The UK in 2021

Some good news. A deal has been agreed with the UK and EU just in time. Of course it still has to be ratified as a formality, but the numbers for this deal to go through should not be a problem.

The deal means the UK will have a Free Trade Agreement with the EU and there will be no tariffs on trade between us. Which is very good, because this will mean the free flowing of trade between us. If this was no-deal, the frictionless trade would have been more problematic and would have cause delays for goods coming in and out of the country such as food and medical supplies, and further to that, it would mean the economic uncertainty and turbulence would have been very damaging to the UK economy - after all, the UK's trade with the EU is worth £668bn!!

So for now I'm very happy happy about this. The deal is similar to the free trade agreement Canada has with the EU. But also very importantly, it takes away the platform for the no-deal supporters now, such as Nigel Farage who tried to align the UK politics with the politics of Trump. Thankfully now, we can say this looks like the end.

@jeanne-mayell

Do you know if anyone has made any predictions for Europe and the EU?

Maybe I am wrong, but I now get a strange feeling a similar situation will hit Europe. I feel that other countries within the EU will now be looking for similar deals like the UK moving forward - where they trade with the EU/Europe but aren't locked into the membership of the EU with it's rules and currency - where once again countries have more control over their sovereignty and laws.

I also think it's possible that in the UK, we may see more devolved powers to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, where people have even more local laws and decentralised governments - I also think this will happen in the different regions of mainland England as well. 

It seems like we could all be all moving away from centralised control and ruling powers in the West. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Hopefully more power and freedom to the people!

@luminous

About two years ago, I began having visions of the Channel Tunnel collapsing, many casualties as a result.  I believe it is about Brexit.  I do see real casualties as a result of Brexit.

I also got riots in Catalonia Spain, (Oct 9, 2019)

Russia becoming more aggressive in its attacks on the EU, they want the organization gone. (Oct 9, 2019)

I see Norway and the Netherlands mor at risk from Russia.  I'm not certain if it is a geo-politic threats or environmental threat because of something that happened in Russia (Oct.9 2019)

@bright-opal

Oh gosh. I hope not!

I don't understand how the channel tunnel can collapse, unless there is some kind of structural problem. Or perhaps this is just a metaphor? Either way, metaphor or not, I really hope nobody dies.

I really didn't want us to leave the EU. I'm very much of the view of wanting a one world government. But what's now done is done. 

I would love the UK to rejoin the the EU, but what I  personally see and feel right now are more problems coming for Europe. 

I feel that as more situations unfold, such as economic turbulence, further waves of migrants seeking freedom and security in Europe, political turmoil, climate change, more countries may wish to leave the EU project and have a Free Trade Agreement like the UK. In fact, Italy right now  regarding its economy tied to the Euro, may well pull out. I also agree with you on Catalonia,but I also think there will be more riots in France too. I don't think Macron is going to last. But I do think Germany will remain strong.

In my dream that I had a month ago, I dreamt that Russia or Putin in particular were the ones who were trying to stop the forward progression of the world. They wish to keep the world stuck in the old system, and they are trying everything to do that. I also think they are making allies in Europe, particularly in the Eastern parts, as ways to destabilise the EU project further.

I think this is where I really hope that the United States can help us all in Europe. Their leadership is needed more than ever right now in the world. Perhaps the U.N. project is the one that will prevail?

I do think Europe will prevail. The scenario with the UK has made many ppl think that leaving isn't such a good idea after all. That said, there will be problems. There is a lot of bad blood between northern and southern Europe. This due the south having financial problems and doing nothing to curb them and the north being upset that their austerity isn't catching on in the south with the north having to help the nation who keep spending without a care. If that makes sense;-)

Then we have nations like Poland and Hungary who want to be authoritarian, which doesn't work in a democracy. 

Also, money is the big issue here. There is a big difference in costs in other nations which is why the EU doesn't mesh together. Too many countries that were out of sync are part of the union. Compare Bulgaria and Germany? I am not certain how they are going to fix this...

Europe needs to remain strong because of other global powers like Russia and China. Smaller nations will be overrun. Governments, with the exception of the Tories, ( ? ) know this. I sincerely hope that Scotland will join the EU if the UK is dissolved in 3 nations instead of one, although I do not think that Northern Ireland will leave the UK for Ireland. Then again, with everything that has happened, who knows...

@moonbeam

I'm hoping that the UK will re-join the EU in the future or have a closer relationship like Norway, but I see this only happening if the Tories get voted out. 

Apologies everyone, l can see how my earlier posts can be construed as being very negative. I don't usually try to look at things in such a negative light.

@luminous, no worry, I cannot imagine living in the UK and going through this all. It is heartbreaking for so many people and will hurt so many. The decision to leave was made because of wrong information and ppl voting voted with emotion (no immigrants) instead of reason and reading between the Brexiteers, uh, lines...

I hope with you that things will work out. One day the world will have a government like a Starfleet like institution, right?;-)

@moonbeam

Posted by: @moonbeam

One day the world will have a government like a Starfleet like institution, right?;-)

Actually, that would be fantastic. ? ? 

@luminous, here's hoping! Could that happen in the next 150 years? Lord I hope so!

OMG @luminous, I am so sorry for leaving you hanging there thinking of dead people!  At first I really thought the Chunnel was going to collapse but since late last year, I finally clues in that it is an image representing the relationship between Britain and Europe.  And when I saw the tunnel collapsed, it was evident that people were working on both side of the tunnel to save people and repair the tunnel.

I am in agreement with you about Russia.  They want to go back to the past when they were the USSR.  They want to slow progress.  I'm not even sure I would try their vaccin!  I agree with you also about Germany.  I think they are holding NATO together.  Not because of the amount of troops or weapons they have but because of their leadership...

@bright-opal

You did nothing wrong. I was already thinking negatively before you posted.

Anyways, let's all hope 2021 is going to be a better year for all of us wherever we are from!

Posting an update here regarding situation in the UK:

Post brexit situation seems stable at the moment regarding trade because of the secured free trade agreement with the UK - so no problems with imports such as food etc - which could have been the case had we had no trade deal.

The UK is currently in its 3rd national lockdown. The new covid variant is overwhelming our national health service and the only way to control this is another full national lockdown. This will be a big one though, because this looks set to last until end of March. What that will mean for our economy is uncertain, but we do know that the first big lockdown hit our economy hard - we were the worst hit economy in the West. So it's possible we are going to take another knock to it again, but the good thing is there was a rebound effect after the first lockdown, so it's possible to recover economic growth, but we will have to see. I'm going to stay largely optimistic and say it's definitely possible.

As for how we get out of this, well..  like everywhere else in the world... It's going to be mass vaccinations. Fortunately this is already underway and we have just had another vaccine approved - the Oxford astrazeneca one. My home town also is now one of the first mass vaccination hubs in the UK, so that is a very good thing as well.

As for how this affecting me personally, well... I am still waiting for an epidural blood patch for a chronic spinal fluid leak. It's been nearly a year delayed and I am waiting just like many millions of people for normal services to resume in our health care to have treatment, but this won't happen until covid is more under control. 

Currently, I am listed as part of the four priority groups to be vaccinated first in the UK, as I fall under the "clinically extremely vulnerable" as I have other health conditions besides the spinal fluid leak which puts me into this priority group. So I may be vaccinated by the end of January or early February.

A lot of stress and anxiety happening right now for lots of people for lots of different reasons. But like with the US, all of our countries face challenges right now, and in the midst of this, it is key to remain positive. 

@luminous I feel that COVID will kill Brexit for good. An international student who was from Spain during my undergraduate years ended up telling me that Brexit will fail.