Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[The Larch]

How often is it muttered about there actually being 2 or 3 (or more? ) times the official number of brits due to our habit of not registering?

I think everybody assumes as a given that there's twice or more the amount of retirees living here than the official numbers claim. In fact in the article they say that a recent adjustment of the health insurance requiriments saw a straight reduction of 300k Brits as official residents in Spain.

[The Larch]

I have no idea about the quality of those houses, but some of these kind of developments aimed at foreign buyers have been controversial in the past because of shenanigans during their construction. Shoddy materials, irregularities during the construction that end up with houses unconnected to the electric grid, sewers or main roads and the like. They're no exactly upscale residences.

Like the big developments in Ireland.

I've already found the area I want to buy my Spanish holiday home in

I haven't read the article yet but it is a massive weirdness of our conversation on immigration that we're a massive emigrant country too. We only got net immigration in the 80s/90s and, yeah, there's lots of Brits in Spain but there's double the number in New Zealand alone. I imagine every family in the UK has a relative or family friend who's moved to Australia, the US, Canada or New Zealand. But that fact doesn't seem to play any part in the way most people talk about immigration. I suppose it's difficult to see your own country as a desirable location to live (especially if you're as miserable as we are) so there must be some sort of scam.

So, where will you be moving to? 

Btw, apparently the PM of Gibraltar has said that if the UK votes for Brexit they'd consider asking to rejoin Spain. The sky is falling, pigs are flying.

[Sheilbh]

So, where will you be moving to? 

Asturian coast. Somewhere like Cudillero or Luarca

Btw, apparently the PM of Gibraltar has said that if the UK votes for Brexit they'd consider asking to rejoin Spain. The sky is falling, pigs are flying.

Makes sense. Same for Northern Ireland (though Ireland would also be fucked if we left), I don't really care in either case. But it is odd that so many of the English people who are probably most unionist and fond of Gibraltar care so little about the effect this would have there.

[The Larch]

So, where will you be moving to? 

Asturian coast. Somewhere like Cudillero or Luarca

Btw, apparently the PM of Gibraltar has said that if the UK votes for Brexit they'd consider asking to rejoin Spain. The sky is falling, pigs are flying.

Makes sense. Same for Northern Ireland (though Ireland would also be fucked if we left), I don't really care in either case. But it is odd that so many of the English people who are probably most unionist and fond of Gibraltar care so little about the effect this would have there.

Asturias? Then you should visit over here, the landscape is similar but the weather is nicer. 

[Sheilbh]

Yeah, Asturias is over-specific

But somewhere on the North coast. Only been a couple of times but it's great. It seems weird that the weather's better on the Atlantic, but as someone who often holidays in Scotland and Ireland, I'm not overly concerned.

[The Larch]

Yeah, Asturias is over-specific

But somewhere on the North coast. Only been a couple of times but it's great. It seems weird that the weather's better on the Atlantic, but as someone who often holidays in Scotland and Ireland, I'm not overly concerned.

There are actually quite a lot of Northern European retirees in Northern Portugal, for instance, and life is dirt cheap over there.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah but I speak no Portuguese - and find it quite a funny language - so I'll just booze-cruise there.

[The Larch]

Yeah but I speak no Portuguese - and find it quite a funny language - so I'll just booze-cruise there.

But for instance it'd be much easier to find English speakers in Portugal than in Spain.

[Sheilbh]

To be honest I don't really care about finding English speakers, or anyone. I quite like getting away from people on my holidays

Anyway this is just a holiday home not retirement plans, because I'm still young

Edit: For context Spain is up there with the Highlands and Kerry as dream holiday home locations. Just affordable.

[The Brain]

Youngish.

[Sheilbh]

Youngish.

[garbon]

Youngish.

Fair.

[The Brain]

Youngish.

Well we're not getting any younger, darling.

[Capetan Mihali]

I imagine every family in the UK has a relative or family friend who's moved to Australia

No drug addiction
No class distinction
Opportunities are available for all walks of life, etc.

[Sheilbh]

The inevitable in any British campaign has finally happened. Today it became all about class!

From one of Cameron and Osborne's cabinet colleagues:

For the millions of Britons who feel the consequences every day, this rate of growth cannot continue. But bureaucrats in Brussels and the leaders of the Remain campaign do not seem to mind – their lifestyles insulate them from this impact.

Indeed, for many of those arguing for Remain, the day-to-day consequences of this loss of control are pretty much all gain and no pain: inexpensive domestic help, willing tradesmen and convenient, cheap travel.

So when Remain campaigners talk about the economy, they don't think about working people's personal finances – the potential hit to their pay packets.

It is easy to see why. If you have private wealth or if you work for Goldman Sachs you'll be fine. But when public services are under pressure, it is those people who do not have the luxury of being able to afford the alternatives who are most vulnerable. Getting your child a place in your local school becomes more and more difficult; there is more competition for jobs; wages are held down.

It's shameful that those leading the pro-EU campaign fail to care for those who do not have their advantages. Their narrow self-interest fails to pay due regard to the interests of the wider public.