Tributes to David Cameron

[Diego Napier]

You're having a laugh aren't you?
1) Farming
UK farming receives between £2.5bn - £3bn per annum (depending on the exchange rate) from Brussels
The EU subsidies provide about 50% of British farmers income
UK farming access to the EU enables it to exports over half of it's produce, worth £11bn a year.
UK farming profitability is determined by a range of factors such as management efficiency, production efficiency, domestic and international competition, the strength of the £, wages, consumer demand, consumer price resistance, wholesaler agreements, distribution costs etc. all of which have nothing to do with the EU.
2) Fishing
There are about 11000 fishermen in the UK, less than half of whom are English, a figure down 12% on 2004
There is considerable constraint on fishing due to global concern about the collapse of stocks and Britain (as is the EU) is bound by international agreements that limit catches
In 2014 (latest figures) there was a 21% and 16% increase in quantity and value respectively of fish landed over 2013 as a result of conservation measures taken in previous years
Case opened.[/QUOTE]

Whilst I am sure you are right about the need to conserve stocks, and there are international agreements, that does not mean to say that our fishermen regard them as fair. I am no expert, but do know that the fishermen here in Hastings are very angry about what they see as unfair treatment, and that European fleets can take more of what is available. Moreover, they strongly suspect that others are ignoring the rules.

The wider point is though, difficult as it is for the the individuals concerned, they are an extremely small part of our working society. They won't think it's fair, just like the fishermen at Brighton or those employed in the huge sectors of many of our traditional industries that have virtually disappeared didn't think it was fair. Those industries that remain have had to adapt to overseas competition. How can our fishermen compete with mega factory ships that hover up vast shoals of fish and process them on board? Some form of international agreement is required. Some of our fishermen are diversing into niche catches for speciality markets and thriving as a result. Some are taking to sustainable fish farming. EU grants have been available for British fishermen who want to adapt to sustainable ways of fishing.

 

[nicko31]

Thank you to your and George for at least trying to get the public finances in order.

Just hope those who follow continue with these rules and don't go on a borrowing binge

 

[Hastings gull]

The wider point is though, difficult as it is for the the individuals concerned, they are an extremely small part of our working society. They won't think it's fair, just like the fishermen at Brighton or those employed in the huge sectors of many of our traditional industries that have virtually disappeared didn't think it was fair. Those industries that remain have had to adapt to overseas competition. How can our fishermen compete with mega factory ships that hover up vast shoals of fish and process them on board? Some form of international agreement is required. Some of our fishermen are diversing into niche catches for speciality markets and thriving as a result. Some are taking to sustainable fish farming. EU grants have been available for British fishermen who want to adapt to sustainable ways of fishing.

Of course they are a small part of the working force and they should in principle accept that, though folk often do not, as we see with RMT and junior doctors. . . Whether you intended this or not, or if have read it properly, I think there is some contradiction in the highlighted section - does international agreement mean that our fishermen have to contend with "mega factory ships" as you put it? Of course they cannot compete and I think this is what they see as a basic unfairness. OR are you saying that the agreement must be there to stop such ships, and how realistic is this? As I said, I am no expert, and if you say that EU grants have been made available, then I accept that. But the fishermen here are vehemently anti EU and whilst they may accept the principle of competition, as most of us do, they feel that the competition is not fair.

 

[Diablo]

Highlight of my summer has been to see the downfall of this pitiful piece of filth.

Eloquent intelligent considered opinion ??...............

 

[Ernest]

Forever known as Dodgy Dave, what a thing for an ex PM to be remembered for

 

[SK1NT]

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. Winston Churchill

Spot on

----------------

Cameron: I have never voted for him but feel he was probably a decent guy at heart but didn't actually do anything of significance for the country. Even the gay marriage rights he keeps claiming credit for wasn't even him.

He will be known as the prime minister who led the UK out of the EU and in time that will reflect very poorly on him.

