Give it a break Rob. This whole mess is created by the Tories. You thick ugly m'fkers.
What a disgusting post, you're also rapidly annoying me.
And that was the post I was responding to
Good to be on the same page
We're not on the same page, the poster in question was a bellend and then you didn't do what you condescendingly do to others here all the time and that is "grow up" and stop retaliating. So you can count yourself just as bad as him.
You can now add hypocrite to your list of achievements.
Slightly dodged response from Boris on a question where we compromised the most and where the EU compromised the most, not unsurprisingly, but at least brought up fish as an example with a degree of frankness.
Peston with a very hostile approach, rather than just asking a question. 'You're misselling this deal, aren't you?'. That just allows Boris to say No and to waffle.
Give it a break Rob. This whole mess is created by the Tories. You thick ugly m'fkers.
What a disgusting post, you're also rapidly annoying me.
And that was the post I was responding to
Good to be on the same page
We're not on the same page, the poster in question was a bellend and then you didn't do what you condescendingly do to others here all the time and that is "grow up" and stop retaliating. So you can count yourself just as bad as him.
You can now add hypocrite to your list of achievements.
Slightly dodged response from Boris on a question where we compromised the most and where the EU compromised the most, not unsurprisingly, but at least brought up fish as an example with a degree of frankness.
Peston with a very hostile approach, rather than just asking a question. 'You're misselling this deal, aren't you?'. That just allows Boris to say No and to waffle.
How does Peston know he is misselling it if he hasn't read it? God these journalists annoy me.
So we finally have a trade deal with the EU, Brexit has been completed and we can move on.
I'm interested in what you consider "moving on". I'm of the view the new relationship between the UK and the EU could be very useful for both sides. IF the EU wishes to move toward closer political and economic union, that's their business.
That was something of which we were never wholly supportive but the economic and trading relationship matters to both sides and putting that onto a more positive footing will be helpful in starting to heal the wounds of the last four years.
I'd like to think our future political relationship with the EU can become more constructive now we are outside. While anti-EU sentiment has always been there, I've never detected any strong anti-Europe sentiment - it's in our interests the EU prospers and they have the right to go in whatever direction they see fit, just as we do.
It's all well and good that we have a deal, but I think I'll hang on a bit before I start munching through my stockpile. Let's see what January brings.
Give it a break Rob. This whole mess is created by the Tories. You thick ugly m'fkers.
What a disgusting post, you're also rapidly annoying me.
And that was the post I was responding to
Good to be on the same page
We're not on the same page, the poster in question was a bellend and then you didn't do what you condescendingly do to others here all the time and that is "grow up" and stop retaliating. So you can count yourself just as bad as him.
You can now add hypocrite to your list of achievements.
I think leaving Erasmus is a real shame and something a lot of young people will really find very bemusing about why it's gone.
We all need to go ahead together and that means moving past Brexit but I can't help but feel as usual with the Tories anyone young just gets ignored in whatever they do.
Agreed, that is a particularly sad casualty. I don't think Brexit has done the Torys any favours with younger voters. But maybe the sad truth is they don't need them, and don't need to give a shit, especially now Labour is done for in Scotland.
Are we definitely leaving Erasmus? I heard they were still discussing that?
Whatever the deal, it now gives grown-ups the chance to opt back in to various schemes like Erasmus. It should be a no-brainer.
Barnier mentioned it specifically. Lots of universities have their own arrangements with overseas partners, so whilst it is a great shame, it isn't the massive deal that hyper Pro EU Twitter is now making it out to be.
Oh, that is a shame. Hopefully we can find a way to opt back in.
You are right, it’s not the biggest issue.
The biggest issue is that this deal - any deal short of EEA - reduces our productivity by making trade with our next door neighbour more cumbersome. Incidentally, the hit will be experienced proportionally much more in “the Red Wall”.
We also sacrifice a good deal of diplomatic clout. Obviously our voice counts for much less *inside Europe*, but also less with those outside Europe hoping to influence matters within the bloc.
Just how many vaccines are going to be available in the private sector?
One would imagine that they'll be readily available in time, but it's hard to say exactly how long. We have to bear in mind that, even once all our pensioners, medically vulnerable people and key workers have been jabbed, vast numbers of doses will still be needed for people in the developing world to properly squash this thing, and it'll take time to ramp up production enough to create a plentiful supply of vaccines for all.
