Westminstenders: a feature of the system not a bug

[RedToothBrush]

Tests on the new queuing system in Kent have revealed that lengthy tail backs are a feature not a bug.

We should get used to them because thats normal not the system malfunctioning, but the planned system working as designed.

Today we have found out that there's no money left. The economy is fucked. And tomorrow we will probably all be in T3 with the Isles of Wight, the tip of Cornwall and inner Westminster the only places left in T1.

Christmas has apparently been 'saved' though. Well if you are dumb and lacking in functional brain cells its 'saved'. Trade for Christmas is already thoroughly goosed and indoor family gatherings may come with a extra side of covid. The BBC have done an epic job of 'doommongering project fear' style graphics on this wonderful subject.

Tis the season to be jolly. Jolly fucked.

That, Mistigri, is surely a No Deal announcement from Barnier? Impossible to interpret it as anything else.

I don't think any stockpile at this stage of the transition period is a waste of space.

As soon as people go into a supermarket and find the fruit and veg in short supply they will get jittery and panic buying will start. Jars of peppers, tomatoes etc, frozen veg will be taken by those trying to make their planned meals with alternative ingredients. Others just worried about going hungry will buy pasta, tinned tomatoes, soup, cereal, tuna, cooked meats, cheese, bread etc. And this time there may not be a complete restock of stores overnight. Any gaps in the shelves will keep the panic buying going.

@Mistigri

Just looked on Twitter and top of my feed, from Barnier:

"After one week of intense negotiations in London, together with @DavidGHFrost, we agreed today that the conditions for an agreement are not met, due to significant divergences on level playing field, governance and fisheries."

I can't interpret this but it doesn't sound good.

From what I understand the negotiators have gone as far as they have permission to go and not got anywhere. So now it’s down to leaders of UK and EU to sort out.

So I think you are probably right that Johnson just takes what’s on offer or no deal.

They're a long way apart, clearly. And let's face it, the Tories want a No Deal. But couldn't be seen to stop negotiating early.

There was some discussion earlier about the impact of Brexit and the government's planned reforms to agricultural subsidies. I was waiting for James Rebanks (sheep farmer in the Lake District) to have a take on it, and here it is: unherd.com/2020/12/brexit-will-ruin-britains-farms/

Tl;Dr summary: it ain't good.

It’s a great time to kill your own farming industry - when you’re also killing continental trade.

What are we going to eat, cake?

More good news via the Truss;

We have secured a vital deal allowing service professionals to work in Switzerland visa-free for 90 days This agreement locks in our existing services relationship, worth over £17bn, & is part of our strategy to enhance the UK’s status as a global services hub

Erm, am I wrong, but didn't Switzerland have Freedom of Movement for EU citizens, even though they weren't in the EU? So Truss is boasting about how wonderful it is for a UK citizen to be visa free for 3 months, instead of for an unlimited time. It's a bit like someone taking £1000 from you, giving a tenner back and boasting about how kind they have been to you.

If I am wrong, please tell me.

@Peregrina

Erm, am I wrong, but didn't Switzerland have Freedom of Movement for EU citizens, even though they weren't in the EU? So Truss is boasting about how wonderful it is for a UK citizen to be visa free for 3 months, instead of for an unlimited time. It's a bit like someone taking £1000 from you, giving a tenner back and boasting about how kind they have been to you.

If I am wrong, please tell me.

Sssssshhhhhhh

I was just about to make a gag about ski season when the same thought occurred to me Peregrina

Thanks LQ, I think it is something a lot of us didn't think about, apart from anyone with experience in that industry. It makes total sense. We have trade from 27 countries coming into one, but we are only a fraction of each of their trade. They can always trade with the other EU countries and I wonder if they have found other routes within the EU.

In March a lot of products disappeared in my local supermarkets, I know it was different in every area. Mostly tinned items, then fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy. It looked like the locusts had been in. Like a PP, I think other items will disappear again once the fresh fruit/vegetables/meat is in short supply. Will supermarkets be able to restock other items which aren't subject to restrictions quickly enough, or will they struggle as everyone is buying them in lieu of all the products they can't get? They have to replace the items they can no longer get.

I can see the problem with UK manufactured products, example is the brand of nappies I use for baby is made in the UK, I think the wood pulp comes from Europe.

I'm not looking forward to January. I did a food bank donation today as I'm very worried about people on lower incomes. It is hard enough already for them, how are they going to cope with this kind of economic shock?

In fact didn’t the Swiss recently have a referendum on freedom of movement with the EU?

I’m thinking I might leave it until the NY for food bank donations. My guess is a lot of people will be doing it in the run up to Christmas but one stuff starts running out in the shops they’re not going to get much.