 

[Diego Napier]

Of course they are a small part of the working force and they should in principle accept that, though folk often do not, as we see with RMT and junior doctors. . . Whether you intended this or not, or if have read it properly, I think there is some contradiction in the highlighted section - does international agreement mean that our fishermen have to contend with "mega factory ships" as you put it? Of course they cannot compete and I think this is what they see as a basic unfairness. OR are you saying that the agreement must be there to stop such ships, and how realistic is this? As I said, I am no expert, and if you say that EU grants have been made available, then I accept that. But the fishermen here are vehemently anti EU and whilst they may accept the principle of competition, as most of us do, they feel that the competition is not fair.

I think we're probably in agreement. Factory ships can lay waste to the seabed and agreement is needed to curb their fishing activities and husband fish stocks for the future however, policing of EEZ and international waters is another matter entirely and that is probably where at least some of the British fishermen's resentment is kindled.

I think the main thrust of my post relates to recognising that things never stay the same. With or without effective fish catch monitoring & controls, our fishermen will not compete with the large factory fleets and need to adapt and move into specialist markets to survive (and where this is not possible, they should be assisted with active government support for re-skilling).

In the 1950s, Grimsby claimed to be the largest fishing port in the world and at one time, London had over 70 whaling vessels in the Southern Ocean. Things change.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

David Cameron was Euro-Sceptic when younger but once in office, it all changed and he fell in line with the Establishment. His complete and utter failure to secure any sort of deal from Europe was the alarm bell ringing that it was only going to get worse. Pre-Cameron, we lost 77% of cases in the European Court of Justice. Under Cameron, we lost 80%. In the last 20 years, Britain has opposed new laws and measures being proposed by the Council of the EU, on 72 occasions. On 72 occasions we have been outvoted. Cameron couldn't secure anything in Europe whilst the EU can quite happily veto any laws and taxes in this country. The odds were stacked against us ( 27-1 ) and he knew it. When he declared, recently, that he had secured a ' red-card ' for this country, many believed that he had suddenly won some power of veto, but it only counted if he could persuade 14 others to object as well. The concession of this 'red-card ' came at a price. Cameron agreed to surrender the right to give or withold our consent to future EU treaties, involving the conversion of the bloc into a European super-state.
They had him round their little finger and he was unable to do anything about it. It was weak and shameful negotiating and unworthy of a PM. It would have dragged us eventually into complete European integration and further loss of control and national identity. It would have been his legacy for decades. The social fabric of our society disintegrating, whilst the political elite and big business continue to benefit.
In his heart of hearts I think he knew that he was fighting a losing battle in Europe. He made the ultimate mistake of trying to please too many others and paid the price.

 

[Durlston]

Fantastic speech with his family by his side. Passion in his voice and hard not to feel quite emotional about it.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Fantastic speech with his family by his side. Passion in his voice and hard not to feel quite emotional about it.

He wasn't wearing the new kit though, was he...

 

[whitelion]

He wasn't wearing the new kit though, was he...

Can he play left back?

 

[pasty]

Fantastic speech with his family by his side. Passion in his voice and hard not to feel quite emotional about it.

And some twats still boo when he leaves Downing St by car to see The Queen.

 

[Titanic]

