The big Brexit thread - news, updates and discussion

[DJWrongspeed]

From that Telegraph piece this is the disturbing bit

A cynical view is that this is no longer of any real importance since the economic damage from the Covid-19 crisis is already so great that any further destruction from Brexit will be barely noticed.

I pity the negotiators on both sides having to discuss all this remotely. It's taken my team at work about 9 weeks (to get used video conferencing) before we finally had a proper argument/discussion on Google hangouts

 

[editor]

Along with all those extra tens of millions going to the NHS every week thanks to Brexit, the food supply chain is also another big winner. Oh, wait....

‘Disorderly’ no-deal Brexit will strain food supply chain even more than coronavirus, MPs warne

‘The focus of retailers now is 100 per cent on what’s going to happen on 1 January’

www.independent.co.uk

 

[editor]

And so it goes on.

The British government has abandoned its plan to introduce full border checks with the EU on January 1 as ministers come under mounting pressure from business not to compound the chaos caused by coronavirus. In a significant policy U-turn, Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, has accepted that businesses cannot be expected to cope with Covid-19 and simultaneously face the prospect of disruption at the border at the end of the post-Brexit transition period
However, officials concede that goods flowing to the EU from the UK are likely to face full checks as they enter France.

“We recognise the impact that coronavirus has had on UK businesses,” a Whitehall official said. “As we take back control of our laws and borders at the end of this year, we will take a pragmatic and flexible approach.”

The move, which is expected to be announced ahead of a drive to ramp up no-deal preparations this July, represents a sharp U-turn from February when Mr Gove announced that goods coming from the EU would face the full range of checks.

UK in U-turn on full post-Brexit border controls

Temporary light-touch customs regime planned with pressure from business not to compound Covid-19 chaos

www.ft.com

 

[ska invita]

And so it goes on.

UK in U-turn on full post-Brexit border controls

Temporary light-touch customs regime planned with pressure from business not to compound Covid-19 chaos

www.ft.com

I'm struggling to understand what this means.... If they're giving up on checks does that mean that the deal (if there is one) will be one of alignment to the EU?

 

[SpookyFrank]

I'm struggling to understand what this means.... If they're giving up on checks does that mean that the deal (if there is one) will be one of alignment to the EU?

According to the EU zero progress has been made on alignment and zero interest shown on our side. Looks like the tories are still thinking they can dictate terms unilaterally despite the evidence of the last several years.

If I was Johnson I'd be easing up on the ideological shit and focussing on what will keep food on the shelves and people in work, if only to cover my own arse.

 

[ska invita]

According to the EU zero progress has been made on alignment and zero interest shown on our side. Looks like the tories are still thinking they can dictate terms unilaterally despite the evidence of the last several years.

If I was Johnson I'd be easing up on the ideological shit and focussing on what will keep food on the shelves and people in work, if only to cover my own arse.

Well looks to me like they're running out of time to hand in their homework. In those situations it's always easiest just to copy someone elses.
Softer Brexit under the cover of C19 incoming??

 

[SpookyFrank]

Well looks to me like they're running out of time to hand in their homework. In those situations it's always easiest just to copy someone elses.
Softer Brexit under the cover of C19 incoming??

If the EU does the work for them they'd probably sign off on it at this point. But who even knows with these clowns.

 

[two sheds]

I'm struggling to understand what this means.... If they're giving up on checks does that mean that the deal (if there is one) will be one of alignment to the EU?

Or imports will be allowed in without checks, but exports going through France will be checked/delayed/taxed? Don't know but this sentence doesn't look like softer Brexit or alignment to EU.

However, officials concede that goods flowing to the EU from the UK are likely to face full checks as they enter France.

 

[brogdale]

Or imports will be allowed in without checks, but exports going through France will be checked/delayed/taxed? Don't know but this sentence doesn't look like softer Brexit or alignment to EU.

The control being taken back...East of Dover.

