Westminstenders: Going, going, cummings

[RedToothBrush]

As expected he's fucking off and leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces in January. But it does look like he was eventually shown the door and left with a cardboard box. As he should have been months ago.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with Johnson needing an image change, like the shape shifting creep he is, to one that fits more with the incoming Biden Administration. In other words hes got some serious sucking up to do...

... Meanwhile in Brexit land we are going into yet another final week of talks.

Many expect Cummings departure to signal 'the cave in'. The Eu say we havent moved enough and the uk say the EU wants us to do all the moving... Except the EU have done lots of moving. Barnier is still looking for a groundsman to level his field to play. We have yet to work out we aren't Canada and distance is important to trade.

Of course if we don't get a deal, that Pfizer vaccine in Germany that we want, might be hit with delays and extra costs we just can't afford.

Ah yes, crossing the Channel
www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/24/trial-of-brexit-border-checks-causes-five-mile-lorry-queues-in-kent

@Clavinova, my issue with products ‘that are not at inflated prices’ is two folds
1- those products are very likely to come from further away than the EU. At the time of global warming, id rather avoid that personally. Grapes from Chili and wine from California, No thank you.

2- products at much lower prices will be more likely to come from poorer countries. At what cost? I mean the human cost (people paid fuck all which is why prices are lower, China using slavery etc....), health costs (see the chlorinated chicken from the us), quality and so on.

So yes I’m sure we can find cheaper somewhere. But the reality is that they are not at inflated prices. They are that prices because they are produced in countries SUCH AS THE U.K. which is paying its workers more and has protection on sort of areas.
I’d be weary to be dismissive of those or to think that cheaper is always better.

ListeningQuietly
Tunisian olive oil versus Spanish olive oil - neither will benefit the UK post Brexit because the Tunisian stuff will still have to get across the Channel.

Are you planning a blockade?

considering the Maldivian fishery is on the verge of collapse, maybe that is not such a good one for Louise

I gave "typical" examples - I'm not a buyer for a chain of supermarkets. However, I do shop at Waitrose;

"October 2020 - Waitrose confirmed it would not boycott Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna as it believes it would be “fundamentally and morally wrong”. ...

^"we believe in working collaboratively with the fishers, suppliers, governments, NGOs and other stakeholders to use our sourcing influence and corporate responsibility leadership to demand improvements are made to the management of the fishery.”

Clavinova
You missed the third bit ...
Which products will you buy more of once the EU tariff is removed ?

Which products will you buy more of once the EU tariff is removed?

Canned fruit from countries such as Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

Apparently, the EU send fruit to Eswatini to be canned - but they would rather can their own fruit to sell to us.

Happily Eswatini won’t have to rely entirely on Clav buying its tinned fruit as its in bilateral agreements with the EU via a number of regional markets/communities.
ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/where-we-work/eswatini_en

it’s

Happily Eswatini won’t have to rely entirely on Clav buying its tinned fruit as its in bilateral agreements with the EU via a number of regional markets/communities.

I couldn't see anything about reducing tariffs on peaches etc.

"Our agricultural programmes focus on production, innovation, renewable energy, irrigation, and entrepreneurship, with the overall goal to boost employment and contribute to lasting food security, while better adapting to climate change and respecting the environment."

Has anyone seen Donald Trumps hair? It looks like the dry cleaners have made a right mess of it...oh, hang on, that might have been the Turkey.🤦🏻‍♀️🦃

Canned fruit from countries such as Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).
but the Tariff rate on them is Zero
so the price will not drop

still waiting to hear what will be cheaper after we leave the EU

Tinned fruit? How very 70s. Who actually eats that in 2020?

tsk - why the chatter about the costs of Brexit?

Remember we're going to be saving our 'contribution' to the EU - that magnificent 0.7% of our GDP we pay to the EU that just happened to equate to the aid budget.

An interesting thought that one...I'd venture that if we'd reclassified our EU membership "contribution" as 'foreign aid' and made that our 0.7% I think we could potentially have avoided the whole thing....."but for a ha'penth of tar" I think is the expresssion.

@TatianaBis

Tinned fruit? How very 70s. Who actually eats that in 2020?

It’ll come back into fashion very rapidly in early 2021, I suspect.

I was about to say the only reason I’ve bought tinned fruit in the last few years is for my Brexit stock. I’m actually looking forward to enjoying it in a nostalgic way.

ListeningQuietly
"Canned fruit from countries such as Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)"
but the Tariff rate on them is Zero

Appears to be 18.40% for peaches - although, again I am only giving an example;

"Peaches, including nectarines"
"Importing from outside the EU is subject to a third country duty of 18.40 % unless subject to other measures."

www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/commodities/2008709817

Peaches mentioned here, 2019;

"At the moment, for example, eSwatini could not can SA [Southern African] peaches and export them duty-free to the EU. It has had to can Greek peaches because SA peaches don’t qualify for duty-free access to the EU."

www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-03-14-southern-africa-scrambles-to-avoid-trade-fallout-from-brexit/

So peaches from Swaziland MIGHT be cheaper if the UK decides not to stick at the current rate

was all of the other disruption REALLY worth it for that ???????

I thought the bit about the agricultural programmes quoted by Clavinova above was pretty good, so I’ll quote a bit more here:

Our priorities

To support Eswatini’s efforts towards an inclusive and sustainable growth, our cooperation focuses on 2 key areas:

Agriculture is crucial to eradicate food insecurity and has considerable potential to contribute to the country’s economic development.

We help the country develop a comprehensive social protection system, to fight poverty and make sure no one is left behind.

Focusing on these 2 sectors is also in line with our general priorities for Africa, namely to combat the root causes of migration, reduce poverty, create jobs, and address inequalities of all sorts.

Nasty old EU with its priorities combating the root causes of migration and poverty. We’re well out of it, obv.

Clav If people are able and willing to pay x for an item and then the duty is reduced, the price will still be x because thats what the market will stand.

Do you really think a tin of peaches @80p will drop in price?

Just remembered another example - cheaper granola from Israel.

Tinned fruit is very 1950s, not 1970s. With Carnation milk for the full experience.

@Clavinova

Just remembered another example - cheaper granola from Israel.

Keep going........

Nasty old EU with its priorities combating the root causes of migration and poverty. We’re well out of it, obv.

"The UK-Southern African Economic Partnership Agreement is a key element of a package of measures to boost African growth outlined by the Prime Minister, who highlighted that Africa’s long-term success matters to the UK, so it is in the world’s interest to help secure African jobs and growth."

www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-southern-african-trade-boosting-uk-and-african-economies
www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-agreed-trade-continuity-with-six-african-nations

"9 Oct - The UK will provide £1 million funding to implement a programme with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support informal traders in Malawi, South Africa and Zambia – who rely on trading across the borders around Southern Africa for their livelihoods and income – to trade safely during the COVID-19 pandemic."

"Since the onset of COVID-19, UK aid provided £1.8 million for the response in Malawi. The new UK aid funding of £6 million, through UNICEF Malawi, will support the Malawi Government’s COVID-19 preparedness and response."

"The UK is committing an additional £12 million of funding to the Tackling Child and Maternal Undernutrition programme in Zambia."

www.gov.uk/government/news/minister-for-africa-announces-closer-uk-southern-africa-partnerships-on-visit-to-malawi-and-zambia

Tinned fruit is very 1950s, not 1970s. With Carnation milk for the full experience.

I expect bellinisurge has two dozen tins under her bed.

Anyway, going to watch Bake Off.