In my lifetime I'd say mid 80s to mid 90s, we'd overcome much of the industrial malaise that blighted Britain throughout the 70s and despite largely being under the tories still had a genuine 2 party political system where the opposition redressed the balance and ensured things were not lurching to the right. The public voices of the likes of John Tyndall had been virtually silenced and for the first time in my life it genuinely looked like we were moving forward as a largely United Kingdom having even negotiated peace in Northern Ireland. Wages were rising, education standards improving and Britain genuinely felt like a vibrant place again.
Brexited | the worst threads live the longest
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It's not moaning (although nearly everyone I know was dumbfounded by the result of the referendum). Rather it's dealing with practical issues, whether personal (uncertainty over freedom of movement issues) or business (the difficulty of making investment decisions amid such uncertainty or working on plans to move operations to Dublin, Frankfurt etc if it is a hard Brexit). The latter is a bit of a scramble as no one had seriously considered that the UK would vote leave and only lip service was paid to serious contingency planning.
Since Brexit have offered no positive reason for leaving, other than the idealistic nonsense they spout, why would the remainers feel positive about their futures. At what point will reality finally dawn on the leavers.
Most of my friends are French and they think the UK are insane. The English ones are beside themselves with fury
I would say mid 90s to 9/11. New Labour glory years. I was a young man in that era though and I do think people tend to look back of the years of their physical prime with rose tinted spectacles.
I was a child in the period you chose so I don't have a great recollection but those years seemed politically grim to me - Thatcher, Major!
Aren't you an expat?
Next time you're in Holland give me a bell and we'll have a beer and discuss something else, you'll find it a welcome change.
This week at work I made some demands that could put my job on the line, I did it cos I am right and I am standing up for what I believe in. The organization are taking the piss and I'm not having it. If I get released then so be it, I will get on with it despite whatever consequences it has on my mrs and the financial risk.
Sometimes you have to make waves to bring change. I could have just sat here and done nothing but that would have brought me down in a cloud of negativity. As it stands at the moment it looks like the company will have to cave to my demands, we'll see.
Which Dutch group?
Yes, like many in this thread
Well companies in the eu have been moving operations to Dublin since forever.
Guarantee it has to do with low corporate tax just like in Holland, something the uk might consider
We're not that different in age by the sounds of it, much as I hated Thatcher the signs that Britain was improving and could continue to rise were certainly there at the end of her tenure and under Major. Blair's election was a real high spot for me but maybe I was slightly older and more cynical as the superficial charm rapidly begun to wear thin with me (Blur, Oasis and the Spice Girls hob nobbing with the PM) to the point that blindly following Bush into Iraq was almost expected. Maybe there is a degree of rose tinted nostalgia in there too and the fact I emigrated just before 9/11 and watched Britain's identity crisis and then recession from afar.
I'd put money on him being the drummer from Golden Earring
So probably not quite that surprising that you're not hearing that much first hand discussion?
Pity the UK have to follow all these EU laws then
There's no need to compound it by being negative yourself
So they think the uk is insane, they voted for Hollande, now who's insane? They were champions of the dreadful Euro currency, I mean W T F
Hollande may be a buffoon like Boris, but there wasn't a lot of choice, and the choices aren't going to be much better come the next election. But Hollande is not planning on damaging the French economy intentionally.
As for being negative myself, it's just so patently obvious that this is not good for the UK
You can be negative thinking about life politically and still not let it affect your day to day personality Stan. I'm very rarely down as a person despite having personally loathed almost every politician I've come across and despite my complete befuddlement at society's continuing demonstration of their ability to make the blatantly stupid choice so consistently.
well Paul is from his French friends, it's most likely the mindset of the French people tho. Dutch people don't seem to care and no-one has asked me about it. Some, like my Dutch mrs, would like to leave the eu too.
I do also have some family members left in the uk and none have brought up the subject
That did make me chuckle
I'd agree with your timeline. Mid 90s to 9/11 was the pinnacle for Britain during my lifetime, but I think alot has to do with the fact I didn't have to provide for a wife and children and I didn't know what a mortgage really entailed.
As you probably know French people tend to moan if they have the slightest reason, and they have similar concerns as British people but they do realise that such a move would damage France. If on the other hand, the UK made a success of leaving the EU, there would certainly be a feeling of maybe we should leave too. However, I know no-one here who actually has said they want to leave the EU.
