China and Chinese products

[meles meles]

Er, oomans: The United Kingdom isn't a republic. The clue is in the name. You are all (or ought to be) loyal subjects of 'Er Maj, not citizens. The latter is a second class form of existence. Just ask the French...

[Sim G]

If memory serves “British Subject” is not a status that can be attained by a foreigner when naturalised as a British citizen, unless a subject of the Empire or a citizen of Eire, prior to 1949.

[meles meles]

Now, that opens a can of worms...

One the one paw, we think many people would argue in favour of equality and so we should open up the status of British Subject to all who are prepared to doff their cap to 'Er Maj, drink beer, play cricket and adopt .303" as the One True Calibre. Given that are only 22 countries* in the world that we haven't invaded at some time or another, the qualification of 'Empire' could be stretched a little to facilitate that approach. Maybe we could run a pilot scheme first in the Americas and see if the three Commonwealths and one Kingdom in the so called USA (there are only 46 legally constituted states there !) may want to secede and rejoin us.

On the other paw, maybe Rhodes was correct in thinking that to be born English was winning the lottery of life, and so we ought to acknowledge a second class status for all others.

Discuss...

* Andorra, Belarus, Bolivia, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Guatemala, Ivory Coast ,Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mali, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Mongolia, Paraguay, Sao Tome and Principe, Sweden, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Vatican City

[snayperskaya]

"Given that are only 22 countries* in the world that we haven't invaded at some time or another".......

Of the other countries it is a stretch to say they were all "invaded" by Britain, some were minor skirmishes in territorial waters and suchlike that were included by Stuart Laycock as are incursions by British pirates, privateers or armed explorers that have also been included, provided they were operating with the approval of their government.

Some countries are included in the "invaded" list when they were part of other countries at the time, Estonia and Latvia are in this category for example as they were part of Russia but gained independence following the British campaign in the Baltic during 1918-1919.

[meles meles]

Now, now, snayperskaya, we're trying to be helpful here and stretching a point to be inclusive, just like wot Comrade Corbyn would like us to be, and endow the blessings of Empire on the poor unfortunates that didn't get a chance to be enslaved first time round. So be a good little revolutionary and stop disturbing the lads by picking holes in the argument or you'll deprive some forriner of their right to be subjugated.

[snayperskaya]

Now, now, snayperskaya, we're trying to be helpful here and stretching a point to be inclusive, just like wot Comrade Corbyn would like us to be, and endow the blessings of Empire on the poor unfortunates that didn't get a chance to be enslaved first time round. So be a good little revolutionary and stop disturbing the lads by picking holes in the argument or you'll deprive some forriner of their right to be subjugated.

The argument of where we "invaded" has more holes than Portland Bill's fishing net!.

It's being "inclusive" that's got this country in the mess it's in, what with "cultural diversity and enrichement" and folks not knowing whether their "Arthur or Martha/gender neutral/identifying as a Ford Capri so they can take inclusiveness and diversity and stick it where the monkey stuck his nuts as far as I'm concerned!.

[meles meles]

Er, Snayperskaya, you're not allowed to say things like that these days. In fact, we're not even sure if you're allowed to think it...

[ovenpaa]

I had a Ford Capri once. Just the once...

[snayperskaya]

I had a Ford Capri once. Just the once...

I've had four of them, wish I still had a couple of them.

[snayperskaya]

Er, Snayperskaya, you're not allowed to say things like that these days. In fact, we're not even sure if you're allowed to think it...

And there's another thing, too many folks these days telling you that you can't say this and you can't say that, just in case someone gets upset and has to go to their safe place with a teddy and a blanket......or even worse someone else gets upset on their behalf!!!.