Westminstenders: The wrong homework

[HashiAsLarry]

I'm no rtb but I'll give it a shot, though her efforts deserve much more than me.

The August negotiation round has, well, fizzled out in much the same way as any other. It's taken over a year to get to written position papers and there's still no clue as to a direction from the UK government.

Japan, meanwhile, is about to sign off on a deal with the EU. A deal we want to copy.

@faisalislam
^but if post brexit britain's trade deal with third biggest economy in world is to be based on Brussels' deal, what about rest? TTIP? Canada?
...when PM signs off statements like this on primacy of EU-third party deals, one wonders how temporary the temporary customs union will be^

The NHS is now launching a drive to recruit foreign GPs, like the ones that have left thanks to Brexit. It's a good job they'll be £350m a week better off now. Oh hang on...

The IEA report is horrific in its insouciance of the economic implications

It says we need unfettered free trade in order to benefit consumers rather than producers

As an economics graduate who spent much of her career in B2B marketing (so by that, I mean promotion/advertising was only a timely part of what I did) and strategic sales, I learnt that one of the key components of sustainable business is both parties to the transaction need to get a benefit out of it

It's all very well saying that consumers would benefit from cheaper prices with the removal of all trade barriers, but if they no longer have jobs and the government no longer has a tax base of producers (and employees), then cheap food might be all they can afford - and even that would be at risk with the shrinking tax base.

Unfettered free trade is anarchy isn't it?

Frigging frustrating. I'm actually not a doomsayer about Brexit, I certainly voted Remain but I believe there will be winners as well as losers in any economic scenario. But allowing pure free traders any actual power is insane.

You really all baffle me. Why on earth would you think that we want unfettered free trade without enshrining our food and health standards within any deal is completely bonkers to me. You really must think Brexiters are all loons!!! There is no way we would have free trade deals like that. Why on earth would we?

I think you have more faith in the Government than I do Corcory. Why might they do a trade deal which didn't enshrine our current standards? Saving money is one obvious reason. Cutting 'red tape' another, although as we found with Grenfell, one person's 'unnecessary red tape' can mean life or death to others.

Food standards are a separate issue to UK workers competing directly against worrkers who are on vastly worse pay & working conditions,
the "free trade with the world" that Minford and the Tory hard right want

UK workers, even with wage freezes, can't compete. Hence why those Brexiters airily accept losing any job that can be done abroad

A govt desperate for trade deals might not worry about chlorinated chicken etc- MPs won't be eating the stuff

LH that link about agriculture makes for depressing reading .

The AFBI report says that the least impact on farming post-Brexit would be achieved through negotiating a free trade agreement with the European Union

Isn't a free trade agreement what we already have with the EU ?

Corcory sorry if that wasn't clear. I was talking about that specific link where certain economists are extolling the virtues of free trade. I don't think for a minute the average Brexit voter wanted anything of the sort; there are people who promote what sounds like it though.

I don't think for a minute the average Brexit voter wanted anything of the sort; there are people who promote what sounds like it though.
Well considering pre referendum the only economicly viable argument where brexit worked without crippling us was that then people either voted for it, voted to make everyone except the rich poorer, voted for unicorns or didn't know what they we're voting for.
As we're apparently not meant to suggest the last three it only leaves the first conclusion.

No marching for me this time it seems. In the continuing saga of summer holidays being bad in the hashi household, I've managed to chip the top of my tibia.

Ouch Hashi

They come here for the benefits - Myth BUSTED, well out of work benefits at least.
FT EU migrants’ claims for unemployment benefit fall
“Those who said that it was perfectly possible, legally and administratively, to take measures within the current EU legal framework . . . to address issues of ‘benefit tourism’ or ‘abuse’ by recently arrived EEA nationals were correct — we could and did,” he added.
But Mr Portes said that, “equally, those who said that this would make no visible difference at all to actual migration flows, since benefits are not a significant pull factor, were also correct”.

Hashi

I shall be at the march on Saturday too, hopefully with my DD who's 9.
It was such a glorious day in March!

UK workers, even with wage freezes, can't compete. Hence why those Brexiters airily accept losing any job that can be done abroad

But, but, but...we have to stop freedom of movement because all the unfettered immigration is driving wages down..

This was a report about the implications of unfettered free trade on Farming. So food standards and standards of animal husbandry is directly linked to it if for one min. you think the gov. would want unfettered free trade. I think many of you have forgotten who are a lot of the conservative voters - they are the farmers and country side folk. The idea that this would save money - who's money - certainly not the government's when the likes of BSE was raging who do you think had to compensate the farmers, foot and mouth, salmonella in eggs and chicken! No I really don't think any government would go back to importing unregulated cheap food for the sake of it. But of course anything I suggest is always just unicorns apparently or I hadn't a clue what I was voting for!

Hashi your match logo may be just what we need!

Ian Dunt's just posted thread on the Match girls' strike.

Sad how little is known about trades union history.

@IanDunt
Never knew this story. Found it fascinating

www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2017/08/31/bringing-down-statues-of-controversial-figures-isn-t-new-and …

I do hope you are right corcory. Twitter tells me that though there are more reasonable leavers and hopefully the Government isn't absolutely nuts there are plenty of leavers who do agree with this report.

And while I am sure you knew what you were voting for I don't think you can claim to know what everyone else was voting for and you certainly didn't know what we are actually going to get.

Hopes for a rebellion later this week in Parliament seem to be another false dawn, Anna Soubry had this to say this morning:

Soubry added that no Conservative MPs plan to vote against the bill at its second reading. She said suggestions of a rebellion were “an absolute nonsense”, as she called on the prime minister to build a consensus over Brexit.

I've been pondering your last post Corcory. Innumerable people have been warning that the end of free trade would be potentially a short term disaster. Are you suggesting that this is just Government posturing, probably more for domestic consumption? A bit like David Davis's 'Row of the summer', where he capitulated in a morning?

Why am I not surprised at a Tory rebellion fizzling out? For the last year the Tories were scared stiff of UKIP and had to appease their UKIP tendency, now they are scared stiff of Labour/Corbyn. When will they start thinking about their constituents, and the good of the country? Still, last time, when the Tories were crowing about the huge majority they were sure to get, the electorate told them what they thought of that idea.

I am also startlingly unsurprised by the idea that the Tories will not rebel. Even those who are remainers seem to have been bullied into capitulation. Short term power is more important to them than the good of the country. They are no better than the GOP standing up for Trump while he tears America apart.

By the way, have we heard anything about the missing Mr Chapman at all?

Wait...haven't I heard this one before somewhere? Isn't it a coincidence that this headline comes out just as we are discussing the possibility of moderate Tories rebelling on a major brexit vote....

Theresa May 'set to lift 1% public sector pay cap'
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/04/theresa-may-set-lift-1-public-sector-pay-cap/amp/

I think many of you have forgotten who are a lot of the conservative voters - they are the farmers and country side folk.

The City are (or were) also major funders of the Conservative Party, and yet there is little evidence of regard for the consequences of Brexit for financial services.

Bolshy, that's outrageous. I'd complain to the Standards Select Committee, and find out if there's anyone else who you can contact about offensive responses.

I am also startlingly unsurprised by the idea that the Tories will not rebel.

Worth reminding ourselves what happened about Tories not rebelling over the Poll Tax ....

Maybe its the pain, or I've got a major cynical head on today but as the Cambridge's have just announced they're expecting baby 3, keep an eye out for buried news.