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Apparently he's going to do all he can to stop it, it's a vote for war and Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland should all form a federation to stay in the EU. Good luck with that.
Ironically, he says he spent 30 years dealing with the EU and it's a bureaucratic mess. Well here's the news, that's why people voted to leave it. Not that the UK bureaucrats/politicians are any better, but at least we can rattle their cages.
-- Edited by ArrGee on Thursday 16th of March 2017 09:08:04 AM
Apparently he's going to do all he can to stop it, it's a vote for war and Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland should all form a federation to stay in the EU. Good luck with that.
Ironically, he says he spent 30 years dealing with the EU and it's a bureaucratic mess. Well here's the news, that's why people voted to leave it. Not that the UK bureaucrats/politicians are any better, but at least we can rattle their cages.
-- Edited by ArrGee on Thursday 16th of March 2017 09:08:04 AM
Hear hear! Fed up of Nicola Sturgeon, the Block Brexit Corporation (BBC) and Bob (and others) thinking they can stop or reverse the democratic will of the people. We're leaving. Article 50 bill has received Royal Assent, now May just needs to trigger it.
Bob should concentrate on the new recordings rather than Brexit and boats on the Thames. It irritates many and leaves him open to the request to return to southern Ireland if the EU is so wonderful.
Most don't want that, so he should concentrate on what he does best and anti-Brexit posturing is not it. And please spare us 'Back to before Boomtown Brexit '
Most don't want that, so he should concentrate on what he does best and anti-Brexit posturing is not it. And please spare us 'Back to before Boomtown Brexit '
I would suspect that many Geldof/Rats fans fit the Brexit demographic (white middle aged non-graduate working class), so who is he trying to impress? His boat antics probably swung a few neutrals into voting Leave. Glad for him to do everything democratically he can to stop Brexit. His campaigning should seal the deal (or no deal).
A few weeks ago I went to see Richard Hawley who said something on stage about the tw@ts who voted for Brexit. The response from the white middle aged tw@ts (self included) was muted. Hawley quickly started his next song. Interestingly the overtly political Paul Weller who was the support didn't mention it.
My advice to musicians who want to preach from the pulpit is to remember that over 50% of those that voted voted to leave, and they bought the tickets to see you on stage. Maybe they won't buy any tickets next time around. And if you still have plenty of tickets left for your gig next week is it wise to be on TV giving them stick for a difference in opinion?
... leaves him open to the request to return to southern Ireland if the EU is so wonderful.
Many of those that want to stay in the EU can. About 10% of mainland British Citizens have at least one Irish grandparent or parent so they can get an Irish passport. Everyone born in Northern Ireland is entitled to one as well. Add in numerous other second and third generation immigrants with a similar entitlement and it wouldn't surprise me if the majority of British Citizens could remain in the EU. They could sell up and go somewhere else and pay their taxes to finance the gravy train and bail out the Greeks (and most likely the Italians with others to follow). However doubt they would get a job with the chronic unemployment in many parts of the EU. Especially give how poor most Brits are speaking a foreign language. The rich only want the UK to stay in the EU so they can pay peanuts to builders, cleaners and au pairs. Easy for the rich to talk about voting for war whilst the majority end up living in streets full of HMO houses for the cheap labour the rich desire. Out of interest, did any Syrians move in with the Geldofs?
"I'm prepared I'm lucky, I've a place in Kent and a flat in London me and (partner) Jeanne would be prepared to take three families immediately in our place in Kent and a family in our flat in London, immediately, and put them up until such time as they can get going and get a purchase on their future."
As a Brexit Tw@t, I have every intention of getting my Irish passport so I can go and retire to Portugal. I will campaign for Porexit once I get residency I don't hate Europe, I hate the EU.
Most don't want that, so he should concentrate on what he does best and anti-Brexit posturing is not it. And please spare us 'Back to before Boomtown Brexit '
I would suspect that many Geldof/Rats fans fit the Brexit demographic (white middle aged non-graduate working class), so who is he trying to impress? His boat antics probably swung a few neutrals into voting Leave. Glad for him to do everything democratically he can to stop Brexit. His campaigning should seal the deal (or no deal).
A few weeks ago I went to see Richard Hawley who said something on stage about the tw@ts who voted for Brexit. The response from the white middle aged tw@ts (self included) was muted. Hawley quickly started his next song. Interestingly the overtly political Paul Weller who was the support didn't mention it.
My advice to musicians who want to preach from the pulpit is to remember that over 50% of those that voted voted to leave, and they bought the tickets to see you on stage. Maybe they won't buy any tickets next time around. And if you still have plenty of tickets left for your gig next week is it wise to be on TV giving it them stick for a difference in opinion?
