coldel

Hey JP, I had a quick glance through the first half, it does feel quite a biased report (but as they are presenting reasons why rather than looking at all the pillars that should make up a decision and debating the pros and cons thats not surprising) but anyway some thoughts... The EU is still in a relative infancy in terms of economic development, the fact that so many countries have added to the mix in just a couple of decades has compounded this. People tend to think that maybe 50 years is an age, but in economic terms is no time at all. For example the time given in the EU constitution for a country to exit the EU, just kick off 'how' it will actually happen is 2 years with a 1 year extension option. The person also opens saying that the EU doesn't work together to solve issues like the Greek finance and the refugee crisis. I agree more could be done on the side of the Greeks, but there are clear guidelines when entering the EU on financial behaviour which the Greeks violated, more than once, the EU is not failing to act, its actually acting in line with how it should. The refugee crisis is unprecedented, but there are plenty of examples in the past where one country had to handle unprecedented refugee migration and failed unilaterally to sort it out. So I am not too convinced of the opening argument. They then go on to say how strong we are in the EU and that they feel we are propping it up. Two things, firstly if we are so strong, why campaign to leave. Secondly, quite obviously, how can they prove we would be so strong if we were not in the EU? Most could argue that position because we are there, but its impossible to disprove that. is the EU in decline? 37% world GDP in 1973 vs 22% in 2025 they claim - they deliberately ignore what the current EU GDP is, which is 23% - so the EU is not in decline. It HAS declined, of course it will have with the emergence of the Tiger economies in the 90s then BRIC (basically China and India) more lately. So including the other piece of data the current GDP the EU is predicted to decline by 1% over the course of 10 years, its not so startling a headline... Sorry thats as far as I got...got a 1:30 meeting now!

At least get one now, enjoy it for a year and take in the summer and sell next year...you gotta try owning a lightweight sports car at least once in your life

Is it really that serious for most people? I can understand that for someone with their own business (such as yourself) there might be implications, but I seriously doubt it will affect the average person. I would imagine that it will cause the markets to slow a bit and some people might lose their jobs etc., but it's not like being in the EU has stopped that before, or would prevent it happening going forward. If cost of imports goes up (and lets consider that say 75% of whats in your average supermarket is imported) because the trade deals agreed are not as favourable as being in the EU, the cost for you to eat goes up. Some worst case scenarios put it at potentially thousands of pounds out of pocket on everyday good costs. So yes, the impact could be very real, the EU 'in' trade deals are there to ensure massive businesses can trade across the free market - businesses that sell food, electronics, etc. It couldnt be any more impactful on day to day. Of course the flip side is we exit and the government pulls together the worlds leading team on trade negotiations and the EU generally bends over backwards for us to give us deals as good as or better than we have now. Thats the risk, it could go either way. This is more important (and I don't mean this flippantly) financially to 'man on the street' than the Scottish out referendum. As for Ady's business, its the same as any parts manufacturing business that uses the EU, their prices go up, your prices go up. It affects everyone in the chain.

The Evening Standard and Metro in London are so biased its almost becoming a joke to read. The two page spread on Zac Goldsmith in the Metro where he waxes lyrical about the EU exit on his morals (of which he has few despite his environmentalist stance) should have had 'Advertising Feature' written at the top of it - I haven't seen the equivalent article on Sadiq Khan yet...

I used to turn up to my client meetings in my VX220 always got a wave off the gate control at Unilever's offices

Here's a very real scenario for you, by August this year Boris Johnson is prime minister, the UK is out of Europe and sat in a transitional state of economy with the pound plummeting in value, major businesses are sitting in board rooms talking about where to relocate their industy and Scotland are campaigning hard for a second referendum to exit the UK. I admit David Cameron is hardly pulling up trees at the moment, but that scenario simply fills me with despair...

So given a months notice they do nothing, it goes public, sorted in a day - typical corporate nonsense.

Engine is going to be epic mate - although make sure its run in before Scotland, not going to get stuck behind you changing gear at 3000 revs each time

Well there you go, many more Suspect the 1m living in Spain are over the age of 65 though

Because women cannot do 100mph and do their make up, brush their hair and text their friends at the same time...

