If anyone had told me when I was first elected... that less than a decade later the Government of this country would be pursuing a policy that necessitates the stockpiling of body bags

[StealthPolarBear]

Reading the transcript of the debate and this stood out.

Yes, and a great way to spend the (0.7% of GDP) money we are ‘taking control’ of.

Agreed! I just like to emphasise the context whenever money is mentioned.

Apart from the fact that the port of Dover state they are ready for a no-deal

'Ready for a no-deal' means as ready as they can be under the circumstances, not that there wouldn't be severe problems.

and Kent County Council record (in their March meeting notes) - that the main transport corridor through Kent should be fine.

You'll be able to provide a link to where they say that will you?

He didn't have to mention body bags did he?

Why not? if its true and i suspect it is, then he has a duty to state what the NHS is doing.

what you seem to have ignored is that we are currently going from a 1st world country with a plentiful supply of food, meds etc to one where there is going to shortages and risks on supply....
its utter madness... Banking association estimates a Trillion pounds has left the economy, £100m a week spent by super markets on warehousing and stockpiling, £500m spent by Aerospace industry, Money and jobs gone forever.

...and so far the only reason given is that its the Will of the People... (approx 11% of whom are classed as illiterate) and driven by a tiny political elite who are going to prosper by brexit or see it as a means to gain power.

I live near an army barracks and there is more than normal target practice going on. Make of that what you will.

You'll be able to provide a link to where they say that will you?

Here - Brexit Preparedness Report-March 2019 - page 39

www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/britain-leaving-the-european-union/our-preparation-for-brexit

"fine" was my choice of words - I wasn't quoting;

"These preparations should ensure that freight using the main corridor routes through Kent is kept moving."

^"This has been possible due to the joint learning across all partners
who dealt with the 2015 Operation Stack event, and weekend industrial action in 2016, and utilises the ‘Operational Fennel’ multi-agency group, consisting of Highways England, Kent Police, KCC Highways and many other key stakeholders, including the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel and Borough and District representatives"^ ...

4.4 On 7 January 2019, the DfT and KCC carried out a flow test of the Operation Brock Traffic Management system.

"The test went well" and all partners considered that the operation was sufficient to test the flow rate and A256 TAP sufficiency.89 vehicles took part in the test, at a batch of 25, at 6 vehicles a minute.The second batch of 83, were released at just over 6 in a minute.This simulated roughly 400 vehicles an hour, in excess of the 350 threshold.The test used both right and left-hand drive vehicles.

By way of comparison, in 2015 partners tested 20 vehicles.

4.5 Local permit arrangements are being explored so that local hauliers would not be required to join freight queues to exit the UK when moving around the county.

(approx 11% of whom are classed as illiterate)

Yes, of course - you only had to put a cross on the ballot paper.

What percentage of the illiterate population in the UK are UK nationals? What percentage of the illiterate population in the UK are registered to vote? What percentage of the illiterate population in the UK actually voted in the referendum?

As it was pointed out in the House of Commons yesterday - a long extension is going to cost billions as well.

I heard on the radio this morning - that if we ask for an extension - the European Council may place stringent demands upon us - for example, giving up Gibraltar...

Stockpiling body bags because they’ll run out or because they expect to use more?

I assume the former but could sound like the latter

Stockpiling body bags because they’ll run out or because they expect to use more?

I assume the former but could sound like the latter

It’s the former, but deliberately chosen and worded to make it sound like the latter. I’m a remainer but I’m getting increasingly pissed off at some of things I’m reading on here. Endless sarcastic “blue passports” comments, encouragement to get kids to sign the revoke petition, and now this. Not surprised leavers think its all project fear when this sort of shite being peddled.

Clavinova

Yes, of course - you only had to put a cross on the ballot paper

Exactly! and why we are in this unwholly mess, few leavers gave any thought whatsoever as to what they were doing.

From an OECD report in 2016..... Young people aged between 16 and 19 have been found to possess only a “basic” grasp of maths and English, with nine million people of working age having low literacy or numeracy skills...... uk ranks bottom out of 23 developed nations

jasjas1973

I'm looking at a league table that says Glasgow North East has the highest percentage of adults without any qualifications (35%), Glasgow East is joint 3rd and Glasgow South West is 8th.

The referendum turn-out in Glasgow was only 56%.

aposterhasnoname Agree, fears or threats need to be credible.... the 5000 fridges claim - how many fridges does the Govt buy each year across all departments?
Would the govt need supplies of body bags in the event of a flu pandemic or wide spread power issues? strikes? etc so stockpiling is a good idea if we proceed with this madness.

However when senior clinicians state there are issues with drugs or med supplies, the food industry are concerned over shortages or the BOE underline the issues on a no-deal then we need to take action to avoid.

wide spread power issues?

