Is it time to move on positively after Brexit?

[TheReluctantPhoenix]

The following article appeared in the Times today (hopefully the share token has worked properly)::

The pain of Brexit isn’t as bad as I’d feared

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-pain-of-brexit-isnt-as-bad-as-id-feared-9n58bgcs5

This is written by the Britain editor of the Economist, one of the most ardent pro EU journals.

In it, inter alia, Emma Duncan admits that a mere 7,600 financial service jobs have moved from London to another European capital because of Brexit and that the BOE is now forecasting a post COVID bounce back of 7.25% to our GDP.

Of course, the article has many caveats about what might yet happen, but also some explanation as to why the U.K. might be far more resilient than she (and most ardent remainers) feared.

But Priti Patel wants to change the Mayoral system to First Past the Post. Too many Labour Mayors it would seem.

Or at least that is what it looks like. Is there any public appetite for this? Your guess is as good as mine.

I sometimes wish I was a Brexiteer - preferably a Tory Brexiteer. It must be great to view events of recent years and feel enthusiasm and confidence for the future. Facts tend to get in the way, sadly.
In the context of Brexit, I never really understand what "moving on"/ "pulling together" means. How would I manifest that in my day to day life? Is it just "shutting up"?

But Priti Patel wants to change the Mayoral system to First Past the Post. Too many Labour Mayors it would seem.

And this is a terrible case of sour grapes. As a generalisation, we are in the dangerous place of an elected dictatorship.

Ditto with the case of voter ID - there are very few cases of electoral fraud in this country, but mandating voter ID is likely to disenfranchise people who don't drive, or have a passport. Possibly something like a Work photo pass might be OK.

Voter ID is required in N Ireland, but in that case I believe a simple document is available from the local council. This needs to be mandated in Britain if the rule is to be brought in. Which is then ID cards by the back door. Maybe this doesn't matter - times have moved on since the last war and post war years as long as we don't get police and other bodies making it a crime not to produce an ID card when asked.

However, since the Tories are crowing about their red wall, they might just hoist themselves by their own petard in that it might be one time Labour voters who are less likely to possess ID. The younger voters who appear to be turning to Labour are probably more likely to possess passports and driving licences.

@LEnferCestLesAutres

I sometimes wish I was a Brexiteer - preferably a Tory Brexiteer. It must be great to view events of recent years and feel enthusiasm and confidence for the future. Facts tend to get in the way, sadly. In the context of Brexit, I never really understand what "moving on"/ "pulling together" means. How would I manifest that in my day to day life? Is it just "shutting up"?

That's entirely it. They want you to forget what they promised, and that they promoted it. They want it to become "something that happened in the past", so that as it turns to shit, they don't look like fools for having done so.

As we have already seen on Brexiter threads - but we never said it would be easy. Oh yes you did.

@Peregrina,

'As we have already seen on Brexiter threads - but we never said it would be easy. Oh yes you did.'

I think both sides have vastly exaggerated their claims. I do recall lots of threads on which many who have posted on here claimed that we would be struggling to feed ourselves and buy needed medicines post Brexit.

And also that we would be in full economic collapse by now.

Happy to dig up the posts if anyone would like, but it is considered bad form doing that on here.

Yes, both sides did exaggerate but the UK isn't out of the woods yet.

You need to wait for the effects on the economy of Covid to out wash out, and also see what happens as the UK continues to introduce all the required checks at the Border (the various regulations are still being phased in) before you can even begin to get a handle on the full effect on the logistics and supply chain.

Only then will we know the actual scale of any exaggeration.

Well I'm not pulling together thanks. I'll continue doing me. I haven't heard anyone really moaning about the effects of Brexit, well not to me personally, but if they have been left suffering financial hardship or can't do what they used to do, then I don't blame them for moaning. That us provided they didn't vote for Brexit, if they did they I don't have any sympathy.
The country is being encouraged to be more selfish, just look at this government. You can't have selfish leaders and then expect the electorate to not be selfish themselves.

It's because a lot of predictions were made that the supermarkets and the logistics industry went into overdrive to make sure that we did have adequate supplies. There are still shortages of some things, and it's practically impossible to get fresh vegetables with a best before date of further than 3 days away, whereas I used to try and get stuff with a week or more.

It's the little things that people are going to eventually start noticing.

