Westministenders: The Beginning of Negotiations

[RedToothBrush]

Transition has a few hours left.

Then negotiations start and trade stops.

Far from being over, there are huge numbers of issues that lay unresolved.

And businesses both now in the UK and EU will cease to trade with each other just because the red tape is such a pain.

So whilst people will celebrate and think things are 'done' that just shows how much people are paying attention.

It will be interesting to see people gradually realising what has been lost...

We might be at cross purposes...French passport at the French border outbound, then arriving in the UK on a Brit PPt shouldn't be a problem AFAIK. Leaving the UK with a Brit ppt registered in the ESTA system, then arriving at the French border with a French PPt in hand again wouldn't be an issue.

Problems might start for example you start mixing and matching passports into/out of France..where as we know your passport gets physically checked both ways...

Certainly some countries around the world insist on same passport document be presented when entering and leaving the country. I wouldn't like to offer definitive advice as to what the actual rules are for France and UK this week...

I think she would only ever use a French passport at a French border post tbh, she's proud of being French.

My sister and I were talking about this - as we both hold NZ & UK passports .....
The general advice is you enter and leave a country on the same passport. However in practise you often end up having to use different ones. When travelling to and from Nz , I always fly in on my NZ and HAVE to fly out on my UK - otherwise they won't allow me on the flight with a one way ticket

DD due to fly back to the EU country she works in today. She was going to go back before the New Year but the flight got cancelled and this is the first opportunity. She ought to be OK, with a residence permit. But... she wasn't able to print out her boarding pass when she checked in. I will keep you posted as to whether she makes it back.

At least we both voted Remain, as did Grandma and Uncles (which is all the close family she has), so she knows that we didn't bring this shit show on her.

Good luck to your DD Peregrina. Which country? (obviously understandable if you don't want to say)

@Mistigri

What's stopping us having DD go over to check up on mum is a complete absence of information about who is still covered by EHICs ... theoretically DD has some WA rights (as she was exercising FoM rights for 14 years) but I have no idea where she stands.

It's a horrible mess. I've already told my boss that he can forget me being in London in May for an important meeting (assuming it goes ahead). I doubt very much I'll have my paperwork by then.

I don’t think your dd can use the WA because she hasn’t been using the FOM. She didn’t need it as she is French/british. Same with my two dcs in the U.K. who didn’t need to apply for the SS

she hasn’t been using the FOM

She was using it for 14 years. She want born French. It's a bit of a grey area tbh.

Wasn't not want!

I won't say, because it's a bit outing.

I had the last bottle of my preferred tipple, 'The King's Ginger' from my local Waitrose before Christmas. As of yesterday they haven't restocked. Checked the bottle this am on a hunch and noted it is produced in Holland. Fingers very tightly crossed this is just a delay and not a '#BrexitBonus'

Safe travels to her Peregrina, hope she doesn't run into border problems. It seems to be just Spain at the moment? Although other countries are breaching the WA with regard to border formalities.

I don’t think your dd can use the WA because she hasn’t been using the FOM. She didn’t need it as she is French/british. Same with my two dcs in the U.K. who didn’t need to apply for the SS

These are the sorts of problems being thrown up - no one quite knows what the rules are, nor whether such rules as exist will be applied correctly.

None of which has been helped by Johnson messing around until literally the last moment and then coming out with waffle and piffle about world beating, wonderful brexit, please bow down and worship me.

Plants and seeds look like they are causing lots of issues due to plant checks required at a cost of £125 per shipment and a lack of inspectors.

Lots of UK companies no longer supplying to Northern Ireland.

Also saw a petition yesterday about guide dog puppies stopping being placed into NI due to vaccinations rule.

....and Arlene on Marr this morning minimising a border down the Irish Sea

Apologies to all and particularly @RufustheSniggeringReindeer, I was half-drunk on fatigue yesterday. I really should turn all internet connections off at such times but I’m watching the schools issue. Boris playing fast and loose again there I see.

I think he does not want to do what the unions say. And not close schools with 24 hours notice. But then he says more restrictions 'may' be coming. Just talking crap.

I too am watching the schools thread. There is a lot of justifiable anger there, but even there, the Johnson fan club lives on.

I think he does not want to do what the unions say

The fundamental weakness of populism. He says he wants the U.K. to be nimble and agile, but then when the situation changes he can’t act. I wouldn’t trust him to run the brewery, let alone a school.

A poll predicts that if a GE were held now, it would wipe out the Tory majority.

Justin Ibbett, founder of Focaldata, who carried out a similar poll for the Conservatives prior to the 2019 election, told the Sunday Times...

They should have stuck with their first estimate last year;

10 December 2019 -
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party is on track for a 24-seat majority after Thursday’s general election, polling company Focaldata forecast on Tuesday, down sharply from its forecast last month of an 82-seat majority.

uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-election-focaldata/johnson-on-track-for-24-seat-majority-focaldata-idUKKBN1YE2LA

in 2019 - not 'last year' now of course.

Airline management sometimes have a habit of rewriting regs/adding extra layers onto new regulations and requirements before promulgating them to customer facing staff,

What ? Like the UK did with EU regulations ? Surely not ?

Late to the party again Clavinova - we have already discussed what he said, and you will find that we didn't agree.

Boris Johnson's idea of government:
Become Prime Minister and talk in public (just like Churchill!)
Use Battle of Britain as your operating model: very few people, with not quite enough equipment, make huge personal sacrifices for ages and (voila!) triumph. Why change a winning formula? (Apply to all public services)
Stand up to the unions, like Thatcher
Pretend Ireland doesn't exist.
Spin like a weathervane.
Don't look at graphs.

@schimmelreiter

Boris Johnson's idea of government: Become Prime Minister and talk in public (just like Churchill!) Use Battle of Britain as your operating model: very few people, with not quite enough equipment, make huge personal sacrifices for ages and (voila!) triumph. Why change a winning formula? (Apply to all public services) Stand up to the unions, like Thatcher Pretend Ireland doesn't exist. Spin like a weathervane. Don't look at graphs.

All wrapped up in that air of insouciant arrogance that parents pay Eton for.

If I had billions (there's always the Zimbabwean lottery) I'd set up 100% free schools all over the country that delivered better results than Eton by the devastating tactic of teaching to ability, and being run as 100% Ltd. Companies with zero scope for interference. Much like Farages Brexit party. You need to learn from your opponents.

I wouldn't even claim any charity status.

In 10 years you'd have a generation asking really awkward questions and finding the answers themselves.

“by the devastating tactic of teaching to ability,”

Beautifully put.

Peregrina
Late to the party again Clavinova - we have already discussed what he said, and you will find that we didn't agree.

Oh yes - you didn't agree that the LIbDems might be reduced to only two seats - bad luck.