Preppers - are they seriously mad?

[anotherdad]

It's all become a bit Animal Farm, with the Leave campaign's "commandments" slowly changing as reality dawns:

“There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside.” - David Davis, 2016

“The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want.” - Michael Gove, 2016

“Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy – the UK holds most of the cards.” - John Redwood, 2016

“The free trade agreement that we will have to do with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history.” - Liam Fox, 2017

“We will ensure there is adequate food.” – Dominic Raab, 2018

[anotherdad]

For the first time since the referendum though, yesterday I was in the company of a large number (well 8 ) people who had voted for Brexit. I chose not to argue as it was not the right occasion and I would have caused An Incident, plus I was massively outnumbered and am a coward, so I listened instead. The blame for the mess has fallen squarely onto 'the politicians' who after 'the people had spoken' 'should have got together and implemented it, then we would have got a good deal'. Only one of these people agreed with my rather feeble assertion that people did not know what they were voting for - all the others claimed that they 'were not stupid' and did know that they were voting to reduce the number of European criminals resistant to deportation, spongers on the NHS and benefit fraudsters who only come here because they will get handouts with no questions asked. 'People who want to work' were still welcome and one went so far as to praise a foreign (non-criminal, non-sponging) nurse who had attended to her after recent surgery. I found the whole thing utterly fascinating and utterly depressing in equal measure.

Anyway all of these (very lovely) people had lived through or been born during WW2 and were sure that we would be fine as the British are used to rationing and it is in our spirit to survive through adversity.

I've just had almost the same experience at the barber's, where as I was being sheared, the same conversations with the same sentiments were taking place around me. Schrodinger's Immigrants even made an appearance - the immigrants who simultaneously don't want to work but steal our jobs.

And as for the "Blitz spirit" and British strength through adversity, it was not that long ago that people were calling the police when KFC ran out of chicken.

[Tinkers]

As far as the broader "prepper mentality" is concerned, my limited understanding of the mindset is that there's a lot of stockpiling food and (in the US case) guns (you can never have too many guns) and not much thought about clean water. So as long as whatever catastrophe they're preparing for doesn't involve the collapse of civilisation they'll be fine. (err...)

The only authoritative advice I've heard was an expert on R4 advising us to stockpile olives and capers. Stockpiling capers I can cope with, I expect the jar in our cupboard was probably best before about 2008, so another one of those should keep us going until the survivors have rebuilt a functioning society, but we get through about 400 kilos of olives a month and are single-handedly propping up the entire Greek economy. I'd have to buy the isle of Wight to have enough space to stockpile olives.

Is there some sort of nutritionist reason for capers and olives. Between them do they provide everything you need? Or is this a post Brexit stockpiling rather than a real doomsday scenario?

[DC17C]

I was interested at the attitude of some young medics in the extended family who were pro brexit...it seemed because they would prefer to have better flexibility of movement to work with US/ Candadian and Australian colleagues than our European neighbours which
I thought interesting...may be understandable but still a bit sad after all the work to foster cooperation with Europe

[Amber]

Part of the conversation I refer to above centred on a discussion of my husband, who was absent yesterday but known to all there. His family comes from Eastern Europe. 'Oh but he is lovely. If they were all like him it wouldn't be a problem, we would welcome them, etc. etc.'

So I propose a test for immigration - based on the following 3 criteria:

1. Does this person want to work, or are they a sponger looking to scrounge from our benefits system/use our NHS for nothing? (Simple tick box questionnaire should sort this one out);

2. Is this person a criminal who we will be unable to deport? (Ditto)

And if the answer to the above two questions is favourable, the tie break:

3. Is this person like Amber's husband and lovely, or unlike him and not? ( I am happy to offer my services in some kind of consultancy work, for a fee not exceeding £350 million).

[mike1880]

Is there some sort of nutritionist reason for capers and olives. Between them do they provide everything you need? Or is this a post Brexit stockpiling rather than a real doomsday scenario?

It was Radio 4. I imagine the person concerned despaired of croissants and didn't bother even to mention them, but obviously avocadoes will still be available via our easily-negotiated deal with the US.

[Tinkers]

Is there some sort of nutritionist reason for capers and olives. Between them do they provide everything you need? Or is this a post Brexit stockpiling rather than a real doomsday scenario?

It was Radio 4. I imagine the person concerned despaired of croissants and didn't bother even to mention them, but obviously avocadoes will still be available via our easily-negotiated deal with the US.

So nothing that mushy peas can’t replace then.

[Stimela]

It's all become a bit Animal Farm, with the Leave campaign's "commandments" slowly changing as reality dawns:

“There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside.” - David Davis, 2016

“The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want.” - Michael Gove, 2016

“Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy – the UK holds most of the cards.” - John Redwood, 2016

“The free trade agreement that we will have to do with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history.” - Liam Fox, 2017

“We will ensure there is adequate food.” – Dominic Raab, 2018

Note these are all leavers and maybe all these things were possible with a positive attitude but the negotiations are being led by remainers who don't really want to leave

[mad?]

Note these are all leavers and maybe all these things were possible with a positive attitude but the negotiations are being led by remainers who don't really want to leave

Actually, until last week, negotiations were led by Dominic Raab (leave) and prior to that David Davis (leave). Also operating on our behalf on the world stage in the key roles during this period have been Dr Liam Fox (trade, leave) and Bojo (Foreign Sec and leave). A more humiliating line up I cannot imagine, but a totally pro leave one and operating as the incompetent charlatans they have historically proved to be. That their inability to find the unicorns they promised is being blamed on remainers is one of the most breathtaking bits of spin I have ever witnessed. It would be funny were it not for the fact that our children's futures are being cast aside at the same time. Still, as JRM said, it will all be OK in 50 years time and 'oh by the way I've set up in Ireland did you know?'

eta to change trace to trade

[anotherdad]

Actually, until last week, negotiations were led by Dominic Raab (leave) and prior to that, David Davis (leave). Also operating on our behalf on the world stage in they key roles during this period have been Dr Liam Fox (trace, leave) and Bojo (Foreign Sec and leave).

He doesn't have much presence, I'll give you that.