Though they'll want to have them of course. Our household would happily hand over a large wad of notes for the benefit of vaccination if it'd bring it about any quicker, and no shortage of others will be of the same mind.
This from Chris Mason, Political Correspondent of the BBC:
"Whatever you think of the prime minister, and few are indifferent, today is a moment of triumph for Boris Johnson.
When he became prime minister, he had no majority, no mandate to call his own, an angry country and an angry Parliament.
18 months, a pandemic and nothing less than a brush with death later, he has won a big majority, got the UK out of the European Union, and now done a deal with Brussels.
Some, in the coming days, will suggest it's not good enough.
Others will never be reconciled to Brexit, an idea they will forever regard as a colossal act of self harm.
Vast amounts wait to be found, no doubt, buried amid the subterranean depths of the deal document itself.
But plenty will hope this is the final giant moment in what has been a tortuous few years, combining visceral apoplexy with waves of tedium."
Newton-Dunn asking about compromises made by the UK in general and asking about services - a more useful one to seek a bit more actual detail. Didn't really follow Boris's response.
I think leaving Erasmus is a real shame and something a lot of young people will really find very bemusing about why it's gone.
We all need to go ahead together and that means moving past Brexit but I can't help but feel as usual with the Tories anyone young just gets ignored in whatever they do.
Agreed, that is a particularly sad casualty. I don't think Brexit has done the Torys any favours with younger voters. But maybe the sad truth is they don't need them, and don't need to give a shit, especially now Labour is done for in Scotland.
Are we definitely leaving Erasmus? I heard they were still discussing that?
Whatever the deal, it now gives grown-ups the chance to opt back in to various schemes like Erasmus. It should be a no-brainer.
Barnier mentioned it specifically. Lots of universities have their own arrangements with overseas partners, so whilst it is a great shame, it isn't the massive deal that hyper Pro EU Twitter is now making it out to be.
Oh, that is a shame. Hopefully we can find a way to opt back in.
You are right, it’s not the biggest issue.
The biggest issue is that this deal - any deal short of EEA - reduces our productivity by making trade with our next door neighbour more cumbersome. Incidentally, the hit will be experienced proportionally much more in “the Red Wall”.
We also sacrifice a good deal of diplomatic clout. Obviously our voice counts for much less *inside Europe*, but also less with those outside Europe hoping to influence matters within the bloc.
We are both poorer, and weaker.
But hopefully that’s well understood by now.
Absolutely, I voted Remain. But like many dull old centrists, I am heartily sick of the hysteria from both hyper remain and hyper leave. We are where we are, and on a selfish note, this doesn't seem to totally screw our family business.
Slightly dodged response from Boris on a question where we compromised the most and where the EU compromised the most, not unsurprisingly, but at least brought up fish as an example with a degree of frankness.
Peston with a very hostile approach, rather than just asking a question. 'You're misselling this deal, aren't you?'. That just allows Boris to say No and to waffle.
How does Peston know he is misselling it if he hasn't read it? God these journalists annoy me.
Peston was just as inaccurate with his question as he was on his questions on COVID. Which is why he gave Boris a perfect opening.
It's all well and good that we have a deal, but I think I'll hang on a bit before I start munching through my stockpile. Let's see what January brings.
If we make it through the first week of January without any calamities then I think I'll start emptying the second emergency crate.
The first one will be kept until the Covid emergency is over. That's there in case we have to self-isolate and struggle to get online deliveries. I think it's a good idea for anyone who can afford to stockpile to have a reserve like that, given the nature of the times.
The verdict of the car industry is perhaps one of the most critical. Will the deal be enough to keep mass motor manufacturing in the UK as we transition to electric?
Just how many vaccines are going to be available in the private sector?
One would imagine that they'll be readily available in time, but it's hard to say exactly how long. We have to bear in mind that, even once all our pensioners, medically vulnerable people and key workers have been jabbed, vast numbers of doses will still be needed for people in the developing world to properly squash this thing, and it'll take time to ramp up production enough to create a plentiful supply of vaccines for all.
Though they'll want to have them of course. Our household would happily hand over a large wad of notes for the benefit of vaccination if it'd bring it about any quicker, and no shortage of others will be of the same mind.
Given the US health system, they will have vaccine tourism up and running in 2 shakes. For a price.
