Brexit-Good news v Bad news

catinstalbans

catinstalbans

Well-known member
I'm always told that I'm never positive about Brexit so let's compare two bits of Brexit news from the last couple of days.

Liz Truss continues to perform miracles by ensuring that the UK can trade on exactly the same terms with other countries as it did before. Her latest stunning success being a trade deal with ALBANIA. To be completely fair, when you compare her performance with that of other key ministers such as Williamson, Patel, Jenrick and even the Prime Minister, you can understand why such success can be celebrated by the Conservative party with such gusto.

Meanwhile, and only for balance sake, it should be noted that UK exports only decreased by 68% in January 2021 compared with the same month a year ago. As Michael Gove says some teething problems with the new deal should be expected as the Government only had from 2016-2021 to sort things out, so a fall of 2/3 in British exports is of no concern.

Fury at Gove as exports to EU slashed by 68% since Brexit | Brexit | The Guardian

Hauliers say Cabinet Office minister ignored their warnings, amid fears that worse is to come with introduction of import checks in July
amp.theguardian.com amp.theguardian.com

It's all going very well!
 
We haven’t suffered any noticeable shortages of food or medicines that was predicted.
The vaccine program has not been hampered and has out performed Eu (I don’t believe we would have gone it alone even though we theoretically could have, if we were part of it)

As of yet it has had zero noticeable effect on my personal life and minor inconvenience work wise.
The export figures are hard to judge as I suspect there was stockpiles built up in 2020 due to fears of Brexit

The new trade deals may (tbc) provide us lower cost alternatives to what we previously sourced from Europe.

Brexit has caused pain and damage to some UK industries though and inevitably it will take a long time to get over the anger towards our politicians from EU representatives abs politicians.
This may lead to spiteful reproaches against us and that is of our own making.

We’ve not yet felt the impact of travel yet due to lockdown so that will be interesting if we get back to the vacation season again?
 
It is a startling figure, if true. There will be lots of reasons I am sure, including stockpiling being run down, teething problems, and covid of course.
The Government seems to be burying it’s head in the sand at the moment, and presumably hoping that ‘business will find a way’.
Let’s hope they are right. That two thirds down figure needs to unwind pretty quick IMO.
 
It's a shocking figure and one that will put serious pressure on the UK government. That said I think the majority of UK citizens can't be arsed thinking things through so it'll slip under the radar.
 
glasshalffull said:
It is a startling figure, if true. There will be lots of reasons I am sure, including stockpiling being run down, teething problems, and covid of course.
The Government seems to be burying it’s head in the sand at the moment, and presumably hoping that ‘business will find a way’.
Let’s hope they are right. That two thirds down figure needs to unwind pretty quick IMO.
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Stockpiling won't have much to do with exports. We were stockpiling imported goods.

It's more the case the EU customers have stopped buying from the UK due to the extra paperwork and delays. Easier for them just to replace UK manufacturers with new manufacturers still inside the Single Market.
 
catinstalbans said:
I'm always told that I'm never positive about Brexit so let's compare two bits of Brexit news from the last couple of days.

Liz Truss continues to perform miracles by ensuring that the UK can trade on exactly the same terms with other countries as it did before. Her latest stunning success being a trade deal with ALBANIA. To be completely fair, when you compare her performance with that of other key ministers such as Williamson, Patel, Jenrick and even the Prime Minister, you can understand why such success can be celebrated by the Conservative party with such gusto.

Meanwhile, and only for balance sake, it should be noted that UK exports only decreased by 68% in January 2021 compared with the same month a year ago. As Michael Gove says some teething problems with the new deal should be expected as the Government only had from 2016-2021 to sort things out, so a fall of 2/3 in British exports is of no concern.

Fury at Gove as exports to EU slashed by 68% since Brexit | Brexit | The Guardian

Hauliers say Cabinet Office minister ignored their warnings, amid fears that worse is to come with introduction of import checks in July
amp.theguardian.com amp.theguardian.com

It's all going very well!
Click to expand...
I presume you are saying that 68% has Nothing to with a global pandemic ?
 
Chunkylad said:
We haven’t suffered any noticeable shortages of food or medicines that was predicted.
The vaccine program has not been hampered and has out performed Eu (I don’t believe we would have gone it alone even though we theoretically could have, if we were part of it)

As of yet it has had zero noticeable effect on my personal life and minor inconvenience work wise.
The export figures are hard to judge as I suspect there was stockpiles built up in 2020 due to fears of Brexit

The new trade deals may (tbc) provide us lower cost alternatives to what we previously sourced from Europe.

