The UK Politics and EU Referendum thread - merged

[TightEnd]

Another year over... What were 2017's most noticed news stories? | https://t.co/ozkbVna3NM

[bobAlike]

Another year over... What were 2017's most noticed news stories? | https://t.co/ozkbVna3NM

What no Bitcoin?

[MintTrav]

There are some amazing revelations in the Irish State Papers for 1987 just released under the thirty-year rule.

The transcript of a 1 (+1) on 1 (+1) meeting between the Irish and British PMs is riveting. The background (which I remember well) is that several extradition requests by the UK had failed in the Irish courts for technical reasons - publicised by the Irish as being due to incompetence in British procedures, but believed by the British authorities (possibly correctly) to be caused by the Irish wilfully not co-operating.

It's an extrordinary discussion for two Prime Ministers to have. Thatcher: "I am very angry about all this. My feelings go deeper than anger."

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/keep-trying-you-are-most-able-haughey-s-soothing-words-to-thatcher-1.3326157

[MintTrav]

The State Papers also contain what is surely the most extraordinary revelation ever to come out of the papers of either government, ie that the UVF wrote to the Irish government to warn that MI5 had approached them to assassinate Charles Haughey, the then Irish Prime Minister, and that the Irish authorities took it seriously. The UVF claimed they declined "We have no love for you but we are not going to carry out work for the Dirty Tricks Department of the British."

https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2017/1229/928724-state-papers-1987/

It may be almost unbelievable that one Western government would seek the assassination of the PM of another, especially two countries as close as the UK and Ireland, but I doubt that many would think it is impossible with regard to that particular British government. It is inconceivable that MI5 would take such action without government authorisation. Of course, it could have been that the UVF was just trying to cause trouble and disrupt the relationship between the two governments. Whatever the truth, the two governments somehow continued to work together.

[Woodsey]

NI/Irish politics, possibly the biggest snooze fest but closely challenged by Israel/Palestine politics, both top reasons for me to turn the telly over....   

[TightEnd]

The FTSE 100 has finished 2017 21% up on the day of the EU referendum. (overseas earners,and global economy doing well, trump tax cuts for corporates etc)

The pound is 9% down, having started the year 18% down.

Click to see full-size image.

[TightEnd]

Andrew Adonis resignation letter from Chair of UK infrastructure commission over EU Withdrawal Bill -

“worst legislation of my lifetime” for a
“Ukip allied Brexit ..fraught with danger” and
 “indefensible bailout” of East Coast Mainline:

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[MintTrav]

NI/Irish politics, possibly the biggest snooze fest but closely challenged by Israel/Palestine politics, both top reasons for me to turn the telly over....  

No surprise. I'm sure there are many who have no interest in anything outside Great Britain unless they perceive it as affecting them.

Thankfully, for the sake of our society, there are also many who are not .

[Woodsey]

NI/Irish politics, possibly the biggest snooze fest but closely challenged by Israel/Palestine politics, both top reasons for me to turn the telly over....  

No surprise. I'm sure there are many who have no interest in anything outside Great Britain unless they perceive it as affecting them.

Thankfully, for the sake of our society, there are also many who are not .

I doubt they really care, they are just the people who whine about everything poking their noses in on conversations as they can’t help themselves. I remember my colleague from Lisburn saying to me once when I was quizzing her about NI stuff ‘Why do you even care? I don’t care about what is  happening in xxxxx’, she was right I didn’t, I was just being polite and making chat. 

[TightEnd]

NI/Irish politics, possibly the biggest snooze fest but closely challenged by Israel/Palestine politics, both top reasons for me to turn the telly over....   

No surprise. I'm sure there are many who have no interest in anything outside Great Britain unless they perceive it as affecting them.

Thankfully, for the sake of our society, there are also many who are not .

I doubt they really care, they are just the people who whine about everything poking their noses in on conversations as they can’t help themselves. I remember my colleague from Lisburn saying to me once when I was quizzing her about NI stuff ‘Why do you even care? I don’t care about what is  happening in xxxxx’, she was right I didn’t, I was just being polite and making chat. 

you'd care if Brexit/hard border/DUP etc led to a resumption of hostilities i presume?

[Woodsey]

That is the only thing in the last 40 years that’s pricked my interest, obviously it’s just reared it’s head recently, the chat was about conversations that have come to light from a gazillion years ago....

[DMorgan]

Did enjoy this headline

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-42556079/parasites-invading-houses-of-parliament?SThisFB

[TightEnd]

39% Express to Guardian. 59% Telegraph to Guardian. Most people aren't idelogical... https://yougov.co.uk/news/2018/01/03/which-newspaper-websites-get-most-crossover-reader/

Click to see full-size image.

[TightEnd]

this is fun

Why are you voting Leave (left) or Remain (right)?

Open ended questions coded

Battle of the word clouds

Source: British Election Study

for leavers its not about the economy, for remainers it is.

Click to see full-size image.

[TightEnd]

everyone has got some time for some academic long reads right?

the LSE

New working paper on immobility and Brexit - people living in county of birth are 7% more likely to be pro-Brexit, but only when the local area has experienced economic decline or in-migration http://bit.ly/2CQ6QRG