back to article Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, off you go: Snout of UK space forcibly removed from EU satellite trough

From the department of "you only just realised this?" come reports that the UK government has been somewhat taken aback that the EU plans to exclude Britain from the Galileo satellite programme due to Brexit. Galileo is a European satellite constellation which, when complete in 2020, will be an alternative to the US Global …

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  1. Voland's right hand Silver badge

    From the department of bleeding obvious

    Cake. Lovely cake. Love cake. Have cake. Eat cake.

    1. S4qFBxkFFg

      Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

      ...you now have no cake.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        ..you now have no cake.

        Well, the Russians helped convince you about the cake, is what happened. Nobody actually knew what flavor the cake was, or what colour the icing was, but enough people listened to those shouting about the cake that they decided that they had to vote for the mystery cake instead of the cake that most people were actually quite happy with. Turns out....there was no cake.

      2. Solmyr ibn Wali Barad

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        ...and there is no spoon.

        1. Tom 64

          Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

          The spoon is fake news

    2. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

      "The nightmare of cake"...

    3. Daniel 18

      Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

      THE CAKE IS A LIE

      1. lglethal Silver badge
        Trollface

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        "THE CAKE IS A LIE"

        Funnily enough that seems an entirely accurate statement in this scenario...

      2. imanidiot Silver badge

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        Cake or Death?

      3. Crisp

        Re: THE CAKE IS A LIE

        Cake is a made up drug.

        1. Aladdin Sane

          Re: THE CAKE IS A LIE

          What is cake? Well, it has an active ingredient which is a dangerous psychoactive compound known as "dimesmeric andersonphospate". It stimulates the part of the brain called "Shatner's bassoon", and that's the bit of the brain that deals with time perception. So a second feels like a month. Well, it almost sounds like fun, unless you're the Prague schoolboy who walked out into the street, straight in front of a tram. He thought he'd got a month to cross the street...

    4. druck Silver badge

      Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

      It's bleeding obvious we should get a full refund of all the cash we've wasted on this EU vanity project.

      1. eldakka

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        > It's bleeding obvious we should get a full refund of all the cash we've wasted on this EU vanity project.

        Since the UK are voluntarily withdrawing from this project, why would they get the money back they've already spent?

        1. technoise

          Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

          "Since the UK are voluntarily withdrawing from this project, why would they get the money back they've already spent?"

          The UK is not voluntarily withdrawing from the project.We're withdrawing voluntarily from the EU. Kicking us out of this is just pressure to keep the rest of the EU project going with all our other funding of it.

          The upside is that we will be able to use the GPS system withouth having to fund any more a project which is to go 50% over budget.

      2. Aitor 1

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        While I do agree we should get a refund, this project could not be more different from a vanity one. It is, on the contrary, vital, unless you want to depend on the US/China, something you obviously dont want to.

        1. Aladdin Sane

          Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

          If someone offers you cake, they might call it looney toad quack, russell dust, chronic Basildon doughnuts, Joss Ackland's spunky backpack, bromicide, ponce on the heath, cool thwacks and charlie, argue barmies or Hattie Jacques' pretentious cheese wog.

          1. NerryTutkins

            Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

            That's nonse sense

      3. Mument

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        Why on earth would we be due a refund? We are choosing to leave.

        1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

          Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

          "Why on earth would we be due a refund? We are choosing to leave."

          For the same reason we will paying £billions for "current and future obligations" to be allowed to leave. As the first many posts point out, having cake and eating it. I wonder how much any UK patents and software is worth it to the EU to keep, or, if refused access, how well it will work if any UK patented kit or software is withdrawn. The UK seems to have a had a significant hand in security side of it.

      4. Lars Silver badge

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        "It's bleeding obvious we should get a full refund of all the cash we've wasted on this EU vanity project."

        A world of warning, life is hard. Let me tell you about a friend of mine who was a member of a yacht club. Then one day he read about the wonderful Chinese yacht clubs and as he wasn't that pleased about paying for his membership he decided to leave and show them who is actually in charge.

        First he told them he is actually quite pleased but would rather be a free member.

        But they turned difficult and refused to listen.