I think it was Suss a while back who first brought up this very interesting question.Can you like/support an artist/band whose politics you do not agree with? Personally I don't like being lectered to by pop stars of any ilk. Politically I'm fairly middle of the road, not too left or too right wing in my views.
Great summation btw of pop stars as preachers, and articulates what many of us believe.Really well written and to the point. I'm sure Geldof has lost some ticket sales due to his political stances encompassing views on Brexit, Scottish independence and other contentious and devisive issue down the years. Wisdom suggests he will not change so it's a matter of realising that's how he is and giving credit for the songs he has written.Luckily so far there are very few preachy political l songs in his cannon.
I think it was Suss a while back who first brought up this very interesting question.Can you like/support an artist/band whose politics you do not agree with? Personally I don't like being lectered to by pop stars of any ilk. Politically I'm fairly middle of the road, not too left or too right wing in my views.
Yes. You can. Geldof, Elvis Costello and Paul Weller all have political beliefs that I don't share, but I will go and see them. The annoying thing about the Richard Hawley comments is that it was a War Child benefit gig that people had paid a lot of money to attend and then he starts up with his bullsh!t views on Brexit. Why didn't he talk about the great work War Child do as a charity rather than calling over half the audience tw@ts because they have a different opinion?
My politics are more like no politics. I have an dislike of political interference. Geldof spoke about Boris being the worst Mayor of London, well in my opinion there shouldn't be a Mayor of London at all. A pointless sinecure that was only ressurected for the benfit of Red Ken Livingstone. All you need is a local and a national government doing what is necessary, the rest is jobs for the boys.
Why are there quangos with executives earning six figure salaries? Why are there over 600 MPs ? And 750 MEPs? Why are so much of our taxes spend funding gold plated civil servant pensions? For some councils, 30% (and rising) of their tax take is spent on pensions! HMRC sent me a breakdown of expenditure of my tax and NIC recently but it didn't break out the running costs such as paying NHS pen pushers six figure salaries.
(I should stop, but...)
I remember how all the "experts" told us how terrible things would be economically in the aftermath of voting to leave, yet incredibly stock markets are rising [U.K. stocks stood out as one of the few bright spots in Europe in 2016] and unemployment is falling. So how the fcuk was that an act of self harm? And Geldof going on about borders, well that is really surprising because as a well travelled man surely he would know the UK still has a border and customs checks. And as for the bit about travelling around Europe looking for work, going back to people's places and staying a week, is that any sort of justification for staying in the EU? As I remember he worked in Canada without a visa. Canada isn't in The EU.
What I don't understand is why those who want Scottish independence like wee Jimmy Krankie (aka Nicola Sturgeon) want to be in a bigger union with less say?
Yes agreed Arrgee, I used to go and watch U2 , in the early days fine but a couple of years in and Bono was spouting off about politics and loads of religious crap, but the music was great.
Yes agreed Arrgee, I used to go and watch U2 , in the early days fine but a couple of years in and Bono was spouting off about politics and loads of religious crap, but the music was great.
I think Geldof is brilliant at his passport job (as he puts it) and the Rats have been a major positive aspect of my life so I will always be grateful for that. But I am not blinkered and star struck so as to worship everything he does and says. Surely we're all old enough and daft enough to 'multi-task' our thoughts?
George Osborne, who promised us a 'punishment' budget if we dared to vote leave, now thinks he can be an MP and the Editor of the London Standard. I don't know how he'll have the time for both jobs, but I hope he devotes some time to his first editorial detailing how well we have performed as a country in the aftermath of a 'Yes' vote.
George Osborne, who promised us a 'punishment' budget if we dared to vote leave, now thinks he can be an MP and the Editor of the London Standard. I don't know how he'll have the time for both jobs, but I hope he devotes some time to his first editorial detailing how well we have performed as a country in the aftermath of a 'Yes' vote.
The BBC have beaten him to the punch
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36956418
Their summary is disingenuous as you may expect. "by and large, things have gone on as before"
Actually things have got better in many ways as they state throughout the article. Even the downside of the devaluation of sterling has had a positive effect on trade.
From the view of neutral observers elsewhere in the world, The UK has experienced the strongest growth of all developed economies in the last 9 months and ranks ahead of all other EU countries with only Switzerland and Canada topping it in the list of the top 80 countries in the world. Germany was ranked higher but has dropped to 4th.
Far from an act of self harm, the facts suggest that deciding to leave the EU has improved the economy. Maybe the doom mongers will be proved right when Article 50 is invoked or when the UK does actually leave the EU. Let's wait and see.