Yes - let's drop in another Project Fear myth - extra body bags needed in the event of power issues.

Bloomberg - Will the Lights Go Out?

"Almost certainly not."

"The amount of power the U.K. imports from continental Europe fluctuates but was 6.6 percent of total supply in the third quarter of 2018, according to government data."

I heard on the radio this morning - that if we ask for an extension - the European Council may place stringent demands upon us - for example, giving up Gibraltar

Utter rubbish. Who said that?

havingtochangeusernameagain

I had the misfortune of listening to James O'Brien on LBC this morning - the political correspondent/reporter who popped in with the latest news made the observations about Gibraltar/or other "stringent demands".

If you want to hear some nauseating Remainer bilge - listen to James O'Brien - he's so condescending with the Leavers are idiots nonsense - disgraceful for a radio presenter in my opinion.

Clavinova

Nowhere do they suggest that things are going to be 'fine'; they're just saying that all the measures which they'd hoped to have in place are just about in place - that's the facilities and traffic management measures to hold queues of lorries for days at a time without bringing the surrounding road network to a halt.

That is not saying that everything will be fine, just that traffic which isn't heading for Europe shouldn't get held up in the queues.

just for a wee bit of context- I'm the worst panicker so I ran straight off to look this up - they are saying stockpiling body bags in case they run out of them because of production line issues. Not because they are anticipating a big upsurge in Brexit-related deaths.

FishesaPlenty
They quite clearly say;

"These preparations should ensure that freight using the main corridor routes through Kent is kept moving."

{I heard on the radio this morning - that if we ask for an extension - the European Council may place stringent demands upon us - for example, giving up Gibraltar}

If you split this apart it is possible.
If the UK asks for an extension, the EU27 have to be unanimous in agreeing it, any 1 has a veto.
It is possible that Spain could veto until Gibraltar is put up for negotiation. Similarly other EU countries with a particular 'discussion' to be had.

FishesaPlenty
they're just saying that all the measures which they'd hoped to have in place are just about in place - that's the facilities and traffic management measures to hold queues of lorries for days at a time without bringing the surrounding road network to a halt.

What page are you quoting from?

I'm clearly not quoting anything - I just understand both what they've written, the background to it and what Kent County Council's priorities are.

"These preparations should ensure that freight using the main corridor routes through Kent is kept moving."

Yes, it will be kept moving, very slowly and in an orderly fashion.

They're not saying that they don't believe the predicted long delays will happen - that's what they've prepared for.

Without their preparations the whole area would be gridlocked and vehicles at the back of the queue (on the M25) would just stop for days as all the road space ahead is filled with vehicles joining the route further down. That is freight not flowing.

The alternative is the managed queuing system where the through routes are kept clear(-ish) and the freight traffic taken off to holding areas. Trucks are released from the front of the queue and all freight traffic heading for the ports has to join at the back of the queue. That keeps the freight flowing slowly.

Being ready with this managed queuing system, keeping the freight flowing (if slowly) and avoiding the whole county becoming gridlocked by keeping the queues off live carriageways, is the key to their Brexit plan. It's that plan that's ready, not a plan to get goods through border controls any faster - that's outside their remit.

FishesaPlenty
I'm clearly not quoting anything

Yes, I know - you've added your own interpretation - that's why I asked.

It's that plan that's ready, not a plan to get goods through border controls any faster-that's outside their remit.

Just looked at the Port of Dover website - they don't seem panicked to me;

NO-DEAL BREXIT GUIDANCE
BREXIT FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Logistics managers and drivers themselves can look forward to the usual swift and efficient transit through the port and high standard of service on board the ship.

NO DEAL BREXIT FOR TOURISTS

The Port of Dover works hard to ensure that all passengers can get through the port quickly and efficiently.Queues do still occur from time to time, especially at busy bank holiday weekends and at the start of school holidays.

www.doverport.co.uk/port/about/brexit-be-prepared/

Logistics managers and drivers themselves can look forward to the usual swift and efficient transit through the port and high standard of service on board the ship.

You missed the preceding words "After check-in ..."

And the preceding paragraph:

If you are sending a laden lorry or van to Dover after Brexit, you will need to ensure that the driver has a customs document for the load before he reaches the port. The customs document may differ, depending on the purpose for which the goods are being moved – the various scenarios are outlined below. But unless the vehicle is empty, the driver must have at least one customs document.

Logistics managers and drivers themselves can look forward to the usual swift and efficient transit through the port and high standard of service on board the ship.

Yes, I'm sure that transit through the port will be fine. Unfortunately to get through the port trucks have to get to the port and then into the port. To do that they'll first have to enter Kent County Council's managed queuing system.

So, Operation Brock is just an illusion? a fairy tale make believe story that is part of the equally absurd Project Fear? lol!

As stated by the PP's, vehicles have to get into the port first.......