Article 50 Discussion

[honeybee13 4,601]

Today it's problems reported by a silk firm that's sending jobs to Europe and cargo and charter airlines that are losing business to European airlines because they can't get permits.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/14/as-half-its-sales-are-wiped-out-silk-firm-joins-exodus-to-europe?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/14/uk-airlines-warn-of-job-losses-as-they-lose-business-to-brexit?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

Gove now apparently asking the EU to extend the 3 months 'leeway' given to the UK gov re NI - areas that Johnson and Gove refused to agree as part of the withdrawel agreement as 'they would be ready

... until 2023

 

... while already breaching them ...

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-northern-ireland-protocol-maros-sefcovic-b1802873.html

[honeybee13 4,601]

They keep trying for options they don't have, don't they?

 

Europe have been telling the UK to deal with what's there already and put in place what they said they would before wanting to rejig everything. Gove seems to be giving up at the first sign of adversity.

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

.. its what Johnson has demanded, refusing all alternatives

[honeybee13 4,601]

So Boris has brought back David Frost - an unelected bureaucrat - to 'knock some heads together' over the Northern Ireland problem. I can't see the Europeans being too happy about getting a confrontational negotiator back and just when Michael Gove might have started to build a relationship with Maros Sefcovic.

 

One of the main aims seems to be to get rid of the border in the Irish Sea. Unless I've missed something, the only way to do that is to put a border on the Irish mainland and cause huge problems, or to rejoin the single market and customs union.

 

 

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

Yayyy for transparency

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/19/matt-hancock-acted-unlawfully-failing-publish-covid-contracts-high-court

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/matt-hancock-covid-contract-ruling-b1804667.html

 

"“If it had admitted to being in breach of the law when we first raised our concerns, it would have never been necessary to take this judicial review to its conclusion. Instead, they chose a path of obfuscation, racking up over £200,000 of legal costs as a result."

[honeybee13 4,601]

Biden doesn't seem bothered about negotiating a trade treaty to suit the UK government's timetable. I don't suppose they saw this coming, not that the amount of trade involved makes up for what's being lost with Europe anyway.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-boris-johnson-usa-trade-deal-b1807616.html

[unclebulgaria67 29,135]

It takes a long time to agree trade deals because there are so many aspects to consider. 

 

UK companies trade with US consumers including US Government every day of the year, with the previous trade arrangements still in place.

 

There is no hurry to agree a new trade deal. It takes thousands of civil servants in both Governments to go into every aspect and they just don't have the people available to do this work.

 

 

[honeybee13 4,601]

They've estimated 10 years to agree a trade deal haven't they, UB? I think the Tories believed Trump when he said the UK would be at the front of the queue and have a quick trade deal and thought it would look good as an announcement after Brexit happened. It didn't dawn on them until quite late on that Donald might lose the election.

 

Why they ever thought US negotiators would do any favours is beyond me and now you see how other countries have asserted themselves over trade deals, the Tories global ambitions are starting to look naive.

[unclebulgaria67 29,135]

Atleast 7 years, but they have already done some of the work. I think Liam Fox started this a few years ago.

 

My guess is that it will take 3 to 4 years before a proper trade deal is signed. There might be a mini trade deal before then limited to a few sectors.

 

The issue for the Brexit supporters might be when the EU and US sign a trade deal, before there is a UK/US deal. And when this finally happens UK only obtains same deal as EU. There is no reason for US to agree better terms with the UK and they would not do so  because US sees UK as part of Europe.

[honeybee13 4,601]

Well as you're implying, UB, you're going to sign a better trade deal with a large economic bloc than with a small one, aren't you?

 

I don't think there's any chance of any deal based on a 'special relationship' while Biden's in the White House, but as I said I think Trump would have stitched us up in the end anyway.

[unclebulgaria67 29,135]

No, I think UK will get same deal as EU.  Main reasons for this are two sectors,  Defence and Financial Services.  US have huge levels of money invested in the UK, so they have a self interest in offering a trade deal as good as the EU.

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

3 hours ago, unclebulgaria67 said:

It takes a long time to agree trade deals because there are so many aspects to consider. 

 

 

Like 'alignment' of regulations

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

"Downing Street is trying to set up a charity that could cover the costs of the refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s flat, which he shares with his fiancee, Carrie Symonds."

"Symonds is understood to have undertaken a substantial redecoration of the flat above No 11 that she shares with Johnson and their baby son, Wilfred. Johnson is known to have joked with Conservative MPs about the cost of the refurbishment."

