Westministenders: Biden Time Til The Penny Drops

[RedToothBrush]

Next week sees a changing in the international guard with implications for the UK in a post Brexit world where we are starting to realise we are very much on our own and frozen out.

The government were able to cosy up with Trump much to the EU's distaste, but Biden is a whole different kettle of fish. Assuming of course that things go to plan next week and the USA don't end up with an almighty bloody mess on their hands.

The political landscape change means the US will become much more inward looking to try and sort its own shit out (amongst domestic terrorism and having run out of vaccine supplies with no stock available from Pfizer until June top of the agenda) and what little international diplomacy there is, is highly unlikely to be centred around the desparate needs of the UK.

The EU meanwhile are largely happy with their lot over the Brexit deal and to leave the UK to their fish stew. With the sole exception of Ireland, who strangely enough the EU and US will probably be very willing to help - putting the Irish into a unique bridging position between the two which they can use to capitalise on.

We will be schooled on the benefits of being in the EU the hard way it seems. The Thatcherite dream of frictionless trade has been well and truly krilled off. The future beckons with the beaucratic mess and spiralling cost of haulage to Europe making it financially not worthwhile even for big firms but especially for small businesses. A quick look at the cost of smart phones is revealling, and tells a story. Prior to the 1st you could buy from the EU. Now the only place shipping to the UK is through Hong Kong, with all the extra associated charges and customs. The price has gone up considerably. Already.

The fact that the government are only just starting to stay they are herring about problems and will endevour to resolve them just doesn't cut it. They were told of the issues years ago. They chose to ignore them. They had better things to do. Like go for a nice holiday at their second home in Europe or fancy dinner at an authetic French restuarant. Strangely enough for various reasons these pastimes are currently off the menu its starting to dawn just how we are stuck between a rock and a hard plaice as a consequence.

You didn't need to be a brain sturgeon to see this coming. It is exactly what was predicted. Queues of lorries as post Christmas trade picks up and stock piles run out, but also empty shelves where things like jigsaws, fresh vegetable, cheese, electricals and paper used to be. The sunlight uplands and promise of brexit opportunities are turning out to be a load of old pollocks. It will take years for some sectors to rebalance and adjust. If they make it through and don't end up on the rocks.

It is a turtle disaster for the economy. On top of the covid.

Even the pro-leave fishermen are starting to realise that the deal was a load of carp. And want to dump their rotten langoustines outside Downing Street. Their fish are far from happy and they have finally haddock with the government. It doesn't help that the fisheries minister has openly said she didn't read the deal because she was too busy organising a nativity. Which sums up the whole situation in a perfect way. Its not even incompetence, its total indifference and apathy.

The Penny will drop as the Pound does. We will learn that its better to be a big fish in a medium pond than a medium fish in a huge pond simply because of how the food chain works.

The sharks are slowly circling for Johnson and once the heat is off, and we get to the stage were the messaging doesn't read like 'We want covid to kill you whilst we have a Tory Bunfight' as it doesn't sit terribly well with the public.

The dust is settling and who does Johnson play pin the blame on now? This deal isn't the result of sabotage by remainers. This deal is his and his alone to own. Isolated at No10 Johnson is likely to start to feel increasingly like he has no friends. He has a whalely big job ahead of him to turn things around a plot a new course ahead to the future for HMS Britannia.

[UnaOfStormhold]

Plaicemarking.

[Shrillharridan]

Good cod, awesome red (mullet)

[DGRossetti]

PMK (And I love lamb)

[JustAnotherPoster00]

Wish I had an applause emoji for that OP Red

[DGRossetti]

www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/this-thread-from-a-business-owner-sets-out-grim-reality-of-post-brexit-trade-problems/16/01/

This thread from a business owner sets out grim reality of post-Brexit trade problems

Ministers in London and Edinburgh need to “get a grip” of the problems facing fishing exports to Europe, the body representing Scottish seafood processors have said.

Seafood exports to Europe have faced delays following the end of the Brexit transition period.

Transport company DFDS has halted exports into the EU as new checks and paperwork are required.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said fishing companies will be compensated for what he called “temporary frustrations”.

However it seems the problems are not just applicable to the fishing industry.

This thread from Daniel Lambert, who according to his Twitter handle is “Owner of Wales best & most awarded wine importation company. Supplying retail, wholesale & the on trade U.K. wide with the best wines from around the world,” makes grim reading.

He outlines how his business has struggled over the past 15 days since the end of the transition period.

[DGRossetti]

www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2021/01/15/excl-british-expat-left-fuming-after-nandos-peri-peri-sauce-confiscated-at-gibraltar-spain-border-due-to-new-brexit-rules/

[ListeningQuietly]

Scampis into the thread

[ListeningQuietly]

DGR
I am glad that the thread (the very same one that MrsL drew to my attention at the end of our last one) is getting coverage.
His comment that his Californian wine ordered in September arrived this week (sea freight) should also highlight the risks of relying on far flung countries to save our bacon.

[Peregrina]

Also Plaice marking.

