The Brexit Arms: Are We Nearly There Yet? 🇬🇧🚗↩️🇪🇺

[SingingLily]

No, not yet, but soon. Just 24 more sleeps until we legally leave the EU at 11pm on 31 January and finally enter the transition period after what seems like centuries of argument, dither and delay. We do so with hope, optimism and a determination to be a good friend and neighbour to the EU, but for now, no one said it better than Winston Churchill.

“This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, this is just perhaps the end of the beginning.”

The Pub Rule is the same as it always was: all welcome but only if you leave goadery outside. The first drink is on the house.

Happy to amuse bellini. Also glad you got the point. London and Westminster are the Centre of UK Govt. They can't stick their fingers in their ears and pretend that no-one wants Brexit and make just not-London do it even if they exile the Cabinet permanently.

At least when Blackford drones on about Scotland he is also arguing for a 2nd Indyref and to rejoin as a separate State.

The cabinet is decamping to the Up North! That's going to be a big learning curve for some of them, they should make them find their own way there as an initiative test.

I'm glad people will celebrate, i'll definitely be raising a glass myself! And VERY much looking forward to the potent salve of success.

Not yet tho, too early.

In the BBC news today, Javid says there will be 'no alignment with the EU' and finally admits that 'not all businesses would benefit from Brexit.' What a surprise!
The report also notes "The automotive, food and drink and pharmaceutical industries all warned the government last year that moving away from key EU rules would be damaging."
Are we beginning to see the fruits of Johnson's 'fuck business' philosophy?

The Saj hails from Rochdale and his Dad was a bus driver. Ideal man to organise a Road Trip North.

Arkadas Newsnight were in Sheffield and Hull earlier in the week. They were talking about the policy failures re "the North" for the last 40 years. Their "expert witness" from the "Centre for Cities" pointed out part of the problem had been a focus on preserving the old rather than building the new.

I think The Saj's comments should be viewed in that context and make perfect sense. As amply demonstrated by the High Street atm businesses which fail to adapt seldom thrive. All the more the case given the pace of tech change and push from urgency to change to protect the environment.

Saj in the driving seat - at last! 😀 Bet Boris won't be on the bus..

Morning all
Very bright but very cold today 🥶

Looking forward to a day/weekend of doing nothing 🙌🙌

BJ's cabinet are actually a pretty varied bunch background-wise aren't they - more so than Jezza's comrades

Am liking Priti Patel as Home Sec as well so far (much more dynamic than the staid & rigid TM & AR)

Howabout - I'm not sure why Javid's comments should be taken at anything other than face value, rather than viewed in the 'context' you mention, which puts a particular 'spin' on what he says. Companies can adapt if they know what they're adapting to, but this stuck out for me: "We're also talking about companies that have known since 2016 that we are leaving the EU. Admittedly, they didn't know the exact terms."

As a side note, what's with all the 'Saj', 'Jezbollah', 'Wrong-Daily' nonsense on this thread? It's all a bit puerile, isn't it?

I think the striking thing about most of this cabinet is their positive attitude and ability to engage and communicate. They are a very mixed bunch but they appear as positive and forward looking rather than bleak and on the defensive.

It's a "am listening" and "can do" attitude and it makes a lot of difference. I think the 1st budget will be enlightening.

Remember Javid saying this in 2016: the only thing that leaving the EU guarantees is a lost decade for British business.

What short memories they must think we have, although TBF - it looks like some do...

Struth is The Saj's biggest fan. It is their shared nickname for him. Much like Nippy fully embraces her nickname. They are all on record.

This is a pub so, apart from Sir Keir obvs, there is a tendency towards reducing everyone to Jock Thomson's bairns.

Very bright and cold here today as well Dusty. Beautiful early spring day.
Much too cold to go into my bees yet though. But the hives survived the high winds.
Got lots of tasty honey last summer. I'll put some on the bar the next time Singing does waffles.
Out into the garden later when it warms up a bit.
🐝🐝🐝🍯🍯🍯

Morning All. Thanks for the Bacon Barm - certainly helped warm the cockles whilst going in and out this cold, but bright and beautiful am.

It was a bit too boisterous for my tired self to join in last night, but that's a Friday Night in the Local for you. Seems some need a Hair of the Dog this am. I'll probs pop in for an afternoon sesh later.

Agree - this Cabinet are positive and can do, very refreshing.

My village is holding a Freedom Party in the village hall on the 31st.
Everyone is contributing and the village pub, which is next door, is doing the bar.
Even the 3 people who voted Remain have been invited.
And I think the church bells will ring at 11pm.
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Very much agree with your description of the cabinet Copper - it's such a change from before.

And you have 🐝 ???!!!!!

Wow! 😍😍

If anyone is ever visiting Glasgow Kelvingrove museum has its own bee hives which are open to the public.

The City also owns its own herd of Highland cattle based at Pollok Park, but given to wander as they are used for land management all over. When DD3 was little we even got to help the stockman give the prize bull a shampoo and set.

Morning all, late breakfast for me.
I hope all the gatecrashers last night have a hangover and are still in bed suffering. Another day closer to our freedom, the sun just keeps shining.

Has Labour imploded yet? Seems when faced with having a female leader they still run towards the only white remainer privileged liberal elite man in the room. I think they need to get more MPs to self identify as northern woman so they can have their first female leader.

Or is the news still focused on Megxit? Who is using her newfound freedom to support a woman's centre in Canada. But turns out despite all the wonderful images of her there publicising her own brand she didn't actually bother going into the woman's centre and meeting any of the at risk women.

Looking forward to a spirit raising speech from Boris, remainers are going to need a lot of tlc in the aftermath of that. Maybe we should fortify the Arms?

DP is a business owner in the engineering sector. Whilst he is doing well now non-alignment will probably be damaging to his business, we are not sure how much so at this stage, it’s incredibly difficult to plan when we have so much uncertainty. If I recall correctly Epic you are in a similar position, have you managed to stabilise things since the GE?

Arkada I don't see the inconsistency. In 2016 The Saj warned a vote for Brexit would require businesses to adapt. Now he is saying they have already had 3 years and it is time they got on with it.

Yummy Barm Lily! Although no tomato please... 🤢.

Morning Bellini.

Nice spin there, howabout. If you read that webpage, Javid is delivering a very clear warning that leaving the single market would be a disaster for business. Even if you interpret it as a call for businesses to adapt, how have Javid and other Tory MPs assisted this process since 2016? Businesses cannot adapt if they don't know what they're adapting to. Just as the public doesn't know what to expect after Brexit, neither does business, as 'Brexit' is still woefully undefined.

Morning howabout

The issue I have with the idea that businesses had 3 years to adapt is that they didn't know (in fact still don't) what to adapt TO. We don't know what the trading relationship will be like so how do you plan for an unknown? Brexit will happen, that's the only certainty now but it's still quite undefined- even with the stated intention of not aligning with the EU, there are many different paths it could take.
So no, I don't think businesses have had 3 years and it'll still be a shock, whatever form the trade relationship will take.

Do you have a business howabout?

Cross post with Arkadas!

We are all forced to adapt all the time and not just in small ways.

Imho the attitude the EU and specifically Germany takes to fiscal policy going forwards will be more significant to their trading relationship with us than whether we stay in the SM. The fact that the UK was not in the Euro meant that even within the EU we had little influence over this but could merely seek to mitigate the consequences of continued stagnation.