        Then he told them he had been a member for 40 years and that he had contributed to the new building and leaving he was entitled to empty the bar, and perhaps take the front door with him.

        But they turned difficult and refused to listen.

        And then they asked him to move his yacht out of the marina. And that indeed made him very upset, and he told them that the marina was indeed, if only for some time, rather acceptable and he could perhaps agree to pay a little for it.

        But they turned difficult and refused to listen and told him his berth has gone to an other member already, but they might rent him a space to anchor his yacht outside the marina.

        Well, I haven't met him since then, perhaps he is a reformed member now, or perhaps he went for China.

        Forgive me but there is reality in reality, should I perhaps go for "reality means reality".

      5. JohnMurray

        Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

        Sure...just so you know, we will be reliant upon the "public" facing GPS, which can be switched-off as the controllers want, or made inaccurate as they want.

        Also, Galileo is better (theoretically) than either the USA/Russian?Chinese systems...

        Presumably, SSTL will be departing for EU pastures new soon then...

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: From the department of bleeding obvious

      Well it was eye wateringly expensive cake and though we aren't getting money back for supplying the ingredients the time will come that it becomes free cake for us. With 3 or 4 cakes that can all be eaten together to improve the taste do we really need to be pouring money into the trough?

  2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    What did they expect to happen? It's taking back control. It applies to the EU as well as the UK.

    Never mind. We'll have all that spare cash so we can build our own space programme. A very big catapult should do it...

    1. AMBxx Silver badge

      The Swiss are in it

      http://galileognss.eu/switzerland-joins-galileo/

      No reason the UK needs to leave. Just more petty politics.

      1. K

        Re: The Swiss are in it

        Because they negotiated it... we did not!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: The Swiss are in it

          We're already in the project, and have already paid into it. So not at all similar to the situation of Switzerland joining the project.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: The Swiss are in it

            And you had the option of staying in that project, among many others, until 52% of you decided to shoot yourselves in the foot... errrr... head.

            If tragedy is a self-inflicted injury, this seems to fit.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: The Swiss are in it

              "[...] until 52% of you decided to shoot yourselves [...]"

              The referendum wasn't binding. It was up to our representatives in Parliament to take a considered view of the situation.

              $DEITY knows why they just rolled over without apparently thinking about the consequences. They aren't elected to be popular - they are elected to do their best for the country.

              1. Roland6 Silver badge

                Re: The Swiss are in it

                The referendum wasn't binding. It was up to our representatives in Parliament to take a considered view of the situation.

                $DEITY knows why they just rolled over without apparently thinking about the consequences.

                A case of naive optimism overriding history and common sense?

                I got a distinct impression the reason we ended up with a referendum is that "our representatives in Parliament" didn't do their jobs over several decades...

                1. Lotaresco

                  Re: The Swiss are in it

                  "I got a distinct impression the reason we ended up with a referendum is that "our representatives in Parliament" didn't do their jobs over several decades..."

                  Much of the "problem" has been caused by weak-kneed UK politicians (i.e. all of them) who didn't want to be responsible for enacting unpopular legislation. So they hatched a cunning plan of lobbying Brussels to get their unpopular legislation issued as an EU wide directive. Then they could shrug and say "Oh deary me, look it's the EU wot dunnit, not us." Even though the directives were drafted by UK civil servants then passed to the EU for rubber stamping.

                  After forty-odd years of using that particular wheeze they got bitten in the bum by it because the electorate were convinced that everything horrible in their lives was done by Brussels.

                  The bit that the MPs haven't worked out yet is that now they will have to implement ultra-austerity because there is no money, there will be no trade to create money and UK manufacturing such as it is will decline. We can't sell our services to new markets because the biggest new markets (Asia Pacific including China, the USA, South America, India) don't want our services. So more belt tightening on its way and now they won't be able to blame Brussels so it will be obvious that the pain is being caused by UK government. Enjoy.

                  1. Anonymous Coward
                    Anonymous Coward

                    Re: The Swiss are in it

                    "So more belt tightening on its way and now they won't be able to blame Brussels so it will be obvious that the pain is being caused by UK government. "

                    ------

                    'This is all the fault of the EU! They selfishly refused to give us everything we could think to ask for without any cost, obligation or responsibility on our part! If they'd just given us everything we asked for and paid for it too, we would be living in paradise now! It's not our fault, it's Them! It was a conspiracy, I tell you - They are all plotting against us!'