Brexit has caused pain and damage to some UK industries though and inevitably it will take a long time to get over the anger towards our politicians from EU representatives abs politicians.
This may lead to spiteful reproaches against us and that is of our own making.

We’ve not yet felt the impact of travel yet due to lockdown so that will be interesting if we get back to the vacation season again?
Click to expand...
No shortages, because most import and export businesses were stockpiling in the run up to the end of December, hence the reduced traffic still through the tunnel.

When the airports are packed again in holiday season and we have to channel through the non EU gate, that's when we might notice something.
 
We probably will notice retaliatory boarder measures when travel is allowed. I would expect nothing less of the EU. It is the reason so many voted to leave.
 
The volume of exports to the EU and imports from the EU was widely expected to fall during the Brexit transition and that is what has happened. Over a period of time this will re-balance as traders get used to the new procedures and as EU officials realise that imposing fake obstacles in the way of the UK, like rejecting UK export declarations due to miss-spellings and “the wrong coloured ink”, isn’t really achieving the objective of punishing the UK and showing other EU countries what would happen if they also had the temerity to step out of line.

Meanwhile, the UK continues to open new global markets with 67 post-Brexit trade agreements plus the prospect of joining the potential economic giant Trans-Pacific Partnership plus closer CANZUK ties plus new Asian and African partnerships plus integration with expanding Commonwealth countries. I almost forgot to mention the £50 billion trade deal with India that Liz Truss is lining up. What has not happened are the shortages of food, medicines and other essential products that was widely forecast.

Economists have predicted sea changes in the selling and buying patterns of the UK going forward. That is exactly what is happening and will continue to happen, although it's notable that government figures show current disruption at the borders to be minimal and freight movements now close to normal levels, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. New doors and new opportunities are opening up all around the world and the UK is in a prime position to take advantage. Vibrant, young, growing markets and technologies are set to replace the lumbering dinosaur of 27 countries condemned to in-fighting and disagreement. All with different political aims and objectives, half insolvent, few prepared to support the weakest economies. Wealthy north European countries despising the burden placed on them by the struggling Mediterranean states. The European Commission desperate to expand the Eurozone and to punish member states for refusing to accept its ultimate political and legislative control. Meanwhile the two-faced European Commission makes under the table deals, such as its settlement with Hungary to avoid its simmering instability and a veto of the EU budget and Coronavirus rescue fund. How refreshing to be out of the corrupt shambles that is the EU.

What we can clearly see is a significant rise in populist politics as Europe observes the UK’s new freedoms and wonders exactly what the remaining members of the European Project are getting in return for their expensive membership fees and for their commitment to the Project. Where is the suffering that they were told would disable the UK? Where are the shortages? Where is the poverty? All that is evident to the people of Europe is a nimble and flexible UK forging new trade deals, zooming ahead in the roll out of life saving vaccines, and not a single empty shelf in its shops. The UK can now create its own laws, is ruled by its own judiciary, is free to decide who is admitted through its borders, is free to set its own tax rates, is free to determine its own manufacturing policies, is free to follow its own agricultural and fishing policies and much much more.

It seems that the main question for the European Union is who is going to be the second to leave. The good people of France are looking enviously our way with the latest Ipsos poll showing the National Rally leader Marine Le Pen 1.5% ahead of Macron. Who knows? France might be following the UK next year. One thing is for sure, the fighting and friction that typifies the EU will persist until the Commission stops trying to control each member state and restores the Union to a common market instead of a common government.
 
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Scarborian said:
We probably will notice retaliatory boarder measures when travel is allowed. I would expect nothing less of the EU. It is the reason so many voted to leave.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify, the reason so many voted to leave is because of "retaliatory boarder (sic) measures when travel is allowed."?

I read on here that the reason someone voted to leave was to keep illegal immigrants out.

We may be making trade deals with places such as The Faroe Islands but we have just left the world's largest trading block.
 
tangerinenotorange said:
The volume of exports to the EU and imports from the EU was widely expected to fall during the Brexit transition and that is what has happened. Over a period of time this will re-balance as traders get used to the new procedures and as EU officials realise that imposing fake obstacles in the way of the UK, like rejecting UK export declarations due to miss-spellings and “the wrong coloured ink”, isn’t really achieving the objective of punishing the UK and showing other EU countries what would happen if they also had the temerity to step out of line.

