I seem to remember the figures for GB were based on the SW of England. If this is not the case has anyone any idea of the calculations & how the mean temperature was arrived at?
I have signed the petition with a confirmation email to that effect. Use your French address but ignore the postcode
Thanks Graham. I must admit that I have come across this before with online petitions but cannot remember what I did. I will try as you suggest but if it does not work, I will put an address of a family member. I do have a UK e-mail address though.
Elizabeth, if you are a CITIZEN of the UK you are specifically INCLUDED. I *think* the problem may be with the structure of the form and would suggest you try changing "Country" to France (for example) before filling in your postcode - or any other details. I have tried it as far as submitting - but as I have already signed it, I won't risk a double "signature". My email address is French, but I maintain a UK "poste restante" and used this UK address. Good luck!
Indeed, the people of dependencies have no right to entry into the UK even. I had students in Cambridge from Montserrat and the Virgins over the years, perhaps others, but those people I remember needed college bursar signatures for their visas. That is very unlike the French overseas departments (even if they are not really wanted here as one friend from Martinique often says).
"To my knowledge, Britain has not included its Caribbean dependancies in its figures." No. This is why.
Wikipedia says " The fourteen British Overseas Territories are territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom. They do not, however, form part of it." (my italics)
That is the difference between these places and Réunion, Mayotte, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyane. They are part of France full stop, so (sorry to bang on) if the weaselly UK government is looking at the average temperatures in France no matter how disingenuous they are being they are strictly within the letter of the law. I don't suppose the French government cares one way or the other if UK expats are getting a WFA from the UK.
I have a 'UK' email address that I kept, think other people do too, but use family, friends or whoever you can.
Jane : "This is the difference between the UK and France, we stand up and fight for what affects us"
You are mistaken. Is that better? I thought talking through your hat would be taken in the spirit in which it was intended, ie humorous...
I'll be on the look-out for you next time I am demonstrating (won't be long at the rate Flanby is going) seeing my salary is to be frozen for the 4th year running and funnily enough food/fuel/clothes etc aren't getting any cheaper while my children's appetites increase along with their height.
Just tried to sign the petition but as I am not resident in UK I am not allowed. Surely this is a subject that affects pensioners living abroad and most do not have a UK address. Am I missing something? Here am I trying to source coal for the winter when it gets cold, how I would love a mean winter temperature of 26 degrees C.
Elizabeth
Oh!! I thought that was just badinage!!
Because I have not said to Veronique that she is talking through her hat. I listen to what she has to say and reply appropriately.
Why "very rude" Jane? What did I miss??? - I have re-read the thread several times......
On that last paragraph, Jane it precisely sums it up and a quick look and no, none of the dependencies in the Caribbean or Pacific are included.
And I think you are very rude. Also, I have just been talking with two young french friends who have passed by and called on us and we have been talking about what affects France. They recognise that France needs to change, but how? Nearly everyone has a position to hold on to.
Our friend is a teacher but wants that the learning by rote system to go.
By the way, it is not very "nice "of our country to give us a winter fuel allowance, it was an adjustment when pensions were downgraded by the Labour Government and is viewed by the EU as part of an age allowance, which has to be applied to all citizens equally. To my knowledge, Britain has not included its Caribbean dependancies in its figures. Therefore, the massaging.
I entirely understand that, Brian and I also think the UK Government is being disingenuous in not doing a mean-winter-temperature breakdown for France-in-Europe but this is not a French problem!!
The part of the original post I object to is this: " the figures for France's winter temperature have included tropical countries because their populations are regarded as French citizens" they aren't 'tropical countries' they are France, the population are French citizens like any others. Presumably the UK produces figures for all sorts of things which include eg the Highlands & Islands, not counting the DOMs would be the same as discounting the H & I.Or Wales. Or Suffolk.
Hence what I said about being disingenuous, they are a bunch of weasels (I'm probably being unfair to weasels...) and more power to your collective elbow in taking them on.
I agree on the stand up and fight. That, as a protester since the 1960s on many issues and in several countries, is a minority 'sport' in the UK. By that I mean everything from those who go on marches, demos and all manner of 'camps' through to those who write any nature of letter. Compared with Germans, who I think are best at it in Europe, UK people are barely active and France, Jane, actually outstrips the British is many if not most respects.
However Véro, the entire thing with pensions and the bits and pieces they give us to supplement them in the UK, unfortunately one far too often has to fight. The system itself is absolutely perverse as it is, with any way of saving a penny being employed at the drop of the hat by successive governments. The pensions may not be anything to rejoice about here but they are far more equitable and designed to maintain a decent standard of living with social security that actually helps rather than in the UK where it may well count against somebody.
Exactly!!
Litotes, excellent rhetorical device (also anagram of TS Eliot which makes it even nicer)
That makes them pretty well exactly like the Térritoires d'outremer who aren't an integral part of Fr. just dependent territories for certain things with a certain amount of autonomy but lots of input in terms of education/health etc in exchange for control.
It is very nice of your country to give you a winter fuel allowance wherever you live in the world, but my country's mean winter temperature calculation has to include the temperature of bits that are in the tropics seeing they are, as I said, an integral part of the country. YOUR country may be taking advantage of that in order to get out of giving you a benefit you are entitled to but that isn't our problem when it comes to mean temperatures.
With reference to the difference between the UK & France being that you stand up & fight for what affects you & we don't: I think you are talking through your hat.