Westministenders: Unilateral Ignoring of WHO rules

[RedToothBrush]

Where we are:

On 1st January the EU started to apply checks on all goods from the UK coming into the Union.

However the UK decided to take a slower route to this, and planned that on the 1st April the UK we would be carrying out Sanitary & Phytosanitary paperwork for animal and plant EU imports like meat and eggs.

Then on 1 July we'd implement a full customs check on all goods arriving into the UK from EU member states.

Obviously we've struggled with exports as we weren't ready for this and its fucked business. But ultimately the import side of things has yet to hit the shit fan still.

It sounds like there is likely to be issues with imports of food in particular, so there is talk of delaying our plan of checks until later in the day. There is concern that the reopening of pubs and restuarants which will up demands of imports occuring at the same time as checks are put in place is likely to be 'problematic'.

Remember we get 2/3 of fruit, veg and cheese from the EU. And half our wine. And to date these largely have only been affected by haulage issues NOT UK customs issues...

You might want to keep that in mind.

Also today:

Ian Dunt @iandunt
Theresa May is up. She says she supports a lot of the bill, including the trespass section, unsurprisingly.

She's wary of the stop and search provisions, some elements of serious violence reduction orders, pre-charge bail and - wow - the anti-protest provision. I wasn't expecting that rfom her.

"Freedom of speech is an important right in our democracy, however annoying or uncomfortable that may sometimes be... I do worry about the potential unintended consequences of some of the measures in the bill, which have been drawn quite widely."

Oh god. I agree with Theresa May.

Theresa May saying the Policing Bill goes too far. If Theresa May says something goes too far, then its safe to say, you've gone too far.

And yet we are unlikely to be where we are, without Theresa May's stint in the HomeOffice...

If Theresa May says something goes too far, then its safe to say, you've gone too far.

Let's wait and see how she votes.

Theresa May is not one of my favourite people. She’s responsible for many of the difficulties we’re in. However she was a) better than BJ and (I think) b) learned something from her stint as PM and is possibly a better person for it, which must be unusual.

.

Everything that this current govt does screams 'it's all about me' in a very mini-Trump wannabe way. Not a pretty look for the rest of us.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/15/no-10-offers-first-sight-of-26m-white-house-style-briefing-room

I do worry about the potential unintended consequences of some of the measures in the bill, which have been drawn quite widely"

There is nothing unintended about it.

At a guess, they might have drawn up the bill with as wide a powers as possible, thinking that some will be knocked out at a later stage. However, with the yes men in who pass for Tory MPs, it will probably all get through unamended.

Regarding the bill, someone mentioned that it’s likely it will get defeated in the Lords. Is that what will happen?

@jasjas1973

I do worry about the potential unintended consequences of some of the measures in the bill, which have been drawn quite widely"

There is nothing unintended about it.

Agreed. It's terrifying. What with that and the Hate Crimes Bill in Scotland being voted through last week (it's fairly draconian as 'hate speak' can even be judged if made privately in your own home, yet the Bill specifically excludes women). It's really difficult to stay positive about all this. And extraordinary to find myself agreeing with Theresa May on civil liberty 'lines'. I wonder if she is just mouthing platitudes & will vote for it anyway though?

Re Customs clearance : the system is not old
it has been running the whole time on the 50% of UK trade that comes from outside the EU
hence why I do not understand the foot dragging.

Police and crime bill : its trying to make COVID lockdowns permanent basically

hence why I do not understand the foot dragging.
Which leads me to think that it's deliberate and that they don't want to comply. If they can get a No Deal in via the back door and blame the EU then it's a win for the Brexitzealots.

Which is surreal because its clear that the Zealots have no understanding of what no deal would mean

as even the rich cannot do deals if nobody is willing

But still the fact that the UK has done a good job of its vaccinations trumps everything else, or so some would have us believe. I despair, I really do.

Which is great until everybody is vaccinated
and Brits STILL cannot travel or work or buy or sell overseas

@Peregrina

But still the fact that the UK has done a good job of its vaccinations trumps everything else, or so some would have us believe. I despair, I really do.

All things are relative. The US (as I predicted on this forum nearly 2 months ago) looks set to hit the 100,000,000 vaccine mark by 20th March. Two months ahead of schedule. Yes, the UK has really done itself proud. But in a way, as a small island, it would be a fucking scandal if we hadn't.