"Good afternoon. When I first stood here in Downing Street on that evening in May 2010 I said we would confront our problems as a country and lead people through difficult decisions so that together we could reach better times.
"It's not been an easy journey and of course we have not got every decision right, but I do believe that today our country is much stronger.
"Above all it was about turning around the economy and with the deficit cut by two thirds, two and a half million more people in work and one million more businesses there can be no doubt that our economy is immeasurably stronger.
"Politicians like to talk about policies but in the end it is about people's lives.
"I think of the people doing jobs who were previously unemployed. I think of the businesses that were just ideas in someone's head and that today are making a go of it and providing people with livelihoods.
"I think of the hard working families paying lower taxes and getting higher wages because of the first ever National Living Wage.
"I think of the children who were languishing in the care system, and who have now been adopted by loving families.
"I think of the parents now able to send their children to good and outstanding schools, including free schools that simply didn't exist before.
"I think of over 200,000 young people who have taken part in National Citizen Service, the fastest growing youth programme of its kind in the world, something that again wasn't there six years ago.
"I think of the couples who have been able to get married who weren't allowed to in the past.
"And I think of the people on the other side of the world who wouldn't have had clean drinking water, the chance to go to school or even be alive were it not for our decision to keep our aid promises to the poorest people and the poorest countries in our world.
"And we have used our stronger economy to invest in our health service. When I walked in there there were 18,000 people waiting over a year for their operation.
"Today it's just 800 - too many, still too long but our NHS is a national treasure and one whose staff perform miracles as I've seen every day.
"And we've strengthened our nation's defences, with submarines, destroyers and frigates, and soon, aircraft carriers rolling out of our shipyards to keep our country safe in a dangerous world.
"These are the choices and the changes that we have made and I want to thank everyone who has given so much support to me personally over these years.
"The incredible team at Number 10, the civil servants whose professionalism and impartiality is one of our country's greatest strengths.
"And my political advisers, some of whom have been with me since the day I stood for my party's leadership 11 years ago.
"I want to thank my children Nancy, Elwen and Florence for whom Downing Street has been a lovely home over these last six years.
"They sometimes kicked the red boxes full of work - Florence you once climbed into one before a foreign trip and said 'take me with you'. Well no more boxes.
"And above all I want to thank Samantha, the love of my life. You have kept me vaguely sane and as well as being an amazing wife, mother and businesswoman, you have done something every week in that building behind me to celebrate the best of voluntary service in our country.
"We will shortly be heading to Buckingham Palace to see Her Majesty the Queen, where I will tender my resignation as Prime Minister and I will advise Her Majesty to invite Theresa May to form a new administration.
"I am delighted that for the second time in British history the new Prime Minister will be a woman - and once again, a Conservative. I believe Theresa will provide strong and stable leadership in fulfilling the Conservative manifesto on which we were elected, and I wish her well in negotiating the best possible terms for Britain's exit from the European Union.
"Let me finish by saying this. The spirit of service is one of this country's most remarkable qualities.
"I have seen that service day in and day out in the incredible work of our armed forces, our intelligence agencies and our police. It is something I always knew. But as Prime Minister you see it so directly that it blows you away.
"And of course writing those heart-breaking letters to the families who have lost loved ones is a poignant reminder of the profound scale of what these men and women give for us in the defence of our freedoms and our way of life. We must never forget that.
"In a different way, I have seen that same spirit of service in the amazing contributions of countless volunteers in communities up and down our country who are making our society bigger and stronger.
"And I am proud that every day for the past two years I have used the office of prime minister in a non-political way to recognise and thank almost 600 of them as Points of Light whose service can be an inspiration to us all.
"For me politics has always been about public service in the national interest. It is simple to say but often hard to do.
"But one of the things that sustains you in this job is the sense that, yes, our politics is full of argument and debate, and it can get quite heated, but no matter how difficult the decisions are, there is a great sense of British fair play, a quiet but prevailing sense that most people wish their prime minister well and want them to stick at it and get on with the job.
"So I want to take this moment to say thank you to all those who have written letters and emails offering me that support, people who I will never get to meet and never get to thank personally.
"It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve our country as prime minister over these last six years, and to serve as leader of my party for almost eleven years.
"And as we leave for the last time, my only wish is continued success for this great country that I love so very much. Thank you."

 

[Machiavelli]

Fantastic speech with his family by his side. Passion in his voice and hard not to feel quite emotional about it.

Agree on most of this. He came across as even more relaxed than usual, humorous, humble and generous today.

 

[5ways]

In the end a decent man who was excellent at the dispatch box.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

