The EU aren't investing any effort into amending the Irish border backstop in the withdrawal agreement, where Northern Ireland has a different trade regime from mainland GB.
Indeed the EU is frightfully complacent on this border issue - who pays ? EU or ROI ? Also the EU has no plans on how it will make up the huge shortfall in budget contributions when we exit with no deal.
The EU can live with that. On the whole it wants an agreement, but it doesn't see protecting the UK government from its own folly as its responsibility. On a related matter, the UK, unlike the EU, is not deeply concerned about Liam Fox's incompetence in rolling over third party trade deals: https://twitter.com/adampayne26/status/989406060300685312
I have been warning about the Department for International Trade for some time.
It should be a dream posting for a civil servant: lots of foreign travel, and plenty of achievements (i.e. deals).
Staff turnover should have been low. (Turnover at DfExEU is extremely low, as everyone knows the seriousness of what's involved.) But it isn't. Dr Fox has clashed with senior civil servants, repeatedly, and doesn't like to be given information he disagrees with. And so the smarter members of his team have left
Dr Fox is an Altlantacist (which is no bad thing in general), but there is an almost myopic focus on getting a deal with the US, over replicating existing arrangements. This leads to our partners (such as South Korea) being frustrated that they don't get time, and which led to a very undiplomatic statement by the South Korean government.
The one area where he appears to have good relationships is with Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Hopefully that will result is positive outcomes sooner rather than later.
I keep thinking this guy qualified for medical school and became a doctor so he can't be completely stupid. But the evidence to the contrary is really compelling.
Its a highly competitive race but for me he is the single most useless member of the Cabinet.
Well so did Harold Shipman and he had a 'poor command of punctuation and spelling':
I can't help thinking that if Fox tried to murder lots of people it would be (a) very, very messy and (b) result in self inflicted injuries, possibly involving the loss of fingers. He is a useless git.
So far as Shipman is concerned I love a bit of pedantry as much as the next person but I still think that your criticisms show some indications of an obsession.
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
Why are they actually writing it down rather than waiting for her to sell the flat and then writing it down?
It's odd. I think the same as yourself..
Looking at help to buy in the round, it seems a massive bung to housebuilders. Which may not be a bad thing, though due to the affordability/LTV situation it creates a situation where new-builds can sell for an artificially higher price than the rest of the market (Than they otherwise might be) since those who can plan 6 years ahead (When the Gov't scheme starts to bite with the whole RPI + 2.75% business on the loans) will pay the loan off early, and those who can't plan 6 years ahead start to subsidise the rest of the scheme with their expensive payments from yr 7 onward. Even if you have enough deposit for a 25% put down, it is worth taking the Gov't cash if you're determined to buy a new build - though noting the above arguments a house of existing stock may well be better value for money.
All in all it's not a bad scheme (Since we need more homes), but it's particularly good if you're the CEO of a big housebuilder Persimmon I wonder how the outflows and inflows are doing against the original projections mind.
Why are they actually writing it down rather than waiting for her to sell the flat and then writing it down?
The rules say you can pay back at any time, the amount being proportional to the current valuation.
THat's not a bad clause, and makes the scheme actually a little more taxpayer friendly (And individual unfriendly) than my original paragraph proposes. But who values the property if you have the readies ready to pay it all back at say 3 years in ? & Who pays for the valuation... Can you pay your friendly local surveyor, or does the Gov't pay the surveyor. Or is it just done on a general market basis ?
Nah. You shop around until you get a dodgy surveyor who will write a report at a low value and then submit it...
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
Whilst not disagreeing with the general view of Liam Fox, isn't part of the problem with his department that they can't actually do anything very substantive until we know what the final trade deal with the EU is going to look like?
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
I'd certainly want Lord Mandelson on my side in any negotiation, the problem would be figuring out whether he was.
Whilst not disagreeing with the general view of Liam Fox, isn't part of the problem with his department that they can't actually do very much until we know what the final trade deal with the EU is going to look like?
He can get agreements in principle from existing EU trade partners to carry the deals forwards indefinitely and with a view to making them more tailored to the UK economy after we leave. Instead he's fannying about trying to get Trump to do something, which is not realistic.
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
Whilst not disagreeing with the general view of Liam Fox, isn't part of the problem with his department that they can't actually do anything very substantive until we know what the final trade deal with the EU is going to look like?
It is a problem but the issue of how the plethora of EU deals are going to be rolled over (if they are) is something that should have had his urgent attention. The next priority is to start exploring how we make those deals more win win for us and the other country. Restrictions on products being made elsewhere in the EU that the third country sells would be an obvious example as would be seeking an offset for financial services access. I agree with @Max_PB that the failure to make progress on this is pushing us into continuing a Customs Union that looks incredibly like the current one for at least the transitional period.
