What does BREXIT mean to Americans traveling to UK
Feb 1st, 2019, 07:50 AM
#61
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As neither a misogynist nor a bigot I can only view Theresa May as one of the most incompetent leaders this country has had. It makes her appalling tenure as Home Secretary look positively golden.
Feb 1st, 2019, 08:20 AM
#62
The queues at JFK Immigration for US Passport holders is just as bad, if not worse, than the queues for US Passport holders at LHR.
These are busy airports. Also depends on time and day. If you were to fly into JFK on a Friday night, you would stand in an Immigration queue for over an hour.
Stop being so daft.
Thin🕵️
These are busy airports. Also depends on time and day. If you were to fly into JFK on a Friday night, you would stand in an Immigration queue for over an hour.
Stop being so daft.
Thin🕵️
Feb 1st, 2019, 10:23 AM
#64
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Theresa May’s problem is that she has had to lead.
Lead a split country.
Lead a nation split into “countries”with their own agenda.
Lead a party which is split.
Lead a parliament which is split not down party whipped lines but a hotchpotch of personal views which generally don’t represent those of the constitutents which they represent.
By constrast, Corbin proposes a custom union which is only possible with a free movement of labour and citizens which wasn’t what we as a country voted for.
In fact, the only stopping May deal going through is the backstop. I have absolutely no idea why she brought it back in the form it’s in. Why would we sign up for an arrangement which the EU have to authorise us to leave?
The whole process is being ransomed by 1.9 million Northern Irish,
We should just leave.
If we need a border between our sovereign state and the EU, lets have one. If 1.9 m N Irish don’t like it let THEM have a referendum to decide what they want to do.
If criminals in Northern Ireland feel that disrupts their activities and their cross border drugs dealing and start to threaten “political” violence. Just use the EU contributions we will not be making to build a lot more prisons,
Besides the project fear about no deal is just inane. We decide if we want to apply incoming tariffs on day one. If we are charged tarrifs then the fall in the value of the pound will cover the 4% to 10% on most goods.
There is nothing stopping us from agreeing a zero tariff arrangement with the EU under GATT for a short term period. Until the EU realise we are agreeing preferential trade deals with 3rd parties, there isn’t a change from the current position.
Can we leave now.....
Lead a split country.
Lead a nation split into “countries”with their own agenda.
Lead a party which is split.
Lead a parliament which is split not down party whipped lines but a hotchpotch of personal views which generally don’t represent those of the constitutents which they represent.
By constrast, Corbin proposes a custom union which is only possible with a free movement of labour and citizens which wasn’t what we as a country voted for.
In fact, the only stopping May deal going through is the backstop. I have absolutely no idea why she brought it back in the form it’s in. Why would we sign up for an arrangement which the EU have to authorise us to leave?
The whole process is being ransomed by 1.9 million Northern Irish,
We should just leave.
If we need a border between our sovereign state and the EU, lets have one. If 1.9 m N Irish don’t like it let THEM have a referendum to decide what they want to do.
If criminals in Northern Ireland feel that disrupts their activities and their cross border drugs dealing and start to threaten “political” violence. Just use the EU contributions we will not be making to build a lot more prisons,
Besides the project fear about no deal is just inane. We decide if we want to apply incoming tariffs on day one. If we are charged tarrifs then the fall in the value of the pound will cover the 4% to 10% on most goods.
There is nothing stopping us from agreeing a zero tariff arrangement with the EU under GATT for a short term period. Until the EU realise we are agreeing preferential trade deals with 3rd parties, there isn’t a change from the current position.
Can we leave now.....
Feb 1st, 2019, 02:22 PM
#65
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,667
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not terribly clear what point janisj's making. But let's be clear:
1. There was a Millennium Bug. It hurt few people worldwide because millions of people did things before 1/1/2000 to ensure no-one would get hurt. The downside was probably exaggerated - but there were still real risks.
2. The damage certain from a "no-deal" Brexit on March 29 is immense. So catastrophic to Ireland (North and South) serious terrorist-inspired incidents are practically guaranteed (the outright psychopaths among the Irish Republicans let off their first warning bomb on January 19). Almost as bad to mainland Great Britain, but probably having no similar effect on public order. Serious consequent effects on the economies of most EU and EEA members as well.
3. The damage is certain because, unlike the Millennium Bug, there haven't been millions of people working on avoiding the problems for the past five years. The Brexiteer lunatic fringe promised us (and Mrs May) they'd negotiate deals with the EU to avoid the problems. They didn't - though it's not yet clear whether that's because the Brexiteer lunatic fringe were too lazy, too incompetent, too stupid or just paid by Putin not to. Probably a mixture of all four.
4. All of which is so awful it's virtually certain there won't be a "no-deal" Brexit on March 29. Mrs May will force the Brexit lunatic fringe into submission, or we'll postpone leaving. And for non-European travellers, worrying about it is as pointless as worrying Britain will be closed because of blizzards.
Indeed, because blizzards can still happen at the end of March, and we're always crap at managing their effect, it's far, far, likelier Americans travelling to Britain will be affected by blizzards at the end of March than by Brexit. Actually: it's probably likelier they'll be affected by plagues of locusts or mass epidemics of boils.