The Faithful and Fallen series I felt dropped away a bit toward the end, but Malice had some interesting elements to it, so was worth it.
I'd recommend The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu - fantasy, technically, but not the usual pseudo-medieval europe setting, and quite an epic, well charactertised tale. The Moontide Quartet from David Hair was also excellent.
Mr. kle4, cheers for reporting on the questions. Reminds me why I stopped watching news much. Sky living in fantasy land (same happened when the Coalition didn't click its fingers to teleport Libyan oil workers home) and Peston being a moron (ITV moving Bradby from political editor to anchor made both positions much worse) don't exactly inspire a return to viewing.
As you say, Newton-Dunn appears to be in danger of being kicked out of Journalism Club for asking a sensible question.
Boris very bouncy, and selling it well. Agree with his views or not, his mojo has returned
All Boris's Christmases have come at once. The euro-sceptic Right will be divided - probably with the larger element, for various reasons, being in the Boris camp. Sir Keir will be impotent; no one else will get a look in. Boris is now politically unassailable.
For multi-lingual speeches, where words are not simply repeated, I wonder how they decide which parts should be in which language.
They all start in English, use English phrases throughout, then revert to English again.
To the grande chagrin of the French, this may be the UK’s lasting contribution to the EU during our truncated membership. When we joined the 6 it was largely-French-speaking. As we leave, it is 85% English speaking. I don’t know what the French is for: ‘job done’
The Americans do the heavy lifting and the Brits take the credit. What does this remind us of?
I'm not sure we're supposed to talk about that according to Basil!
I think leaving Erasmus is a real shame and something a lot of young people will really find very bemusing about why it's gone.
We all need to go ahead together and that means moving past Brexit but I can't help but feel as usual with the Tories anyone young just gets ignored in whatever they do.
Agreed, that is a particularly sad casualty. I don't think Brexit has done the Torys any favours with younger voters. But maybe the sad truth is they don't need them, and don't need to give a shit, especially now Labour is done for in Scotland.
Are we definitely leaving Erasmus? I heard they were still discussing that?
Whatever the deal, it now gives grown-ups the chance to opt back in to various schemes like Erasmus. It should be a no-brainer.
Barnier mentioned it specifically. Lots of universities have their own arrangements with overseas partners, so whilst it is a great shame, it isn't the massive deal that hyper Pro EU Twitter is now making it out to be.
Oh, that is a shame. Hopefully we can find a way to opt back in.
You are right, it’s not the biggest issue.
The biggest issue is that this deal - any deal short of EEA - reduces our productivity by making trade with our next door neighbour more cumbersome. Incidentally, the hit will be experienced proportionally much more in “the Red Wall”.
We also sacrifice a good deal of diplomatic clout. Obviously our voice counts for much less *inside Europe*, but also less with those outside Europe hoping to influence matters within the bloc.
We are both poorer, and weaker.
But hopefully that’s well understood by now.
Absolutely, I voted Remain. But like many dull old centrists, I am heartily sick of the hysteria from both hyper remain and hyper leave. We are where we are, and on a selfish note, this doesn't seem to totally screw our family business.
Pretty much the same as me, then. Though I don’t have a family business.
Harry Cole asking about security arrangements, and impact of being locked out of EU wide databases. Boris says it protects cooperation, but doesn't really address the point.
Next question from Heather Stewart about Erasmus and also whether Starmer should support deal.
Boris very bouncy, and selling it well. Agree with his views or not, his mojo has returned
It is the end of a long and winding road as someone once said but the problem is we are on a new road and the destination is far from clear.
Since 1957, Europe has been at the forefront of our economic, trading, political and cultural policy-making. It was the answer to Suez which revealed our limitations as a global imperial power.
Now, while still hopefully maintaining an amicable relationship with the EU, the UK has left the political embrace (or vice-like grip if you prefer). Some will claim the TPP is the new answer moving the focus of our politics and trade to new areas of the globe. We've heard the old nonsense about CANZUK or Empire 2.0.
For me, it's about answering the tough question of what is the UK's place in the world. If it's not to be part of Europe (and we can't ignore Europe geographically much though some might like to), then what? We've a lot to offer and remain a powerful part of the most successful military alliance in modern history.
Yet economics transcends that - China, whether we like it or not, is a global economic superpower. India is coming up fast - Latin America is also moving forward. To build successful economic relationships with those powers and others looks the way forward.
