I don’t Say This Often…

I’m fairly robust when it comes to debate and anyone following this discussion will be aware that I’ll happily engage with those who disagree with me. Indeed, they may even change my opinion, although in Mark Wadsworth’s case, he might just be wishing that he hadn’t.

However, there are two things in an opponent that I despise; lying and stupidity. So, when I come across a stupid liar, I guess I hit the jackpot.

For some reason, Neil Harding has an issue with my recent move to France as comments here, here and here illustrate. A series of snide comments reveal a mean spirited underbelly to the man. Despite my patiently explaining to him that I have, indeed, carried out my research, he seems to think it appropriate to lecture me on the matter.

The plan to move to France got underway in earnest during 2000 when we made trips to the area we were keen on and started to research property prices. In early 2003 we started looking seriously having the requisite deposit saved up. I also studied the French buying process. By the time we were ready to buy, we were well  prepared and the purchase went without a hitch (well, there was one very minor one on the insurance paperwork as we had to wait for it to reach the relevant department before we could complete).

As far as living there is concerned, I’ve had a taste over the past five years, so Harding’s assertions that France is expensive and I’ll go broke are so much bullshit. I might go broke, but it won’t be for that reason, it will because plans A, B and C all fall through on the work front.

Not content with this, the latest epistle accuses me of hypocrisy as a consequence of recent falls in sterling:

As the pound slides below Euro parity, I bet Longrider wishes we had joined when he could buy a Euro for 61p. His move to France will mean his salary in pounds will probably effectively halve as he pays his bills in Euros.

Well, no, actually. The pound fell against the Euro during 2003, so I anticipated that it might happen again. In 2003, I found myself £2000 short a week before completion, so had to take out a short term loan to cover the deficit.

Before moving, I’ve been taking professional tax and financial advice from a French specialist. Their advice generally is get everything into Euros as quickly as possible and keep it there. This advice was based on selling the house and anticipation of further declines in the exchange rate. As it turned out, I have not sold the house and will not, therefore, be needing to transfer any large sums of money. Given the current exchange rate, I’ll be keeping most of my money in sterling for as long as possible and exchange only what is necessary.

I pointed this out to Neil and also offered this link to an old BikeNet article written in 1995. Although not specifically about the Euro, my comments there were cautiously optimistic regarding monetary union. Contrary to Neil’s assertion, I have not made much comment here about the Euro and that is with good reason; I am ambivalent. This is one of those arguments where I can see both sides and so haven’t come to a strong conclusion either way.

Neil’s response?

LR: Your hypocrisy refers to a ‘little Englander’ like yourself moving to France (when you have slagged off European governments for so long). I find it hilarious that you now profess no problem with the Euro.

You must have a hell of a lot of money if your outlay is such a tiny part of your earnings – probably explains why you left the Labour party more than your supposed disgust about civil liberties. It all comes down to ‘I’m alright Jack’ – this objection to speed cameras and the rest.

Yes, yes, yes, I know the bloke’s a complete fuckwit, but even so, this little piece of bile takes a biscuit all of its own. I wrote the article in 1995 for fuck’s sake, so to accuse me of now professing no problem, is rampant stupidity, ignorance and a failure to check facts at best, and deliberate dishonesty at worst. That I have said little if anything about the matter, despite pointing it out to him bypassed what serves as a thinking muscle for this moron. Nor have I slagged off European governments (and even if I had, so what? You can like a country and its people without liking its government). I’ve criticised our government rather vigorously, and I suspect that during the Conservative administration so did our idiotic class warrior. On the matter of Europe, I’ve not commented very much. I dislike the undemocratic nature of the EU and have occasionally said so, but mostly, my political comment has been of the domestic variety. Still, as I said in the comments, Neil doesn’t let facts get in the way of a foolish lie.

I’ve moved to a part of rural France where they don’t speak English – although Mrs L discovered while attending the benediction of the new cross in the village square this weekend that one of our neighbours can speak a smattering, but that’s beside the point. We are integrating into village life and doing our damnedest to improve our language skills and this fatuous, arrogant, self-righteous arsehole has the effrontery to accuse me of being a Little Englander!

Then he tells me that he knows best why I left the Labour party. Look, you asinine half-wit, if I tell you that I left as a consequence of the authoritarian policies being adopted by the Labour party, that is why I left; it’s not your place to gainsay me. You might lie to make a cheap political point; I prefer not to.

My income is irrelevant – although at the time I left the party I had been self-employed for about a year and my gross income was significantly less than the national average and dropping like a stone. That he has assumed a large income on my part exposes the class envy and misanthropic mindset of the tribal Labour activist. A throughly nasty sight to see. Oh, and he is wrong… again.

So, there we have it, Neil is wrong once more, so no surprises there. But he also betrays an unprecedented misanthropy and meanness of spirit, even for him. He is happy to lie about someone in order to make a cheap political point; he really should stand for parliament, he’ll be among his own kind there. (Before anyone says anything, I’m joking, okay).

No, I don’t say it very often, but what an unmitigated cunt this man is.

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Update: From the comments:

LR: I have obviously hit a raw nerve – you have already written a post moaning about French taxes and bureaucracy as I said you would – IT TOOK LESS THAN TWO DAYS. God, you hate it when someone is right don’t you?

Oh, my giddy aunt! If Neil thinks my post on the auto-entrepreneur system is a moan, then he needs to go back to school and do a little English comprehension.

Mark Wadsworth picks him up on his original piece:

“His salary in pounds will probably effectively halve”, er, no it won’t, his salary in pounds (assuming he still earns a UK salary while in France) will remain exactly constant.

Its purchasing power in terms of Euro will be about twenty per cent less than a long run average exchange rate GBP to EUR (and its predecessor currencies) 1990 which is for him probably irksome but not the end of the world.

He can’t do basic maths, either. This, then is a product of our appalling education system – illiterate and innumerate. What is interesting is that the argument has changed:

I found it hilarious that LR after slagging off the higher taxes that fund the European social model is now moving there.

Although earlier this morning, that read “The EU and…” So, having realised that I have not “slagged off European governments” (even though that is irrelevant anyway) he has done as he usually does when caught in a lie – changed the argument.

Again, as is usual, Neil does the old “right winger” mode of attack. It has been pointed on numerous occasions that on the economic scale, I am in the centre ground, but Neil doesn’t do logic, facts or even three dimensions. If you disagree with his prejudices, you are “right wing”. From that point on, his own prejudices fill in the gaps as this little exchange illustrates rather nicely:

This really is annoying.

I have NEVER said that middle class people are discriminated against.

Can’t your read?

Like Cheapside, I started engaging Neil with patience, applying reason, logic and facts to arguments only to be misrepresented. As Falco pointed out, “The hallmark of a gentleman is that he is only rude intentionally.” – and I intended to be very rude here. The recipient deserves it.