 

[Flavour]

they haven't got a fucking clue what they're doing and will just make it up as they go along in bumbling incompetent fashion both now and after the end of the transition period (if they don't extend it, which I wouldn't rule out)

 

[Smangus]

Don't know why you lot are so negative, the handling of the Covid pandemic should fill you with confidence at this Gvts ability to scope and agree a rational deal that would beneficial to all. Honestly, bloody naysayers

 

[editor]

Private Eye

 

[editor]

Make Britain Great Again.

 

[brogdale]

4 years.

 

[Poi E]

they haven't got a fucking clue what they're doing and will just make it up as they go along in bumbling incompetent fashion both now and after the end of the transition period (if they don't extend it, which I wouldn't rule out)

No, they haven't. Britain has never done free trade before. Empire definitely doesn't count. The sad fuckers had to appoint a New Zealander to head their trade team. Of course he won't pass anything to the Kiwis, noooo. Kiwis love the UK for cutting the country loose in the 1970s to join the EU. All rugby and Oyster Bay, eh. Spectacularly naive.

Not once have I heard any UK commentator talk about competitive advantage. What does Britain do cheaper or more efficiently than other countries? This needs to be answered before any negotiations can begin so sectoral adjustment can be planned. There is a ruinous presumption Britain goes out into the world just trying to maintain sectors it already has. Completely out of touch with reality.

 

[editor]

Be proud Brexit voters!

The stunning cost of the U.K.'s long and drawn-out divorce with the European Union has been laid bare by a new analysis from Bloomberg Economics. It found that real GDP losses due to Brexit stood at just over £22 billion in 2017, and that has snowballed ever since. The U.K. is set to finalize its departure from the EU at the end of January and uncertainty about the move has now cost it £130 billion, a figure that's expected to hit £203 billion by the end of 2020.

Putting that into perspective, it's actually close to the amount of money the U.K. has contributed to all EU budgets over the past 47 years, according to Business Insider. Since 1973, total U.K. payments to the EU budget added up to approximately £215 billion, judging by House of Commons Library figures. Poignantly, the scale of those payments were central to the Leave campaign's case for Brexit and it now looks like the cost of the divorce itself is going to be significantly higher than all of those budget contributions over the past half century.

Once the U.K. finds itself outside the EU, will it be able to make up all of that lost financial ground? It appears highly unlikely.

Brexit Costs Close To Matching Britain’s Total EU Contributions [Infographic]

Britain's Brexit bill is close to exceeding the cost of its collective contributions to all EU budgets since 1973.

www.forbes.com

 

[Badgers]

Family First?

 

[two sheds]

Surprised it's not oven-ready.

 

[philosophical]

That cunt Sammy Wilson, DUP, asked that other cunt Boris Johnson, Prime Minister, an unanswerable question in PMQ's about border controls between parts of the UK after the UK 'leaves'.
Boris Johnson simply smirked and lied.
Clearly as well as having had enough of experts, the Tory cunts have had enough of truth.
And we're not even getting bread and circuses to compensate.

 

[Raheem]

Family First?

Women and children first.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Women and children first.

Only very specifically designated and approved women though.

 

[brogdale]

Family First?

Selling our first born.

 

[kabbes]

Is the trade deal going to prioritise being able to sell your family?

 

[kabbes]

Selling our first born.

Snap

 

[Badgers]

Excellent thread this

 

[two sheds]

Excellent thread this

Which you can't read if you're not on Twitter

 

[Badgers]

Which you can't read if you're not on Twitter

You can

 

[two sheds]

You can

Oops apologies - yep I can read his message (which is priceless ta ) I got confused by a note at the end of the page saying "Join Twitter to get the full story with all the live commentary".

Want to know what happens with the Mayor and his wife and the staff member who changed her day off to be there

 

[ska invita]

Excellent thread this

What does happen to Brits living in France on 1st Jan 2021?

 

[two sheds]

What does happen to Brits living in France on 1st Jan 2021?

gentlegreen might be interested too (or know)