                    - random UK government / politician / commentator / journalist

              2. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: The Swiss are in it

                "The referendum wasn't binding. It was up to our representatives in Parliament to take a considered view of the situation."

                Yes it was !!!

                Because, Cameron stated it would be.

                Why, because Cameron thought the result would be in favour of staying in

                Therefore, making the result binding would prevent the same argument being used to fight the result.

                Classic example of being 'hoist by your own petard' to quote the idiom. :)

                The only people to 'blame' are the Torys and their arrogance.

                Finally, it is getting so so tiring to read/hear yet more 'moaning' about BREXIT !!!

                At what point is the result accepted and the effort put into making the best of the situation ?

                All the moaning and griping will NOT change the result.

                If it DOES then I hope that the same people are prepared for the same tactics to be used when the General Election result does not please 50% of the people and THEY moan/gripe/campaign to change the result, which of course is perfectly valid in the same way as the 'Remainers' neverending campaign.

                1. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Re: The Swiss are in it

                  >Yes it was !!!

                  >Because, Cameron stated it would be.

                  You should know by now never to trust a politician. It doesn't matter what Cameron stated - he could have put it on the side of a bus and it wouldn't make any difference. What matters is what is written in velum for the act of Parliament. There is no provision in the Referendum Act to enact the result (unlike the AV/PR referendum IIRC) - therefore it is only advisory under the various scattered parts of the British constitution.

            2. HieronymusBloggs

              Re: The Swiss are in it

              "until 52% of you decided to shoot yourselves in the foot... errrr... head."

              It was actually less than 38% (ie 52% of a 72% turnout).

              1. Steve Knox
                FAIL

                Re: The Swiss are in it

                "until 52% of you decided to shoot yourselves in the foot... errrr... head."

                It was actually less than 38% (ie 52% of a 72% turnout).

                So 38% of you were stupid, and 28% of you were FUCKING STUPID.

              2. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: The Swiss are in it

                It was actually less than 38% (ie 52% of a 72% turnout).

                When France voted to join the EU in 1992 it was 51% in favour on a 69.7% turnout, so less than 36%.

                Why is their vote to join valid, but the Brexit one to leave not??

                1. HieronymusBloggs

                  Re: The Swiss are in it

                  "When France voted to join the EU in 1992 it was 51% in favour on a 69.7% turnout, so less than 36%. Why is their vote to join valid, but the Brexit one to leave not??"

                  Who in this discussion said it was valid?

            3. Rustbucket

              Re: The Swiss are in it

              > "until 52% of you decided to shoot yourselves in the foot... errrr... head."

              Not quite. Just 52% or those who could be bothered to get out and vote. Oh well, too late now.

              1. Alan Brown Silver badge

                Re: The Swiss are in it

                "Just 52% or those who could be bothered to get out and vote. "

                A lot of people were under the impression that the votes would be counted on a seat-by-seat basis and thought they were in safe "remain" areas, so their "leave" vote would be a suitable protest.

                The fact that it was an advisory referendum, with fast-and-loose advertising rules (a binding one would have had much stricter ones) and that the remain camp were openly threatening that a 52:48 vote the other way would result in them continuing to force more referendums until they got their own way are all factors which need to be taken into account.

                The country didn't so much shoot itself in the foot as blow its leg off and the politicians "in charge" are doing nothing to staunch the bleeding.

                1. Steve Knox
                  Facepalm

                  Re: The Swiss are in it

                  A lot of people were under the impression that ... their "leave" vote would be a suitable protest.

                  Really? Name some of these people who have no clue as to the point of voting.

                  A vote is a statement of your will and intent. Far from being suitable, a "protest" vote which is in direct contradiction of your desired outcome is nothing but an admission of incompetence.

                  1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

                    Re: The Swiss are in it

                    A vote is a statement of your will and intent.

