Scrutable

People here are overjoyed at the deal that Starmer has struck. They're so pleased that their access to Richmond pork sausages is going to be restored they can't contain themselves. They no longer have to go to Morrisons Gibraltar and take their chances with Spanish customs when returning (they do search people and cars at the border).
Local expat forums are full of their joy.

Pork in, music industry out.

And something about carbon emissions.

Right wing tabloids fuming it's a betrayal of Brexit, forgetting what they promised us Brexit would be like. Oh yes, and the increase in fishing quota for Scottish fishermen is apparently a betrayal, because they'd rather negotiate every year than have more quota and 12 years without negotiation. There were also unlikely and unverified claims that King Charles was complaining about Starmer for doing this, from right wing sources.

Our local expat rag is w.nking itself into a coma over the prospect of UK tourists being able to use EU e-gates, despite the fact that the "deal" requires the EU to change nothing whatsoever. At least the sausages thing requires some phytosanitary documents to be updated, but the passport thing consists entirely of the UK Minister for EU Relations failing entirely to understanding how the relationship between the EU and the member states works when it comes to the Schengen external border, and then when the situation is explained to him, claiming that he won something.

It's completely pathetic, and when EES comes in and people have to give their fingerprints, they won't for a moment think that they have "gained" something if the particular member state that they are entering decides that (after going through EES) they can do that at an e-gate, rather than at a desk with an officer.

On purely selfish grounds I hope that they sort the stupid Pet Passport issue out. It's annoying and expensive (and unjustifiable on any public health grounds) to have to get an AHC everytime we go to the EU. The old Pet Passport scheme had sufficient safeguards and worked fine.

Oh and hello everybody! It's over 3 years since my last post! I just dropped by to see if I recognised anyone. Nice to be here (although perhaps briefly).

Si_B wrote: Thu May 22, 2025 6:09 pm Oh and hello everybody! It's over 3 years since my last post! I just dropped by to see if I recognised anyone. Nice to be here (although perhaps briefly).

Nice to see you

Ah yes, Brexit: where the ultimate victory is a sausage at border control.

Si_B wrote: Thu May 22, 2025 6:07 pm On purely selfish grounds I hope that they sort the stupid Pet Passport issue out. It's annoying and expensive (and unjustifiable on any public health grounds) to have to get an AHC everytime we go to the EU. The old Pet Passport scheme had sufficient safeguards and worked fine.

Both my sisters, gorgeous dogs and they are too, say the same thing.

Haven't posted in quite a while either, but still drop in regularly. Hi to you too!

I'm finding the 'opposition' arguments to the new deal hilarious. Though was quite surprised to read this.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... mer-tories

purplehaze wrote: Fri May 23, 2025 12:47 pm

Si_B wrote: Thu May 22, 2025 6:07 pm On purely selfish grounds I hope that they sort the stupid Pet Passport issue out. It's annoying and expensive (and unjustifiable on any public health grounds) to have to get an AHC everytime we go to the EU. The old Pet Passport scheme had sufficient safeguards and worked fine.

Both my sisters, gorgeous dogs and they are too, say the same thing.

Haven't posted in quite a while either, but still drop in regularly. Hi to you too!

I'm finding the 'opposition' arguments to the new deal hilarious. Though was quite surprised to read this.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... mer-tories

Too right, if you were thinking of this: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... rty-bubble

Brightonian wrote: Fri May 23, 2025 3:55 pm

purplehaze wrote: Fri May 23, 2025 12:47 pm

Si_B wrote: Thu May 22, 2025 6:07 pm On purely selfish grounds I hope that they sort the stupid Pet Passport issue out. It's annoying and expensive (and unjustifiable on any public health grounds) to have to get an AHC everytime we go to the EU. The old Pet Passport scheme had sufficient safeguards and worked fine.

Both my sisters, gorgeous dogs and they are too, say the same thing.

Haven't posted in quite a while either, but still drop in regularly. Hi to you too!

I'm finding the 'opposition' arguments to the new deal hilarious. Though was quite surprised to read this.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... mer-tories

Too right, if you were thinking of this: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... rty-bubble

Nice