Meanwhile, the UK continues to open new global markets with 67 post-Brexit trade agreements plus the prospect of joining the potential economic giant Trans-Pacific Partnership plus closer CANZUK ties plus new Asian and African partnerships plus integration with expanding Commonwealth countries. What has not happened are the shortages of food, medicines and other essential products that was widely forecast.

Economists have predicted sea changes in the selling and buying patterns of the UK going forward. That is exactly what is happening and will continue to happen. New doors and new opportunities are opening up all around the world and the UK is in a prime position to take advantage. Vibrant, young, growing markets and technologies are set to replace the lumbering dinosaur of 27 countries condemned to in-fighting and disagreement. All with different political aims and objectives, half insolvent, few prepared to support the weakest economies. Wealthy north European countries despising the burden placed on them by the struggling Mediterranean states. The European Commission desperate to expand the Eurozone and to punish member states for refusing to accept its ultimate political and legislative control. Meanwhile the two-faced European Commission makes under the table deals, such as its settlement with Hungary to avoid its simmering instability and its veto of the EU budget and Coronavirus rescue fund. How refreshing to be out of the corrupt shambles that is the EU.

What we can clearly see is a significant rise in populist politics as Europe observes the UK’s new freedoms and wonders exactly what the remaining members of the European Project are getting in return for their expensive membership fees and for their commitment to the Project. Where is the suffering that they were told would disable the UK? Where are the shortages? Where is the poverty? All that is evident to the people of Europe is a nimble and flexible UK forging new trade deals, zooming ahead in the roll out of life saving vaccines, and not a single empty shelf in its shops. The UK can now create its own laws, is ruled by its own judiciary, is free to decide who is admitted through its borders, is free to set its own tax rates, is free to determine its own manufacturing policies, is free to follow its own agricultural and fishing policies and much much more.

It seems that the only question for the European Union is who is going to be the second to leave. The good people of France are looking enviously our way with the latest Ipsos poll showing the National Rally leader Marine Le Pen 1.5% ahead of Macron. Who knows? France might be following the UK next year. One thing is for sure, the fighting and friction that typifies the EU will persist until the Commission stops trying to control each member state and restores the Union to a common market instead of a common government.
Click to expand...
The reality.

Trade down as the U.K. turn its back on its nearest and largest market.

UK businesses being suffocated with all the additional red tape when our PM claimed there would be no non-tariff barriers.

The Road Haulage Association up in the arms at the massive increase in costs and bureaucracy.

The Fishing Industry on its knees and claiming it’s been betrayed by the government.

The existence of the U.K. at risk as Scotland manoeuvres for independence.

The spectre of sectarian violence raises its ugly head in NI as the Unionists also claim they were betrayed when Johnson agreed to the Protocol. A Protocol that Gove implicitly accepts isn’t fit for purpose, hence the moves to renegotiate its terms less than 2 months after it was signed.

But no - let’s ignore all those facts and instead make up stories about French customs officials. And wiz bang trade deals which at best only maintain the status quo.
 
I'm guessing that having closed the economy down on 3rd January might have something to do with a 68% decline in exports.

It would be interesting to compare it with other countries which are also in a "lockdown" to try and understand it better.

It's a bit like saying that Spain lost 3 million British visitors because of Brexit; probably not the case.
 
Has anyone seen John Redwoods parody Twitter account? It's on a par with some of the utter guff written on here.
 
Jimmy Jazz said:
Just to clarify, the reason so many voted to leave is because of "retaliatory boarder (sic) measures when travel is allowed."?

I read on here that the reason someone voted to leave was to keep illegal immigrants out.

We may be making trade deals with places such as The Faroe Islands but we have just left the world's largest trading block.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify retaliatory measures because of a an undemocratic dictatorial so called union. To clarify further my position was and is as a firm believer in the "Common Market" and increased European co-operation.
 
catinstalbans said:
I'm always told that I'm never positive about Brexit so let's compare two bits of Brexit news from the last couple of days. Liz Truss continues to perform miracles by ensuring that the UK can trade on exactly the same terms with other countries as it did before. Her latest stunning success being a trade deal with ALBANIA. To be completely fair, when you compare her performance with that of other key ministers such as Williamson, Patel, Jenrick and even the Prime Minister, you can understand why such success can be celebrated by the Conservative party with such gusto.
Click to expand...