Boris very bouncy, and selling it well. Agree with his views or not, his mojo has returned
All Boris's Christmases have come at once. The euro-sceptic Right will be divided - probably with the larger element, for various reasons, being in the Boris camp. Sir Keir will be impotent; no one else will get a look in. Boris is now politically unassailable.
It will be intriguing to see what the cabinet looks like in a years time.
Mr. HYUFD, if the choices are Deal or No Deal, I'm surprised the euro-loving Lib Dems prefer No Deal.
Davey is clearly aiming for diehard Remainers who might be put off Labour by Starmer not opposing the Deal, it is a tactical LD decision I expect. Davey is pushing for EEA
Boris very bouncy, and selling it well. Agree with his views or not, his mojo has returned
Haven’t got a clue what’s been agreed but he is striking the right tone for once, I actually think he’s not 100% sure what’s in the deal either but there is plenty of time to understand it. The tone from both sides bodes well.
Certainty that we'll have defeated the virus by the spring.
Big call from Boris there.
He just can't help it, lol.
Unless he has super secret AZN news.
We've defeated it already in the sense of having vaccines out there which seem to be effective. The problem will only be if the virus creates a mutation the vaccines can't deal with but human ingenuity means an effective vaccine will be produced and the pain will be prolonged a few weeks or months.
The question now is the speed of inoculation through the population. Claiming 0.4% of the population has had one jab as a triumph sounds hollow against the over-optimistic initial forecasts of millions having been vaccinated by Christmas. The reality is it will take weeks and months but the move back to new normality will be rapid.
This from Chris Mason, Political Correspondent of the BBC:
"Whatever you think of the prime minister, and few are indifferent, today is a moment of triumph for Boris Johnson.
When he became prime minister, he had no majority, no mandate to call his own, an angry country and an angry Parliament.
18 months, a pandemic and nothing less than a brush with death later, he has won a big majority, got the UK out of the European Union, and now done a deal with Brussels.
Some, in the coming days, will suggest it's not good enough.
Others will never be reconciled to Brexit, an idea they will forever regard as a colossal act of self harm.
Vast amounts wait to be found, no doubt, buried amid the subterranean depths of the deal document itself.
But plenty will hope this is the final giant moment in what has been a tortuous few years, combining visceral apoplexy with waves of tedium."
Agreed - he was not my choice for leader and is not the ideal PM for the moment - but this is a considerable achievement. Makes me wonder if he'll want to stay on much longer. If I was a gambler this would be a time to tempt me.
Boris has got a replacement for Erasmus - the Turing scheme.
That sound you can hear, lots of people desperately deleting tweets....
@AramintaMoonbeamQC you'll give us an update on ultra Remain twitter shortly, I hope?
I have to say it still seems an odd one. It seems like something that shouldn't even need more than 5s of time spent on it during the negotiations. It is already has non-EU country participants and I don't think either side would be interested in not continuing some sort of student exchange programme (even hardcore UKIPers aren't fussed about some EU students coming for a few months as part of their degree).
You would have thought it would be, continue as is, check, agreed, agreed.
Sort of "on topic", the dispute resolution mechanism is by far the most important part of this agreement. Simply, making sure there is an impartial arbiter, with sufficient - but not excessive - methods of compulsion, is absolutely key to this working long-term.
The EU and the UK have both come a long way from their initial negotiating positions (the EU's being that they should decide if the UK was infringing, the UK's being that there was no need for any mechanisms for ensuring compliance). What has been agreed is fair, equal and sufficiently powerful to stop either party acting out.
This from Chris Mason, Political Correspondent of the BBC:
"Whatever you think of the prime minister, and few are indifferent, today is a moment of triumph for Boris Johnson.
When he became prime minister, he had no majority, no mandate to call his own, an angry country and an angry Parliament.
18 months, a pandemic and nothing less than a brush with death later, he has won a big majority, got the UK out of the European Union, and now done a deal with Brussels.
Some, in the coming days, will suggest it's not good enough.
Others will never be reconciled to Brexit, an idea they will forever regard as a colossal act of self harm.
Vast amounts wait to be found, no doubt, buried amid the subterranean depths of the deal document itself.
But plenty will hope this is the final giant moment in what has been a tortuous few years, combining visceral apoplexy with waves of tedium."
