UK government bars foreign academics from advising on Brexit

Well if anyones being honest this is quite drastic (for example, even a dual citizen cannot participate), but one has to remember that the information these politicians needs to get has to be impartial and have no influence. While I know this is a terrible example because it's not a war, in a time of war would you hire people from the people you're fighting with/negotiating with to give you information?

I've seen tons of my friends argue for and against TTIP, and I just wonder the problems there about foreign influence in a trade deal isn't a problem?

They need academics to provide economic advice but it should be impartial right? Imagine 40 years down the line it comes out as 'hey that guy was actually an automotive lobbyist, but the laws set now'

Re: UK government bars foreign academics from advising on Brexit

#5

Post by foldr » Fri, Oct 07, 2016, 4:27 PM UTC

neximo64 wrote: post #4

Well if anyones being honest this is quite drastic (for example, even a dual citizen cannot participate), but one has to remember that the information these politicians needs to get has to be impartial and have no influence. While I know this is a terrible example because it's not a war, in a time of war would you hire people from the people you're fighting with/negotiating with to give you information? I've seen ton…

British academics are no more partial or impartial than anyone else.

Re: UK government bars foreign academics from advising on Brexit

#6

Post by oneloop » Fri, Oct 07, 2016, 4:39 PM UTC

Yikes. Time to leave before they start rounding us up.

Re: UK government bars foreign academics from advising on Brexit

#7

Post by oneloop » Fri, Oct 07, 2016, 4:44 PM UTC

neximo64 wrote: post #4

Well if anyones being honest this is quite drastic (for example, even a dual citizen cannot participate), but one has to remember that the information these politicians needs to get has to be impartial and have no influence. While I know this is a terrible example because it's not a war, in a time of war would you hire people from the people you're fighting with/negotiating with to give you information? I've seen ton…

> They need academics to provide economic advice but it should be impartial right?

And brits are more impartial, is that it?

Re: UK government bars foreign academics from advising on Brexit

#8

Post by neximo64 » Fri, Oct 07, 2016, 5:03 PM UTC

oneloop wrote: post #7

neximo64 wrote: post #4

Well if anyones being honest this is quite drastic (for example, even a dual citizen cannot participate), but one has to remember that the information these politicians needs to get has to be impartial and have no influence. While I know this is a terrible example because it's not a war, in a time of war would you hire people from the people you're fighting with/negotiating with to give you information? I've seen ton…

> They need academics to provide economic advice but it should be impartial right? And brits are more impartial, is that it?

Not necessarily, all I'm saying is if someone can have a dual alignment and an easy way to pick that out publicly is their citizenship. Surely if you are from another country you're likely to have an emotional bias for your own country? If you're British you're likely to have a bias but less so. Everyone has a political opinion.

Brits have a foreign central bank governor and they seem okay with that, if anything he's absolutely brilliant according to me. It's also the first i've ever seen a country use foreign talent at such a prestigious role.

When setting laws for something of such magnitude there is a clear conflict of interest. They are negotiating against a plethora of EU countries who have lots of people working in academia. A British citizen-only would not have a conflict of interest as such.

Re: UK government bars foreign academics from advising on Brexit

#9

Post by neximo64 » Fri, Oct 07, 2016, 5:10 PM UTC

foldr wrote: post #5

neximo64 wrote: post #4

Well if anyones being honest this is quite drastic (for example, even a dual citizen cannot participate), but one has to remember that the information these politicians needs to get has to be impartial and have no influence. While I know this is a terrible example because it's not a war, in a time of war would you hire people from the people you're fighting with/negotiating with to give you information? I've seen ton…

British academics are no more partial or impartial than anyone else.

Perhaps conflict of interest is a better term. A British academy would have no conflict of interest.

Re: UK government bars foreign academics from advising on Brexit

#10

Post by oneloop » Fri, Oct 07, 2016, 5:12 PM UTC

neximo64 wrote: post #8

oneloop wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They need academics to provide economic advice but it should be impartial right? And brits are more impartial, is that it?

Not necessarily, all I'm saying is if someone can have a dual alignment and an easy way to pick that out publicly is their citizenship. Surely if you are from another country you're likely to have an emotional bias for your own country? If you're British you're likely to have a bias but less so. Everyone has a political opinion. Brits have a foreign central bank governor and they seem okay with that, if anything he's…

> If you're British you're likely to have a bias but less so.

Explain to me again why if you're British you're less likely to have a bias?

> A British citizen-only would not have a conflict of interest as such.

Ah, so it's not that British citizens don't have a bias, it's that they have a bias in the direction that interests you. Very different.