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
I'd certainly want Lord Mandelson on my side in any negotiation, the problem would be figuring out whether he was.
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
I'd certainly want Lord Mandelson on my side in any negotiation, the problem would be figuring out whether he was.
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
There was the lady from the EU's Court of Auditors, who went on to become a UKIP MEP, and she wasn't stripped of her pension. Indeed, has anyone ever been stripped of a pension? Without context it's hard to know exactly how outrageous the terms are.
I don't think anyone here would object of the stripping of a British pension from someone who joined the French army and fought against us in a war. (At one extreme.) But someone in receipt of a British pension who called for Scottish independence would be another matter altogether.
Re Dr Fox: I think the ultimate problem is not incompetence or venality or laziness.
The problem is that he believes the best way his name can be remembered for 100 years, or for him to get the top job, is for him to deliver an FTA with the US. He sees Brexit as a fundamental reorientation of Britain away from the continent of Europe, and towards the continent of North America. (I think he's largely indifferent to India, China and the rest of Asia.)
The job of steering the Department for International Trade at this juncture, though, is about steady as she goes, and minimising disruption.
Trump supporters in the UK want him to go to Scotland where they believe he will receive a better welcome than in London which is "far out of touch with ordinary Brits".
Jeezo, just after we'd had the supine media fawning over one royal baby.
I wonder if they'll be bringing the child up in her partner's faith?
Only Conservatives and Jewish Labour politicians ever get comments about their faith.
Telling.
Has Ruth turned her face to Rome also?!
I mean really - who cares ?
Since I seem to recall you seeing the sinister hand of Papism everywhere in the past, I'm glad you've moved on from that somewhat regressive state of mind.
“ 'In all my years I have never seen anything like it, not even under Brown,' says a regular visitor to No 10."
What exactly is it he has never seen before?
Dunno but I can't believe Theresa is throwing printers and mobile phones at her underlings and kicking over coffee tables so it must be a step up on El Gord...
Mr. L, nope. I'll post the answer in a little while, just in case anyone else wants to guess.
Mr. Meeks, how many references to striking free trade deals [which requires leaving the customs union] were there?
Also, mentioning something once is still mentioning something. And that video I posted the other day, put up again below, has several major figures making just that point.
“ 'In all my years I have never seen anything like it, not even under Brown,' says a regular visitor to No 10."
What exactly is it he has never seen before?
Dunno but I can't believe Theresa is throwing printers and mobile phones at her underlings and kicking over coffee tables so it must be a step up on El Gord...
Lack of direction, energy, purpose etc etc seemed to be thrust of the article. And, indeed, people.
Brexiteers might not have done but I'm sure I remember Cameron (and Osborne) claiming that if we vote to leave we'll be "quitting" everything - Single market and customs union?
Wasn't it also in Cameron's leaflet? I wish I'd kept it and not put it back in the box (without a stamp) to 10 Downing St. now...
the telling part o that post is "26 people are talking about this"
so basically nobody gives a shit
It's the Leaver obsessives who keep insisting that Brexit without leaving the customs union is some form of betrayal. It's one of those crazy unwarranted assertions that Leavers specialise in.
It's page 36 of the Conservative manifesto 2017. "We will no longer be members of the single market or customs union."
It doesn't rule out creating a new customs union.
"...but we will seek a deep and special partnership including a comprehensive free trade and customs agreement. There may be specific European programmes in which we might want to participate and if so, it will be reasonable that we make a contribution."
Mr. L, nope. I'll post the answer in a little while, just in case anyone else wants to guess.
Mr. Meeks, how many references to striking free trade deals [which requires leaving the customs union] were there?
Also, mentioning something once is still mentioning something. And that video I posted the other day, put up again below, has several major figures making just that point.
No one remembers it. Unsurprising, when all the Leave effort was put into frightening people with xenophobic lies. That's the mandate that Leave secured and that's what has to be honoured.
So charities are non political - if they want to remain a registeed charity. OXFAM has had to tone down its more political statements.
They aren't party political. But if your definition is "campaigning for a case", a charity can say campaign for changes to government policy which is "political".
Are there any rules about foreigners in the Cabinet? If not, May should ennoble the Commonwealth's most successful trade negotiator and put them in charge of the dept (a la Carney and the Bank of England).
This is going to sound stupid, but why not Baron Mandelson?
There's no place for him in Labour. He's very able. Scandals are no barrier.
And wouldn't he like something positive to come out of his career?