                    Not in the UK it isn't

                    The majority of seats are safe, your vote only counts in a few marginal constituencies. When people vote in a by-election they do so to give the government of the day a kicking. Knowing that it will have no effect.

                    This was the mother of all by-elections and for most, the only chance of a real democratic vote in their lifetime.

                    1. Alan Brown Silver badge

                      Re: The Swiss are in it

                      "your vote only counts in a few marginal constituencies. "

                      Exactly this.

                      The government of the UK is decided in a small number of marginal seats, by the "swing voters" and the "non voters"

                      Nothing terrifies the establishment more than the prospect of the great unwashed actually bothering to head to the polling booth.

                  2. Teiwaz

                    Re: The Swiss are in it

                    A vote is a statement of your will and intent. Far from being suitable, a "protest" vote which is in direct contradiction of your desired outcome is nothing but an admission of incompetence.

                    If that were the case, the parties would be bound to implement every single election promise made, and not dump the manifesto in a black bag marked bio-hazard at the door of their new offices.

                    Yet somehow a badly thought-out nationalistic impulse referendum suddenly becomes a legally binding contract signed in blood after the fact?

                2. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Re: The Swiss are in it

                  "A lot of people were under the impression that the votes would be counted on a seat-by-seat basis and thought they were in safe "remain" areas, so their "leave" vote would be a suitable protest."

                  I have heard of lot outlandish excuses but that is the best.

                  1. Anonymous Coward
                    Anonymous Coward

                    Re: The Swiss are in it

                    "I have heard of lot outlandish excuses but that is the best."

                    Judging by the English people I know - many of them have little insight into the way our representative democracy functions.

                    The Leave voters amongst them were generally unhappy about things that had nothing to do with the EU. eg they objected to too many immigrants from the Indian subcontinent. In some cases the EU's moderating influence had actually been to their personal benefit.

                    1. Anonymous Coward
                      Anonymous Coward

                      Re: The Swiss are in it

                      "The Leave voters amongst them were generally unhappy about things that had nothing to do with the EU. eg they objected to too many immigrants from the Indian subcontinent."

                      You mean the same "Leave" a leading Tory (Priti Patel) was campaigning for on the basis it would let Britain *increase* the number of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent?

                      It's almost as many of those who voted "Leave" didn't pay any attention or think it through.

                      You utter, utter, fuckwits.

                3. BenM 29 Silver badge

                  Re: The Swiss are in it

                  "remain camp were openly threatening that a 52:48 vote the other way would result in them continuing to force more referendums until they got their own way"

                  I don't recall remain saying that... Farage certainly did... He must have been a secret remain campaigner :)

                  1. Alan Brown Silver badge

                    Re: The Swiss are in it

                    "I don't recall remain saying that... Farage certainly did"

                    Yes, I did mean leave.

                4. NerryTutkins

                  Re: The Swiss are in it

                  "A lot of people were under the impression that the votes would be counted on a seat-by-seat basis and thought they were in safe "remain" areas, so their "leave" vote would be a suitable protest."

                  I don't believe that at all. I think there were some people who assumed remain would win, so voted as a protest. But I think everyone understood it was one person one vote.

                  The issue was that few people really understand the benefits or drawbacks, so it was relatively easy for the negative campaign to twang nationalistic heart strings.

                  Ironically, if you remember the campaign, it was the LEAVE side insisting it was preposterous to suggest the UK would lose access to the single market, hailing Norway and Switzerland as successful nations outside the EU, while it was the REMAIN side insisting that voting out of the EU meant the UK would lose access to it.

                  Yet the LEAVE side now insists the vote meant completely the opposite - to leave the single market and customs union, and go hard brexit, even though during the campaign, they claimed that was a scare tactic coming from remain.

                  My issue isn't really with the vote, at least if the promises made were kept to. My issue is that the vote was gained by promising one thing, and as soon as it was won, the winning side claimed it was a vote for everything they said was a remain scare tactic.

              2. HieronymusBloggs

                Re: The Swiss are in it

                "Not quite. Just 52% or those who could be bothered to get out and vote. Oh well, too late now."

                Unfortunately the politicians couldn't be bothered to tell anyone that the result would be binding until after the event. If they had it might have encouraged more to vote.

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