By the way, I am a very happy -go-lucky positive person in real life. This subject has, however, bewildered me and although personally am hardly affected by it, I can't stand by and just let this nonsense continue unchallenged. As I said, I would be far more aggressive if it was affecting me and it wouldn't be on a football forum.
My uncle has lived in France for 20+ years
What is it your mates mostly like about the EU?
careful - I wasnt even born when they were formed - and FYI im more of a guitarist than a drummerI'd put money on him being the drummer from Golden Earring
There is no maybe, Hollande is a certified buffoon and most people new it. But the hate of Sarkozy is strong.
I can't really speak on their behalf but whereas the UK leavers seem to think their national identity has been stolen from them by the EU, the French are very proud of their culture and and don't see that being eroded by being in the EU. The difference is the French have not been told by their government that all the country's laws have been implemented by the EU. Obviously politicians of all creeds and nations don't tell the truth about everything, but generally people have a concept of what at least a semblance of the truth is.
A lot of it is banter.
Personally I like the freedom of being able to go where I like, buy what I like from where I like without worrying about restrictions and mixing with people from different cultures, countries and regions within those countries. But I would live in France whether it was in or out of the EU.
Actually, they did and still do. But we ask them why they travel to Brussels and why their signatures are on the treaties, as long as their faces around the negotiation tables.
Before the last election, I don't think they realised how much of a buffoon he was - added to the Sarkozy feeling, as I said there wasn't much choice and still isn't.
I meant day to day laws, having lived in both countries, there are stark differences
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Hollande wasn't in the PS picture before DSK scandal and Delanoë quitted the preliminary campaign because the party in general was acting like twats. Hollande wasn't wanted.
Yes but the electors had had enough of Sarkozy. Who do you think will win next year?
Yeah, the Sarkozy dislike helped a lot. If Juppé wins the preliminary elections, he should win.
So what is everyone's take out after this Unilever/Tesco episode?
a) Unilever was trying to be sneaky via some BrExit excused profiteering ---- boo #BoycottUnilever
b) Unilever reacting to increased operating costs due to BrExit, with many more companies attempting the same in weeks ahead. No hard feelings
c) It's got nothing to do with BrExit.
d) Some other scenario
e) Dont care cos I hate Marmite, Persil and Pot Noodles.
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2/3 e as I've got nothing against Persil but mostly b. I know we're in the same boat of having absorbed as much of the forex damage as we can and are now having to increase prices to our sterling customers, I can see a fair few of them switching to Euro invoicing just to avoid the need to be revising their buying price lists every few weeks.
Yes, you can clearly see how the EU made me so negative in that post, it does that to people. By requiting it you have made me start thinking about the EU again and now I'm mezzo, thanks.
My thoughts too
I was Brand Manager of Persil in my early career
Have you left Singapore? Noticed you said you had left your life in the SE Asia sun?
Probably a mix of A and B as I cant imagine Unilever dont have at least some hedging currency contingency so they could probably have held of rises a little longer - infact the tesco boss is ex unilever so he would probably have a very good idea about what they can absorb before needing to pass cost increase on... but long term if the pound is going to stick at these kind of rates or heaven forbid drop even lover then yes 10-20% increase in costs for imported goods is inevitable - and of course if tariff were to come in as well (hopefully not) then another increase on top.
Fuel costs will be going up - so of course delivery / logistic costs as welll - As a country with a big trade deficit there is going to be some big strain especially on poorer households where food utilities and fuel make up a higher % of spending... though its hard to have sympathy for any people in that position that voted for this as it was pretty obvious
Yup, returned to the UK 2 years back, my contract was up and the timing seemed right family wise with our daughter settling in after finishing Uni and aging parents on both sides suffering with alzheimers.I was Brand Manager of Persil in my early career
Have you left Singapore? Noticed you said you had left your life in the SE Asia sun?
But it's a bad idea to use it when the UK aren't even out yet, they have to keep it for potentially darker times.
I don't know any company that would do that? - your hedge is typically so you can absorb initial shocks whilst you renegotiate pricing with customers- you then re hedge once new agreements are in place.
Friday afternoon arrives, usually a fun time for currencies