Yes the amount of extra laws required for an exit is mind-boggling. What happens to Brits in the EU working, I think from memory something like 250k of them, they would all effectively need working visas, would they then fall under local laws that dictate they have to speak the local language to work there? I would suspect this is why the Leave campaign are preying on the people that know little about this and promising to close the borders because immigrants cost the country so much (ignoring the fact that long term British born unemployed are a huge drain on the country) which is not true and something which is pretty much unenforceable.

Can't believe Nissan didn't fix it given the warning, although I wonder if a hacker would do something malicious to thousands of cars given it is almost too easy to do, no kudos for a decent hacker to do this. Interesting points above GZ - had a quick google on wiki about Germany and they have a different approach to incentivising EV use, they get free parking, use bus lanes etc. They are currently well behind their target of 1m EVs by 2020 so financial tax breaks are being planned by the government. There are also extra taxes on ICE cars we dont have such as private usage of company car taxes which make EVs more appealing. I don't think its actually taking off that well in Germany by the sounds of it and the public need a shot in the arm financially to take them up.

Is the Nissan badge stuck on the passenger side dash stock too?

Celica GT4 I hope...

Oh blimey, what was wrong with it, anything outside of the issues listed above?

When did the front slats change? Was that for Revup?

Just as a side note, writing letters to CEOs is incredibly powerful - I bought some cricket tickets for my parents to watch England Australia for their 40th wedding anniversary, they love cricket and had never had the chance to see Eng Aus. Turned out England played a hugely weakened side and were hammered so I wrote to the then CEO of English Cricket saying that they didnt see their heroes and saw England getting thumped in a game they clearly couldnt win. It was also down in Southampton so they had to stay in a hotel which cost money etc. and I felt it really took away from the experience. Two weeks later a genuine signed team photo (i.e. not a print) arrived in the post from the full England squad along with a letter from the CEO personally apologising, explaining the reasons for team selection along with a wedding anniversary gift from the England cricket team!

A significant constitutional change in the UK could trigger another demand for a referendum I believe - however this has to be approved by Westminster, and their stance was very much it was a once in a generation opportunity which in political years is what, 20 years? Just something to bear in mind as well, that the price of oil since the Scottish referendum has absolutely plummeted by something like 40% (good news for V6 owners though!) and shows how volatile an economy reliant on Oil is.

Still wouldnt mind seeing the advert, seems odd that it might have been sold as an HR, did you pay HR money for it?

So what you're saying is, you're in no position to confirm either the state of banana bending or the reinstatement of imperial weights and measures, in a post-exit world? Thanks! Bananas should be bent, they are bent in every episode of Bananaman I ever watched which is as everyone knows gospel on the subject of bananas

I did a stats and economics degree and work as an operations director at a well know big data company which links to major retailers in the UK, the economic lie of the land is important to the company I work in - and I just find this sort of thing fascinating and read up on stuff most weeks - yes I know Edit: my thesis at uni was an appraisal of the UKs seven tests of existence within monetary union, wrote that back in 1998 though!

Not true? Get under the car, pull out the cats, put the HFCs in in place?

I think your post sums it up Wayne, there is very little in the way of objective views on this in a format that can be read by someone who hasn't the inclination to plow through endless technical documents. Best thing is to dispel the minorities, so arguments like health tourists are so few and far between and in the grand scheme of things cost the country pennies - arguments around these sorts of things are to be had and it shouldn't happen, but its not this sort of thing that would hold a country back from being prosperous. These sorts of issues are best left to the column inches in trash papers like the Mail in all honesty. Its not easy for countries to join the EU, Turkey fail a number of tests and have done for years and have to work through bi-lateral agreements - they don't just let anyone in, the real issue is allowing countries to join the Euro in which case they need to prove further their economic capabilities. The negotiations Cameron has just had with regards apply totally to 'people living off the state who never put into it' in effect we will be able to boot out anyone who hasn't found work within 6 months for instance. In my view Cameron could have done better, he seems a bit of a soft touch compared to some previous leaders. Most observers (CBI for instance) have done plenty of research on the benefits of being in the EU, there are net worth estimates of something in the region of £65bn, how accurate this is open to debate but most will say there is a net worth to being in it - you put in £12bn you get out £77bn. What the Leave campaigners have to convince me is that our outside EU trading will give a bigger net worth, which again it isn't and hasn't tried to establish.

Phew thank god, that was a close one!

As above, decats are really loud, I found Miltek with HFCs gave a great sound on my Zed. Loud enough whilst trundling along then really came on loud when giving it a bit of throttle.