Westministers: The Lords Strike Back

[RedToothBrush]

This needs no fanfare or lengthy post. Just this:

The Lords are demanding amendments unilateral protection for EU citizens.

Labour was split 358 for an amendment to 256 against.

This is after Amber Rudd had tried to reassure the Lords by writing a letter assuring peers that EU citizens would be treated with the utmost respect.

Utmost respect = an amendment to guarantee unilateral support.

Today is a good day. It should have been done in the first place.

Ford did warn back in June that it was considering closing plants in the UK and Europe, as it forecast a $1bn hit to its business over two years due to Brexit.

What scares me about Euratom is that this is going to be replicated across many fields and industries. The scale of the task to replace all of the European agencies that we are signed up to for regulation of drugs, clinical trials, medical devices, food safety, electrical device safety, toy safety etc etc etc is HUGE. How the hell will we achieve this before we leave and what happens if we don't? We have had very little info about this in clinical trials which is a big problem as we have to do a huge amount of forward planning for any regulatory changes. Let's not forget that patient safety relies on adequate regulation.

I think a lot of people are utterly naive about the scale and complexity of what we are about to do. It's wanton vandalism IMO.

Ford did warn back in June that it was considering closing plants in the UK and Europe,

And we were told that it was Project Fear. Not that if we want to make a success of Brexit, then we need to do substantial amounts of forward planning to make it work. Only now, 8 months on, are they beginning to wake up to just how much planning will be required.

www.theguardian.com/business/2017/mar/03/uk-economy-cooling-fast-after-post-brexit-growth-slowdown-services-manufacturing-and-construction--interest-rates

The economy is slowing down...
This is to add to reports that SMB are not investing as much preferring to keep their cash 'just in case'.
As for interest rates, can you really decrease them more??

The real and obvious warnings made by car industries and other industries pre ref were all derided as "project fear"

Except...it's not is it?

It's what's going to happen

Toyota, Nissan, ford, GM.....they ALL warned of the implications of brexit

I've said it before and I will say it again....if IKEA increase the price of their meatballs I WILL LOSE MY SHIT 😡

Misti I don't think I was clear enough in the part you quoted.

I was wondering whether vehicle manufacturers might prefer to pay the costs of closing UK plants and extending / opening plants in the EU, where many of the existing components manufacturers already are, rather than face the uncertainties of a putative UK components supply chain.

In my experience, parts are coming from all over the world, not just the EU.
So even if there was an agreement between the UK and the EU re FTA there would still be a lot of issues with other suppliers.
Also their own suppliers, e.g. For a gearbox or an engine, plastic parts etc... are also using suppliers worldwide so the risk associated with the lack of FTA is huge.

Eh i used to work in a company manufacturing plastic parts for them. Some parts were produced onsite, some were imported from Japan and then sold to car manufacturers and others were assembly of parts (e.g. Cup holders) some of which were produced on site and others were coming from abroad (but NOT the EU, springs come to mind for example).

Once you take all that into account, the effect of tariffs can be huge.
Whether this will be more than the cost of relocating is hard to say. But I would gather that they have been able to make their calculations and that it is the case.

badders

badders

too

I was wondering whether vehicle manufacturers might prefer to pay the costs of closing UK plants and extending / opening plants in the EU, where many of the existing components manufacturers already are, rather than face the uncertainties of a putative UK components supply chain.

I have some professional experience in the industry (from a supply chain point of view) and I would say this is hard to answer without knowing what markets the manufacturer is selling into or what concessions they might get under an eventual deal.

It's really the same question that will face any manufacturer supplying into and sourcing from the EU - how they cope with the increased cost and the practical complications associated with customs procedures, rules of origin blah blah.

In practice I think that what will happen is if there is no deal that keeps trade barriers to a minimum, then new investment will be made closer to customers ie within the single market. This is certainly what my employer is looking at. They're not considering closing UK plants atm, but in the long run a plant that doesn't get investment will shut, as products and technology move on.

Plus remember that with vehicles, you can't just shift production around as you want and change suppliers at will - there are also regulatory hurdles to clear and typically, the technology will be chosen and supply contracts awarded well in advance. Many car parts are proprietary and you can't just rock up and buy them off the shelf.

I'm not joking
I will stage a bloody sit in
👍😂

@SiobhanFenton 51m51 minutes ago
Sinn Féin are performing phenomenally throughout Belfast. South Belfast far from a Republican stronghold. Results boding very well for them

@SiobhanFenton 25m25 minutes ago
Alliance's Naomi Long tops East Belfast poll
(was DUP seat)

I will join you badders

If you could just mind my bag while i have a quick look round

rufus you don't need more tea lights! 😊

I will be paying close attention to what happens at the local Toyota factory

I am not optimistic

Oh look - this is how much the UK Govt actually cares about UK citizens in the EU

Have you been speaking to my husband badders

woman - it is startling how little coverage the NI election is getting, especially as it always had the potential to throw up some real upsets.

I am not sure what constituency it is but friend says it is looking very good for the alliance candidate there. He would beat Zac on the good looking boy stakes too

I'm not surprised at the lack of coverage of the NI election
I know it's supposed to be part of the UK but most mainland British people just don't care 🤷‍♀️
Maybe they think it's not relevant to them?

Amazing how short some people's memories are....

#KeepIKEAMeatballsTariffFree

The level of coverage is pretty much in line with the general level of consideration of NI's situation.

I agree Ninon

Excellent hashsi! Let's get it trending!
😀👍

Whenever talk of Scottish Independence or lack of decent thought around NI comes up I'm always reminded of this post:

^Jesus, it's like English people think the EU and other British countries are like their pet dogs hmm.

'EU go! No Scotland, stay! EU I told you to go! Scotland, come back here for fuck sake. Shit, now Northern Ireland's disappeared.....'^