With the most creative and ruthless head of government we've had since Elizabeth 1 (now watch all those misogynist anti-May bigots have their heart attacks), all shall be well (by March 30), and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.
As May's predecessor among insightful English female commentators put it
1. There was a Millennium Bug. It hurt few people worldwide because millions of people did things before 1/1/2000 to ensure no-one would get hurt. The downside was probably exaggerated - but there were still real risks.
2. The damage certain from a "no-deal" Brexit on March 29 is immense. So catastrophic to Ireland (North and South) serious terrorist-inspired incidents are practically guaranteed (the outright psychopaths among the Irish Republicans let off their first warning bomb on January 19). Almost as bad to mainland Great Britain, but probably having no similar effect on public order. Serious consequent effects on the economies of most EU and EEA members as well.
3. The damage is certain because, unlike the Millennium Bug, there haven't been millions of people working on avoiding the problems for the past five years. The Brexiteer lunatic fringe promised us (and Mrs May) they'd negotiate deals with the EU to avoid the problems. They didn't - though it's not yet clear whether that's because the Brexiteer lunatic fringe were too lazy, too incompetent, too stupid or just paid by Putin not to. Probably a mixture of all four.
4. All of which is so awful it's virtually certain there won't be a "no-deal" Brexit on March 29. Mrs May will force the Brexit lunatic fringe into submission, or we'll postpone leaving. And for non-European travellers, worrying about it is as pointless as worrying Britain will be closed because of blizzards.
Indeed, because blizzards can still happen at the end of March, and we're always crap at managing their effect, it's far, far, likelier Americans travelling to Britain will be affected by blizzards at the end of March than by Brexit. Actually: it's probably likelier they'll be affected by plagues of locusts or mass epidemics of boils.
With the most creative and ruthless head of government we've had since Elizabeth 1 (now watch all those misogynist anti-May bigots have their heart attacks), all shall be well (by March 30), and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.
As May's predecessor among insightful English female commentators put it
Feb 4th, 2019, 12:51 PM
#66
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,896
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had wanted to go to Scotland this spring and have held off on buying tickets. Brexit has been a big factor.
I would weigh in on the Millennium Bug: if you don't work in IT or engineering, you have no idea how much work was done to fix that code. This was an example where the warning actually worked. All the right people listened and took action. Also, unlike Brexit, there was never really debate about how to solve the problem. The answer was clear. Replace the code.
People were desperate to hire contractors who were good at COBOL. Just one example: An older engineer we knew was especially in demand because he'd written COBOL for decades. He worked his fulltime job and was working close to another 40 hours in contract work. Given that he had kids in college to pay for, he was glad to do it.
A better comparison with Brexit would be the threat of the Cascadia earthquake. For those who don't know, the U.S. Pacific Northwest has been identified as very overdue for a massive 9.0 earthquake. And the I-5 bridge over the Columbia is expected to collapse. It's old--half of it was built in 1917. Replacing it is a big project, the federal government committed funding. Oregon committed funding. Then various groups in Vancouver, Washington held the process hostage. Some did not want the bridge too high so that small planes could continue to take off from a historic airfield. Many others did not want mass transit. And so after a lot of wrangling, the state of Washington voted not to pay. The federal money commitment has expired. But the threat of an earthquake has not gone away. The clock is ticking.
I would weigh in on the Millennium Bug: if you don't work in IT or engineering, you have no idea how much work was done to fix that code. This was an example where the warning actually worked. All the right people listened and took action. Also, unlike Brexit, there was never really debate about how to solve the problem. The answer was clear. Replace the code.
People were desperate to hire contractors who were good at COBOL. Just one example: An older engineer we knew was especially in demand because he'd written COBOL for decades. He worked his fulltime job and was working close to another 40 hours in contract work. Given that he had kids in college to pay for, he was glad to do it.
A better comparison with Brexit would be the threat of the Cascadia earthquake. For those who don't know, the U.S. Pacific Northwest has been identified as very overdue for a massive 9.0 earthquake. And the I-5 bridge over the Columbia is expected to collapse. It's old--half of it was built in 1917. Replacing it is a big project, the federal government committed funding. Oregon committed funding. Then various groups in Vancouver, Washington held the process hostage. Some did not want the bridge too high so that small planes could continue to take off from a historic airfield. Many others did not want mass transit. And so after a lot of wrangling, the state of Washington voted not to pay. The federal money commitment has expired. But the threat of an earthquake has not gone away. The clock is ticking.
Mar 7th, 2019, 09:25 AM
#68
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,325
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'Until the EU realise we are agreeing preferential trade deals with 3rd parties'
Which countries would that be, BritishCaicos? The list so far is impressive. Glad the Faroe Islands are on board.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47213842
Which countries would that be, BritishCaicos? The list so far is impressive. Glad the Faroe Islands are on board.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47213842
Mar 7th, 2019, 09:30 AM
#69
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,046
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't forget the great offer from the US.
Mar 14th, 2019, 11:13 AM
#70
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyone who delayed their trip to the UK thinking Brexit would happen on March 29th ... guess what? 