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/02/johnson-trying-to-set-up-charity-that-could-fund-downing-street-flat-revamp

[honeybee13 4,601]

I haven't seen a cost mentioned, but it seems to be rather extravagant for a redecoration. I don't see why the taxpayer should fund a refurb every time someone new is elected PM and possibly only lasts a couple of years.

 

Bozo seems to have got the charity idea from his mate Donald.

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

figures touted include 'over a hundred grand'

 

"Miss Lytle's fabrics start at £100 a metre" (wallpaper)

 

and who imagines Princess nut nut or Barney would accept bargain basement ...

Edited March 2 by tobyjugg2

[honeybee13 4,601]

'Freeports are not a magic bullet' by the academics at Britain in  Changing Europe.

 

https://ukandeu.ac.uk/freeports-are-not-a-magic-bullet-new-academic-report-finds/

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

They are for tax evaders and hiding dodgy items in unaccountable inaccessible storage

'tax liabilities vanish just like magick' said a number of tax evading rich people

Edited March 3 by tobyjugg2

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

Interesting that the major Brexit supporters - fisherman and the DUP - are screaming blue murder that they don't get the benefits of being a member of the EU now they have left the EU as they wished and were actually prime poster plebs for.

 

What did they expect -

Cake and eat it?

All the benefits, none of the downsides?

No one threatening their place in the single market?

 

.. as if ...

[honeybee13 4,601]

From the Guardian live news feed at 12.19, PMQs.

 

Johnson 'says the position of NI in the internal market is “rock solid”. There will be “temporary, operational easings”, in areas like food supplies, to protect Northern Ireland, pending discussions with the EU.

 

Is this going to be like breaking the law in a limited and specific way? I can't see the EU being thrilled about it.

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

But thats Johnson whos word means squat. He;s already thrown the DUP under a truck, although the DUP have allies - the ERG

 

... BUTthe EU cant be expected to ratify an agreement thats already breached/failed in April eh?

and the complete break from the eu would 'smooth Johnson implementation of 'relaxations of UK human rights laws later this year

 

Of course, just withdrawing doesn't mean they intend to crap all over them does it .. they are just redundant protections that don't need law to protect them because they are safe in Johnsons hands so just get rid of the laws eh?

Like privatisation of the NHS ...

[honeybee13 4,601]

That's a good point about Europe, they're still considering the agreement, aren't they?

[honeybee13 4,601]

Here we go again. Maros Sefcovic has made a statement.

 

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

So, in summary  it says that Johnson is an oath breaking liar who either cant see beyond the end of his dick, or doesn't care as long as it can be spun that his problems are more somebody elses problem to solve than his, and who (with the UK dragged along) certainly can't be trusted.

- No surprises there then

 

More on that:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-finance/eu-says-it-expects-financial-services-deal-with-uk-but-trust-an-issue-idUSKBN2AW0TF?il=0

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/brexit/eu-forced-to-take-legal-action-as-uk-cannot-be-trusted-on-protocol-says-coveney-1.4500990

 

and the 'loyalist' paramilitary groups stepping up a gear with the DUP rabble rousing

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/04/brexit-northern-ireland-loyalist-armies-renounce-good-friday-agreement

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/brexit/loyalist-paramilitary-groups-withdraw-support-for-belfast-agreement-1.4500982

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-dup-northern-ireland-checks-b1808243.html

 

 

Lets not forget that Johnson whipped this 'solution' and spun it as a great deal, marvellous for the UK and that was easy for the UK to implement rejecting all other options

 

 

Like sunaks budget,

great for those looking to buy a second property in the spate of evictions that has started,

or corporations that have money squirrelled away in tax havens who might be persuaded to buy up the best bits of failing companies with  25% tax relief

all funded for decades to come by those people and corporations stupid enough to actually pay tax in the UK 

 

.. all while reducing the NHS budget by 10's of billions and shunting that into the private sector while the NHS, due to covid, has the longest waiting list for very profitable to the private sector operations its ever had

 

 

On the human rights issue I mentioned

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/human-rights-act-review-northern-ireland-peace-process-b1809478.html

 

Edited March 4 by tobyjugg2

[tobyjugg2 1,145]

Priti Patel reaches £340,000 settlement with ex-Home Office chief Philip Rutnam

"Priti Patel has reached a six-figure settlement with a senior civil servant following claims that he was forced out of his job for intervening in her alleged bullying of fellow staff, it has emerged."

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/04/priti-patel-reaches-six-figure-settlement-with-ex-home-office-chief-philip-rutnam

 

Now Johnson needs to explain how and why he over turned the assessment on her breach of ministerial code

https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-rules-priti-patel-did-not-breach-ministerial-code-over-bullying-allegations-12136986