Excellent idea. I really wanted him involved in the Brexit negotiations. He knows more about how the EU works than any active UK politician. But this would be a good second best.
Wouldn't the former Commissioner be parti pris for the Remainer lobby?
I don't think so. He has never struck me as particularly loyal to anything and he loves a deal, especially one that shows how clever he is. I mean, if we assume for the moment that the Brexit negotiations actually matter for the future success of this country, who would you want in your corner, David Davis or Peter Mandelson? For me, its a no brainer.
If he'd been made Foreign Secretary instead of Boris Johnson, and given a free hand on foreign policy and Brexit negotiations then you could be right.
the telling part o that post is "26 people are talking about this"
so basically nobody gives a shit
It's the Leaver obsessives who keep insisting that Brexit without leaving the customs union is some form of betrayal. It's one of those crazy unwarranted assertions that Leavers specialise in.
the telling part o that post is "26 people are talking about this"
so basically nobody gives a shit
It's the Leaver obsessives who keep insisting that Brexit without leaving the customs union is some form of betrayal. It's one of those crazy unwarranted assertions that Leavers specialise in.
so just ignore them, everybody else is.
the site could almost become readable again
Everyone else is bored sick of Brexit and will consign the whole sorry project to the dustbin of history at the first chance they get to express their verdict on it.
Mr. Brooke, to be fair, I posted a reasonably long and mildly interesting set of pre-weekend notes on F1, and nobody replied.
Incidentally, the sci-fi quote was from the start of the fifth series of Babylon 5. The first quote is "And so it begins", almost exactly what someone else wrote. Another quote used is "There is a hole in your mind."
Whilst not disagreeing with the general view of Liam Fox, isn't part of the problem with his department that they can't actually do anything very substantive until we know what the final trade deal with the EU is going to look like?
It is a problem but the issue of how the plethora of EU deals are going to be rolled over (if they are) is something that should have had his urgent attention. The next priority is to start exploring how we make those deals more win win for us and the other country. Restrictions on products being made elsewhere in the EU that the third country sells would be an obvious example as would be seeking an offset for financial services access. I agree with @Max_PB that the failure to make progress on this is pushing us into continuing a Customs Union that looks incredibly like the current one for at least the transitional period.
It is a bit more than cut and paste job, as this little article on the EU Korea trade deal explains:
Re Dr Fox: I think the ultimate problem is not incompetence or venality or laziness.
The problem is that he believes the best way his name can be remembered for 100 years, or for him to get the top job, is for him to deliver an FTA with the US...
I think that speaks quite strongly to his incompetence.
Whilst not disagreeing with the general view of Liam Fox, isn't part of the problem with his department that they can't actually do anything very substantive until we know what the final trade deal with the EU is going to look like?
It is a problem but the issue of how the plethora of EU deals are going to be rolled over (if they are) is something that should have had his urgent attention. The next priority is to start exploring how we make those deals more win win for us and the other country. Restrictions on products being made elsewhere in the EU that the third country sells would be an obvious example as would be seeking an offset for financial services access. I agree with @Max_PB that the failure to make progress on this is pushing us into continuing a Customs Union that looks incredibly like the current one for at least the transitional period.
It is a bit more than cut and paste job, as this little article on the EU Korea trade deal explains:
Maybe it is, he's had almost two years and a government and not a single deal has been agreed in principle. It might not be a simple job, but he's had enough time.
Whilst not disagreeing with the general view of Liam Fox, isn't part of the problem with his department that they can't actually do anything very substantive until we know what the final trade deal with the EU is going to look like?
It is a problem but the issue of how the plethora of EU deals are going to be rolled over (if they are) is something that should have had his urgent attention. The next priority is to start exploring how we make those deals more win win for us and the other country. Restrictions on products being made elsewhere in the EU that the third country sells would be an obvious example as would be seeking an offset for financial services access. I agree with @Max_PB that the failure to make progress on this is pushing us into continuing a Customs Union that looks incredibly like the current one for at least the transitional period.
It is a bit more than cut and paste job, as this little article on the EU Korea trade deal explains:
Maybe it is, he's had almost two years and a government and not a single deal has been agreed in principle. It might not be a simple job, but he's had enough time.
I am happy to agree that my colleague and near namesake is a waste of space.
On the positive side at least he is no longer in clinical practice.
Why on earth would we want to be in a customs union with the EU, to impose a set of common external tariffs on the rest of the world in order to protect EU industries? With no UK role in decision-making, the EU will hardly want to protect UK industries. And why should we want to featherbed UK industry at the expense of consumers anyway?
Dr. John Ellwood, talking about our reaching out to colonise Mars. I saw his talk last year on the Rosetta Mission (of which he was Project Manager), and it was just magnificent.
