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...

An acquaintance of mine who is a Portuguese resident and translator was refused entry to Portugal today.

@HannibalHayes

This is just 🤦

Sorry to repeat in part, but ...

An acquaintance of mine who is a Portuguese resident and translator was refused entry to Portugal today.

This seems to be happening all over. Documentation isn't accepted, or passports are stamped wrongly. Or other documentation needs a stamp and hasn't got one. I hope it gets sorted asap.

Meanwhile the Leavers are whinging still - we need to keep reminding them it's not 'Remoaners' who got a bad deal, it's Boris Johnson. May might have got a better deal but Johnson and the ERG scuppered that. Or if Johnson had asked for another extension because of the Corona virus, and got one, he might have had time to negotiate properly.

That was him negotiating properly - he's just useless

Oh, ]]www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/first-blow-for-post-brexit-britain-as-australia-rejects-trade-deal/07/01/#.X_Sjbchde7Q.twitter this]] is just too rich!

Australia REJECTS Post-Brexit Trade Deal with UK.

... on the grounds that it would include Free Movement of People - and Australia fears an influx of unskilled British workers to Sydney and Melbourne.

correct linky

Alistair Barrie
@AlistairBarrie
·
Jan 4
I think Nicola Sturgeon should resign. Not because she’s done anything wrong - it would just be really comforting to know Boris Johnson is going to do the same thing in a couple of days’ time.

.

Hannibal
Australia REJECTS Post-Brexit Trade Deal with UK on the grounds that it would include Free Movement of People - and Australia fears an influx of unskilled British workers to Sydney and Melbourne

Ah yes, that pesky points based immigration

This is one of the saddest effects of Brexit, little boy has severe epilepsy and can't get the medication from the Netherlands post-Brexit:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/05/mother-fears-son-could-die-as-brexit-stops-medical-cannabis-medicine-supply

[quote HappyWinter]This is one of the saddest effects of Brexit, little boy has severe epilepsy and can't get the medication from the Netherlands post-Brexit:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/05/mother-fears-son-could-die-as-brexit-stops-medical-cannabis-medicine-supply[/quote]
TBH that is not a Brexit one.
The UK Government should have sorted it YEARS ago - the oil is made in the UK by a company owned by JRM
but Priti Vacant does not want to licence it

But it is an immediate Brexit affect.

Australia REJECTS Post-Brexit Trade Deal with UK on the grounds that it would include Free Movement of People - and Australia fears an influx of unskilled British workers to Sydney and Melbourne

Especially when there are all these TV progs with people who want to move to Australia, and have those cards with the flags on which they flip over to show that Australia is better, ignoring the tearful families at home that they normally see every day.

I saw that thread on Facebook where some were saying that it's old news, it's a year old, but the point was made that as far as we know, the situation hasn't changed. Come the beginning of 2021 they should have been rushing in to do a deal with us, because we are going to be a global world beater which of course they will want a share of.

Another fish war in the offing? I can't say Cod War because I don't know what they catch. The Cod war with Iceland did not end well. There has been a long running dispute over who Rockall belongs to, but with Denmark and Ireland as EU states, and Iceland as an EEA state there is a good chance that it wouldn't now be settled amicably in favour of the UK.

Australia REJECTS Post-Brexit Trade Deal with UK.

Well knock me down with a feather. Did they really think they’d get free movement for Brits to Australia? Especially when it’s such a draw for - well, just about everywhere. And they can so pick and choose!
It reminds me that a few years ago a couple of ex-pupils, married, she with a degree and teaching qualification and he a trained motor mechanic (tbh her parents always felt she “married down”) applied to work in Aus. Guess who had the more desirable skills? He did. They’re living very happily there now, she’s working but not as a teacher.

HannibalHayes
Australia REJECTS Post-Brexit Trade Deal with UK on the grounds that it would include Free Movement of People.

Slightly different version here;

October 2020;
A source close to international trade secretary Liz Truss has told City A.M. that a UK-Australia trade deal will likely allow young Australians to live in the UK for more than two years, with a similar extension for Britons going the other way.

Also being discussed are provisions to allow increased access for businesspeople travelling between the countries and greater bilateral recognition of professional qualifications.

The trade department source said enhanced freedom of movement was a greater priority for the Australian government than the UK’s in trade talks, but that there’s “definitely interest on both sides” and it is “a likelihood” that it will be included in a future trade deal.

www.cityam.com/gday-uk-australia-trade-deal-set-to-increase-freedom-of-movement-downunder/

November 2020;
A Department for International Trade spokesperson said: “The UK is ending free movement with the EU and has no plans to seek equivalent arrangements with Australia.

“We want an ambitious trade deal with Australia and this extends to the temporary movement of skilled professionals, however it is too early to say what the final deal may look like.”

www.cityam.com/ex-australia-pm-tony-abbott-pushes-for-uk-australia-trade-deal-to-be-closed-this-year/

“We want an ambitious trade deal with Australia and this extends to the temporary movement of skilled professionals, however it is too early to say what the final deal may look like.”

Much more likely to be health care professionals being welcomed to Australia, while we get the unskilled Australians. Brexiters really do need to be careful what they wish for. Too early too, but they were supposed to be signing the documents the moment the UK was out of the EU.

I really enjoyed reading this thought provoking article on the role of the State today, and thought the Westministenders crew might also be interested unherd.com/2021/01/who-are-covids-guilty-men/

We used of course to get quite a lot of young Australian and New Zealand teachers coming over for a few years and they were regarded as being better trained. But we didn't need to rip up agreements with the EU to do this - how many immigrants we allowed in from the rest of the world was always up to us.

It always puzzles me why Brexiters want to give up sovereignty to people across the world but don't if they live on the doorstep.

Much more likely to be health care professionals being welcomed to Australia, while we get the unskilled Australians.

From HannibalHayes' link;

[Australian] Trade minister Simon Birmingham said full free movement would not be accepted because it could cause an exodus of highly trained workers to the UK and an influx of unskilled British workers to Sydney and Melbourne.

Yes, Clavinova, I have read it, and probably read it three days before you did. I happen not to agree with him. Australia is already attractive to health care professionals, and any FoM is likely to make it more so.

We want an ambitious trade deal with Australia and this extends to the temporary movement of skilled professionals.

Right, so no extra opportunities for the unskilled working class they claim to care so much about. Only opportunities for travel and work abroad taken away.

Strangely enough, all those "a place down under" programmes show that Australia pays nurses etc. more than the UK does. So I think I can guess which way the drain would go...

Anyway, who woke Claviknownothing up again? Surely now that Brexit it done and we're all living in the sunlit uplands and everything is wonderful, her job is done?