GboroRam

How dare protestors use such harsh language?

I'm sure if we had a Conservative government with a majority, everything would have worked out fine. Er...

I know what you mean but I can't see how it happens, unless the EU decide they've had enough of the indecisiveness from the UK. I can't see the deal going through without an enormous bung to the ERG. Obviously that could happen, but seems more likely to result in boris asking for an extension. I hope the EU grant a long one, with the same option to leave earlier should a deal be made. A year, maybe even 2.

15%. However "Member states have now agreed that they will be free to set the reduced rates on most goods and services".

The EU sets the broad VAT rules through European VAT Directives, and has set the minimum standard VAT rate at 15%. The 28 member states are otherwise free to set their standard VAT rates. The EU also permits a maximum of two reduced rates, the lowest of which must be 5% or above. Some countries have variations on this, including a third, reduced VAT rate, which they had in place prior to their accession to the EU. Member states have now agreed that they will be free to set the reduced rates on most goods and services, including: e-books; domestic fuel; clothing; and female hygiene products. https://www.avalara.com/vatlive/en/vat-rates/european-vat-rates.html So - 5% seems to be the lowest rate that most goods can be set at. And female hygiene is permitted, yet we're still charging full VAT in this country - definitely isn't the EUs fault that it isn't 5%.

I'm fine with pride. It's when it forms into superiority I have problems. We are the nationality we are by chance alone. Why feel superior to people based on the randomness of where you were born/who your parents are?

Didn't know you knew his parents/grandparents.

It does sound a bit counterintuitive. Could cause disruption in ways that don't affect mass transport, which presumably they support?

The fishing question is a strange one. The main problem affecting the fish industry is overfishing. I don't think this will address the overfishing. I'm not saying the EU has any answers either, but without reducing demand for fish, we'll not have a fishing industry for long anyway.

Oddly enough, I can't see any other option than a border down the Irish sea. It's the negotiation teams that have set the red line in place (including Boris himself). Now they seem to be realising, pragmatically, that any deal will involve a border - either on the island of Ireland or down the Irish Sea. Which is better?

I think the fringe "loonies" are making their presence felt more and more because (a) they are going to attract the attention of the news editors (man bites dog is better news than dog bites man) and (b) the measured, sensible approach seems to have had little or no effect.

Breaking news. Pope still wears large hat. Bears toiletry habits mainly confined to rural areas.

Still, better than Sawyer Sawyer.

I never said they aren't. I said in order to learn from it that's what has to happen. I really hope they are remorseful - but I'm sure there's plenty of people walk away from courts thinking they got off lightly, and I wonder in that circumstance if they truly do feel sorry for what they did. Absolutely no idea what frame of mind these two have, and I trust the club will work hard to help them learn from their utterly foolish actions.

If you ignore the grey area. And there was the possibility they would be given heavier sentences due to factors such as leaving the scene. I think they won't be complaining with what they received, they would have been worrying about far worse happening.