Westministenders: Its the waiting that kills you

[RedToothBrush]

Just waiting.

Talks between Frost and Barnier still unresolved issues. There are rumours but 'all without evidence' (the new in phrase on BBC news tonight) that the UK is waivering.

Less that two months to go.

And there is the small matter of what happens in the US than might influence events.

Re Stranraer: ferries to NI no longer use Stranraer, but Cairnryan, about 6 miles north. There's no space for anything there (thanks to a cliff east of the A77), but in papers published by the Scottish Government it seems they are preparing to use the former port at Stranraer to hold up to 260 or 300 (I've seen both numbers) lorries in the event of no deal. But Stranraer is a wee town and congestion would quickly build up - this is a known risk, and options are being considered.

I wonder what the average waiting/processing time will be? In January 2020 it was reported that Cairnryan is second only to Holyhead in terms of goods traffic (volume? value? no of HGVs? - wasn't made clear).

There are 2 operators at Cairnryan - Stena and P&O. P&O think the customs checks should be done at the Larne end of the route - there's more space to stack vehicles there.

.

Icould
In the old days in Kent it was 20 mins per lorry
and that was with everybody knowing what they were doing

HMRC have estimated 2 minutes
I believe the KAP test came in at 27

Who could possibly have predicted that moving lorries around would be a problem with Brexit?
Oh Wait

todays covid testing figure 33470 v 22950 yesterday

maybe that's why there's a presser?
I'd guess that massive increase is due to the extra, new lateral flow(?) testing in Liverpool (and Stoke if it's started there?)

The ROI/Wales border hasn't really been on my radar because of the lower vehicle volumes and their alternatives to the land-bridge for EU freight.

Then I suggest you try driving along the A 55 a few hours before the night boat is due to depart, or drive the other way towards England after the boat has come in. Admittedly there is not as much traffic as at Dover, so lower is correct.

I can see that for deliveries to Central Wales, it makes more sense to go along the A55/M56/M6 than to drive along the twisty roads of Snowdonia.

In short what a bunch of w*ankers.

www.rte.ie/news/brexit/2020/1112/1177619-brexit-martin/

...

The Taoiseach also said US President-elect Joe Biden wanted a Brexit trade deal to be clinched with the EU.

"He is very committed to the Good Friday Agreement," Mr Martin said. "Particularly in relation to Brexit, he would favour obviously a deal between the European Union and Britain.

"And I think that's where, if I could respectfully say it, that's where the British government should head, in that direction, in my view. It should knuckle down and ... get a deal with the European Union."

(contd)

Well, that's half an hour I won't get back.

@pussycatinboots

Well, that's half an hour I won't get back.

Been buzzing around in the kitchen making dinner, and bottling the invert syrup I just made (for liqueurs). moved some things from back freezer to kitchen freezer and washed up a couple of things.

Like I said - the efficiency of cynicism.

The Guardian Live blog took me 2 minutes to skim.
Sorted.

@ListeningQuietly

The Guardian Live blog took me 2 minutes to skim. Sorted.

The danger of spending any time listening to Boris Johnson is that you actually lose intelligence as it happens. Not only does he not add to the sum total of human knowledge, he destroys it.

I bow to your superior judgement DGR.
I watched in the kitchen, so managed to cook pizza for DH and make a and most importantly, feed the cats.😻

This just came up on my Linkedin feed ....
www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20201109_BrookingsMetro_TwoEconomies-Chart1-final.png
very nice graphic but also an interesting approach to the data

I bow to your superior judgement DGR.

Trust me, there is nothing superior about my judgement. There probably isn't a significant UK event these past 30 years that I haven't got wrong.

Starting with the 1992 election.

@ListeningQuietly

This just came up on my Linkedin feed .... www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20201109_BrookingsMetro_TwoEconomies-Chart1-final.png very nice graphic but also an interesting approach to the data

Back to Tytler:

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.

SOD the Downing Street Briefings
I'm watching this at the moment
royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2020/11/faraday-lecture/

@DGRossetti - There probably isn't a significant UK event these past 30 years that I haven't got wrong.

And you're predicting a no deal aren't you? Excellent. Looks like it will be a deal then

.

Classy trolling by Barnier

@FlouncingBabooshka 💐 it’s shit for all those who don’t and never wanted this

Slight deviation, but I found this thread about Trunp's 'strategy' fascinating: how on earth does Biden cut through the hype? twitter.com/JYSexton/status/1326902814736592902

Something that only one person on this thread will be surprised about

That is just so sad.

So this -

Former treasury solicitor.......