!

Point remains valid though. Saying we don't know what will happen was the worst argument for remaining in the EU. Fortunately the voters saw right through it.

	Quote:	Don Molina
	Also, why is it difficult to equate countries to citizens? Again, the argument is basically "no contribution = no vote". Which is insane, because entities do not vote equally because they contribute equally. They vote equally because they are respected as equals on the principle of isonomy. Which is kind of a major thing in democracy. Funny how supporters of BREXIT accuse the EU of being undemocratic and ask undemocratic measures at the same time

If the population of Bulgaria was the same as the UK or Germany then you may have had a point. Under the current system they are more than equals. This isn't democracy.

	Quote:	Don Molina
	If you really believe that the Greeks's problems come in any way from the EU, you have zero idea about Greece and its plights. The Greeks have ONLY themselves to blame for most (if not all) of what is happening and every election just solidifies the fact. The EU (and the rest) might not be totally helpful, but Greece without the EU would be in a hugely worse position over the last 30 years.

I guess by this logic the American public were also ONLY to blame that Lehman brothers went bust?

The EU together with th IMF (and the Greek government) are quite happy to leave Greek children with a debt they can never possibly pay off.

[Urs Max]

	Quote:	amogles
	I am not convinced there is a direct link between child obesity and olympic medals. But I like the idea of fostering grassroots sports and fitness activities, as well as a competitive spirit among young people. Maybe regional level shows and tournaments would be a better tool here as your average kid might have a more realistic chance of actually being able to take part if they put in the extra effort.

Where does my post say or imply so? Note that the quotes are about community sport.

	Quote:	Jim2007
	The point is that they have already appointed their negotiator and they have more experience of trade negotiations than the UK at this stage. This was in response to your question as to how they would negotiate. The Commission is response for the negotiation stage on the EU side and they have already have had several meetings with the member states to get a feel for what will fly. We already know: - Spain expects movement on Gibraltar - Ireland will not accept an international border on the island of Ireland - Norway will veto a UK membership of EFTA - Neither France nor Denmark want to agree to anything that would require a referendum We can expect that the commission's main objective will be to preserve the union and from that point of view I can't see much more that WTO rules coming out of any agreement unless the UK is willing to be very flexible. I had thought EFTA/EEA might having been an option, but with Norway's stance that seems unlikely now.

which sort of ties into my statement that the UK is being underplayed. We know possible facts from the EU side, but we don't know what the UK will do, they are still organising their strategy. For me this is the best way to do it. Trying to intimidate doesn't work. If it continues as it is now with surprising positive news coming out, then the UK position becomes stronger.

Also the fact that came out of the debates that the net result that comes with BREXIT is the status quo, then how can you lose?

[marton]

	Quote:	Zurichowl
	which sort of ties into my statement that the UK is being underplayed. We know possible facts from the EU side, but we don't know what the UK will do, they are still organising their strategy. For me this is the best way to do it. Trying to intimidate doesn't work. If it continues as it is now with surprising positive news coming out, then the UK position becomes stronger. Also the fact that came out of the debates that the net result that comes with BREXIT is the status quo, then how can you lose?

"the net result that comes with BREXIT is the status quo, then how can you lose" Well when UK leaves the EU even if everything else should stay the same (access to single market with FMOP etc. ) then the minimum we will lose is the ability to vote on (or veto) EU new rules or rule changes. So yes we will lose.

And some are still pushing for an EU army. Why on earth does the EU need an army? Another reason to be happy the UK is heading out.

https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/s...32959781322752

[rainer_d]

	Quote:	Loz1983
	And some are still pushing for an EU army. Why on earth does the EU need an army? Another reason to be happy the UK is heading out. https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/s...32959781322752

My history teacher once told us that aides to Joseph Stalin had warned him about messing too much with the Catholic Church.
Stalin in return asked the (rethorical) question: "And how many divisions does the Vatican have?".

So, the reason the EU wants its own army is that without an army, you're not taken seriously.

The reality is, of course, that nobody takes the EU for serious, regardless - not having its own army isn't the key-reason for that.

And the army would probably (and on purpose) be weaker than even the army of the weakest of its member states....

	Quote:	rainer_d
	My history teacher once told us that aides to Joseph Stalin had warned him about messing too much with the Catholic Church. Stalin in return asked the (rethorical) question: "And how many divisions does the Vatican have?". So, the reason the EU wants its own army is that without an army, you're not taken seriously. The reality is, of course, that nobody takes the EU for serious, regardless - not having its own army isn't the key-reason for that. And the army would probably (and on purpose) be weaker than even the army of the weakest of its member states....

I'm of the opinion that an army should only be needed for defending your borders. Which is yet another reason I like Switzerland. Judging from what happened last year, the EU has little interest in defending it's borders.

If you want to be taken seriously, you can always develop nukes.

	Quote:	marton
	"the net result that comes with BREXIT is the status quo, then how can you lose" Well when UK leaves the EU even if everything else should stay the same (access to single market with FMOP etc. ) then the minimum we will lose is the ability to vote on (or veto) EU new rules or rule changes. So yes we will lose.

I don't really see that as a loss, as it's a natural result of what we've done and it was never on the table to leave and keep influence.

You influence in other indirect ways by how well you are doing, how attractive you are as a trading/business entity and the like, which will also apply to Europe.

[rainer_d]

	Quote:	Loz1983
	I'm of the opinion that an army should only be needed for defending your borders. Which is yet another reason I like Switzerland. Judging from what happened last year, the EU has little interest in defending it's borders. If you want to be taken seriously, you can always develop nukes.

Not really. That would create more problems than it would solve.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty...uclear_Weapons

[marton]

	Quote:	Loz1983
	Why on earth does the EU need an army?

	Quote:	Loz1983
	Judging from what happened last year, the EU has little interest in defending it's borders.

You seem to have answered your own question

Top trolling from Guido Fawkes, as usual:



http://order-order.com/2016/08/22/empire-would-beat-eu/

[marton]

Queen accidentally beheads Boris Johnson during knighting ceremony!
Source

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	Loz1983
	Why on earth does the EU need an army?

To distance itself from the war mongering we've seen from the USA in recent times might be a good enough reason, esp. should "The Donald" make it.

[Urs Max]

	Quote:	marton
	Queen accidentally beheads Boris Johnson during knighting ceremony! Source

How would they know for sure it was accidental?