It's page 36 of the Conservative manifesto 2017. "We will no longer be members of the single market or customs union."
Didn't win a majority.
Do you know what the labour manifesto said on this ?
Genuine Question .
"We will scrap the Conservatives’ Brexit White Paper and replace it with fresh negotiating priorities that have a strong emphasis on retaining the benefits of the Single Market and the Customs Union – which are essential for maintaining industries, jobs and businesses in Britain. Labour will always put jobs and the economy first."
Strangely ambiguous - you can't really retrain the benefits of the CU if you actually retain the CU.
"Jeremy Corbyn’s manifesto made no mention of trying to keep Britain in the customs union, stating instead that Labour would focus on “retaining the benefits” of membership."
Why on earth would we want to be in a customs union with the EU, to impose a set of common external tariffs on the rest of the world in order to protect EU industries? With no UK role in decision-making, the EU will hardly want to protect UK industries. And why should we want to featherbed UK industry at the expense of consumers anyway?
I think that the EU has lower external tarrifs than most other trade blocs or countries.
Staying in the CU for a decade or so would be quite sensible as a way of disentangling and forming our own deals.
It's page 36 of the Conservative manifesto 2017. "We will no longer be members of the single market or customs union."
Didn't win a majority.
Yes it did.
Not only did it win a majority of seats in England but a majority of seats in Great Britain.
Only the inclusion of Northern Ireland MPs prevents the Tories from having an overall UK majority. Except the DUP had the same policy and supports the government on this so still a majority.
It's page 36 of the Conservative manifesto 2017. "We will no longer be members of the single market or customs union."
Didn't win a majority.
Yes it did.
Not only did it win a majority of seats in England but a majority of seats in Great Britain.
Only the inclusion of Northern Ireland MPs prevents the Tories from having an overall UK majority. Except the DUP had the same policy and supports the government on this so still a majority.
The DUP's policy, nay red line, is no divergence on customs between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. If Northern Ireland can't leave, neither can anywhere else.
Whilst not disagreeing with the general view of Liam Fox, isn't part of the problem with his department that they can't actually do anything very substantive until we know what the final trade deal with the EU is going to look like?
It is a problem but the issue of how the plethora of EU deals are going to be rolled over (if they are) is something that should have had his urgent attention. The next priority is to start exploring how we make those deals more win win for us and the other country. Restrictions on products being made elsewhere in the EU that the third country sells would be an obvious example as would be seeking an offset for financial services access. I agree with @Max_PB that the failure to make progress on this is pushing us into continuing a Customs Union that looks incredibly like the current one for at least the transitional period.
It is a bit more than cut and paste job, as this little article on the EU Korea trade deal explains:
Maybe it is, he's had almost two years and a government and not a single deal has been agreed in principle. It might not be a simple job, but he's had enough time.
I am happy to agree that my colleague and near namesake is a waste of space.
On the positive side at least he is no longer in clinical practice.
He is indeed completely useless. My friend who was there has moved to another department and hasn't looked back. Still very Brexit focussed, but actually making some kind of difference.
The friend was the one who confirmed to me that the civil service have been pushing the customs union option to the government because they have no faith in Fox to roll over the current EU trade deals in time. His department hasn't even set a target of how many deals they want signed or set any kind of priority among the existing deals that should be rolled over first.
It's page 36 of the Conservative manifesto 2017. "We will no longer be members of the single market or customs union."
Didn't win a majority.
Do you know what the labour manifesto said on this ?
Genuine Question .
"We will scrap the Conservatives’ Brexit White Paper and replace it with fresh negotiating priorities that have a strong emphasis on retaining the benefits of the Single Market and the Customs Union – which are essential for maintaining industries, jobs and businesses in Britain. Labour will always put jobs and the economy first."
Strangely ambiguous - you can't really retrain the benefits of the CU if you actually retain the CU.
"Jeremy Corbyn’s manifesto made no mention of trying to keep Britain in the customs union, stating instead that Labour would focus on “retaining the benefits” of membership."
As with their entire fucking Manifesto, Labour was keen on the merits of cake and of eating of cake.....
It's page 36 of the Conservative manifesto 2017. "We will no longer be members of the single market or customs union."
Didn't win a majority.
Yes it did.
Not only did it win a majority of seats in England but a majority of seats in Great Britain.
Only the inclusion of Northern Ireland MPs prevents the Tories from having an overall UK majority. Except the DUP had the same policy and supports the government on this so still a majority.
The DUP's policy, nay red line, is no divergence on customs between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. If Northern Ireland can't leave, neither can anywhere else.