The focus will now move to how the government handles the next here years in terms of the economy, both from leaving and covid, the deal is already discounted, they will only be reflected if they handle the recovery phase without pissing off their base vote.
Boris has got a replacement for Erasmus - the Turing scheme.
That sound you can hear, lots of people desperately deleting tweets....
@AramintaMoonbeamQC you'll give us an update on ultra Remain twitter shortly, I hope?
I have to say it still seems an odd one. It seems like something that shouldn't even need more than 5s of time spent on it during the negotiations. It is already has non-EU country participants. You would have thought it would be, continue as is, check, agreed, agreed.
Sounded like the UK was paying over the odds for it. The new scheme may be more cost effective in terms of students sent abroad per million quid.
Boris has got a replacement for Erasmus - the Turing scheme.
That sound you can hear, lots of people desperately deleting tweets....
@AramintaMoonbeamQC you'll give us an update on ultra Remain twitter shortly, I hope?
I have to say it still seems an odd one. It seems like something that shouldn't even need more than 5s of time spent on it during the negotiations. It is already has non-EU country participants. You would have thought it would be, continue as is, check, agreed, agreed.
Johnson said it was hugely costly, so replaced by something more efficient which covers countries beyond the EU members states, so will be interesting to see if that is accurate.
I've seen it mentioned a few times that we would have been able to leave the CFP under May's deal. I presume that would still have meant the same negotiations over fishing as we've had anyway. Surely we wouldn't have been in a place where we could have just, eg, banned the French from our waters?
Boris very bouncy, and selling it well. Agree with his views or not, his mojo has returned
Haven’t got a clue what’s been agreed but he is striking the right tone for once, I actually think he’s not 100% sure what’s in the deal either but there is plenty of time to understand it. The tone from both sides bodes well.
It does. I think that Johnson was surprisingly light on the jingoism actually (if anything, President von der Leyen spent more time boosting the benefits of her club than the Prime Minister did ours, actually, although I don't blame her. The UK isn't the only Union with significant internal cohesion challenges.)
But yes - I'm not really big on optimism about anything at the moment, *BUT* assuming that the treaty passes the ratification process then we can hopefully be good neighbours, move on and concentrate on the Covid problem.
You have delivered on your manifesto. You have implemented the will of a people who had become increasingly jaded that they had any real role in democracy any longer. And all in the teeth of a howling gale of outrage from those utterly unused to not getting their own way.
Now - put in some very hard yards in coming years to make the most of our new and hard won commercial freedoms. Because that howling gale of outrage is not going to diminish until you can show them incontrovertible prove of the benefits of the leap the British people have decided to take.
Boris has got a replacement for Erasmus - the Turing scheme.
That sound you can hear, lots of people desperately deleting tweets....
@AramintaMoonbeamQC you'll give us an update on ultra Remain twitter shortly, I hope?
I have to say it still seems an odd one. It seems like something that shouldn't even need more than 5s of time spent on it during the negotiations. It is already has non-EU country participants. You would have thought it would be, continue as is, check, agreed, agreed.
Johnson said it was hugely costly, so replaced by something more efficient which covers countries beyond the EU members states, so will be interesting to see if that is accurate.
"More efficient" meaning "run by members of the chumocracy", presumably.
Boris has got a replacement for Erasmus - the Turing scheme.
That sound you can hear, lots of people desperately deleting tweets....
@AramintaMoonbeamQC you'll give us an update on ultra Remain twitter shortly, I hope?
I have to say it still seems an odd one. It seems like something that shouldn't even need more than 5s of time spent on it during the negotiations. It is already has non-EU country participants. You would have thought it would be, continue as is, check, agreed, agreed.
Johnson said it was hugely costly, so replaced by something more efficient which covers countries beyond the EU members states, so will be interesting to see if that is accurate.
"More efficient" meaning "run by members of the chumocracy", presumably.
No, less spent on subsidising EU students going to other EU countries, more on UK students going abroad.
Boris very bouncy, and selling it well. Agree with his views or not, his mojo has returned
Haven’t got a clue what’s been agreed but he is striking the right tone for once, I actually think he’s not 100% sure what’s in the deal either but there is plenty of time to understand it. The tone from both sides bodes well.
For all his other failings he's traditionally been a Europhile. As an aside think the LDs will make a big strategic error if they oppose the deal.