Mar 14th, 2019, 11:15 AM
#71
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
could be Mar 29 but what year?
Mar 15th, 2019, 12:03 AM
#72
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As I forecast elsewhere (https://www.fodors.com/community/fod...ament-1664671/) the smart money is now on Brexit never really happening.
To be exact: it's as likely as HS2 (the high speed railway from London to Manchester), a third Heathrow runway, the successful trialling of Elan Musk's hyperloop nonsense, the building of Trump's Wall or Amazon ever making a profit.
I'm even tempted to bet that by the end of 2020 most of us will wonder how anyone ever really thought any of these stood an earthly.
To be exact: it's as likely as HS2 (the high speed railway from London to Manchester), a third Heathrow runway, the successful trialling of Elan Musk's hyperloop nonsense, the building of Trump's Wall or Amazon ever making a profit.
I'm even tempted to bet that by the end of 2020 most of us will wonder how anyone ever really thought any of these stood an earthly.
Mar 15th, 2019, 09:58 AM
#73
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,971
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It is not like that anymore, you use kiosks unless a) it's your first trip to the US with an ESTA b) you choose to not use the kiosks or c) you've tried to use the kiosk and it has printed a slip of paper with an X. The kiosk takes the fingerprints and photo and asks the stupid questions but it is a lot quicker than standing in lines as you used to have to do.
Mar 15th, 2019, 10:14 AM
#74
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,046
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flanner you assume the EU 27 are happy to provide a long extension to Article 50. I'm not sure they will be happy with a rolling no-deal threat, so unless there is the promise of elections or a new referendum (already voted down) I wouldn't like to say if they will unanimously agree to a long extension.
When even staunch UK supporters like the Netherlands are sick of the whole thing nothing is certain.
When even staunch UK supporters like the Netherlands are sick of the whole thing nothing is certain.
Mar 15th, 2019, 12:29 PM
#76
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,046
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yesterday.
Mar 15th, 2019, 11:58 PM
#78
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A new referendum wasn't really voted down on Thursday March 14. In a complicated set of proposed amendments, the Labour party instructed its MPs to vote against a commitment to a new referendum. Labour, officially, would prefer a new election and Thursday really wasn't the time to commit to a referendum - which many of us think would prolong the divisiveness, not stop it.
The reality today (March 16) is that it's virtually certain Britain will remain in the EU for at least a few months after March 29. If Parliament agrees Mrs May's deal (which means that, for non-EU citizens, transport and border controls into Britain will be unchanged) in the next week or so, we'll leave after all the necessary legislation is passed - probably in May or June.
If Parliament doesn't agree her deal, heitismij is largely right: Britain will probably be given a year or so to sort itself out, as long as it agrees to hold a new referendum and/or new elections.
Personally, I believe that's what Mrs May has been cunningly plotting to achieve, and we'll end up with the electorate endorsing our adopting much the same semi-detached relationship with the EU that Norway has. And a new Tory government: this time cast in a mould created by Mrs May, not the one created by George Osborne and his corrupt cronies that's caused most of our problems for the past ten years.
The reality today (March 16) is that it's virtually certain Britain will remain in the EU for at least a few months after March 29. If Parliament agrees Mrs May's deal (which means that, for non-EU citizens, transport and border controls into Britain will be unchanged) in the next week or so, we'll leave after all the necessary legislation is passed - probably in May or June.
If Parliament doesn't agree her deal, heitismij is largely right: Britain will probably be given a year or so to sort itself out, as long as it agrees to hold a new referendum and/or new elections.
Personally, I believe that's what Mrs May has been cunningly plotting to achieve, and we'll end up with the electorate endorsing our adopting much the same semi-detached relationship with the EU that Norway has. And a new Tory government: this time cast in a mould created by Mrs May, not the one created by George Osborne and his corrupt cronies that's caused most of our problems for the past ten years.
Mar 16th, 2019, 03:14 AM
#79
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,925
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Optimist. To get to that point she'd have to go back on all the "red lines" she proclaimed at the outset, terminally cheesing off both the headbangers and the "soft-to-no Brexit" side of her party (who would point out we could have had that from the outset without wasting all this time).
Even if sheer inanition lets her leadership stumble on, a new election is just as likely to produce another minority government, and possibly a revived UKIP or UKIP-light riding into parliament on the anti-immigration wave that would be whipped up by having to accept the free movement principle in a Norway--style deal.
Even if sheer inanition lets her leadership stumble on, a new election is just as likely to produce another minority government, and possibly a revived UKIP or UKIP-light riding into parliament on the anti-immigration wave that would be whipped up by having to accept the free movement principle in a Norway--style deal.
Mar 16th, 2019, 04:07 AM
#80
The UK is not allowed to conclude ANY trade deals until after the formal departure starts. The four deals above are not concluded, because it would be illegal to do so.
Interesting to note that Italy has illegally just agreed a deal with China which has got Brussels in a tis, "what to do, oh my hairs and whiskers".
Interesting to note that Italy has illegally just agreed a deal with China which has got Brussels in a tis, "what to do, oh my hairs and whiskers".