It is all a game albeit over 4 years. Those in Westminster want to be top dog and the hubris and exceptionalism is a sight to behold.

I hold out some hope, purely because 4 years of this is still ongoing.

Just hope there is some sort of deal, and I think there will be. All appendages crossed.

I suppose we shall see soon enough.

Kind of a game. But the game is Russian roulette, and we're the only one playing.

In fact didn’t the Swiss recently have a referendum on freedom of movement with the EU?

I believe so. Wasn't there in fact a narrow victory for the side which wanted to end FoM but the Government overruled them saying that it couldn't be done without wrecking the economy. None of this, will of the people malarky.

@Peregrina

In fact didn’t the Swiss recently have a referendum on freedom of movement with the EU?

I believe so. Wasn't there in fact a narrow victory for the side which wanted to end FoM but the Government overruled them saying that it couldn't be done without wrecking the economy. None of this, will of the people malarky.

Worse than that : the Swiss, having realised the consequences of ending FoM as directed by an earlier referendum, held another referendum, laying out the consequences, so that their citizens could (and did) vote in favour of not stopping FoM

Pesky power of the people, allowing them to change their minds in the face of more realistic facts

Whereas 4 years after our referendum we still seem to be at the point of sending Andrew Bridgen onto C4 news complaining the problem is that we aren’t negotiating with the countries we trade with because they’ve delegated their negotiation to the EU negotiator who doesn’t care about German car manufacturing jobs.

Perhaps the more realistic fact we could start with is the basic meaning of the word ‘union’ then maybe move onto trading bloc.

When he finds out who’s giving instructions to Barnier it’s going to blow his mind.

From that farming article:
"The future they are creating is a perfect storm of crappiness — massive tariffs imposed on what we sell to our main markets, a slashing of the support payment system that we were part of in the EU, a lot of deregulation, and a whole heap of new competitors through new “free trade” deals which will allow imports produced in ways that are illegal here."

Remember when Johnson said that no PM could agree a deal that hived NI off from GB and then did exactly that?

Here’s the latest version of the EU rules for movement between the UK and the EU from Jan 1st, including lots of new rules about movement between GB and NI.

ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/brexit_files/info_site/travelling_en_3.pdf

Whereas 4 years after our referendum we still seem to be at the point of sending Andrew Bridgen onto C4 news complaining the problem is that we aren’t negotiating with the countries we trade with because they’ve delegated their negotiation to the EU negotiator who doesn’t care about German car manufacturing jobs.

Not sure why that comes as a surprise to him. I can only conclude he's a fucking moron.

Countries in trading bloc leave trade decisions to trading bloc isn't really news - unless Channel 4 were running out of the real stuff.

That whinge sounds almost as if it should be preceded with It's so unfaaaaaaaaaaaaair

Just popping in on a 5 min break from trying to reduce the pile of work on my desk. Thanks to all.

I'd recommend, as ever, Marina Hyde and her take on Gavin Williamson's twattish comment that the UK is better than other countries:
And yet, if that’s the case, explain how our education secretary is Gavin Williamson?

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/04/idiot-vaccine-triumph-vindication-brexit

Comments that 'stocks can be/have been built up' are ignoring the fact that over the last 40 years business have almost eliminated stock from the supply chain to reduce costs. A business that has to maintain/manage stock simply cannot compete with one that doesnt.

May be ok for England only business but as far as international competitiveness goes, forget it.

Marina refered to Gav's comments as the tone-deaf witterings of a serially insecure man, which might equally apply to Johnson and pretty much every cabinet member.

@DrBlackbird

Marina refered to Gav's comments as the tone-deaf witterings of a serially insecure man, which might equally apply to Johnson and pretty much every cabinet member.

A lot of Brexit appears driven by insecurity.

@DGRossetti

Whereas 4 years after our referendum we still seem to be at the point of sending Andrew Bridgen onto C4 news complaining the problem is that we aren’t negotiating with the countries we trade with because they’ve delegated their negotiation to the EU negotiator who doesn’t care about German car manufacturing jobs.

Not sure why that comes as a surprise to him. I can only conclude he's a fucking moron.

Countries in trading bloc leave trade decisions to trading bloc isn't really news - unless Channel 4 were running out of the real stuff.

That whinge sounds almost as if it should be preceded with It's so unfaaaaaaaaaaaaair

You conclude rightly. He is a fucking moron. He’s the one who thought being British entitled one to an Irish passport. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/irish-passport-england-uk-andrew-bridgen-tory-mp-brexit-border-eu-a8587286.html