Mr. HYUFD, if the choices are Deal or No Deal, I'm surprised the euro-loving Lib Dems prefer No Deal.
Davey is clearly aiming for diehard Remainers who might be put off Labour by Starmer not opposing the Deal, it is a tactical LD decision I expect. Davey is pushing for EEA
I suppose that makes sense. Continuity Remain is all the LDs have and all they're for. Whether or not that will deliver them enough voters to keep functioning as any kind of political force is debatable.
Boris very bouncy, and selling it well. Agree with his views or not, his mojo has returned
All Boris's Christmases have come at once. The euro-sceptic Right will be divided - probably with the larger element, for various reasons, being in the Boris camp. Sir Keir will be impotent; no one else will get a look in. Boris is now politically unassailable.
I see no reason for thinking that at all. Most people have long moved on from Brexit and have other much more pressing concerns. As well as being widely expected , this news will pass most people by as they focus on the day-by-day evidence that such a shyster is so totally unsuited to dealing with the Covid crisis. . The commentariat may think otherwise, but this is no longer a salient issue. Very few now raise it and I expect little polling impact.
I mean, I guess who cares, but why them with the pardon?
In 2009 a US couple told the world their son had been carried away by a balloon. Rescue services scrambled to save him, but it was revealed to be a hoax and the pair were convicted.
After 13 years, the couple have now been granted a pardon by the governor of Colorado.
Mr. HYUFD, if the choices are Deal or No Deal, I'm surprised the euro-loving Lib Dems prefer No Deal.
Davey is clearly aiming for diehard Remainers who might be put off Labour by Starmer not opposing the Deal, it is a tactical LD decision I expect. Davey is pushing for EEA
I suppose that makes sense. Continuity Remain is all the LDs have and all they're for. Whether or not that will deliver them enough voters to keep functioning as any kind of political force is debatable.
Have to say the idea is clever - world wide rather than just European horizons and naming it after a gay icon is a nice wokeish nod. Chapeau!
This looks like someone was waiting to reboot the PMs image.....
No doubt there will be a Guardian article soon saying how it would be 'unforgivable' that the UK had not joined Eurasmus, a decision driven by ideology alone.
The new battle front of the outrage bus on tw@tter is that free cellphone data roaming isn't a given when you go to the EU....neither is it in the US, but lots of people's plan do include it and if not you can get dead cheap SIM cards with masses of data.
Its not ideal, but most people taking extent of this perk is during their 2 weeks holiday in Magaluf. Regular business travellers are already well used to either having a particular plan or a second SIM.
Sending our kids to be educated in wokeism...disgraceful ;-)
I wondered what on Earth you were talking about until felix replied. It didn't occur to me that people think "gay icon" rather than "computer genius" when Turing's name is mentioned.
Comments
You can now add hypocrite to your list of achievements.
Peston with a very hostile approach, rather than just asking a question. 'You're misselling this deal, aren't you?'. That just allows Boris to say No and to waffle.
That was something of which we were never wholly supportive but the economic and trading relationship matters to both sides and putting that onto a more positive footing will be helpful in starting to heal the wounds of the last four years.
I'd like to think our future political relationship with the EU can become more constructive now we are outside. While anti-EU sentiment has always been there, I've never detected any strong anti-Europe sentiment - it's in our interests the EU prospers and they have the right to go in whatever direction they see fit, just as we do.
Why is it the left think its perfectly ok to denigrate others but swoon if someone of another tribe does something they decide is not correct?
Sky demanding assurance that there not be any disruption even in the short term.
Boris waffly, in his usual way, but not rattled yet.
Hopefully we can find a way to opt back in.
You are right, it’s not the biggest issue.
The biggest issue is that this deal - any deal short of EEA - reduces our productivity by making trade with our next door neighbour more cumbersome. Incidentally, the hit will be experienced proportionally much more in “the Red Wall”.
We also sacrifice a good deal of diplomatic clout. Obviously our voice counts for much less *inside Europe*, but also less with those outside Europe hoping to influence matters within the bloc.
We are both poorer, and weaker.
But hopefully that’s well understood by now.
Though they'll want to have them of course. Our household would happily hand over a large wad of notes for the benefit of vaccination if it'd bring it about any quicker, and no shortage of others will be of the same mind.
"Whatever you think of the prime minister, and few are indifferent, today is a moment of triumph for Boris Johnson.
