Posted on 04/24/2016 6:48:20 AM PDT by HomerBohn
The US President warned the UK would be at the back of the queue for a trade deal with America if it quit Brussels.
But his threat provoked outrage and scorn from pro-Brexit campaigners, who dismissed it as yet another scaremongering ploy from the pro-EU lobby. Mr Obama, who will no longer be in office when decisions on a trade deal are made, delivered a lecture to the British people on why he thinks it is in the UKs, Americas and the worlds best interests for Britain to vote to stay in the EU on June 23. He weighed into the debate despite being warned by a host of anti-EU campaigners to butt out of our referendum battle.
He said there could be a US-UK trade agreement down the line but warned: Its not going to happen any time soon, because our focus is on negotiating with a big bloc, the EU. The UK is going to be in the back of the queue.
Tory Justice Minister Dominic Raab said Mr Obama had made a pretty cynical intervention. He added: Weve got a lame duck president doing an old friend a favour for purely political reasons and taking a few unnecessary risks, being a bit irresponsible with the special relationship between our two countries. You cant say on the one hand that the relationship is essential and always will be, then say that if you dont take my advice youll be at the back of the queue for a free trade deal.
I dont think the British people will be blackmailed by anyone but hes entitled to give his view. What is good for US politicians is not necessarily good for the British people.
The US would not dream of opening its border with Mexico, so it is hypocritical for President Obama to insist that we do the same with Europe.
Richard Tice, co-founder of the Leave.EU campaign, said the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal between the US and the 28-member EU was not good for Britain. We dont have a trade deal with the US now because were members of the EU, he said. The proposed TTIP deal would be disastrous for British workers.
Obama doesnt have the authority to deny us a deal, as he will be long gone before any such proposals are on the table. Matthew Elliott, Vote Leave chief executive, said: Barack Obama wont be president when we vote to leave so we should take his comments with a large pinch of salt. Of course the US would want to do a deal with its friends in the UK.
Before the news conference Ukip leader Nigel Farage said Mr Obama had no understanding of the EU and was talking utter baloney. Citing George Bush getting Britain into the Iraq war, and Americas call, resisted by Harold Wilson, to join forces in Vietnam, Mr Farage added: I would rather he (Obama) butted out. After all, the history of American foreign policy advice is not good, is it? We can take advice from the Americans on lots of things, but in terms of foreign policy they are rarely right.
Mr Farage said he hoped all world leaders and global corporations would argue for Britain to stay in the EU because then he could tell voters: Its us against the entire political establishment. The more they club together, the better our chances are of winning.Pro-Brexit Tory MP Boris Johnson said Mr Obama was being downright hypocritical because he would not dream of involving America in an organisation like the EU and surrendering so much control over its own affairs.
During the news conference Mr Obama stressed it was the British peoples decision whether to leave the EU. But he said he believed it was right to make the case that Britain, and therefore its close ally America, was stronger, safer and more prosperous when the UK was a strong member of a stable EU.
He said the US and UK might well have a special relationship but it was inefficient to try to do piecemeal trade deals rather than devoting the effort involved to a deal with a big market of many countries. He acknowledged the US had different relationships with its neighbours. But he added: If I had access to a massive market where I sell 44 per cent of my exports and Im thinking about leaving the organisation that gives me access to that market thats not something I would probably do.
EU membership also gave Washington a trusted partner in Europe on issues such as terrorism, he said. The US wants a strong United Kingdom as a partner and the UK is at its best when it is helping to lead a strong Europe. I dont believe the EU moderates British influence in the world, it magnifies it, makes you guys bigger players.
Mr Cameron also stressed that the referendum was the sovereign choice of the British people but said it made sense to listen to what our friends think. Meanwhile, Leave campaigners highlighted the US embassys longstanding refusal to pay the congestion charge for driving in central London. Mr Elliott said: The US zealously defends its sovereignty, even to the point of refusing to pay the congestion charge, yet the US President thinks the UK should hand more power over our affairs to Brussels and EU judges.
Ukip trade spokesman the Earl of Dartmouth said a US customs official had confirmed by email that the UK was not too small to do a trade deal with the US. A deal is in both countries interests and President Obamas comments strike me as pre-scripted political point scoring rather than a statement of fact, he said.
America: represented and ruled by a gaggle of liberal pansies! Disgraceful!
Screw the Brits. They were all clamoring to to tell us to put this asshole in office. Well, here his you stupid Limeys. You want ‘em, you got ‘em.
I don’t see why anyone’s surprised. Threats, bribes, and violence is the standard practice for how the feds handle everything both foreign policy and domestic.
This beast needs to be disempowered and de-funded.
The poor kid has his looks. Geez...
It’s all the Brits fault. If only they had hanged 0bama’s Mau Mau father in 1955, the world might be a better place.
Interesting thought. Think of the world if Mohammed and Hitler were aborted.
Well—anything Odumbass says to do, do the exact opposite what this fool says.
Here’s another thought; the really bad people WERE aborted.
Or if the Russians had won the Crimean War and then moved south to liberate Constantinople from Turkish Muslim rule.
My British in-laws/relatives LOVED Obama when he was elected. They are quiet now.....not one has said, ‘oh, now I understand how you felt when he was elected’. They KNEW how I felt when he was elected, but still sang his praises back then.
True indeed. A classic example of ‘’if’’ being the middle word in ‘’life’’.
Europeans were going completely crazy for this guy when he was first elected. I think the feeling was especially intense in Germany and Scandinavia. I was completely dumbfounded.
Have you them them know how pissed you are? I’ll never forget that stupid, talentless Limey comedian Russel Brand telling us to put this narcissistic little prick in office. I haven’t heard him saying anything these days about lecturing us. And remember how the Krauts were telling us the same thing? And then he went to Berlin shooting his big mouth off. Yeah, the Germans didn’t like hearing his bs either. God I can’t wait till we’re done with this piece of crap and that Amazonian bitch of his.
I am sure that obama would love for the US to join the EU in place of Britain..in that way, he could take away all of the uniqueness (and liberty) of the US.
British Press is far Left, just like ours. They only knew what their Press told them, much like the sheeple in this country. At least they didn’t accuse me of racism, unlike some of my relatives/former friends in this country. And Russell Brand has faded from popularity in this country and in Britain (thank the Lord!). It is a tougher existence in Britain than here, for the working citizens. I WISH those who wanted to destroy this country with Socialism had had to live in a Socialist country for a year. Those on welfare here live far better than those who live in the lower economic strata there. And yes, way too many live on ‘the Dole’ there, but they have been conditioned to believe they are owed the living. And now too many of our younger generations believe they are owed a living here. Thanks Obama, Hillary! and Bernie!
Don't give him any ideas.
He's already built a railroad to connect us to Europe.
Harvard Graduate and College Professor
Barack Obama
Son who’s stupider, the assholes telling us to put him in office or the assholes that actually put him in office?
My daughter-in-law is from Canada. When this moron first took office she told us expressly that “You DON”T want to live under socialism’’. She didn’t have to tell me bless her heart.
Boris Johnson got it right.
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