Changing britain’s reputation abroad

One thing that has been quite apparent on this trip is how willing the Germans, Dutch, french - and perhaps surprisingly the Swiss and Scandinavians - have been to laugh at brexit. 

We used to have a reputation for not being able to handle our drink, exhibitionism and getting battered In fights that we start (apart from when the Russians battered us as they started it) but now it seems to be changing - being British is becoming synonymous with being thick.

Anyone else experienced foreigners suggesting brexit is the equivalent of cutting off your nose to spite your face.?

wanderlust wrote:One thing that has been quite apparent on this trip is how willing the Germans, Dutch, french - and perhaps surprisingly the Swiss and Scandinavians - have been to laugh at brexit. 

We used to have a reputation for not being able to handle our drink, exhibitionism and getting battered In fights that we start (apart from when the Russians battered us as they started it) but now it seems to be changing - being British is becoming synonymous with being thick.

Anyone else experienced foreigners suggesting brexit is the equivalent of cutting off your nose to spite your face.?

Everyone I work with, and I mean everyone, still cannot believe Brexit is actually happening. Let's not forget, if you are Theresa (millionaire) May, or Boris (millionaire) Johnson, or Nigel (millionaire) Farage etc, it will not impact you as much as a normal person, if at all because you will always know someone who can give you some easy job and keep you earning a big wedge of cash. The other post about Austerity and Poverty sums it up. Basically the Elitist idiots who somehow "run" the UK really do not give a shit about anyone other than Corporates who keep them in the lifestyle they are accustomed to through either having places on the board, or "consulting" or brown envelopes full of 50 pound notes (allegedly). When I read the report it made me think of what it must have been like 100's of years ago when you had no middle class, only those with money ie Royality and those associated with them or with the Church, and Peasants. It can only get worse as well.

There are some happy souls around this morning.

Dunkels King wrote:


Everyone I work with, and I mean everyone, still cannot believe Brexit is actually happening. Let's not forget, if you are Theresa (millionaire) May, or Boris (millionaire) Johnson, or Nigel (millionaire) Farage etc, it will not impact you as much as a normal person, if at all because you will always know someone who can give you some easy job and keep you earning a big wedge of cash. The other post about Austerity and Poverty sums it up. Basically the Elitist idiots who somehow "run" the UK really do not give a shit about anyone other than Corporates who keep them in the lifestyle they are accustomed to through either having places on the board, or "consulting" or brown envelopes full of 50 pound notes (allegedly). When I read the report it made me think of what it must have been like 100's of years ago when you had no middle class, only those with money ie Royality and those associated with them or with the Church, and Peasants. It can only get worse as well.

DK, pleased to see that you didn't specify too many names, as such people are rife in the UK. They consist of all party politicians, and many over-paid board chairmen. 
One thing I would say though, is that the Labour politicians are creaming a living off the rest of us, whilst hoodwinking many by claiming to be standing up for our rights.

Having said that, in all honesty, the same could be said of the Tories.

gloswhite wrote:Having said that, in all honesty, the same could be said of the Tories.

They're almost as bad as each other. The majority of these privileged, disproportionately wealthy, privately educated graduates can not and will never understand, let alone truly represent 99% of the people in the UK. The entire system is an outdated sham and there isn't one of the fuckers that I consider fit to represent me.

Cameron, Johnson, Gove and May deserve to be paraded naked through the streets of Britain and forced to live out the rest of their lives in poverty. Corbyn is nothing but an embarrassment to the Labour Party and deserving of no better. Self serving wankers the lot of them.

They can shove their Brexit up their arse.

When you look across the political spectrum, from left to right, the level of mediocrity is staggering. This must be one of the worst crops of politicians to infest parliament for decades.
If you got some of them round the table to debate, the table would leave in embarrassment.

If it makes you feel better, it is the same across the pond.  We have the liar-in-chief with his hand on the button.

I remember ted heath crowing about finally getting us into the common market after Harold wilson’s failed attempts to get us in which had been blocked by the French.
How times have changed.

All this arguing and self flagellation of the UK and its politicians isn't very nice, but nobody seems to be bothered by the treatment we have received from the Europeans. I honestly believe that the way they have behaved is a real disgrace. Looking after your own is one thing, but doing what they have done to a major partner is despicable. 100 years after the end of the first World War, and all they can think about is how to punish us for wanting to be free of their rules. 
I think they should be ashamed of themselves.

Well said Glos.

observer wrote:If it makes you feel better, it is the same across the pond.  We have the liar-in-chief with his hand on the button.

