Brexit again...

[Fosse69]

Another battle going on in southern Europe between EU bureaucracy and Italian democracy.

Nothing new in Italian politics since the war then.

[For Us All]

Nothing new in Italian politics since the war then.

 

More unrest caused by the EU,who will no doubt insist that the Italians vote again until they get it right.

Those that voted the 'wrong' way are now called populists?

[Fosse69]

More unrest caused by the EU,who will no doubt insist that the Italians vote again until they get it right.

Those that voted the 'wrong' way are now called populists?

Nothing to do with the EU, the Italian president trying to ensure that a cobbled together coalition with little experience doesn't wreck their economy with overspending. Voting against austerity and the establishment is bound to be popular, it doesn't always bring a government.

[For Us All]

Nothing to do with the EU, the Italian president trying to ensure that a cobbled together coalition with little experience doesn't wreck their economy with overspending. Voting against austerity and the establishment is bound to be popular, it doesn't always bring a government.

 

Haven't the EU actions caused the Italian people to vote as they did?

[philpvfc]

Don’t think the EU situation really played a part in the elections. The way I understand it is that the person chosen to be PM to head the coalition is anti EU and the president doesn’t want someone like that being PM so he has done the unheard of and denied the coalition their choice of leadership which will almost definitely lead to another election with one party offering a referendum on their membership of the EU and if they win will almost definitely lead to the President being ousted.

 

May be wrong but that’s how I’ve seen it.

[Santa]

It was the finance minister, not the PM that was vetoed, and the proposed coalition broke down as a result.

 

The guy who was chosen wants Italy to leave the Euro. There is no political mandate for that to happen, in fact polling this week suggests that 60-70% if Italians want to keep it.

 

The president vetoed his appointment because it would have, in his opinion, damaged the economy and investor confidence in Italy.

 

Anyway, it looks as though the Lega Nord (far right) and Five Star (anti-establishment movement led by a comedian) are going to try to form another populist (ie tyre kicker) coalition with a different choice of finance minister.

[For Us All]

So the EU accuse Trump of protectionism?

You couldn't make it up.😂😂😂

[Fosse69]

So the EU accuse Trump of protectionism?

You couldn't make it up.

So you don't mind China dumping their surplus steel on the EU, us included.

[Warren]

I voted for Brexit. However, the current developments in world trade have to lead to a careful strategic evaluation. If a full trade war is going to develop, and our ambitions for new trade agreements and free trade are likely to be thwarted, then the best strategic option could be to join the customs union and remain in the single market. I have been opposed to this previously. However, a member of the public can't have the insight to judge what is the right choice. That disturbs me, but only those in government and key businesses can have the insight needed to follow the right path. Of course that doesn't mean they will make the right decisions.

[Fosse69]

The referendum was a vote on a concept of which little was really known except for broad ideas. Now that reality is breaking out and what it really means, surely parliament should consider this and propose that the people have a further chance of confirming or otherwise whether leaving the EU is still the right thing to do?

[For Us All]

So you don't mind China dumping their surplus steel on the EU, us included.

 

What's new?

[Santa]

So where do you stand exactly on protectionism v free trade?

[For Us All]

So where do you stand exactly on protectionism v free trade?

 

Well, it's just another reason for Brexit really.It's because we are in the EU and the single market that the US can't give us a separate deal.

#specialrelationship

[Warren]

Well, it's just another reason for Brexit really.It's because we are in the EU and the single market that the US can't give us a separate deal.

#specialrelationship

 

The words you use here are insightful and important. "the US can't give us". The UK is a G7 economy but it is much smaller than the US. There is an imbalance of power and if the more powerful desired partner is unstable the UK can't plan to rely on it. Business can only take place when uncertainty is minimised. So if Trump remains unstable over the next couple of months then by Autumn it may be necessary to accept a soft Brexit. If it is worse than that and a meltdown in international trade occurs a second referendum might be justified because the whole environment in which Brexit was voted for has changed.

[Santa]

It’s quaint that you think the USA would want to do that for the UK.

 

I’m sure someone else on here like Warren will understand the ins and outs better than me but I’m pretty sure a UK/US trade agreement would have to comply with WTO Most Favoured Nation rules, and special treatment isn’t on the cards.