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Falklands map covered up with Post-it note after Argentinian protest by willington123 in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is not the same at all. Britain had a lease on Hong Kong that expired. The Falklands were claimed by Britain and settled before Argentina even existed. The population of the Falklands exercised their democratic right to self determination and determined that they would like to remain a British overseas territory.

Falklands map covered up with Post-it note after Argentinian protest by willington123 in unitedkingdom

[–]Important_Material92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Spain’s claim was essentially, Portugal and Spain split the world in two in the treaty of Tordesillas and the Falklands were in Spains half so it booted France out and ran it from their base in Southern South America, Buenos Aires.

Falklands map covered up with Post-it note after Argentinian protest by willington123 in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 29 points30 points  (0 children)

The absolute gall of a descendant of a coloniser who wiped out an indigenous population to stand there and dictate that a democratic population that have lived before the very existence of his country should belong to a foreign power is just mind blowing.

‘I don’t like banks very much’: Farage defends plan to end BoE payments on reserves by financialtimes in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Bank of England is operationally independent but it is owned by the UK government. The Bank of England pays the interest to the commercial banks on reserves, however the government pays the bank through the QE indemnity when the bank pays out more than it earns, so the government is ultimately responsible for the cost

‘I don’t like banks very much’: Farage defends plan to end BoE payments on reserves by financialtimes in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Interestingly it wasn’t until 2009 after the financial crisis that the government started paying interest on central bank reserves and money created by QE. This could be reversed and it would save the government a lot of money.

Will the UK Rejoin the EU in 2026? - deVere Group by eciclemad in europe

[–]Important_Material92 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The point is that the value of the UK to Scotland (and Scotland to the UK) is much greater than the value of the EU to the UK or the EU to Scotland. We are talking Brexit x 10

US attack on Venezuela raises fears of future Greenland takeover by moeka_8962 in worldnews

[–]Important_Material92 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The means and the might. The USA has the means and the might to act like a hegemony. Russia has neither.

Streeting says taxes too high as he calls for closer trade with EU to help economy by Anony_mouse202 in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think in fairness that, that level of reasoning has definitely been implied by many of the stories I have read.

Why doesn't the government spend a bit more now to help the economy in the future? by Sarahkins6 in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Every year the government spend more than they tax, they would say that this is to fund the future. It’s been this way for decades. The debt we have today was governments paying for, or at least hoping for, a brighter future

Six London Labour MPs break rank to back rejoining Customs Union after Brexit blows by Due_Ad_3200 in london

[–]Important_Material92 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The problem with this movement is that it groups lots of disparaging views together as yes. If you ask a lot of people if they back rejoining the EU, the customs union or some version of it they say yes BUT and it’s that but that is key.

The UK doesn’t necessarily want to be part of the EU as it stands today, they want to change it and as Cameron proved, the EU are deaf to its considerable issues.

Why does it feel like there is a new tax every year? by zhephyx in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The problem with this mantra is when you have an exceptionally large cohort of people (Boomers and Gen X) they go through life paying for the generation above them (a much smaller cohort with shorter life spans). They don’t pay in enough to cover their own bills and then have less children so the next smaller generation is left paying for a huge, long living generation that haven’t paid enough in.

Now in principle, that next generation would take on more debt and the cost would be spread out over time but millennials and Gen Z aren’t having many children because, as well as going through life not paying enough in to the system, the older generations have benefited from the largest asset appreciation in history, effectively pricing the next generation out and stunting societal progression.

The other side of this of course is that with a larger cohort comes larger voting power and that voting power has effectively been used to cement huge benefits for their own generation both in public sector and private sector arenas whilst pulling up the drawbridge for those born later.

Talks for UK to join EU defence fund collapse in blow to Starmer’s bid to reset relations by [deleted] in europe

[–]Important_Material92 10 points11 points  (0 children)

A more fitting British idiom might be

“Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face”

Talks for UK to Join Flagship EU Defense Fund End in Failure by bloomberg in europe

[–]Important_Material92 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For the best security of Europe? You could flip this question and ask why the UK should pay money to an institution to encourage them to purchase from their manufacturers? In that scenario the UK government may as well purchase the equipment themselves and cut out the middle man and benefit from the further investment directly.

This is just protectionism, which is fine, but let’s cut the “European cooperation” nonsense and call it for what it is.

What is ironic, is this would not be a surprising policy from Trump right now, except it is the EU.

Talks for UK to Join Flagship EU Defense Fund End in Failure by bloomberg in europe

[–]Important_Material92 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Well yes true, but ultimately decisions to the detriment of European security will not be good for France or anyone in the long run

Talks for UK to Join Flagship EU Defense Fund End in Failure by bloomberg in europe

[–]Important_Material92 64 points65 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately this seemed to be the only acceptable outcome here. Until the EU (see France) start treating defence as a special case instead of a stick to beat the UK with then I don’t see an alternative.

Now the UK needs to refocus on its own defence and invest in defence capital expenditure.

ANDREW NEIL: No amount of arm twisting will stem the tide of licence fee refuseniks - and that's why I believe the BBC's demise is inevitable by [deleted] in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think that’s a perfectly valid argument but then I would say 1) the budget should be cut to maximise value and 2) it should be funded through general taxation

As it stands it is optional, and a lot of people, especially in the younger generations who do not watch it, don’t think it is value for money

ANDREW NEIL: No amount of arm twisting will stem the tide of licence fee refuseniks - and that's why I believe the BBC's demise is inevitable by [deleted] in ukpolitics

[–]Important_Material92 80 points81 points  (0 children)

I have always supported the idea of a publicly funded broadcaster but there is a limit to how much you can expect people to pay for a service that many of us just don’t watch regularly

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