I do sympathise but at least there is an end point that will see Trump gone, even if he does get another term. Whereas Brexit, if it does go ahead, won't come and go, it will likely be around for at least a couple of generations.

Despicable as the man is, at least America will be able to look back and laugh at the clown within the next few years.

gloswhite wrote:All this arguing and self flagellation of the UK and its politicians isn't very nice, but nobody seems to be bothered by the treatment we have received from the Europeans. I honestly believe that the way they have behaved is a real disgrace. Looking after your own is one thing, but doing what they have done to a major partner is despicable. 100 years after the end of the first World War, and all they can think about is how to punish us for wanting to be free of their rules. 
I think they should be ashamed of themselves.

I think you have a point there Glos. When all of this kicked off a few years ago Hollande and Merkel had the opportunity to shift their stance a little to make life easier for Cameron. It was their intransigence then which contributed to the problem.
Since then they have gone out of their way to make it as hard as possible for us- mainly to discourage other peripheral players from leaving. They were determined to make an example of us.
They have made it so difficult that I'm not sure that I would want to remain  in the EU with them. It irks  me that poorer, heavily subsidised East European states which have joined recently have a say in what we do. We've been paying large amounts to them for years.
I was a convinced remainer but I'm  slowly changing my mind  to a Brexiteer.
So I'm going the opposite way to the way that a Peoples Vote is expected to go. There could be a bigger majority to Leave if they go for another referendum

gloswhite wrote:All this arguing and self flagellation of the UK and its politicians isn't very nice, but nobody seems to be bothered by the treatment we have received from the Europeans. I honestly believe that the way they have behaved is a real disgrace. Looking after your own is one thing, but doing what they have done to a major partner is despicable. 100 years after the end of the first World War, and all they can think about is how to punish us for wanting to be free of their rules. 
I think they should be ashamed of themselves.

I think you have a point there Glos. When all of this kicked off a few years ago Hollande and Merkel had the opportunity to shift their stance a little to make life easier for Cameron. It was their intransigence then which contributed to the problem.
Since then they have gone out of their way to make it as hard as possible for us- mainly to discourage other peripheral players from leaving. They were determined to make an example of us.
They have made it so difficult that I'm not sure that I would want to remain  in the EU with them. It irks  me that poorer, heavily subsidised East European states which have joined recently have a say in what we do. We've been paying large amounts to them for years.
I was a convinced remainer but I'm  slowly changing my mind  to a Brexiteer.
So I'm going the opposite way to the way that a Peoples Vote is expected to go. There could be a bigger majority to Leave if they go for another referendum

finlaymcdanger wrote:

observer wrote:If it makes you feel better, it is the same across the pond.  We have the liar-in-chief with his hand on the button.

I do sympathise but at least there is an end point that will see Trump gone, even if he does get another term. Whereas Brexit, if it does go ahead, won't come and go, it will likely be around for at least a couple of generations.

Despicable as the man is, at least America will be able to look back and laugh at the clown within the next few years.

Unfortunately the damage will last for 20 years as he stacks the court with far right lifetime appointees.  Our country is as divided as you are with Brexit.  Those wounds do not heal quickly.  For the past 50 years we had legislators who could cross the aisle and work bi-partisan with the opposition... today, both sides are adamant and no one talks to each other... very similar to the way Trump's 37% doesn't move off his fear campaign. The same is true for Europe... fear guides the large minority.

What's with the Republican obsession with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Obs?

Seems like a fine young woman to me.

boltonbonce wrote:What's with the Republican obsession with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Obs?

Seems like a fine young woman to me.

Far left ideals with no credible way of paying for those ideas.  Her view of the world is limited and often misspeaks about issues and areas she has no known knowledge of.  Her win was a surprise to everyone and shows the discontent with both political parties in America.  The incoming House of Representatives is a fresh look at diversity... with many more women among the newcomers.  The disparity between this group and the 78-80-year old leadership will be a contrast to watch these next two years.

gloswhite wrote:All this arguing and self flagellation of the UK and its politicians isn't very nice, but nobody seems to be bothered by the treatment we have received from the Europeans. I honestly believe that the way they have behaved is a real disgrace. Looking after your own is one thing, but doing what they have done to a major partner is despicable. 100 years after the end of the first World War, and all they can think about is how to punish us for wanting to be free of their rules. 
I think they should be ashamed of themselves.

Which rules are you thinking of glos? The ones banning bendy bananas and prawn cocktail crisps or the ones banning hormone stuffed beef and chlorine flavoured chicken?

I voted leave purely to avoid straight bananas.