So....Prime Minister May has officially pulled the pin !

@Picklebobble2: indeed ...I'd leave but I'm rather comfortable here with my gin

Maybe turn Buckingham Palace into a seriously exclusive old folks home !........I mean, given the age of those currently in residence !😬

Genius ! @Picklebobble2:

@theoneyouwerewarnedabout: I think the EU is on its arse anyway. Its finances are shot, there is dissent everywhere and the other countries will soon be using us as a model for leaving. We just have to get it right!

I hope things work out for the best.. It's going to suck watching the twisted politics the next few years.. The EU will be doing everything it can to make it hard. If others see England's exit as positive the EU will crumble..

@Curiosity: Quite possible. With France and Germany calling the majority of the shots it's clear any policy is likely to favour them over anybody else, one of the reasons the Brits were so ticked off in the first place !

I know we are going to have to deal with Germany and France at some point. But if we could work something out with other players in Europe BEFORE having to deal with the two biggest hitters, that might give us an edge.
Does the E:U get to say whether they approve of the deals we make ??

@Picklebobble2: with other EU countries, yes. This is why the EU stifles ingenuity for the sake of collectivism.

@Curiosity: Its in Europe's interests to give us a bad deal because of the nationalist movements across Europe. A bad deal would give them a small hit but it would give us a bigger hit, which is what they want.

Ah THIS is more like it !!
If Donald Trump can re-ignite the cold war with Russia we should do our part and pick a fight with the Scots !!!

Sure thing old man.

We'll send you back home to think again.

Well, we don't have much by way of branded goods that Europe loves.
I mean, if you're in Europe,why buy an M&S Jumper at £40 when you could buy a Tacchini or Fila jumper (style gurus know all this stuff) for the same price ??
So we have to look at things we might be able to use by way of leverage should it be required.
So Ports; airports; Channel tunnel etc. Are all bargaining chips.

It could work pretty well, provided they get their act together.
I really feel it would require massive investment in all the things the Tories normally hate investing in !
In terms of infrastructure anyway.

I hope they will, I might be wrong but I think May is different to the typical Tory.

I hope you're right.
It's not good when your electricity comes from so many foreign companies. Or your gas or your phone lines etc.
There could be some serious hikes in costs.

We shall be allies through NATO anyway unless Mr T starts to pull it apart.

@Picklebobble2: I shall drink even MORE Australian wine if France start kicking off about trade. They need us just as much as we need them...

You'd like to think so wouldn't you ?
Unfortunately France; Germany and Italy all have big industrial and manufacturing concerns.
Britain doesn't !
They were all squeezed to death during the Thatcher era because they were fraught with industrial problems and after things like 'The three day week' and the power unions strike of the mid-70's,they decided it better to sell them off and have other people run them so the government didn't have to maintain them.