The pound has been falling since November, as near as I can tell. It seems to be down about half a percent against the dollar, more against the euro.
I honestly don't know what Parliament wants. They hate all of May's plans, but they don't want any delay in Brexit.
I wouldn't want to be Teresa May for a million dollars or pounds (whichever is more).
Meantime, the Telegraph reports that Brexit will cause a whole bunch of heart attacks and strokes: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/28/imperial-college-london-criticised-saying-brexit-could-cause/
I watched the debate and the divisions of the House from around 10:30 until almost 3. I had other things to do today, but it turned up live on YouTube, and I was hooked. People were supporting or opposing the same thing for different and opposite reasons. The mighty Scots were mighty; one SNP member said that if Parliament isn't careful, "We'll devolve from this organization that treats us as wards and stay with the EU where we are treated as equals."
But in the end, Parliament has no good choices. There was a lot of talk -- not all from the opposition -- that May was just running out the clock so they would face March 29 with a choice of an unplanned exit or the mess she worked out and brought home. They have eight weeks, roughly, to think of something better. And there is no "better" that doesn't either throw Northern Ireland AND the Republic under the bus or leave the Brexiters madder than they were when they started.
Good timing, Stanley. Virgin Atlantic is having an amazing fare sale for bookings to June. Boston is the cheapest at $370 RT, but really amazing prices from a lot of other cities too.
https://www.virginatlantic.com/us/en
Jean, the GBP has been low since the Brexit vote, even a bit before. We have traveled to England many times over many years. The worst rate we ever got was about $2.00/GBP, the best was about $1.50/GBP. One of our sons lived there for two years (2011-2013) and it was trading from around $1.50-$1.65 during that time period. It started falling in 2014-2015 - I don't know if the politics in England were already anticipating the extreme dissatisfaction that led to the Brexit vote and if that started the fall from the long-term rates or if it was something else to do with their economy. Of course, after June 2016, the pound fell even more sharply, to $1.20. Today it's about $1.30, so still not as low as right after the Brexit vote.
As Stanley says, it's a good time for a vacation in England as far as affordability goes for Americans!
While I was working this evening, I put on the 2007 Proms concert, recorded at Royal Albert Hall. For a display of British bulldog patriotism, the genuine article, go ahead and scroll to the one hour-46 minute mark listen to them belt out O Britannia! and watch them wave the flags. It stirred me, and I'm not even British.
On the other hand, the elder Mr. Dawes, in the original Mary Poppins, said something along the lines of, "When stand the banks of England, England stands." But I suppose contemporary banking being what it is, the British banks are shorting the pound and making a packet.
As of this hour, late afternoon in Europe, the European Parliament is making fun of its British older establishment. Mrs. May is packing or on her way to Brussels where she will be listened to politely and told no, if she is lucky, or stand in the cold while being snubbed, if some of the EU parliamentarians have their way.
One thing I wasn't aware of, but should have been, before yesterday is that whether Britain crashes out of Brexit or goes with the agreement Parliament rejected last time, there will be a matter of some 60 bills the British Parliament needs to pass to cover laws, regulations, budgets and taxes now covered by the EU. The number comes from an MP who seemed to know what he is talking about. He said almost no work has been done on any of the bills, so even if Britain crashes out on March 29, it will not be ready on March 30 to do most of the basic governmental things.
And as the edifice comes crashing down around them, where are Boris and Nigel? One's AWOL and the other's trying to become Trump's next chief of staff (or something like that).
Where is the House of Lords in all this? As I understand it, many of the individuals in this house have made themselves experts on various topics--education, energy, the Midwest--and quietly provides dispassionate advice and info to anybody who wants it. Part of their noblesse oblige to contribute to good governance. Can't imagine one of these geezers hasn't studied up extensively on the minutiae of Brexit and might provide a steadying hand on the tiller, what?
There has been a lot of whittling away at the Lords. They can't kill legislation (except in a few, specified areas) anymore, and membership has been tightened back to where blueness of blood (and nose) is more important than expertise. All steadying hands were warned away from the tiller by the Brexit vote, which is taken as the Will of the British People. There were a couple of MPs yesterday who admitted they would like to have a re-vote, but none of them thought Parliament can simply ignore the Brexit vote.
Yeah, I know the Lords have no power, but a few of them still take their duty to advise seriously. OTOH, the queen is also supposed to do this, but she seems to have her hands full trying to keep Prince Philip off the roads.
Reply to Jean: I think Elizabeth dare not enter the debate. She may advise the PM but she never says anything about politics in public. I remember that during the Scottish vote, when she was making an appearance somewhere, she replied to a member of the public who raised the topic that she “hoped” that things worked out (or words to that effect). She was widely criticized just for that.
It’s the double bind that hinders all public figures. Everyone wants them to be honest and open, less scripted, and the instant they express an opinion people don’t like, the world (now it’s the internet) falls upon them.
Bob, no, Liz Windsor can't say anything publicly, but the PM has to report in periodically, and the queen has been said to be quite tart and direct at times.
Time for a vacation to England.
ReplyDeleteThe pound has been falling since November, as near as I can tell. It seems to be down about half a percent against the dollar, more against the euro.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know what Parliament wants. They hate all of May's plans, but they don't want any delay in Brexit.
I wouldn't want to be Teresa May for a million dollars or pounds (whichever is more).