Because we aren't actually doing as well as Johnson and Co, and Brexit apologists are crowing. Most people I know who have had their jab, have only had one so far. Now maybe that's enough, but it's not what the recommendation says.

@Peregrina

Because we aren't actually doing as well as Johnson and Co, and Brexit apologists are crowing. Most people I know who have had their jab, have only had one so far. Now maybe that's enough, but it's not what the recommendation says.

Don't get me wrong. The UK can hold it's head high as regards vaccine rollout. However, at the risk of starting a bunfight, it was starting from a place of natural advantage. Which as a small, self contained pair of islands you would expect. You could drive from Lands End to John O'Groats in less time than it takes to cross Texas for fucks sake.

Having had the AZ jab on Saturday I cannot fault the UK vaccination drive
BUT
It only started less than three months ago
and it will be winding down within three months

Brexit on the other hand .....

I wasn't disagreeing with the vaccine roll out - the NHS has served us well. Let's keep reminding everyone of that. This is what annoys me with Johnson, he's mucked up everything else with Covid and has negotiated a shit deal as far as Brexit goes - but he's given a free pass because our NHS led vaccine rollout has become his Falklands Factor.

We could discuss why other countries haven't done especially well, but it's not because of nasty EU.

And £2.6m to build a room and forget to hide the Henry is a cracker

www.trtworld.com/magazine/french-call-to-replace-english-with-latin-as-europe-s-official-language-44961

Met with scorn for now, the sentiment against English language is moving from the fringes to mainstream politics.
An anti-English movement is brewing in France. Clement Beaune, French Minister for European Affairs led a campaign for “European linguistic diversity” last month, where he emphasized the lack of need for English after Brexit.

“Let’s get used to speaking our languages again,” he said.

Faced with fierce critics, even domestically, Frexit advocate Francois Asselineau criticized the minister for failing to understand France’s position within the EU.

(contd)

My memory of French as an "international" language is going on a day trip with a friend who was TEFL over summer in the 1990s and noticing that the French students could not speak to the Canadian Quebecois students in French (neither could I). They had to use English.

Yes, it may take a little concentration to converse with Yanks, Canucks, Kiwis, and Aussies, but at least it's possible ...

DGR - well I can remember doing some voluntary work one summer where the French Canadian could converse with the Breton Frenchman.

However there is still a lot of utility in learning French - it's still understood even as a second language in many countries of the world.

@Peregrina

DGR - well I can remember doing some voluntary work one summer where the French Canadian could converse with the Breton Frenchman.

However there is still a lot of utility in learning French - it's still understood even as a second language in many countries of the world.

I have no issue with anyone learning any language.

I've also seen Bretons talking to Cornish without needing a translator. In much the same way DF is able to muddle through with Spanish and Portuguese folk. (Although my godmother was actually Basque, which may have been cheating a tad).

Anyway, I can't see that idea gaining much traction. Just found it vaguely amusing.

I can't see it gaining any traction either. Linguistically though, the French have lost an Empire,and it's use as the Diplomatic Language.

I don't think comparisons with reviving Hebrew are valid either - there is a resident population which now speaks the language.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/raab-trade-deals-human-rights_uk_6050d75bc5b605256ebeaca6?ncid=APPLENEWS00001
Exclusive: Raab Says UK Wants Trade Deals With Nations That Violate Human Rights
Foreign secretary told staff that “restricting” trade because of human rights abuses would mean missing out on “growth markets”.

Dominic Raab has told officials in a leaked video call that Britain will seek trade deals with countries around the world that violate international standards on human rights.

The foreign secretary told staff in his department that only trading with countries that meet European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) standards would mean the UK missing out on trade with future “growth markets”.

In a question and answer session with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) staff, a recording of which has been heard by HuffPost UK, Raab said: “I squarely believe we ought to be trading liberally around the world.

“If we restrict it to countries with ECHR-level standards of human rights, we’re not going to do many trade deals with the growth markets of the future.”

Raab’s astonishing words came after the government published a major review of foreign policy, which includes plans for post-Brexit Britain to tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region as the world’s “geopolitical and economic centre of gravity” moves east.

The increased focus on the region is an acknowledgement of Chinese influence, as well as the importance of countries including India and Japan.

Well I guess thats consistent with ideals of the British Empire.

Not so much with ideals of (the myth of) Churchill though.