I run a business and have had to simply switch off all my sales to the EU, which previously accounted for about 15% of sales. This is due mainly to disgruntled customers having to pay VAT/fees on receipt of anything valued over 22 euros, and the various complications that arise from situations where customers feel unhappy about that.
I am in a forum of small business owners and hundreds of us have simply switched off sales to EU countries.... some not that small either. We all feel it is rather strange that it seems not to be reported and seems to have been swept under the carpet when hundreds of us have lost hundreds of thousands in business.... and that's just one small forum!

There seem to be quite a lot of items were the shelves are thinly stocked. Is it still Covid? It's hard to tell.

I do recall lots of threads on which many who have posted on here claimed that we would be struggling to feed ourselves and buy needed medicines post Brexit.

The dire predictions were based on No Deal, which for all that it's shabby and thin, Johnson did get a Deal. On the other hand the Brexiters promised that things would be better. Covid has scuppered that in many respects, but it's very difficult to point to anything which is a bonus so far. Johnson in his post Hartlepool speech blabbed about Freeports, but Hartlepool has had a Tory mayor for a few years, who has been bringing in investment (maybe a bung) whilst in the EU. He didn't start it in January this year. So Johnson was yet again talking porkies and in that case it's nothing to do with Brexit.

@whatisheupto

I run a business and have had to simply switch off all my sales to the EU, which previously accounted for about 15% of sales.

Sorry to hear that but sadly not surprised by your post. What you describe is certainly the subject of discussion on some Brit expat bulletin boards but you''re right, it doesn't seem to have made many ripples in the UK MSM I've got access to.

I know post Jan 1 many Brits in the EU have been hit with a sizeable bill for customs/handling fees on items ordered from Uk companies....one typical example I've heard of today is a €30'ish euro charge on a £45 order.

I know many of us would like to help support British companies when we can, especially the smaller ones, most especially the ones who provide a good service, but the economics are making it less and less attractive.

Hope it works out OK for you in the long run.

...And on the subject of freeports:
on.ft.com/3uCQSo3

Hannibal - Best to buy fruit and veg as fresh as possible and use straight away as nutrients are lost very quickly.

@Mamamia456

Hannibal - Best to buy fruit and veg as fresh as possible and use straight away as nutrients are lost very quickly.

What a lovely idea. What do people do if they don't live near shops and travel costs are an issue for them? Don't say just freeze stuff - not everyone has a large freezer or the capacity to run one.

Bottom line is, things have got worse in a thousand small ways, for lots of people. Which is not what Brexiteers promised. Until I see improvements, I'm going to keep on saying 'hang on, this isn't the Brexit we were told we would have'. Positivity, my arse.

Pointythings - If someone is in that situation you describe then they would be better off buying some tinned fruit and veg as well which is cheaper but will still have more nutrients than fruit and veg which has been kept for more than a week.

Cheaper, but less pleasant to eat. So here we are - instead of Brexit making things better, poorer people get to eat worse food. And that's OK. Got it, loud and clear.

This is a complete tangent, but I went off to google the decline of nutrients, out of interest, and found that nutrients have been declining globally for years. It’s quite a rabbit hole.

Importing food from halfway across the world instead of on our doorstep is hardly likely to improve the nutrient content.

Vote for Brexit, destroy loads of industries, set fire to the finance powerhouse that London was, alienate our closest alies and eat rubbish food. And All ok because... foreign innit. Stick that on a bus.

No it's not possible to move on positively - it might be in the future but not likely in my lifetime.

Life has changed irrevocably for myself, my family & my friends. Unfortunately moves abroad weren't an option for any of us without leaving the vulnerable behind.
We are dealing with it as best we can.
It's not moving on - it's coping & running to stand still.

Covid is masking a lot of the Brexit issues. Boris & his chums must be delighted.

Yes, it's like Brexiters saying "We managed during the War." It's one thing going without because your country is fighting an evil dictatorship. Quite another because of a spat in the Tory party.

Pointythings - I wouldn't say it's less pleasant to eat. I always eat tinned fruit in winter as it tastes so much better than imported "fresh" fruit. I have in the past bought apricots, nectarines and peaches out of season which were not only expensive but tasteless.

I agree with you on fruit. Vegetables - not so much. They're always mushy. Many have added salt. And I put it to you again - Brexit was supposed to make things better. How is it better that what we get on our shelves is less fresh than it was before?

Basically we're having to cope with brexit. Anything that needs coping with probably wasn't such a great idea to begin with.