Aaah Liz Truss. What a star. I'm sure it was just an oversight when you forgot to mention the massive trade partnership with INDIA that she's negotiating. Currently £24billion trade with them but this could eventually be worth £50bn on top of that. Second most populous country in the world and one of the fastest growing economies. That's the kind of country we need to be trading with don't you think?

By the way, who told you you're never positive about Brexit? I find that hard to believe.
 
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Tangojoe said:
Aaah Liz Truss. What a star. I'm sure it was just an oversight when you forgot to mention the massive trade partnership with INDIA that she's negotiating. Currently £24billion trade with them but this could eventually be worth £50bn on top of that. Second most populous country in the world and one of the fastest growing economies. That's the kind of country we need to be trading with don't you think?

By the way, who told you you're never positive about Brexit? I find that hard to believe.
Click to expand...


I thought we were going to be OK but after reading Cat's post I now see that we are doomed.
 
Scaramanga said:
I presume you are saying that 68% has Nothing to with a global pandemic ?
Click to expand...
It's got much more to do with Brexit, if you believe the director (or whatever title he has) of the Road Haulage Association. I think he knows a lot more than any of us.
 
I'd be less certain that COVID restrictions are playing such a role in the fall of exports. Indications suggest that manufacturing has been performing relatively well - mainly because there's far fewer restrictions now - whereas it's the service sector that is struggling. Most of that would be linked to domestic services of course, but would be interested to see whether any such dip in exports was directly linked to reduced export of financial services.
 
tangerinenotorange said:
The volume of exports to the EU and imports from the EU was widely expected to fall during the Brexit transition and that is what has happened. Over a period of time this will re-balance as traders get used to the new procedures and as EU officials realise that imposing fake obstacles in the way of the UK, like rejecting UK export declarations due to miss-spellings and “the wrong coloured ink”, isn’t really achieving the objective of punishing the UK and showing other EU countries what would happen if they also had the temerity to step out of line.

Meanwhile, the UK continues to open new global markets with 67 post-Brexit trade agreements plus the prospect of joining the potential economic giant Trans-Pacific Partnership plus closer CANZUK ties plus new Asian and African partnerships plus integration with expanding Commonwealth countries. I almost forgot to mention the £50 billion trade deal with India that Liz Truss is lining up. What has not happened are the shortages of food, medicines and other essential products that was widely forecast.

Economists have predicted sea changes in the selling and buying patterns of the UK going forward. That is exactly what is happening and will continue to happen, although it's notable that government figures show current disruption at the borders to be minimal and freight movements now close to normal levels, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. New doors and new opportunities are opening up all around the world and the UK is in a prime position to take advantage. Vibrant, young, growing markets and technologies are set to replace the lumbering dinosaur of 27 countries condemned to in-fighting and disagreement. All with different political aims and objectives, half insolvent, few prepared to support the weakest economies. Wealthy north European countries despising the burden placed on them by the struggling Mediterranean states. The European Commission desperate to expand the Eurozone and to punish member states for refusing to accept its ultimate political and legislative control. Meanwhile the two-faced European Commission makes under the table deals, such as its settlement with Hungary to avoid its simmering instability and a veto of the EU budget and Coronavirus rescue fund. How refreshing to be out of the corrupt shambles that is the EU.

What we can clearly see is a significant rise in populist politics as Europe observes the UK’s new freedoms and wonders exactly what the remaining members of the European Project are getting in return for their expensive membership fees and for their commitment to the Project. Where is the suffering that they were told would disable the UK? Where are the shortages? Where is the poverty? All that is evident to the people of Europe is a nimble and flexible UK forging new trade deals, zooming ahead in the roll out of life saving vaccines, and not a single empty shelf in its shops. The UK can now create its own laws, is ruled by its own judiciary, is free to decide who is admitted through its borders, is free to set its own tax rates, is free to determine its own manufacturing policies, is free to follow its own agricultural and fishing policies and much much more.

It seems that the main question for the European Union is who is going to be the second to leave. The good people of France are looking enviously our way with the latest Ipsos poll showing the National Rally leader Marine Le Pen 1.5% ahead of Macron. Who knows? France might be following the UK next year. One thing is for sure, the fighting and friction that typifies the EU will persist until the Commission stops trying to control each member state and restores the Union to a common market instead of a common government.
Click to expand...
"Where is the suffering that they were told would disable the UK? Where are the shortages? Where is the poverty? All that is evident to the people of Europe is a nimble and flexible UK forging new trade deals, zooming ahead in the roll out of life saving vaccines, and not a single empty shelf in its shops."