Not at all , its probably the most hypocritical subject a going, most of these so called superstars using it together with the begging bowl every few years to get the UK public to save Africa again and again and again, whilst they become tax exiles !!!!.
I think that we will be fine providing our businesses get off their asses and go for it. I travel around Africa selling UK where possible and EU products for a living. I visit what most would consider as ****holes, Libya until Gaddafis demise, Sudan, Tanzania, Nigeria etc. They are always glad to see you and theres plenty of business there if you can be bothered . Most importantly a bit of Government backing would not go amiss.
Far from an act of self harm, the facts suggest that deciding to leave the EU has improved the economy. Maybe the doom mongers will be proved right when Article 50 is invoked or when the UK does actually leave the EU. Let's wait and see.
Maybe they will, but I can't see the evidence. The EU sells us more than we sell them. So punishment tariffs would be suicidal for them, if tit for tat took place. Wages should go up for the lower paid as Eastern European valeters and nannies decline in numbers. And I simply don't see why war would more likely. Future EU bailouts, surely more likely, can then not drain us, we will not be dragged into a 'common defence' policy, not open to ceaseless immigration of unknowns, unable to deport those exposed as criminals etc.
In the run up to June 23 last year, the Block Brexit Corporation stationed themselves at a fruit factory in the east of England, intoning how hard working every immigrant was, spinning furiously about how much more reliable they all were than UK born 'locals'
Do you imagine, for balance, they then went to overloaded schools, GP surgeries and A & E to see the ensuing chaos from uncontrolled influx?
Then they fulminated about retired well-off ex-pats living in Spain or France, as if this made the influx equal. I don't see what's equal about exchanging financially self sufficient UK pensioners for low paid, low taxed immigrants all in need of jobs, schools, health services, housing and so on.
I know I might sound it, but I am not against immigration per se. Just uncontrolled immigration. Tony Blair did not listen on this. Now nobody will listen to him. Just desserts.
Net migration went from around 50,000 in 1997 to hundreds of thousands each year by 2010. Gordon Brown said 'I get it' when anxieties were raised. Then he called Rochdale's Gillian Duffy a bigoted woman.
They still don't get it. Blair is still frothing at the mouth about the Brexit 'mistake'. We will see. Osborne may come to have the perfect platform to crow 'I told you so'
I don't see it.
-- Edited by Mark L on Saturday 18th of March 2017 12:12:08 AM
I am of the same thought pattern as you Mark, not against European immigration but obviously let the right people in . I think you are correct with each point that you make.
I can't help thinking though that instead of Eastern Europeans taking on the fruit picking and similar jobs that these should be offered, in fact no ,insisted that our dole scroungers take on these jobs and if they don't then no pay Jose. This will have an obvious positive effect on our economy and can only be win, win as far as i am concerned. There is of course much skilled labour that comes in particularly from Poland . carpenters etc and to be fair we do lack in numbers. Use the money saved on dole to fund apprentice schemes for school leavers re brick laying , carpenters and other trades, start as you mean to go on. No job no pay, they will soon work then !
In the meantime let our local government via the relative embassy ask for a controlled amount of each tradesman required for each project that British workers cannot fill.
I know I might sound it, but I am not against immigration per se. Just uncontrolled immigration.
They still don't get it.
I am not against immigration at all, but if anyone believes that Brexit will mean less immigration then they are mistaken. Of the top 11 countries in terms of migrants, only 3 (Ireland, Poland and Germany) are EU countries, and you can probably ignore Ireland as much of that migration happened long before the Maastricht treaty. Other than that the bulk of immigration is from the Commonwealth and that will continue in the same uncontrolled manner. If anything it will increase judging by the noises being made on prospective trade deals with India and Australia. There are well over a million illegal immigrants.
They (who could be described as the self serving liberal metropolitan elite) do get it. They get that people depise them and their narrow world view, their doublespeak and their Orwellian tendancies. They don't live with the consequences of their decisions, others do. Now, when they lose, they throw their toys out of the pram and resort to name calling because their bully boy tactics failed.
Musicians these days are a sorry bunch. Where's the rebellion? Most of them are so busy kowtowing with the royals and the politicians. And when they aren't doing that they are on a boat drinking champagne, flicking V signs at fishermen fighting for their livelihoods. They adopt the orthodoxy of the self serving liberal metropolitan elite. I suppose they all went to public school together.
Well all except one, but then I guess Stephen didn't go to public school. I don't agree with everything he says, but I am more or less in agreement with his views on Brexit and the monarchy.
