Westministenders: Canada Plus and the Transition Phase

[RedToothBrush]

As we approach the 31st January, we slowly tick towards exit and transition.

Things are not yet signed off though the No Deal planning has quietly been stood down with no press release and the government have said they won't talk about trade deals post 31st Jan because the public are bored of them and don't understand.

The new EU president has said that the UK doesn't have time to make a full deal with the EU before 31st December with a deadline which isn't flexible.

We still have no idea what the government plans are. We still have many EU citizens feeling very vulnerable.

Perhaps we should start talking about this rather than Royals for a couple of weeks...

Curious the Brexiteer Brigade aren't howling about loss of sovereignty here:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51201750

The UK has been told to "hold fire" on a new tax on big technology firms planned for April.

The OECD said that there needs to be a global agreement on technology company tax.

(contd)

I imagine the main brains of Brexit are still grappling with bongs, so on their behalf I dropped the OECD a quick note telling them the UK is a sovereign nation and to back the hell off. Really, who do they think they are ?

Go Saj, go !

Looks as though it will be easier for EU citizens to get jobs here than for UK citizens to get jobs in the EU. Brilliant outcome for our DCs

The only tinsy winsy benefit of brexit i could possibly see was that uk firms would offer better training and work opportunities for uk citizens as they would no longer have such ready access to europe's finest... looks like even that was grossly over optimistic.

Brexit is increasingly looking like we keep the negatives and lose the benefits, even the monies paid in will be negated by a smaller GDP.

Brexit happens this month
but Brexit is still years off IMHO

On tech tax, I'm afraid I see this as the OECD likely acting to delay introduction of and/or reduce the effect of the proposed taxes. Why on earth would they not want some big nations like France and the UK to set levels so the implementation effects can be modelled?

Sounds like a can being kicked to me.

On tech tax, I'm afraid I see this as the OECD likely acting to delay introduction of and/or reduce the effect of the proposed taxes. Why on earth would they not want some big nations like France and the UK to set levels so the implementation effects can be modelled?

But as a sovereign nation now, we will tell the OECD to do one. After all that's the whole point about Brexit. Taking back control. The UK gets to decide. Not a bunch of faceless bureaucrats.

No one tells the UK what to do anymore.

(to the tune of "Build that wall") Ring that bell

Brexit party mep bemoans loss of representation at EUparl....

I mean....wtf??

It's almost funny. almost

Brexit party mep bemoans loss of representation at EUparl....

Do you remember when we weren't allowed to call them thick cretinous morons ?

I do DGR....

@Imstinkyeddie I laugh hysterically at lots of things now, after crying at everything for weeks. A&Es and maternity units shutting in tory towns, hilarious stuff like that...

Ds1 is heavily invested in the labour leadership contest...

I've told him - its the hope that'll kill ya.

oh god. I had a glimmer of hope about Nandy today (i really like her)

oh god no.

I've rejoined and ds1 has joined to take part in the leadership election.

Starmer gets my vote. But deputy? Ffs.

Nandy - She's been backed by a chinese affiliate group I think?

New York Times piece on Brexit

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/17/world/europe/brexit-women-impact.html#click=t.co/HESIV3AHOO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.nytimes.com/2020/01/17/world/europe/brexit-women-impact.html#click=t.co/HESIV3AHOO
With Brexit Looming, Experts Worry Women May Be Hit Hardest
Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union could lead to job cuts, particularly for women, and a rollback of a slew of legal protections

Faisal Islam@faisalislam
^Just interviewed the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen here in Davos, 1st UK TV

• Govt “has to choose” whether it wants “good access to the single market” in next few weeks so that both sides can find “what the room for negotiation is”. “We’ll see” on end 2020^

EU’s VDL also responded positively to UK Chancellor Sajid Javid saying that the EU trade deal was the priority ahead of a US one: “It’s good that they assign a lot of resources to these negotiations”.

VDL also said that the UK should not feel it has to choose between trade links with the USA and the EU. “it’s in our common interest for all three of us the UK, EU and US that we will work as close as possible together... both can go in parallel”.

On US threat to slap tariffs on EU cars in return for a digital tax, she said: “think we're moving towards a good solution, a common solution, because we tasked the OECD to find a solution for global tax, which refers to a fairness principle - good to have an OECD solution.

Interesting....

Steven Swinford@steven_swinford
Boris Johnson not backing down over digital services tax despite threat of trade war with the US

No 10 says social media companies have undermined trust and DST will go ahead in April

Says it is not part of trade talks, warns Trump tariffs will damage businesses in US and UK

Boris Johnson not backing down over digital services tax despite threat of trade war with the US

His master hasn't barked yet. (Looks at watch). Give it another 8-10 hours when the dailies headlines have been put to bed ....

DGR it is the same Johnson who said we'd 100% have a full trade deal with the EU by 31st December and has since backed down after Ursula von der Leyen said "I don't think so".

Sovereignity eh?

DGR it is the same Johnson who said we'd 100% have a full trade deal with the EU by 31st December and has since backed down after Ursula von der Leyen said "I don't think so".

There is a pattern beginning to emerge here, I think. Now that "Brexit" is confirmed, and happening, the EU appears to have been reading my mind (if not my posts) and adopted a strategy of slowly slipping it's preferences onto the table and waiting for the UK to start wailing about how it's "not what we wanted". Safe in the knowledge that come 31/12/20 it won't be the EU that suffers.

There's also a bit of trade talks judo at play, as it seems to be the UK that wants to throw it's weight around while the EU can just sit back and relax. I found myself wondering WFT? when Boris blathered on about "The UK won't be rushed" having personally overseen the deadline himself ....

stinkyeddie here’s another one.

Tory Brexiteer and culture minister Nigel Adams has backed calls for freedom of movement, at least for musicians, despite the fact his government is planning to take it away.

But that is literally what you voted for.

(I think we’re going to be saying this a few times.)

www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/nigel-adams-on-brexit-and-musicians-in-music-week-1-6478086

Remember who promised "the easiest trade deal in human history"
because we were starting already aligned with the EU ?

Yep, Liam Fox

Frictionless trade 'just not possible' says former minister Liam Fox

https://www.cityam.com/frictionless-trade-just-not-possible-says-former-minister-liam-fox/

hester
Head. Desk.

Fox will remind the audience that the EU will not allow for the UK to cherry pick from outside the Single Market, but stress: “The EU cannot ‘cherry pick’ itself by trying to control a state outside the Single Market and the Customs Union.

If I were a school teacher, then I would set Liam a task to write a piece demonstrating the use of the concept "asymmetric". He could do it in crayon if needs be. Or in interpretive dance, actually.

Nigel Adams is incapable of logical thought, he is my local MP and we have had communication over the last couple of years.
He really isn't capable of more than I'll thought out sound bites.

End of February is when the trade cards go on the table, face up
should be fun