When he became prime minister, he had no majority, no mandate to call his own, an angry country and an angry Parliament.
18 months, a pandemic and nothing less than a brush with death later, he has won a big majority, got the UK out of the European Union, and now done a deal with Brussels.
Some, in the coming days, will suggest it's not good enough.
Others will never be reconciled to Brexit, an idea they will forever regard as a colossal act of self harm.
Vast amounts wait to be found, no doubt, buried amid the subterranean depths of the deal document itself.
But plenty will hope this is the final giant moment in what has been a tortuous few years, combining visceral apoplexy with waves of tedium."
https://thaddeusthesixth.blogspot.com/2020/12/reading-list-ramble.html
https://twitter.com/DUPleader/status/1342132668058783744?s=20
Gell-man Amnesia all over again.
The first one will be kept until the Covid emergency is over. That's there in case we have to self-isolate and struggle to get online deliveries. I think it's a good idea for anyone who can afford to stockpile to have a reserve like that, given the nature of the times.
https://twitter.com/NicolaSturgeon/status/1342135543652614144?s=20
I'd recommend The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu - fantasy, technically, but not the usual pseudo-medieval europe setting, and quite an epic, well charactertised tale. The Moontide Quartet from David Hair was also excellent.
Overall I'm fairly pleased.
As you say, Newton-Dunn appears to be in danger of being kicked out of Journalism Club for asking a sensible question.
So I can't see why the EU would demand something special for continued participation nor why the UK would not want to be involved.
They are expecting a delivery of gold.
Big call from Boris there.
https://twitter.com/EdwardJDavey/status/1342135197945516032?s=20
Though I don’t have a family business.
Unless he has super secret AZN news.
Next question from Heather Stewart about Erasmus and also whether Starmer should support deal.
Since 1957, Europe has been at the forefront of our economic, trading, political and cultural policy-making. It was the answer to Suez which revealed our limitations as a global imperial power.
Now, while still hopefully maintaining an amicable relationship with the EU, the UK has left the political embrace (or vice-like grip if you prefer). Some will claim the TPP is the new answer moving the focus of our politics and trade to new areas of the globe. We've heard the old nonsense about CANZUK or Empire 2.0.
For me, it's about answering the tough question of what is the UK's place in the world. If it's not to be part of Europe (and we can't ignore Europe geographically much though some might like to), then what? We've a lot to offer and remain a powerful part of the most successful military alliance in modern history.
Yet economics transcends that - China, whether we like it or not, is a global economic superpower. India is coming up fast - Latin America is also moving forward. To build successful economic relationships with those powers and others looks the way forward.
Because their tribe are The Chosen People of God.
The question now is the speed of inoculation through the population. Claiming 0.4% of the population has had one jab as a triumph sounds hollow against the over-optimistic initial forecasts of millions having been vaccinated by Christmas. The reality is it will take weeks and months but the move back to new normality will be rapid.
You would have thought it would be, continue as is, check, agreed, agreed.
The EU and the UK have both come a long way from their initial negotiating positions (the EU's being that they should decide if the UK was infringing, the UK's being that there was no need for any mechanisms for ensuring compliance). What has been agreed is fair, equal and sufficiently powerful to stop either party acting out.
Frost should be proud.
https://twitter.com/annettedittert/status/1342100801892864000?s=20
I see we have stayed in the Horizon programme, though.
But yes - I'm not really big on optimism about anything at the moment, *BUT* assuming that the treaty passes the ratification process then we can hopefully be good neighbours, move on and concentrate on the Covid problem.
You have delivered on your manifesto. You have implemented the will of a people who had become increasingly jaded that they had any real role in democracy any longer. And all in the teeth of a howling gale of outrage from those utterly unused to not getting their own way.
Now - put in some very hard yards in coming years to make the most of our new and hard won commercial freedoms. Because that howling gale of outrage is not going to diminish until you can show them incontrovertible prove of the benefits of the leap the British people have decided to take.
In 2009 a US couple told the world their son had been carried away by a balloon. Rescue services scrambled to save him, but it was revealed to be a hoax and the pair were convicted.
After 13 years, the couple have now been granted a pardon by the governor of Colorado.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55436883
Its not ideal, but most people taking extent of this perk is during their 2 weeks holiday in Magaluf. Regular business travellers are already well used to either having a particular plan or a second SIM.