And is there honey still for tea?
 
I’ve been patiently waiting for Cat to post his preferred strategy for releasing lockdown... more particularly his timetable for school and university returns....it would be nice to have times / dates etc etc. Still I suppose he could just wait .... then lavish criticism on the parts causing HMG the most angst 😁
 
1966_and_all_that said:
"Where is the suffering that they were told would disable the UK? Where are the shortages? Where is the poverty? All that is evident to the people of Europe is a nimble and flexible UK forging new trade deals, zooming ahead in the roll out of life saving vaccines, and not a single empty shelf in its shops."

And is there honey still for tea?
Click to expand...
And not a single empty shelf unless you're in Northetn Ireland but they dont count as part of us...
 
Newholland said:
I’ve been patiently waiting for Cat to post his preferred strategy for releasing lockdown... more particularly his timetable for school and university returns....it would be nice to have times / dates etc etc. Still I suppose he could just wait .... then lavish criticism on the parts causing HMG the most angst 😁
Click to expand...
Tell you what. When I am given all the information from the SAGE committee and have the best medical advice about hospital numbers and projections, then I can give you a schedule for lifting lockdown. Until then I'll just have to keep commenting on why the government continues to ignore such advice.
 
20togo said:
And of course you're not a far left propagandist are you? Some-one who has used a communist emblem as an avatar before.
Click to expand...
It's fairly typical of your mindset that you find a badge from 7 years ago worthy of comment but have nothing to say about the lies of a Covid denying racist-(that is the person whose twitter is posted by Scaramanga and not S himself.)
 
catinstalbans said:
It's fairly typical of your mindset that you find a badge from 7 years ago worthy of comment but have nothing to say about the lies of a Covid denying racist-(that is the person whose twitter is posted by Scaramanga and not S himself.)
Click to expand...
You're right. It's fairly typical of my mindset to know what you are. Something you denied and tried to hide.
 
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catinstalbans said:
Tell you what. When I am given all the information from the SAGE committee and have the best medical advice about hospital numbers and projections, then I can give you a schedule for lifting lockdown. Until then I'll just have to keep commenting on why the government continues to ignore such advice.
Click to expand...
...so you don’t have an opinion?
 
catinstalbans said:
Tell you what. When I am given all the information from the SAGE committee and have the best medical advice about hospital numbers and projections, then I can give you a schedule for lifting lockdown. Until then I'll just have to keep commenting on why the government continues to ignore such advice.
Click to expand...

As you're on the SAGE committee's list of recipients can you share the info with us when they contact you and give us a schedule for the lifting of lockdown. That would be helpful.
 
catinstalbans said:
It's fairly typical of your mindset that you find a badge from 7 years ago worthy of comment but have nothing to say about the lies of a Covid denying racist-(that is the person whose twitter is posted by Scaramanga and not S himself.)
Click to expand...
Whether it was 7 years, 7 months or even 7 weeks ago you used the communist emblem (which incidentally should not be allowed on this forum) which, as 20’s says shows you for what you really are. And then you try and justify it by saying it was 7 years ago and then try and divert the attention elsewhere.
It has always been evident Cat in the Hat that you are 100% anti Boris and Conservative Party to such a degree that if Boris personally rescued you from a burning building you would still slag him off.
I wonder if the SAGE committee vetted their recipients. If indeed you are on the list.
 
Eternaloptimist said:
Whether it was 7 years, 7 months or even 7 weeks ago you used the communist emblem (which incidentally should not be allowed on this forum) which, as 20’s says shows you for what you really are. And then you try and justify it by saying it was 7 years ago and then try and divert the attention elsewhere.
It has always been evident Cat in the Hat that you are 100% anti Boris and Conservative Party to such a degree that if Boris personally rescued you from a burning building you would still slag him off.
I wonder if the SAGE committee vetted their recipients. If indeed you are on the list.
Click to expand...
Out of interest why should the communist symbol be banned on this site?
 
JD Sports managing director saying Brexit is a disaster, costing them tens of millions with 1000 jobs to go as they set up an EU distribution point instead.

Minor inconvenience and teething troubles...
 
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