"Good afternoon. When I first stood here in Downing Street on that evening in May 2010 I said we would confront our problems as a country and lead people through difficult decisions so that together we could reach better times.
"It's not been an easy journey and of course we have not got every decision right, but I do believe that today our country is much stronger.
"Above all it was about turning around the economy and with the deficit cut by two thirds, two and a half million more people in work and one million more businesses there can be no doubt that our economy is immeasurably stronger.
"Politicians like to talk about policies but in the end it is about people's lives.
"I think of the people doing jobs who were previously unemployed. I think of the businesses that were just ideas in someone's head and that today are making a go of it and providing people with livelihoods.
"I think of the hard working families paying lower taxes and getting higher wages because of the first ever National Living Wage.
"I think of the children who were languishing in the care system, and who have now been adopted by loving families.
"I think of the parents now able to send their children to good and outstanding schools, including free schools that simply didn't exist before.
"I think of over 200,000 young people who have taken part in National Citizen Service, the fastest growing youth programme of its kind in the world, something that again wasn't there six years ago.
"I think of the couples who have been able to get married who weren't allowed to in the past.
"And I think of the people on the other side of the world who wouldn't have had clean drinking water, the chance to go to school or even be alive were it not for our decision to keep our aid promises to the poorest people and the poorest countries in our world.
"And we have used our stronger economy to invest in our health service. When I walked in there there were 18,000 people waiting over a year for their operation.
"Today it's just 800 - too many, still too long but our NHS is a national treasure and one whose staff perform miracles as I've seen every day.
"And we've strengthened our nation's defences, with submarines, destroyers and frigates, and soon, aircraft carriers rolling out of our shipyards to keep our country safe in a dangerous world.
"These are the choices and the changes that we have made and I want to thank everyone who has given so much support to me personally over these years.
"The incredible team at Number 10, the civil servants whose professionalism and impartiality is one of our country's greatest strengths.
"And my political advisers, some of whom have been with me since the day I stood for my party's leadership 11 years ago.
"I want to thank my children Nancy, Elwen and Florence for whom Downing Street has been a lovely home over these last six years.
"They sometimes kicked the red boxes full of work - Florence you once climbed into one before a foreign trip and said 'take me with you'. Well no more boxes.
"And above all I want to thank Samantha, the love of my life. You have kept me vaguely sane and as well as being an amazing wife, mother and businesswoman, you have done something every week in that building behind me to celebrate the best of voluntary service in our country.
"We will shortly be heading to Buckingham Palace to see Her Majesty the Queen, where I will tender my resignation as Prime Minister and I will advise Her Majesty to invite Theresa May to form a new administration.
"I am delighted that for the second time in British history the new Prime Minister will be a woman - and once again, a Conservative. I believe Theresa will provide strong and stable leadership in fulfilling the Conservative manifesto on which we were elected, and I wish her well in negotiating the best possible terms for Britain's exit from the European Union.
"Let me finish by saying this. The spirit of service is one of this country's most remarkable qualities.
"I have seen that service day in and day out in the incredible work of our armed forces, our intelligence agencies and our police. It is something I always knew. But as Prime Minister you see it so directly that it blows you away.
"And of course writing those heart-breaking letters to the families who have lost loved ones is a poignant reminder of the profound scale of what these men and women give for us in the defence of our freedoms and our way of life. We must never forget that.
"In a different way, I have seen that same spirit of service in the amazing contributions of countless volunteers in communities up and down our country who are making our society bigger and stronger.
"And I am proud that every day for the past two years I have used the office of prime minister in a non-political way to recognise and thank almost 600 of them as Points of Light whose service can be an inspiration to us all.
"For me politics has always been about public service in the national interest. It is simple to say but often hard to do.
"But one of the things that sustains you in this job is the sense that, yes, our politics is full of argument and debate, and it can get quite heated, but no matter how difficult the decisions are, there is a great sense of British fair play, a quiet but prevailing sense that most people wish their prime minister well and want them to stick at it and get on with the job.
"So I want to take this moment to say thank you to all those who have written letters and emails offering me that support, people who I will never get to meet and never get to thank personally.
"It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve our country as prime minister over these last six years, and to serve as leader of my party for almost eleven years.
"And as we leave for the last time, my only wish is continued success for this great country that I love so very much. Thank you."

Bet he didn't mean a a word of it,horrible piece of shite.

 

[Titanic]

Bet he didn't mean a a word of it,horrible piece of shite.

I think that comment says more about you than our former Prime Minister.

#KeepItComradely

 

[studio150]

Oh wait a minute - better still! - why not just hand the whole thing over to Brussels?

Just picking up on one of the favourite threads on NSC at the present time, Football Banning Orders which are part of the Football Spectators Act 1989 did this derive from Brussels or was it wholly a Westminster law.

 

[studio150]

Bet he didn't mean a a word of it,horrible piece of shite.

And you would have lost, but then if you if you already hold a biased view that is usually the outcome

 

[Ernest]

I think that comment says more about you than our former Prime Minister.

#KeepItComradely

Calm down dear