As for Brexit, the result was magnificent, but it is not accepted by the BBC or Sky News because they object to a public that cannot be hypnotised" - Morrissey
There is of course much skilled labour that comes in particularly from Poland . carpenters etc and to be fair we do lack in numbers. Use the money saved on dole to fund apprentice schemes for school leavers re brick laying , carpenters and other trades, start as you mean to go on. No job no pay, they will soon work then
Instead the self serving liberal metropolitan elite funneled half of our kids onto university courses racking up £50,000 plus worth of debt for non-jobs. My generation were the last to have appenticeships. My brother in law is the youngest British born builder I know and he is in his 50s!
After Brexit, I think immigration will be lower and we should make sure the immigrants who come are the ones we choose, wherever in the world they seek to come from. We should be choosing more from the skilled pot, less from the unskilled pot and should rebalance the geography of U.K. immigration between Europe, the Commonwealth and newer, emerging markets.
Anything less will be a cynical betrayal of the Brexit vote result and riots may ensue. They may or may not have got it before, but they are in no doubt after 23/06/16. No longer can they change the subject, brand those with genuine anxieties as racist, keep committing to broken pledges.
When we have chosen, we must embrace those who will come and contribute. But choose we must, if 'take back control' is to mean anything at all.
We should be choosing more from the skilled pot, less from the unskilled pot...
Personally, I'd rather it be the other way around. Make sure our children have the skills to do the skilled jobs. Importing doctors, builders and computer programmers will only restrict career options. As I tell my son, when I left university it was easier as I only had a few UK graduates to compete with. Now there are twice as many as them plus a multitude from the rest of the world. So he had better up his game! However, I agree skilled people are needed from elsewhere thanks to the many educational reforms down the years.
We should be choosing more from the skilled pot, less from the unskilled pot...
Personally, I'd rather it be the other way around. Make sure our children have the skills to do the skilled jobs. Importing doctors, builders and computer programmers will only restrict career options. As I tell my son, when I left university it was easier as I only had a few UK graduates to compete with. Now there are twice as many as them plus a multitude from the rest of the world. So he had better up his game! However, I agree skilled people are needed from elsewhere thanks to the many educational reforms down the years.
...and has he responded? I think parents who care do this incessantly. It's a balance and a country's requirements will change from time to time. The important thing is control. Blair let Europe take control, one of only a few countries that did so on this issue. Thank God we didn't get roped into adopting the euro.
Man am I disappointed. Wondering whether I can continue to participate in a forum about a band from the seventies when everyone else here has political views I do not agree with. Then I discover the 'Nolan show Live' is not actually hosted by the Nolan sisters.
Man am I disappointed. Wondering whether I can continue to participate in a forum about a band from the seventies when everyone else here has political views I do not agree with. Then I discover the 'Nolan show Live' is not actually hosted by the Nolan sisters.
Sad if the first bit is true. I have friends /family who voted in almost equal measure to remain or leave (hardly surprising as the result was 52/48) but the idea any of us have fallen out is absurd.
Whatever happened to the 'agree to disagree' approach?
Show might have been more fun with the Nolan sisters.
Removing the bracketing insults from the original quote (you can google it)...
Bret Easton Ellis - When did you all become grandmothers and society matrons, clutching your pearls in horror at someone who has an opinion about something, a way of expressing themselves thats not the mirror image of yours?
Try not watching/listening to the news for a week or two and note the postivive effect on your mental health. That's a bit of advice for everybody. Something that I gradually got to realise but most people just don't seem to take on board.
Theres always sport, films, music, reading books, computer games, P**n(joke ), exercising,meditation, travelling, comedy, learn a language or study something. Get out in nature and away from cities and towns is also a good idea.
Get some exercise not exercised about something.
-- Edited by noelindublin on Tuesday 28th of March 2017 12:20:27 PM
Try not watching/listening to the news for a week or two and note the postive effect on your mental health. That's a bit of advice for everybody. Something that I gradually got to realise but most people just don't seem to take on board.
Theres always sport, films, music, reading books, computer games, P**n(joke ), exercising,meditation, travelling, comedy, learn a language or study something. Get out in nature and away from cities and towns is also a good idea.
Get some exercise not exercised about something.
Truth be told I don't watch nor listen to the news much unless something happens like last week's events in Westminster. That said I think my mental health is pretty sound!
As for sport, I am between two football clubs of total misery. Orient who are going bust and Arsenal who are never going to go bust.
Anyway, off to see Paul Weller later this week. Always makes me feel relatively happy seeing how miserable he looks
PS Computer Games are NOT good for your mental nor physical health. I got a snooker game on a tablet, and have ended up with the mother of all neck aches playing it, and the mad part is I want to play it more! I will get that gold trophy, sick and tired of the silver and bronze ones. I know how Arsene Wenger feels.
I don't hate Europe, I hate the EU.