[Blacktothepink]

🍤🐠🐟

[bellinisurge]

🦞🦀🐠🐟🐡 .....🐿

[Peregrina]

What I noted from the Gibraltar link is the EU countries, instead of being one homogeneous mass as the Brexiters told us, in fact consists of sovereign states. So Spain doesn't allow the import of vegetable products from third countries - despite this restriction not being listed in Boris Johnson's Great Deal.

[DGRossetti]

I did notice someone make a very interesting comment about the woman that backed Brexit all the way "for her grandkids". It was basically what she really meant was "I don't want my grandchildren growing up seeing any brown or black faces".

My best hope for my unborn or maybe never-born (if you get the Lloyd Cole in that, then you are too rooted in the 1980s) grandchild is that my DS and any partner bring them up to be decent compassionate human beings. I can't help but feel the word narcissist fits in somewhere here ...

[DGRossetti]

What I noted from the Gibraltar link is the EU countries, instead of being one homogeneous mass as the Brexiters told us, in fact consists of sovereign states

The people leading Leave knew that, and the people voting either didn't know. Didn't care. And most certainly could not be bothered to find out.

The final irony - compounded in to Kafkaesqueness by escaping almost everyone in the country that won't shut up about how it "does irony" - is that the EU is already making a much better job of Brexit than the UK ever could.

In fact, I hope that in 2022, the commission publishes a summary of "Brexit: the first 12 months" which lists loads of over-delivered metrics. It will be interesting to compare with the fuck all pages of "Brexit success" the government produces having worked harder on ensuring there can be no measure of success for Brexit than Brexit itself.

[TheElementsOfMedical]

Amazing, RTB - you have me hooked!

[prettybird]

Butter wouldn't melt.... Cat in plaice at the table

Very middle class problem but I couldn't buy any Seville oranges today to make marmalade as the wholesaler apparently can't get any in from Spain

[RedToothBrush]

www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/ikea-leaves-11-700-irish-customers-with-no-goods-1.4458727

One customer, who ordered goods from the store at the beginning of January, was informed by email earlier this week she would not be receiving her delivery. It was sent days after the goods had been due to arrive. The customer in Dublin, said payment is being reimbursed but she is disappointed.

The email from Ikea stated: “We’re sorry to have to tell you that something went wrong with your order… Unfortunately, the items on your order are no longer available and we do not have a future supply date for the stock.

“Regrettably, we have therefore had to cancel your order… A full refund will go back on your payment card within the next 14 days.”

Another customer said: “An online order from Ikea was cancelled because the delivery didn’t arrive at the expected date. I called them and they advised me to cancel and recreate the order.

She said she was told that the distribution centre for Ireland is in England and that it is suffering inventory problems and other delays.

A third customer said she had paid €2,000 for furniture only to be informed later that it was “in a port somewhere…”

I can confirm there are shortages of Billy bookcases in the UK too...

[ListeningQuietly]

Such a shame that leave.eu did not make their relocation work
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/leave-eu-brexit-website-arron-banks-b1788267.html

[DGRossetti]

[quote ListeningQuietly]Such a shame that leave.eu did not make their relocation work
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/leave-eu-brexit-website-arron-banks-b1788267.html[/quote]
Posted in last thread

I did catch a post that suggested they had re-registered in the EU to be able to continue their masterplan to persuade other countries to leave the EU. But that level of planning doesn't really square with an embarrassing clusterfuck like this. The only saving grace is that no one now gives a shit what leave.eu are up to (unless it involves some very heavy prison time) so only LQ, myself, and 3 rather smart ravens ever saw it.

[Peregrina]

Could a more clued up person than me explain why Scottish fishermen landing a catch in Denmark means they are not importing them?

Could they just go straight to France and Spain if that's where their main markets were and land their catches there?

[dontcallmelen]

PMK as ever thanks Red & all contributors.🐠🦑🦐🦀🐳

[ListeningQuietly]

@Peregrina

Could a more clued up person than me explain why Scottish fishermen landing a catch in Denmark means they are not importing them?

Could they just go straight to France and Spain if that's where their main markets were and land their catches there?

There is a better map out there but I cannot find it right now ...
www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-illustrating-fishing-grounds-around-the-UK-and-quantity-t-of-fish-caught-within_fig3_301941251

The Scottish boats are already part way to Denmark if they are fishing in the Northern waters
AND
staying in the cold water areas may be important.

Personally I LOVE langoustines (the fish restaurant at West Bay in Dorset serves them excellently) and lots of Brits eat them when they become Scampi
BUT
the premium price is for the fresh and then grilled that is nOT the English way

[SabrinaThwaite]

Johnson discovering that his below parr deal smelt?

When will he start to roe back?

[OchonAgusOchonO]

@Peregrina - Could a more clued up person than me explain why Scottish fishermen landing a catch in Denmark means they are not importing them?

I asked the same in the last thread but no one responded. However, since then, I saw an article in one of the Irish papers saying that a couple of fishing ports in NI have been designated as open to Irish trawlers and they are asking us to do the same for them. Maybe the port in Denmark is set up in some sort of similar way where anyone can land without being registered there?

[Sostenueto]

🦐🦞🦀