OT. I was walking along the street when an old man came up to me and asked if I could give him £1. He said he wasn't going to buy drugs he just wanted to have a shower and get clean. He said he'd fought with Frank Bruno and got brain damaged. He showed me this very worn photo which was of Frank Bruno and a black boxer who could have been him. I gave him a £2 coin that I had in my pocket and went on my way. If genuine very sad
Comments
https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/989523794393030656
So far as Shipman is concerned I love a bit of pedantry as much as the next person but I still think that your criticisms show some indications of an obsession.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/apr/25/persimmon-investors-revolt-bonus-pay-vote
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/4996440/Lord-Mandelson-must-remain-loyal-to-EU-to-guarantee-pension.html
I agree with @Max_PB that the failure to make progress on this is pushing us into continuing a Customs Union that looks incredibly like the current one for at least the transitional period.
I wonder if they'll be bringing the child up in her partner's faith?
Telling.
That's a rather sour post Div?
Getting lessons in being gracious from Nicola is not a good look.
https://twitter.com/UKStopTrump/status/989536938452451332
[+3 sci-fi points for those who get the reference].
There was the lady from the EU's Court of Auditors, who went on to become a UKIP MEP, and she wasn't stripped of her pension. Indeed, has anyone ever been stripped of a pension? Without context it's hard to know exactly how outrageous the terms are.
I don't think anyone here would object of the stripping of a British pension from someone who joined the French army and fought against us in a war. (At one extreme.) But someone in receipt of a British pension who called for Scottish independence would be another matter altogether.
The problem is that he believes the best way his name can be remembered for 100 years, or for him to get the top job, is for him to deliver an FTA with the US. He sees Brexit as a fundamental reorientation of Britain away from the continent of Europe, and towards the continent of North America. (I think he's largely indifferent to India, China and the rest of Asia.)
The job of steering the Department for International Trade at this juncture, though, is about steady as she goes, and minimising disruption.
so basically nobody gives a shit
Mr. Meeks, how many references to striking free trade deals [which requires leaving the customs union] were there?
Also, mentioning something once is still mentioning something. And that video I posted the other day, put up again below, has several major figures making just that point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R16-ZvH5_ho
Wasn't it also in Cameron's leaflet? I wish I'd kept it and not put it back in the box (without a stamp) to 10 Downing St. now...
"...but we will seek a deep and special partnership including a comprehensive free trade and customs agreement. There may be specific European programmes in which we might want to participate and if so, it will be reasonable that we make a contribution."
But equally "no mandate" to leave the Customs Union is also misleading.
So charities are non political - if they want to remain a registeed charity. OXFAM has had to tone down its more political statements.
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/989546562073309184
the site could almost become readable again
Incidentally, the sci-fi quote was from the start of the fifth series of Babylon 5. The first quote is "And so it begins", almost exactly what someone else wrote. Another quote used is "There is a hole in your mind."
https://uktradeforum.net/2018/02/21/rolling-over-eu-free-trade-deals-a-look-at-an-actual-text/
On the positive side at least he is no longer in clinical practice.
Genuine Question .
*tinfoil*
With no UK role in decision-making, the EU will hardly want to protect UK industries.
And why should we want to featherbed UK industry at the expense of consumers anyway?
http://theflavel.org.uk/TheFlavel.dll/WhatsOn?Programme=4062454
Dr. John Ellwood, talking about our reaching out to colonise Mars. I saw his talk last year on the Rosetta Mission (of which he was Project Manager), and it was just magnificent.
Strangely ambiguous - you can't really retrain the benefits of the CU if you actually retain the CU.
EDIT: noted at the time
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-hard-brexit-stance-jeremy-corbyn-eu-withdrawal-keir-starmer-open-britain-campaign-group-a7739226.html
"Jeremy Corbyn’s manifesto made no mention of trying to keep Britain in the customs union, stating instead that Labour would focus on “retaining the benefits” of membership."
Staying in the CU for a decade or so would be quite sensible as a way of disentangling and forming our own deals.
Not only did it win a majority of seats in England but a majority of seats in Great Britain.
Only the inclusion of Northern Ireland MPs prevents the Tories from having an overall UK majority. Except the DUP had the same policy and supports the government on this so still a majority.
Assuming she isn’t ousted when she keeps us in the customs union.
Salisbury police say they already have enough to deal with as officers have to chase naked couple through the streets
Would probably pass without comment nowadays.
The friend was the one who confirmed to me that the civil service have been pushing the customs union option to the government because they have no faith in Fox to roll over the current EU trade deals in time. His department hasn't even set a target of how many deals they want signed or set any kind of priority among the existing deals that should be rolled over first.