Meantime, the Telegraph reports that Brexit will cause a whole bunch of heart attacks and strokes: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/28/imperial-college-london-criticised-saying-brexit-could-cause/
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGosh! that's impressive. Can you actually understand their "English"?
DeleteMaybe the extreme Brexiters would emigrate to the U.S. and become ranchers in Montana; they seem to have a lot of sovereignty.
ReplyDeleteI watched the debate and the divisions of the House from around 10:30 until almost 3. I had other things to do today, but it turned up live on YouTube, and I was hooked. People were supporting or opposing the same thing for different and opposite reasons. The mighty Scots were mighty; one SNP member said that if Parliament isn't careful, "We'll devolve from this organization that treats us as wards and stay with the EU where we are treated as equals."
ReplyDeleteBut in the end, Parliament has no good choices. There was a lot of talk -- not all from the opposition -- that May was just running out the clock so they would face March 29 with a choice of an unplanned exit or the mess she worked out and brought home. They have eight weeks, roughly, to think of something better. And there is no "better" that doesn't either throw Northern Ireland AND the Republic under the bus or leave the Brexiters madder than they were when they started.
Stanley: Time for a vacation to England.
ReplyDeleteGood timing, Stanley. Virgin Atlantic is having an amazing fare sale for bookings to June. Boston is the cheapest at $370 RT, but really amazing prices from a lot of other cities too.
https://www.virginatlantic.com/us/en
Jean, the GBP has been low since the Brexit vote, even a bit before. We have traveled to England many times over many years. The worst rate we ever got was about $2.00/GBP, the best was about $1.50/GBP. One of our sons lived there for two years (2011-2013) and it was trading from around $1.50-$1.65 during that time period. It started falling in 2014-2015 - I don't know if the politics in England were already anticipating the extreme dissatisfaction that led to the Brexit vote and if that started the fall from the long-term rates or if it was something else to do with their economy. Of course, after June 2016, the pound fell even more sharply, to $1.20. Today it's about $1.30, so still not as low as right after the Brexit vote.
As Stanley says, it's a good time for a vacation in England as far as affordability goes for Americans!
While I was working this evening, I put on the 2007 Proms concert, recorded at Royal Albert Hall. For a display of British bulldog patriotism, the genuine article, go ahead and scroll to the one hour-46 minute mark listen to them belt out O Britannia! and watch them wave the flags. It stirred me, and I'm not even British.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the elder Mr. Dawes, in the original Mary Poppins, said something along the lines of, "When stand the banks of England, England stands." But I suppose contemporary banking being what it is, the British banks are shorting the pound and making a packet.
Sorry, here is the Proms, 2007 edition.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FdHUEmSTKc
'Ow can you work on the one day a year when the toffs let their 'airs down and act like dustmen?
ReplyDeleteMy Fair Lady? Pygmalion? Feels Shavian ...
DeleteBlackburn channeling Alfred P. Doolittle.
DeleteAs of this hour, late afternoon in Europe, the European Parliament is making fun of its British older establishment. Mrs. May is packing or on her way to Brussels where she will be listened to politely and told no, if she is lucky, or stand in the cold while being snubbed, if some of the EU parliamentarians have their way.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I wasn't aware of, but should have been, before yesterday is that whether Britain crashes out of Brexit or goes with the agreement Parliament rejected last time, there will be a matter of some 60 bills the British Parliament needs to pass to cover laws, regulations, budgets and taxes now covered by the EU. The number comes from an MP who seemed to know what he is talking about. He said almost no work has been done on any of the bills, so even if Britain crashes out on March 29, it will not be ready on March 30 to do most of the basic governmental things.
And as the edifice comes crashing down around them, where are Boris and Nigel? One's AWOL and the other's trying to become Trump's next chief of staff (or something like that).
Where is the House of Lords in all this? As I understand it, many of the individuals in this house have made themselves experts on various topics--education, energy, the Midwest--and quietly provides dispassionate advice and info to anybody who wants it. Part of their noblesse oblige to contribute to good governance. Can't imagine one of these geezers hasn't studied up extensively on the minutiae of Brexit and might provide a steadying hand on the tiller, what?
ReplyDeleteThere has been a lot of whittling away at the Lords. They can't kill legislation (except in a few, specified areas) anymore, and membership has been tightened back to where blueness of blood (and nose) is more important than expertise. All steadying hands were warned away from the tiller by the Brexit vote, which is taken as the Will of the British People. There were a couple of MPs yesterday who admitted they would like to have a re-vote, but none of them thought Parliament can simply ignore the Brexit vote.
DeleteYeah, I know the Lords have no power, but a few of them still take their duty to advise seriously. OTOH, the queen is also supposed to do this, but she seems to have her hands full trying to keep Prince Philip off the roads.
DeleteReply to Jean: I think Elizabeth dare not enter the debate. She may advise the PM but she never says anything about politics in public. I remember that during the Scottish vote, when she was making an appearance somewhere, she replied to a member of the public who raised the topic that she “hoped” that things worked out (or words to that effect). She was widely criticized just for that.
DeleteIt’s the double bind that hinders all public figures. Everyone wants them to be honest and open, less scripted, and the instant they express an opinion people don’t like, the world (now it’s the internet) falls upon them.
Bob, no, Liz Windsor can't say anything publicly, but the PM has to report in periodically, and the queen has been said to be quite tart and direct at times.
Delete